Tokyo: Idol Girls have absolutely no bad intentions!

"The hospital?" Mori's expression instantly turned concerned. "Are you feeling unwell, senpai?"

“No.” Ito shook his head, his tone softening. “I’m going to visit my grandmother.”

"Oh! It's Grandma!" Mori suddenly realized, and the concern in his eyes was instantly replaced by a brighter, more... alarming light that made Ito's heart race.

She suddenly moved closer to Ito, and the distance between them instantly shrank to the point where they could almost feel each other's breath.

"Eh—?!?!" Mori exclaimed dramatically, a mixture of surprise and mischief. "Meeting the parents so soon?!"

"Wait, stop your jumping around in your head. I just need to visit my grandmother." Ito tried to make this obvious point clear.

"Isn't visiting Grandma like meeting the parents?" Mori asked matter-of-factly, his eyes sparkling. "Grandma is a very important elder! The fact that you told me about this trip, does that mean...?"

She deliberately dragged out her words, "...Senior, you actually already consider me a very important person? So you want me to 'show my face' in front of Grandma beforehand?"

“That’s absolutely not true!” Ito felt his temples throbbing. “I was just casually telling you about my schedule, don’t overthink it.”

"Oh? Just 'casually'?" Morishi tilted his head, his smile becoming sweeter and more "dangerous." "Then... would you mind taking me to see Grandma 'by the way'? I promise I'll be very good and sensible. I also want to say hello to my kind Grandma."

Kindness? How can that word be associated with Yuriko Minamoto in any way?

"No way!" Ito refused without even thinking.

Take Sen up to see Grandma? Heaven knows what that guy will say to her.

"Why not?" Mori immediately pouted, her eyes quickly welling up with tears. "You're so mean, senpai! I just wanted to show my concern and see what kind of grandmother raised such a... well, 'special' person like you. Do you think I'm not presentable enough and will embarrass you?"

She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, looking as if she was about to cry and heartbroken.

"No matter what you say, I will never agree. Besides, my grandma doesn't like to interact with strangers."

“I’m not a stranger. I’m my senior’s girlfriend, and… my grandmother’s granddaughter-in-law.” Mori raised her head, her large eyes looking directly at Ito with an unyielding determination.

"I promise I'll be quiet, I'll just stay for a little while, say hello and leave, I absolutely won't say anything! Senior~ please! Take me with you!"

She clasped her hands together, like a cat begging for dried fish, and began her "cuteness" offensive, gently shaking Ito's arm.

Ito was dizzy from being shaken around, looking at her with that "I'll cry if you don't take me" attitude.

"I haven't settled accounts with my senior yet regarding his cohabitation with Asada-senpai..." she suddenly lowered her voice, as if a devil were whispering.

Another threat.

"Okay, absolutely quiet? No talking?" he asked with difficulty, his tone full of distrust.

"Yes, yes, yes! I swear! I guarantee it with my integrity and my future lunchbox!"

Mori nodded vigorously, raised three fingers, and looked "incredibly" sincere.

“…Sigh.” Ito sighed.

Watching Mori's cheerful departure, Ito leaned against the stair railing, feeling utterly exhausted.

He rubbed his temples, feeling as if he hadn't just agreed to a visitation request, but rather signed an "unequal treaty."

Tomorrow... will nothing unexpected really happen?

The afternoon exam was spent listening to the sound of Ms. Toji's high heels.

The questions were of moderate difficulty, and Ito handled them with ease, though his thoughts occasionally drifted to tomorrow's "difficult" hospital trip.

Mori's sly smile and the words "meeting the parents" kept echoing in his mind.

During club activities, the atmosphere at the drama club's rehearsal was somewhat subtle.

Fujikawa looked dejected and stiff from the morning's exam; Shinno remained silent, but a hint of anxiety flickered in his eyes; Eirikari seemed somewhat absent-minded.

Only Mori was exceptionally serious and hardworking during rehearsals, even taking the initiative to help Natsumi organize the props.

However, when her eyes met Ito's, she would blink rapidly and a meaningful smile would appear on her lips, a smile that only the two of them understood.

Time passed amidst the lines, the blocking, and the instructions.

When the school bell finally rang, Ito felt as if he had fought a long and arduous war of attrition.

He packed his things and left the club activity room. As he changed his shoes at the shoe locker, he saw Asada Sakura, who was already waiting there.

In stark contrast to her usual energetic self, she resembled a wilted cabbage, leaning listlessly against the wall, her head drooping, her usually perky ahoge drooping listlessly.

Her pretty little face was scrunched up, filled with frustration and... utter despair?

Ito walked over and waved his hand in front of her eyes.

Asada suddenly raised her head, her big eyes now red and swollen, as if they were about to burst open at any moment.

