Just like that, Yi Chen made it safely through the night, and campus life briefly returned to peace.
Time quickly moved on to the first day of a new month, when points were distributed.
The classroom was noisy that morning. A bug had appeared in the school system, and no points had been issued.
The students groaned and slumped over. Time continued to pass.
After school, Kushida Kikyo invited Yi Chen to get something to eat.
Thinking it was best not to get on her bad side, Yi Chen agreed.
The two went to a dessert shop, where plenty of couples were happily eating sweets together.
Yi Chen glanced around, and Kushida led him to a seat in the corner.
After they ordered dessert,
Kushida looked at Yi Chen cutely and said shyly,
"Wow, there are so many couples here. Sorry, Yi Chen. It's my first time at this shop, too."
Yi Chen replied calmly,
"It's fine. I haven't been here before, either. As long as the desserts are good."
Kushida looked a little bashful.
"To other people, we probably look like a couple, too. Haha."
Yi Chen gave a dismissive laugh.
"Haha, really? Well, that's a good thing. Anyone would be lucky to have a girlfriend like you."
Yi Chen thought,
Oh man, what are you trying to do? I have no idea. I'm scared of upsetting you now.
Could you just tell me what's going on? Can't we part on good terms? I'm not as smart as Ayanokoji.
Kushida Kikyo smiled sweetly.
"Yi Chen, you're teasing me again. Are you like this with every girl?"
Kushida gazed at Yi Chen with her big, bright eyes.
A strange feeling inexplicably rose in Yi Chen's heart.
Though this girl is pretty calculating, I have to admit, a cute, slightly plump girl who looks this good is nice to look at.
And so Yi Chen and Kushida continued gazing at each other.
Kushida's face turned red.
"Yi Chen?"
Yi Chen came back to himself.
"Oh, sorry. I zoned out."
Kushida said,
"Yi Chen, you still haven't answered my question."
Yi Chen replied,
"Right, I remember now. I'm only like this with you. I hardly talk to anyone else, don't I?"
A smile spread across Kushida's face when she heard that.
"Really? Thank you, Yi Chen. I had a great time with you today."
After they finished eating, Kushida went to meet up with her friends, and the two parted ways.
After they separated,
Kushida sat on a bench and gazed into the distance.
She thought,
Yi Chen, huh? Of course I could win him over easily with my charm. But he's pretty handsome, too.
Yi Chen walked by himself, but he couldn't shake a faint sense of unease.
"Kushida might seem innocent and cute, but she's actually scheming. I can't let her really take advantage of me."
He muttered to himself.
After eating, Yi Chen planned to go to the library to borrow a manga. After all, he didn't have many points left.
Yi Chen and Ayanokoji had split the 100,000 points they'd spent to save Yamauchi Muraki.
At the bookstore, Yi Chen quickly found the next volume of the manga he'd bought last time.
After Yi Chen picked up the manga, he caught a faint, sweet fragrance beside him.
A pink-haired girl had quietly come up behind him.
Yi Chen picked up the manga and turned around.
Thump!
"Ow, that hurts."
A delicate female voice rang out.
Yi Chen's chin had been bumped, and he felt a twinge of pain, too. He saw that the pink-haired girl in front of him was—
"Ichinose?"
Ichinose Honami looked flustered.
"I'm sorry, classmate. I bumped into you by accident."
Yi Chen quietly looked at Ichinose, and the two gazed at each other.
Yi Chen said,
"It's fine."
Yi Chen thought,
My god, she's unbelievably beautiful. Pink hair and such a lovely face—this really is an anime world.
She's a little plump, and she's in Class B. Amazing.
But we probably won't have much to do with each other. I remember this girl is supposed to be pitiful or something. Whatever. I'll borrow my manga first.
Yi Chen stepped aside to leave, but Ichinose caught the hem of his shirt.
"Um, wait a second, Angela Yi Chen."
Ichinose said, her face slightly red.
Hearing the name Angela Yi Chen, Yi Chen realized he was destined to have no chance with Ichinose.
Yi Chen thought,
Damn it, Angel, why did you give me such an embarrassing name?!
