A reversal of fortune and victory in a world hated by all girls!

When he came to his senses, Takahashi Mito glared at him fiercely, and he immediately looked away.

"Wow, look over there!"

Ayano suddenly pointed to the other side of the river and exclaimed.

Everyone turned around at once, and then Aoi Natsuki realized that not only them, but also the passersby nearby were all looking at them.

Paper boats drifted slowly downstream along the riverbank, decorated with candles and other special ornaments. The boats came in all shapes and sizes, and some were even quite beautiful.

This is a unique activity of the fireworks festival. You can buy these paper boats from some shops. Inside each boat is a slip of paper with your wish written on it. You place a candle on the boat and let it float down the river. The older generation says that this can often take away all the bad luck of the year. Some people also use them to commemorate deceased relatives or to bless their future love, and so on.

"Why don't we make a wish?" Longying suggested.

“Okay! I agree!” Ayano raised her hand in agreement.

Aoi Natsuki nodded, and the others followed suit. They then bought paper boats from a nearby shop, took out slips of paper from them, and began to think of their wishes with a pen in hand.

"What should I write..." Keiko Hayakawa hesitated to put pen to paper, her gaze repeatedly drifting to Natsuki Aoi beside her. A sense of nervousness began to creep in, but she finally began to write slowly...

Without much thought, Ryuzakura of Guji wrote down, "Become the greatest martial artist in the world!"

Takahashi Midori hesitated for a long time, even stealing glances at Ayano, until she caught sight of what Ayano was saying. Her fluctuating emotions calmed down, and she leaned closer and whispered, "Ayano... you haven't given up yet..."

Ayano seemed a little lost in thought. After her older sister reminded her, she snapped out of it, but unlike her usual lively self, she now had a sense of dejection, as if she was forcing herself to stay awake. Her older sister, Mito Takahashi, noticed this immediately and couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

The two sisters often bicker, but when their parents are away on business, they are actually the closest of family.

"Hmm... I want to try again." Ayano smiled, then folded the note she had written into a small square and stuffed it into the paper boat's compartment.

Mito Takahashi patted Ayano's back, then looked at her empty note.

Ok……

She didn't know what to write anymore.

"Why are you spacing out, honey?" Sakurajima Anne leaned closer and asked.

"Ah, no... Sakurajima, is there anything you wish to write down?"

"Me? Hmph, it's very simple. I hope to wake up tomorrow morning to find a pair of reindeer antlers neatly arranged beside my pillow."

"This... it's impossible no matter how you look at it, and it's not Christmas today, is it? Even if it were Christmas, I don't think Santa Claus would cut off the antlers of his reindeer to give you," Takahashi Mito retorted.

But Anne Sakurajima seemed unconvinced.

Mito Takahashi continues to write down her wishes...

Lina, standing to the side, also had a clear goal: she had been practicing calligraphy all along, and her handwriting was very neat.

"I'd rather Natsuki be my dad than my older brother, my dearest and most beloved dad."

Children's minds are very simple, and once they've made up their minds, it's generally hard to change them. This kind of cognitive shift requires Natsuki Aoi to gradually and slowly correct it.

Finally, everyone's wish slips were stuffed into the paper boat, the candle in the center of the boat was lit, and then the boat was brought close to the riverbank. Special staff members will then float the boat. They are currently in the middle of the river, and the paper boat will continue to move forward.

Watching the many paper boats with lit candles sail away, Natsuki Aoi felt a deep sense of emotion.

Little did he know that Hayakawa and Takahashi had both been looking at his back. The wishes written on the creed were known only to them, so... it probably wouldn't matter if they wrote down some more unattainable wishes.

……

Several groups of people met and formed a small group. Longying was a little unfamiliar with them at first, but because of her straightforward personality, she quickly became friends with them.

Especially when she displays superhuman strength.

Long Ying punched the highest score ever on the boxing machine, winning the prize money and a plush toy. No skill-based game at the stall could stump her, and she quickly started "stocking up." For a while, many stall owners wore masks of pain.

Aoi Natsuki glanced at the time; it was almost nine o'clock, and the fireworks were about to begin.

We discussed with a few people about finding an open space to watch the fireworks.

Soon they arrived at a park, where many people were sitting on the lawn, looking up and waiting for the fireworks to begin. Aoi also borrowed a tablecloth from afar, spread it out, and everyone sat down.

Hayakawa also bought some snacks so that everyone could eat together later.

Long Ying looked at the petite Rina with great fondness, constantly kneading her cheeks, just like when she kneaded Hayakawa's cheeks before. The touch was very enjoyable.

Natsuki Aoi leaned back comfortably, supporting herself with her hands, and gazed at the boundless night sky.

Five minutes later, plumes of fireworks shot straight into the sky from behind the distant buildings. With a loud bang, colorful fireworks bloomed, illuminating the entire dark sky with fireworks of all sizes.

Hayakawa and Rina were so surprised that they held hands, while Rina sat in Ryuzakura's lap.

As Takahashi Mito gazed up at the sea of ​​fireworks, her heart couldn't help but surge with excitement. Gradually, she turned her gaze to Aoi Natsuki.

Then, she suddenly discovered something very strange.

Starting from Aoi Natsuki's left, Hayakawa, Rina, and Ryuzakura were sitting there... and I was actually the fourth one sitting!

Wait a minute! How did I end up so far away again without even realizing it?!

Mito Takahashi looked at the ground with a suspicious expression. Wasn't she the first person, besides Rina, to know Aoi?

