Even with chuunibyou, let's learn together!

Page 216

Hayakawa didn't seem to mind, and as she followed Ogata Riju toward the ice cream truck, she said, "You probably don't need to pretend to be an elementary school student this time."

"whispering sound…"

Just as Ogata Riju was about to say something through gritted teeth, she and Hayakawa noticed the sign in front of the ice cream truck at the same time.

This store also seems to have promotional activities, but it's different from the "half price for elementary school students and teachers" promotion at the entrance of Ichinose Academy. Instead, it's a different, more well-known discount scheme.

"Couple's set meal, second one half price."

Ogata Rizu murmured the same thing over and over, then looked expressionlessly at Hayakawa beside her and said, "I want to order this."

"Why?!"

Hayakawa said urgently, "Aren't there other styles over there? Take a look!"

Ogata Rizu quickly approached, her eyes fixed on Hayakawa: "I want this one."

"…All right."

"One couple's set meal."

Satisfied, Riju Ogata walked up to the ice cream truck, said something to the clerk, and then generously slapped the money on the board.

……

Five minutes later, Hayakawa and Ogata Rizu each took an identical ice cream parfait and sat down on a bench in a corner.

"It's so cold..."

Hayakawa was clearly not very interested, eating half-heartedly, while Ogata Rizu was much happier, sticking out her little tongue and licking with great relish.

"Is the couple's ice cream delicious?"

Seeing that she was in such a good mood, Hayakawa's own mood soured, so he said with a gloomy face.

"delicious."

Ogata nodded without hesitation.

Hayakawa became even more unhappy and said sarcastically, "You know what? Ogata, the way couples eat ice cream is by exchanging ice cream with each other."

Is there such a saying?

Ogata Rizu slightly opened her eyes, then handed the ice cream parfait in her hand to Hayakawa: "Then you can have this one, and give me yours."

"..."

Hayakawa looked at the parfait that Ogata Riju handed him and fell into deep thought.

Rizu Ogata tilted her head: "Why aren't you eating?"

"Never mind, it seems I remembered it wrong."

Hayakawa said expressionlessly.

"Humph,"

Rizu Ogata sneered as she took back the ice cream, saying smugly, "I won't let you bully me anymore."

Hayakawa's expression darkened slightly, and the ice cream in his mouth grew colder and colder, chilling him to the bone.

The situation was far from optimistic for him. The pieces in his hand were becoming increasingly unruly, not only developing their own consciousness but also leaving him without any means to counter them.

What should I do...?

"..."

Hayakawa felt a deep sense of desolation and could only silently gnaw on his parfait, letting the icy chill envelop his soul.

"This shop is really good,"

Ogata Rizu sat on the bench, her legs so short that her feet couldn't even touch the ground. Her little feet swung happily in mid-air as she said with a big smile, "Not only does it taste good, but the discount is also great, it's half off."

Upon hearing this, Hayakawa took another bite and realized that he had been ignoring the taste of the parfait in his hand. Now, after taking a serious bite, he found it quite delicious and said, "It's really good."

"right."

Ogata smiled and narrowed his eyes, his long, narrow eyes reflecting only Hayakawa's figure in front of him.

I want to eat this with you forever, like a couple's parfait...

Hayakawa examined the parfait in his hand, thought for a moment, and said, "Next time, let's bring Furuhashi to try it too."

"no!!"

Chapter 331 I Like You 2

"no!!"

Ogata's voice suddenly rang out in the autumn wind of Sapporo. The sound was so abrupt that the cars and pedestrians on the side of the road turned their heads and stared at her as if she were crazy. No matter how surprised people's gazes were, Ogata Riju's expression did not change in the slightest. Her fair skin reflected the glow of the sunset, her slightly flushed face was full of seriousness, and her eyes were fixed on the boy in front of her.

Hayakawa's heart skipped a beat at Ogata Riju's shout. He instinctively looked at her, but Ogata's abrupt reaction left him bewildered. The stares from those around him only added to his unease. He couldn't help but frown and ask, "What do you mean?"

He didn't understand why Ogata Riju reacted this way, nor did he understand the strange emotion in her eyes, which made him feel inexplicably irritated, and his tone became stiff.

"Don't you understand?"

Compared to Hayakawa's intense emotions, Ogata Rizu's expression was much calmer. This was not because she had a particularly strong mental fortitude, but because she had made ample mental preparations. She had stored up countless courages for this day and for what was to come, and these courages would support her in accomplishing everything.

After all, that's just the kind of person she is: calm, rational, and logical. Once she's sure of her feelings, she won't hesitate and will forge ahead even if she gets hurt.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Hayakawa's brows furrowed, his expression growing increasingly strange. At this moment, he was completely unaware that he was about to face the biggest crisis of his life, and was still venting his feelings of helplessness.

It's not surprising that he reacted so poorly, since Hayakawa was completely clueless about matters of the heart, especially romantic relationships, even less so than Ogata Rizu at this moment.

Facing Hayakawa, Ogata Rizu's tone was calmer than ever before. She raised the ice cream cup in her hand and asked seriously, "What is this?"

"ice cream…"

Hayakawa blurted out instinctively, but after seeing Ogata Riju's expression, she changed her mind and said, "Ice cream parfait."

"They are a couple, Parfait."

Rizu Ogata corrected her, emphasizing the words "couple".

Hayakawa paused for a moment, then said, "I don't quite understand what you mean."

"Couple's Parfait, of course, is something only couples can eat together,"

Rizu Ogata took a bite of her ice cream and said in a soft voice, "You and Fumino aren't even dating, so why are you eating this with her?"

