Tokyo: Idol Girls have absolutely no bad intentions!

"Tanaka-kun?" The coach narrowed his eyes. "What's the matter? Are you trying to say you're one of them?"

"Uh, me." The guy, who wasn't good with words, was stumped by the coach's question right away.

But Tanaka gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and shouted at the coach.

"Ito-senpai, I invited him to train with me. I really love basketball, and even though you coaches say such things about me, I don't want to give up, so I wanted Ito-senpai to teach me."

"I don't want to recall my student days; all I remember is sitting on the bench." He raised his head, his gaze hardening. "Coach, I really want to play basketball!"

Saying this is almost equivalent to bringing his experience of being bullied in the basketball team into the open, and is a public refutation of the coach's face.

Regardless of how this matter is handled, after this incident, the other party's life in the basketball club will definitely not be good.

The coach remained silent, staring at Tanaka for a while before turning his gaze to Ito, who was behind Mori.

"You were invited by this kid to coach him on basketball?"

This statement doesn't sound like a question; it sounds more like talking to oneself.

Before Ito could answer, Mori spoke up first, "Of course not, senpai has no relationship with anyone else."

When he said this, Mori looked like a child guarding a precious treasure.

For some reason, Mori had a lot of hostility towards him when he entered the arena from Tanaka.

The coach didn't take Mori's almost defiant words seriously; he simply looked at Ito calmly.

"You really don't plan to join the basketball team?"

The old man still refused to give up.

“I don’t want to.” Ito shook his head decisively in refusal.

Before the old man could speak again, Mori took a piece of paper folded into quarters from his pocket, tossed it to him, and then pulled Ito away from the gymnasium.

Ito keenly noticed that the paper had the student council's stamp on it.

No one stopped them, and they escaped without any trouble.

"Phew!" Seeing that no one was chasing after him, Mori calmed his breathing, then turned and pointed at Ito's chest, "Senpai, why did you act on your own?"

"I......"

Mori didn't give Ito a chance to explain, glaring at him fiercely, "You're a bastard. You said at noon that you wanted to spend more time together, but you came to the gym alone behind my back."

She sighed and walked away from the school on her own, with Ito following behind her.

"So how did you find your way here?"

"Is this so difficult?" Mori asked with a tone of exasperation. "Did you intentionally do this behind my back, senior?"

"Of course not."

Even if it were true, he wouldn't admit it.

The two walked on until they left the school gate, which, according to the direction of their homes, should have been the point where they parted ways.

Just as Ito was about to say goodbye to Mori, his raised hand was pressed down by Mori.

"?"

Under Ito's puzzled gaze, Mori took his hand and headed in the opposite direction from home.

"My home is not in this direction."

"Of course I know." Mori said, turning back to scrutinize Ito as they walked. "I really don't understand what you're thinking all day long, senpai?"

You just don't understand what you're thinking.

"Could it be?" Mori's tone became intriguing, "Is your senior thinking about how to come over to my room?"

"He knew my parents weren't home today, so it seems I misunderstood you, senpai." Mori said something that could be misinterpreted, "It seems senpai isn't indifferent to me, but rather..."

"Stop!" If Mori continues, Ito might be going to have a drink tomorrow. "I'll go with you, please don't say any more."

He raised the flag of surrender and let Mori lead him forward.

After all, I skipped a club activity, and there's still quite a long time to go.

"If only you had done this earlier, senior!" General Mori said, his hands behind his back, as he excitedly made his way toward his goal. "What a naughty fellow."

That's a really annoying nickname.

"Welcome!" With a friendly greeting from the staff, Ito and Mori were led to a seat.

Ito lowered his head and chose to ignore the shop assistant's intentional or unintentional glances.

Sitting across from her, Mori seemed oblivious to the situation as she listened to the clerk explaining the menu.

This guy definitely did it on purpose, including the shop assistant!

In a couples' café near Hibiya High School, Ito felt like he'd been tricked.

This location is even the same one that Takikawa used when he last came here.

Even the waitresses serving the customers were the same person.

"Extra-large fries, tonkotsu ramen, a matcha milkshake, no ice, and finally, a tiramisu." After ordering, Mori handed the menu to Ito. "What would you like to eat, senpai?"

