Chapter 175

"Um!"

Her expression was firm, and she nodded slightly with force.

After she agreed, Ishikawa Hayato did not take a step, but instead extended his hand to her, palm up.

Bocchi looked at Ishikawa Hayato's hand, her little brain, which had been using all its energy to plan for what was to come, still couldn't quite grasp it.

After a moment of hesitation, she deftly pulled her wallet from her pocket and handed all the money in it to Ishikawa Hayato.

Then he looked up, staring blankly at Ishikawa Hayato, trying to make sure she had given him enough money.

Ishikawa Hayato looked at the stack of money in his hand: a ten-thousand-yen bill, several thousand-yen bills, and a lot of change. He had to admit that Bocchi was quite wealthy.

But if you look at it another way, maybe she's just saving money and doesn't know where to spend it.

He glanced again at the stunned Bocchi.

Annoyed, he took her empty wallet, stuffed the money back into her hand, and pressed it into her palm.

He reached out and flicked her forehead again.

"Do you think I'm Liang?!"

After sensing something was wrong, Bocchi quickly came to her senses. She covered her forehead with her small hand, clutching her purse, and her bright blue eyes filled with panic.

"Ahhh..."

What did she do at this crucial moment!?

She didn't even understand what it meant to give Falcon money.

Bocchi is going to break.

Ishikawa Hayato commented, observing her strange reaction as always.

"It hasn't been that long since we last held hands..."

Upon hearing the implication in Ishikawa Hayato's words, Bocchi's eyes lit up, but he instantly returned to normal.

"Ah, yes."

Although she regretted her foolish act, she still mustered her courage and tentatively reached out to take Ishikawa Hayato's hand, which had been lowered slightly.

The moment she caught him, a happy, even overjoyed, smile appeared on her face.

Seeing her so happy, Ishikawa Hayato smiled slightly, and although Bocchi was grinning foolishly, she didn't ignore Ishikawa Hayato. Seeing this, her heart leaped with joy even more.

Even his grip on Ishikawa Hayato's hand tightened.

Each harboring their own lighthearted thoughts, the two quietly walked towards the park.

As he walked, Bocchi suddenly realized why he had just done such a stupid thing.

She was just subconsciously trying to incorporate everything she had into Ishikawa Hayato.

Holding Ishikawa Hayato's hand, they walked quietly forward, watching the changing scenery along the way and the occasional passerby. Bocchi felt that she was indeed different from before.

Despite still being afraid to face others, and despite still finding it difficult to speak up.

But she has already confirmed her own existence, her own future, her own goals, her own belonging, and her own heart.

Walking peacefully and happily on the Shimokitazawa was something she could never have imagined before.

As she followed Ishikawa Hayato with peace of mind, some images flashed before her eyes.

That was me hiding behind a tree, watching the students walk into the school one by one, and me feeling smug about finding a deserted corner of the stairwell.

Looking at her own confused self, she suddenly wanted to tell them something.

Trust that black-haired classmate who comes closer; he can gently lead you into that dazzling stage, where you are not alone, and he can let you see the world beyond the closet.

But don't fall in love with him.

Because liking him is a thought that only I can have now.

Bocchi made a decision: even if Ishikawa Hayato didn't accept her confession, she wouldn't be afraid anymore.

In any case, she would try her best to become someone he would like.

The surrounding scenery gradually turned green, and perhaps influenced by Ishikawa Hayato, Bocchi was able to relax more in such a natural place.

They walked into the park and sat down on the edge of the park under the shade of a tree.

In late August, some time after the start of autumn, the weather was still quite hot as we approached the end of summer.

The two people hiding in the shade of the tree seemed oblivious to the heat, sitting quietly.

Ishikawa Hayato watched as Bocchi gripped her pink sweatpants with both hands, and seeing that she froze again, this time Ishikawa Hayato didn't say anything to disturb her.

He simply waited quietly.

There was no choice Ishikawa Hayato could make, because she was so fragile, so easily distorted by superficial thoughts.

Regardless, he preferred that she make the decision herself.

Before long, the pink-haired girl in front of him seemed to have mentally prepared herself, gripping her pants tightly with both hands and turning her head around as if she had come to her senses.

Bocchi tried to lift himself up from the gaze that he was unaccustomed to making direct eye contact with others and that he instinctively wanted to avoid.

Her eyes met Ishikawa Hayato 'Ishikawa Hayato gaze. She suppressed her emotions, as if she didn't want to frighten him by being too agitated.

"Falcon..."

"Um."

Ishikawa Hayato looked at her, Bocchi seemed to be forcing herself, forcing her shyness, forcing her reluctance to express herself, forcing her unease.

She strained her face and tried to make a sound.

"I... I like... like..."

A barely audible sound emanated from the source.

Her gaze instinctively darted away, yet it kept drawing in Ishikawa Hayato's eyes.

The cicadas' chirping in early autumn was still shrill, but it couldn't drown out the girl's determined voice.

