Shouko, who was about to pick up her chopsticks, turned to look at her with surprise and astonishment.
"Eat."
Before Shouko could ask anything, she heard Yaeko's calm voice.
"Oh, oh, oh." Only then did Shouko withdraw her gaze and lower her head to continue eating breakfast.
She planned to ask her mother properly tonight about why she had suddenly changed her mind.
Moreover, Shouko noticed that the area around her eyes was a little red, and there were bloodshot veins in the whites of her eyes. It was probably due to not resting well last night and getting up so early today...
"Mom? Why are you awake so early today too?" At this moment, Yuzuru's voice, still full of sleepiness, sounded from behind them.
Yaeko could only reluctantly repeat what she had said before.
"Alright, hurry up and come eat breakfast. Be careful not to be late on the first day of school today."
"Oh, oh." Only then did Yuzuru quickly walk over and sit beside Shouko.
Meanwhile, Tsuna, who had just finished running three kilometers and was preparing to head back, noticed Nishikata buying breakfast not far away.
As he gradually adapted, he had also gradually increased his running distance from a little over two kilometers to three kilometers.
"Nishikata?" Tsuna walked forward, wiping his forehead with a tissue.
"Hmm?" Nishikata, carrying a bag with the breakfast shop's logo printed on it, turned back in confusion and noticed Tsuna, who was panting and almost drenched in sweat.
"Morning, Tsuna, did you just finish running?"
"Mm-hmm, want to join?" Tsuna casually invited.
"No." Nishikata took out a steamed bun, took a bite, and quickly waved his hand in refusal.
Making him get up so early to run was no different from taking his life, alright.
"Steamed buns, want some?" He opened the bag and showed Tsuna the breakfast inside.
"No need, thank you." Tsuna simply glanced at the contents: a few steamed buns and dumplings.
Tsuna suddenly thought of something and asked, "However, don't you live on the other side? Why are you buying breakfast here?"
If he remembered correctly, Nishikata and Takagi should both live on the other street, at least one or two kilometers away from this breakfast place.
"Don't mention it." Nishikata heard this, waved his hand with a helpless expression, and only after swallowing the food in his mouth did he continue:
"My next-door neighbor's renovation is too noisy, and my mom and dad couldn't stand it, so they brought me to stay temporarily in the old house.
We plan to move back when those people finish renovating."
"In that case, won't we be able to go home together after school?" Tsuna nodded thoughtfully.
Nishikata hesitated for a while, then slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid not, I might have something to do then..."
"Alright then." Tsuna had only asked casually. If Nishikata had something to do, then so be it.
"I need to go this way, see you at school." The two arrived at the fork in the road, and Nishikata raised his finger, pointing to the concrete road on the left, and said,
"See you at school."
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"Tsuna, my mom said she can let me learn painting, and she also said she can let me sign up for a training class." On the way to school, Shouko excitedly shared this with the person beside her.
Tsuna heard this, suppressed the surprise in his heart, and asked curiously, "Have you thought about which training class to sign up for?"
He really couldn't believe that Aunt would actually agree to let Shouko study art or something.
Logically speaking, the realistic and strong Aunt should think that the things he and Shouko talked about, like light novelists and illustrators, were just nonsense for this age group.
"No." Shouko shook her head. "I don't plan to sign up for any training class. I want to apply directly to join our school's art club."
"Isn't it a little late?"
As soon as Tsuna finished speaking, Shouko denied him.
"I asked Takagi-chan and Ajitani, some members of the art club are still learning the basics, so it's not too late for me to apply now.
Moreover, I'm already very happy that Mom agreed to let me learn art, so I don't plan to waste money by signing up for any training class."
"Hmm..." Tsuna saw the traffic light at the crosswalk turn green, took Shouko's hand, and continued to walk forward before adding, "That makes sense too."
"Right?" Shouko's lips curved up slightly. "Tsuna, you said you would submit your work in the third year of junior high, I still have three years to learn, there's no hurry."
She seemed to understand now why Tsuna had said to wait until the third year of junior high to submit his work...
"Then I'll go home first?" After crossing the road, Tsuna silently let go of Shouko's hand. By this time, there were gradually more students from the same school around.
If he joined a club, school would end after 5 PM. He thought he would just take a few minutes to pick up Shouko then.
"No." Shouko ignored the surrounding students, re-gripped his released hand, and shook her head. "You have to apply for the art club with me too."
"???"
"You didn't hear wrong, you have to apply with me too." Shouko suppressed the urge to let her lips curl up wildly.
She couldn't rest assured letting Tsuna go home alone after school. What if he was hooked away by some other vixen?
That's a full two hours, and it's such a precious opportunity after school in the afternoon. She couldn't be at ease.
What if something happens even if you don't expect it? She said she didn't even want that 'what if.'
"I might have to ask Shizuka first, right...?" Tsuna casually found an excuse.
"No need to ask." Shouko wrinkled her nose at him and snorted lightly.
"This morning, when you went to the bathroom to take a shower, I already asked for you. Auntie said that for your matters, it's fine for me to make the decision."
"...?" Tsuna was 'a little bit' speechless.
Shouko looked at his eyes pitifully. "Are you really at ease letting me apply for the art club alone?
If I'm the only one applying at this time, aren't you afraid I'll be bullied?"
"I—"
Before he could finish speaking, Shouko interrupted and added, "If there were other boys applying with me at this time,
Wouldn't you feel strange because he and I are applying at the same time?"
"I won't, I believe in you." Tsuna denied her statement without hesitation.
He was very confident in himself and Shouko.
"Then are you coming with me or not?" Shouko put away her pitiful appearance and increased the strength of her grip on his hand.
"Apply, apply, apply." Tsuna broke free from her hand, grasped it back, and said helplessly.
He didn't know who Shouko learned this trick from, she didn't learn any of the essence, what kind of mess is this?
Shouko heard this and finally couldn't help but smile.
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"Ah-choo..."
"What's wrong, Takagi?" Nishikata asked with concern.
"Nothing, just a little sneeze." Takagi Sana waved her hand casually, then asked in confusion, "Nishikata, why did you come out so late today?"
Takagi saw that there was still some fine sweat on his forehead and was a little confused.
"Haha..." Nishikata let out an awkward laugh. "I overslept this morning, so I came out late, sorry..."
"It's okay, after all, it's the first day, oversleeping is understandable."