Changing Your Tune Doesn't Cost You a Bean

He glanced at Yumiko and Nakano Itsuki, whose expressions were complicated; these two girls clearly needed some time to adjust.

As for Hayato Hayama?

He was actually the happiest one.

His high school life, which he hadn't found particularly interesting before, Fushimi Makoto's "encouragement," he became someone with the same level of popularity as Nakano Ichika.

For Hayato Hayama, this feeling was like his efforts had been rewarded many times over.

Although he was a little annoyed by his classmates' enthusiasm, the praise from his elders, the appreciation from his relatives, and the sense of his own progress made him happy.

"I feel that we can start filming 'Tokyo Past' as soon as Fushimi mentioned it."

Hayato Hayama clenched his fist.

For the first time, he discovered that he could also get so excited that his fingers would tremble.

Fushimi Makoto and his friends enjoyed a lively school life for almost a week, and their lives gradually returned to normal as the popularity of the short film faded.

It's worth mentioning that, due to the mainstream success of the second short film, many advertisers have approached Fushimi Makoto's registered social media accounts.

He held a meeting with Yukino and the others, and after a rigorous selection process, they finally decided to accept advertisements from three trustworthy brands.

The advertising fees will naturally be split equally among everyone.

On the second Friday after the start of the school year, after the first period in the afternoon, Fushimi Makoto to the toilet with his friends as usual.

In places like schools, going to the toilet in groups seems to be a classic occurrence.

Whether you're a girl or a boy, you can always find your own "toilet buddy".

"Fushimi, when will filming begin for the third short film? Do you have any ideas yet?"

On the way back, Aota and the others were all excited, their eyes filled with undisguised anticipation.

"When did you guys become so enthusiastic?" Fushimi Makoto found it amusing.

"Because the hype this time was so incredible, we want to keep generating that kind of hype!"

"Real?"

"Uh... no, actually my family praised me a lot and gave me more allowance. They all think I've made something of myself," Aota said with an awkward laugh.

The others chuckled, "Me too! Not only did our allowance increase, but my mom also generously bought me two figurines. They said you're the leader of this team, and our friendship must last forever."

"I knew it would be like this." Fushimi Makoto wasn't surprised at all.

If the short film hadn't become this popular, the parents of my friends definitely wouldn't have gotten involved.

But things are different now. The short videos they make have not only gone viral, but they've also made money from advertising. Any parent with a sound mind would definitely tell their child to cherish this friendship.

Although this might seem to taint the friendship and make it somewhat utilitarian, at least the feelings between everyone remain.

"Didn't I suggest you film 'Once Upon a Tokyo Past' last time? How are your preparations going?" Fushimi Makoto asked.

"We've already started filming, but we're not very skilled at video editing yet; we've been learning recently."

"Then you guys finish filming the short video first, and I'll use the club's account to help promote it. Even if it doesn't go viral, I think you should be able to get some advertising opportunities after you finish filming, so at least you can earn some pocket money," Fushimi Makoto said honestly.

"Really? Well, that's great! If we do get the ad, we'll split the profits equally."

Seeing the fighting spirit on his friends' faces, which was even more intense than Sun Ce's, Fushimi Makoto smiled.

It's a good thing that my friends are all making progress.

Even if a friend were to completely give up, Fushimi Makoto's abilities, he could still support them.

But he would prefer to see his friends continue to improve.

After all, he had taken them into the filming early on to learn things and pointed them in the right direction. If they still wanted to slack off, he would be somewhat disappointed.

"Fushimi, isn't that Yotsuba -kun?" At that moment, Aota patted Fushimi Makoto on the shoulder and pointed downstairs, calling out.

Fushimi Makoto peered down from the aisle and indeed saw Nakano Yotsuba.

Moreover, she was being supported by two girls, and she was walking with a limp, so it seemed that she had injured her leg.

Fushimi Makoto's face darkened. Remembering Nakano Yotsuba's school habits, he immediately told his friends, "If I haven't returned from class by then, Aota, please tell the teacher for me."

