Chapter 23. See you tomorrow, Hinata.

after a while.

Tsukino and Chiya pushed open the conference room door, picked up their bags, and walked out of the room.

If there's any difference between him now and before he came, it's that he's now carrying a folder in his hand, the contents of which are unknown.

The black-haired boy, dressed in a preparatory course uniform, walked down the corridor with documents in his hand and a bag in his hand, looking no different from the other students who lingered at school after school.

...even if he were in a place that students of general preparatory courses wouldn't specifically come to.

So, why is this person here?

"Although I said 'see you tomorrow' not long ago, it's obviously not tomorrow yet."

Tsukino and Chiya stopped in their tracks, their gazes fixed on their classmates who were facing them down the corridor.

"What a coincidence, Hinata. It seems you've already finished your chores."

To get to the stairs, he would need to go around Hinata and continue walking a bit further. In other words, unless someone managed to hide in another room in the corridor, jump off the building, or cling to the ceiling like Spider-Man, their encounter was unavoidable.

As far as Tsukino and Chiya knew, the only room in this corridor that wasn't locked at this time and had someone inside was...

“It’s Tsukino Kazuya.” Hinata Hajime was clearly a little surprised to see Chiya here. He asked instinctively, “Yes, I finished my duty... What are you doing here? I thought you had already gone back.”

“Someone asked me to meet them around here.” Tsukino and Chiya waved the folder in their hands. “I got what they were going to give me from that person and was just about to leave when I ran into you.”

"It's getting late... I have an appointment later, so I have to leave now."

To Hinata's surprise, Chiya didn't follow the usual social norms and ask "And you?", but instead waved her empty hand to say "Bye-bye".

"Well then, it really is 'see you tomorrow' now, Hinata."

"Okay... See you tomorrow, Tsukino Kazu."

Hinata Hajime breathed a slight sigh of relief.

If Tsukino were to ask him why he was there, Hinata Hajime might not be able to think of a good answer for a moment. After all, he hadn't expected to run into Tsukino here, so he wasn't prepared for the possibility of encountering someone he knew.

Hajime Hinata doesn't have a habit of lying, nor does he intend to lie to his friends. However, the reason he's here is because of "that matter," and "that matter" undoubtedly needs to be kept secret.

Although not an undergraduate student at Hope's Peak, Hajime Hinata was no fool. Or more accurately, he was exceptionally perceptive, realizing that Tsukino's presence there at the same time was rather odd.

However, he also knew that if he pressed for answers now, he would likely be asked questions like "Why are you here?" Although he had regained his composure and could probably bluff his way out of it... perhaps it was best to say as little as possible.

And... what comes next might be more important.

The two exchanged a few words and said goodbye before passing each other by.

Tsukino and Chiya kept walking without looking back.

However, someone who knows him very well might be able to tell that he is in a good mood at this moment.

I have a feeling...

Tsukino and Chiya thought to themselves.

I think I just encountered something interesting.

*******

Tsukino and Chiya walked down the stairs.

This time, he didn't run into any classmates in the building, but...

"Heave-ho!"

Tsukino and Chiya hadn't exerted much force while holding the folder, so it was easily snatched away by Ohma Kokichi, who had been hiding at the stairwell all along.

"Yay, I got it!"

The purple-haired boy, like a child showing off a hard-won treasure to the world, held the folder he had just snatched high in the sky, as if he could see through the light to what was inside.

However, before Tsukino and Chiya could say anything, the smile on Ohma Kokichi's face suddenly faded. His hand fell to his sides, as if he wasn't the one who had just been so excited: "...Ah, how boring. Even someone like me, who lies as freely as breathing, gets bored seeing a deadpan face like Tsukino's without any reaction."

Tsukino and Chiya walked out of the stairwell: "Um, sorry? But you didn't lie just now, did you?"

Wang Ma Xiaoji solemnly corrected: "The key point is the deadpan face! How can there be such a boring character design in this world!"

"but……"

Wang Ma Xiaoji then changed the subject: "Thinking about it carefully, playing a challenging game wouldn't be bad. That deadpan look doesn't seem so hateful anymore—it's actually quite exciting!"

Tsukino and Chiya tried to retrieve the documents: "A game? Am I part of the game?"

Wangma Xiaoji reacted quickly to the side, causing Qianye to miss her target: "Xiaoyueye is the core of the play~"

Tsukino and Chiya gave up on retrieving the documents—although he had only intended to try and retrieve them anyway, and didn't care who had them: "I didn't have a chance to ask just now... why did you suddenly come to the preparatory course?"

"Huh? Is it something I need to specifically ask about that I'm showing up in the preparatory course?" Wang Ma Xiaoji looked puzzled. "Oh right! After all, students in the preparatory course can't just come and go as they please, but undergraduate students can come and go in the preparatory course so easily! That's so unfair—will I get beaten up if I show up like this?"

