The next day, early morning, 7:10 AM.
Watanabe Yu, awakened by his biological clock, opened his still somewhat drowsy eyes.
After slapping his face and taking about twenty seconds to compose himself, he pushed himself up, intending to get up and wash, but the next instant, a scent drifting from beside him caught his attention.
On the small square table beside him, which he knew intimately, lay an exquisite breakfast and what appeared to be a note.
Lifting the quilt, Watanabe Yu stretched widely, got out of bed, and walked over to the small square table to sit down.
Amemiya Ayana leaving so early was indeed unexpected for him.
But thinking about it, it was normal; perhaps she was afraid of awkwardness.
If his memory served him correctly, late last night, Amemiya Ayana had snuck into his bed.
When he lifted the quilt just now, he had smelled a faint, highly recognizable fragrance from her.
—It was the light scent of jasmine, as if the petals had been kissed by dew after a rain shower.
However, who would have thought that the highly ambitious Young Miss was actually afraid of thunder.
Watanabe Yu picked up the note with some emotion.
A line of neat writing immediately entered his eyes.
【Thank you, Mr. Watanabe, for letting me stay last night. Please accept this small token of my appreciation 】
“A small token of appreciation?”
Watanabe Yu’s line of sight moved down, then abruptly fixed near the plate holding the breakfast. He then noticed a brown envelope placed there; from his previous lying position, the envelope was completely hidden by the plate.
He picked up the envelope, opened it, and glanced inside.
Inside were five neatly folded Yukichi bills.
Looking at it this way, copying novels was certainly not as fast as latching onto the Young Miss’s thigh.
Shaking his head, Watanabe Yu put down the envelope, turned around to grab his fully charged mobile phone, and started eating breakfast while opening Line.
After finding that familiar Ragdoll Cat avatar, he typed a message with one hand and sent it.
【Leaving so early? 】
Five seconds later, the message showed as read, and the reply arrived as expected.
【Mhm, my clothes got wrinkled, I need to go back and change 】
【About those five Yukichi bills 】
【It’s normal for a runaway Saintess to drop some gold coins 】
【Next time, remember to mark it as a voluntary gift, otherwise I won't dare take it. 】
【That depends on my mood, Mr. Ogre. 】
【I’m home, talk later 】
【1 】
Putting away his mobile phone, Watanabe Yu glanced at the time and focused on eating his breakfast.
It was 7:20 now; after eating breakfast and washing up, leaving for school leisurely would be just right.
The Jonan Private High School where he studied was near Hongo Station, 2.4km in a straight line from the apartment complex where he lived, not far, but not exactly close either. Usually, he would take the subway.
However, today he planned to walk to school, as it had rained the night before.
Based on his personal experience, walking around on a day with fresh air could effectively alleviate the bad mood associated with having to wake up early for school or work.
*
“Watanabe, morning!”
“Kiriyama, morning.”
Outside Hongo Station, Watanabe Yu spotted his classmate from afar—a Chuunibyou boy with long hair styled like Takuya Kimura, Kiriyama Kazuma.
When this guy wasn't speaking, he was actually somewhat handsome, but the moment he couldn't control his mouth, he instantly transformed into Gotham’s nightmare, becoming Batman’s formidable foe.
“Subway?”
“Walking.”
“Alright.”
After walking a distance along the Shopping Street, Kiriyama Kazuma lightly coughed and proactively opened the topic, “Watanabe, I have a question for you.”
“Loved and lost.”
Watanabe Yu responded casually, slowing his pace and observing the city after the rain with interest.
The usually clean road was soggy, and the continuous stream of pedestrians was now mostly gone. Footsteps were sparse, a few leaves stuck to the ground, and small puddles reflected the clear sky. This modern Steel Forest seemed not to have fully woken up yet.
“…” Hearing this, Kiriyama Kazuma was silent for a moment, then ignored Watanabe Yu’s remark and continued speaking on his own, “I have a friend who ran into some setbacks in a relationship.”
He had been agonizing over this matter all night.
“Was he rejected when he confessed?”
Watanabe Yu asked thoughtfully.
Although he and Kiriyama Kazuma had only known each other for just over a week in total, given the other party's surprisingly easy-to-read personality, the only thing that could cause this guy such distress was the girl he mentioned on the subway ride home a few days ago.
In Kiriyama Kazuma’s words, it was true love at first sight for that girl—not the kind where you fall for anyone you see, but genuine appreciation for beauty.
“Not exactly, because she also…” Kiriyama Kazuma coughed, pulling back from the edge, and changed his wording, “What I mean is, my friend tactfully expressed his affection for that girl, but her reply was that she wasn't planning on dating in high school.”
“So…”
“Watanabe Yu, do you think my friend still needs to persist?”
From his own Stance, he felt there was a chance. Firstly, the girl’s rejection wasn't forceful, and secondly, he considered himself skilled at pursuing girls. If he were just a bit more devoted, a bit more proactive, perhaps he could move her?
“If you persist further, you might just end up as the King of Spades in a deck of cards,” Watanabe Yu looked towards the Shopping Street bathed in the morning light; the shops there were beginning to open. “Of course, this is just my rather worldly view. How it proceeds ultimately depends on you—your friend.”
He paused with a hint of bad taste.
