I really don't want to be reborn.

Of course, there is another possibility.

She likes him...

After listening to the boys in his dorm talking in their sleep for a while, Kyosuke Kosaka felt unusually uneasy. After pondering for a moment, he sent an email: "Touma-san, do you have feelings for me?"

very good!

Just ask.

If I guess wrong, I'll just get mocked for being presumptuous; it doesn't matter.

If he guesses right... he'll really have to avoid that person from now on.

Kyosuke sent an email, then suddenly remembered that his new apartment in Shinjuku was next to Touma's villa...

"It seems there's no way around it, it's a karmic entanglement."

He waited for a long time but didn't receive a reply, so he sent another one, and then he realized that he had been blocked by Touma.

The email addresses we just exchanged became meaningless in less than a night.

However, Kyosuke didn't feel annoyed or frustrated. Instead, he breathed a sigh of relief and fell asleep in a relaxed mood. It wasn't until he went shopping with Kogizawa today that he remembered the topic.

"You know her?"

"Yes, we met... a few hours ago."

"What kind of answer is that?!"

He smiled and said, "When I saw Touma playing Bach at the cultural festival last time, her skill level was much higher than mine, so I had to pay attention to her."

"Oh……"

Setsuna drawled, "I forgot you can play the piano too."

Today, Ogiso Setsuna wasn't wearing anything particularly special; she was still wearing her school uniform from Mineki University Affiliated High School.

The black uniform jacket and white inner lining create a striking contrast, paired with a blue plaid skirt, black over-the-knee socks, and a cute blue butterfly on the chest.

The outfit was very simple, but the black headband on her pigtails made her look kind of cute—a kind of cute that was both mischievous and sweet.

"Actually, there are rumors circulating among us girls about Touma-san."

"Ok?"

"I heard her mother is a world-renowned pianist—have you heard of her, Kosaka-kun?"

"No, I only know a little about music, and I'm not very interested in it."

Hearing his modest words, Xuecai smiled like a crescent moon: "You are too modest."

"Thank you for the compliment."

"Then, I heard that Touma was the top student in the music department when she enrolled, but apparently she ended up in the general studies department because she didn't get along with her classmates."

Kyosuke Kosaka roughly understood the situation and also gained some insight into the other party's self-deprecating words from last night: "I see. Let's not talk about her anymore. Kogiso, this way!"

"Huh? This way?"

"There's something good here."

Walking along the road in front of the Dutch trading post, the three of them arrived at a century-old street—yes, three people, with the fierce little girl at the back muttering to herself expressionlessly.

"Dog couple, dog couple..."

Kyosuke heard this and angrily rubbed her head: "Hey brat, who taught you to swear like that!"

Shi Nai calmly deflected the blame: "It's your sister's novel."

"..."

He smiled helplessly at Xuecai: "Children say the darndest things, don't take it too seriously."

Yukina didn't mind, she was just a little curious: "Is this your girlfriend's little sister? She's so cute, can I hug her?"

Miss Shino remained silent and indifferent, hiding behind him.

Kousaka Kyosuke thought to himself, "Damn it, why are you pretending to be shy? You ran to the back not to avoid Ogiso Setsuna's hug, but to pinch the flesh on my lower back."

This old street is famous in Nagasaki. The architectural details reproduce the social structure of the early Meiji period, and the relaxed atmosphere is perfect for a leisurely stroll.

Shino would occasionally run between them, looking intently focused on taking pictures. How could the two shrewd people not understand what she was up to?

Yukina whispered to him, "Your sister-in-law is really dedicated, isn't she? She absolutely won't allow other girls to associate with you?"

"If you know, then don't say it out loud."

The girl's eyes darted around mischievously; she was clearly a naughty little fox. She leaned in so close her lips almost touched his ear: "So tell me, if I suddenly get close to you now, what will she do? Will she hit me?"

He moved closer for a moment, then immediately took three steps back.

The girl, with her hands behind her back and a slight smile, had eyebrows like crescent moons and a mischievous grin that made passersby's hearts flutter.

