“Excuse me, Nakano-kun. For the upcoming Forest Cabin activity the day after tomorrow, would you like to join our team if you don’t mind?”
With her arms crossed, Miura Yumiko looked at the boy with a natural expression, although there was a hint of shyness hidden deep in her eyes.
After she finished speaking, Miura Yumiko looked back towards her two best friends who were standing a short distance behind her. They were sneaking a glance at this side, and their gazes met. Shocked, the two quickly withdrew their gazes, pretending to be chatting.
Seeing this, Miura Yumiko gritted her teeth. If it wasn't for the two of them saying that Nakano Yu had been looking at her yesterday, and that he didn't have a team for the Forest Cabin activity, she wouldn't have come to invite him.
She hadn't interacted much with Nakano Yu, only the time he had saved her two days ago.
She hadn't even thanked him yet. Back then, Nakano Yu had beaten up the bully and left, not giving her a chance to do so.
She had come to find Nakano Yu today because her friends had persuaded her to invite him, but Miura Yumiko also had the intention of thanking him.
“Forest Cabin? My grades are good, I don't need to go for extra lessons.”
Nakano Yu shook his head and rejected her directly. The Forest Cabin was an activity organized by Totsuka High to help students improve their grades during the holidays. It lasted for seven days, and for Nakano Yu, it didn't matter if he went or not.
If he went, he would just be playing for seven days. His top-ranked position was already secure, and the teachers wouldn't say anything.
“Huh?”
Hearing Nakano Yu's reply, Miura Yumiko couldn't help but step back. She had expected to be rejected by him, but she didn't expect him to use such a hurtful reason!
After rejecting Miura Yumiko, Nakano Yu saw her standing there dumbfounded and wasn't planning on leaving, so he had to remind her:
“Thanks for your kindness, Miura-san. Is there anything else?”
“Ah? Oh! That… about the other day… thank you, Nakano-kun. If you hadn't helped, I would have…”
Miura Yumiko came back to her senses and remembered the other reason she had come to find him. She rubbed her fingers, her cheeks slightly flushed.
She usually acted carefree and outgoing, but as a child, she had also dreamed of a prince charming. And… Nakano Yu back then was really cool. He had taken down that bully in three moves.
Although his personality was a bit cold and he spoke in a way that could be a bit blunt…
“I just happened to pass by. You don’t need to worry about it, Miura-san. I won’t tell anyone about it. Also, we’ve been talking for so long, aren’t you afraid of Hayama-kun getting the wrong idea?”
Seeing Miura Yumiko being hesitant, Nakano Yu, who was thinking about where he could get artifacts, didn't have the patience to chat with the girl and directly brought up Hayama Hayato's name.
“Uh… anyway, thank you, Nakano-kun! If you’re going to the Forest Cabin and don’t have a study group, you’re welcome to join any time!”
Seeming to realize that Nakano Yu wasn’t interested in chatting with her, Miura Yumiko’s face stiffened, but she still smiled at him and thanked him. After that, she turned and left.
Propping his chin up, Nakano Yu glanced at Miura Yumiko's back.
He wouldn't say he disliked Miura Yumiko, it’s just that he didn't like people interrupting him when he was thinking.
Shaking his head, Nakano Yu stopped thinking about it.
Speaking of, it seems like Kaguya-san won’t be coming today either. Probably taking care of her body, I wonder if she’ll go to the Forest Cabin.
......
Time flew by and a whole day passed. As school was about to end, the sky became gloomy. The setting sun was completely obscured, but thankfully it wasn't raining yet. Even if it did rain, Nakano Yu and his group had someone to pick them up, so they didn't have to worry about it.
Today, Ichika didn't go home with them again. She said she was going shopping with a friend, but only Nakano Yu knew that Ichika planned to go to an audition with Arima Kana.
Since yesterday, their relationship had become very good. Nakano Yu didn't understand why. They weren't from the same school, and they had only met a few times, but their relationship had warmed up so quickly. Maybe this is just how girls’ friendships are?
He didn’t say anything about it. After all, he had promised Ichika to keep it a secret. After reminding Ichika to call his name directly if anything happened, he let her go.
