59. So, Will the Problem Child Give a JK a Ride on the Back of His Bicycle?
As soon as Ishikawa Hikaru left the outdoor tennis court, he pulled out his phone to call Hayama while heading straight toward the parking lot.
Hayama answered almost immediately.
"Ishikawa?"
"Time might be tight, so I'll keep it brief," Hikaru said quickly. "Miura-san isn't with you right now, is she?"
"No."
"Does she usually commute to school by train? Which station?"
"Keisei Inage Station."
"So she has to go to the Takahama bus stop at the entrance of Seaside Park and take a bus to Keisei Inage, right?"
"That's right."
"When did she leave you?"
"Not long ago. No more than ten minutes."
"What did you say to her?"
"We talked about our past experiences growing up," Hayama paused before continuing. "And I also took the opportunity to tell her that I already have someone I like."
Even Hikaru was surprised.
"You didn't say you weren't planning to date in high school—you directly told her you already like someone?"
"Yeah."
"…You really know how to bring up sensitive topics," Hikaru muttered. "Fine. I'll handle this, but you owe me a favor."
By then, Hikaru had already reached the parking lot. He unlocked his bicycle, jumped on it, and quickly rode toward Takahama Station, about four hundred meters away from the Seaside Park entrance.
About thirty seconds later, he spotted Miura Yumiko standing by the roadside bus stop sign, looking down at her phone while waiting for the bus.
Even when Hikaru stopped his bicycle beside her, she didn't notice.
He rang the bell.
Ring.
Miura finally looked up.
Before she could react, Hikaru grinned.
"Why are you waiting for the bus here all by yourself? Need a ride?"
"N-no thanks."
"Don't be shy," Hikaru said, patting the back seat. "You won't get caught by the police."
"I don't have time for your nonsense," Miura snapped. "And stop bothering me."
"What a harsh thing to say," Hikaru sighed dramatically. "After all the effort I went through creating opportunities for you and Hayama to be alone—letting you spend time together at sunset, taking you to the water park—and when I run into you later and make a joke, you scold me?"
He sighed again.
"Fine. I'll ignore you as you wish."
"What a pity… your group falling apart is only a matter of time."
Hikaru pretended to ride away.
"Wait!"
Miura called out quickly.
"What?"
She hesitated before asking,
"What do you mean our group will fall apart?"
"Your group revolves around you and Hayama," Hikaru said honestly. "Everyone gathers because the two of you hang out together."
"You don't seriously believe the relationships in your group are that strong, do you?"
"Have you ever seen Tobe chatting alone with the girls in your group the way I do?"
Miura fell silent.
"So? Are you getting on or not?"
She hesitated for a moment before reluctantly climbing onto the back seat.
"If the police catch us, I'm not defending you."
"A three-thousand-yen fine?" Hikaru snorted. "Even twenty thousand wouldn't bother me."
"You seem to underestimate the financial strength of a self-made rich guy like me… and overestimate the number of Japanese police officers."
"What do you mean?"
"I looked it up. Japan's police force is severely understaffed, especially in big cities. As long as we don't do anything outrageous, they usually turn a blind eye."
"I don't care about that," Miura said, sitting sideways on the back seat. "If you get caught, you're on your own."
"Hold on tight."
"Tch."
She reluctantly wrapped her arms around his waist.
"Is this enough?"
"Let's go."
Hikaru rode the bicycle along the sidewalk, eventually stopping in front of a nearby Chinese restaurant.
"By the way," he asked, "can you eat spicy food?"
"Why are you asking? I can't."
"What a shame," Hikaru sighed. "I wanted to take you to try a new Sichuan-style malatang place nearby."
"Since you can't eat spicy food, we'll go somewhere else."
"And don't ask why we're going to a restaurant. I can't exactly discuss your group's problems on the side of the road."
Miura frowned.
"Forget that. What do you mean our group will fall apart?"
"Like I said," Hikaru replied calmly while riding, "your group exists because of you and Hayama."
"The fact that you're here alone means something happened between you two."
"Otherwise, why would Hayama let you leave alone and wait for a bus?"
He chuckled.
"Hayama's social skills are the result of elite upbringing. He's extremely good at maintaining appearances and controlling social situations."
"So if nothing had happened, how could he possibly let you wait alone at the bus stop?"
