My deskmate is actually my yandere reader.

The fact that Shiraishi Chiren suddenly asked to stay clearly had a hidden meaning.

However, the purpose was not to get Kurose Izumi to stay immediately, but rather for later.

Kurose Izumi's departure was inevitable, and she was neither surprised nor flustered by it.

Because everything is going according to plan, and every step is progressing steadily.

"……it is good."

Kurose Izumi nodded slightly, choosing not to press the matter, but simply going along with Shiraishi Chiren's wishes to avoid the topic.

Maybe he's just overthinking it.

Shiraishi Chiren didn't mean that, and shouldn't she?

After all, their relationship had only improved in a few days.

When faced with parting, a sense of goodwill and novelty begins to grow wildly, fueling reluctance and making each other want to stay.

Actually, if Izumi Kurose calms down and thinks about it, she probably doesn't think she can be called a fan of Chire Shiraishi.

If there's no attraction, then living together is definitely not a good idea, right?

But this was exactly what Shiraishi Chiren wanted.

She deliberately feigned reluctance, appearing hesitant and wanting to say something, to make Kurose Izumi care about what happened today.

This will be a seed that will slowly take root and sprout later.

thump—

Just then, the school bell rang behind them, reminding them that it was time to go back.

"Let's go back."

"Ah."

Kurose Izumi looked down at the bottle of coffee in her hand, which was still a little cold when she first received it, but now the bottle had been warmed up slightly by her touch.

This coldness reminded him of Shiraishi Chiren's hands, which were also a bit cold.

Then, "Kushiki Touko's" was also slightly cold.

Are all girls' hands cold?

With these questions in mind, Kurose Izumi followed Shiraishi Chire back to the classroom for class.

The morning classes ended in the blink of an eye.

When lunch break arrived, Hirasawa Mabu grabbed Kurose Izumi and rushed to the first-year classroom floor to look for Tsuda Yoshi.

Unfortunately, after searching around, they still found nothing.

On the way to the cafeteria, Kurose Izumi suddenly asked, "Do you think it might not be a first-year student, but someone in the same year as us or a third-year student?"

"Impossible, right? If we're in the same grade, we should occasionally brush past each other. Third grade... that's even more impossible."

Tsuda Yoshimi looks very young; you could easily mistake her for a junior high school student. How could she possibly be a third grader?

If he were in the third grade, Hirasawa Masato would be questioning his existence.

But then I thought about it again, an older loli... it doesn't seem so unacceptable!

It's more accurate to say that it's absolutely the best!

Although he is an older senior, he speaks in a childish voice when he is lecturing you.

When you find it funny and don't realize your mistake at all, the other person will puff out their cheeks and glare at you angrily.

"Hey...hehe, older woman/young girl is great!"

On Hirazawa Shinbu's side, he couldn't help but laugh out loud as he thought about it, his heart filled with joy and his emotions were beyond control!

He was completely oblivious to the disdainful look in Kurose Izumi's eyes beside him.

"Your XP is getting weirder and weirder."

"You bastard, you need to say it!"

"Tch, so I can't even say I'm a pervert?"

"Damn, if that's the case, then I'll have to ask you how things are going with the class monitor!"

Amidst their bickering, they arrived at the cafeteria, bought their lunches, and sat down.

"So, how are things going between you and the class monitor?" Hirasawa Shinbu asked after taking a bite of rice.

"What do you mean, 'what happened'? Nothing happened, just eat, don't ask any more questions."

"Tch, as if I'd care to know that."

After that, the two changed the subject and chatted casually.

The content is roughly about whether Tsuda Yoshi is a first-year or third-year student, and how to find her.

Then, how do you approach someone, get to know them, and develop a relationship?

"If you ask me, you should just say you're really sorry for bumping into me last time, so you've come to apologize."

“I had already apologized before, and then she left in a hurry.”

"...Then can't you say it again? You're so stubborn."

"You're young..."

Hirasawa Shinbu looked up at Kurose Izumi, and just as he was about to say something, his eyes inadvertently glanced at the cafeteria entrance, and he was immediately stunned.

Having waited in vain for what seemed like an incongruous situation, Kurose Izumi also looked up.

He glanced at Hirasawa Shinbu, then turned and looked back.

The entrance to the cafeteria is nothing special.

A rather cute girl and a tall, thin boy walked in.

Even from a distance, Izumi Kurose could see them chatting and laughing, looking very close.

"...Could that woman be Tsuda Yoshimi?"

Kurose Izumi suddenly had this premonition, and she was very certain of it!

"..."

Hirasawa Shinbu didn't speak, he just stared blankly.

In response, Izumi Kurose reached out and patted him on the shoulder, indicating that he should accept the loss.

It seems that Tsuda Yoshi has someone she likes.

Maybe they're still dating!

It wasn't until quite some time later that Hirazawa Shinbu, who had been in a daze, finally came to his senses and murmured:

“...That person is my minister.”

"Isn't this difficult to handle? Why don't you ask them what their relationship is? Maybe they're siblings, or maybe they're childhood sweethearts?"

Childhood sweethearts are generally considered losers.

Since he was the loser, it means that Hirasawa Shinbu still has a chance.

Although Izumi Kurose didn't want her best friend to interfere in someone else's relationship, it was just too tragic for it to end so soon after it had begun...

"My minister's surname is Kurosaki."

Hirasawa Shinbu murmured absentmindedly, seemingly unable to accept the reality.

"...Hey kid, ask him during the club activities this afternoon!"

"Forget it, let it be." Hirasawa Shinbu gave a bitter smile, accepting reality.

Perhaps, this is what first love is like.

Brief and filled with regret.

It's like fireworks, fleeting and beautiful, yet gone in an instant.

"...You really are an idiot."

Kurose Izumi sighed softly, and didn't say anything more.

After all, this was Hirasawa Shinbu's business, and he had already given up, so there was no need to encourage him anymore.

Anyway, this relationship has only lasted less than a day, and it's not to the point of being life and death, right?

'I'll find him two sister-themed galga series later...'

Kurose Izumi thought to herself.

Hirasawa Shinbu has a cheerful and sunny personality; he might get over it in a couple of days.

Then they'll start arguing that two-dimensional characters are better, and three-dimensional characters are trash!

"Let's go, Zhenwu, let's go back."

After lunch, Kurose Izumi put his arm around Hirasawa Masato's shoulder and led the dejected man back to the classroom.

Then, I gave him some advice and imparted life philosophies to him.

Throughout this process, Hirasawa Shinbu was absent-minded, as if he had lost his soul.

It wasn't until the lunch break ended and the school bell rang that Kurose Izumi stopped trying to comfort him, letting him wallow in his sorrow as he played Chopin in the rain.

38. An ugly and illusory pure white flower

School ends at 4:10 PM.

Kurose Izumi glanced at Hirasawa Shinbu, who was sitting in front with his head down and a gloomy atmosphere, and then at Shiraishi Chiren beside him.

"Shiraishi-kun, I'm sorry, I probably won't be able to go house hunting with you in Jimbocho."

He felt that his heartbroken brother was more important than finding a new house.

No matter what, Hirasawa Masato was the first friend he made in Tokyo, and also his only best friend.