On How to Soothe a Flustered Yandere (2)

Dongfang Yi took out a measured amount of coffee grounds, placed them into the portafilter, leveled and tamped them down, and began the preparations for brewing coffee.

The little angel Kushida Kikyo just watched him like that, not saying anything further, and it was impossible to tell what she was thinking right now.

"Kushida-san, do you really want friends that badly?" Dongfang Yi brought up the topic.

"Yes, I do. I want to be friends with everyone."

Kushida Kikyo responded softly, but she didn't continue looking at Dongfang Yi.

It was unclear what she had said to Satonaka and the others to allow her to be here chatting with Dongfang Yi so leisurely.

"Then, may I ask, what kind of friends are you looking for, Kushida-san?"

Dongfang Yi placed the tamped portafilter into the coffee machine and began extracting the espresso.

"What kind of... friends?" Having finished venting, Kushida began to ponder Dongfang Yi's question, muttering to herself unconsciously.

"Right, what kind of friends. Have you ever played those gacha mobile games, Kushida-san?" Dongfang Yi coaxed.

"No, I haven't, though some of my friends are quite obsessed with that sort of thing."

Kushida Kikyo thought of Yamauchi, Hakase, and the others in her class, and a flash of disgust crossed her eyes involuntarily.

"Then, are you aware, Kushida-san, that manufacturers of such games draw the character cards in different styles and categorize them by rarity?" Dongfang Yi explained with a smile. "In my view, friends are the same."

"The same?"

"Yes, 'friend' is a very broad concept, isn't it?" Dongfang Yi took cold milk from the refrigerator and poured a measured amount into a container. "In my heart, I divide friends into five levels, just like the R, SR, SSR, UR, and MR rarities in gacha games."

"Friends shouldn't be like that, Senpai."

"Is that so? Perhaps I am too selfish, so I cannot possess a heart as broad as yours, Kushida-san." Dongfang Yi laughed at himself, his eyes indifferent and cold. "To me, friends are beings that must be ranked; not just any stray cat or dog is worthy of being called my friend."

"..."

Kushida's smile stiffened, and the anger in her heart was ignited once again.

Are you mocking me for not being worthy of being your friend!

"Well, but in my heart, Kushida-san, you already count as my friend." Dongfang Yi continued his emotional rollercoaster. "It's just that I'm not sure which category to put you in, so it's a little... headache-inducing."

"Eh, is that so?" Kushida put on a smile again, thinking to herself: Don't let me get a hold of your secret; once I do, I'll... I'll...

Forget it, I'll deal with that later.

"Do you want to hear it?" Dongfang Yi asked without turning his head.

"What?"

"My classification of friends."

"Yes, please! No matter what you want to say, Senpai, I will listen carefully." Kushida Kikyo perked up her ears.

"You really are very tolerant of others, Kushida-san." Dongfang Yi winked at her playfully. "To me, the lowest level of friendship is called an 'acquaintance,' which is analogous to an R card in a game."

"An acquaintance?"

"Yes, the kind of relationship where you nod at each other when you meet in the hallway, you know each other's names, and you might chat a few times, but you don't care about each other's feelings. If such a friend were to disappear from your life, you wouldn't notice, nor would you care."

"Hmm, there certainly are people like that."

"Perhaps one day, such friends might deepen their understanding through a certain catalyst, eventually developing into people who often act together and do activities that one cannot do alone." Dongfang Yi poured the extracted coffee into a cup. "Then, perhaps one day they will part ways due to time or career, returning to a state of being alone."

"That is truly a situation I wouldn't want to encounter. For me, it would be best if everyone could just stay together in harmony."

Kushida Kikyo took the opportunity to solidify her persona.

"Is that so? That is indeed an ideal scenario." Dongfang Yi seemed to be fooled by her, truly believing she was a pure and kind person. "However, some friends miss each other after parting, wanting to meet and talk whenever they have the chance, pouring out their longing. Others, after a short time apart, forget each other entirely, and from then on, they are worlds apart, never to meet again."

"For the former, according to common terminology, they are 'best friends,' while for the latter, they are merely 'ordinary friends.'" Dongfang Yi paused, emphasizing, "Most friends are the latter."

"But I want to be the former with you, Senpai~" Kushida Kikyo continued to act cute.

"Is that so?" Dongfang Yi smiled casually, noncommittal.

He didn't continue the conversation.

Seeing that he stopped speaking, Kushida Kikyo felt as if a kitten were scratching at her heart.

She wished that one day, with sword in hand, she could slaughter all the cliffhangers... cough... riddle-mongers in the world.

