Just as Natsume Chikei was trying to figure out how to bring it up, someone suddenly appeared at the door to the storage room.
Kondo Miki stood in the doorway.
Noticing the pile of miscellaneous items scattered across the floor, she looked at Natsume Chikei with a suspicious gaze.
“Mom, I heard some noise from the room just now.
Did something happen?”
Kondo Miyuki’s face flushed slightly.
She quickly explained, “N-No, it’s nothing.
I just accidentally knocked some things over while I was grabbing something.”
The aloof Kondo Miki frowned slightly, clearly doubtful about that explanation.
But since her mother had already spoken, she didn’t press the issue.
“Did you find what you were looking for?”
“Want me to help?”
Kondo Miyuki shook her head.
“No need.
I already found it.”
“Let’s tidy up and head out then.”
Natsume Chikei sighed inwardly.
He knew that in this situation, there was no way he could come up with a believable excuse to get his hands on that magazine.
It looked like he’d have to wait for a better opportunity later.
After leaving the storage room, Natsume Chikei figured that since he’d already gotten what he came for, there wasn’t much point in sticking around.
It was time to leave.
“It’s getting late.
I won’t disturb you all any longer,” Natsume Chikei said, preparing to go.
“Huh?
You’re leaving already?” Kondo Miyuki looked surprised.
“My little sister at home needs me for something.
It’s about time I head out,” Natsume Chikei said, making up an excuse on the spot.
“I see…” Kondo Miyuki felt an inexplicable twinge of disappointment.
Natsume Chikei exchanged a few polite words with the three of them before turning to leave.
“Mm, take care,” Kondo Masayuki replied casually, not even bothering to look up from the mystery novel in his hands.
Kondo Miyuki tried to persuade him to stay a little longer, but when she saw that Natsume Chikei had no intention of lingering, she turned to her daughter.
“Miki, since Chikei-kun finally came all this way, why don’t you walk him out for a bit?”
Kondo Miki was in a bit of a mood.
She’d already canceled and delayed her shopping plans with her best friend, and had been planning to head out right after dinner.
Now she was being asked to see Natsume Chikei off?
Wasn’t that just wasting even more of her time?
But in the end, she couldn’t argue with her mother.
With a soft sigh, she had no choice but to go downstairs with him.
On the way down, Kondo Miki hesitated for a long time before finally asking the question that had been on her mind.
“By the way, Chikei-kun, how did you end up deciding to attend Private Gekko Academy?”
Natsume Chikei didn’t think much of it and explained directly, “Actually, it wasn’t really my choice.”
“My father signed me up for it before the bankruptcy.”
“Since the tuition’s already been paid, might as well go. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
No point in wasting it.”
Kondo Miki suddenly understood.
She’d been wondering how the Natsume family could still afford Private Gekko Academy after going bankrupt.
The tuition there was pretty steep.
Given Natsume Chikei’s current financial situation, it didn’t seem possible at all.
But she hadn’t expected that the tuition had been paid in advance.
That made sense.
“Was it the full three years’ tuition that was paid?” Kondo Miki pressed.
“No, just the first semester of the first year,” Natsume Chikei shook his head.
Kondo Miki fell silent.
She’d thought it was all three years.
Didn’t that mean after this semester, Natsume Chikei would have to transfer schools?
She knew that wages from working at a coffee shop weren’t that high.
And for a student working part-time, the pay would be even lower.
Maybe 100,000 yen a month if he was lucky, but realistically probably only 60,000 to 80,000 yen.
In that case, continuing at the expensive Private Gekko Academy would be very difficult.
Most likely, after this semester, he’d have to transfer to a public school with cheaper tuition.
Public schools were cheap, but the quality of teaching was much worse.
Most students there just coasted through their days.
In that kind of learning environment, trying to study hard and get into a good university would be even harder.
It was a lose-lose situation compared to staying in a private school.
At that moment, Kondo Miki’s gaze fell on Natsume Chikei beside her.
She noticed that his outfit looked clean and decent enough at first glance, but in reality, his clothes and shoes were all from cheap, mass-market brands.
Everything he was wearing probably cost less than 10,000 yen total.
In contrast, everything she was wearing right now was designer brands…
Kondo Miki sighed inwardly.
She couldn’t help but feel that the two of them were destined to be from completely different social classes…
Soon, they reached the ground floor.
Kondo Miki thought it over again and ultimately decided against walking Natsume Chikei any farther.
“I’ve still got some things to take care of.
You know your way around here, right?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“…Then I’ll stop here.
Bye.” Kondo Miki waved goodbye.
“Mm.” Natsume Chikei waved without looking back and walked off on his own.
As Kondo Miki watched his lonely, solitary figure walking away, she suddenly felt a twinge of hesitation.
Maybe she should walk him a little farther after all.
She had promised her mother, and he really had come all this way.
She was already going to be late anyway, so a few extra minutes wouldn’t matter.
But after thinking about it, she still didn’t go after him.
She decided it was better to let it go.
After all, they probably wouldn’t have much interaction in the future.
However, just as she was about to head home, Kondo Miki noticed her best friend Akita Sana running toward her with an excited look on her face.
Akita Sana was dressed in designer brands just like Kondo Miki.
She grabbed Kondo Miki’s hand excitedly and pointed at Natsume Chikei’s retreating figure up ahead.
“Miki, did you just see that guy?
He’s seriously super hot—way better looking than any celebrity I’ve ever seen!!!”
“I saw him coming out of your apartment building.
Is he a resident here or something?”
“Can you introduce me to him?”
Kondo Miki was silent for a long moment.
“No…”
“Besides, he’s not right for you.
Just give it up.”
Akita Sana pouted.
“He hasn’t even gone out with me.
How do you know he’s not right for me?”
Kondo Miki snorted coldly.
“It’s not like I don’t know your personality and spending habits.
With how extravagant you are, how could someone without money possibly support you?”
Akita Sana laughed.
“You’ve got a point there.”
“But from the way you said it, you know that guy?”
Kondo Miki replied indifferently, “Yeah, I do.”
“I’ve met him a few times before.”
Akita Sana’s eyes lit up.
She nudged her with an elbow.
“Then introduce me!”
Kondo Miki shook her head.
“He’s really not suitable for you.
His family is very poor.
He couldn’t handle your spending.”
“That one bag you’re carrying right now costs more than what some people make in a year.”
“We’re from completely different worlds.
Even if you forced a relationship, it’d just make both of you miserable.
Just let him go…”
Akita Sana shrugged.
“If you say so, then fine…”
“Enough about that.
Let’s hurry up and go have fun!”
Kondo Miki nodded.
“Mm.”