Scuffle

Exiting the cafeteria.

The two walked side by side along the path.

The early April sun was not as scorching as it would be in July or August; it shone warmly upon them, feeling quite pleasant.

Classmate Sakayanagi leaned on her cane with one hand while gently linking her other arm through Uesugi Hara's, greeting the people they recognized as they walked.

For some reason, the little girl preferred linking his arm for support rather than holding his hand.

"Are Classmate Sakayanagi and Classmate Uesugi already together?" A voice came from the side. Uesugi Hara looked over to see the invisible girl, Yamamura Miki.

"Yes, we are~ Classmate Yamamura," Sakayanagi Arisu replied with a smile, looking toward the source of the voice while tightening her grip on Uesugi Hara's arm.

Uesugi Hara felt the sensation—well, how to put it? It was a bit bony. After mentally reprimanding himself for a second, Uesugi Hara thought that since the little girl wanted to play, he might as well play along.

Uesugi Hara pondered for a moment before taking action.

He removed the beret from the little girl's head and patted her hair. The touch was soft and fluffy, like kneading a ball of cotton candy that had just been basking in the sun. Her hair had a slight, fuzzy curve to it, tickling his palm.

Feeling the little girl's arm stiffen, though she still maintained her persona, Uesugi Hara couldn't help but want to laugh.

It really felt quite nice.

"Classmate Yamamura, we are on a date," Uesugi Hara said to Yamamura Miki with certainty.

"Oh! Oh! Then I won't disturb you. See you tomorrow!" Yamamura Miki's face turned red, and she fled as if escaping.

Once Yamamura Miki was gone, Sakayanagi Arisu expressionlessly snatched back her beret and placed it back on her head.

"Classmate Uesugi really has a wicked sense of humor."

Sensing the shift in the little girl's tone, Uesugi Hara struggled to suppress the corners of his mouth from curling upward. "I was just playing along with Miss Sakayanagi's performance!" he said, his voice laced with stifled laughter. Well, he really couldn't hold it in.

"Hahaha... I can't... haha... I can't anymore..."

Sakayanagi Arisu watched expressionlessly as Uesugi Hara clutched his stomach and laughed heartily, unable to stop the urge to punch him or grab her cane and give him a good thrashing.

Just as Sakayanagi Arisu was preparing to strike, "Alright, alright, please forgive my rudeness, Miss Arisu. Let's keep moving." --- Interrupting the spell, would our Miss Arisu really not burst from holding it in?

Sakayanagi Arisu spat out two words, expressionless: "Heh heh."

"Alright, Miss Arisu, let's continue." Uesugi Hara stopped teasing the little girl who was on the verge of exploding.

Sakayanagi Arisu quickly adjusted herself, a faint, polite smile returning to her face as she linked her arm back through Uesugi Hara's.

"I'm planning to buy some daily necessities. Where is Miss Arisu headed?" Classmate Uesugi asked.

"My father has already prepared everything for my dormitory, so I have nothing to do. I can accompany Classmate Uesugi~" The little girl had no memory at all, reverting to her previous tone.

"Then is Miss Arisu willing to accompany me?" Uesugi Hara replied helplessly, thinking to himself that having a father who was the school director really made a difference. However, he didn't dwell on it; after all, the little girl was in poor health.

"I am~"

At the convenience store downstairs in the dormitory building.

Uesugi Hara was picking out the items he needed, while the little girl beside him leaned on her cane, looking on with curiosity—so these were the daily necessities for boys?

Uesugi Hara glanced at the curious little girl beside him, his mouth twitching—sister, why are you so curious?! A new thought crossed Uesugi Hara's mind: what would her reaction be if he picked up a box of condoms right now?

---Would she blush immediately? Or would she not recognize them, only to search for them after returning to her room, and then blush from the curiosity she couldn't suppress? And if she went back and asked her father... better not think about it, better not think about it.

Uesugi Hara cut off that train of thought immediately.

Uesugi Hara looked at the items he had gathered: a quilt, two towels, toothpaste, a toothbrush... and most importantly, a bottle of 13-in-1 soap.

The little girl watched as Uesugi Hara finally picked up that 13-in-1 bottle. Curious, she picked one up herself to examine it. After reading the label, she was left stunned. The little girl couldn't fathom why such a strange... er, great invention existed. The little girl decided she did not understand it, did not support it, did not oppose it, did not accept it, and did not approve of it. Yes, that was it.

Uesugi Hara had finished his selection and was about to head to the checkout when he noticed Sakayanagi Arisu was gone. Looking back, he found her standing there, staring blankly at a bottle of 13-in-1. Uesugi Hara was puzzled—did this rich girl use this stuff too? He didn't understand it, but he accepted it; after all, he hadn't seen any bad reviews in his previous life, and he used it himself.

"Miss Arisu, I'm ready to go. What about you?"

Uesugi Hara's words pulled Sakayanagi Arisu back to reality. She put the 13-in-1 back, looked at Uesugi Hara, and her expression was filled with complexity.

"Let's go together."

What was wrong with this little girl? Her voice didn't even have that usual provocative edge.

However, Uesugi Hara didn't pay much attention to it; after all, it wasn't the first or second time this little girl had acted strangely.

"Hello, that will be 5,000 points total. Please scan here."

After checking out, Uesugi Hara prepared to head back to his dorm to tidy up.

When the elevator reached the 5th floor, Uesugi Hara noticed Sakayanagi Arisu following behind him. He remembered that the little girl's room was on the 9th floor. Seeing that she had no intention of returning to her own room, he didn't stop, but he did slow his pace.

Uesugi Hara asked, "Miss Arisu, we only met for the first time today, are you already so attached to me?"

"Classmate Uesugi's imagination is quite vivid, but unfortunately, that is not the case~" Sakayanagi Arisu replied nonchalantly.

Seeing Uesugi Hara slow down, Sakayanagi Arisu chuckled and followed along.

"I'm just bored, and I don't have any acquaintances. You're the only one who can keep me company and talk to me, Classmate Uesugi," Sakayanagi Arisu said, feigning grievance.

He