Tokyo Soft Rice King.

"Oh right, speaking of which, your father gave me a savings book and said the password is your birthday. With that money, we can properly renovate this shrine. He also said he would send your luggage over, which probably means you should stay here."

"Did Dad already prepare for this? No wonder he suggested I transfer schools before. It turns out he already knew about your identity back then, Kuroba-kun."

Haruka Tomita gently shook her head. She thought that if she had realized it sooner, she might have done so even earlier than them... even earlier than Hitomi...

After all, Haruka Tomita was the first person to notice Akira Kuroba.

When Kuroba Akira first transmigrated and started jogging in the mornings to improve his weak body, he had already met Tomita Haruka.

She arrived earlier than anyone else, but now she's the last to enter.

However, Haruka Tomita also knew that there was no point in regretting it, and it was not too late to start now. She wanted to complete her mission while also pursuing her love.

"Then, starting next semester, I will also transfer to the school where you guys are."

"But I remember you said to focus on swimming, didn't you?"

"It's okay, anyway, I've already lost the match."

"Huh? Did we lose?"

Speaking of which, I had said before that I would go with the class monitor to cheer her on, but I was too busy to go in November and December because I was rushing to finish my manuscript.

"Yes, the Winter Tournament fell short of the National Tournament."

"I see... What a pity."

"Yes, but I don't feel regretful, because I've already given it my all..."

As she spoke, Haruka Tomita showed her right palm and asked.

"Kuroba-kun, is the word 'talent' engraved on my right hand?"

"I'm sorry..."

Haruka Tomita was not disappointed; she simply accepted reality as she spoke.

"As expected... I'm just an ordinary person without any talent. Even though I've devoted most of my time to club activities, some gaps can't be bridged by hard work alone."

Sports rely heavily on talent.

Body shape, joint flexibility, muscle type, etc. ...the innate physical structure is almost impossible to replicate through training.

After reaching a certain height, you will encounter a high wall that you can't get over no matter what you do.

However, after realizing that she lacked talent, Haruka Tomita patted her chest in relief.

"To be honest, I actually felt relieved after realizing I didn't have the talent. If I clearly have the talent but still can't win, then it just means I haven't tried hard enough, right?"

"Well, you can't say that..."

After all, there are differences between talents.

"Kuroba-kun, I don't have any intention of becoming a professional swimmer. I just keep swimming because I enjoy it."

"Just as a hobby?"

"Yes, of course I would be happier if I could win first place, but I wouldn't be too disappointed if I didn't. Compared to those athletes who risk their lives on this sport, I'm just being self-satisfied."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, is it?"

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it either, but if you keep indulging in the fairy tale that ‘as long as you work hard, you will definitely reap the rewards,’ then you are just escaping reality.”

This is what is known as student thinking.

Students who always believe that "effort will always be rewarded" may become cynical when they encounter setbacks in real life. If they cannot adjust their mindset, they may even act impulsively and irrationally.

"But I do know that for most people, high school club activities and competition results don't help their future at all... But people still invest a lot of time in them. Do you think it's meaningless, Kuroba-kun?"

"No... I don't think it's meaningless, because at least I was 'enthusiastic' about it."

"That's great! Kuroba-kun thinks the same way I do. And I believe that hard work really does pay off. Even if the reward isn't necessarily a breakthrough in grades or standing on the podium, you can gain the determination to persevere, the joy of breakthroughs, and the bitterness of failure..."

Kuroba Akira listened to her words silently, deeply moved.

He finally understood what made Tomita Haruka 'special'.

“I’m not like Xiaotong who can do everything well, but even if I’m not a ‘special person’ or a ‘chosen person’, as an ordinary person, I won’t be disappointed about the future. Instead, I will try my best to do what’s in front of me.”

Because she lacked talent, she had a clear understanding of herself, knowing what she wanted and what she was capable of.

"For me now, the most important thing is to take good care of Kuroba-kun... Of course, I will not give up swimming, and I will continue to do so as a hobby, but I will no longer pursue results."

Among a group of emotionally burdened girls, she was truly a breath of fresh air!

A super common-sense person who is not distorted at all!

Gravity has no effect on her!

Chapter 387 Version Replacement, Overtaking on a Curve

"Let's head back first, we can't really spend the night here..."

It was the middle of the night on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the main hall was completely empty; the perceived temperature was almost zero degrees Celsius.

Sleeping here, even if you don't freeze to death, you'll definitely catch a cold.

"Yeah, I've already cleaned it up here. Kuroba-kun, you too... um, after you've cleaned it up, put your pants on."

