Chapter 42: Hayakawa’s leveling up? New relationship options!

……

“Takahashi’s birthday soon?”

“Eh, that’s why I wanted to find Natsuki to discuss what kind of gift I should buy for her.” Hayakawa fidgeted her fingers a little apprehensively, in front of Natsuki she could never help but show shyness now.

“So.”

Natsuki Arai thought that was a surprise, “Hayakawa you spend a lot of time with her, did you learn anything about what she likes?”

“Well ……,” Hayakawa thought back, and suddenly a white light flashed in his eyes, then said, “I didn’t really ask her what she liked, but I did give her a hair card once, an anime collector’s item of some kind. It might not be very valuable, but it’s really a rare one.”

“And then what?”

“She loved it.” Keiko Hayakawa looked straight at him.

Aoi Natsuki became puzzled and asked rhetorically, “Does Takahashi like to watch some of the tomodramas as well?”

“No, she didn’t like it, and she didn’t even recognize the anime character on the hair card I gave her, but she’s been wearing that hair card ever since, so ……” Keiko Hayakawa said with a warm smile.

Aoi Natsuki also heard the meaning of it, this was perhaps the lightness of the gift.

So far he did think that Takahashi Mito, despite his almost temperament, had always been good to his friends, even for someone with a negative favorability rating like him, he was just as likely to step in and help when he saw him being bullied by others, so it was clear that there was still a lot of good character to be found.

“As it is, the thought is definitely more important than the value, and it’s fine to carefully select a gift, or whatever you have in your own home that you feel is of memorable value I think.”

“In Your Own Home ……”

Keiko Hayakawa was thoughtful.

After a moment, he nodded to himself, “I see, thank you, Natsuki.”

“It’s okay, you can have that heart, I’m sure she’ll be happy with whatever you give her, after all you could be the one friend she knows in this high school.”

“Well ……,” Keiko Hayakawa asked with some confidence on her face, followed closely by her mouth, “Natsuki, let me ask you something, Metsu is having a birthday party at her house this time, did she . . invited you?”

Aoi Natsuki had just had a smile on her face, but when she heard those words, the expression on her face instantly froze.

That violent maniac ……

“Yes?”

“Ahem, no ……”

……

Aoi Natsuki had thought to forget about it, after all, there was still a value of -25 in goodwill, and it probably couldn’t be reversed before the birthday party, so she just didn’t have any expectations, but Hayakawa Keiko seemed to be extraordinarily attached to this matter.

When you get to recess, take it upon yourself to go next to Medu and ask how things are going.

“Invite him? Why? Why would I invite this annoying guy to my birthday party?” Takahashi Midu’s tone revealed casualness, as if it was an unimportant matter in itself.

“Of course it’s necessary, Natsuki may be a boy, but his good personality is there for all to see, and he’s your friend too.” Hayakawa Keiko emphasized.

Takahashi Mito shifted her eyes from looking at the small mirror in her hand, slightly disoriented, but immediately noticed the blind spot and turned back, “Natsuki? You actually called him Natsuki?!”

“That’s the point! Metu, I don’t understand why you always hate him so much, obviously he treats you as a friend too, can’t you try to accept him?” This is the first time that Hayakawa Keiko has shown her impatience, Takahashi Midu was dumbfounded at the sight, she has never seen Hayakawa angry before, and for a moment she was flustered as well.

“Fine, fine, I’ll just promise him to come, don’t be angry, you’re really scaring me with that look.” Takahashi Midu changed her just now high and proud stance, all of a sudden she lowered her voice, her two hands waving at a loss of where to put them.

It was unthinkable that Hayakawa would get angry with himself over that guy!

Hayakawa Keiko’s face was filled with a floating red color of anger, all the way up to her neck, her hands were clenched into fists, and practically her entire state was forced out, but for Natsuki’s sake, she still had no choice but to go on top.

