Tokyo: Idol Girls have absolutely no bad intentions!

"As expected, your shortcomings can only be effectively identified when the teacher is present."

Chapter 203 As long as you like me, that's all that matters.

"Stare!" Asada stared blankly at Ito on the dining table.

This gaze put Ito under a lot of pressure. He shouldn't have told her about his deal with Nagano Sae, or he would have ended up like this.

But he really didn't expect that his decision not to go to school would be more appealing than the food on the table.

"Have some ribs," Ito said, trying to get the other person's attention with food.

"Hmm~"

Ito used new chopsticks to stuff the ribs into Asada's mouth; he had specifically chosen a juicy one.

This would cause the juice to overflow from the corner of Asada's mouth, perfectly eliminating Asada's current "you've wronged me" posture.

"tissue."

Seeing that Asada had taken the tissue he handed her, Ito breathed a sigh of relief. Now Asada should be back to normal.

"Stare!"

"..." Just as she put the rice into her mouth, she was once again met with that awful gaze.

"Asada, I have important business to attend to."

In order to make sure that dinner could proceed normally, Ito decided to tell the other party his purpose.

"I know." Asada nodded, but then started staring intently again.

It seems they still don't know.

“This is not something I can decide. It’s already difficult enough to get Nagano to allow me a week of free time,” Ito tried to reassure Asada. “Besides, even if I asked you for leave, you wouldn’t have anything to do.”

“Who said that!” Asada raised her head defiantly. “I have many things I can do.”

"You can learn and practice electric guitar, hone your acting skills..." she said, counting on her fingers.

After using all ten fingers, she held them out in front of Ito and gently swayed them from side to side.

"Look, there are so many things I can do, it's not just Ito who has things to do." Asada's voice was indignant. "Besides, we're partners!"

Looking at Asada's outstretched palm, Ito felt a throbbing pain in his temples. He had actually listened carefully to the reasons the other party gave.

There are only six excuses that were forced together. Even if you separate "learning electric guitar techniques" and "practicing electric guitar techniques," there aren't as many as ten fingers.

“I think you should stay in school and study…” Ito looked at Asada sympathetically. “At least we should get our diplomas.”

He didn't want to end up with a band of five adults with only two diplomas.

"Hmm!" Asada, unaware of the subtle implication, puffed out her cheeks. "What about Ito? Is taking a week off really okay?"

"You were already sleeping in class, and now you're not even going to school anymore. What will happen to your grades then?"

"Asada," Ito picked up some vegetables from his plate, "I've heard that eating fish can make you smarter, I'll buy some tomorrow."

"..." Asada was stunned for a moment, then realized the meaning behind the other party's words and transformed into a ragdoll cat with its fur standing on end.

"Ito!" she struggled to control her emotions. "I'm not stupid at all!"

After a long silence, Ito decided to go along with Asada and softly hummed in agreement.

But this action almost made Asada faint; she was really furious with Ito.

She, Asada Sakura, is not stupid!

Seeing that Ito was still eating and showed no remorse for his bastard behavior, she immediately spoke up the moment he picked up a piece of rib.

"You...you just wait and see..."

While chewing the ribs, he made a mumbled announcement.

Gone. The perfect spare ribs, selected from the very beginning with a good mix of lean and fat and only a small piece of bone, are gone.

I originally planned to save it for last...

Turning her head slowly, she saw Asada looking self-righteous, with her bulging left cheek particularly noticeable.

"W-How is it!" Asada straightened his neck. "It's already in my mouth."

This wretched exam has caused the idol girl, who failed the test, to evolve from her original soft and helpless state.

She absolutely must be corrected; it must be done without delay.

Seeing Ito slam his chopsticks on the table, Asada had a bad feeling. When Ito's gaze slowly fell on her, she shrank back.

"Spare ribs, I can make another serving tomorrow."

Giving in... no, this is giving Ito a way out.

But Ito didn't say anything.

"If Ito likes to eat fish, I will make it too."

Ito remained silent.

"Ms. Hayakawa needs to see me!" She made up a reason on the spot and quickly turned around.

But Ito grabbed the back of his collar and dragged him back to his seat.

"Let go of me... Miss Hayakawa really needs to see me!" She lowered her head, closed her eyes, and dared not look Ito in the eye.

"Hayakawa is working overtime today."

"..." Asada's resistance paused for a moment, then she blinked twice, "Uh... it's Nai."

