Chapter 208

Nijika's attitude left Hitori with no room to refuse. She hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside.

But Hitori only took a few steps away, walking closer to the sofa to ask Ishikawa Hayato.

"Falcon, do we still have aprons at home?"

Ishikawa Hayato appeared to be unaware of his surroundings, shifting his gaze from his phone to Hitori.

"Just two."

Hitori moment, then turned back to look at Nijika with unease.

Ishikawa Hayato's voice is different from Hitori's. Nijika doesn't even need Hitori to relay it; she can hear his voice clearly from the kitchen.

Her expression stiffened for a moment.

Hitori walking back, she guessed what Ishikawa Hayato was thinking and handed his apron back to Nijika.

"Nijika-chan..."

Nijika breathed a sigh of relief. Although she could ask Hitori to lend her her apron so that Hitori could wear Ishikawa Hayato's apron, she came to help, not to cause trouble.

She took the apron and returned the chopsticks to Hitori, pretending not to care.

"There's really nothing I can do, Bocchi-chan, don't worry about it."

Hitori gently shook his head.

"Won't..."

Nijika held Ishikawa Hayato's apron in her hand, and she could sense that what Hitori said was definitely well thought out.

Perhaps it was because of Pochi-chan's attitude that the two of them were lucky.

Nijika put on the apron while telling herself this in her mind.

"It's just an apron, it's just an apron."

As the apron was draped over her, the non-breathable, waterproof, and oil-resistant fabric pressed against her chest and hung down to her calves.

Her heart stirred, but she still habitually tightened the apron belt behind her back.

The belt, which wasn't tied very tightly, still made her gasp.

She didn't have Ishikawa Hayato's sense of smell, which allowed her to detect the other person's scent from clothes that hadn't been worn in a long time, but she could still sense his presence from the apron.

Nijika knew very well that this was just an illusion, but she still couldn't shake the thought.

A few seconds later, she chose to get used to the feeling and started helping Hitori.

"I'm starting to eat."

The five people almost filled the table, but fortunately, Ishikawa Hayato had provided just the right amount of table and chairs, and there were plenty of bowls and chopsticks.

Only then can a few people avoid eating out or going home in this kind of weather.

Unlike the seating arrangement inside the shop, at the rectangular table, Ishikawa Hayato sat to the side, with Hitori and Ryo on either side of him, Kita and Hitori on one side, and Ryo and Nijika on the other.

"Gotou-san's cooking skills are amazing?!"

Kita a bite of the dish Hitori made and exclaimed in surprise.

"Ah, because Mom was worried I'd starve to death if I was home alone, so she taught me how to make it..."

Hitori responded weakly and put a small piece of meat in her mouth.

"Last time, everyone thought Bocchi-chan -Bocchi-chan couldn't cook and didn't ask her for help, which was a huge mistake."

Nijika said jokingly.

Ishikawa Hayato glanced at Ryo, who was eating quickly, and then spoke to Kita remained shocked and surprised.

"Sigh, it seems there's only one person at the table who's utterly ignorant."

Kita's expression froze. She glanced at the distance between the table and the seats of the others, realizing she couldn't guarantee she could kick Ishikawa Hayato, and said dejectedly.

"I... I do have things I'm good at too!"

"For example?"

Ishikawa Hayato didn't let her off the hook, and asked with a smile.

Seeing that Ishikawa Hayato was still relentless, Nijika took a sip of soup, swallowed the food in her mouth, and warned him in a slightly stern tone.

"Hayato-kun, don't bully Kita- chan."

Nijika's words disrupted Ishikawa Hayato's plans, but he spoke anyway.

"I didn't bully Kita. I know Kita has many strengths too."

"For example, she plays the guitar quite well, even though she was taught by Hitori; she sings very well, even though she only recently started learning; her makeup skills are very high, to the point that she can even get commercials; and she's also very good at dealing with people."

Kita listened to Ishikawa Hayato with caution at first, and she was even prepared to retort, "Don't just casually mention what I'm better at!"

But after Ishikawa Hayato finished speaking, she fell silent and quietly ate her meal.

Seeing her silence, Ishikawa Hayato continued.

"Therefore, Kita will have to be the customer service representative when the CDs are sold."

"Puff."

I almost choked on my food because it was so cold.

Nijika glanced at Liang woodenly, then glared fiercely at Ishikawa Hayato.

Kita didn't seem to care much when Ishikawa Hayato said that; in fact, she seemed relieved.