Miura clenched her teeth.
Hikaru continued talking casually.
"To be honest, I don't really like Hayama's way of doing things."
"Maybe it's because he grew up in an elite family, but he always acts like he's playing a role."
"He tries his best to maintain harmony, avoid conflict, and make sure no one is disliked."
"That's something adults do."
"For someone to use those methods so skillfully in high school…"
"…it feels a little fake."
"So Miura-san."
"I'm not denying your feelings."
"But the Hayama Hayato you like may just be the persona he shows everyone… not the real him."
Miura's hands tightened unconsciously around his waist.
Hikaru immediately winced and slammed the brakes.
He turned around with a pained expression.
"Miura-san… if you don't want to ride, just say so."
"There's no need to suddenly crush my waist while I'm cycling."
"What do you think I am? A steel body immune to machine guns?"
Miura quickly let go.
"S-sorry…"
"Let there not be a next time," Hikaru muttered. "Or I'll steer us straight into a truck and we'll both get reincarnated in another world."
---
60. So, Will the Problem Child Go on a Date with a JK?
"We're here."
Hikaru stopped the bicycle in front of a Chinese restaurant with characters Miura couldn't read.
"We'll solve everything here."
"Including lunch."
"A Chinese restaurant…?" Miura looked confused.
"Get off first."
"Oh."
After she got off, Hikaru parked the bicycle horizontally by the entrance and locked it.
"You can't park here," Miura said.
"Who actually follows every rule in real life?" Hikaru shrugged.
"Only high school students who haven't experienced society think that's unacceptable."
He walked inside.
The restaurant was full of Chinese conversation.
Hikaru sat down at an empty table and gestured for Miura to sit across from him.
"Everyone here is Chinese…" she whispered.
Hikaru looked surprised.
"What? Do you have something against Chinese people?"
"That's not what I meant!"
"I just meant… if we go in here, we might not even understand the menu."
"And if everyone around us is Chinese, it takes courage just to walk in."
"I see," Hikaru nodded.
"So for Japanese people, entering a Chinese restaurant full of Chinese customers feels like Japanese girls going alone to eat ramen."
"It feels like entering unfamiliar territory."
"Exactly."
"It's fine," Hikaru said casually. "If we come here a few more times, you'll get used to it."
At that moment, a middle-aged woman walked over with a menu written entirely in Chinese.
She placed it on the table and joked in Mandarin with a Cantonese accent.
"Guang Zai, is this your girlfriend? Haven't seen you in a while—have you been busy dating?"
"She's not my girlfriend," Hikaru replied. "Just a friend. I brought her to try authentic Chinese food."
"White-cut chicken, char siu, shrimp dumplings, two beers, and any soup."
The woman laughed.
"You still say she's not your girlfriend? Who brings a friend here to drink?"
"I'm just having a couple drinks."
"What soup? Pork rib soup?"
"As long as it's fresh."
"Then corn pork rib soup."
"OK."
She took the menus and left.
Miura stared at Hikaru in shock.
"You can speak Chinese… and so well?"
Hikaru looked equally surprised.
"Shouldn't I be able to?"
"That's not what I meant, I mean…"
She didn't know how to explain her shock.
"I don't need to list every talent or skill I have when making friends," Hikaru said casually.
"If I did that, it would be terrifying."
"…True."
"Besides," he added, "we haven't known each other long."
"You haven't even seen the real Hayama yet."
"You—!"
Before she could continue, the waitress returned with beer.
Miura stared at the bottles.
"Beer?! Wait—aren't we minors?"
"Relax," Hikaru said calmly while opening the bottle.
"This is a Chinese restaurant."
"No one here is checking whether we're Japanese or underage."
He poured himself a glass.
"Even if someone reported it, I could just say I'm Chinese and secretly opened the beer myself."
He took a sip.
"Cold beer is nice once in a while."
Miura's patience snapped.
"How are you always finding ways to exploit legal loopholes?!"
Hikaru blinked in surprise.
"What illegal things have I done?"
"I'm a law-abiding student."
"Please don't slander me."
Miura stared at him in disbelief.
"You've been breaking the law all day!"
"Riding a bicycle with a passenger, underage drinking—"
Hikaru shrugged.
"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."