In fact, just as he expected, the moment he deliberately paused, Kiriyama Kazuma’s expression immediately became flustered.
“My friend…”
“Don’t rush, let me finish,” Watanabe Yu interrupted Kiriyama Kazuma and continued meaningfully, “Some people, when they ask a question, already have the answer in their hearts the moment they open their mouths.
“Such people only need others to affirm their inner thoughts, giving them the courage to continue or persist as if it were justified.
“But some people ask questions simply because they want others to give them advice.
“I don’t know which type your friend is, but based on my personal feeling, your friend might fit the first category more closely.
“So my advice is, if he wants to persist, then he should keep persisting. Who knows?
“But if there’s a next time, remember to tell your friend not to reveal his hand so early.”
Actually, Watanabe Yu’s initial thought was to advise Kiriyama Kazuma to give up.
After all, when you need to rely on jungle support just to maintain a normal lane, it generally means you’ve already collapsed.
But the moment the words reached his lips, Watanabe Yu changed his tune temporarily.
What if the subsequent development was like the Subtext Kiriyama Kazuma hadn't voiced?
Maybe? What if? Right? Why should he destroy such a possibility?
“Mhm.”
Kiriyama Kazuma hesitated, then nodded, but his expression didn't look entirely relieved.
Yes, he and Watanabe Yu had only met after school started, and they hadn't spent much time together. Logically, after receiving the latter’s answer, he should ignore his words and stick to his own convictions.
But from the first day he interacted with Watanabe Yu, he felt this person was someone worth befriending deeply.
Although Watanabe Yu’s style of speaking and acting was somewhat ‘unique,’ the feeling he gave off was one of composure and stability. Most importantly, he was sincere, and communicating with him was easy.
Therefore, he was willing to discuss anything with Watanabe Yu and could listen to some of what he said.
He could sense that Watanabe Yu initially suggested the possibility was high, but he still wasn't willing to give up just like that.
“So, Watanabe, why can you be so carefree?”
Kiriyama Kazuma sighed, a hint of envy creeping into his tone.
“Probably because I’m handsome.”
Watanabe Yu shrugged and gave a dashing smile.
“Tch…”
Kiriyama Kazuma pouted, instinctively wanting to retort, but when he raised his eyebrows and saw Watanabe Yu’s sharply defined face, the words were swallowed back down.
On this point, facts spoke louder than words, and louder than female arguments.
It had only been a little over a week since school started, but his friend had already received no less than ten love letters.
“Damn Okinawa handsome guy!” After heavily patting Watanabe Yu’s Shoulder a few times, Kiriyama Kazuma dropped his previous conflicted expression. He was the type whose emotions came and went quickly. “But speaking of which, those love letters from the girls, are you really not going to respond to any of them?”
In his memory, several of the girls who slipped love letters to Watanabe Yu were quite beautiful.
“Respond to what? ‘Yes, I love you too’?” Watanabe Yu shook his head without thinking. “Give me a break.”
“That’s true, it’s normal that you wouldn’t be interested in them.” Kiriyama Kazuma’s Eyes suddenly lit up, as if he’d thought of something. He nudged Watanabe Yu’s side with his elbow meaningfully, winking to prompt him to look ahead. “See, they aren't as good-looking as your Desk Neighbor. If it were me, I wouldn't look far when what I want is close by.”
“That’s a bit off-putting, Kiriyama-san.”
Watanabe Yu reminded Kiriyama Kazuma and subconsciously looked ahead.
Not far in front of them, a Beautiful figure he was somewhat familiar with entered his line of sight.
It was his Desk Mate, Hayakawa Yuki.
This Little girl sported meticulously dyed blonde hair, several hair ties on her Fair and tender wrist, the school uniform’s matching necktie fastened securely, and the buttons of her Shirt fastened tightly. Her fair Little Face held an air of 'keep your distance.'
In the early morning sunlight, her skin seemed to glow with whiteness.
Like an angry pufferfish, Hayakawa Yuki turned around, puffed out her cheeks to make her expression look fiercer, and glared fiercely at Kiriyama Kazuma and Watanabe Yu.
“Only the handsome bastards!”
After throwing out that line, she turned around angrily, sped up her steps with a *deng deng deng*, and left the two behind.
【Generally speaking, a Blonde beauty who wants to become a Blonde Gyaru but, due to her own circumstances, can’t even manage to be a half-baked one, is exceptionally innocent and Two-faced 】
【If you find the right approach, such a target might be surprisingly easy to conquer 】
【Admittedly, starting with a Favorability event like this is a bit delicate, but love and hate are always two sides intertwined 】
【The amount of hatred can flip into the amount of affection 】
【Romance Option updated 】
【Brave youth, it’s your time to shine 】
【Should you chase after her to explain? 】
【Or should you shelve it for now? 】
Heh, I choose two.
Watanabe Yu made his choice without thinking.
He loaded the Romance Option System, not the Dog Training System.
Not being a decent person and choosing to be a dog, is that it?
Furthermore, from a benefit perspective, he had already obtained the Core skill a Transmigrator should acquire.
【Romance Option shelved, awaiting next trigger 】
1/2
Update time tentatively set for 10 AM and 4 PM. If there are any unexpected delays, I will announce them in advance. Over.
As usual, please vote! Everyone, if you have any opinions or suggestions, feel free to leave a message in the review section to vent~