Kyosuke Kosaka froze, then let out a bitter laugh.

"Don't flirt with me if you're not going to throw yourself at me, Ogiso Setsuna, you really are..."

"Huh? What is it?"

He didn't speak.

His sister-in-law spoke for him, her snort chilling: "He's a scumbag! A scumbag woman!"

Xuecai puffed up her cheeks, as if she were eating pine nuts.

------

It's 4 AM today, are there any razor blades coming your way?

I'll cause trouble if you don't give me a razor blade!

Smash your balls!

Chapter Forty-Eight: Wanting to Buy Osmanthus Flowers and Share Wine

Shinoya is a long-established shop with a history of 95 years.

Fifteen years ago, this place sold seafood. Later, a couple transformed their shop into a fun handicraft shop due to neighborhood renovations, successfully achieving a successful transformation.

This is what this shop used to be.

"Oh, it really is! There it is!"

The girl with pigtails completely forgot the unpleasantness of being called a "scumbag woman" earlier, and pointed to a corner of the store: "That... is the bill, right?"

"Yes, those are the bills from when they used to sell seafood. This store has a good marketing strategy, displaying old bills here to increase persuasiveness and a sense of historical weight."

Today's seafood shops are filled with a dazzling array of exquisite handicrafts, from clothing to decorations, each piece with its own unique character.

Ogiso Setsuna curiously touched and looked around, her face beaming with the most genuine smile: "I want to buy some to take home. It's so kind of you, Kousaka-kun, to know such a wonderful place."

"I just happen to know a little bit about it."

He gave a perfunctory reply and then squatted down next to Shino.

What do you like?

"that."

She pointed to two rabbit-shaped ornaments, which, if you didn't look closely, could be mistaken for rabbit candies made of white sugar. These things were very appealing to little girls.

"And that one too!"

That's a penguin plush toy.

He was very generous and bought everything she liked.

Of course, it wasn't that he was genuinely generous... but what could he do when this little thing was Kasumigaoka Utaha's sister?

Kyosuke counted the gifts for his sister and her friends, and even bought a strange sea cucumber charm for Kazakura Mari, the editor at Kaisakusha.

This results in a considerable number.

"Oh, there are Gundam toys too! There are also a lot of toys from the 90s here. I'll buy one for Saori, that big guy!"

As he was pondering this, someone suddenly poked his cheek.

It feels cool and moist to the touch, like spring rain.

Turning his head, he saw Kogiso looking at him expectantly with bright, sparkling eyes: "Kousaka-kun, can I have that panda plushie?"

Kyosuke was baffled: "Of course you can, I'm not taking it from you."

The girl stared at him for a long time, then slowly relaxed her expression, revealing a helpless smile: "Should I praise you for being smart, or say you have no sense of romance? In these kinds of situations, it's usually the guy who volunteers to buy it..."

Kyosuke Kosaka smiled sincerely: "Kogiso, you've got one thing wrong. I'm actually... not an ordinary guy."

"You won, really."

"I'll pay the bill. I was just joking."

After choosing their things, they went outside and had lunch at a local specialty restaurant. Sinon ordered a salmon and oyako bowl, and Kyosuke peeked over to look at the color of the rice.

As expected, they were bright yellow granules...

However, if you ignore the color and shape, the aroma alone is quite pleasant.

"What do you want to do?"

Sinon held the rice plate in her left hand and protected her chest with her right, displaying an adorable expression like a lynx guarding its food, which made Kyosuke Kosaka want to tease her: "Sinon, how does the rice taste?"

"Do you want to eat?"

"Can I have just a little bit?"

The little girl hesitated silently for a long time before finally making up her mind: "Just a little bit!"

If you have too many, I'll fight you to the death!

Kyosuke Kosaka frowned at her. What kind of attitude was this child? He had taken care of all her food, clothing, and lodging for the past few days, and now she was being so stingy that she wouldn't even give him a meal.

The man frowned... Sinon held up another finger: "Then just a little more."

"I'm not eating it, who cares?"

"Kousaka-kun, can you try mine?"