Tokyo: To reiterate, this is not a dating system.

A young girl's thoughts are more fickle than the weather in Tokyo.

On a sunny afternoon right after school, every leaf of the white crane tree reflects a golden light.

Now, in the light drizzle, it only nods to passersby.

Yuko Asahi placed one hand on her slightly flat chest and the other on her chin, her expression seemingly thoughtful: "I feel like my approach is off. What do you think?"

"Hmm," Genji Aoyama nodded, looking at the damp patches that had just appeared on the ground, "I also think that Hakutsuru High's swimming club aims for high rankings in major competitions and has strict requirements for every member. This approach is not bad, but it is not suitable for me."

"ha?"

Aoyama Genji looked at Asahi Yuko.

"I'm talking about myself, you idiot!" Asahi Yuko glared at Aoyama Genji.

"You really are an idiot, I'm talking about you, of course," Genji Aoyama laughed as if he remembered something. "One minute you're being cute, the next you're jealous, then you're mean, then you're adorable, and then you even feed me. I don't object, but I can hardly call myself a fan."

"really."

"really?"

"You really are hard to understand!" Asahi Yuko looked distressed, then switched to a serious expression in an instant. "The only thing that's really cute about you is that you're not faking it."

Aoyama Genji remained noncommittal: "It's not that complicated. Asahi just needs to interact with me normally."

"Then why did you say 'try your best' last night? I've been working hard to learn girlfriend skills for that 10 yen!"

"...Is that so?" Genji Aoyama feigned ignorance.

It seems that Yuko Asahi said something like this when she said she had no experience being a girlfriend.

"Anyway, it's all your fault."

Yuko Asahi walked up to Genji Aoyama and gently pounded his waist with her small fists, like soft raindrops.

"Um."

The raindrops falling from the sky seemed to become denser. Genji Aoyama stepped into the rain and glanced back at Yuko Asahi, who was standing in the same spot.

"Let's go home first today."

I thought it would be a nice day, but it started raining.

And it might rain even harder in a little while.

The moment this thought arose, it caught the attention of Genji Aoyama.

His health isn't very good right now. If he catches a cold from being caught in the rain, it will be quite troublesome, and it's not impossible that he might become seriously ill.

"Maybe the rain will stop soon?"

This was the thought of someone who was hoping for a lucky break. Asahi Yuko wanted to visit the Ministry of Culture's club, so she followed her and told Aoyama Genji her idea.

"Shall I go back first?"

Genji Aoyama didn't bring an umbrella, so he thought he should hurry to the station before the rain got too heavy.

"Do you really not need company? I feel uneasy taking the 100,000 yen."

"How about 50,000?"

"That won't be necessary. If possible, please extend the time as well. Thank you very much."

So the two of them strolled in the rain, walking like fools toward the entrance of the teaching building.

"goodbye."

"Okay, goodbye."

The two waved goodbye at the shoe cabinet. Genji Aoyama went back to the classroom to get his schoolbag, and Yuko Asahi finally breathed a sigh of relief after watching him leave the entrance hall.

"Like an idiot."

It refers to someone who motivates her to work hard while also allowing her to maintain a normal relationship with them.

"I was just being stupid, thinking he needed emotional support and constantly trying to create a false atmosphere by watching dating reality shows until 3 a.m."

Yuko Asahi laughed.

She has always felt that social interaction is a need, and those who have this need are often people who are rich and have leisure time but are empty inside. As for the rest of the people, they just use social interaction as a means to create a false atmosphere.

What is the psychology behind people who want to pursue fake relationships?

Asahi Yuko doesn't understand.

"Buzz—Buzz—Buzz"

The continuous vibration of her phone interrupted her thoughts.

A complex expression appeared on her face the moment she saw the contact person.

Take a deep breath and click to answer.

"Hello, Mother."

"Yuko, Mom has started looking for a job recently. I don't have much money. If I find a part-time job when school starts, I should be able to get paid in the next couple of days. With the allowance, I should have some money, right?"

"..."

"Hey? Yuuko? Are you listening? I promise I'll come to Tokyo to see you after I get a stable job."

"I hope you're really serious about working this time."

After saying this, Yuko Asahi, her breathing trembling, hung up the phone and then initiated a transfer via mobile banking.

After turning off her phone screen, she felt a nauseous cramp in her stomach, and a sense of weakness spread through her body. She leaned against the railing of the corridor and began to regulate her breathing.

"Buzz—Buzz—Buzz"

The phone vibrated continuously again. Asahi Yuko, whose head was starting to spin, could no longer see who was calling and could only tap the screen randomly with her fingers.

The sound of rain came from the phone; the call must have been connected.

Is it raining in Fukuoka too? No, I spoke to him on the phone a few days ago, and it seems he went to Chiba.

Yuko Asahi felt that her thoughts were very confused.

"Mom, Mom..."

"I'm not your mother?" a boy's questioning voice came from the phone. "Did you receive any LINE messages?"

"you……"

"Moshi Moshi? Asahi-kun? Asahi? Are you still there? Moshi Moshi?"

"I……"

◇

Genji Aoyama found Yuko Asahi in the corridor leading from the teaching building to the special building.

She leaned against the corridor railing, her phone clutched tightly in her hand.

Upon getting closer, he noticed that her originally beautiful face was now contorted with pain and struggle, and her already pale face was completely devoid of color—Aoyama Genji estimated that he wouldn't be this pale even if he had been dead for three days.

"Are you alright?" He crouched down and looked at Asahi Yuko.

"Ao...yama?" After a while, Asahi Yuko was able to speak with difficulty.

"Ah, it's me."

"Why... are you back again?"

She noticed that Genji Aoyama was soaking wet, looking like he had just been pulled out of the water.

"For various reasons," Genji Aoyama said, rummaging through his bag and pulling out a package. "Let's have something sweet first."

They were cookies I made that morning; Asahi Yuko specially packed a portion for him.

After handing the cookies to Yuko Asahi, Genji Aoyama ran back in the direction he had come from.

Where are we going?

She reached out to grab Aoyama Genji's clothes, but her hand wouldn't lift.

"I'm going to buy a drink."

Upon hearing the response, Yuko Asahi finally closed her eyes in relief.

After waiting for about a minute, a "thump thump thump" sound rang out in the corridor. She opened her eyes and saw Aoyama Genji running towards her, his face damp with sweat.

"Why haven't you eaten?"

After asking the question, Genji Aoyama recalled the feeling of weakness in his limbs from his memory. He smiled helplessly, took the food bag from Yuko Asahi, took out a cookie, and opened his mouth slightly.

"ah--"

With a handsome face so close, and his slightly parted mouth breathing softly, Asahi Yuko suddenly felt a little shy and wanted to look away.

"Open your mouth!"

She suddenly felt that this scene was familiar, and couldn't help but smile, her mouth starting to match Aoyama Genji's movements.

Cookies harden after cooling, making them a little difficult to eat, and they're not sweet.

Genji Aoyama pulled the tab on the Coke bottle again and brought the bottle opening close to Yuko Asahi's almost bloodless lips.

She took a sip, then gulped it down.

After the bubbly, sweet drink went down her throat, Asahi Yuko felt a little better.

This one is quite sweet.

After a while, when she had recovered enough to speak normally, Asahi Yuko asked, "Why didn't you go to the infirmary?"

"I forgot," said Genji Aoyama.

Isn't that just being an idiot?