Kikyo Kushida's reply came with a crying emoticon and an unmistakable stress response:
"Lin Mu, are you asking to borrow points too? (;′д｀)ゞ"
Lin Mu frowned slightly as he read the message. He quickly typed:
"No. I just saw you surrounded by people and wondered if you had enough points to last until next month.
You're barely scraping by. Aren't you afraid they'll borrow from you and never pay you back, or come asking again next time? It's a bottomless pit."
After he sent the message, the other end was silent for a while before she finally replied:
"It's okay, Lin Mu. I... lend them my points of my own free will. We're all friends, after all. I'm happy to help however I can. (′▽`)"
Lin Mu stared at the screen at this typical "Kushida-style" answer. For a moment, he was at a loss for words, unable to think of a response.
He had never understood this kind of near-limitless, people-pleasing generosity. To him, it seemed both foolish and exhausting.
(Kikyo Kushida's people-pleasing personality... no, no.)
But he didn't know for sure. Maybe that was just Kikyo Kushida's nature, the way she survived and found a sense of security. It wasn't something he could change with a few words.
He sighed, considered his words for a moment, then sent a message that, to him, was already about as heartfelt as he could manage:
(Here's something straight from the heart... hahaha.)
"Fine. As long as it's what you want. But if you don't have money for food, you can come to me. The cafeteria's free meal is awful and has no nutrition.
As... friends, I don't mind covering a few meals for you.
But don't ask to borrow money—I lend it to you, and you'll just turn around and lend it to someone else. That'd be like indirectly funding a bunch of people I don't even know."
He had never been good at getting along with girls, much less at saying caring things like this. It had taken everything he had to type out that much, and even so, it felt a little awkward.
On the other end of the phone, Kikyo Kushida sat at her desk, staring at Lin Mu's message. Her fingertips paused.
Deep inside, an indescribable warmth welled up, instantly washing away the irritation and hurt she'd felt from being surrounded by people asking to borrow her points.
Compared to those who only swarmed around her, borrowing money with all kinds of sweet talk without even giving her a definite repayment date—and who even looked at her as if they were thinking...
She's easy to talk into it anyway... Lin Mu's concern was so straightforward, even a little clumsy, yet completely sincere.
He was only worried that she wouldn't have anything to eat. He wasn't trying to get anything from her.
This pure, selfless kindness felt especially precious now, when the weight of "friendship" and "taking" had left her struggling to breathe.
There was no comparison.
She bit her lower lip and hesitated. Then her fingers danced across the screen as she sent a message with a cute, pouty sticker:
"Then... Lin Mu, could you treat me to lunch? I'm... really almost out of points, and there are still so many days left this month... (′?皿?｀)"
Almost the instant she sent the message, Lin Mu's reply popped up:
"Sure."
Brief and to the point, as always.
As soon as the lunch bell rang, Kikyo Kushida, who was sitting in the middle of the classroom, sprang up from her seat.
Her trademark bright, energetic smile returned, and she hurried toward Lin Mu's seat at the back.
"Lin Mu!" she called out in her clear voice. "Let's go to the cafeteria together!"
Kikyo Kushida, brimming with energy as if she had a little sun shining around her, stood next to Lin Mu, who still looked lazy and took his time getting to his feet.
His expression practically said, "This is such a hassle, but I already agreed."
The contrast between them was striking.
One was like a leaping flame, the other like a still pond, yet somehow they seemed oddly harmonious, as if they complemented each other.
Quite a few students in Class D watched them and secretly thought the two looked good together. Their personalities complemented each other, too. They couldn't have been more suited.
However, a few boys who had just managed to borrow points from Kikyo Kushida weren't pleased to see this "harmonious" scene.
They exchanged glances, then swaggered over with grins.
"Kushida, Lin Mu, you're going to get lunch? Mind if we come along? It's more fun in a group!"
"Yeah, exactly! Food tastes better when you eat with a crowd!"
They were already calculating the odds: if they ate with Kushida and Lin Mu, maybe one of them would treat everyone.
Or at least Lin Mu might cover some of the cost. They had to make the points they'd just borrowed last, so they might as well mooch a meal if they could.
Kikyo Kushida looked at the boys gathering around them, and her face immediately took on a troubled expression.
She didn't want to ruin the image she'd built for herself, so she instinctively looked at Lin Mu and left the decision to him. "Um... it depends on what Lin Mu thinks."
At that, Lin Mu didn't even lift an eyelid. He merely let out an almost inaudible sigh and thought to himself: Why are they all butting in?
Trying to guilt-trip us into feeding them for free? He raised his eyes and swept his indifferent gaze over the grinning boys. His tone was completely flat.
"No."
Three crisp words left no room for negotiation.
The boys' smiles froze, as if someone had dumped a basin of cold water over them. They stood there, awkward and silent.
They looked at Lin Mu's impassive face, then at Kikyo Kushida, who looked apologetic but was clearly relieved. In the end, none of them dared say anything else.
They could only slink away and look for someone else. If they kept pestering the two, they might end up isolated by the class.
After that, Lin Mu and Kikyo Kushida walked out of the classroom side by side, down the hall, and toward the cafeteria.
Once they reached the cafeteria, Lin Mu had planned to order two of the most expensive set meals. He could afford it, after all.
But Kikyo Kushida quickly stopped him.
"You don't have to order something so expensive, Lin Mu!"
She waved her hands, her voice gentle but firm. "The mid-priced set meal is fine!
I'm already really happy you're treating me. It's much better than eating the free salad set!"
She knew Lin Mu might not be short on money, but she didn't want him to think she was taking advantage of him.
Lin Mu glanced at her. Seeing how serious she was, he didn't insist and ordered two mid-priced set meals instead.
The two of them found a relatively quiet corner and sat down.
The food wasn't anything special, but it was miles better than the free meal.
As they ate, they chatted about trivial things around campus, mostly with Kushida doing the talking: which teacher was fun to listen to, what new shop had opened on the commercial street,
and funny things that had happened after the club recruitment drive... The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable, with no forced flattery or heavy burdens.
After this, their relationship seemed to grow a little closer.
During the day, Kikyo Kushida would sometimes bring Lin Mu homemade cookies or candy that had just arrived at the school convenience store.
And when Kushida was surrounded by a group of "friends" asking to borrow money and looked troubled, Lin Mu would use "I need to talk to her" as an excuse to help her out.
Time passed at an unhurried pace.
Class D's anxiety and struggles continued, with the pressure of midterms hanging over them like a dark cloud.
But Lin Mu's life went on as usual.
He just had someone by his side now: an always-energetic "lunch buddy" who sometimes struck him as a little noisy, but was somehow comfortable to be around.
Maybe this isn't so bad, Lin Mu would occasionally think, before returning his attention to the lollipop in his mouth and the clouds outside the window.
Before you continue