Chapter Thirty-Nine: Riki: I'm the Strongest

But Riki decided not to question Sakiko.

Let's just trust Sakiko's judgment.

"Click."

Toyokawa Sakiko held up her phone. The two of them leaned close and took a picture, drawing the attention of everyone else in the hospital. The camera sound that was usually used to ward off perverts had instead become the source of their envy and jealousy.

Who was that guy? He was so lucky.

Who was that girl? She was so lucky.

Toyokawa Sakiko looked at the photo on her phone. Their faces were pressed close together. Rather than a picture of a patient, it looked more like a couple's photo taken in a hospital. She saved it, then smiled at Riki and said, "It doesn't look like it came out very well. I'll take another one of you by yourself."

No problem.

We're bros, damn it!

But didn't you just save it? Secretly keeping a handsome photo of your bro?

Riki was an expert at pretending to be sick. A little pain from getting hit by a basketball was enough for him to act as if he'd been smashed by a dump truck. Back in high school, he'd used that trick to skip class and sneak off to an internet café more times than he could count. He obligingly put on a weak expression, making sure that if Sakiko's teacher saw him, they'd worry not that Sakiko was lying, but that Riki was about to kick the bucket.

"Did you often pretend to be sick like this?" Toyokawa Sakiko asked, frowning. "It's not good to lie all the time. You absolutely mustn't do it again!"

I'm really sorry.

Wait, you're going to keep tabs on me from now on, too?

For how long?

"It wasn't that often. Back then, a classmate's parents had an accident... well, you know. He took two months off school, and the students in our class took turns asking for leave to visit his house, help him get through it, and tutor him." Riki explained.

Toyokawa Sakiko blinked, then smiled. "Your classmates were all such good people."

Look at that. This is Sakiko for you.

She always thinks I'm such a good person.

A spokesperson for truth, goodness, and beauty.

Sakiko, you're going to make me fall for you.

"Then... are you helping me now for the same reason you helped that classmate?" Toyokawa Sakiko suddenly asked, looking at Riki.

Riki froze. He'd been about to say yes, but when he thought about it carefully, he realized that, apart from his genuine desire to help Toyokawa Sakiko, he also had a little selfish motive.

He wanted to spend more time with Sakiko.

"Actually... not quite," Riki said. "Back then, I didn't think that much about it. My classmate was in trouble, so I went to help. But with you, I do have a bit of a selfish motive."

Toyokawa Sakiko watched Riki. Only when he admitted to having a selfish motive did she smile.

"Good. I'd be angry if you were helping me just because you pitied me," Toyokawa Sakiko said with a smile.

"Aren't you going to ask what my selfish motive is?"

"No need. I believe you're a good person, Riki."

You're a good judge of character.

Wait, no. Sakiko-bao, did you just give me a "good person" card?

"And also..." Toyokawa Sakiko looked into Riki's eyes, seeming to want to say something. But just as she was about to speak, her face turned bright red. It was as if steam had burst from her head. She waved her hands repeatedly. "It's nothing, it's nothing. Forget what I was about to say."

You haven't even said it yet. What am I supposed to forget?

We haven't even made it to the fifth round, Sakiko-bao. Why are you blushing already?

Still, it's a good thing. If you'd confessed to me just now, I'd have blushed too.

Don't get the wrong idea. By "blushed," I mean I'd have been embarrassed.

"Miss Sakiko, here's your boyfriend's medicine."

Toyokawa Sakiko walked over, took the medicine, and handed it to Riki. "Remember to take your medicine when you get back."

"Sure, sure."

"And don't exercise too much."

"Got it!"

Miss Sakiko was very strict about managing my health.

Seeing how obedient Riki was, Toyokawa Sakiko smiled. "Well, I should get going to school. I only took the morning off, after all. You should get some rest."

"Yes, Maden!"

Wait, no. Why am I in trouble again?

I've never even been to Vietnam.

Toyokawa Sakiko walked a few meters away, then suddenly came back and hesitated for a moment. Looking a little shy but resolute, she opened her arms. "I hugged you earlier, so now it's your turn to hug me."

After all, it had been a long time.

Friends doing this was perfectly normal, right?

"Ah, sure, of course!" Riki suddenly felt a little nervous. He stiffly opened his arms and gently hugged Toyokawa Sakiko.

Their hearts were beating so hard and fast that they could almost feel each other's. They looked up and met each other's eyes, then suddenly burst out laughing. Their bodies relaxed.

"I'm heading off now. Remember to get plenty of rest!" Toyokawa Sakiko waved and smiled at Riki.

Riki waved back at Toyokawa Sakiko.

High school life really was great, but there sure were a lot of classes. Riki couldn't even spend a little more time with Sakiko.

Riki was just about to walk back to his rental when he spotted a familiar figure up ahead: Shiina Riki.

Shiina Riki had seen Riki too. She froze for a moment, then walked over.

Wait, didn't you go to class?

This really is a harem novel.

And please toss me some votes! I'll do anything!

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Riki: I'm the Strongest

"Today is Hanasakigawa Academy's founding day, so there are no classes. They're holding a school festival right now. It's basically the same as a cultural festival, with each class running an activity—takoyaki, a haunted house, that sort of thing..."

Riki and Shiina Riki walked along the slope, talking as they went.

"Nijisaki—no, I mean, Hanasakigawa's holding a school festival. I'm a college student, so what are you doing here?"

