So many geniuses in anime! What's wrong with me joining?

"As long as it's not Bass!" Yamada Ryo clenched her fist and nodded firmly.

"You said it yourself, no take-backs!" Sakurakoji Talent's eyes flashed with a sharp light, his expression instantly turning serious. "If you regret it later, I won't give you another chance."

"Uh... What do you want to do to me?" Seeing him like this, Yamada Ryo felt a little intimidated.

"Nothing much, just some things that will make you very happy. It's no big deal," Sakurakoji Talent chuckled, reassuring her. "Besides, as long as you honestly pay back the money, there won't be any problems, right?"

"I see, that's right!" Yamada Ryo's mind cleared as if a fog had lifted, and she slapped her palm.

Then, she looked at him confidently, "That's exactly it, so you can rest assured 'lending' me the money! Oh, right, this time I need to borrow thirty thousand... no, fifty thousand!"

After thinking, she changed her three outstretched fingers to five, her expression as firm as someone joining the party.

"Alright, alright, fifty thousand, is it? Of course, you can," Sakurakoji Talent smiled, without a word of dissuasion, like a loan shark tempting a gambler. He directly took out five of the largest denomination bills from his wallet and handed them to her.

"Oh, oh! This is fifty thousand! I haven't seen this much money in so long!" Yamada Ryo's eyes sparkled like starlight. Holding the brand-new fortune, her mouth gaped wide enough to fit an egg, her expression filled with emotion.

Heh, you'll regret this later. Sakurakoji Talent sneered inwardly as he watched her reaction.

Dare to not pay me back? You'll definitely face consequences!

It was almost time for his appointment with Kogisora Yukina. Sakurakoji Talent glanced at his phone screen, said goodbye to Ichiji Hoshika and the others, and left the noisy Starlight.

Image: "On-shelf Illustration: Be Bold", Location: "Images/1756298240-100446961-113777106.jpg"

He didn't return to the supermarket but walked to a small park nearby, the agreed-upon meeting spot.

The dark park was deserted and utterly silent. The mischievous children must have been taken home by their parents for some "rod education," he maliciously speculated in his heart.

After swinging on a swing for five minutes, the sound of running footsteps approached. Soon, someone arrived beside him, panting as they half-crouched.

"I'm sorry! It took a while to change at home. Did you wait long?"

"...No, I only got here five minutes ago." Although he already knew she was disguised, seeing her in her everyday attire after removing her disguise, Sakurakoji Talent admitted he was still somewhat surprised.

She had taken off the glasses that sealed her looks, and her formerly dowdy braided hair was undone, replaced by two neat ponytails on either side of her thick hair. Her upper body was no longer the black shirt convenient for work but a white jacket exuding youthful vitality. Her lower half was adorned with a pink frilly cake skirt, and beneath it, she wore white thigh-high stockings for warmth.

The plain girl from before was gone, replaced by a beautiful, vibrant campus idol.

The contrast was particularly striking.

"Shocked?" Kogisora Yukina playfully smiled at him, then twirled, pinching the hem of her skirt.

"Yeah, a little. I didn't expect the difference to be so big."

Even though he already knew about her outfit, the impact of the visual reality was incomparable.

"There's nothing I can do about it. I actually had my reasons for doing that," Kogisora Yukina sighed and sat down on a nearby swing.

"Reasons?" Sakurakoji Talent followed up, guessing this was the purpose of her calling him here.

"Yeah, you see, many students at Minejo Affiliated come from good families, right?" Kogisora Yukina swayed on the swing, confiding in him. At this point, she seemed to realize something. "Speaking of which, Sakurakoji-kun? Or should I call you Sakurakoji-san?"

"Whatever you prefer, I'm fine with either."

"Then how about Sakurakoji-kun? You look about my age."

"That works too. Then I'll call you Kogisora-san?"

"Hmm... Adding 'san' feels a bit strange. Just Kogisora is fine." Kogisora Yukina continued her previous topic. "Sakurakoji-kun said you have an acquaintance at Minejo, so you should know this, right?"

"Yeah, I have some understanding." Thinking of Touma Kazusa's family background, Sakurakoji Talent had to agree with her point.