"I found it strange the moment you said that,"

Hayakawa was taken aback at first, then sneered twice and said righteously, "We're not in a romantic relationship, are we? But we're eating this together right now. I can bring you ice cream, so what if I bring Furuhashi along?"

Rizu Ogata silently turned her head away, and after a long while, her voice finally broke through, as quiet as a butterfly landing among the flowers and leaves: "I'm different from her..."

"Uh…"

Hayakawa's voice froze in mid-air, as if his fate had been suddenly seized. His expression was so vivid it defied description, as if he had been punched twice in the face out of nowhere while walking down the street, leaving him bruised and battered.

Even she sensed something was wrong at that moment.

"you…"

Hayakawa's throat throbbed violently. He wanted to ask a question, but when he opened his mouth slightly, he didn't have the courage to make a sound. Without a doubt, this was the most timid moment of his life. Since he awakened in elementary school, he had always overcome all obstacles and never backed down no matter what difficulties he faced. But at this moment, he felt that his courage gauge had run out.

"What means?"

Hayakawa made a faint sound, which was extremely dry.

"Do I really have to say it myself?"

Ogata Rizu's face flushed slightly, her words tinged with reproach, but without a trace of anger. She lowered her head and reached out to tug at Hayakawa's sleeve, her voice so soft it was almost a whisper.

So, you see…

"like you."

The city froze at this moment, and time seemed to stand still.

The afterglow of dusk brings the last rays of light to the day, and the sunlight is perfectly attuned, coming from afar, lightly passing over the rooftops of tall buildings, over the withered roadside trees, over countless windshields, and finally landing on the girl's cheeks, making them rosy, like a summer breeze.

The world seemed to stand still for a moment. The roar of car engines, the distant whistles of trams, the tireless conversations of people, and the flapping of pigeons' wings as they soared through the sky all became distant.

The whole world listened quietly to the girl's voice.

"I like you…"

"..."

The sound of petrification resounded from deep within his body, followed by the sound of stone shattering, and Hayakawa's mentality crumbled along with it.

Ahhhhhh…

"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

“Nooooooooooooooo!!!”

Hayakawa's inner voice clutched his head and screamed in despair, clearly having suffered unprecedented harm.

It's hard to imagine how much impact the name Ogata Riju had on Hayakawa. For Earth, it was like the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaur era; for Japan, it was no less than storming the Bastille; and for Hayakawa... Ogata Riju's words dealt him a blow somewhat like an awakening in the third grade of elementary school.

Failed studies, out-of-control pawns, students in love... and his despair.

“How should I put it…”

Hayakawa's soul slowly floated out of his mouth, as if he had lost all his strength in an instant. He turned his head and said with a look of utter despair, "It feels a little unreal."

"What kind of reaction is that?!"

Ogata Rizu, who had been able to maintain a calm expression, couldn't help but show a mixture of embarrassment and anger upon seeing Hayakawa's reaction. First, she was furious with embarrassment, then her expression turned somber and humble: "Does being confessed to by me make you feel that bad?"

"Does that need to be said?"

Hayakawa stared wide-eyed at Ogata Rizu: "Of course."

Rizu Ogata: "..."

Your direct admission is infuriating. Shouldn't you have offered some comfort first?

Hayakawa silently looked up at the sky, wishing two tears would well up in her eyes, and murmured sorrowfully, "Why did it have to turn out like this?"

"You've gone too far, Hayakawa!"

This blatant rejection only fueled Ogata Rizu's desperation. Her face flushed red, she gritted her teeth, clutched her chest, and shouted, "What's wrong with me liking you? I'm cute, I'm number one in science, I have a...good figure, and I'm quite popular at school. Is it shameful for me to like you?!"

First in science...

As soon as he finished speaking, Hayakawa's face darkened slightly. All sorts of evil plans popped into his mind as malice churned within him, but that wouldn't do now.

Because of her anger, Riju Ogata's voice was noticeably louder, and passersby couldn't help but glance at her with unfriendly expressions.

"It's too loud."

Hayakawa noticed the unusual atmosphere around him and quickly said, "Keep your voice down."

Ogata Rizu remained unmoved, tiptoed closer to Hayakawa, and looked up, saying, "Then say it!"

"I said... I said, let's see what you've become! Would you have said these things before? So many frivolous things, you never cared about these things before, but now..."

Hayakawa sighed helplessly, his face expressionless but his heart breaking: "It's all love's fault!"

Ogata Rizu's forehead immediately creased with annoyance: "Hayakawa...you sound like a dogmatic old-fashioned person."

“Ogata,”

Seeing that Ogata Rizu seemed to be able to communicate normally, Hayakawa immediately began to earnestly persuade her: "Do you know what time this is? It's the most intense time for studying, when you need to concentrate the most! And you're thinking about dating at this time?! Don't think this is just a simple waste of time; you're going to ruin yourself."

"No? Aren't I in the first semester of my first year of high school? I've only been in high school for a few months now,"

Rizu Ogata was immediately filled with confusion, and said in a strange tone, "How come time has suddenly become so tight? The way you're talking makes me sound like a high school senior preparing for the college entrance exam."

"The first year of high school is very important,"

Hayakawa turned his head away expressionlessly upon hearing this: "Don't underestimate the first year of high school. It's the time to build a foundation."

Rizu Ogata blinked: "What about the second year of high school?"

Hayakawa perked up: "The second year of high school is also important. It's the time when we need to solidify our knowledge the most, so we absolutely cannot be distracted."

Rizu Ogata: "...What about third year of high school?"

"Senior year of high school is the most important time; it's when you make rapid progress and finally settle down!!"

Hayakawa's tone was impassioned, his expression extremely excited: "There can be absolutely no slackening!"