Chapter 278

"Wine is truly the best thing!"

Seika, standing beside her, offered words of comfort without any expression.

"If you keep drinking like this, it'll spoil sooner or later."

Hiroi Kikuri shook the sake bottle.

"Then I'll complain to the wine when that time comes, even though all I have left is wine."

PA-san covered his mouth with his sleeve, agreeing with tears in his eyes.

"That's right, aside from the alcohol, there's nothing else to complain about. We're not young anymore..."

The three adults turned to look at the young boys and girls, watching them anticipate a bright future. While feeling envious, they were also deeply hurt.

Ignoring the adults, Ishikawa Hayato looked at the girls surrounding him, and tentatively smiled, clinging to his last hope.

Where should we go tomorrow?

"Haven't we already decided? Going to Enoshima, Hayato-kun, are you trying to go back on your word?"

His feigned ignorance couldn't even get past Ikuyo, but he still didn't give up verbally.

"It seems we have to seize this last chance tonight to change everyone's minds."

"That's not how it is!"

Watching Ishikawa Hayato and Ikuyo play around beside her, Nijika, who had a smile on her face, noticed her older sister's gaze ahead.

Her smile faded slightly.

The group chatted and laughed as they rounded the corner; it was time for the group to disband.

Hiroi Kikuri, PA, and Ryo, who was slowly walking towards the two people, stopped at another intersection.

Hiroi Kikuri waved her hand, her face flushed, and said in a muffled voice.

"Remember to invite me to the next celebration party!"

"Although it's hard to say goodbye, we still have to part ways here." PA-san said, noticing Ryoya walking over, and asked in surprise.

"Hey, Ryo, aren't you going to Hayato-kun's house today?"

Without turning his head, Liang said calmly, "Yeah, I've been staying here too long, I need to go home and check on things."

Hiroi Kikuri looked at Ishikawa Hayato and Ryo in surprise.

"It's already developed to this point?!"

Nijika looked at Ryo in surprise as Hiroi Kikuri into the conversation; she had thought that Ryo had forgotten her original home.

Seeing this, she smiled slightly. After seeing Liang's decision, she also felt relieved and prepared to go home.

We'll see each other again when we go out tomorrow, so there's no need to rush.

After waving goodbye to the three men, the remaining group continued on their way home.

As if she didn't want to be swayed by Ishikawa Hayato's thoughts, after only a few steps, Nijika skipped and hopped towards her sister, saying goodbye to Ishikawa Hayato before it was time to part ways.

"Hayato-kun, I won't bother you tonight."

After she finished speaking, she noticed the complicated look Seika was giving her.

That look in his eyes seemed to say, "So you really plan to keep spending the night at his place?"

Nijika smiled sheepishly, then looked at Ishikawa Hayato. Ishikawa Hayato nodded with a slightly helpless sigh and said to them.

"There's no other way then. I'll leave the store Nijika, to you for the time being. Even though you're my girlfriend's older sister, don't bully her too much. Be gentle with her."

Don't dump all the housework on her. She's 30 years old; it's time for her to take on some responsibilities herself. When I bring her home again in a couple of days, I'll check if she's gotten any less bullied by you."

Seika stopped in her tracks. She had previously thought that Ishikawa Hayato had been much more well-behaved lately, and she was still a little unaccustomed to it, but it seemed that wasn't the case.

Tell her that her cute little sister has a boyfriend, that she bullied Nijika, that she's 30 years old, that she can't do housework, and that she'll be taking Nijika away in a couple of days.

Every word Ishikawa Hayato uttered in those few dozen words was the truth, a brutal blow to her.

It seems some people are just asking for a beating their whole lives.

Nijika was stunned. She felt a terrifying aura emanating from the side and looked to the side in fear.

"Ishikawa!! Die!"

Her sister charged at Ishikawa Hayato like a madwoman, and Ishikawa Hayato smiled and started running.

Seeing this, the girls quickly went after the two men.

Finally, the five people split into two groups that were no longer subdivided, and each headed home.

The autumn wind is chilly, and you can see many people wearing two layers during the day, let alone at night.

But the autumn chill couldn't dispel Seika's anger.

While she was still angry, she heard Nijika say something next to her.

"Sister, that's just the kind of person Hayato-kun is, don't be angry with him."

Wronged!

I'm your older sister! I'm the one being bullied! Why are you telling me not to be angry with him?

Seika snorted, ignoring her sister who was siding with outsiders, and quickened her pace.

Her reaction immediately made Nijika realize she had said the wrong thing. Her expression froze for a moment, and she quickly caught up and said something.

"I'm sorry, sister! I'll tell Hayato-kun to stop teasing you next time."

Should I stop him from teasing me? It still feels like I'm on his side.

Seika still felt unhappy, but this time she suppressed her feelings.

"You weren't bullied yesterday, were you?"

