Chapter 243 Schemes
He raised his head in surprise, and within his gaze was a familiar figure that seemed somewhat unfamiliar.
Her simple casual attire gave her a more everyday feel compared to her usual school uniform, but the small decorations on her clothes and the hairpin on her head proved that she hadn’t put much thought into this date. Her soft black hair was scattered by the wind, and her not-so-striking face, enhanced by light makeup, exuded an indescribable special charm. On her usually cold and aloof face, there was a hint of cute fluster.
“Shimizu… junior.”
A spark of admiration flashed in his dark brown eyes. Noyoru Yokota raised his right hand, his throat working several times before finally managing to utter a somewhat appropriate address.
“Huff—huff— I’m late.”
The girl’s cute panting gradually subsided, and her slightly emotional tone returned to its usual cold one. While tidying her slightly messy hair, she looked at Noyoru Yokota before her and said, seemingly apologizing or stating a fact.
“No, no, I just arrived too. It hasn’t been that long since the agreed time, it’s fine.”
Noyoru Yokota quickly waved his hand, trying to comfort her apology for being late, but his eyes were foolishly fixed on the girl’s face.
“Pfft—” “Ugh!”
A sudden elbow strike hit the boy’s chest. Noyoru Yokota, caught off guard, instinctively let out a muffled groan and turned around in confusion, looking at the short-haired girl whose elbow had just reached his chest.
“Are you verbally taking advantage of me, Senpai Fukada~”
The girl’s cold eyes flickered with a playful expression, and her face suddenly moved closer. Her cold aura seemed to penetrate the boy’s body, and she spoke with a faint smile.
Given their current relationship, while not intimate enough to call each other by their first names, it was normal for friends to use surnames. Noyoru Yokota calling himself “Senpai” suddenly felt a bit strange.
“No, no, no, it’s just… you look a bit different today, a bit… nervous.”
Listening to the girl’s teasing words, Noyoru Yokota instinctively took a step back, nervously rubbing his pant legs with his right hand. His usually fierce face showed an embarrassed smile as he stammered.
Hearing the other party finally say what she wanted to hear, a glint flashed in the girl’s dark eyes. Pretending to be casual, she smoothed her hair on the side of her face, revealing her white neck and face. Her calm tone seemed to carry a hint of faint resentment.
“Rest days and study days are definitely different. I specifically got up early today to put on makeup, so it’s normal to look different. And theoretically, everyone has a social side and a personal side to their life, which should be easy to understand.”
The girl, with her arms crossed, obediently walked to the boy’s side, her words still as objective and calm as usual.
However, the phrase “specifically got up early to put on makeup” made Noyoru Yokota’s already fluctuating heart tremble. He casually glanced at the girl, seeing her fair and smooth face and her incomparably proud features.
“I understand, I understand. Let’s go… Shimizu.”
For a moment, he didn’t know what to do with his hands, but Noyoru Yokota changed his address for the girl and walked forward, glancing at the time displayed by a nearby store.
“Mhm, mhm.”
Watching the boy, who seemed shy and had already stepped half a body length ahead, the girl’s calm eyes once again showed a mocking glint. She glanced around at the pedestrians, nodded, and quickly caught up to the boy in front.
…
“So, Shimizu, why are you interested in how to use abilities?”
The tall, black-haired boy walked slowly down the street, seemingly adjusting his strides to match the pace of the small girl beside him. His originally broad steps took on a strangely comical rhythm. His fierce face, which usually looked like a delinquent’s, was now surprisingly shy. His dead-fish-like eyes kept darting towards the girl beside him.
“Because when I was studying ‘Hero Abilities,’ I became interested in this aspect. Also, the module on ability usage has very little of the knowledge our professor teaches. But understanding the essence of abilities, I think it can better enhance a comprehensive understanding of hero abilities.”
Listening to the boy’s extremely stiff topic initiation, the girl decisively responded, answering in a serious manner befitting her usual personality.
“Mhm, then… why did you ask me specifically? I remember there are people at school who do small businesses for this, right?”
Noyoru Yokota nodded in agreement, casually focusing his gaze on the girl again and lightly asking a question that was on his mind.
The girl’s head tilted up in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to ask such a direct question. Had he seen through her little plan? Or was he simply lacking in emotional intelligence?
Her emotionless eyes met his expectant gaze. The girl slowly raised her head, her thin lips parting slightly.
“I don’t have money.”
“…”
The girl’s sharp and cold answer was like a basin of cold water poured directly onto Noyoru Yokota’s somewhat restless heart. The impulsive feeling he had was slowly fading.
Yes, this was probably the best explanation.
Shimizu Kazumi’s family conditions didn’t seem to be very good, otherwise, she wouldn’t have chosen the “delinquent convenience store” where he was working at the time for a higher hourly wage. The reason for choosing him was even simpler. As a student from the Regular Class, she probably only knew him, a student from the Hero Department. Students at school who did “selling knowledge” businesses charged fees that her hourly wage couldn’t afford.
So, it seemed perfectly natural for her to ask for help from a friend she had previously helped. Why was she overthinking things so much?
[It’s just a normal friendship…]
Kazumi was naturally unaware of the boy’s sensitive thoughts. The girl, with her head lowered, was now intently watching the vehicles passing behind them.
A ripple of emotion flashed through her usually calm eyes. The girl’s peripheral vision was fixed on a white sedan that had turned on its signal and was preparing to pull over. She used her other eye to glance at Noyoru Yokota, who was lost in thought.
Just as the small car was about to pull over, the girl’s small feet in canvas shoes landed precisely in the gap of the steps. Her previously stable center of gravity tilted, and her small body fell outwards towards the road.
“Be careful!!”
Noyoru Yokota, who was lost in thought, immediately noticed the girl’s predicament. Without even a moment to think, he reached out and grabbed the girl beside him.
An unprecedented softness came from his embrace, followed by a faint, peculiar fragrance. As his consciousness slowly returned, Noyoru Yokota realized what he had done.
“Are you… no…”
Noyoru Yokota was actually quite puzzled. He had only meant to pull her back, so why did the girl fall into his arms so easily? But regardless, he should first check if she was okay.
He lightly loosened his embrace and lowered his head to ask Kazumi if she was alright.
But what met his eyes at this moment was the girl’s unprecedentedly cute expression and her two small hands, like a little hamster’s, tightly gripping his clothes.
