"Hahahahahaha!"
After running a fair distance away, Takashi finally stopped, unable to hold back his laughter.
Eriri, panting from the sudden sprint, shot him a look that was equal parts exasperated and amused.
To think this was her first time seeing Takashi act so childish.
"Aren't you afraid they'll beat you up?"
Takashi waved it off. "If anyone gets beaten up, it'll be Aki Tomoya, not me."
Once the makeup comes off, let's see if you can still recognize me.
Eriri shot him a fierce glare.
This guy was so annoying.
Causing trouble but making someone else take the hit.
Acting cool but letting others get punched.
As they continued chatting, they made their way toward the train station.
The platform was packed with people.
Squeezing onto the train, they couldn't find seats, so they stood near the doors to make it easier to get off.
Takashi used his strength to shield Eriri, creating a small space for her.
"I never expected him to be this strong."
Nestled within Takashi's arms, Eriri stole a glance at his well-defined, muscular arms and thought to herself.
That was something different from Aki Tomoya.
Aki Tomoya had a part-time job, but you couldn't exactly build muscle just from working.
"Could he have that legendary 'looks skinny in clothes but is actually ripped' kind of body? Does he have abs?"
Eriri's thoughts ran wild, and her gaze unconsciously drifted downward to Takashi's stomach.
"Maybe I should touch them next time?"
The more she thought about it, the hotter her face became.
It felt as if all the heat in her body was gathering in her cheeks.
"No, no, Eriri, what the hell are you thinking!"
Realizing where her thoughts had gone, Eriri frantically shook her head.
Takashi, meanwhile, noticed Eriri blushing one moment and shaking her head the next, utterly confused.
The train swayed as it carried a girl lost in fantasy and a completely clueless boy toward Chiba.
…
[Order completed. Calculating rewards.]
[Player has received: 5000 points.]
[Date count: Sawamura Spencer Eriri - Eight times]
The next day, for once, Takashi didn't wake up on time.
Yesterday, he had gone from Chiba to Tokyo and back twice, which had nearly cost him half his life.
By the time he returned home, he fell asleep the moment he hit the bed.
Exhaustion.
That was the only thing he felt after shopping with a girl all day.
His legs barely felt like they belonged to him anymore.
Today, he really didn't want to get up.
"Would the world explode if there were one more rich guy like me?"
Lying in bed, Takashi wanted nothing more than to call up a rich lady from his contacts and say,
"Auntie, I don't want to work hard anymore."
But considering his currently weak physique, which couldn't handle a steel scrubber, he decided to keep pushing himself a little longer.
After making breakfast, Takashi grabbed his dog and headed out to meet Yotsuba.
When he opened his door, he noticed a garbage bag in front of the neighboring apartment and couldn't help but laugh.
He snapped a photo of the bag and sent it to Yotsuba.
Takashi: Yotsuba, I found your true form.
Takashi:
[Image]
Yotsuba quickly replied with a string of angry emojis: 💢💢💢
Looking at the picture Takashi sent, Yotsuba puffed up her cheeks in anger.
But as she stared at it, she suddenly started laughing.
She wasn't the type to get mad over a simple joke.
And, to be honest, the garbage bag did look a bit like her.
Finding it amusing, Yotsuba took a selfie and sent both pictures to her sisters' group chat.
Yotsuba Nakano: Doesn't it look like me?
After sending the message, she switched back to her chat with Takashi.
Knowing her sisters' habits, she figured they wouldn't be awake yet.
Even the only early riser, Itsuki, wouldn't be up until after eight.
Yotsuba: Kitahara-kun, are you not coming for the morning run today?
Takashi: I'm coming!
Takashi: I woke up late today, but I'm on my way.
Yotsuba: Now that I think about it, this is the first time I've arrived before you.
She had been jogging with Takashi for about a week now.
She knew he was a highly disciplined person.
Almost every day, he was the one who arrived first and waited for her.
This was the first time she was the one waiting.
Takashi: You can brag about this for the rest of your life. (￣^￣)
Yotsuba: Why?
Takashi: Because standing before you is the third-ranked student in the entire country, soon to be first, and someone destined for greatness—Kitahara Takashi!
Yotsuba: (ｷ｀ﾟДﾟ´)!!
Yotsuba: Kitahara-kun, are your grades really that good?
Third place in the whole country.
Yotsuba wouldn't even dare to dream of that.
Takashi: Is that hard to achieve?
Takashi: Honestly, as long as you have hands, you can do it.
He was clearly showing off, but Yotsuba didn't pick up on it.
She looked down at her hands and thought, "Are my hands fake?"
Yotsuba: Can you tutor me?
Silence.
After a moment, she added another message: I can pay you!
Takashi immediately responded: Oh no, how embarrassing.
Then he sent a meme of a student refusing a red envelope with one hand while secretly opening their pocket with the other.
Takashi: By the way, how much are you offering?
Yotsuba: Um… I'll have to ask my dad first.
"Why don't you ask him now?"
Takashi's voice suddenly came from behind her.
Yotsuba turned around to see him walking toward her, lazily holding his dog's leash.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
He handed her a breakfast set of pan-fried dumplings and soy milk.
"Thanks!"
Yotsuba happily took the food.
She used to refuse his kindness, but after a week of being fed by Takashi, she had gotten used to it.
Before she knew it, he had subtly become a part of her daily life.
"Dumplings?"
"They're called potstickers, but I guess you guys just call them dumplings."
Japanese dumplings always seemed to be pan-fried.
"Whatever, doesn't matter what they're called. By the way, which subject are you weakest in? I'll focus on tutoring you in that."
Takashi used a disposable glove to pick up a dumpling, tossing it into his mouth as he spoke.
"Um… all of them."
Yotsuba's gaze darted around guiltily.
"What?"
Takashi's hand froze as he stared at her in disbelief.
"You're joking, right?"
Yotsuba avoided his gaze, her voice weakening. "I'm not… It's the truth."
Takashi was momentarily speechless. After a pause, he asked, "…What were your last exam scores?"
"49."
"Which subject?"
"Total score… 49."
Takashi: "…"
Wait.
How the hell did she even manage that?
Even if she had only answered the multiple-choice questions, she should have scored more than that!
"Uh… do you think there's any hope for me?"
Yotsuba asked hesitantly.
Takashi shook his head seriously.
"No hope. I can't teach you. Just accept your fate."
Yotsuba: (;д;)
…
After the morning run with Yotsuba, Takashi freshened up at noon and headed out for his date with Maki.
Spending time with four girls over two days had completely drained him.
"If I ever schedule dates this close together again, I'm a dog."
Last night, he hadn't gotten proper rest at all.
As he sat on the train, he found himself nodding off.
His head drooped lower and lower, and it felt like he could fall asleep at any moment.
"I can't… I can't sleep… Alright, I'll just take a short nap."
Five minutes later, Takashi peacefully closed his eyes.
Beside him, a girl curled up tightly, doing her best to avoid contact with the crowd.
Suddenly, she felt a weight on her left shoulder—something heavy pressing down on her.
Her entire body instantly froze as if she had just died.
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Check out the other translations too: [Mash-Up: Anything For Money]
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