In Tokyo: They are heavily dependent on me

Chapter 23. Carry Me

"Really...is it okay?"

Chio Kobayashi looked up, her hands gripping the family restaurant menu trembling.

"No problem, order whatever you like."

It's a family restaurant with a very upscale decor.

It was past lunchtime, and there didn't seem to be many customers around. Sitting in the family restaurant, Kobayashi had been looking uneasy. "Is it really your treat?" "What if you run away under the pretense of going to the bathroom?" "I won't pay a single cent." She had said these kinds of things countless times, and she clearly couldn't believe that this guy, whom she had known for six years and who had always been stingy, would offer to treat her.

Ten minutes had passed, and she was still agonizing over the matter. Finally, under the strange gaze of the waitress, she covered her face with the menu and said very quietly, "Please give me a beef stew rice."

"Is there anything else?"

The waitress waited for ten minutes, and her tone became noticeably impatient.

"I want the same as hers, plus two mango juices, thank you."

Xun smiled at the waitress, who paused for a second and responded with the same expression.

"Ah, please wait a moment, it will be ready soon."

She then left.

While waiting for the beef stew, Kobayashi slumped over the table, looking quite listless.

After a while, the beef stew was served, along with mango juice.

Please enjoy your meal.

Upon seeing a male customer with such a handsome smile for the first time, the waitress's attitude noticeably became much more respectful.

Staring at the steaming beef stew in front of her, Kobayashi cautiously took a sip of mango juice, which was within her budget. Seeing that Kaoru sitting opposite her had already started eating, she gritted her teeth and, resigned to being tricked, began to eat.

The beef stew contains carrots, onions, and celery leaves. The beef, which has been pan-fried and cooked to perfection, releases a rich broth with every bite. Kobayashi, who usually eats discounted convenience store meals for lunch, is tasting such delicious food for the first time.

"Awesome...I want to eat this every day..."

She looked satisfied, closed her eyes, and began to savor the moment.

"This is top-grade Wagyu beef..."

A bowl of beef stew costs more than 5,000 yen.

Even the curry rice costs more than 2,000 yen, which is close to a high school student's weekly allowance.

After finishing the beef stew, Kaoru paid the bill. Kobayashi saw him take out two 10,000 yen bills, paused for a moment, and secretly stared at his profile with envy.

Wow... this guy is so rich.

If I had known this would happen, I would have extorted even more from him!

On her way back to school, Kaoru bought two cans of coffee from a roadside vending machine. She handed one to Kobayashi, who hesitated for a second before taking it.

"Thank you so much, you've been treating us all day."

"It's okay. It's my fault for making you miss lunch. I can't let you go hungry because of me."

Upon hearing this, Xiaolin's face turned slightly red, and her body temperature began to rise. She pressed a slightly iced cup of coffee against her right cheek, trying to lower her body temperature.

"I don't believe you... Is there something you need my help with?"

Kobayashi had some doubts; perhaps this guy had ulterior motives.

"Do you need my help?"

Hearing her say that, Xun's gaze lingered on her petite face before gradually moving downwards.

As for her figure... it's not bad for her age, better than that young lady, but not quite as outstanding as Rin's.

"What are you looking at!"

Xiaolin covered her skirt, took two steps back, and looked at him warily.

"Of course I'm checking to see if you've eaten enough. What else could I be checking for?"

Xun pulled open the can of coffee, and with a "click," some coffee spilled out. He brought it to his lips and took a big gulp. The dark liquid slid down his neck and finally gathered on his collarbone.

Seeing this, Xiaolin unconsciously swallowed, looking somewhat bewildered.

This guy... what's with all the showing off...?

------------

As the first class was about to end, Hoshino Kaoru returned to the classroom and sat down in his seat. Just as he was about to open his book, "Excuse me, Hoshino-kun, could you come to the office for a moment?", the classroom door was pushed open, and Ms. Shoko poked her head out and looked at his seat.

Before she could even warm up the seat with her bottom, Kaoru was forced to stand up and follow behind Ms. Shoko.

Has my truancy been discovered?

He had just returned to the classroom... and he was discovered so quickly? That's a bit too fast!

Xun stared nervously at the ground as the two of them made unsteady footsteps echo in the corridor.

Arrived at the teachers' office.

Ms. Shoko sat down in her seat, and then gestured for Kaoru to sit down as well.

After closing the door, Xun sat down in the seat in front of her.

There were no other teachers in the office at that moment. Ms. Shoko held her cup and took a small sip of her coffee. The atmosphere around her was very heavy.

"There's something I'd like to ask you, teacher."

Ms. Shoko stared at the sky outside the window with a worried look on her face, seemingly at a loss for words.

It shouldn't be about skipping class, Kaoru keenly sensed.

"Next month, the school will recruit a group of volunteers to handle the cleanup after the school festival. Since it will be open to the public, the site will become quite chaotic, with some uncivilized tourists littering. Therefore, the volunteers' job is to clean up the trash and maintain order. Although there is no money, it can improve academic performance and help with future college admissions..."

Hearing Ms. Shoko say this, Kaoru couldn't help but wonder if the teacher wanted him to become a volunteer and do public service.

"I plan to give the remaining spot in the class to Xiaolin, so I'd like to trouble you to let Xiaolin participate in the volunteer work."

