Rock Girl Descends Beside Me!

"A birthday present?" the waitress looked at Toyokawa Sakiko beside him. With her bright eyes, thin lips, and delicate nose, even her ordinary dress seemed to turn noble. She was a high-class beauty. "I recommend the necklace at the counter next to us. It's shaped like a four-leaf clover, but it's a bit more expensive."

Let me see what's going on.

Riki's eyes looked over—40,000 yen.

Riki looked back at the waitress. Are you testing my financial strength, man?

Only the Party and the State can test me.

Believe it or not, I'll use Flame Fist on you.

Toyokawa Sakiko also tugged at Riki's sleeve from the side, shaking her head slightly. This was too expensive.

Thank you, Sakiko-bao.

The waitress smiled, saying the necklace really suited Toyokawa Sakiko and she didn't want to give up. "We're having a promotion in our store. Across the way is a festival booth. If you can catch a goldfish, you'll get a 70% discount at our store."

There's such a thing?

I grew up by the sea, a true master of the waves. A mere goldfish is no problem for me.

"Swish." It tore.

"Swish." It tore.

Riki frowned, looking at the goldfish nets that kept breaking in his hand. He wondered if this old man running the stall had given him shoddy nets. Despicable Japanese!

"Hey, I got one!" a surprised voice came from beside him.

Damn it, what did you get!?

Riki turned his head and saw a goldfish leisurely swimming in the small bowl in Toyokawa Sakiko's hand. She turned and looked at him happily, her eyelashes still carrying water droplets splashed by the goldfish.

"It seems you're not good at this," Toyokawa Sakiko said with a gentle smile.

Riki's heart at this moment was just like Rebecca facing Adam with Heavy Hammer. He had only one thought—I've really been underestimated.

No, I have to prove myself!

"Swish." It tore.

What the heck, who wins this broken game anyway?

"Haha, I got another one."

Riki turned his head and found another goldfish in Toyokawa Sakiko's bowl. The two goldfish were swimming together companionably, their eyes smiling into crescents as she let out a silvery laugh. She squatted by the goldfish pond with her legs together, her slender legs beneath her black tube socks long and elegant.

What great legs, supporting such amazing skill.

Are you Retsu Kaioh?

Sakiko, when it comes to catching goldfish, I, Riki, nominate you as the strongest.

Am I really this bad?

As Riki was thinking, he felt the empty bowl in his hand suddenly become heavy. He looked down and saw a goldfish swimming inside. He looked up and saw Toyokawa Sakiko holding up her index finger to him and whispering, "I secretly gave you one. Don't let the boss see, or you won't get the discount."

"Okay," Riki replied obediently.

Riki once thought his favorite artwork was Ru Ware, until today when he discovered his favorite artwork was Toyokawa Sakiko.

I'd like to propose a theory: the entire universe is a giant Sakiko. She is the supreme deity, and the Earth revolves around her. I call it Sakiko-ism. What do you all think?

Copernicus: I have no objections.

As for the fundamental particles, they are divided into atoms and Sakikos. What do you all think?

Einstein: I have an objection (muted)... I have no objections.

"I didn't expect you weren't good at catching goldfish," Toyokawa Sakiko said with a smile.

I wanted to ask, you, a young lady, couldn't even use a drink machine before. How do you have such amazing goldfish-catching skills?

"Did you often go to festivals before?" Riki asked.

"Not that often. It was just sometimes when I was younger... I mean, when my family was doing well," Toyokawa Sakiko said softly. "Oh, right. Next time there's a festival, let's go together, Riki."

You've said it all. What am I supposed to say?

Toyokawa Sakiko extended her pinky finger and smiled, "It's a promise, okay?"

Riki looked at her slender, fair pinky finger, then extended his own and hooked it, shaking it.

His hand was so big and warm. Do all boys' hands get this big? Toyokawa Sakiko couldn't help but think, forgetting to let go for a moment.

"Then let's go to the festival together next time," Riki said.

"You can't go back on your word. This is a lifelong promise," Toyokawa Sakiko said with a gentle smile.

"Of course."

If the Evil Sword Immortal could be a "promise superman" back then, why can't I, Riki?

The waitress beside them watched, finding it amusing, and muttered softly, "Do newly dating couples blush when they hold hands?"

"Actually, we're not boyfriend and girlfriend," Toyokawa Sakiko replied, blushing, quickly.

"Ah? You're already on a date before you're in Love?" the waitress exclaimed in surprise.

"?" Riki.

Is that all you think about, love?

"Ahem, excuse me, I'll pack up your gifts right away," the waitress said awkwardly, facing Riki's surprised and angry glare.

Watching Riki and Toyokawa Sakiko leave, the waitress sighed inwardly, lamenting her lost high school youth. As a university student, she felt like she was aging rapidly.

After a while, she saw Toyokawa Sakiko run back, slightly out of breath.

"Um…" Toyokawa Sakiko said.

Boarding the subway home, the sky was darkening. Swaying gently on the train, she got off and walked into the moonlit street.

Riki had also bought a cake. Since he planned to make up for Sakiko's birthday, he naturally needed a birthday cake in addition to the gift.

Riki glanced at the second floor of the rental house from afar. Good, the bastard Old Man wasn't home. Otherwise, he would have had to beat him up and kick him out again.

Toyokawa Sakiko hadn't opened the gift box yet. Although she already knew what it was, she decided to wait until she got home to open it.

"What did you go back to buy just now?" Riki asked, confused.

"Hmm, guess," Toyokawa Sakiko said, thinking for a moment before tilting her head and smiling.

Getting mischievous, aren't we?

Toyokawa Sakiko looked at Riki's profile as he pondered, hiding the gift behind her back without speaking.

Today was one month after her birthday, March 14th.

