The comments section all think I'm a really good person.

But she didn't feel suffocated by Kita Kirihara's emotions.

Is it that I've gotten used to it, or something else...?

At least Koizumi Saki didn't dislike Kita Kirihara's little secret.

“However, I’m not surprised at all that other people might like Saki,” Kita Kirihara said, holding a laundry basket in his left hand. “After all, you are Koizumi Saki.”

There is a very conspicuous and hideous scar on the palm of her left hand, as if it had been pierced and torn by some sharp weapon. Even now that it has scabbed over and healed, you can still see the terrible state it was in back then.

“…I’ll be shy.” Koizumi Saki awkwardly looked away, her ears turning slightly red.

Even though she had seven more years than Kita Kirihara, Koizumi Saki still felt that she had never improved when facing her.

Time seems to have changed a lot, but it cannot wash away some things.

----------

After leaving his senior's house, Kobayashi Ryo's previously blank mind finally calmed down, and he gradually became able to think normally again.

She came to her senses and found herself sitting on a bench on the street as if in a dream.

In front of me was a park fountain, with children playing nearby. Not far away, a blonde girl with twin ponytails wearing a long yellow and black coat was handing out balloons and flyers; she looked to be about the same height as Ms. Kitagi, whom I had just met.

It's really quite tall.

...Why did I think of Miss Kitagi again?

To be honest, Kobayashi Ryo wasn't quite sure whether she was older or younger than Kita Kirihara.

Judging from their birth dates, Kita Kirihara is a year older than his senior, not to mention himself, who is currently twenty years old. However, based solely on his physical age, Kita Kirihara is undoubtedly still a child.

He is a precocious and mature child beyond his years.

She is also the type who can be called the perfect lover.

Realizing this, Kobayashi Ryo was somewhat frustrated.

The other person surpasses me in appearance, personality, and thoughtfulness.

She stared blankly at the fountain's water jets, even using her exceptional dynamic vision to observe the process of each water droplet blooming.

The hustle and bustle around her had nothing to do with her; Kobayashi Ryo, whose mind was in turmoil, just wanted some peace and quiet.

Just then, a pair of long legs stood beside her in her line of sight.

A friendly, clear female voice said, "Hello, you seem troubled."

Kobayashi Ryo turned her head and first saw the hem of the other person's large yellow and black coat. Then, looking up, she saw the face of the unfamiliar girl who had come to talk to her.

She was a young woman with an exceptionally graceful figure and appearance. Her body was long, slender, and toned, clearly showing signs of dance training. She tied her hair into twin ponytails with green ribbons, which, combined with her golden hair color, made her look somewhat like a banana.

The other person's beautiful emerald green eyes were filled with concern, and they were holding a stack of flyers that had not yet been handed out.

Kobayashi Ryo saw clearly the words written on it; it seemed to be an invitation to a school's cultural festival.

...The 99th Seisho Festival?

Shengxiang Music Academy?

Is there a school nearby?

Kobayashi Ryo didn't pay much attention to this kind of information, nor did she live in this area.

Actually, she was able to get here so quickly thanks to a friend with teleportation abilities who brought her. Now that she wanted some peace and quiet, she didn't contact that friend again and instead chose to sit down by the roadside.

Unexpectedly, he was approached by a high school girl handing out flyers on the street.

Seeing the undisguised dejection on Kobayashi Ryo's face, the girl blinked, as if she remembered something, and took out a yellow pudding from her pocket, handing it to Kobayashi Ryo in front of her.

"If you're feeling down, try this banana pudding made by Banana!"

This is what the warm-hearted and kind-hearted girl said.

Xiao Linliang was stunned: "...banana?"

"Because of the pronunciation of my name, my friends often call me banana. You can call me that if you don't mind," the girl who calls herself banana laughed. "Although it's a bit nosy... but if there's anything, it might be better to say it out loud."

11. Wash the rag…

For some reason, Kobayashi Ryo found himself wanting to confide in the calm and concerned gaze of the unfamiliar girl.

Some things are not suitable to confide in your friends, because most of them know the seniors, and even if you erase their names, they can easily guess the characters in the story from your expressions.

Moreover, for Ryoko Kobayashi, she also needs someone who can analyze the situation for her from a more objective standpoint.

There's a saying: "Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see things clearly."

Moreover, this stranger encountered on the roadside did not recognize him or his senior.

So, under the soothing effect of the banana pudding dessert, Kobayashi Ryo wiped his face slightly, trying to hide the depressed expression on his face.

Although it was very unlike her usual style, she did start confiding in high school girls she met on the street, revealing the problems that were troubling her.

The girl sat beside her, smelling sweet of bananas and baking. She must be someone who really enjoys making desserts herself.

The banana pudding in my hand is indeed delicious.

“I have a senior colleague whom I respect very much. She has helped me a lot in my work. I admire her very much and hope to become like her one day.”

Once you start, the things you want to say will flow out smoothly.