He didn't speak, just quietly looked at Asada...

The room fell silent for a long time, and Asada felt the pressure from Ito all the time.

Ito looked Asada up and down countless times, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.

"Are you hiding something from me from Sae Nagano?"

"Huh? W-what secret?"

I initially thought it was because Ito realized she had gained weight again, since her chubby thighs were now so thick she could practically slump in a chair.

“You two wouldn’t really…” Ito didn’t finish his sentence. “While I don’t object, if that’s the case, I hope you’ll cover it up.”

"We should at least wait until we've established ourselves in this industry before making our mark. After all, the support of male fans is indispensable for idols."

"What?" Asada was a little confused by Ito's train of thought.

“It’s not that idols have to stay single, but Asada, you can’t create a single persona while simultaneously scamming fans out of money to support a relationship.” Ito said seriously, gripping Asada’s shoulder. “Right now, you’re dating Nagano Sae, and thankfully, she’s also a girl.”

“But I hope you just stay the way you are. Idols aren’t saints, and fans don’t really think you’ll be single, but at least… at least don’t do anything to betray Nagano.”

Although they were indeed quite clumsy... both of them were...

"Huh?" Asada pointed to her nose with her finger. "Me? Me?"

"Isn't the president and I just working? How... how could we possibly actually like each other!" Asada punched Ito's arm.

"Huh? Isn't that how it is?" Ito lowered his eyes, seemingly unable to guess what was going on in matters of the heart after losing Takikawa.

"What's with that disappointed tone?! Ito, what are you thinking?" Asada stood on the chair, backlit, pointing down at Ito.

"Is it because he sold me to the chairman that he got this free time? I never thought Chairman Nagano was this kind of guy."

"No." Ito shook his head, referring to the episode where Nagano Sae's reputation was damaged.

"Since this isn't a one-time transaction, why can't you help me get a day off too! If you can do it the first time, can't you do it again? I think it's Ito who needs the fish."

To replicate, to make a copy?

Ito recalled the scene... He absolutely, positively did not want to do it a second time; Nagano Sae would definitely perish with him.

"Are you feeling guilty?" Asada lowered her eyebrows, looking at the absent-minded Ito. "I told you so, you're the dumbest one."

"Asada, what gives you this inexplicable confidence?" Ito intended to deliver a crushing blow to this aggressive guy. "Is it your near-bottom ranking in the class, or the ability test you just took?"

"...Who said I'm at the bottom?"

"This is not obvious."

"Ito, that's what's so annoying about you!" Asada clenched her fist again. "I'm sure I'll do well on this test. I won't say I'll surpass you, but I definitely won't be at the bottom!"

“…” Ito glanced to the side. “I believe you.”

"You don't believe me at all. Just wait until the results come out, and you'll see. I need you to apologize to me with one... no, ten small cakes." Asada confidently gestured with her hand.

"Then please stay at school and remember to tell me as soon as possible."

"Definitely, I'll make you realize your mistake immediately," Asada said through gritted teeth. "Ito, you're so good at making girls angry, no one will like you."

"It's enough that you like me," Ito replied indifferently.

“Uh…” Asada froze, her hand pointing at Ito unconsciously curling up. “W-what are you saying… I…I like you.”

Her tone unconsciously rose, and her cheeks flushed rapidly.

"Yes, as long as you like me, that's all that matters." Ito didn't notice Asada's strange behavior and sat back down in his chair.

"H-How could you say that..." Asada covered her face with her hands, her eyes filled with countless circles, completely stunned.

This is so sudden!

"Chika, what should we do? This won't do..." She spread two fingers to spy on Ito's reaction.

“She’s not my partner, and we don’t need to spend every day together. We don’t interact as much in our daily lives. Besides, if she doesn’t like me, nothing will change. But if you, Asada, hate me, then it will be difficult to carry out our work.” Ito said from the perspective of a manager.

The "liking" he mentioned was merely a professional thing, or at most, a liking for a friend.

If two people who work closely together develop irreconcilable conflicts, it's pure hell.

Unfortunately, Asada ignored the second half of the sentence, her mind filled with words like "life," "living together day and night," and "as long as you like it."

After escaping a prolonged state of inner turmoil, Asada's mind finally regained some clarity.

"If you think you can win my forgiveness by suddenly confessing your feelings, don't even think about it."

When she said this, she didn't remove her hand from covering her face, because she knew what she looked like.

But after waiting for a long time, no one responded.