Coming back to himself, Yi Chen looked at Ichinose indifferently.
"Are you talking to me? What is it?"
Ichinose said hesitantly,
"Um, you're Angela Yi Chen from Class D, right?"
Yi Chen's face darkened when he heard that.
"That's right. What is it, classmate?"
Ichinose said,
"Hello, I'm Ichinose Honami from Class B. It's nice to meet you."
Yi Chen replied,
"Hello, I'm Yi Chen. Just call me Yi Chen. Nice to meet you."
Ichinose said,
"Um, Yi Chen, there's something I need your help with. Could you come outside with me?"
Yi Chen thought it over. Ichinose didn't seem like a bad person, so he didn't mind helping her.
Yi Chen said,
"Sure."
After Yi Chen finished checking out the book, Ichinose led him around to the back of the library.
When they arrived, neither of them moved. An awkward silence hung between them.
Ichinose noticed something, then walked over to Yi Chen. They stood very close together.
The atmosphere suddenly turned quite intimate.
Ichinose looked up into Yi Chen's eyes, and Yi Chen looked down at her.
When Ichinose realized Yi Chen was looking at her, she immediately lowered her head and let her gaze wander, her cheeks turning faintly red.
Ichinose said shyly and softly,
"Sorry, could you wait here for a moment? It'll be over soon."
Yi Chen replied,
"Sure."
Soon, a girl came running over. When she saw Ichinose and Yi Chen standing so intimately, she cried out in indignation,
"Ichinose? What's going on here?"
Ichinose said shyly,
"This is my boyfriend, Angela Yi Chen from Class D."
Yi Chen's heart gave an involuntary lurch when he heard that. For a moment, he didn't know how to respond.
The girl ran away in tears.
That left only Yi Chen and Ichinose.
Ichinose apologized profusely to Yi Chen.
"I'm sorry, Yi Chen. I used you as a shield. I really didn't mean to. I'll find a way to make it up to you."
Yi Chen was still a little dazed.
"...It's fine, but I think you should've given that girl a clear answer. But now..."
"Whatever. It's not a big deal, anyway."
Ichinose said,
"I'm really sorry. Next time, I'll be clear with anyone who confesses to me. I'll definitely make it up to you, too."
Looking at the cute Ichinose in front of him, Yi Chen felt something he couldn't quite describe.
Yi Chen spoke calmly.
"It's fine. It doesn't matter. I don't need you to make it up to me. I don't think it's a big deal."
"If you want, next time you're in a tough spot, you can keep using the same excuse to turn people down."
Ichinose stared at Yi Chen in shock.
A breeze swept past, and the setting sun cast their shadows over the two of them.
Yi Chen suddenly realized he might have said the wrong thing.
Yi Chen looked visibly flustered. He thought,
Oh man, what did I just say? What's wrong with me? Why did I say something like that?
Ichinose smiled happily behind her hand when she heard him.
"Really? Thank you, Yi Chen. Then next time someone confesses to me, I'll just tell them you're my boyfriend."
Yi Chen's face grew hot, and his cheeks flushed red.
Yi Chen looked at Ichinose nervously.
Ichinose's brows curved gently, and her bright eyes were fixed on him. Her cheeks were rosy, and her lips were a soft pink.
"Th-that's fine. Go ahead and say that next time."
Ichinose laughed happily.
"Haha."
Ichinose stepped forward and took Yi Chen's hand.
"Thank you, Yi Chen."
Yi Chen felt his temperature shoot up, and steam seemed to rise from the top of his head.
Yi Chen said,
"It's nothing."
Ichinose said happily,
"Thanks for today, Yi Chen. I'll treat you to a meal next time. Let's exchange contact information first."
Yi Chen replied,
"Sure."
After exchanging contact information, the two walked to the library entrance and said goodbye.
Ichinose said,
"See you next time. I'm looking forward to it."
Yi Chen's face was as red as an apple. He answered softly,
"Okay."
And so Yi Chen made his way back to his dormitory in a daze.
That night, Yi Chen checked his phone. His point balance was 80,000.
He checked his inbox.
Ichinose:
"Yi Chen, thanks for today. Good night."
Before you continue