The dry, hot ground in the park, the fallen leaves of the evergreen trees, and the sultry afternoon air did nothing to distract the two of them from each other.

Bocchi struggled for a short time; Ishikawa Hayato knew she could finish speaking, but after understanding her thoughts, he reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Bocchi."

He could clearly feel Bocchi's whole body tremble in both hands.

"Falcon... I haven't..."

Bocchi lowered his head, revealing for the first time that he did not accept what he was saying.

But what she received in response was...

"I like you, let's date."

Ishikawa Hayato looked at the incredibly determined, brave girl before him who persevered despite her unfamiliarity with certain things and dared to confront her fears.

Behind her seemingly timid and foolish demeanor lies a gradually maturing inner world, and she still cherishes her pure heart.

Although I wanted to hear her confession, as a man, I couldn't keep running away and keep making the girl feel forced.

Upon hearing Ishikawa Hayato's words, Bocchi blinked in disbelief.

Her eyes were instantly filled with water vapor. She suppressed her excitement and unease, looking at Ishikawa Hayato as if she couldn't believe her ears.

"Falcon... um... say it again..."

Seeing how excited she was, Ishikawa Hayato felt a little embarrassed. He crossed his arms and said with a slightly arrogant air.

"I'll say it every time Bocchi says it."

Bocchi bit her lower lip in agitation, looking down at her legs. Tears dripped onto her pants, and her body trembled.

But this time, her voice, though trembling with tears, was incredibly sharp.

"I like falcons. Can I go out with a falcon?"

After she finished speaking, she raised her head and looked at Ishikawa Hayato's expression with her tear-filled eyes.

Looking at her tearful face, Ishikawa Hayato tightened his expression and gave a very firm reply.

"I like... Hitori, Hitori, go out with me!"

Bocchi felt like she was about to burst into tears, and even snot was running down her face. She sniffled, and just as she was about to reach out to wipe her tears, a handkerchief appeared in front of her.

Her blurred vision prevented her from seeing when Ishikawa Hayato took it out.

She hesitated for a moment.

"Although the first gift after we started dating was a bit cheap, considering my wish that Hitori would wipe away all her tears from today onwards, it should be alright, right?"

Ishikawa Hayato's shy yet slightly affected voice reached Bocchi's ears.

Despite the rather corny love confession, Bocchi didn't find it corny at all; she couldn't help but laugh, but tears still kept flowing uncontrollably.

She took the handkerchief with trembling hands, hesitated for a long time, and still couldn't bear to wipe her face with it.

For a moment, she felt so stupid and strange that Falcon would accept her confession and even confess to her in return. Her chaotic heart suddenly turned sad.

Seeing that Bocchi was starting to feel really sad, Ishikawa Hayato, with a mix of amusement and exasperation, found some tissues for her.

Bocchi took the tissue, hesitated for a moment before wiping his face clean, blowing his nose, and then quickly got up and walked to the trash can to throw it away.

She rushed back before she could even wipe away her tears, as if afraid that Ishikawa Hayato would run away.

She carefully and slowly sat down in her original spot, but then felt the distance was too far, so she secretly moved closer.

She didn't know what to do next, but all she wanted was to stay by his side.

Ishikawa Hayato looked at the petite, adorably clumsy girl.

He dared not get too close to her at this moment, fearing that she was too delicate and might break.

After the two calmed down a bit, Ishikawa Hayato asked.

"Hitori..."

As Hitori those words, Ishikawa Hayato clearly saw Hitori's body tremble slightly, and a wistful smile appear on his face.

Ishikawa Hayato's next sentence made her completely stop smiling.

He said.

"Come to think of it, Hitori has never said why she likes me. I've told her Hitori before, Hitori should tell me too."

Every time Ishikawa Hayato called her name, Hitori felt a flutter in her heart, but after hearing it, she would be completely stunned.

Seeing her dazed expression, Ishikawa Hayato guessed that she was probably thinking something like this.

What to do? I hadn't thought of that at all!

Hitori of blue eyes glanced to the side in alarm.

She had prepared beforehand, rehearsing all sorts of confession scenarios, dialogues, tones, and expressions, but this was the one thing she hadn't thought of.

Or rather, she didn't think about anything other than the four things mentioned above.

She mentally screamed at herself for being an idiot.

Fortunately, the problem is quite simple; there are too many reasons why she likes Hayabusa, and she could give endless examples...

As Ishikawa Hayato looked at Hitori and began to think, her face turned red, and gradually her head started to spin. He waited a while longer.

Hitori seemed to have picked up bad habits from him, her head lowered and her voice muffled with shyness.

"Falcon... Say it again and I'll say it."

Hitori still didn't quite understand the situation. The boy next to her wasn't some shy boy who was afraid to speak, and since Ishikawa Hayato had already finished speaking, wouldn't it be even more embarrassing when it was her turn to speak?

Ishikawa Hayato quietly observed Hitori, the chirping of cicadas failing to disturb his thoughts.

He spoke as a gust of wind blew.