The door creaked open, and Hanako returned.
“Lin Ze? When did you get here?” Hanako ran excitedly to Lin Ze’s side with a surprised look on her face.
“Just half an hour ago. How was school today with Kayako and the others?”
“It was great! At lunch, Fujiang kept complaining about you, haha. We even asked in the group chat if you were coming back today, but you didn’t reply. We thought you were busy and didn’t ask further.” Hanako was like a little sparrow, chirping and fluttering around Lin Ze.
Mrs. Hiraki looked at her daughter and Lin Ze with a kind and happy smile, “Such a good match.”
“Huh? Mom, what did you say?”
Mrs. Hiraki accidentally blurted out her thoughts, but luckily Hanako didn’t hear it. However, Ghost Hanako standing nearby heard it clearly. A good match? Where is the match? Even if I ignore the grudge between me and Lin Ze, go stand in front of Kayako and say that. She’ll make you run away at the sight of Lin Ze!
“Nothing, nothing. Go wash your hands and brush your teeth, dinner’s ready. Lin Ze must be hungry.”
After the meal, Lin Ze practically fled Hanako’s house. If he stayed any longer, he felt like he wouldn’t leave at all.
“Hanako, what do you think of Lin Ze?” Mrs. Hiraki asked nonchalantly, looking at Hanako who was helping to wash the dishes.
“Lin Ze? Lin Ze is great. He’s brave, kind, handsome, sunny, good at studies, and athletic.” Hanako didn’t pick up on her mother’s intentions and took it as a casual question.
“Then Hanako, when you get married, find someone like Lin Ze. Or just bring Lin Ze home, why not?” Mrs. Hiraki probed softly.
Hanako stopped her dishwashing, “Lin Ze… Lin Ze has girls who like him.”
I told you I know my daughter! “It’s alright, having girls who like him means he’s popular. As long as it’s not official, who says you can’t like him?”
“But… what if it’s my best friend Kayako who likes him?”
“Ah, this…”
“And I only have two close friends, the other is a girl named Fujiang, the school beauty… it seems she’s also interested in Lin Ze.”
“…Let’s talk about it later.”
Back home, Lin Ze sent a message to the group, “I was busy today and didn’t look at my phone. Sorry for not letting you know.”
Fujiang: “Heh, who cares, we three had a blast without you.”
Kayako: “Lin Ze, did you go home?”
Lin Ze: “Just came back from Hanako’s. I’m letting you know, forget that heartless Fujiang, I just didn’t want Kayako to worry. I also let Hanako know I’m home.”
His words stirred the hearts of two girls simultaneously. Fujiang furiously pummeled the stuffed bear next to her. The bear had a paper stuck on its head with Lin Ze’s name written on it. Kayako held Little Black and showed the phone to it, her face flushed but her heart filled with joy.
Fujiang: “Who’s heartless! I’ll kill you! (knife emoji)”
Lin Ze: “See, you’re already getting all worked up.”
Hanako: “It’s good you’re home. Kayako, let me see your Little Black.”
Three women, a play. As Kayako sent a few pictures, the girls’ topic shifted to pets. Why do girls love cats and dogs so much?
“Maybe I should get one too?” Lin Ze instinctively looked at Yatsu who was watching cartoons, “…Forget it, one is enough.”
Kayako’s Little Black was true to its name, a pure black cat from head to toe. This black cat’s occasional meows in the movie scared quite a few viewers at the time. Lin Ze always felt something off about the black cat in the pictures. If he had to describe it, it would be that Lin Ze felt he saw helplessness on the cat’s face. “I’ll go take a look sometime. This black cat is pretty important to Kayako.”
After sending a message in the group chat, Lin Ze turned to wash up. By the time he finished showering and came out, the group chat had quieted down. After typing “good night” in the chat, Lin Ze went to sleep.
Friday was just like any other day. If anything was different, it was that Lin Ze felt Hanako was a little off. But he couldn’t figure out what was wrong.
After school on Friday, they discussed the specific time for tomorrow’s outing in the group chat. Finally, Hanako summarized. Lin Ze and Kayako would go to Hanako’s, then the three of them would take a car to Fujiang’s house.
Lin Ze: “Why can’t we all meet directly at the entrance of the amusement park?”
Hanako: “Because Kayako and I both want to see Fujiang’s dollhouse.”
Lin Ze: “……I don’t quite understand, but it sounds pretty luxurious. But if that’s the case, I’ll call a car to pick us up tomorrow.”
Fujiang: “Really? That’s settled then.”
Fujiang actually didn’t want to take the train. It was okay to be stared at by others on the way, but encountering someone trying to chat her up would be troublesome. However, she felt she hadn’t run into those annoying tough guys lately.
While chatting, Yatsu changed into a new outfit and kept pawing at Lin Ze to take her out shopping. In the end, Lin Ze had no choice but to take her out for two hours before returning. Unsurprisingly, he came back with bags and bags of things. But at least it was reimbursable, and he bought less than last time. Yatsu was growing up after all.
“Tsukino-san, I need to take Kayako and the others out to play tomorrow. Please send us there when the time comes.”
Lin Ze thought it was necessary to tell Kinoko, considering the lineup was a bit frightening.
“Kinoko-san, that’s how it is. I wanted to let you know. Just in case, something happens, phew, phew. Anyway, you can be prepared. ”
“Don’t worry, there will be people around you to handle unnecessary trouble, it won’t affect your outing. Just make sure you keep them happy.”
On Saturday morning, Lin Ze got up early, washed up and left, and sent Kayako a message saying he was leaving. The two met at the agreed place.
Today, Kayako hesitated for a long time before putting on the hair clip Fujiang gave her and applying a light layer of lipstick. Even without other makeup, it was already beautiful.
“Lin Ze, good morning.”
“Good morning, let’s go, we’re going to find Hanako.”
When the three of them arrived at Fujiang’s house, Fujiang was already waiting. Lin Ze had seen this villa before, but Hanako and Kayako hadn’t. The two exclaimed in amazement, with Hanako saying, “Fujiang, you live in such a big house, aren’t you scared?”
“What’s there to be scared of? The security here is very strict. What’s wrong? Want to move in with me, Hanako?”
“Heehee, no way. My mom would be lonely.”
As they chatted, they went upstairs. Lin Ze lay down on the sofa in the living room downstairs. By the time he almost fell asleep, the girls upstairs came down chattering.
“What were you guys doing? I was so sleepy waiting.” Lin Ze yawned and stretched in annoyance.
“Putting on makeup, can’t you see?” Fujiang said matter-of-factly, “How can we take pictures without makeup?”
“…Let’s go, let’s go. I’ll call someone to pick us up.”
Tsukino changed to a larger minivan today. After dropping them off at the entrance of the amusement park, Tsukino left.
“So, our first group activity officially begins!”