Perhaps Riki's words had been a little too cutting. Shiina Riki looked back at him with an annoyed expression. The beauty mark at the corner of her eye made her look even more beautiful.

"I... wasn't doing anything. I'm not very well-known in my class anyway, so the class representative can handle the rest. Everyone seemed busy, so I came out for a walk," Shiina Riki said.

You're so young. Shouldn't you be studying instead of wandering around out here?

Come on, I'm taking you back!

"Do you want to take a look? Hanasakigawa is a girls' school, but lots of students from other schools are visiting today. I can take you in," Shiina Riki said.

"Let's go!"

And so the two of them walked up the slope toward Hanasakigawa Academy.

Shiina Riki was actually rather aloof by nature. She had beautiful long black hair, and she was the Light of the Drum Corps, but she wasn't good at talking to people. Even when someone approached her for a chat, the pressure in her words often got to them without her realizing it, leaving them to awkwardly walk away.

That had always been a sore point for Shiina Riki.

But recently, things had started to change. For instance, she'd formed a band with Akari again. There was a noisy Pink Hair in the band who chattered incessantly, and... there was also Riki, their music director.

The others in the band were often affected by Shiina Riki's unintentional bluntness, but Riki always treated her normally.

Around Riki, she felt free to speak her mind.

That made her feel good. And Riki was also incredibly skilled at arranging music, which made Shiina Riki admire him.

"Riki, how do you usually get along with your friends?" Shiina Riki asked curiously.

What, trying to learn my way with words?

"Just like any other college student. We go to class together and wander around together," Riki said after thinking it over. There was no need to mention his father-son relationships and the like. Shiina Riki's pressure might work on high school girls, but at Haicheng University, known for its... eccentricity—its campus culture—it was nothing out of the ordinary.

Shiina Riki couldn't help imagining how nice it would be to do that with Akari.

As they talked, they reached the entrance to Hanasakigawa Academy. Six Chinese characters spelling out "Hanasakigawa School Festival" were posted on the gate. It was bustling inside, and a quick glance revealed plenty of pretty schoolgirls, brimming with youthful energy. They looked like they were packed with collagen.

"You're back?"

A handsome girl with short black hair spoke to Shiina Riki. "I thought you wouldn't come back until the school festival was over. Who's this?"

"Riki Sixteen," Riki introduced himself.

Riki was his name. Sixteen referred to his place in the Lu family genealogy.

"Hello." Hachiman Mairin paused, then nodded.

Riki recognized the handsome girl in front of him: Hachiman Mairin. She was a bassist with professional-level skills who played in dozens of bands at once, practically a working soldier in the band world. She was Shiina Riki's only friend in class whom she could really talk to.

"So you're the person Riki often talks about in class, the one who's great at arranging and playing. I've wanted to meet you for a long time," Hachiman Mairin said.

Wait, why are all of you talking about me behind my back?

Is Brother Riki someone you can just discuss so casually?

These Japanese schoolgirls are the worst.

"I don't talk about him that often!" Shiina Riki hurriedly protested. She turned to Riki and said, "I only mentioned you a couple of times. And I didn't say anything nice."

That's a fair assessment, Riki.

Riki could tell that Shiina Riki was acting tsundere. He nodded to show he understood. "You can say more next time. I give you permission."

"What are you giving permission for?!" Shiina Riki snapped, embarrassed and angry.

"You two seem close," Hachiman Mairin said as she watched them.

"It's nothing. I just asked him to look over some songs at my place before," Shiina Riki said coolly.

"Your place... I see. So that's your relationship?" Hachiman Mairin nodded.

"Huh?!"

"You've misunderstood. I'm her music director, so it's perfectly normal for me to help her out at her place," Riki explained.

"I see." Hachiman Mairin nodded. Suddenly, someone came rushing up from behind, wailing.

"Mairin, come help! The band that's supposed to perform next has gotten food poisoning. Can you help us out?"

Faced with her classmate's request, Hachiman Mairin nodded. "I don't mind, but I can't perform by myself. Could you two help out too?"

"Me too?" Riki exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes. The school holding the festival with us this year is our sister school, Sakurazaka Academy. The two schools had a huge falling-out a long time ago. To gradually ease the tension between them, it's been our tradition for decades to perform together at the school festival. If we lose, the principal will be humiliated."

Got it. A pair of sister schools in name only.

"Though the storms may pass, sisters remain; when they meet again, they laugh and let bygones be bygones." There would never be sisters as close as Hanasakigawa and Sakurazaka.

"And Sakurazaka seems to have brought in a professional performer this time. They're a formidable opponent," Hachiman Mairin added.

Riki nodded.

In the auditorium, the Hanasakigawa students backstage were all extremely nervous. Sakurazaka Academy was almost done performing, and their performance had been excellent. Even if Hanasakigawa's original band hadn't run into trouble, they might not have won.

This is bad. The principal's going to cry for three days and three nights.

"Have you found the replacement musicians?" Mikumura Shioka asked. Although she was a famous debuting artist, she was also a member of the school community, so it was perfectly normal for her to perform at the school festival.

"Not yet... Ah, there they are!"

Mikumura Shioka turned around and suddenly froze.

It wasn't strange that Hachiman Mairin and Shiina Riki, her classmates, had come over. But there was also a boy with them whom she'd never seen before.

Still, Mikumura Shioka had seen him in a video from her agent. She'd called him a rough diamond in the music world.

She hadn't expected to meet him here.

Mikumura Shioka became very interested in him.