Watching Ajitani run off, Kitano hadn't recovered from his heartbreak when Tanaka, who was behind him, lightly kicked him.
The two exchanged a look, and he could only hold back tears as he continued with the evening's plans, hiding in the shadows to prevent any accidents.
As Kitano left, Tanaka seemed to catch a glimpse of something sparkling in the moonlight.
"Um…"
Only after confirming that the other party was well-hidden did Tanaka look at the girl still standing motionless, unsure how to begin speaking.
...
Tsuna and Shouko crouched behind the swaying bamboo shadows, Shouko 's hand still clasped in Tsuna's.
She turned her face, her breath almost brushing his ear, and whispered, her eyes sparkling with amusement, "Tsuna, why are you two together?"
There was also a happily oblivious third wheel nearby…
"Oh, Shouko-chan, you don't even need to ask. Tanaka must have told Miyamura and the others about the confession tonight."
Ajitani took a moment to turn her head and glance at the two.
"No, it's Bei…—"
"Also? Tanaka also told you?"
"Huh!"
The sudden sound from behind made Ajitani almost jump, and Tsuna and she spun around!
They found that Nishikata and Takagi had already crept up behind them.
Shouko noticed his movement and also turned to see the two.
Nishikata clearly realized he had startled them, a "oops" expression flashing across his face, and he chuckled a bit awkwardly as an apology.
The three also made some space for the two newcomers.
"Class monitor, why did you also say 'also' just now?"
Seeing that Tanaka and the other person were still chatting, Nishikata took the opportunity to ask Ajitani.
"Tanaka probably wouldn't tell them. I guess it's Rinko?" Tsuna guessed.
"Huh? No way?"
Nishikata's surprised gaze shifted from Tsuna's face to Ajitani's, wanting to confirm if it was true or false.
"No," Ajitani waved her hand, "but I promised the other person to keep it a secret, so I can't tell you."
"Alright then…"
"However!" Ajitani's words took a turn at the end: "Given our relationship, I can reveal a tiny bit to you."
"Ajitani-chan?" Takagi looked at her, somewhat wanting to stop her from speaking further.
"It's fine, Takagi-chan, they probably won't guess." Ajitani waved her hand: "Someone from your dorm told us."
"Oh, it's Kitano."
Tsuna and Nishikata almost said it in unison, not even bothering to guess who would be so bored.
"…"
"How did you two immediately pinpoint Kitano?" Ajitani looked at them in shock.
"I told you…" Takagi was a bit helpless, silently mumbling as she rubbed her forehead: "How could they not guess…"
"When we returned to the dorm, he was the one who told us about it."
"…" Ajitani raised an eyebrow, speechless.
She took a quick glance at Rinko and Tanaka, who were still chatting endlessly not far away, then quickly pulled her gaze back.
She lightly tugged at Takagi's and Shouko 's yukata hems, bringing the three of them so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.
Her mysterious behavior made Nishikata unconsciously lean closer to Takagi.
Ajitani looked left and right… Although no one could see anyone clearly in the bamboo shadows, she then spoke in a mysterious, almost whispered tone, mixed with a giggle:
"You can guess that Kitano told you, but you definitely can't guess what kind of relationship Rinko-chan has with Kitano, right?"
In the dim environment, her words made everyone start guessing, except for Shouko, who was still staring in the direction of Rinko and Tanaka.
The light was too dim, Shouko couldn't hear or see anything clearly. The group huddled together, their lips moving like Morse code, utterly untranslatable.
'Forget it!'
She made a snap decision, her gaze like a spotlight, fixed firmly on Tanaka and Rinko, who were chatting happily in the moonlight ahead, her mental abacus clattering loudly:
'I'll just have Tsuna tell me when we get back. I can stay a bit longer, and maybe ask for a goodnight kiss or something.
It's the best of both worlds! I won't miss either piece of gossip!'
Shouko was basking in her own cleverness, while Ajitani and the others continued their conversation.
"Aren't they just classmates?"
"I guess father and daughter."
"No, no, I think it's mother and daughter."
"…"
Takagi and Ajitani looked at the two speechlessly.
"Can you two guess seriously?"
Nishikata shook his head: "I can't guess, Class Monitor, can you just tell us the answer?"
"Alright," Ajitani didn't make it difficult for them, mainly because she was afraid that some outrageous words might pop out of their mouths later:
"Rinko-chan and Kitano are childhood friends."
"?!?" Nishikata froze, his eyes unconsciously widening, his gaze shifting to Rinko.
"…Eh? Like Miyamura Shouko and them… that kind of relationship?"
Takagi tilted her head in confusion, her finger unconsciously tapping her lips, "Strange… Rinko never mentioned anything like that."
Seeing their surprised expressions, Ajitani was quite satisfied and said in a low voice:
"Although they are childhood friends, their relationship wasn't as close as Miyamura Shouko's before they got together."
"Look…—"
"However," Ajitani didn't give Nishikata a chance to speak and continued: "Kitano likes Rinko…"
"Ah!?"
"Slap…"
"Nishikata, keep your voice down…"
Takagi slapped Nishikata without hesitation, her surprised gaze unconsciously turning to the two still chatting.
She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that they hadn't noticed, but the surprise in her eyes had not faded.
"I didn't see it! I completely didn't see it! Kitano likes Rinko?!"
"There's a lot you don't see," Ajitani rolled her eyes at Nishikata.
"Then how did you know, Ajitani-chan?" Takagi suppressed the surprise in her heart, which was quickly replaced by confusion.
"When we were still at Miyamura's grandfather's house," Ajitani poked her forehead, recalling: "That day, Rinko had just broken up with her boyfriend, and that evening, Kitano confessed to her.
She even messaged me asking what to do, and we even had a video call."
"No wonder you disappeared for about an hour then…"
As Takagi's words fell, a thought flashed through her mind like lightning, instantly grasping the key to Ajitani's sentence. Her eyes widened abruptly, and almost without thinking, she raised her voice:
"Wait! No! You mean… Kitano?! He, he confessed to Rinko the night she broke up?!"
"…"
Nishikata was also shocked, but he still hesitated whether or not to imitate Takagi and slap her…
But then he thought about it and still couldn't bring himself to do it…
"So, are they together…?"
Nishikata forcibly shifted his attention, and his question was met with eye rolls from Tsuna and the other two…