The two of them walked together toward the library.
Nino raised her hand to fix her hair, gently patted her cheeks, and said, "Kuromori, don't blame Yotsuba. She's actually been working very hard."
Yesterday morning, Nino woke up very early. She saw Yotsuba sleeping at the table in the living room.
Nino knew well that Yotsuba had barely rested at night to pass her exams. This might also be why she failed.
As her sister, Nino naturally felt stressed and worried. She was even more afraid that Haruto would blame Yotsuba.
Although Haruto wasn't stingy, he had invested a lot, and the results had been poor, even facing the risk of getting fired.
Even if he didn't say it, he might feel a bit unhappy in his heart.
"I'm not blaming Yotsuba." Haruto said, a little speechless. "Why, in your eyes, am I so petty?"
"Not necessarily!" Nino glanced at him and hummed, "Anyway, even though you seem serious on the surface, aren't you all flustered on the inside?"
Haruto's face darkened.
Nino continued, "And you have no manners at all. You always like to bully others. You're clearly not that popular, and you're such a pervert."
"But..."
Nino turned her head upward, a sparkle in her eyes. Her bright blue eyes were purer and more beautiful than the evening sky.
"However, I really like you."
She raised her hand and placed it on her chest, with a sudden smile on her face: "I like you the most, Pervert Kuromori."
Haruto's heart surged, and he felt his heart beat again.
Nino being proactive.
Impossible to offend.
❀❀❀
Library
Miku stood near the window, bending over, covering the hem of her skirt with one hand, while gently tracing a book with her slim, white index finger.
The window was open.
In the bright sunlight, a gentle breeze blew in.
Perhaps because her hair was messy, Miku looked a little upset, but the next moment, her eyes lit up, and she pulled out a book.
But at that moment, Miku sensed something, looked toward the window, and saw Haruto and Nino walking together to the library.
If that were all, it would be fine. After all, Nino had now acknowledged Haruto. To express her apology, she even helped Haruto prepare lunch every day.
However, Miku knew that Nino wasn't just trying to apologize. Nino had long said that her love lunchbox would only be given to the man she liked.
So, Nino liked Haruto.
Miku had realized it long ago, but since Nino hadn't done anything, she felt relieved yet a bit uneasy.
Miku unconsciously bit her lip, and her eyes suddenly dropped.
She gripped the book tightly in her left hand, and the excitement she felt from finding a book she liked vanished in an instant.
❀❀❀
At the same time.
Outside the library, Haruto sensed something and looked up.
Nino also unconsciously turned her head.
But there was nothing to see.
Nino asked in confusion, "Kuromori, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Oh~"
Nino quickly shifted her focus and gritted her teeth, saying, "Anyway, this time, we have to help Yotsuba!"
As they approached the library, Nino reluctantly let go of Haruto's arm and muttered, "Honestly, you're clearly just a perverted and dull guy, so why do so many girls like you?"
The corner of Haruto's mouth twitched slightly.
This was the second time.
They walked into the library and went up to the second floor.
Hearing the footsteps, Itsuki's ahoge hair twitched, and she quickly wiped her mouth and hid the snack in her hand.
Haruto raised his eyes. Itsuki had said last weekend that she wanted to lose weight, exercise, and eat fewer snacks, yet here she was, having forgotten all that!
"Kuromori-kun, you're here."
"Mm." Haruto responded and looked around, but he didn't see Miku.
Nino sat down beside Itsuki: "Kuromori, what are you looking for?"
"Nothing." Haruto set down his school bag and said, "I'll go look for two reference books first. You can read for a while."
"Hurry up."
Haruto walked toward the book shelves, and after a moment, he saw Miku standing on tiptoe, trying to reach a book.
The girl kept stretching, clearly just a little too short, but no matter how close she was, she still couldn't reach it.
Haruto walked over and pulled the book down for her.
"Mmm~" Miku blinked, then looked at Haruto, took the book, bowed her head, and whispered, "Thank you."
Haruto replied, "Do you need another book?"
Miku turned away, leaving Haruto with a pout: "No, I feel a little unwell today, so I won't be studying."
Haruto suggested, "I can help with a massage."
Hearing those words, Miku bit her lip hard, and her mind immediately flashed back to incidents from the past month.
Her eyes began to cloud with mist.
Miku shook her head gently and whispered, "No, I'll just go home and rest."
Haruto pressed: "With your poor health, if you go home feeling unwell, you'll only feel worse."
Miku was displeased: "My health isn't that bad! Reckless Haruto, I don't want to talk to you!"
"Nino wants to go find Yotsuba for a bit." Haruto leaned against the bookcase, but at that moment, a girl with braids and old-fashioned glasses appeared silently, turned her head with a smile on her face.
'Hey, are you a ghost? Could you stop appearing so quietly?'
As Haruto straightened up, Sanshokuin Sumireko nodded slightly, looking at the two of them, a white gleam flashing in her glasses, a subtle expression on her face, then slowly walked away.
Miku let out a sigh of relief: "That administrator is scary."
Haruto said: "She's Sanshokuin Sumireko, a student in our year."
Miku took a breath, then glanced at him: "I didn't want to know."
"We have PE class together. If we meet again later, wouldn't it be awkward if we didn't know each other's names?"
"It won't be."
Unconsciously, Miku had actually started talking to him again.
Miku raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and gently looked at him, "Reckless Haruto, you..."
The voice paused for a moment.
Miku sighed, gathering her courage again, wanting to ask about Haruto and Nino, but at that moment, Nino's voice suddenly echoed.