Immediately followed by a separate hand grabbing Midu’s wrist, her gaze becoming serious, “No backing out oh!”

“Yes, yes, yes, I won’t back out, don’t be angry ……” Takahashi Midu’s forehead was nearly beaded with sweat, and her voice was weaker than usual.

Seeing this situation, Hayakawa Keiko recovered a little bit, her anger faded, and then her face became redder instead, but this time it was a blush.

This was the first time she’d lost her temper with Metu… I can’t imagine it at all!

I can’t believe I’m talking to Metro ……

“Yikes!”

She pouted in a small voice and hastily lowered her head.

Because she realized she was still valiantly holding onto Medu’s wrist in a death grip, and that was too much for herself!

“Yeah, I’m sorry ah, Metro …… me, I ……”

“It’s okay, it’s not your fault, it’s probably true that I was too willful and didn’t take into account the feelings of the people around me, so just let him come.” Takahashi Mito rubbed her chest, she was so scared just now, that she dared to say no again.

Hayakawa Keiko was instantly surprised, but the words were still too much for her to say, so she could only keep nodding heavily to express her current excitement.

……

A few days later, Takahashi Mito’s birthday party also came as scheduled, and it wasn’t as ostentatious as expected, just a few friends were invited to the house, a cake was cut, and we all had a meal together.

Takahashi Mito and his sister Ayano had bought some balloons and decorations to decorate the house beforehand, and in the absence of their parents, it was up to them to create the so-called sense of atmosphere.

By the time the setup was over, Metsu was even more drained on the floor, while her sister Ayano was flat on her face, the benefits of going to volunteer on weekdays coming through, or maybe it was just that natural girls never knew there was such a thing as a stamina limit.

“Sis, this is the first time I’ve seen you so diligent, don’t tell me it’s because our joint birthday is coming up and you’re giving it a thrill.” Takahashi Ayano and Mito were born just six minutes apart, so this birthday party was also organized for the two of them together.

Ayano says she’ll invite some of the old people from the old people’s association over to celebrate with her, and Takahashi Midu agrees that a little bit of liveliness would be good.

“I think all the friends you’re inviting tomorrow are girls, sis?” Takahashi Ayano asked casually.

“Ha……” Takahashi Midu’s mind immediately thought of Aoi Natsuki, and then narrowed her eyes and inclined her head, a scene that also happened to be caught by the sharp-eyed Ayano, who immediately exclaimed.

“No way! You really invited boys to the house, sis! You’ve changed, you’re no longer the repulsive, boy-cynical bully sister I’ve seen.”

“???”

Takahashi Mito’s head was full of questions.

But she really did not have the strength to talk to Ayano again, anyway, when she saw that guy, it will dispel all the ideas, she and Ayano’s aesthetics are still close to each other, generally she does not like, Ayano will not like the same, on the contrary, if it is a favorite thing, the two sisters will sometimes really fight for a long time for the right to this same thing, and in the end, only to have manpower the same, and only then give up.

……

“Wow, is this where Takahashi lives? It’s so upscale.”

“Well, let me see the address oh.” Hayakawa checked which building it was in and then let the group in after calling the security guard to open the door.

Aoi Natsuki brought along Rina and Yoshizou, in addition, Sakurajima Apricot was also invited to participate in this birthday party, today she is still dressed up brightly, or that face that comes with heavy makeup without the need to put on makeup, and just now when we met on the road we saw her being accosted by males, but for ordinary males she seems to have no interest, and passes right by with an indifferent face.

Miraculously, it fell back on a big smile on his face when he saw Natsuki Aoi.

Another look at the favorability, well, it’s still -1.

It’s also unknown to be able to maintain this value all the time.

According to the address a few people quickly arrived at a building, took the elevator up to the twentieth floor, the residence on the left was it, the door was still open, just out of the elevator the first thing a few people saw was Takahashi Mito passing by the door.