"Hayato-kun, you wouldn't be playing a trick on me like this just for this, would you?"

"Certainly."

Ishikawa Hayato gave a bright smile.

"That's so mean!"

After Kita speaking, Nijika looked at Ishikawa Hayato in a stern tone.

"Be quiet while we eat!"

After dinner, Nijika pushed open the glass door of the living room and looked outside. Seeing that only a light drizzle remained, she decided to go back to the shop to help out.

She closed the glass door and turned to the four people sitting on the sofa.

"Hayato-kun, Bocchi-chan, it's almost time, I have to go back too."

Before Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori could say anything, Ryo quickly waved his hand in response.

"Bon Voyage."

Her calm tone was filled with genuine emotion as she bid farewell to Nijika.

Nijika's forehead veins bulged as she heard this. She went over, grabbed Liang's shoulders with her small hands, lifted her up, and called out to her.

"You go back too!"

Kita Ryo looked helpless as Nijika her along. She sighed inwardly, but Nijika and Ryo were about to leave, she felt embarrassed to stay any longer.

She stood up.

"I'll come along too, Gotou-san, Hayato-kun, see you tomorrow."

Hitori opened her mouth but didn't say anything; she seemed quite willing to let the group stay there a little longer.

But she knew it was time for her to start working, so she didn't make things difficult for Nijika.

She glanced at Ishikawa Hayato before responding.

"See you tomorrow."

However, in front of the group, Ishikawa Hayato took out a bottle of eye drops, put some in his eyes, and wiped away his "tears" while telling them.

"Do we really have to go back? I'm so lonely. It's okay if everyone stays here, my bed..."

"Um?!"

Nijika asked him to reorganize his words.

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and stopped joking. He stood up and said...

"Wait for me, everyone."

He first went to his room, then took out several people's shoes from the dryer on the balcony.

He walked into the living room with the shoes in his hand, then stepped past the three women and headed towards the entryway, saying something to them as he went.

"The shoes should be dry by now. Also, be careful on your way back."

Kita and Nijika were slightly taken aback when they saw him holding their shoes; their shoes did indeed look clean and dry.

The three followed Ishikawa Hayato's footsteps toward the entrance.

After putting down his shoes, Ishikawa Hayato took out a few cards from his pocket.

"This is the access card; everyone is welcome to come anytime..."

He hesitated for a moment as he spoke, then added a reminder.

"It's not that you can come anytime, but it's best not to come after 9 pm unless it's something important. Also, even if you do come, please speak loudly to remind us."

When Nijika heard Ishikawa Hayato's inexplicable words, she was stunned for a moment before she understood what he meant, and a surge of anger rushed to her cheeks.

"Who would come at night!"

But before she could decide to accept it, Liang simply responded.

"Um."

He then took a card from Ishikawa Hayato.

Nijika wanted to stop her, but in the end she decided against it.

Kita glanced at Ryo, who had taken the card, and then at Ishikawa Hayato, who was still holding two cards. She said somewhat guiltily.

"Then I'll be sorry to bother you again."

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and then extended the last card to Nijika. Nijika hesitated for a moment, but still took the card.

The group arrived soaking wet, but left the apartment feeling refreshed.

They took the umbrellas that Ishikawa Hayato had lent them, and when they got downstairs, Nijika and Ryo parted ways with Kita.

After saying goodbye to Kita.

Nijika and Liang each held an umbrella and walked back.

Walking on the wet, deserted street, they held up their umbrellas and crossed the puddles rippling with raindrops.

Nijika glanced at her reflection in the rippled water and thought that if she hadn't come to Ishikawa Hayato's house, perhaps her mood wouldn't be so chaotic.

But they could only wait at the station until now, and they walked back home exhausted.

She couldn't say which was better.

But she was more inclined to accept the current situation, not only because she felt physically relaxed, but also because the murky emotions between several people were now clearly visible to her.

The light, drizzling rain stirred up restless thoughts.

As Nijika thought about their current relationship, she couldn't help but recall her first meeting with Ishikawa Hayato; she still remembered the spring scenery back then.

The boy, who still had short hair, walked confidently and steadily towards her and said...

"Hello, I just heard that you're planning to recruit members..."

A feeling welled up in my heart, as if a long time had passed, yet it felt like yesterday.

She hesitated for a long time before asking Liang, who was under another umbrella.

"Ryo, why are you dating Hayato-kun?"

Liang turned to look at Nijika. At this moment, Hongxia's gaze was calm yet thoughtful, and her golden eyes were full of power.