Chapter 5: I'm not clean anymore!
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Horikita's attention seemed to be completely focused on the book in her hands, but Horikita Suzune was incredibly perceptive, noticing Rin Matsuoka's gaze on her almost immediately.
Perhaps Horikita Suzune's attention wasn't on the book at all.
Rin Matsuoka's hesitant look made Horikita Suzune purse her thin lips. She turned her head slightly and asked coldly, "Matsuoka, why are you looking at me like that?"
Horikita Suzune felt a slight pang of regret.
"I want to give my seat to her," Rin answered honestly, pointing at an old lady.
"Then why don't you give up your seat? Why are you looking at me?"
Horikita Suzune was even more puzzled.
"Well, I do want to give up my seat, but my body is telling me it doesn't want to. I'm too tired right now."
"So, Horikita, why don't you give up your seat for me?" Rin added, feeling a bit guilty.
Horikita Suzune narrowed her eyes, her gaze sharpening as she replied, "Matsuoka, you and I both came here by bus, not on foot, and we didn't bring any luggage. And now you say you're tired?"
"I'm tired from standing while waiting for the bus!"
"I remember you were in the track and field club in junior high and won first place in the 1500-meter race at the last sports meet. You didn't even look winded."
"Now you're saying standing makes you tired?"
Horikita Suzune's rebuttal was well-reasoned, leaving Rin Matsuoka unable to refute her words.
Feeling helpless, Rin thought for a moment and suggested, "Then let's play rock-paper-scissors. If I win, you give up your seat for me, and if you win, you give up your seat yourself."
"Heh." Horikita Suzune sneered, not wanting to engage with Rin's antics.
Seeing her ignore him, Rin said with a faint smile, "I don't know who it was who put their head on my arm just now."
Horikita Suzune's breath caught, and a faint blush spread across her face.
How embarrassing.
Rin continued with a sigh, "I'm not clean anymore."
The blush on Horikita Suzune's face deepened.
She was furious.
She hadn't even said she was unclean, yet here he was saying such things!
"Matsuoka, you were the one who put your arm against me first!" Horikita Suzune forced out the words stiffly.
Her tone was cold, like the chilling wind that blows when people dig for potatoes in Siberia.
"Well, I'm still not clean anyway."
"…Shut up. Fine, let's just play rock-paper-scissors!"
Horikita Suzune couldn't stand Rin's complaining tone, so she angrily extended her slender hand.
Rin laughed, pleased that his mischievous plan had worked.
"Rock, paper, scissors."
Horikita Suzune played Scissors, and Rin played Paper.
Horikita Suzune won.
She showed a barely visible smile of victory. "I won."
"Well, Horikita, you win. So, give up your seat."
"…" Horikita Suzune was slightly stunned, and then her face darkened. This jerk had tricked her again. According to what he had just said, she had to give up her seat whether she won or lost.
Horikita Suzune shot Rin a cold look, then stood up and said icily, "Come here, ma'am. I'll give you my seat."
Everyone in the bus looked at Horikita Suzune subtly, feeling the cold air emanating from her.
Just give up your seat if you want; why look so murderous? It seemed less like she was giving up her seat and more like she was about to kill someone…
Even the old lady was taken aback by Horikita Suzune's expression. Rin, who wasn't frightened, smiled and waved, "Come here, old lady. This considerate and kind person will give you a seat."
Horikita Suzune glanced at Rin Matsuoka again and said, "Even if you are praising me, I will not forgive you!"
The old lady with a cane tremblingly sat down in Horikita Suzune's seat.
"[Congratulations to the host. You have completed the task and obtained a point of personal quality enhancement (random enhancement). Would you like to use it?]"
"Save it. Now is not the time for enhancements," Rin Matsuoka responded to the narration system in his mind.
"[Acknowledged.]"
The old lady sitting there thanked Horikita Suzune, saying, "Thank you, child."
Horikita Suzune, whose expression had calmed down, replied with a slightly awkward tone, "You're welcome."
"You're really welcome. After all, it's a pleasure to help others," Rin Matsuoka added with a smile, clearly in a good mood.
Others nearby subtly twitched their lips in amusement. It's not like you were the one who gave up the seat, so why are you acting so gracious here?
Then, Rin stood up, walked over to Horikita Suzune, and pointed to his seat while meeting her cold gaze, one that could freeze a small animal to death.
"Don't look at me like that. I'll give you my seat."
"…"
Horikita Suzune pursed her lips, glaring at Rin, who had offered her his seat for no apparent reason. "No need. I lost. I admit defeat."
"But you just won."
"…"
Horikita Suzune was tired and didn't feel like engaging with this irritating person any further.
Neither Rin nor Horikita Suzune sat down in the seats, choosing instead to stand and hold onto the bus's pull rings.
They didn't have to stand for long; about five or six minutes later, the bus arrived at the gates of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.
Rin Matsuoka looked out the window and saw a gate made of natural rocks. It appeared simple and beautiful...
Well, Rin couldn't continue praising it. The truth was, the school gate was rather ugly.
As soon as the bus door opened, Kikyo Kushida darted off first, her short legs propelling her swiftly into the school. The other boys and girls in school uniforms also got off the bus one after another.
Rin, Horikita Suzune, and the old lady were in no rush and fell behind.
The old lady stood up with the help of her cane. She looked kindly at Horikita Suzune and said, "You are a good child. You should receive many rewards."
"What?" Horikita Suzune looked at the old lady in surprise, but unfortunately, the woman didn't say anything else and slowly got off the bus.
Horikita Suzune turned to Rin, "Matsuoka, did you hear what she said just now?"
"Yeah, I heard it."
"What do you think she meant?"
"I don't know," Rin shrugged. He asked the narration system, but as expected, it didn't respond.
The narration system's silence was nothing new. It typically only responded about twice out of every ten questions Rin asked.
"Let's go. Don't think too much about it. Let's explore the school first."
Rin Matsuoka and Horikita Suzune got off the bus one after another, walking side by side into Tokyo Metropolitan Koukou Ikusei High School, where they would begin their third year.
After passing through the school gate, Rin's gaze was immediately drawn to a blond boy with a build similar to that of a gorilla. Instead of wandering around like the others, he had settled himself directly on the grass in the shade of a tree not far away.
"Is this guy sleeping? Quite the independent weirdo," Rin mused aloud, observing the blond boy lying on the ground with his eyes closed, and showing a bit of hesitation.