After finishing her business, Tomita Haruka returned to her previous shy demeanor, lowering her head and turning her face away, but her gaze couldn't help but drift towards Xiaoming's younger brother... the bloodstains on him were still wet.

"Sorry, sorry... I've offended your eyes."

"No, that's not true! I think, well... it's a very healthy shape! It's just that it's longer than I imagined, that... longer..."

"Uh, thank you..."

Why would a girl of the same age praise Xiaoming's height and appearance?

To be honest, as a man, I was quite happy to hear my younger brother being praised.

Feeling proud, Akira Kuroba tried to wipe it clean, but then realized he had nothing to use.

It seems the only way to wipe is with the bedding, which means moving to a corner and rubbing with the edge of the bedding like wearing a loincloth... It feels so perverted.

At this moment, Haruka Tomita noticed Akira Kuroba's predicament and offered him a folded piece of white cloth.

"Please use this to wipe it."

"that is not……"

What Tomita Haruka gave her was... a pair of white, seamless, breathable panties.

"Although it's not cute at all, the fabric is quite nice. It's soft, delicate, silky, and gentle on the skin. You'll know once you use it."

"Uh……"

Want to give it a try...?

Because the lazy cat with the black tail was too lazy to take it off, and just casually hooked it to the side and put it on, its white panties were splattered with red and white.

"I use this to wipe myself. I figured since it's already dirty, I might as well use it as a handkerchief. If you don't mind, Kuroba-kun, you can use the cloth on the cleaner side of your butt to wipe yourself."

Kuroba Akira was unsure whether he should accept it or not; would this be considered another, even more perverse, act?

"However, my design is a bit outdated, so it might not qualify for inclusion in your 'special collection', Kuroba-kun."

"That's it!"

Oh, right! She's seen Kuroo's memories! So she also knows about the girl's underwear collection!

Kuroba Akira looked up and covered his eyes with one hand, feeling utterly ashamed.

Well... anyway, it's already weird, so let's just use it.

However, just as Akira Kuroba took the panties from Haruka Tomita's hands, she suddenly reached out her other hand, supported Akira's hand, and gently enveloped Akira's right hand.

"It all started with your right hand, Kuroba-kun..."

Kuroba Akira was stunned for a moment, and then realized that it all really did start with this right hand.

It was because I discovered that others possessed talent in their right hands that I used my empty hand to grasp theirs.

"Kuroba-kun, you probably never imagined you'd be in this situation six months from now."

"Of course... Now that things have come to this, I've even lost sight of my original goal, but I've also changed a lot myself."

"Yes, there are changes that are made voluntarily and changes that are made involuntarily... but you didn't choose to give up, so I think Kuroba-kun is amazing, right?"

"It's nothing..."

"You must have made many sacrifices so as not to hurt them."

"...It's not really a sacrifice, since I also benefited."

"A forced transaction is called a sacrifice, right?"

"..."

“I know that, Kuroba-kun, your promiscuity and perverted fetishes are all intentional. You know very well that only by making yourself more ‘rotten’ can you highlight their ‘goodness’ and give them a perfect excuse… But have you ever thought about yourself?”

Haruka Tomita gripped Akira Kuroba's hand even tighter, conveying her feelings through gentle voice and body language.

I understand you.

I feel so sorry for you.

I will protect you.

"You don't actually want to become a scumbag. You just actively embraced the scumbag persona to make your relationship with them seem 'reasonable'."

"...I have already received so much, it would be too pretentious to complain, refuse, or run away from it...so I will respond."

"This is why you've been entangled with them, Kuroba-kun... You not only acknowledged their efforts and rewarded them, but you even gave them 'excessive rewards,' greatly satisfying their minds and bodies, which made them even more arrogant and demanding."

"You don't need to make me sound so good. I was just thinking about the worst-case scenario: unrequited feelings can escalate to extremes..."

"Yes, if feelings of jealousy were to ignite a chain reaction among them, it could very well escalate into bloodshed."

"In short, I want to die peacefully in my old age, since this is a rare second life for me."

“However, Kuroba-kun, bloodshed only happens before you develop physical relationships with them and when neither of you knows that you have other women. Now it’s a situation where ‘bloodshed is absolutely impossible’.”

"Huh? You mean they won't completely turn evil?"

"Yes, bloodshed often occurs because of 'unrequited love,' and the main motivation is 'to destroy what one cannot have.' But now they are all in a state of 'having everything,' and even the girls who haven't gotten what they want yet know that 'they will definitely get it in the future,' so extreme situations are no longer possible."

"is that so?"