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"Hitori-chan, I'm here."
Arriving near the Gotō Residence, Kitahara Makoto looked up and saw Bocchi-chan peeking out from the doorway.
"Thank you, Kitahara-kun…"
Gotō Hitori walked over, her small face flushed.
"Don't come out so early tomorrow. Wait until I arrive before you leave." Kitahara Makoto paused, then said casually, "Also, Hitori-chan, there's no problem with me bothering you for your life-saving kindness for a lifetime."
"A-a lifetime…"
Gotō Hitori blinked, the temperature on her small face suddenly rising. She nervously lowered her head to look at her toes.
If it were before, she could still deceive herself that Kitahara Makoto's words were just 'unintentional' and not to be taken to heart, but now she couldn't deceive herself anymore… He was clearly saying it on purpose for her to hear.
"Let's go." Kitahara Makoto smiled. "It's almost time to go to the Train Station."
Bullying Bocchi-chan and making Little Miss Anxiety flustered and blush was indeed enjoyable.
"…"
The two walked towards the Train Station, one in front of the other.
Bocchi-chan kept her head down and didn't speak, but Kitahara Makoto certainly wouldn't let the atmosphere go cold. He spoke to himself:
"I've already asked Hana, the cookies won't be ready until tomorrow, and there aren't many. I'll bring them to Hitori-chan tomorrow noon."
When they were alone, Gotō Hitori was still too shy to speak, so she could only pick up her phone and send a message:
"N-no, thank you. The cookies are too precious…"
Kitahara Makoto said seriously: "The cookies aren't important. What's important is that Hitori-chan and I both get into Todai."
Gotō Hitori stammered: "That kind of thing is definitely impossible…"
Kitahara Makoto walked and said: "That's why you need the study cookies. Hitori-chan also wants to be her parents' pride, right?"
"…"
Bocchi-chan parted her pink lips, unable to utter any words of denial.
If she could, she naturally wanted to be her parents' pride too.
It was just that with her previous grades, let alone getting into Todai, she might not even get into university. But after experiencing the magic of the animal cookies, a tiny hope involuntarily arose in Bocchi-chan's heart.
As long as Kitahara-kun was by her side, maybe she really could get into Todai…
"And Kita." Kitahara Makoto continued to talk as they walked, not feeling awkward at all. "How are Kita's grades?"
"Kita's grades are very good, much better than mine." When speaking of her friend, Gotō Hitori quickly responded softly, "Also… Kita said she wants to try a cookie too."
"Oh?"
"Kita is very curious and wants to see if the cookies are really that magical."
"No problem." Kitahara Makoto naturally wouldn't refuse. "But you have to make it clear to Kita that she must not eat it outside, otherwise it would be troublesome if she turned into a small animal."
Gotō Hitori quickly nodded: "Kita definitely wouldn't dare to eat it at school."
"…"
Talking along the way, the two unknowingly arrived at the Train Station.
"It's still ten minutes until nine…" Kitahara Makoto looked at Little Miss Anxiety behind him and said gently, "Do you want to buy a small cake for your aunt as a gift today?"
"Not buying today." Gotō Hitori shook her head and picked up her phone to reply, "Mom said eating small cakes at night makes you gain weight."
"That makes sense." Kitahara Makoto nodded. "Then let's buy one for Futari?"
"Eh?"
Gotō Hitori looked up.
Kitahara Makoto said softly, "If you only buy a small cake for Gotō-san and not for Futari, what if Futari accidentally lets it slip one day? She'll definitely cry, right?"
Gotō Hitori: "..."
Futari was only five years old this year. If she knew that no small cake had been bought for her, she might really cry.
"Then... buy one?"
Gotō Hitori hesitated.
"Of course we should buy one."
Kitahara Makoto led the way to the convenience store not far away. "I'm going to buy a cake for Hana too."
Gotō Hitori quickly followed.
The two entered the convenience store. Like yesterday, there were hardly any customers at this time, and the convenience store was quite deserted.
"What a pity..."
Kitahara Makoto looked around and suddenly sighed.
"Eh, Kitahara-kun, what's wrong?"
Gotō Hitori looked up with a puzzled expression.
Kitahara Makoto's expression was regretful: "The Kyokudo Uncle from last night didn't show up today."
"Eh?"
Gotō Hitori blinked blankly. A few seconds later, her small face suddenly flushed rapidly.
(Only a Kyokudo Uncle she'd met once wouldn't make anyone feel regret. Kitahara-kun clearly wanted to use this as an excuse to hold, hold...)
Gotō Hitori's face was crimson. She hurriedly hid her small hands behind her back, then hid to the side.
Kitahara Makoto said without changing his expression, "Let's go buy small cakes."
"Ah..."
The two of them each chose their small cakes and then walked to the cashier.
Today's night shift cashier was a young woman, who looked like a university student, with a clear foolishness in her eyes.
Just as they reached the cashier, a small hand suddenly tugged at Kitahara Makoto's clothes, then lightly pulled.
"What's wrong?"
Kitahara Makoto turned to look at Little Miss Anxiety behind him.