She pouted, nodded vigorously, and gave a loud, nasal "hmm," her voice thick with tears, looking as aggrieved as an abandoned puppy.

"Ugh... Ito... I'm doomed... I can't answer so many questions... The last big question... I think... I think I went completely in the wrong direction..."

She sobbed, tears finally streaming down her face, "What am I going to do... if I fail... the teacher... will definitely kill me... Waaah..."

When she got to the point of being sad, she simply squatted down, buried her face in her knees, and began to sob softly, her shoulders shaking.

Seeing the idol crying her eyes out, Ito's resentment towards her for taking over the bedroom instantly vanished, replaced by a trace of helplessness and... well, a little bit of barely perceptible soft-heartedness.

“It’s just an exam, it’s not like the sky is falling. At worst…” He paused, “…I’ll tutor you.”

Asada's sobs subsided slightly as she lifted her tear-filled face from her knees.

"Really...really?"

"Ah."

"Waaah!" She cried even louder, as if all hope for life had vanished.

On the way home, Asada followed Ito slowly, head still drooping.

The setting sun cast long shadows of the two of them.

The wind, carrying warmth and the fragrance of flowers, rustled through the lush roadside trees on both sides of the road.

Asada remained silent the entire way, occasionally letting out a small sob, immersed in the immense sorrow of failing the exam.

Ito walked beside her, listening to her suppressed sobs and heavy footsteps, and felt the air around him become thick and oppressive.

He glanced at Asada's pitiful appearance, her nose red and her eyes swollen from crying, and then looked at the familiar dessert shop with its cute sign on the street corner in the distance.

A thought flashed through my mind.

"Hey," he stopped and called out to Asada, who was looking down at the road and almost bumped into him.

"Huh?" Asada raised her swollen, red eyes and looked at him blankly.

Ito pointed to the sweet-smelling dessert shop across the street.

"Want to try that strawberry parfait from that place?"

Asada looked in the direction he was pointing, her eyes brightened for a moment, but then dimmed again, and she whispered with a sob in her voice.

"...But, to control my weight...I can't eat too many sweets...and..."

She touched her pockets, "I...I have no money left..."

"Never mind then," Ito said succinctly.

Watching Ito's departing figure, and then looking at the dessert shop in the distance, Asada momentarily forgot to cry.

"Huh?" She stood there, stunned.

Things... things shouldn't have turned out this way...

She clenched her fists, suppressing the urge to rush forward and give Ito a good beating.

All the worries about failing the exam were thrown to the back of her mind at this moment; she already had a crazy idea of ​​revenge in her heart.

Chapter 194 Tripartite Trial

On Saturday morning, the tatami mats in the living room were empty; Asada Sakura was nowhere to be seen.

Ito was not surprised by this, nor did he care, since the money was all in his possession.

Little Asada can't cause much of a stir.

After quickly packing, he set off for Shinjuku Station to meet up with Chinatsu Morigami.

Amidst the bustling crowds at Shinjuku Station, Chinatsu Morikami's figure stood out.

She deliberately styled her signature light purple long hair into cute double buns, with an elegant off-white hair tie.

She was wearing a light beige dress with a simple and elegant design, the neckline adorned with small lace trim, and a pair of clean white leather shoes.

She stood quietly by the pillar where they had agreed to meet, her violet eyes filled with just the right amount of anticipation and a hint of barely perceptible nervousness, radiating a strong aura of "I am a good girl".

Ito's eyelids twitched when he saw this outfit.

"Senior!" Mori saw him and immediately jogged over, a pure and innocent smile blooming on his face. "Good morning! Shall we go?"

"Okay." Ito nodded and led her into the flow of people heading towards the hospital.

The two went to a flower shop near the station first. Mori carefully selected a bouquet of delicate and fragrant lilies, which she held in her arms.

“Lilies really suit Grandma’s temperament,” she said softly.

Ito didn't comment, he just paid the money.

Holding flowers, Mori followed him quietly and obediently, as if she were truly just a sensible junior accompanying her senior to visit his elders.

The familiar smell of disinfectant at Tokyo Medical University Hospital.

Ito led Mori to his grandmother Yuriko's hospital room.

As I approached the door, I could faintly hear voices talking inside, and they seemed to be having a pleasant time.

Ito paused slightly, a sense of foreboding crossing his mind.

He raised his hand and knocked on the door, then pushed open the door to the ward.

Sunlight streamed through the window into the hospital room.

Grandma Yuriko Minamoto leaned against the hospital bed, looking much better than she had a few days ago, with a gentle smile on her face.

Sitting by her bedside, peeling an apple and making it uneven and bumpy, was Asada Sakura.

She seemed to have been there for a while, and the atmosphere between the two seemed quite harmonious.

Asada and her grandmother both looked over when they saw Ito push the door open and come in.