Hayakawa Keiko’s face was suddenly happy, and she was about to go up and congratulate her twice, but someone else was even faster than her.

Only to see Sakurajima Apricot rush up in a single bound, and then take Takahashi Mito in her arms, “Happy Birthday, my dear.”

Aoi Natsuki, who was standing in the back, all but noticed a few seconds of frozen concentration on Takahashi Mito’s face.

Hey …… you guys don’t even have such an ironic relationship OK.

But after all, it was an invitation to come here, so Takahashi Midu had to awkwardly answer a few words, and even Aoi Natsuki wondered if Sakurajima Apricot had received an invitation or not.

“All come in, there are disposable slippers on the floor and shoes if you have them on the shoe rack.” Takahashi Mito guided a few people in.

Just as they entered the door a few of them smelled the particularly nice aroma of a meal, a restaurant takeout that Mito Takahashi had just ordered.

The volume is higher, after all, there are still members of the Senior Citizens’ Association to come.

“Sis, your friend is here~ That guy ……” Takahashi Ayano walked out from the left side of the room directly across from her at this moment, smiling and about to flirt, but when her eyes met Aoi Natsuki, she immediately revealed a shocked look, and “It’s you!”

Aoi Natsuki’s heart immediately thumped, but he had also anticipated the direction of such a thing, and hurriedly took the lead in turning his head to Hayakawa before Takahashi Midu could ask, “Hayakawa, look, isn’t that the NPC lady we met in the haunted house last time?”

“Really eh, what a coincidence! Metu, is she your sister!” Hayakawa Keiko covered her mouth in surprise.

Takahashi Midu was also almost unresponsive to the barrage of blows, but since Hayakawa asked, she instinctively nodded.

“Well …… yeah, Ayano! And you’ve been to a haunted house part-time before?”

“Right! Didn’t I tell you the other day that I was covering a part-time shift for a friend, did you forget?”

Takahashi Midu then remembered, then lightly slapped her forehead and said, “So that’s it, I was in that haunted house that day as well.”

“What a coincidence, let me guess, you’re the mummy? No no, it’s not as tall as you, ah! You’re the zombie bear! Right?” Sakurajima Apricot folded her arms happily and looked over at Ayano with a narrow-eyed grin.

“Yeah, yeah! You guessed it really well! I was wearing a zombie bear doll holster back then eh!”

“Oh, hahahahaha.” Sakurajima Apricot suddenly laughed out loud with a hahahaha, and then pointed at Ayano and said to Takahashi Midu, “Midu, that NPC that chased you for four and a half laps the other day turned out to be your sister, hahahaha.”

“What?!” Takahashi Midu suddenly recalled that nightmarish night when that monster had chased after her moment by moment as if it was completely incapable of feeling fatigue, scaring her half to death.

Turns out it’s ……!

Ayano Takahashi sees the situation and rushes off.

Takahashi Mito pursed his lips, it was not good to snap at the presence of his friends, so he would have to save it for the fall!

Then a few people also took out the prepared birthday cake, and all of them sat around the dining table, the only bad news might be that the old people from the old people’s association couldn’t come, saying that the car broke down on the way, and a few people had to drive first.

The decorations set up around the room as well as this table and the gifts prepared by a few friends.

The atmosphere was baked all at once.

“Let’s start with the birthday song.”

“No, there’s no need to be so troublesome.” Takahashi Mito’s face flushed a little.

“Yes yes yes, everyone sing along!” Sakurajima Apricot coaxed.

A few people then began to sing the Happy Birthday song, and at first Takahashi Mito was a bit reluctant, but eventually the mood came up and she sang along with the chorus.

“Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you …… Happy, Birthday, Happy, Birthday to you!”

After it’s all over everyone applauds for Mito Takahashi and Ayano even makes her wish.

This is the right of every person who has a birthday.

Takahashi Midu looked around at a few people and slowly closed her eyes as she began to make a wish in her mind.