Gotō Hitori pitifully handed over the small cake: "P-Please, Kitahara-kun, help me pay. I'll give you the money later."
Kitahara Makoto looked around and said speechlessly, "Today it's just the two of us. Do you want to try paying yourself?"
"No, thank you."
Gotō Hitori quickly shook her small head and raised her phone to send a message. "Paying is too scary. The cashier asks so many questions. Once, when I went to a convenience store, the cashier uncle was really scary. My voice was too soft, and he couldn't hear me, so he kept asking me again and again... So scary! Even now, when I think about it, it's still so scary!"
If she were alone, Bocchi-chan might reluctantly pay herself, but with Kitahara Makoto as her support right now, Gotō Hitori didn't want to 'confront' the cashier at all.
"Then I'll pay."
Kitahara Makoto took the small cake and said softly, "Hitori-chan, wait for me outside first."
"Mhm, mhm."
Gotō Hitori nodded quickly, like a deserter granted amnesty, and darted out of the convenience store.
A moment later.
Kitahara Makoto finished paying and walked out of the convenience store with two small cakes.
"Thank you, Kitahara-kun."
Gotō Hitori thanked him gratefully, offering the prepared change with both hands.
Kitahara Makoto took the change and said casually, "Next time you encounter something that needs paying for, remember to call me over to help."
"Eh?"
Gotō Hitori looked up in surprise.
"What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing..."
Gotō Hitori quickly lowered her small head and stammered softly, "I thought Kitahara-kun would be like Mom and encourage me to be brave enough to pay in the future."
"If Hitori-chan wants to try, then try. If she doesn't want to try, that's perfectly fine too."
Kitahara Makoto said casually, "Everyone has their own personality and way of life. As long as you don't cause trouble for others, you don't need to force yourself to change."
"In my opinion, social anxiety and introversion have never been flaws."
Gotō Hitori looked up in surprise, her eyes sparkling as she looked over: "Kitahara-kun thinks I don't need to change?"
"Indeed, you don't."
Kitahara Makoto looked at Bocchi-chan, his tone serious, "In this world, some people like lively crowds, and of course, some people prefer to be alone in quiet solitude. Whether it's social anxiety or introversion, as long as you don't feel troubled by it, there's no problem at all."
"With your own hobbies and two or three good friends, even if you're socially anxious and introverted your whole life, life can still be very happy."
"To force yourself to change just to cater to others' opinions, that's foolish."
Gotō Hitori's eyes sparkled: "B-But Mom said that work will be very hard in the future..."
"Then find a job that allows you to work from home, a job that involves as little contact with others as possible."
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow and said, "The world is so big. Not everyone has to enter the workplace and struggle. As long as you don't cause trouble for others, even if you lie flat, it's fine."
"Mhm, mhm."
Gotō Hitori quickly nodded.
Ever since she watched those Japan dramas exposing the dark side of the workplace when she was little, Gotō Hitori had developed a deep fear of society and work—
Absolutely not! I don't want to work! Society is truly too terrifying!
High school had just begun, and Gotō Hitori didn't actually have a very clear plan for the future. She only knew that with her academic performance, she definitely wouldn't get into university. In that case, she would likely have to work after graduating from high school...
But today, Gotō Hitori suddenly discovered a new path in life.
She could avoid troubling her parents, avoid going out to work in society, and even avoid frequently interacting with others.
That's right, it was a common Japan housewife.
After graduating from high school, she would directly transition into being a housewife, and then she wouldn't have to work in society!
Before this, Gotō Hitori had never considered the option of being a housewife in her mind. After all, someone like her, neither cute nor smart, would surely be unpopular and might end up living alone until old age.
But now...
A future scene, which she had never dared to imagine, appeared in her mind. Steam quickly rose from Little Miss Anxiety's head, and even her body began to sway.
"Hitori-chan, what's wrong?"
Kitahara Makoto asked with a raised eyebrow.
"N-Nothing..."
Gotō Hitori quickly hid her small head against her chest, not daring to look up at all.
Shameless!
Absolutely too shameless!
They were only in their first year of high school; it was far too early to be thinking about such things!
A moment later.
A train arrived on time.
"Hitori-chan, let's go pick up Gotō-san."
Kitahara Makoto waved his hand and, like yesterday, hid in a corner.
"Thank you, Kitahara-kun..."
Bocchi-chan thanked him softly, carrying the small cakes in both hands, and went to the platform to wait for Gotō-san.
Kitahara Makoto stood in the shadows, looking on from a distance. Although Gotō-san said she didn't need to be picked up, a bright smile indeed appeared on her face when she saw Bocchi-chan.
There was no need to say more about what happened next. Kitahara Makoto secretly escorted Bocchi-chan and Gotō-san home. The journey was safe and sound, and the windbreaker evil spirit did not appear.
After seeing Bocchi-chan enter her home, Kitahara Makoto turned to go back to his own house.
Before he even reached home, his phone suddenly vibrated.
Kitahara Makoto took out his phone, and his eyebrows immediately rose.
Nagasaki Soyo: "...Kitahara-kun, that evil spirit found me!"
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