Image: "Campus Idol", Location: "Images/1756298266-100446961-113777106.jpg"

Volume 1: The Everyday Life of Attracting Bees and Butterflies : Chapter 72: My Friends Are Few, and Evening Affairs

"Right? So if I dressed casually normally, who knows what people would say behind my back, let alone working an inconspicuous part-time job outside." Her swinging motion gradually increased. "Look, even though it wasn't my intention, I was even selected as Affiliated Miss, which makes the situation even worse."

"Gossip is indeed formidable." Sakurakoji Talent could understand. Not to mention far away, even he and his mother had been maliciously slandered by some people because of their appearance, including some relatives.

Although they all ignored it with strong mental fortitude, it didn't mean everyone could just brush it off as if nothing happened.

"Seriously, if my friend hadn't taken the initiative to sign me up, I wouldn't have wanted to participate in this beauty contest. And to unexpectedly win... this feeling of being stared at by everyone is really unbearable." Kogisora Yukina sighed, revealing fatigue on her face as she recounted her long-held inner turmoil.

"Unexpected? I think with your looks, Kogisora, the result was predictable from the moment you registered, wasn't it?"

"Although I appreciate the compliment... I really don't want you to say that, Sakurakoji-kun wa." Kogisora Yukina looked at him as if she had swallowed something unpleasant, speechless. "How do you usually maintain yourself? To keep up such an appearance, besides natural factors, it must be quite hard, right?"

As a young woman of the new generation, makeup and dressing up were already essential skills for them. She could naturally see the extra effort involved.

"Well, I guess so. Because of my family's profession, I was exposed to these things from a young age and learned a lot. Once it becomes a habit integrated into daily life, it doesn't feel strenuous," Sakurakoji Talent shrugged frankly and admitted.

"If you were at our school too, and dressed up a little, maybe there wouldn't be any competition for me in the beauty contest."

"Is that a compliment or a jab?"

"Heh~ That depends on how you think about it!" Kogisora Yukina covered her mouth and chuckled mischievously.

"In any case, I understand. If you called me over to talk about this, as I said before, I definitely won't reveal it. You can rest assured." He reassured her again, placing a hand on his chest as if making a promise.

"And even if I told that acquaintance, that person isn't the type to care about other people's business, so you don't need to worry at all."

"It's great that you understood so quickly!" Kogisora Yukina saw her purpose was revealed and no longer hid it. "By the way, it's amazing you saw through my disguise. I thought I was pretty hard to recognize?"

"I didn't think it was that difficult to recognize, but maybe it's because I'm more familiar with makeup."

"Hmm, that should be it. So far, none of my school friends have seen through my disguise... You're the first one." Her eyes suddenly became moist, looking pitiful, and then she moved on to the next topic.

"Um, there's still some time before my curfew at home. Sakurakoji-kun, are you free later?"

"Yes, I live alone, so I don't have a curfew."

"Ehh~ Sakurakoji-kun, you live alone? That's nice~" Kogisora Yukina said with some envy. "Isn't it easy living alone? You don't have parents telling you what to do, it's very free, right?"

"There are pros and cons to both, I guess. Is your family relationship not good, Kogisora-san?"

"No, it's not. Aside from the curfew, my parents are quite open-minded. My father is an office worker, and my mother is a full-time housewife. They worked hard to send me and my younger brother to private school. We're a typical middle-class family, right?" She shook her head in denial.

"But because of that, pocket money is a bit tight... So if I want to buy anything, I have to earn it myself through part-time work."

"I see, so that's how it is."

"Yeah, but lately, my younger brother might be going through puberty, and his relationship with our parents has become a bit strained."

"That sounds pretty good, like a harmonious family." Sakurakoji Talent smiled as he swung on the swing, imagining her family situation.

"Haha, Sakurakoji-kun? What's your family like?" She asked noncommittally, seemingly aware of the topic and proud of it.

"Well, my parents work in New York, so I used to live there with them. But two months ago, my sister and I came back to Tokyo."

"Eh? So you're an overseas returnee? That sounds amazing!" Kogisora Yukina blinked her bright eyes and covered her mouth with her hands in surprise.

"And you have a sister too... Wait, if that's the case, don't you and your sister live together?"

"We see each other every other day, so you could say we do, but we don't live in the same house." He found it a bit difficult to describe the complex situation.

"It sounds a bit complicated. Should I not ask?" Kogisora Yukina looked at the atmosphere and asked.

