“Watanabe! All the buddies were hyping you up in the group chat yesterday, why didn't you show your face!”
The next day, on the way to school, Kiriyama Kazuma, leaning on Watanabe Yu’s shoulder, sighed with a sense of disappointment by someone's failure.
It was clearly a perfect opportunity to show off.
If Watanabe Yu had just popped in, he definitely could have pulled in a lot of attention.
At that point, his popularity in the class would have just climbed another step.
But this guy simply didn't take it seriously and let the chance slip away easily.
Yesterday, let alone saying anything in the group chat, he didn't even reply to his private chat messages.
He didn't even mark them as read!
“My phone died.”
Watanabe Yu casually offered an excuse.
Given the situation yesterday, if he had said even one sentence in the group chat, his private chat window wouldn't have stopped pinging; the notification sound would have probably gone off continuously for an hour.
Even though he remained silent and chose to play dead, he still received about ten private chat messages afterward.
The questions were all about the subway incident.
Before sleeping, he glanced at the chat page full of red notification dots, and between replying and pretending he hadn't seen them, he chose plan C—to continue playing dead.
“I’ll just pretend I really didn’t see it.”
Kiriyama Kazuma rolled his eyes. He wasn't a toddler; how could he believe such a lie?
Watanabe Yu hadn't taken out his mobile phone to play with at school yesterday at all.
Considering the battery life of modern mobile phones, under that kind of 'standby' mode, one charge could easily last two or three days.
And as far as he knew, Watanabe Yu charged his phone every day.
This guy’s excuse was truly terrible!
“Instead of talking about this, we should talk about your friend’s relationship problems.”
Watanabe Yu coughed lightly, his tone becoming a bit teasing, and he proactively changed the topic.
“Uh… him.”
Hearing this, Kiriyama Kazuma’s expression immediately became complicated. He withdrew the hand resting on Watanabe Yu’s shoulder and sighed with a complex look, “He said, after much thought, he decided to give up.
“Just like you said, if he kept persisting, he would most likely end up like the Joker and Queen of Spades in a deck of cards.”
Watanabe Yu’s words had a significant impact on him.
Furthermore, after experiencing what happened yesterday, Watanabe Yu’s impression in his heart grew even grander, and consequently, the weight of his words also rose.
So, before sleeping, he painfully reviewed the entire process of his interactions with that girl.
Then, he suddenly realized that his high school black history had just gained a new entry.
“It’s fine, the Joker has his Harley Quinn, but your friend has nothing.”
Watanabe Yu patted Kiriyama Kazuma’s shoulder and offered him ‘comfort.’
“How are you so good at comforting people? Wa-ta-na-be-san! But who are the Joker and Harley Quinn??”
Kiriyama Kazuma glared at Watanabe Yu crossly and batted his hand off his shoulder.
This guy really knew how to talk.
If he were as good at talking as this, he would have been beaten up five times a week already.
“Characters from a movie,” Watanabe Yu slowed his pace, dropping his teasing expression, “In any case, if you truly fall hopelessly in love with a girl, my advice is to first try to keep your mind level and start as friends.
“Then warn yourself not to overly deify her.
“Because she isn't actually glowing; it’s just your affection that has gilded her with that light.”
In this regard, he, the strategist, had plenty of authority to speak.
He had truly seen too many 'Ah Fei's (infatuated fools).
“...Can you stop suddenly speaking so philosophically? Your teasing just now was so malicious!”
Kiriyama Kazuma was silent for a moment, complaining out loud, but he firmly memorized what Watanabe Yu had said in his heart.
“Telling the truth is also malicious, is it?”
Watanabe Yu retorted.
“What you were saying was…”
“Good morning, Watanabe-san! Kiriyama… also good morning.”
It was the same street corner as yesterday, and the person was the same as yesterday, but the attitude had undergone a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree change.
Hayakawa Yuki, standing at the street corner, raised her hand and cheerfully greeted Watanabe Yu and Kiriyama Kazuma.
“Good morning, Miss Hayakawa,” Watanabe Yu nodded and gave a brief response.