Nijika paused for a moment, then smiled slightly, "I'm very happy."

"Um."

The proud older sister and the lively younger sister walked home with light laughs.

A few minutes later, Nijika suddenly remembered something, her eyes widened, and she turned around in horror to look in the direction of the three people who had long since disappeared.

On the other side, the atmosphere was much more relaxed Hitori Ishikawa Hayato, Ikuyo, and Ikuyo.

Although Nijika followed Seika to the other side, Ishikawa Hayato only glanced at her one last time, met her gaze briefly, and then never looked back.

He turned his gaze to the two people beside him and asked with a smile.

"It'll just be the three of us tonight. Won't you be lonely?"

"It's Hayato-kun's lonely."

Only Ikuyo would criticize Ishikawa Hayato in this way.

But Hitori, on the other side of Ishikawa Hayato, also had an expression that seemed to share a similar sentiment.

Although Ishikawa Hayato was talking to Ikuyo, he also noticed Hitori's reaction and was slightly surprised.

However, not blindly following others is a good thing.

Their apartment was near the station, so on their way home they could feel the crowds growing and the streets becoming more lively.

The lights of the surrounding shops dazzled passersby as they began their nightlife.

Looking at these, Ishikawa Hayato suddenly realized something.

His abnormal physique prevents him from feeling the temperature difference between spring and autumn, and even the temperature difference between winter and summer makes him feel cool or warm.

Seeing the thicker clothing worn by everyone around him, he realized that the performance T-shirts worn by the two people next to him were out of season.

They weren't cold in the bustling performance hall, but it was a different story outside.

Ishikawa Hayato glanced at their condition. Hitori was clutching her arm, while Ikuyo seemed nonchalant, suppressing her trembling.

"Yes, I'm so lonely."

As he spoke, he casually opened his arms and placed them on their shoulders, then hesitated for a moment before pulling them closer to him.

Both of them seemed to have noticed that hesitation.

Ikuyo glanced to the side, and although she already had her shoulder wrapped around, she smiled and moved closer to Ishikawa Hayato.

"You're still lonely even though you have me and Ichiri-chan, you fickle Hayato-kun."

The girl's feigned complaint was very cute.

Hitori even further, wrapping her arms around Ishikawa Hayato's waist and looking up at him.

"If Falcon is lonely... even though I am like this... I can still keep you company..."

Ishikawa Hayato smiled and denied.

"What do you mean by 'this kind of me'?"

Ikuyo also peeked out and looked towards Hitori, giving him a serious reminder.

"Ichiri-chan, you need to be more confident!"

Although Ishikawa Hayato doesn't care about face and is indifferent to losing face, he does care about the girls' feelings and dignity.

He worries that if another woman is caught in a man's embrace on the street, he might worry that she feels uncomfortable or embarrassed.

But their initiative made him feel that he had underestimated their feelings.

Ishikawa Hayato glanced at them, then noticed the stares from those around them, and realized that most people were actually watching him.

He smiled with relief, ignoring the envious, red-eyed stares of the men around him and the wary, scum-like expressions on the faces of the other women.

He gently touched their exposed arms, offering them a little warmth.

"Looks like I'll have to bring a jacket for performances from now on. Ikuyo, did you bring any autumn clothes?"

Yes.

Ikuyo looked up and smiled.

Ishikawa Hayato sighed regretfully.

"It's a pity, I was thinking of going shopping together, but there aren't many clothes available in Hitori."

"Hmm... for autumn, clothes other than sportswear are definitely needed."

Hitori's words surprised the two of them; they could actually sense from his tone that he was willing to go shopping.

Ikuyo glanced at her, then at Ishikawa Hayato, and smiled.

"Then let me offer you both some clothing suggestions! That's something I'm really good at!"

"Please don't pick another wetsuit for Hitori, even though those things are definitely warm."

Ishikawa Hayato still remembers the sight of the tattered diving suit when Ikuyo was choosing clothes for Hitori.

"Hmm..."

Hitori still felt scared when she thought about it, so she leaned closer to Ishikawa Hayato, her head almost touching his chest.

Ikuyo froze.

"Absolutely not!"

When the three got home, it was late, so they decided to take a shower and go to bed.

As usual, Ishikawa Hayato was responsible for cleaning and filling the bathtub at home.

Ikuyo and Hitori went back to their room to pack their pajamas and prepare to take a shower.

Ikuyo has already gotten used to living here; she even started marking her name on her slippers faster than Nijika.

Her clothes were in Ishikawa Hayato's room, and she washed up in the bathroom, so she didn't need to tidy up much; she just needed to grab a nightgown and go to the bathroom.

After parting ways with Hitori, Ikuyo turned into Ishikawa Hayato's room through the corridor. She stopped at the door, snapping out of her reverie and looking at the large bed in the center of the room.

"They changed the sheets... Just how well prepared did they come up with, that pervert?"