I really don't want to be reborn.

"I remember you used the 'birthday' excuse on the day you registered for the beauty pageant. Aren't you afraid that her classmates will find out?"

Touma frowned: "Well, let's talk about it over the phone then."

Kyosuke Kosaka watched coldly as Touma made a phone call, noticing the joyful expression on her face—the smile in her heart was like boiling water, inadvertently evaporating onto her face.

Pshaw, that inexplicable friendship between women.

Touma Kazusa's birthday is May 28th, a Sunday, three days before the Dragon Boat Festival.

A small birthday party was held at the Touma family's house. Not only was Setsuna invited, but Setsuna's friend Mizusawa Iori was also on the invitation list. Unfortunately, on this day, Kousaka Kyosuke had to visit someone.

"Ah, I'm sorry, this friend's situation is a bit special, and I can't really refuse his daughter's one-month celebration."

"Oh, go ahead."

Touma's tone was so cold that even a slice of Italian ice cream placed on her wouldn't melt it. She carried Shino towards the entrance: "Go ahead, I won't see you off!"

Huh? What's up?

I don't want to see your face right now.

Ugh, how annoying.

Hmph!

No matter how many nice things you say when you come back, I will never forgive you.

Do you think that you can get away with anything by being tough on a woman and then saying some nice things?

Unfortunately, I'm not some stupid dog that's been abandoned and will wag its tail at the slightest touch!

"Then could you give me Shino?"

Shino, held in her arms, looked helplessly at her brother-in-law, like a cat that had been snatched away—her expression wasn't exaggerated, but the reluctance in her eyes made him notice.

Touma puffed out her cheeks: "Does Shino not even want to attend Touma-neechan's birthday party?"

Besides her older sister, Shino's brother-in-law is her top priority, so she decisively shook her head: "I'm not participating!"

Touma's eyebrows shot up: "You have to participate, even if you don't want to!"

Kyosuke Kosaka waved to Shino, indicating that he would be back before evening and would bring her some of her favorite grilled meat.

Upon reaching the entrance, the black-haired girl put Shino down and suddenly turned around, saying in an unprecedented tone, "That, well... um."

"what?"

"N-nothing!"

Touma quickened his pace and went inside, slamming the door shut. He leaned against the door, took a few deep breaths, and then sighed in annoyance, "What? Is he an idiot?"

A few seconds later, her phone rang. She opened it with a puzzled look and saw that it was an email from that bastard Kosaka. Her displeasure turned into happiness.

"I'll bring you a special cake when I come back."

Tch, now you're trying to coax me?

Don't come back!

May you die without a proper burial!

When the next email arrived, she opened it with great joy, but her happy expression instantly turned sour.

"Can I get reimbursed for the cost of the cake?"

"..."

She hesitated, as if she wanted to roar something, but before she could utter a word, a third email arrived. This time it was simple and not at all infuriating.

Happy birthday! May Touma Kazusa have lots and lots of happiness!

His expression brightened again.

Despite her good complexion, she couldn't resist her arrogant tone, a stubborn tsundere inherited from Sawamura: "I'm perfectly happy without you. Hmm, I still don't want to forgive you."

Shino stood in front of her, watching with curiosity as this person changed her face, back and forth, and even she was amazed by the strength of her facial muscles.

…………

Kyosuke Kosaka put away his phone and went to the intersection, where he saw a familiar car parked in front of him.

"Hello, Uncle Sawamura, Touma's party hasn't started yet."

Old Sawamura, facing the polite Kousaka Kyosuke, helplessly revealed an expression that said he wanted to die but was unwilling to.

Just as Kyosuke was wondering what was going on, the car door opened and Eriri jumped out.

Her polite expression vanished instantly, replaced by disdain: "Eri, what are you doing here? Why aren't you out here developing an immoral relationship with your best friend?"

Eriri stammered and couldn't speak.

Although she didn't have any feelings for Kasumigaoka Utaha, and she was the one being passive—but in front of her boyfriend, Miss Eriri really didn't have any confidence. She gave a few awkward laughs and ran towards the Touma residence like a duck, her twin tails swaying so much they almost flew into the sky.