Tsukino and Chiya thought for a moment and said, "I think if you ever get beaten up in the preparatory course, it won't be because you're here as an undergraduate student, but because of your mouth."

"Hehe, if Tsukino praises me like that, I'll become too proud!"

"Um, I wasn't trying to compliment you, was I?" Tsukino and Chiya looked at the sky outside the first-floor corridor, where the sky was gradually turning dusky. "Besides, it's not uncommon for undergraduates to appear in preparatory courses. I was just curious why you came to find me."

This is the first time something like this has happened.

"Is Kozuki Kazuha talking about Koizumi-chan? Oh, right, her best friend is your classmate now, isn't she?" As he spoke, Ohma Kokichi's eyes gradually reddened, and his tone carried a touch of just the right amount of melancholy. "Really—Kozuki Kazuha is so heartless! We're such a close friend, Koizumi-chan can come to see her friend, so why can't I come to see you just because I miss you?"

"Actually, I kept it a secret so you wouldn't worry... My life at the undergraduate level was terrible. My classmates bullied me every day, calling me 'Evil Fanta,' and my teacher was a drunkard who was always unreliable. This cold, materialistic world only had some warmth in Kozuki, who was in the preparatory course, and yet you were surprised that I came to see you... Shouldn't it have been a surprise?"

He suddenly burst into tears, as if he had suffered a great injustice: "Waaaaah!! You all don't like me, I'm so sad~~~!"

Although I didn't witness Wang Ma Xiaoji's life during his undergraduate studies firsthand, but...

Tsukino and Qianye cursed.

I have a feeling that he bullies most of his classmates.

Such a thought crossed their minds, and on the surface, Tsukino and Chiya nodded in agreement: "Your teacher does seem quite unreliable."

"Eh~ It seems that Kozukino has met with Ms. Kizaki." Ohma Kokichi, who had just let out a loud wail, stopped in an instant and said with amusement, "Hehe, it's really unusual that such a lazy teacher would take the initiative to come to the preparatory course."

He seemed to know very well that Huang Ying had arrived at the preparatory course.

However, Tsukino and Chiya couldn't easily determine whether Ohma Kokichi was aware of this matter beforehand. After all... according to Ohma's words, it was—pretending to be mysterious is a required course for evil leaders?

However, whether he understands it or not is actually not important.

Just as Tsukino and Chiya were about to say something, they heard a familiar voice coming from not far behind them before they could speak.

"Tsukino Kazu?"

Wait a minute, why does this development seem so familiar?

Tsukino and Chiya turned to look behind them at the sound—Hyuga Hajime, who had just said "see you tomorrow" to them for the second time not long ago, was now standing on the steps, his gaze fixed on them.

So fast?

Tsukino and Chiya were slightly surprised, not expecting to see their classmate again so soon. —Although they had been delayed by chatting with the suddenly appearing Ohma Kokichi, the two of them hadn't actually talked for very long… So, Hinata Hajime's matter was already over? That's efficient.

"Hmm? What? A new friend?" Ohma Kokichi peeked out from behind Chiya and looked at Hinata Hajime standing on the stairs with great interest.

Are these... undergraduate students?

Hinata Hajime, who hadn't expected Tsukino Kazuya to still be there and to have an unfamiliar boy by his side, snapped out of his daze and glanced at the documents that Tsukino Kazuya had been holding in the purple-haired boy's hand.

While preparatory courses aren't as highly regarded as undergraduate programs, security still doesn't just let just anyone in. So, this purple-haired boy I've never seen before, who wasn't wearing a preparatory course uniform, must be an undergraduate student, right?

From his memories, Hajime Hinata retrieved the name of the boy who, despite being an undergraduate student, was a topic of conversation in the preparatory course and was occasionally mentioned by other students. He was...

“This student—”

Wang Ma Xiaoji waved to him in a friendly manner with a bright smile.

"Wow, this route looks so familiar. You're here now... Could it be that you're also going to see Professor Huang Ying? Generally speaking, if a non-undergraduate is approached by Professor Huang Ying, that's the only possibility, right? Shouldn't I congratulate you?"

Hajime Hinata: "…………"

Hajime Hinata's thoughts were abruptly interrupted.

Indeed, besides being a teacher, Koichi Huang Ying also has another, more intriguing identity. And being approached by someone with that identity was, no, it should be said... even now, something Hajime Hinata longs for.

But in reality...

Suddenly struck by a revelation about his current worries, the short-haired brown-haired boy fell silent. And in this unexpected silence, the smile on Ouma Kokichi's face gradually faded.

Wangma Xiaoji: "…………Hmm? Isn't that wrong?"

A note from the author:

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Xiao Ji: Oh dear, I misspoke.

If all goes well, the next chapter will be a paid chapter, and there will be a 10,000-word update. Hope everyone will support me! [Sprinkling flowers]