My daily life in love is too contrary to my character.

Soga Kiriren's ears turned slightly red as she could feel the warm air blowing out when Shiraishi Sawa spoke.

"No, you should look for books from the Gakuen Publishing House. Every year, the questions should be based on their book. Other publishers may have questions that are beyond the scope of the syllabus or have omissions."

"Okay, I'll go look for it."

"Study Club, Study Club, ah, I found this book!"

He accidentally spoke a little too loudly, and Shiraishi Sawah gave the customers around him an apologetic look.

"Is this the one, President?"

"Let me see," Suwo Wulian said, taking the two books and flipping through a few pages. "Yes, it's the latest edition, no doubt about it."

I took two copies of each of the two books.

"Phew, looks pretty easy. What books are you planning to buy, President Su?"

"I'd like to buy another book by Keigo Higashino."

"Keigo Higashino? I'm familiar with him. President, I'll recommend a few to you later?"

"Ok."

--

I switched to a different floor for novels. There's a whole dedicated area for Keigo Higashino's works in the Kinokuniya section, with huge signs pointing the way, making it easy to spot.

"President, which books have you read? Let me recommend some others."

"I haven't read many books, but I've seen some of the movies that have been adapted into films, such as Journey Under the Midnight Sun, The Devotion of Suspect X, Meteor Shower, and Red Fingers."

"President, the books you've read are all quite good. How many do you want to buy today?"

"Two books will be enough."

"Let's start with this one, 'The Miracles of the Namiya General Store,' a very famous book. It's about a general store on a quiet street where you can write down your troubles and drop them into the letter slot in the shutter door. The next day, you'll find an answer in the milk box behind the store. I won't spoil the details, but it's quite good."

"Okay." After listening, Soga Kirei took a copy of "The Miracles of the Namiya General Store" and hugged it to her chest.

"The second book... let's say 'When the Prayer Ends.' It's about solving a case, and it portrays two tragic families, but in the end, it reveals a deep sense of paternal love..."

"I don't want this one, I don't really like it."

Before Shiraishi Zexiu could finish speaking, Soga Kirei decisively shook her head in refusal.

"Is that so? Then let's take this one, 'The Poisonous Laughing Novel'. It doesn't contain a complete story, but rather several short stories by Keigo Higashino. Some of them are bizarre and truly shocking."

"it is good."

"Do you want to buy more, or would you like to sit here and read a few books, President?"

Shiraishi Sawahide shook the small stool in his hand.

"can."

"Then, President, you sit here for a while. I'm going to buy a copy of 'The Path in the Wind.' I just checked on the computer here. It's on the eighth floor, but it's a hassle to go up there. After I buy it, I'll go to the comic book building and buy a few more comic books, then I'll come back."

Because Shiraishi Sawah remembered that Soga Kirei had said last time that she didn't read manga or watch anime much, Shiraishi Sawah didn't intend for her to come with him, and unfolded a folding chair and placed it on the ground.

"No need, Shiraishi-kun, I'll just go with you to take a look."

Soga Kirei didn't want to be alone, even if it was only for a short time.

“Okay, it doesn’t seem right to leave you here alone, President. I’ll have to trouble you to run around with me.”

"There is an elevator."

"Walking can be tiring..."

--

Even a book can come in many varieties, from hardcover to paperback. Shiraishi Sawa chose a custom-made hardcover copy of "The Road in the Wind".

"Shiraishi, do you like reading this kind of delicate literature? I feel like there aren't many boys who read 'The Road in the Wind'."

"Hahahaha," Shiraishi Sawah scratched his head, "Actually, I don't even look at it. I just bought it as a gift for my roommate."

"Shiraishi, do you still have a roommate? It seems your roommate is a very thoughtful boy."

Shiraishi Sawa did not offer much explanation for this.

Afterwards, Shiraishi Sawa brought Soga Kirei to the manga section. Since not much time had passed, there were basically no new volumes available. They simply picked out two volumes along with the Toriko manga they already had at home.

“We’re done buying,” said Shiraishi Sawa, carrying a bag full of books in one hand and two portable chairs in the other. “President, let’s find a quiet place to read now.”

"Ah."

Chapter 65 There's Always Someone to Keep You company through the weird and wonderful times

Art is always abstruse and difficult to understand, and it is destined that most ordinary people will not pay attention to it.

Of course, this excludes body art.

The art district was a world apart from the comic book building we had just passed. The comic book area was packed with people, with long lines in front of every shelf, while this area was practically empty, with only a few people browsing and selecting books, mostly in the human body art section.

The hero sees the same.

Shiraishi Sawa led Soga Kirei to a corner of the art district, unfolded a chair, and the two sat down there.

Soga Kirei is wearing a long dress today, so there's no need to worry about her exposing herself.

Since half an afternoon is neither a long nor a short time, but definitely not enough to finish reading a long novel, Shiraishi Sawa read an opened issue of "Weekly Shonen Jump" that he had casually brought from the manga section, while Soga Kiriren directly opened his "Poisonous Laugh Novel" and started reading short stories.