However, it wasn't long after Nakano Yu got home that the gloomy sky erupted. It seemed as if it had been holding back for a long time, and the roar of thunder split the heavens as a downpour began.
“Oh, it’s raining so heavily. I wonder if the Forest Cabin the day after tomorrow will still be able to happen.”
In the Nakano house, Yotsuba was lying on the sofa, dejectedly looking out the window at the torrential rain, and said.
“The weather forecast said it would only rain for a little while, it’s no problem.”
Miku looked at her phone, her words dispelling Yotsuba's worries.
“Really?! That's good! But we still have to go for extra lessons even though it’s the holidays. It’s so tiring. But the Forest Cabin is really fun, you know.”
Hearing this, Yotsuba's bad mood vanished, and she sat up on the sofa.
“You guys are still going this year.”
Nakano Yu, who was lying on the sofa Ichika usually used, watching TV, heard the two sisters’ conversation and said with an expression that said he had already expected this.
“Of course! We got the lowest scores in our class again! Wuuu… so sad, those questions were all unfamiliar to me. They made me write the answers! This is just so unfair!”
Yotsuba nodded, complaining in a pitiful tone. She had been studying hard in class, but her grades just wouldn’t improve. Those damn math problems. She couldn’t understand them at all. She didn’t understand why X had to equal a!
“Yotsuba is really the same as always.”
Nakano Yu shrugged. Last year was the same. Yotsuba was complaining, while he was watching TV leisurely.
“No way! You have to go this year too, Yu! We have to be together as a family!”
Seeing Nakano Yu so comfortable, Yotsuba immediately pounced on him, clinging to him and rolling around on the sofa.
Miku just glanced at them, as if she was used to this, and didn’t say anything.
“Really, Yotsuba, doing that will make Yu distressed. Come down, you’ll be responsible for cleaning the sofa later, Yotsuba?”
Holding a plate of freshly baked cookies, Nino walked over, and seeing the two of them playing so intimately, she put down the cookies and said in a slightly serious tone, which really had an older sister’s aura.
“Alright.”
Hearing this, Yotsuba pouted, and said, as she sat up, she saw the cookies on the table and her eyes lit up again. She picked up one and put it in her mouth, praising it:
“Mmm! The cookies Nino makes are getting better and better!”
“Even if you praise me like that, Yotsuba, you still have to clean the sofa later.”
Nino sat down and said as she took off her gloves and placed them aside.
“Yu, are you going to the Forest Cabin this year?”
Nino looked at the boy who was tasting the cookies, her tone a little expectant.
Of course, she hoped Nakano Yu would go with them. After all, the Forest Cabin was more about playing than studying.
Moreover, the annual Forest Cabin’s test of courage… was also one of the few opportunities she had to be alone with Nakano Yu. After all, the test of courage could only be done in pairs. Although she was very scared, but with Yu there! No matter what ghosts and goblins were there, he would drive them all away!
“Me? Nino wants me to go?”
The boy, who was eating cookies, raised an eyebrow when he heard Nino's question.
“Yeah, it’s too boring to leave Yu alone at home.”
The girl nodded, speaking seriously. She wouldn’t say she wanted to be alone with Yu. After all, now… Yu seemed to only see her as a family member.
“Then I’ll go, I don't have anything to do anyway.”
After a moment of thought, Nakano Yu put the last bite of cookie in his mouth.
He didn't mind going or not going. It was just a change of location. It might as well be what Nino wanted.
“Great!”
Hearing Nakano Yu agree, Nino couldn't help but say, but then she realized she had spoken too quickly, and quickly stuffed a cookie in her mouth, muttering:
“The cookies are so good today.”
“Yu is coming too! Great, come join our group! We’re missing a boy!”
Yotsuba, upon hearing that Nakano Yu was also going to the Forest Cabin, happily wrapped her arms around his neck.
Nino continued to chew on the cookie, her mind already drifting to the test of courage she would be taking with Nakano Yu a few days later.
Only she didn’t notice Miku’s gaze looking at her with a strange expression.
......
This is the last chapter for today! Clocking out, please give me some flowers~ tickets