"Oh...I see."

Xun was a little confused.

Why would Ms. Shoko choose to talk to Kobayashi about something like this in person?

As if she could see through the aspects he cared about, Ms. Shoko continued.

"To be honest, Xiaolin's behavior at school has already displeased the dean of academic affairs. If this continues, she will face suspension, or even expulsion. If we let her do volunteer work, it might slightly change the higher-ups' impression of her..."

"Hoshino has known her for over six years, right? So I'd like to ask you to give her a little advice. That girl's family is in dire straits, and I can't just stand by and watch this happen."

After saying this, Ms. Shoko held her forehead, her young face filled with worry; she was clearly under a lot of pressure.

Hearing her say that, Xun understood.

"I understand, I will do it well."

As he spoke, he went to the door, intending to open it and leave.

"Oh, and don't forget to copy the 'Student Code of Conduct' one last time and hand it in to me next week."

"Ahem... What's wrong, Shoko-sensei... Did I do something wrong...?"

Xun's outstretched hand froze in mid-air before finally plucking into her fluffy hair and scratching it helplessly.

Seeing that he was still trying to get away with it, Ms. Shoko smiled and kept looking back at him.

"My dear Hoshino, the top student who ranks first in grades has led the way in skipping class. This is a serious violation of school rules. According to the regulations, you and Kobayashi should be suspended from school for a week."

"Yes! I understand! I will do my best!"

The office door slammed shut.

The last class ended at four o'clock in the afternoon.

Today is Friday, and there are two days off tomorrow and the day after. Many students packed up their textbooks when class started, and as soon as the bell rang, they all rushed out without any order.

Japanese teachers have a strong sense of time, do not take up students' time, and are very gentle with students. I don't recall ever having a rule like "no drinking water during class".

Xun packed her textbooks, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and went to the shoe cabinet area.

As he opened the cabinet door, intending to change into his outdoor shoes, he inadvertently looked up and noticed a familiar figure squatting on the ground in the distance.

"What's wrong?"

He changed his shoes and went up to the other person to greet them.

It's a student named Shui Shang.

"I was accidentally bumped into by someone while going downstairs, and then I fell."

The water point pointed to her ankle, where there was a noticeable bruise, indicating that she had clearly suffered a serious fall.

Where is the person who bumped into you?

"She ran away without looking back, how annoying."

too frightening.

Kaoru thought that although this young lady didn't hold grudges, the other party didn't even have the intention to apologize. One day, that guy might wake up and find himself surrounded by seawater that was up to his chest.

"Come on, get on, I'll carry you."

Xun squatted down in front of her and saw the young lady's pitiful expression. He tried his best to control himself from laughing.

"Hoshino-kun, what are you laughing at?"

Shuishang immediately noticed his barely suppressed laughter.

"I wasn't laughing at you." As soon as she said it, Kaoru realized she had let something slip, so she quickly waved her hands and began to explain, "Um, I thought of something funny."

Mizukami looked away from his smug face, his expression saying, "Do you think I believe you?"

"Hurry up and get on, I need to go to the concert with Rin later."

Xun urged him on, but with so many people around, squatting down in front of so many people was no different from an ape courting in public at a zoo.

"Oh, okay."

Perhaps realizing there was no other way at the moment, Mizukami Orina said "Oh," and wrapped her slender arms, which looked like tree branches that could be broken at will, around his neck and pressed her body against him.

I don't know if it's just my imagination, but her body temperature is very low, like an ice cube.

It's already early summer, but the temperature is abnormally low.

Is this guy's body... really that of a normal person?

"You shouldn't hold a grudge, right, Mizukami-kun?"

Carrying Kaoru on my back makes me feel relaxed all over, and I could even run a kilometer without any problem.

"Holding a grudge? You mean?"

"The person who knocked you down, you wouldn't... throw him into the sea to feed the sharks, would you?"

"Won't."

The answer from the water was unexpected.

Xun glanced at the task, which still showed "incomplete".

The young lady was telling the truth; she wasn't lying.

"She didn't know who I was, so the person she bumped into was Mizukami-kun, not Mizukami-sama. I can forgive her very easily. This is the biggest difference between me and Hoshino-kun. I am a person of principle. As long as others don't cross my bottom line, I won't get angry."

[It's like you're saying I have no principles], Kaoru thought to herself, feeling looked down upon.

"I see. By the way, I actually didn't know your identity. If I did anything offensive, such as accidentally touching your leg or chest, please forgive me."

"Okay, I'll forgive you. Then I'll have my shark friend treat you well, or I'll throw you into a barrel full of poisonous insects and let them crawl into your ears to satisfy you."

"Well... let's forget about it."

Xun felt a chill run down his spine; he was convinced that the young lady would really do that.

Arrived at the school gate.

Xun walked towards several luxury cars parked not far away, and several men in black immediately surrounded her.

"It's fine."

She casually remarked something, and the men in black retreated into the car. She got in, gave Xun a meaningful look, closed the door, and drove away.

"Phew... the underworld is really scary..."

Xun turned around and breathed a sigh of relief, only to see a face looming close to her the next second.

"Didn't my brother say... you two are just ordinary friends?"

It was someone he never expected.

His younger sister, Hoshino Rin, appeared before him at that moment.

"Then why would you do such intimate things!"