You Can Choose to Trust Me

The cafeteria.

Uesugi Hara poked at the rice on his tray, unable to suppress his curiosity. "Ayanokoji, what is your relationship with that Horikita right now?"

"Classmates."

"Really just classmates?" Uesugi Hara clearly didn't believe him.

"Yeah."

"Really, really?"

"What other relationship could there be besides classmates?" Ayanokoji looked at Uesugi Hara with confusion. What was this guy thinking about again?

"Eh, is that so." Uesugi Hara seemed to lose interest.

Ayanokoji didn't pay much attention to the change in Uesugi Hara. Having spent so much time together, it was clear the other guy's mind had wandered into the gutter, but he didn't feel like explaining anything because he had no idea where exactly the guy's thoughts had drifted.

After the meal, the two walked along a small path on campus.

"Uesugi, why do I have to accompany you on a walk?" Ayanokoji trailed half a step behind Uesugi Hara, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"Ayanokoji, that's not the right way to look at it." Uesugi Hara stopped in his tracks, turned his head to look at him, and raised an eyebrow. "They say a walk after a meal helps you live to ninety-nine, and besides, you ate so much just now; aren't you worried about problems if you go back and lie in bed?"

"Uesugi, I didn't eat as much as you." Ayanokoji glanced at him, calmly exposing the facts.

"So what?"

Ayanokoji: "..." What am I supposed to say to this?

Let's just keep walking.

--Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Ayanokoji, did you hear that sound?"

"It sounds like something hitting a railing."

Uesugi Hara followed the source of the sound, his gaze locking onto the direction of the lake not far away, and he pointed. "Over there, let's go take a look." Without waiting for Ayanokoji's response, he had already quickened his pace toward that direction.

Left behind, Ayanokoji followed helplessly.

He always felt that following Uesugi Hara meant there was a high probability of running into "trouble."

When Ayanokoji arrived, he saw Uesugi Hara crouching behind a tree, watching something, while the sound of cursing drifted from ahead.

As expected, it wasn't anything good.

"Ayanokoji, you're here?" Ayanokoji had already reached Uesugi Hara's side.

Uesugi Hara pulled Ayanokoji next to him. "Keep it down, don't get discovered."

I think you're the one who needs to be careful, Ayanokoji thought to himself.

Only then did he see clearly what was happening.

It was Kushida Kikyo.

What is going on?

"It's so annoying. It makes me so mad. Why hasn't that person died yet...

Thinking she's so cute and putting on airs; she's definitely just a slut anyway.

A woman with that kind of personality, teaching people how to study? It's ridiculous!"

The cursing voice was low. Is this Kushida?

Ayanokoji felt very surprised.

And the person she was cursing was Horikita?

"How about it, pretty amazing, right?" Uesugi Hara's voice came into his ear.

"I think we should go." Ayanokoji felt that staying here any longer would be dangerous. Although he had many questions in his mind, now was not the time to think about them.

"This... alright." Although Uesugi Hara still wanted to watch for a while longer, Ayanokoji was pulling him with quite a bit of force; if he resisted now, there was a high chance they would be discovered.

But just as the two were about to leave, an accident occurred.

A crisp "snap" suddenly came from under their feet.

Uesugi Hara immediately pulled Ayanokoji down to crouch behind the bushes.

"Who is it! Who's there! Come out!"

Ayanokoji looked at Uesugi Hara helplessly.

It turned out Uesugi Hara hadn't been watching his step and had accidentally snapped a dead branch lying on the ground.

Uesugi Hara felt a bit awkward, then shot a "watch me" look at Ayanokoji.

Ayanokoji was a bit confused. What was he trying to do?

"Meow~ Meow~" Uesugi Hara strained his throat, imitating a cat.

"How was that? Sounded like the real thing, right?" Uesugi Hara looked at Ayanokoji with a smug expression.

But Ayanokoji looked at him with a complicated expression. "The school doesn't allow students to keep pets, and do you really think there would be stray cats in this school?"

Uesugi Hara was stunned after hearing that.

"Ah, yikes, that's bad!"

"Heh, do you take me for a fool?" This was Kushida Kikyo's reaction upon hearing the noise. "Are you not coming out, or do you want me to invite you?"

Ayanokoji: "What do we do now?"

Uesugi Hara gave him an "apologetic" look, which then shifted into a "it's all up to you" expression, before he gave him a shove and pushed him out.

Better you than me, it's decided, Ayanokoji.

Ayanokoji, having been pushed out, was cursing under his breath.

"What a coincidence, we meet again, Kushida-san." Ayanokoji greeted her awkwardly.

Kushida Kikyo looked at him with a puzzled expression; this wasn't the right way to come out, was it?

So, she probed, "Who else is there! Come out!"

Flying Ayanokoji.

Uesugi Hara muttered a silent complaint to himself, then covered his face and stepped out.

"What a coincidence, we meet again, Kushida-san." Copy and paste.

"Oh, it's Ayanokoji-kun and Uesugi-kun! What did you see just now?" Kushida Kikyo's cute voice reached their ears, sounding completely different from the low tone she had used a moment ago.

Uesugi Hara waved his hands: "We were just passing by."