“I hope …… everyone around me will be okay, and I hope, too, that my parents will come home sooner.”

Opening his eyes and blowing out the candles on the cake in front of him was followed by a round of applause.

She also let go of her original stance today in a rare way, following a few people and laughing, and even treating Aoi Natsuki much better, and her goodwill also increased to a great extent today.

Natsuki Aoi reaped the rewards, watching her favorability come all the way up to -15.

He felt okay about that though, the group of friends in front of him was more important.

A smile appeared on his lips as he looked at Lina, who was smiling and laughing as she ate her cake.

Just ……

His gaze then fell on Hayakawa, who was sitting on his right side, but she was in a somewhat poor state at the moment, having been distracted since the beginning of dinner.

Talking became scarce during the meal, and he saw a strong sense of loss in her eyes as she ……

After the meal, Takahashi Mito was pestered by Sakurajima Apricot with inexplicable questions, while Rina was dragged by Takahashi Ayano to watch a cartoon.

Aoi Natsuki looked around and finally was able to see Hayakawa Keiko who was leaning against the parapet and blowing on the wind at the balcony.

With that he pushed open the balcony door and stepped out as well.

Hayakawa Keiko heard the sound, sniffled, and also wiped her eyes very quickly, turned her head to see that it was Natsuki, and was very surprised, “Natsuki, why did you come ……”

Aoi Natsuki looked at her, slowly walked up and said, “Just now, I saw that you were distracted, and after the meal, you even ran to the balcony here to blow off some steam, don’t tell me that you just want to look at the night view, I don’t believe it, oh.”

“……” Keiko Hayakawa lowered her head again and turned to put her hands on the guardrail.

“If you have something on your mind, you can tell me, don’t always keep it inside.” Aoi Natsuki said.

Hayakawa Keiko looked like she was struggling with her thoughts, and after a while, decided and slowly said, “Actually, I’m a little envious of today’s Metu …… I know it’s not good for me to be like this, after all, today is her birthday, but …… I’m also very envious that she can have such a grand birthday party and invite so many friends, Xia Shu, do you think this is called selfishness on my part?”

She turned her head to look at him.

Aoi Natsuki didn’t think about it and directly shook her head, “This kind of emotion is human, it rather shows that you’re a person who cares about other people’s emotions, don’t think too much.”

Hearing this, Keiko Hayakawa straightened her back a little and nodded, “Well ……”

“October 26th is your birthday right?”

“Eh! You, how did you know?” Hayakawa Keiko was stunned.

“When we were talking about the fanfic earlier, you did mention that your birthday is exactly one month apart from the female lead in Dryad Kobayashi, so that’s how I knew.”

Aoi Natsuki touched his pocket, followed by taking out a small gift box from it and handing it to her, “This, for you, kind of makes up for your birthday present.”

“This this this this this ……”

Keiko Hayakawa suddenly panicked.

“But, but my birthday …… has, it’s been almost a month already ……”

“Just kidding, why shouldn’t you have what she has, take it.” The corners of Aoi Natsuki’s mouth rose.

At this moment, Hayakawa Keiko’s face felt like it was on fire, rolling, her right hand gripped the neckline in a death grip as she felt that even her chest was stifling and her heart was beating faster and faster.

Ah le ……

When she noticed, her eyes had long since been veiled in a thin veil of tears.

Large tears slid down from the corners of his eyes as well as the ends of his eyes, and he was instantly moved to sob.

Can’t even stop it.

Aoi Natsuki is looking right in front of him, and if you are repressed in your heart, crying out is the best option, and when tomorrow comes, it will be another sunny day ah.

“Keiko Hayakawa is in the process of upgrading ……”.

“C-A.”

“Keiko Hayakawa, grade A, favorability: 65.”

Before he could react, in his line of sight, the originally earth-colored C grade level letters on top of Hayakawa Keiko’s head changed shape a little bit, and finally shone with a dazzling red light ……