Chapter 243

As the elevator ascended, Ishikawa Hayato glanced at Nijika, who stood straight beside him in her school uniform, her neckline still adorned with a large ribbon instead of a bow tie.

She was also holding a conspicuous small box wrapped in cloth.

"Nijika, what is this?"

Ishikawa Hayato already had the answer in his mind, but he still asked.

"This?" Nijika said with a smile as Ishikawa Hayato picked up the box to confirm.

"I made extra bento boxes this morning, so I brought them over."

Girlfriend's Bento!

I just started dating and I already received a girlfriend bento from Nijika!

Ishikawa Hayato's expression changed, and filled with expectation, he half-squatted down, hugged her arm, and said pitifully.

"Nijika, I'm hungry from my morning run..."

He looked so timid, he was practically begging for his mother's help.

Although Nijika often begs for food from Liang, she has developed a considerable resistance to begging, but most of that resistance is specifically against Liang.

With a helpless smile on her face, she swayed as he pulled her, saying with a helpless indulgence.

"We'll eat when we get home."

"Nijika is so nice."

Ishikawa Hayato stood up and smiled. He had no doubt that if no one made him breakfast, Nijika would come over every morning to cook for him.

Even so, he would still try his best to win Nijika away from that awful older sister who had beaten him up.

Let her join us here.

Thinking about something strange, Ishikawa Hayato asked Nijika again.

"Nijika got up very early. Have you eaten? Do you want to eat together?"

I ate it as soon as I finished cooking.

"Hey, let's eat together next time. It'll be more lively since we're all in the same band."

Nijika stared blankly at him, and only spoke after the smile on Ishikawa Hayato's face gradually turned into embarrassment.

"Hayato-kun still remembers that we're in the same band."

Ishikawa Hayato chuckled dryly twice.

As soon as Nijika spoke, the elevator began to slow down, and then it came to a complete stop with a "ding" sound.

Ishikawa Hayato didn't continue the conversation and hurriedly pulled Nijika outside. Nijika smiled helplessly and followed.

But after walking a few steps and getting close to his house, Ishikawa Hayato noticed something was wrong.

Nijika's pace was a little slower than usual, though it was very subtle, but he could still sense it, and he turned to look at Nijika.

She kept her head down, but soon noticed Ishikawa Hayato's gaze and looked up, giving him a nonchalant and comforting smile.

"What's wrong?"

Nijika's reluctance to show worry isn't very endearing, but it does seem quite mature.

Because her unease was so obvious, Ishikawa Hayato easily guessed her worries and smiled as he spoke to her.

"Hitori should be making breakfast now. She'll welcome you. Liang is still sleeping. She might tease you when she comes out later."

As he spoke, he reached out and touched her head, then casually smoothed her golden ponytail, and said to her.

"Don't worry about anything."

Nijika stared at him blankly, then let out a long sigh after regaining her senses.

"Hayato-kun, you're so mean."

She was referring to Ishikawa Hayato's ability to understand everyone's thoughts and his silent act of cutting off her non-existent escape route.

Ishikawa Hayato chuckled and opened the door.

The two changed their shoes in the entryway. Ishikawa Hayato entered the house first and took out slippers from the shoe cabinet.

Nijika noticed that above the slippers in the shoe cabinet, in addition to the names of Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori that were already there, there was now a new name for Ryo.

People who frequently stay at this house all have their own preferred slippers.

She put on the guest slippers that Ishikawa Hayato had given her and followed Ishikawa Hayato into the lobby.

As Ishikawa Hayato stepped out of the entrance hall and into the living room, he heard the sizzling sound of frying. He looked towards the kitchen, Hitori was already busy at work in the open-plan kitchen.

Her gaze also turned towards him; she seemed to be in a particularly good mood today, with a pleasant smile on her face.

This girl is too easily satisfied.

Ishikawa Hayato could almost see Hitori's tail wagging happily behind him.

But now he was going to act like a scoundrel for once, he said, raising his hand to greet Hitori.

"Hitori, Nijika is here today too, so don't bully her."

"How... how could this be..."

Hitori's smile vanished, and she quickly became flustered.

When Nijika had just entered the hall, heard him say that, she also stared at him with a piercing gaze.

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and walked towards Hitori. Hitori stopped cooking, turned around, and looked at him uneasily.

He walked Hitori away, gave her a light hug, kissed her on the cheek, and whispered something.

"I know Hitori wouldn't do that. I was just trying to make it less awkward for you to talk. I haven't even showered yet, and I just hugged her like that."

Hitori was used to being bullied by Ishikawa Hayato, so she didn't care about the teasing she had just endured. She relaxed and gave a soft "hmm".

"I'll go call Liang while I'm at it, don't be nervous, Hitori."

As Ishikawa Hayato parted ways with her, he patted her shoulder lightly, then walked over to Nijika somewhat stunned Nijika and kissed her on the cheek when she wasn't looking.

"Don't worry about it too much, I'm going to take a shower."

After being kissed, Nijika quickly covered her face. She glanced nervously at Hitori and then at Ishikawa Hayato before gradually relaxing.

She knew Ishikawa Hayato was bold, but she didn't expect him to be this bold.

