After class, Yi Chen checked his phone.
Ichinose:
"Yi Chen, I went to take care of some Club stuff right after class."
"See you later."
"Don't miss me~"
Yi Chen happily replied to her.
Then.
Club President Yamada:
"Yi Chen, vacation's just around the corner. Come by the Club."
"We're having a meeting."
Tangben Yishan:
"Brother Yi Chen, the Kendo Club's having another party. Hurry over, eh."
Those two were members of the Kendo Club.
At the last gathering, Yi Chen had exchanged email addresses with everyone in the Club.
The summer sun was still blazing at four in the afternoon.
Yi Chen arrived at the Club building. The Kendo Club was on the first floor, where there were only two Clubs.
The Volleyball Club was next door.
As Yi Chen passed the Volleyball Club, he heard the lively sounds of youth and enthusiasm from inside.
Soon, Yi Chen arrived at the Kendo Club.
For some reason, despite the summer heat, Yi Chen felt inexplicably cold.
Yi Chen entered the classroom.
He couldn't help shivering.
When Club President Yamada saw Yi Chen shivering as he came in, he slapped Tangben Yishan on the shoulder.
Yamada:
"Turn off the air conditioner! It's set to 16 degrees. We're freezing in here."
Yi Chen:
"So it was the air conditioner. I thought the Kendo Club had some kind of special setup."
Tangben Yishan greeted Yi Chen as he turned off the air conditioner.
Yamada opened the classroom windows, letting in the hot air of the summer day.
Seeing that neither of them had changed into their kendo uniforms, Yi Chen didn't change either. After greeting them,
he found a seat and sat down.
Tangben Yishan came over and chatted with Yi Chen enthusiastically.
"Brother Yi Chen, did you know summer vacation's just around the corner?"
Yi Chen looked a little confused.
As an anime fan, he knew that vacations in anime were just skipped over in a flash.
Yi Chen asked,
"How long is it?"
Tangben Yishan said cheerfully,
"You don't even know that? Looks like you and I are alike—we don't pay attention in class."
Yi Chen looked helpless.
"I do pay attention in class! The teacher never mentioned it."
Tangben Yishan laughed.
"Fine, fine. Vacation starts in the middle of the month, and it'll probably last until early August."
Yi Chen smiled at that.
Yi Chen called out to Angel in his mind.
"Wait, Angel, where am I supposed to go during vacation?"
Angel:
"Don't worry, the system has arranged a home for you."
Yi Chen:
"Wait, don't I have family in this world?"
Angel:
"Oh, right. I just filled in the names of two people from our side on your school records."
"Technically, they aren't your family. They're just there to give you the standard setup."
Yi Chen:
"..."
"Then do I live in a mansion?"
Angel:
"I'll send you the address later. You can go check it out yourself."
"I'm going to watch anime now. Bye-bye."
Yi Chen looked helpless.
"Wait, what?"
And so Yi Chen and Yamada continued chatting.
Just then, two figures entered the Club.
Suzuki Keika from Class B wore a simple white T-shirt,
light blue jeans, and a black shoulder bag.
She stepped into the classroom in a fresh, casual outfit, wearing white canvas shoes.
Sato Anna from Class B wore a green cropped T-shirt,
a beige skirt, and a white shoulder bag.
She stepped into the classroom in a youthful outfit, wearing a pair of combat boots.
Yi Chen's eyes widened.
Their outfits looked so youthful and pretty.
Tangben Yishan called out loudly for the two of them to come over.
They came over and sat down on either side of Yi Chen.
Yi Chen couldn't help looking at them, struggling to take it all in.
The two girls greeted Yi Chen warmly, too.
Just then, Yamada saw that everyone had arrived.
He cleared his throat and said,
"I'm sure you all know that school's going on vacation soon."
"I called everyone here today because I want us to keep our bonds strong during the break."
"So I'm planning a group outing for the Club."
Everyone looked at him curiously.
"Let's all go on a trip together."
Yi Chen was intrigued. It sounded like fun.
