I endured the humiliation and humiliation while being besieged by the ghost story elder sister.

Meanwhile, the girl named Nishiyama Kyoko, who had met Himo once before, was chatting with her best friends about what happened yesterday.

"How about we go visit Himio-kun's house? If so many of us go together, Himio probably won't refuse our invitation to visit, right?"

Someone suggested a terrible idea, which was immediately met with boos; no one agreed with her idea.

"Going there so suddenly, and with so many people, is bound to annoy Himiko. No wonder you've never had a boyfriend..."

Just as this group of girls were discussing Nozomi's situation, an untimely voice suddenly rang out from the side.

"But... isn't Nozomi's house a haunted house?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, their gazes filled with curiosity as they wondered which idiot had been so tactless as to utter such a thing.

For a moment, the coffee shop fell silent.

Meanwhile, in the yard of Nozomi's house, the sounds of playful laughter could be heard from the inflatable swimming pool from time to time.

Since there was really no place to sit, Hiyo had no choice but to lie down on Arisa's lap.

Although the soaked swimsuit felt very cold to him, he didn't complain when the soft cushions on his back made him feel comfortable.

"Are we just going to stay soaking in the water all day?"

Feeling a bit bored, Ximiao couldn't help but ask this question, which made him feel inexplicably like a seal or sea lion in an aquarium, a little dull.

Upon hearing Nozomi's complaint, Honoka, who clearly hadn't expected him to say that, was momentarily stunned.

To be honest, it can get a bit boring to just sit here and do nothing.

"How about we move the TV? From here, we can see the living room. That way, we can watch TV while soaking in the pool, right?"

Arisa made this suggestion, and as soon as she finished speaking, she received unanimous agreement from the others.

Suddenly, Xi Ling stood up from the pool, splashing water that was just above her knees. The others were a little confused and asked in bewilderment.

"Mio, where are you going?"

"Huh? Weren't we going to move the TV?" Xi Miao was also a little puzzled as to why they were looking at her like that.

Arisa, Honoka, and Aunt Ami were all scrutinizing his thin arms and legs, seriously doubting whether Nozomi could successfully move the television to the right position.

However, it was clear that Arisa was not entirely comfortable leaving Himiko to do this alone, so she got up and followed him into the living room.

First, she let Mio go forward alone to try to move the 40-inch TV. After confirming that Mio couldn't lift the TV, Arisa walked forward with a smile and teased her.

"What? Can't you lift it?"

"..."

"Why don't you ask me for help? Mio, you just need to ask me, and I'll help you~ You don't want to embarrass yourself or show off in front of my mom and Honoka, do you?"

Arisa, who seemed to have been given a chance to bully Hio, had no intention of letting the opportunity slip by. She looked at Hio with a smile, waiting for him to make a decision.

After hearing what Arisa said, Himo fell silent and turned to look at Honoka and Aunt Ami, who were still in the courtyard outside the house.

In the end, out of pride, he surrendered to Arisa and asked the girl to move the television to a suitable location for him.

As for Himo herself, she went to the kitchen to see if she could make some snacks or desserts to satisfy her cravings and last until lunchtime.

"Grumble... There's not much left in the fridge. Looks like I'll have to make time to go to the supermarket."

After glancing at the contents of the refrigerator, Ximiao muttered to herself, making a mental note of the matter.

On the other side, Yasuie, who was watching over the shop as usual and smiling at the occasional customers, sighed helplessly.

If she could, she really wanted to stay at home and stick to Himo all day long without any shame or fuss.

But if she actually does that, the store will have no income, which would be a problem.

Just then, a commotion came from outside the shop, which startled Ba Zi. She then looked up and gazed in the direction of the shop door.

A large group of girls walked into the store, their noisy chatter giving Ba Zi a headache, but she had no choice but to brace herself and deal with them.

Hello~ How can I help you?

"Um... what about that light blond-haired boy from yesterday? Isn't he working here anymore?"

"Eh?"

Hachiko, who hadn't expected them to come over to ask about Hiyo, was stunned and couldn't figure out what they wanted for a moment.

"You must be Ms. Yagami~ the one who lives at Nozomi's house..."

"Yes, it's me. But what do you need to see Ximiao about?"

"We want to ask Hsi-Miao out, but we don't know if he's free. Could you ask him for us? We can say we're old classmates or friends and we're planning to have a social gathering at the coffee shop."