"No problem," Aota nodded in agreement.

Fushimi Makoto is the top student in his grade, a position that has never been challenged. In addition, he brings a lot of popularity to the school, so even if he doesn't skip class, the teachers will at most ask him a few questions.

As Fushimi Makoto came downstairs, the boy next to Aota asked curiously, "Who do you think Fushimi's girlfriend is? His worried expression just now was clearly genuine. Could Yotsuba be his girlfriend?"

"I guess they're just good friends. Don't forget, he and Ichika couple."

"Nonsense! Yukinoshita is his true love interest, and I'm a staunch supporter of them!"

"Don't rush to talk about that. Haven't you noticed that Hayama is acting strangely today? He's even stopped going to the bathroom with us."

"Hayama has become a bookworm. I just saw him buried in a book, and it was a photography book at that. Sigh, I knew he'd start reading sooner or later. A pathetic, thick barrier has already formed between bookworm Hayama and us."

Fushimi Makoto arrived in front of Nakano Yotsuba and the others, the girls all showed expressions of surprise and delight.

He first greeted the two girls briefly, then his gaze naturally fell on Nakano Yotsuba's slender legs. "Are your legs injured?"

Nakano Yotsuba puffed out her cheeks and said, "Why didn't you say hello to me?"

"If I'm not mistaken, you must have been injured while helping someone, right?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

Seeing Nakano Yotsuba's surprised face, Fushimi Makoto his hand helplessly. "Class is about to start, you guys go to the classroom first, I'll take Yotsuba to the infirmary."

The two girls hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

They realized that Fushimi Makoto was after Nakano Yotsuba.

As Fushimi Makoto supported Nakano Yotsuba's arm, the girl's cheeks flushed slightly, but she showed no other unusual emotions.

Fushimi Makoto had anticipated this. Nakano Yotsuba was still a blank slate in some matters, and even if she had the urge to fantasize, she didn't know how to begin.

In this way, the badge's power cannot be activated.

"Tell me, what happened to you?" Fushimi Makoto asked directly.

Nakano Yotsuba cautiously observed his expression. "Are you angry?"

"No, it's just a bit of a headache."

"Ah, why do you have a headache?"

"Because the thought of you always running off to anyone at school who asks for your help gives me a headache."

Hearing this, Nakano Yotsuba chuckled sheepishly, "Because we're all classmates... But don't worry, I just tripped and fell while helping to move things, it's nothing serious."

"I'll punish you later. Let's go, let's go to the infirmary first."

Are you going to punish me again?

Nakano Yotsuba looked nervous; she had seen Fushimi Makoto's serious demeanor when he got into a focused state.

I must say, that was quite intimidating.

Fushimi Makoto didn't explain. He thought to himself that he really should teach Yotsuba a lesson and punish her as well.

Chapter 303 Changing Faces Without Losing Beans

"Your ankle is just sprained, it's not serious, but you definitely need to rest for the next couple of days and try to avoid strenuous exercise."

The school nurse diligently examined Nakano Yotsuba and determined that she had twisted her ankle when she fell.

Nakano Yotsuba turned to look at Fushimi Makoto, who was with her, and used a smile to hide her guilt, "Um, I'm fine now, why don't you go to class first?"

"I told my friends beforehand, and if I don't go back, they'll explain to the teacher for me." Fushimi Makoto down at her slightly swollen ankle; it was indeed fine.

"Oh."

Nakano Yotsuba fell silent.

She could also tell that Fushimi Makoto wasn't in a good mood, and the reason for this was precisely because of herself.

Recalling Fushimi Makoto's serious expression just now, she couldn't help but feel a little scared.

Fushimi's stern face was even more imposing than his father's.

The girl thought to herself.

At that moment, the school nurse noticed the two of them and asked with curiosity, "Fushimi-kun, are you two dating?"

Fushimi Makoto sensed something was wrong the moment he saw her familiar expression, and tentatively asked, "Does that mean you're also aware of the online shipping (couple) discussions?"

