Looking at the black bullet in her hand, Momo smiled and tucked it into her pocket.
"Not bad for a gift. I like it."
"As long as you're happy."
"Rinji, let ask you sothing."
"Hmm?"
"Am I special to you?"
"Yes."
Rinji answered without a mont of hesitation.
After all, Momo had been his first friend after coming to Japan. That alone made her special.
"Say, senpai, why did you suddenly cut your hair short?" Rinji asked. "I rember you had long hair back in middle school."
"Sothing happened. Besides, long hair's a hassle."
Momo ran a hand through the hair that hung near her ear.
"Do you like better with long hair?"
"Doesn't matter to . You're still Momo-senpai either way."
"Is that so."
There wasn't much conversation between Rinji and Momo—even on normal days.
Back during school, aside from his two suspensions, Rinji would often head to the astronomy club's rooftop after classes to sit with Momo. He wouldn't head to the student council office until later.
Sotis, Rinji would chat about recent student council affairs. Sotis, Momo would ask about how he spent those four years away. But most of the ti, they either didn't talk or just had random, half-hearted conversations.
It wasn't due to a bad relationship—they just knew each other too well.
Normally, Momo would lie on the mat playing with her phone while Rinji sat quietly beside her. Though it might've looked boring, the scene carried a nostalgic sense of returning to their childhood days four years ago.
When Momo first heard during sumr break that Rinji suddenly had a girlfriend, she was a bit agitated. But she cald down quickly.
In her mind, her bond with Rinji was irreplaceable. That's why, unlike other girls who might've gone on the offensive, she continued her life as usual.
What she needed was ti.
Ti to make up for the four years Rinji had vanished from Japan.
"Do you have any plans for the future?"
"Maybe apply to so university, then after graduation, go back ho and farm."
"Have a specific school in mind?"
"Probably one in Tokyo. Tokyo Denki University, maybe. Or sowhere farther like Izu. Doesn't matter to ."
"I thought you'd have decided already. That way I could aim for the sa school."
"If I applied to a top school, would you even get in?"
"Are you looking down on ?"
"No, no." Rinji laughed. "Didn't Shuchiin allow direct admission to their university?"
"Shuchiin's environnt is way too closed off. I think it's better to go out and see the real world."
Momo pointed her finger at Rinji.
"Don't tell now that you've got a girlfriend, you're trying to get rid of ? Let tell you, that's impossible. For the next few years, you'll still be by my side."
"Not at all." Rinji smiled. "Momo-senpai, you're special."
"You an to say you see as a man?"
"I wouldn't dare."
Rinji laughed as he said this.
But deep down, he added: Yes.
When spending ti with her, Rinji really found it hard to think of Momo as a girl.
Not because she looked like a man—in fact, she was known as one of the school idols at Shuchiin, a dream girlfriend for many boys.
Of course, her personality had turned quite a few away.
The reason Rinji didn't care much about her gender was simply because they were too familiar. So familiar that when he saw her, the first word that ca to mind was "friend," with "girl" coming second.
"Tonight should've been Christmas Eve with your two girlfriends, but since I called you over, you probably missed out on a lot."
"Hm? What do you an?"
"Christmas Eve. Two girlfriends at your house. What else do you think you'd be doing?"
"Playing UNO."
"..."
"If you ant rolling in bed, that didn't happen. I plan not to do that kind of thing before turning eighteen."
"...So what you're saying is…"
Momo stared at Rinji for a mont, then blurted out:
"Virgin?"
"Yes."
"Asexual?"
"No."
"This is the first ti I've heard of a guy being both a playboy and a virgin." Momo laughed. "By the way, do you still rember what happened at the Hoshin Festival?"
"Huh?"
"You gave a heart-shaped balloon, rember? Don't forget what giving heart-shaped items ans during the Hoshin Festival."
At the Hoshin Festival, giving a heart-shaped item symbolized offering your heart—essentially a confession of love.
Of course, when Rinji gave her that balloon, he hadn't associated it with a confession. It was also partly due to being tricked by Maki.
He unknowingly tornted Maki, so getting tricked back just once was fair ga.
"Oh, that. Yeah, I rember."
Rinji smiled.
"But Momo-senpai, just think: if that really was a confession, would you have accepted it?"
"Of course."
"Hahaha, don't joke. If a guy with two girlfriends confesses to you, you'd be a fool to say yes. It's obviously a scam for feelings."
"I see…"
Momo suddenly got up from the air cushion and walked over to Rinji.
Under his surprised gaze, she cupped his cheeks and brought her face close to his.
They could feel each other's breath.
"You wanna try scamming and see what happens?"
"Uh…"
Bzzzt—
"Ah, looks like I got a call."
Rinji quickly spoke up, feeling the vibration in his pocket.
"You think that excuse is gonna let you off?"
"Uhh…"
"Whatever. We've got ti."
Momo smiled and let go of Rinji's face.
Rinji took the chance to move aside and answer the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Rinji-kun."
"Iino-san! You're calling at just the right ti, things were getting a bit dicey just now."
"What are you even saying?"
Iino's voice ca through the phone into Rinji's ear.
"Now's not the ti for that. Where are you?"
"At school."
"Then you're probably nearby. Can you co over to Koyasu-senpai's place? I'll send you the address."
"Koyasu-senpai's place? Weren't you all celebrating Christmas Eve?"
He clearly rembered that Ishigami and Iino had been invited to Koyasu-senpai's Christmas party. What could possibly have happened?
"I'm not sure either, but Ishigami looked off... So I figured if you're free, you should co over."
"...Got it. I'm on my way."
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