Kobayashi Ryo lowered her head, her fingers clasped nervously between her knees. Amidst the sounds of the fountain and children's laughter, she sat on a bench under a tree, softly pouring out her confusion and worries.

The kind-hearted high school girl sat beside her, quietly listening to Kobayashi Ryo's innermost thoughts.

“But my senior already has a girlfriend. I’ve always been the colleague who’s closest to him, so I feel a little…” Her eyes were full of confusion, “Is it jealousy, or what… Seeing that scene, I just feel like I can’t get involved…”

"Actually, I'm not jealous. It's just that I'm a little bit..."

She took a little time to organize her thoughts, searching her mind for words that could accurately summarize her feelings.

"A little disappointed."

She concluded by saying...

"I originally thought I was quite useful to you, but now it seems that I am no longer able to help you."

This is what made Kobayashi Ryo quite disappointed.

However, after hearing about Kobayashi Ryo's relationship problems, the girl on the other side noticed that something was not quite right.

She hesitated for a moment, but still pointed it out: "Are you just feeling disappointed because you feel like you're not useful?"

"Hmm...that's roughly it?"

Unbeknownst to Kobayashi Ryo, the girl blinked, her gaze towards Kobayashi Ryo carrying a profound meaning.

Since it's only this level of feeling, then it's very simple.

"So, you probably don't like your senior, huh?" the girl said.

The girl's seemingly unintentional words exploded in Kobayashi Ryo's ears, causing her eyes to widen and her face to flush red: "I...I...I...How could I possibly have such thoughts?!"

It was precisely because he was such an admired and respected senior that Kobayashi Ryo found it difficult to harbor such feelings.

If you asked her to imagine herself with her senior... no, she couldn't imagine it at all.

"How about this, I'll ask you a few questions, and you have to answer them honestly."

The girl, with a beaming smile, took the initiative. She looked directly into Kobayashi Ryo's eyes, as if she could see right into Kobayashi Ryo's heart: "Aside from feeling disappointed, do you feel uncomfortable when you see your senior standing with her girlfriend?"

“…No, not at all,” Kobayashi Ryo murmured. “In fact, I even felt a slight sense of relief.”

Moreover, they are completely incapable of feeling jealousy.

"So you're saying you don't plan to become your senior's lover? Then what are you worried about?" the girl whispered in her ear. "Besides lovers, aren't there many other options?"

More options?

Unaware that his current state was quite abnormal, and that he was almost being led by the nose by the girl, Kobayashi Ryo repeated blankly.

She gazed at the girl's face, hoping to get an answer from her.

The girl's ambiguous smile contained emotions that Kobayashi Ryo couldn't understand.

"You just want to become someone important in your senior's eyes, don't you?" The girl's voice lowered slightly, sounding less kind and cheerful than before, but her suggestive words struck Kobayashi Ryo's heart with every word. "If that's the case, then all I need to do is become your senior's most loyal subordinate."

“Most loyal…” Kobayashi Ryo was stunned, the girl’s smile reflected in his pupils.

"Do your best to help your senior and protect their final resting place... You can do it, right?" The girl patiently guided her. "Do what you should do, and you will naturally become an irreplaceable member by your senior's side."

Based on her understanding of Saki, Kobayashi Ryo had long been considered an important friend by Saki. It was just that Saki was being too humble, and her inferiority complex prevented her from realizing that she had actually been accepted.

That's why she was so shaken when she realized that she was still by Saki's side.

This is a perfect opportunity to completely transform potential rivals into Saki's loyal dogs and eliminate the threat altogether.

The psychological suggestion she used was not just a simple suggestion.

Thinking this, the girl narrowed her eyes slightly.

Just as he was about to make his move, he suddenly heard a scream from behind him.

"Mom! What's that?"

The child, holding a ball, stared blankly at the sky not far away, where a crisp sound, like shattering glass, rang out.

The weather is great today; the sky is clear and cloudless.

The light was unusually bright in this winter day.

However, as the gap in mid-air was torn apart by a tremendous force, the light seemed to be sucked in as well, and the sky darkened rapidly in just a few breaths.

Due to a conditioned reflex to disaster, Kobayashi Ryo, whose eyes were slightly unfocused, immediately regained his senses.

She had no time to hesitate. Adjusting her glasses, she urgently said to the girl in front of her, "Go to the nearest shelter right now! Don't linger here!"

As he spoke, Kobayashi Ryo hurriedly got up and began to help evacuate the surrounding crowd, trying to minimize the damage before the disaster struck.

During the evacuation, I took out my phone and reported the information I had observed to a senior who lived nearby: "Senior! Level 1 disaster, 350 in number, type... Kross!"

A soft reply came from the other end of the phone from Saki Koizumi. Almost simultaneously, Ryo Kobayashi saw a familiar figure floating in mid-air, ready for the impending disaster.

The girl did not go far immediately.

She leaned against a tree in the park, slightly raising her head, her eyes reflecting the figure of Saki Koizumi in mid-air.