If you like this book, please remember to add it to your bookshelf to avoid not being able to find it next time.

"Then what about the other two types of friends?"

She blinked her eyes and asked softly.

"Those two types? It's basically impossible to encounter them, so there's no point in talking about them." Dongfang Yi waved his hand, continuing to keep her in suspense.

"But I really want to hear it." Kushida Kikyo spoke in a sweet, coquettish voice. Her moist eyes were moving, and her chubby, baby-faced cheeks were pink and tender, looking very adorable.

Dongfang Yi shrugged helplessly. "The fourth type is called a 'soulmate.'"

"A soulmate?"

"Who can share the clear breeze and the bright moon? Seeking a kindred spirit amidst the high mountains and flowing water. That is what is called a soulmate." Dongfang Yi's eyes revealed a sense of longing as he began to pour the latte art. "The communication between such friends requires no explanation; perhaps just a single look or a single expression is enough to understand each other's hearts."

"Is there really such a person?" Kushida Kikyo felt a bit afraid.

"Who knows? That kind of friend is rare and hard to find. They can accept everything about each other. But Kushida-san, you work so hard and are such a good person, so maybe you'll meet someone like that one day."

"What if it's a bad person?"

Kushida Kikyo asked subconsciously.

"If it's a bad person... they would probably only meet other bad people. Logically, evildoers are very selfish, so it's hard for them to form friendships." Dongfang Yi furrowed his brows in thought, his hands never stopping their work. "I suppose there's a tiny, tiny chance that two like-minded perverts could meet?"

Kushida Kikyo thought to herself that it would be truly wonderful if bad people never met anyone.

"As for the fifth type, it's called sharing life and death. Wishing to live together and hoping to die together." Dongfang Yi smiled. "That can't happen in a peaceful place like this, so it's best not to think about it."

"I see. Then, in your heart, Senpai... what kind of friend do you think I am?"

Kushida Kikyo had accepted Dongfang Yi's classification before she even realized it.

"That is indeed a difficult question; I haven't decided yet." Dongfang Yi gave an apologetic smile and walked over to Kushida Kikyo with the mug in his hand. "Then, let's let Kushida-san decide."

"Me?"

"Whatever kind of friend Kushida-san considers me to be, that is the kind of friend I will consider Kushida-san to be."

"Senpai, there is no distinction between friends for me."

"Is that so? Then I will wait for the day Kushida-san tells me according to my classification." Dongfang Yi pushed the latte he had made toward Kushida Kikyo. "By the way, this is your reward."

"Eh? Eh?!" Kushida Kikyo let out a soft exclamation.

In the brown coffee of the mug, a Q-version pattern of Kushida Kikyo was crafted with milk foam, smiling brightly, winking playfully, and making a peace sign with her hand.

The two-dimensional style perfectly interpreted the word 'cute,' yet anyone could recognize at a glance that the pattern on the coffee was the little angel Kushida Kikyo.

At this moment, the girl suddenly felt that the two days she had spent looking for the person in front of her... didn't seem like such a troublesome matter after all.

"So, so amazing!" She said, unable to believe it.

"A reward for Kushida-san finding the answer. How is it? Are you satisfied?" Dongfang Yi looked composed. "I personally think it's quite good. But the pattern won't last for long, you know."

Kushida Kikyo quickly took out her phone and started trying to take pictures, feeling like she was satisfied with every shot, yet somehow unsatisfied with each one as well.

Dongfang Yi just sat to the side, watching her movements quietly and waiting for her to finish, looking peaceful and relaxed.

After all, there was no one else in the shop right now.

Having finished taking photos, Kushida Kikyo felt a bit shy. Her resentment had dissipated before she even realized it, and she even felt a sense of guilt for the venting she had just done.

She turned her head away, not daring to look into Dongfang Yi's eyes.

"By the way, lean in a little." Dongfang Yi beckoned gently in front of her.

Kushida Kikyo obediently leaned in.

Dongfang Yi leaned down to her ear and whispered, "I'll give little Kushida one last secret. Remember not to tell anyone else."

He called me little Kushida! And there's a secret!

Kushida Kikyo felt as if her heartstrings had been plucked, and her heartbeat stopped for a split second.

"Actually, the manager said that as the head barista, I have the privilege of choosing one lucky customer during work hours to receive a complimentary new pastry or coffee."

"Eh? Re, really?" Kushida Kikyo's eyes widened.

"Of course, I never lie. By the way, I'll be here until 6 PM from Monday to Friday."

"Is that so?" Kushida Kikyo suddenly felt that it was truly great to have met Senpai!

"However, this perk is only available for this month."