"It's not that there's anything bad to say, but please do." Sakurakoji Talent bowed his head and pleaded.

"Haha, I understand. Ah, it seems we're getting off track..." She realized the topic was drifting and quickly corrected herself. "That's not what I wanted to say. Um, if you have time, would you like to go sing karaoke later? My treat!"

"Karaoke?" Sakurakoji Talent looked over at the sound of her voice, surprised that they were indeed going there in the end.

"Yeah! I always go there when I want to relax! Have you been there before, Sakurakoji-kun?" She said with great enthusiasm, swinging the rusty swing that squeaked with each movement.

"I have been, but not often. I don't have many friends, so I don't usually have opportunities to go out with people."

"...Somehow, it feels like you just said something heartbreaking." Kogisora Yukina stopped swinging and looked at him with complex emotions.

"In that case, let's go together today! Let's go!"

She leaped off the swing's pedal, hands behind her back, and walked forward excitedly. Sakurakoji Talent got up and followed behind her.

"To Mariko's Room"

"Make a phone call"

"I've been pretending to play with guys"

"That girl is also quite"

"Seems busy"

"..."

Kogisora Yukina swayed left and right in the private room, holding the microphone, turning from one end to the other, her face beaming with overflowing smiles. Her bright and beautiful singing filled the entire room.

Sakurakoji Talent sat on the sofa, holding a maraca dryly, cheering her on with a numb expression. It had been an hour, and she hadn't put down the microphone once! As soon as they entered, she immediately chose over a dozen songs, leaving him no room to interject.

While it was nice to have the chance to monopolize such a beautiful woman singing in front of him, couldn't she at least bring him a fruit platter before he had to admire her?

Finally, after the song ended, Kogisora Yukina, satisfied, paused her performance, turned to the sofa, and bowed as if presenting herself. "Thank you very much for listening!"

Sakurakoji Talent quickly shook the atmosphere-making prop in his hand and cheered loudly, making her feel very satisfied, yet also a little shy.

"Kogisora-san, you really love singing. To sing for an hour straight without a break, I'm a little impressed." Sakurakoji Talent looked at her with admiration and said sincerely.

"Startled?" Kogisora Yukina responded with a playful smile.

"A little."

She sat down on the other side of the sofa, took a sip of juice, and explained, "Actually, I come here alone to sing once a week. Is that strange?"

"No, I think that's a pretty normal hobby. Although maybe others can't sing as much as you." Seeing her drink, Sakurakoji Talent also felt a bit thirsty and took a sip of his own drink.

"Actually, I haven't told anyone else about this hobby, so if possible, please keep it a secret, along with the part-time job..."

"I understand. Although I don't think either of those things is a big deal." Putting down his glass, Sakurakoji Talent nodded in agreement. "But you really do love singing."

"Yeah! Singing is my favorite thing! I can sing for a whole day without any problems. Sometimes it even shocks my mother and brother!" She leaned forward, her upper body exuding an expression that was more like excitement than anything else.

"I think that might be a bit too much... but never mind, as long as you like it." Sakurakoji Talent was amazed by her enthusiasm. He hadn't expected that an hour was just her warm-up?

"What should we do next? Do you want to sing too, Sakurakoji-kun?" She picked up another microphone and offered it to him.

"Since I'm here, I might as well try." Sakurakoji Talent took it and picked up the song selection board. "Hmm, let's go with this one."

"Which one, which one?" Kogisora Yukina leaned over, her arm brushing against his. The natural fragrance from her hair and body entered his nose, briefly capturing his attention.

"Hey, I know this one too! Shall we sing it together?" Kogisora Yukina asked expectantly.

"OK." Sakurakoji Talent agreed, but he had reason to suspect she just wanted to sing.

The screen on the wall directly in front of them lit up with the MV and song title: Glass Prosperity.

Singer: Ogata Rina

Soon, the two began to sing:

"We can't go back to being friends anymore"

"Every second, I'm quietly drawn to you"

"You, in the bright sunlight"

"Are like a wind carrying dreams"

"..."

"Am I in your heart...?

"I want to hear... but I can't"

"Rather than the pretense of strength like glass"

"I want the courage to hold you"

"..."

They didn't sing for too long. Because of Kogisora Yukina's curfew, after singing one or two songs together, they left the KTV.