To everyone's surprise, the other person laughed and said, "That's right, I'm a big fan of your and Ichika's pairing, although I'm mainly doing this to satisfy my own gossip-loving mentality."

"... really."

Fushimi Makoto smiled helplessly. He was all too familiar with the other person's expression just now; he had seen many classmates with similar expressions back in school.

Thank you for today.

Fushimi Makoto thanked him and helped Nakano Yotsuba leave the infirmary.

The two sat down outside. Nakano Yotsuba tried to persuade him to go back to class, but he had anticipated this and preemptively said, "While your helpful nature isn't a bad thing, have you ever considered that some of the classmates who ask for your help might simply be trying to shirk their responsibilities?"

"Huh?"

Nakano Yotsuba was stunned.

She seemed surprised that Fushimi Makoto would suddenly bring this up, and hesitated before saying, "I don't think so. I've talked to them several times already, and although we haven't exchanged contact information, our relationship is better than that of ordinary classmates."

"I understand your thoughts, but helping others is a complicated matter. If you help someone with good intentions once or twice, that's fine, but if it happens too often, some people might take your actions for granted..."

As Fushimi Makoto pondered, observing the girl's changing expression, he said, "If something like that really happens, the day you're not busy helping others, they'll hold a grudge against you, or even hate you."

Nakano Yotsuba's expression changed slightly, and her delicate lips moved, but no sound came out.

She wasn't truly brainless; after Fushimi Makoto's analysis, she understood that this situation was possible.

Just as she was feeling wronged and uneasy, she suddenly felt a warmth on the top of her head.

She looked up and Fushimi Makoto gently stroking her hair like an elder, saying softly, "I'm not saying what you're doing is bad. On the contrary, you're a very gentle and warm-hearted girl. Anyone with a kind heart can feel your sincerity."

Hearing the other person praise her so suddenly, and in such a gentle tone, Nakano Yotsuba felt her face burning.

She didn't dare look Fushimi Makoto in the eye, but the corners of her mouth were turned up. "So this is how you see me, Fushimi?"

"We're the best partners for playing together, comrades-in-arms who slay dragons together, of course I trust you."

"That's true." Nakano Yotsuba chuckled sheepishly.

"If you receive a request from someone in the future, I suggest you don't rush to agree. First, consider whether the person is a friend of yours. If you're unsure, you can ask Ichika to help you vet them."

"Ichika?"

"Yes, she's at least entered the workforce, so she's the one among the five of you who has the most to say on this matter."

"I know, Ichika is amazing. A lot of people at school admire her now, and they say she's already got the makings of a big star." Nakano Yotsuba was very happy for her sister, but her voice was also filled with undisguised envy.

Fushimi Makoto sensed her emotional fluctuation. "Don't overthink it. All five of you participated in the filming of the short film, you should know that, right? You are all talented girls, none of you are ordinary."

"Me... me too?" Nakano Yotsuba stared blankly at Fushimi Makoto, her heart filled with anticipation.

It was a feeling of wanting to be recognized, especially by Fushimi Makoto, whom she considered even more capable than Ichika.

"Of course, in my eyes, you are also a talented girl." Fushimi Makoto gave an affirmative answer.

Nakano Yotsuba smiled beautifully, but then her eyes dimmed. "But compared to everyone else, I still have many shortcomings. Even in the test after your tutoring session, I feel like I would have been last."

"I didn't announce your specific scores, so how could you think you were last?"

"... How do I feel?" she said with an embarrassed smile.

"So, your intuition is very accurate?"

"It doesn't seem very accurate either."

"That'll do."

Fushimi Makoto lowered his hand, about to say something, when Nakano Yotsuba grabbed his hand and placed it on her head.

Fushimi Makoto: "?"

Nakano Yotsuba smiled sweetly and adorably, "I think you might like patting my head, and I happen to like it when you pat my head too."

You mustn't let anyone else hear you saying that.

Fushimi Makoto laughed.