But after he dared to do such a thing without any adverse effects, her nervousness did indeed disappear.

Nijika let out a soft exclamation, deliberately feigning disdain.

"Go quickly. Being with Bocchi-chan means I don't have to worry as much as I do when I'm with you."

"That's not true."

Ishikawa Hayato's pitiful, smiling expression made her chuckle slightly as well.

After Ishikawa Hayato went to take a shower, Nijika glanced at Hitori, Hitori gaze flickered away, as if he was thinking about something.

Having already known what kind of person Hitori was and what her personality was like, Nijika wasn't worried about her actions. Besides, Ishikawa Hayato had just reminded her and helped warm up the atmosphere.

Unlike their previous friendship, Nijika was now speaking to Hitori as someone who had just joined the Ishikawa Hayato family.

"Bocchi-chan, let me help too!"

"Hmm... apron... ah."

"Ah..."

Nijika was also stunned for a moment before she remembered this. However, after seeing Hitori seemed to care more about her thoughts than the apron, she smiled and walked over, casually picking up Ishikawa Hayato's apron and putting it on.

Hitori smiled inexplicably and continued working, while Nijika went over to help.

They cooked together again after what seemed like a long time, yet also like a short time.

After taking a refreshing shower and changing into his school uniform, Ishikawa Hayato went to the cool room.

He opened the door, and the room was dark because the curtains were tightly closed. Instead of pulling the curtains, he walked to the side.

Reaching the bedside, seeing the bulging blankets, he was seized by a playful impulse and climbed onto the bed, tightly hugging the blankets of his still-sleeping sister.

He spoke softly to the spot on his head that was feeling cold.

"It's getting cold~ Time to get up."

When Ishikawa Hayato hugged her, Ryo turned her head to pull the blanket over her head down, and groggily opened her eyes to look at Ishikawa Hayato.

"Hmm... I'll sleep a little longer."

Upon seeing that it was Ishikawa Hayato, she closed her eyes again, twisted her body to pull her hands out from under the covers, and hugged Ishikawa Hayato affectionately with her slender arms.

Ryo would occasionally act coquettishly like this when she was half asleep, but that only applied to Ishikawa Hayato. When Hitori called her to wake up, she would either get up very quickly or simply ignore him while still covered by the blanket.

Ishikawa Hayato was still holding her; he could smell the languid fragrance of her hair.

"Nijika is here today."

Ryo, who had originally wanted to linger with Ishikawa Hayato a little longer, twitched her eyelids, remained quiet for a while, and her drowsy mind gradually began to think.

Ishikawa Hayato watched as Ryo gradually opened her eyes and became fully awake before he stopped pressing down on her and got up to draw the curtains.

"Very capable."

As the curtains were pulled open with a whoosh, Ishikawa Hayato heard Ryo say this behind him.

He turned around and saw Liang sitting up, covering her eyes with her hand, a smug smile on her lips.

"Of course, after all, he's the man you've set your sights on."

Ishikawa Hayato felt a surge of pride, then chuckled softly, "Don't bully her too much."

Perhaps he really listened to Ishikawa Hayato's words, because when Ryo finished washing up and came to the living room, he didn't tease Nijika. Instead, he walked up to Nijika, patted her on the shoulder, and announced to Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori.

"From now on Nijika will be responsible for all my housework."

"Do it yourself!"

Nijika yelled angrily.

Regardless of whether Nijika's objections were effective, at Ishikawa Hayato's urging, the four of them sat down at the dinner table.

Once seated at the dining table, the cunning Ishikawa Hayato began to do his wicked deeds.

"Come on, Nijika, since you're all seated, you should eat something too."

"No need..."

Although Nijika refused, Ishikawa Hayato still diligently got up to get bowls and chopsticks, and shared some of the vegetable salad with Nijika.

Nijika looked helplessly at the small bowl containing a small amount of vegetable salad that had appeared in front of her.

However, she also felt it wasn't appropriate for her to just watch others eat, so she didn't refuse further.

Seeing that everyone had already started eating, she casually picked up a piece of lettuce with salad dressing and ate it, while keeping an eye on their breakfast.

A sandwich made with beef tenderloin and egg bread, a vegetable salad, milk, and the side dishes she brought in the morning.

This is quite a lavish breakfast.

Nijika felt something was off. She had thought about it when she was helping out, but hadn't asked Hitori. Now she asked Ishikawa Hayato and Hitori.

"Speaking of which, why is breakfast Western food?"

Since they were all people she knew, Nijika quickly returned to her usual self after the initial adjustment period.

Ryo also glanced at Ishikawa Hayato with interest.

Ishikawa Hayato thought for Hitori and said, "Hitori likes to eat meat..."

Hitori thought Ishikawa Hayato was looking at her and asking her to speak, so she spoke up at the same time, "The ingredients Hayato brought back are suitable for making these... I thought Hayato liked to eat like this..."

Nijika paused for a moment, taken aback by their public display of affection, but after thinking about it more deeply, she couldn't help but speak.

"Didn't we ask them what kind of breakfast they liked?!"

"Curry, noodles, or even breakfast like this is fine with me."

It was Liang who spoke up, calmly expressing her preferences and trying to persuade the others to prioritize following her recipes.