Hideaki Shiraishi doesn't watch all anime, so he quickly finished reading the parts he wanted to see in this issue of Shonen Jump. With no new magazines to read and Soga Kirei sitting next to him, he couldn't look at the nearby body art either. So, Hideaki Shiraishi opened Encyclopedia and began his initial reading.

Although I didn't attend junior high school, I'm not completely ignorant about these things, especially since I have a foundation from two lifetimes of compulsory education.

Moreover, this kind of knowledge is actually quite easy to remember and quite interesting.

"Shiraishi-kun, the extension information at the bottom of each page won't be on the test, so you don't need to memorize it," Soga Kirei reminded him when she noticed Shiraishi Zexiu looking at the extension information near each page number.

"Oh, I see. But I haven't been memorizing anything. I'm just looking at everything to broaden my knowledge. What's he mainly testing?"

"The organizers did not provide an outline; it's all based on our experience passed down from one class to the next. If I'm wrong, I hope you won't blame me."

"Haha, how could that be, President? I'm already very happy that you're willing to help."

"Well, as I said, the brief introduction under each main heading is very likely to be on the test..."

Soga Kirei gave Shiraishizawa Hide a detailed explanation of the general scope of the All-Around Knowledge Competition based on this book.

"Shiraishi, the school will ask those of us from this year's cohort to give you guidance. I will choose you then. Let's talk more later."

Every year it also asks some very obscure knowledge questions; for example, last year it asked me, "What is the name of the little green figure at the emergency exit?"

Shiraishi Sawa's mouth opened slightly, a hint of shock in his eyes:

"This is a test too? What's the name? Green Elf?"

“Mr. Peter, to my knowledge, no one was able to answer that question at the time.”

"There'd be no way anyone could answer that..."

"But there are a few questions that have appeared in previous years in the competition every year, so you still need to remember them. I'll talk about these when I give you guidance later."

"Okay, oh right, if you're going to give me guidance, could you please select Yuuko Takanashi as well? I remember our homeroom teacher said that it's possible to teach one person to many, otherwise I'll have to repeat it to her every time you teach me, which is quite troublesome."

Soga Kirei was silent for a while, "But I don't really want to talk when she's around, it'll be much less efficient."

"Oh, I see. That's really inconvenient. Never mind."

--

Before they knew it, it was lunchtime, and Shiraishi Zexiu suggested that they have a meal together before going home separately.

Soga Kirei agreed, but declined Shiraishi Sawa's offer to treat him to a meal as a thank you for accompanying him to the bookstore that day.

After discussing it, the two locked onto a TORAJI yakiniku restaurant in Higashi Shinjuku on the map. It was a bit pricey, with the phone showing that it would cost about 5000 yen per person. However, Soga Kiriren wasn't short of money, while Shiraishi Sawa Hide felt that since it was their first time in Shinjuku, they should at least eat something good.

After putting the Weekly Shonen Jump magazine they had just grabbed back in its proper place, Shiraishi Sawa and Soga Kirei went downstairs to pay the bill.

Around 6 or 7 p.m., the sky was already quite dark, but in Shinjuku, it was just the beginning of the nightlife. Neon lights were flashing, the streets were bustling with traffic, and there were many more pedestrians than when we arrived in the afternoon. Occasionally, we would pass by people dressed like gangsters.

TORAJI yakiniku restaurant is located in Kabukicho. On the way there, Shiraishizawa Hide felt the pink atmosphere that belongs to Higashi Shinjuku.

The streets are lined with coffee shops, bars, izakayas, and numerous adult entertainment venues.

Shiraishi Sawa's striking height and handsome looks often attract flirtatious glances from women outside various brothels.

If it weren't for the charismatic Soga Kirei by his side, Shiraishi Sawa would probably have been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic women.

Shiraishi Sawa looked around curiously, wanting to see what the brothel was like and where in Aomori Prefecture he had seen such things.

"Don't look, Shiraishi-kun."

A hand was stretched out in front of Shiraishi Zexiu, blocking his view.

Soga Muren pouted slightly, "These things are unhealthy, you're not allowed to look!"

"Ah..." Shiraishi Sawa Hide scratched his head sheepishly, "I'm not watching anymore, I was just curious."

The TORAJI yakiniku restaurant is located on the 46th floor of a building, and it takes quite a while to get there by elevator.

"Hello, are there two of you?"

Shiraishi Sawa nodded.

Yes, are there any window seats available?

"Okay, we just finished at one of our tables, but we have a free window seat for two with a view. I'll take you there."

"It's a pity, you can't see Tokyo Tower from this angle. I was hoping to enjoy a panoramic view of Tokyo Tower from this vantage point," said Shiraishi Sawa, looking out after ordering his food.

Soga Kirei also looked out the window along with Shiraishi Sawa, but did not say anything.

"President Su, have you studied Chinese?" Shiraishi Zexiu suddenly asked after looking out the window and beginning to survey his surroundings.

"I've learned a little, so what?"

“Let me teach you a Chinese word, ‘tractor.’ It’s pronounced like the name of this shop, which is broken down into TO RA JI, meaning tractor.”

"Wouldn't it be strange if Chinese people came to eat at this restaurant?"

"Probably so. The advantage is that I'll remember the store's name."

"Shiraishi-kun, are you good at Chinese?"