White Day.

A holiday where girls give gifts to boys.

Chapter 26: Changes from Transmigration

Riki followed her into Toyokawa Sakiko's home. Following Japanese etiquette, he took off his shoes at the entrance and quietly said, "Excuse me for intruding."

Then, he followed Toyokawa Sakiko into her "room." Although it was just a small partitioned bedroom, entering a girl's bedroom was as new an experience for Riki as it was for Louis XVI.

The air smelled of Sakiko. Should he hold his breath so as not to be mistaken for a pervert?

Riki sat opposite Toyokawa Sakiko in the cramped room, feeling a little flustered.

"Sorry, my house is just this small. The living room is still full of ash and beer bottles left by my dad that haven't been cleaned up," Toyokawa Sakiko apologized.

"It's fine, it's fine. In high school, our dorm had a carload of people, and sharing one toilet per floor was truly terrifying. If you were late after class, there might not even be hot water," Riki said quickly.

"Are high school courses in China that intense?" Toyokawa Sakiko asked, surprised.

"Not entirely, it's mainly the tradition."

The seniors who endured the rain must tear the umbrellas of their juniors and give them the middle finger.

"But our high school alumni improved the cafeteria, and the food is nationally famous, comparable to renowned restaurants," Riki said with a smile. Chinese people can endure anything. If you can tolerate no hot water and short sleep times, but if even the food is bad, then I'll have to issue a warning to the education bureau.

"The alumni must have spent a lot of money, right?"

"Money? No, he became a chef at our high school after graduating from Haicheng University's music program. He makes amazing spicy diced chicken," Riki said, thinking.

Our Haicheng University is known as China's little Florida. The eccentrics and talents here are second to none in the country. The return rate for those who studied abroad in the US last century was 70%. The remaining 30% were repatriated by the US because they were extreme nationalists. They fought and won gunfights with gangs after being discriminated against by Americans, and showed off their skill of dissecting an ox in front of vegetarians during enrollment activities, and so on.

Despite so much praise, the principal of Haicheng University also had opinions, believing that it was the fertile land of Haicheng that created so many beasts… ah, no, talents. He himself only made a negligible contribution, or rather, it wasn't his fault at all. The mayor of Haicheng also had opinions, saying, wasn't it because you didn't adhere to the principle of teaching without discrimination?

It can only be said that this land indeed has a certain magic.

After Riki rambled on, he suddenly realized, "Sorry, I think I've been talking about myself the whole time."

"It's okay, because I also want to know about Riki," Toyokawa Sakiko said with a smile, kneeling on the futon.

Sakiko is so cute.

"Oh, right, right, take out the cake," Riki said, taking out the cake he had ordered from the cake shop from behind him and placing it on the small table between them. He opened the box, revealing the cream cake topped with various chopped fruits, with chocolate icing writing on the top.

Happy birthday, Toyokawa Sachiko.

Happy Birthday.

But the writing was a bit crooked.

"It's my first time writing Japanese, it's a bit off, please don't mind," Riki said awkwardly, taking out candles from the side. "Let's light the candles. Where's my lighter?"

I've lived so much, so it's probably normal that I don't have a lighter.

Calm down, Riki, this is a trial, a trial to overcome…

Do you have a lighter?

Uh… no.

Then what the hell are you talking about?

Riki was flustered and sweating profusely. Everything was ready, but he hadn't prepared the most important thing, the lighter.

"Click."

Riki heard a crisp sound and turned to see the warm candlelight slowly rising. Toyokawa Sakiko smiled, shaking the lighter in her hand. "My dad smokes often, so I hid his lighter. It seems to be useful now."

Sakiko, you are my goddess.

Toyokawa Sakiko's face was illuminated by the flickering candlelight, her eyelashes trembling slightly. The warm light softened her features, her fair skin seemed to break with a touch, and her jelly-like lips were pressed together.

Riki was beginning to understand why Nagasaki Sose was so fixated on the past Crychic.

If he had lost a succubus like this, he would have wanted to get her back too.

Damn succubus Sakiko, you've made this great me's heart, which had long since ceased to feel joy or sorrow, flutter with excitement.

"Um, is there something on my face?" Toyokawa Sakiko asked bashfully, feeling a bit shy under Riki's gaze.

"No, no, no, let's open the presents first." Riki coughed lightly to compose himself and took out the gifts he had bought that day.

Even though she already knew what it was, Toyokawa Sakiko put on a solemn expression and accepted them with both hands. She tapped her chin with her index finger and tilted her head, pretending to guess, "Is it something valuable?"

Riki broke out in a cold sweat. "My deepest apologies, Your Highness Princess, but my family is poor."

Toyokawa Sakiko then asked, "Could it be a rare treasure?"

Riki was embarrassed. "Your Highness Princess, it's just ordinary jewelry."

Toyokawa Sakiko frowned. "Then why did you give me this gift?"

Riki's confidence immediately returned. "This piece of jewelry contains my heartfelt sentiments. Please accept it, Your Highness Princess."

Toyokawa Sakiko couldn't help but cover her mouth and let out a silver bell-like laugh. She said, "What kind of Yamato Drama are you performing for the cultural festival? I'm not some princess. Do you think a princess would live in a small house like this?"

Riki shook his head. "The ancients said, 'This is a humble abode, yet virtue lends it grace.' Doesn't the princess living in such a place prove her noble integrity?"

Watching Riki quote ancient texts and shake his head, Toyokawa Sakiko couldn't help but laugh again. She coughed lightly, lifted her chin, and said, "Since you've given me such a wonderful gift, I, Princess, will also give you a gift."

"A gift?" Riki was confused.

He really hadn't noticed when Toyokawa Sakiko had bought a gift.

Wait, did she run back to the shopping street this afternoon?