Ayanokoji: "We got a bit lost, sorry, we'll leave immediately."

Kushida Kikyo looked at their reactions and was so angry she laughed.

"Did you hear it?"

Uesugi Hara: "Hear what?" He looked at Kushida Kikyo with an innocent expression, as if he had truly just passed by.

Ayanokoji: "I don't know anything."

Uesugi Hara: Robot Ayanokoji.

Kushida Kikyo lowered her head, her voice sounding somewhat terrifying, "You two..."

"Ahem, Kushida-san, do me a favor!" Uesugi Hara interrupted her quickly.

"A favor? What kind of favor?" Kushida Kikyo looked at him expressionlessly.

"Just let us go, we won't say a word about this. I swear." Uesugi Hara raised three fingers.

Ayanokoji followed suit: "Me too."

Robot Ayanokoji.

Kushida Kikyo walked closer and pushed Uesugi Hara against a tree, her expression so cold it was frightening.

"Isn't this a bit much?" Uesugi Hara clutched his chest where he had been pushed, wearing a shy expression on his face, his tone exaggerated, "I'm not that kind of person, Kushida-san, in broad daylight... isn't this inappropriate?"

"Shut up." Kushida Kikyo gritted her teeth, the chill in her eyes almost overflowing. She raised her foot and kicked Uesugi Hara's shin hard—the force wasn't great, but it was enough to express her anger.

Uesugi Hara hissed, finally dropping his cheeky grin. He rubbed his shin and coughed twice: "Just kidding, don't take it seriously."

Beside him, Ayanokoji held his forehead, feeling nothing but helplessness—even now, this guy was still running his mouth, as if he were afraid things weren't troublesome enough.

"Ahem, Kushida-san, I think you might have misunderstood something. We aren't a threat to you at all. Neither of us is the type to go around blabbing."

Ayanokoji: "That's right." With Uesugi Hara around, there was no need for him to perform.

"If you don't believe me, ask Ayanokoji. We've been friends for over ten years; he knows me best."

"That's right."

"How about this! We'll sign an agreement; if you leak this, you'll be expelled from the school." Kushida Kikyo suggested.

Uesugi Hara suddenly said playfully: "But isn't your secret in my hands right now?"

"It doesn't matter, soon your secrets will be in my hands too."

Kushida Kikyo grabbed Uesugi Hara's hand and pressed it against her chest.

Press... press... press!

Kushida Kikyo used all her strength, her small face turning bright red, but Uesugi Hara's hand remained suspended in the air, motionless.

Ayanokoji: "..." What kind of act is this?

Uesugi Hara: "Um... Kushida-san, what are you doing?"

Kushida Kikyo: "..."

"Why... why..." Kushida Kikyo's voice suddenly turned low, sounding like she was sobbing.

"Why can't you just let me go..."

"Hey, we never said we were going to tell anyone!" Uesugi Hara was a bit flustered; how did she start crying!

"Uesugi Hara! Why are you here, and Horikita Suzune, why do you both have to appear here!"

"I ran so far away, why can you still find me... wuu~" Kushida Kikyo slumped onto the ground, not caring about the dust, covering her face with both hands as tears streamed through her fingers.

"Um, I heard that there's no tuition here and that room and board are completely free, so I came." Uesugi Hara felt quite embarrassed saying these reasons out loud.

"That's it?" Kushida Kikyo forgot to cry for a moment, staring at him blankly. That's it?

Uesugi Hara: "What's wrong with that!" Who are you looking down on?

Uesugi Hara turned his head and said to Ayanokoji: "Ayanokoji, you should head back first. Don't mention what happened today; I'll handle it."

"Alright then. There's no point in me staying, so I'll get going." Although he was also curious about what had happened between the two of them, it didn't seem like the right time.

Kushida Kikyo was still stunned by Uesugi Hara's reason.

"Kushida-san, it's time to snap out of it. You aren't planning on pestering me all night, are you?" Uesugi Hara's teasing voice pulled her back to reality.

Kushida Kikyo wiped away her tears. "Then what do you want to do?"

Uesugi Hara looked at her pitiful, helpless expression and felt like laughing. I actually prefer the way you looked when you were being unruly just a moment ago.

However, he didn't tease her any further.

"I've already said that I'm not interested in your affairs. Seeing this scene today was just a coincidence."

"You don't need to worry about this kind of thing at all."

"Then what about Ayanokoji?"

"Ayanokoji—you've spent time with him, so you must have some understanding of what kind of person he is. Besides, I've known him for over ten years, so you can rest assured that he won't say anything."

Kushida Kikyo: "Really?" Her voice was a bit hoarse.

Uesugi Hara: "Really." I feel like I'm coaxing a little girl. This is so strange.

"Can I trust you?"

After hearing that, Uesugi Hara looked at her playfully. "What do you think?"

I don't even know if I can trust myself; who knows, I might sell you out one of these days.

"I... I don't know..."

Looking at her helpless expression, he clicked his tongue. "Tsk, I'll keep your secret."

"I'm leaving." Uesugi Hara turned around.

"Oh, and next time, don't debase yourself."

He left Kushida Kikyo sitting slumped on the ground all by herself.