"A social gathering?"

Before Ba Chi could figure out what this meant, the group of girls came and went in a flurry.

She was left alone in the shop, looking somewhat bewildered as the glass door slowly closed, unsure of what to do.

Meanwhile, the group of girls, who had been mentally preparing themselves for who knows how long, were all discussing the invitation they had just received.

Do you think Nozomi will agree to go to the coffee shop for a mixer?

"Who knows? But aren't social events only for college students? Won't we run into trouble if we do this?"

Some girls still worry that using this as an excuse might not be enough to convince Nozomi to come over.

After all, it was originally just a social gathering for young women in their town, and there were also some housewives who went along. If Xi Ling actually got to the coffee shop and found that she was the only guy there, I wonder what he would think.

They might be happy~ (just kidding)

……

evening.

After a long day of work, Hachiko was on her way home.

What she enjoys most every day is walking along this path, exhausted but feeling the sea breeze, which helps her relax after a long day of work.

She had heard a little about the social gathering at the coffee shop tomorrow; someone had previously placed a notice board at their door.

But as far as I know, tomorrow's social gathering was supposed to be a social event for young women in town, so how did it turn into what they call a reunion of former classmates?

However, she still felt that she should tell Ximiao and the others the whole story when she got home later.

As for whether or not to attend the gathering, the choice is in Ximiao's hands, just like last time when she entrusted Ximiao with the decision regarding the shop.

She quickly took out the key from under the blanket, opened the door, and walked into the entryway, taking off her shoes.

As soon as she stepped into the living room, she smelled the aroma of food, which immediately whetted her appetite, causing her flat little belly to protest.

"Mio..."

"Ok?"

Ximiao, who was busy in the kitchen, turned around and looked at Hachiko, who had just returned home, after hearing her call her name.

There are some things I want to tell you.

"Then let's wait a bit. I'm busy preparing dinner, so it might be a little hectic."

After receiving Xi Ling's reply, she nodded, sat on the cushion next to the kotatsu, and slowly stretched, wanting to relax her body.

Then, she heard Arisa, who was sitting opposite her, ask a question with some curiosity.

"Hey, what are you planning to say to Himo?"

"Eh?"

"Just tell me~ It's not something we can't hear about, is it?"

After much coaxing and pleading from Arisa, Yashiro finally told her that a large group of girls had come to the store that day, specifically wanting to invite Nozomi to tomorrow's social gathering.

Because the volume wasn't controlled, even Himiko, who was in the kitchen, could hear a little bit of what was happening.

"A girls' social event? Why would Nozomi Ranki be included in a girls' social event?"

Arisa was a little confused as to how this matter could have gotten involved with Nozomi.

But soon, she remembered the girl who had tried to talk to Mio when Mio was working at the general store.

Presumably, this matter has something to do with her, but without evidence, it's not really appropriate for her to say anything.

Arisa then had no choice but to focus her attention on how to deal with the invitation to the social gathering, hoping to get rid of all the women who kept trying to swarm around her once and for all.

"Tsk, having a boyfriend who's too popular is a problem..."

Chapter Twenty-Four: Stealing Food

A class reunion? Do I have to go?

After washing the dishes, Xi Ling sat down in her seat and listened to Hachiko tell her about what happened at the store. She couldn't help but feel a little speechless.

He had already told the girl named Kyoko Nishiyama that he no longer remembered the names of his former classmates, so he didn't feel any particular nostalgia or anything like that.

But they wouldn't let it go, coming over to disturb my wonderful, leisurely summer vacation, which was really annoying.

However, Yashiro did not notice Hiyo's displeasure and simply said quietly.

"It's up to you whether you go or not~ But as far as I know, the coffee shop tomorrow isn't hosting a social event for classmates, but rather a social event for young women in town."

"Eh?"

This surprised Ximiao somewhat, but he still didn't really want to go there.

Just as he was about to refuse, Arisa suddenly spoke up.

"I'll go, but they shouldn't mind. Mio, why don't you bring a few bodyguards with you?"

"what?"

Himio suddenly turned his head to the side, unable to believe that Arisa had actually agreed to this on his behalf.

But what exactly is this bodyguard she's talking about?

Before Nozomi could ask any more questions, Arisa pulled Honoka's sleeve, who was standing to the side with her head down, peeling an orange and eating it, and looked at her with a smile.

"You'll be coming with us tomorrow, right?"