Chapter 63 Aoi's hands are so warm

……

Mito Takahashi doesn't like boys.

Because of her dislike for men, she has never paid much attention to them since childhood. Coupled with her arrogant personality, this makes it difficult for her to make friends among her peers.

This applies to kindergarten, elementary school, and junior high school.

She grew taller and her appearance became more refined, but she never had a true friend to confide in.

Until... one day in my first year of high school.

She became good friends with a woman with a great personality. She, who had always been quiet, gradually began to communicate more and confide in her. Although her dislike of men had not changed, at least she now had a companion by her side.

She thought her high school life would end in a leisurely atmosphere, but an incident brought all her hopes to an abrupt end.

Mitsu Takahashi witnessed a boy bullying a female classmate. Unable to stand by and watch, she stepped forward to argue. The boy shoved her shoulder forcefully, and in the end, she accidentally scratched the boy's eye with the tip of her pen. Blood immediately streamed down his eye, and several students in the surrounding classes screamed in fright.

Because of this incident, Takahashi Mi was suspended from school and is awaiting further notice from the school. However, according to what she knows, the male classmate conspired with several other classmates to commit perjury in an attempt to get her expelled. But she remains calm because she has her friend who can testify for her. However…

The usually lively friend appeared incredibly timid at this moment, afraid that it would affect her future high school life. In fact, Takahashi Mi saw in her the sense that she was trying her best to distance herself from the situation.

But she is clearly my best friend.

Why was she unwilling to testify for herself?

Oh, so all of this was just my own assumption.

In her mind, I was probably just an ordinary classmate she could chat with.

Mito Takahashi gradually went from being angry to numb. She could have used her father's connections to make those guys pay the price, but now, she felt that nothing mattered anymore.

Ultimately, she transferred schools.

She said goodbye to everyone and deleted her "best friend".

Arriving at the new school, everything had to continue. Having lived alone for over a decade, returning to the school wasn't difficult. However, compared to before, she was more indifferent and irritable towards people and things.

There was once a saying that goes, "I could have endured the darkness if I had never seen the light."

If having friends only leads to being hurt, then she simply stops making friends. She listens to the people around her talking about her and keeps it in mind. This resistance and inner stubbornness collide and eventually form a special kind of feeling.

Teenagers often like to demonstrate their maturity by hurting themselves, but this is actually a sign of immaturity.

A week after school started, a short girl with glasses and slightly greasy hair appeared in front of her. She could never forget her shy and reserved appearance. That was also the first time that Takahashi Mitsu met Hayakawa.

"Can I get to know you...? If you're busy right now, I can come over later..."

The sound was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Her head was buried deep in the hair on both sides, and her face was not even clearly visible.

Mito Takahashi ignored her, and the other person soon walked away. She thought that was the end of it, but around noon, the other person came running back again, carrying two servings of fried noodles and bread.

He said he had seen her buying fried noodles and bread, so he bought her a serving.

Mito Takahashi sensed the other person's feelings, but this familiar feeling inevitably reminded her of the past, which made her want to be alone.

After that, Hayakawa Keiko was busy running around like her follower, and Takahashi Mito's attitude towards her was really like that of a master and servant. Many times, she would argue with her in order to distance herself from her.

However, each time Hayakawa would bow her head and apologize, and her kind nature eventually touched Takahashi Mito's heart once again.

She was kind at heart, and with persistent coaxing, her attitude towards Hayakawa gradually improved, and in the end, the two became good friends again.

On top of that, she would even add the word "best." In some ways, she would help Hayakawa refuse the criticisms of her classmates. On the other hand, Hayakawa could often calm her down with just a few words. Although their interactions might seem like they didn't get along, in Takahashi Mito's heart, Hayakawa had become her best friend.

Then she met Natsuki Aoi.

That guy!

She initially really disliked him, finding him annoying in every way, but upon closer reflection, she couldn't quite pinpoint exactly what it was about him, attributing it simply to the fact that he was a boy.

But there was always some inexplicable connection between us. I would always run into him in places where I shouldn't have. There were a lot of misunderstandings and arguments between us. I even hit him once. But he would fight back instead. Neither of us would give in to the other.

But it was precisely this conflict that made Mito Takahashi feel a sense of reality.

Especially that night, when she faced a table full of steaming food, she let down her guard for the first time. She would probably remember the scene of the food rising in waves and the tempting aroma forever.

Now that time has passed, she has many more friends around her, and she has also tempered her temper. This time, this time she is determined to believe in everything again.

……

"Meidu? Meidu?"

Mito Takahashi woke up to the sound of people calling her name.

When she opened her eyes, Hayakawa was looking at her worriedly on her right.

"Huh?" she exclaimed in surprise.

Looking around, I saw not only Hayakawa, but also Ayano, Rina, Ryuzakura, and others standing to the side, their eyes filled with concern.

Takahashi Mito slowly sat up, only to realize that she had just been lying on Hayakawa's lap, and that she... had fallen asleep?

"I'm so sorry, Mido! I forgot that the box of chocolates was filled with liqueur. Your face was so red just now, I was really scared to death!" Hayakawa quickly bowed her head and apologized.

"Yes, you didn't respond no matter how we called you, we were almost ready to take you to the hospital."

Mito Takahashi was stunned for a moment, her gaze blank for a while, then she shook her head and looked at the group of friends around her who cared about her, and her heart warmed.

"I'm fine, thank you for your concern."