But Suzuki Keika cut in,
"But I've already made plans with my family to travel during the break." Sato Anna nodded along.
Tangben Yishan groaned,
"Aw, what a letdown. Why didn't you tell me you were going on a trip?"
"Aren't we all in the same Club?"
"How could you secretly make your own vacation plans?"
Suzuki shot him an exasperated look.
"What are you talking about? What we do during vacation is our own business."
Anna:
"Exactly."
Yamada looked at them with disappointment.
"Fine, then. What about you, Yi Chen?"
Yi Chen listened quietly.
When Yamada asked him, he replied calmly,
"I don't have any plans. Let me think about it."
Yamada got excited and put an arm around Yi Chen.
"If you haven't made up your mind, then the three guys from the Kendo Club can go on a trip together."
"Plus, my younger sister's birthday is on July 29, after the trip. We can celebrate with her then."
"Hahaha."
Suzuki stared at Yi Chen.
"What? Yi Chen's going too?"
Yi Chen looked at Tangben Yishan.
"I'll see when the time comes."
Tangben Yishan pulled Yi Chen's head against his chest.
"Come on, Yi Chen, just go. You don't have anything else planned anyway."
"I can bring back a handsome guy and make my little sister see me in a new light!"
Yi Chen's eyes widened. He awkwardly pushed Tangben Yishan away.
"What the heck? Why does that sound so weird?"
"Shouldn't you be bringing her a sister-in-law if you want her to see you in a new light?"
Tangben Yishan said matter-of-factly,
"I have a girlfriend! She's in Class C. Didn't you know? I'll introduce you to her later."
Yi Chen asked, confused,
"Then why don't you just go with your girlfriend?"
Tangben Yishan laughed.
"A girlfriend? Our bond matters more than that."
"Come with me, Yi Chen. I'll take you to a spa and let you experience top-notch service. Hahaha."
Yi Chen smiled helplessly.
"That makes me want to go even less."
Tangben Yishan pleaded,
"I'm begging you. The trip itself isn't important. I just want my little sister to look up to me."
"She's looked down on me as her big brother ever since we were kids."
"She's always thought I wasn't good at anything."
"But Yi Chen, you're so good at kendo. If you go, she'll be completely captivated by you."
"I know my sister really well. She's a total sucker for good looks. You're absolutely her type!"
Yi Chen looked at Tangben Yishan, who was pleading with him.
He thought it over. It wasn't as if he had anything else to do.
Yi Chen:
"I'll go, but I don't want to go to a spa or anywhere like that. Got it?"
Tangben Yishan said excitedly,
"Of course, no problem. Whatever you say."
Yamada patted Tangben Yishan on the back.
Tangben Yishan shoved him away.
Yamada said,
"What about me?"
Tangben Yishan didn't even look at him.
"You? Go do whatever you want."
Yamada's expression fell.
When Suzuki and Anna learned that Yi Chen was going too, they immediately said they wanted to come along.
Tangben Yishan readily agreed.
Anna smiled and asked,
"Then where are we going, Yi Chen?"
Yi Chen was a little surprised.
"I don't know. I was only just invited. I just don't want to go somewhere like a spa."
Suzuki teased,
"I didn't know you were such an innocent little boy, Yi Chen."
Yi Chen smiled awkwardly.
Tangben Yishan:
"Then let's exchange numbers and think it over during the next few days."
"Once the break starts, we can all get together and go on a trip."
Yi Chen and the others readily agreed.
Of course, Tangben Yishan invited Yamada too.
After the brief meeting, they all went out for karaoke.
Once Ichinose had finished her work, she also came to the karaoke place to find Yi Chen.
When she heard that Yi Chen was going on a trip with them, she said she wanted to come along too.
Tangben Yishan readily agreed.
Tangben Yishan's thoughts:
This is great! I'll be bringing Yi Chen and three beauties back with me this time.
My little sister will definitely beg me to introduce her to them when I get back.
Just imagining that scene...
Hehehe.
Before you continue