"Tsk tsk tsk, it seems my daughter has caused you, Kousaka Kyosuke, to suffer in silence."

Kosaka looked at him coldly: "Your daughter and my girlfriend are having an affair! Did you know that?"

"what!!!"

Old Zecun was shocked, then burst into laughter and clapped his hands.

"wonderful!"

The sound of that slap was like a fat man sitting on a dung beetle and killing it.

"Wow? Your daughter's a pervert who likes women! You've been watching too many magical girl movies!"

Mr. Sawamura comforted him: "Actually, think about it. The beautiful cabbage that you have painstakingly raised for more than ten years would rather it go on the new path of same-sex reproduction with another cabbage than be eaten by wild boars."

"This daughter-obsessed mindset is truly subtle."

Mr. Sawamura comforted him again: "Think about it again, there hasn't been much change between you and your girlfriend, and Eriri isn't a third party, right..."

Kyosuke Kosaka paused for a moment, then said, "Have you ever heard the saying, 'My girlfriend's girlfriend is still my girlfriend'?"

"..."

slip away!

If he didn't leave soon, this enraged daughter-obsessed man would run him over with his car. From a distance, the old man was making lewd British gestures at him: "Kid! Go to a brothel and find a woman to relax! Responsible prostitution is encouraged!"

Pooh!

Responsible prostitution and rational patriotism are essentially the same thing—they are fundamentally incompatible.

"Soliciting prostitutes is impossible, absolutely impossible in this lifetime!"

These words were spoken by an old friend whom Kousaka Kyosuke visited today.

The famous manga artist Kentaro Yabuki, beaming, told him, then lowered his voice and said, "There are no brothels within a ten-kilometer radius of this place."

"Then why did you choose such a remote place?"

"Hmm... this place is closer to Godzilla's filming location..."

Kyosuke Kosaka was so drunk that he forgot that this famous manga artist was also a die-hard Godzilla fan.

However, there was one thing he didn't forget: "How about taking a few months off and drawing some illustrations for me?"

The other party's style suited Kosaka's taste, while he was not interested in Kawahara's "Asada Shino design".

Sinon is indeed suited to comfortable and light clothing, but what's with that all-green outfit?!

(Kawahara Midori!)

Of course, there are two reasons for Kyosuke Kosaka's suggestion.

Firstly, it leverages the teacher's existing and future fame.

Secondly, it's a way to give him a break so he can spend more time with his wife; being cuckolded is never a good thing.

Of course, Yabuki declined the invitation.

Drawing in a sketchbook is like a fleeting, romantic affair, equivalent to a one-night stand.

Illustrate novels, and that is a romantic relationship, a romantic love affair.

Drawing a novel is like a marriage; it's a highly disciplined endeavor—it requires planning compromises and making sacrifices.

He was about to say something when he suddenly noticed the melancholy between Yabuki's brows. The lines on his slightly chubby face suddenly became messy and chaotic, and his eyes were dim and listless.

Kyosuke Kosaka looked in the direction of his gaze with a start.

The feeling of dread was like being engrossed in the excavation of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum when you suddenly unearth a smartphone that only existed in the 21st century.

From this angle, you can tell who his wife is talking to on the phone; the sweetness and coquettishness on her face are impossible to hide.

"That……"

Yabuki closed his eyes slightly, looked down at the baby in the cradle, and remained silent.

He had actually discovered it a long time ago.

------

wonderful!

Chapter 45 I'm prepared for the possibility of losing you in the next second

If I had to put it that way, their relationship was a tragic one.

The plan devised by Kyosuke Kousaka and executed by Kazusa Touma was quite effective, pulling Setsuna out of her troubles while also relieving her of the pressure from the class.

After that, Ogiso Setsuna and Touma Kazusa didn't interact much. The most frequent interactions were when they passed each other in the corridor and exchanged glances.

"what……"

...I really want to skip class today.

The moment she stepped into the corridor, Touma Kazusa swallowed back the sigh she had just uttered.

"what……"

I really want to sing today.

Ogiso Setsuna, who was walking towards the classroom, also stopped in her tracks as she took a deep breath.