“Morning,”
Kiriyama Kazuma replied casually, then consciously stepped back a pace, giving Watanabe Yu a look that said, 'You deserve to die.'
Any discerning eye could tell that the energetic "Good morning" spoken by Hayakawa Yuki was directed only at Watanabe Yu; as for himself, he was clearly the one who should be under the bus.
So, being handsome, having depth in his words, and possessing sufficient combat power—that’s how he attracts girls, right?
Damn it, Watanabe, you deserve to die!
The pair heading to school became a trio, but the previously lively atmosphere inexplicably fell silent.
After walking for a short distance, Kiriyama Kazuma suddenly slapped his head, left a quick remark, “Oh, it’s my turn for cleaning duty today! I’ll head off first,” and quickened his pace, leaving space for his good buddy and his desk mate.
Thus, the small group of three reverted to the original duo after lasting less than two minutes.
“Watanabe-san, there’s something I want to tell you.”
Seeing Kiriyama Kazuma leave, Hayakawa Yuki, who had been hesitating several times, finally opened the topic of conversation.
“Go ahead, but if it’s another ‘thank you,’ then forget it,”
Watanabe Yu made a small joke.
“Um…” Hayakawa Yuki ignored his teasing and carefully chose her words, “Watanabe-san, may I call you Watanabe?”
“You may,” Watanabe Yu nodded, “In fact, that would be best.”
He wasn't used to Japan's naming conventions anyway; hearing things like -san or -kun just felt troublesome.
“Mm, Watanabe?”
Hayakawa Yuki tilted her little face, testing the name out.
“That’s more like it!”
Watanabe Yu nodded.
“My Mother found out about what happened yesterday, and she hopes to express her gratitude to you in person, and perhaps treat you to a meal.”
Hayakawa Yuki relayed her mother’s wishes.
“That shouldn’t be necessary, right?”
Watanabe Yu instinctively felt a bit resistant to such an occasion.
Firstly, having dinner with a classmate’s parent always felt strange to him, carrying an indescribable sense of déjà vu.
Secondly, his time was truly precious right now; the sooner he could finish *Norwegian Wood*, the sooner he could resolve the financial issues before him.
Having a substantial savings versus having just enough savings for one month’s living expenses were completely different concepts.
Especially in a place like Tokyo, where every inch of land is precious.
“No, this is very necessary!”
Hayakawa Yuki’s little face was full of seriousness.
Just as Mother said, in that situation, Watanabe Yu stood in front of her, preventing her from facing danger directly. Was a simple ‘thank you’ enough?
Wouldn't that be too perfunctory?
At the very least, there hadn't been any tangible form of repayment!
“Watanabe, tomorrow is Saturday, are you free?”
Hayakawa Yuki raised her fair little face, her eyes full of earnestness.
“I have something tomorrow,”
Watanabe Yu replied without thinking.
“Then the day after tomorrow?”
Hayakawa Yuki continued to ask.
“The day after tomorrow is also…”
“You have to give me a chance to express my thanks,” Hayakawa Yuki stopped walking, pouting her little mouth slightly with a hint of grievance, “Otherwise, I’ll always feel like I owe you.”
“When a woman develops a feeling of indebtedness toward a man, it means she might be about to have gold coins exploded out of her by him,” Watanabe Yu paused, looking meaningfully at Hayakawa Yuki, “What, you want me to explode gold coins out of you too?”
“I don’t have much money,” Hayakawa Yuki met Watanabe Yu’s gaze without flinching, “But if you want it, Watanabe, I can give you all the New Year’s money I’ve saved.”
“……”
Wait, buddy, what is the meaning of this?
Shouldn't the response at a time like this be to call him out for being inappropriate, or for the topic to just end here!?
Is this Science Fiction!?
“How long is the weekend?”
Watanabe Yu sighed.
“Well, it depends on when you are free, Watanabe,”
Hayakawa Yuki blinked, thinking that the tactic of advancing by retreating, which her mother taught her, was indeed effective.
“How about noon?”
Watanabe Yu conceded.
“It’s a deal?”
“It’s a deal!”
2/2
See everyone tomorrow, please follow along and vote for tickets~