"Why are you eating so much?" Ito asked casually. "A cup of hot cocoa would be fine."

After the shop assistant left, Mori glared at Ito with hostility. "Where's the extra stuff?!"

This is almost more than Asada's appetite. It's not a small amount, and it's not even four o'clock yet. If we finish this, will we skip dinner?

Although that's what he was thinking, Ito wouldn't say it directly. He changed the subject, "So, Mori-gami, why did we come here?"

"What I mean is, since it's a beverage shop, it probably can't serve food as well as a family restaurant, right?"

"It's really low-class to deliberately avoid things like this, senpai!" Mori's eyes still didn't leave Ito's face.

"Eh~ Fine, since you didn't sneak away at the door and leave me all alone, I'll tell you why I chose to stay here."

"The reason is simple, that is..." Mori pointed her phone, which had a pendant on it, at Ito, "I'm jealous!"

Chapter 169 Is escaping shameful but useful?

Jealous!

Upon hearing this, Ito had the urge to quickly cover the other person's mouth.

Saying this in a couples' beverage shop, won't it cause misunderstandings?

The shop assistant, who was keeping a close eye on the area, was noticed by Ito, and she awkwardly wiped the table with a cloth.

"I, we..."

"Aren't we a couple now?" Mori straightened her back slightly, making sure that Ito only saw herself as a girl.

That's right.

“That’s more like it.” Mori snapped his fingers. “It’s normal for a girlfriend to be jealous, especially since I’m your girlfriend, senior.”

It's really abnormal for her to be jealous all the time, and it has nothing to do with whether she's my girlfriend or not.

"Guest! Your cocoa and less iced matcha milkshake is ready!"

After the overly enthusiastic staff brought her the drink, she retreated to a spot not far away.

It was obvious they were planning to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"After all, he's an upperclassman, so it's inevitable that he has to deal with so many girls every day. I can't change his personality." Mori stirred the matcha milkshake in front of him with a straw.

"But all I want is to be different from others. Can't you even grant me this much, senior?" She looked at the water droplets condensing on the glass with a dejected tone.

Based on Ito's understanding of Mori, if someone is truly sad, they definitely won't say it out loud, at least not in this way.

Combined with the slightly disdainful looks from those around him, Ito became even more certain that the other party was seeking revenge.

So what are you jealous of?

He couldn't possibly be jealous of Tanaka; he had absolutely no connection with that scruffy-bearded junior.

Compared to the past, he didn't interact with any girls much today, at least not in his opinion.

"So, my senior still cares about why I'm jealous... I'm so touched." Mori made a gesture of wiping away tears, seemingly genuinely moved.

"......"

That's too much.

"I'd better head back before the tram gets too crowded," Ito said, getting up to leave.

The expected attempt to persuade him to stay did not occur. Mori looked at him with amusement, his fingertips intentionally or unintentionally touching the cup of cocoa that he had only taken a sip of.

The meaning was self-evident, and Ito had no choice but to sit down.

Even if it's just the price of a drink, we should save where we can. After all, Asada sacrificed herself for it, so we should try our best too.

"Here are your extra-large fries!"

The shop assistant's energetic voice rang out again.

Upon seeing the large plate on the table, Mori quickly reached for the fries.

"So, is it really okay to eat like this?" Ito couldn't help but worry.

"Asada-senpai treats everything as dessert. So, by comparison, fries are actually a dessert too."

Mori tried to dodge the topic by spouting her French fry theory.

This is no different from whether it's a dessert or not.

“Senior…” Mori picked up an extra-long French fry with her fingers and stared at Ito. “Apologize to me first!”

"I'm sorry." Although I didn't know what he did wrong, perhaps he noticed my inner complaints.

After all, Mori is indeed very perceptive.

"Then I forgive my senior for cheating." Mori nodded in satisfaction, dipped the fries in ketchup, and brought them to Ito's lips.

Ito naturally opened his mouth and ate it, too lazy to correct the absurd word "cheating".

“It’s Takikawa-senpai.” Mori said the name that Ito didn’t expect while eating fries.

It's her again?