They all have hidden attributes!

She still remembers her first conversation with Makoto Takahashi; he was very wary.

"I am deeply grateful." Makoto Takahashi closed his eyes, bowed slightly, and clasped his hands together.

While Uesugi Maya was tidying up the tea set, Takahashi Makoto sent a message to Nekoya Hina, telling her that he was leaving school early.

Then it suddenly occurred to me that when Nekoya Hina asked to borrow the apartment to take a shower, I was completely unaware of the implied meaning. What was she thinking?

I'll send you a message and ask.

If Nekoya Hina really meant "I'll do anything," and you were completely unaware of it, that would be incredibly disrespectful to her.

As they walked out of the academy and boarded the streetcar with Maya Uesugi, they received a reply from Hina Nekoya.

[Nekoya-Nekoya: Huh? Is that so?]

[Nekoya-Nekoya: I'll be more careful next time!]

The conclusion is obvious: Nekoya Hina doesn't understand anything at all. Perhaps in the simple countryside of Hokkaido, visiting a friend's house is just a perfectly normal thing to do.

Chapter 33 I hate all people who wear masks

Makoto Takahashi is not good at housework.

If it's just washing clothes, there's probably no problem. Just pour the dirty clothes and laundry detergent into the washing machine, press run, and you don't even need to worry about adding water.

If all else fails, you can take your dirty clothes to a laundry.

It would be more troublesome to find a way to fill one's stomach, but it's just that it's too much trouble; one can barely achieve the goal.

Cleaning a room... cleaning the entire apartment is an absolute hellish challenge, like walking into the most difficult boss in a Soulslike game without any preparation.

—It gives one a feeling of helplessness and fatigue.

What steps should be taken when cleaning?

After leaving the tram station, Takahashi Makoto and Uesugi Maya, both troubled, crossed the pedestrian overpass one after the other and arrived at his apartment.

After unlocking the door with his key, he stepped aside to make room and gestured, "Please come in."

Uesugi Maya didn't say "excuse me," but walked to the entrance with her arms crossed, glanced at him briefly, and gave him a subtle look of helplessness: "It's amazing that you dare to live alone."

The living room alone was chaotic enough, with clothes and various odds and ends scattered around, paint stains on the coffee table, sofa, and floor, and drawing tools and other equipment placed haphazardly. The unpleasant smell of hot pot still lingered in the air.

"Don't you have some kind of problem as a human being, saying things like that?"

Makoto Takahashi didn't mean anything by it; his tone was actually a bit teasing. But Maya Uesugi immediately realized something was wrong, and an invisible pressure weighed on her shoulders.

She turned around stiffly, her delicate face showing respect for the first time. She bowed slightly and apologized, "I'm sorry, I misspoke."

Maya Uesugi's sudden apology surprised Makoto Takahashi. He could understand that anyone would be shocked by such an exaggerated mess, and he was used to her sharp words.

"Yes, it's okay."

“My mother died in childbirth. I understand how it feels to be made fun of in this way. If there is anything I can do to make it up to you, please don’t hesitate to ask.”

Maya Uesugi's sudden respectful and humble attitude made Makoto Takahashi suspect that she had been possessed.

No, the description of "[the loner]" is that she lacks empathy in her interactions with others. In other words, before the conflict occurred, Uesugi Maya may not have truly understood the other person's feelings, nor did she anticipate that she would hurt someone.

She had experienced the death of a family member, so she could understand.

"Actually, I don't care much. The fact that you're willing to help me tidy up is already a huge help."

Makoto Takahashi walked into the living room and casually tossed the envelope he had brought back onto the coffee table: "If you really want to make it up to me, how about answering one question?"

Uesugi Maya pondered for a moment, mentally preparing herself to answer any excessive questions, before raising her head, her expression turning cold again: "Okay."

"Do you really have social skills?"

"What a stupid question."

"The last time I saw you and your family, things seemed very tense, and I heard that you always get into conflicts with other students, and now you're the only one left in the kendo club."

Makoto Takahashi sat down on the sofa and picked up the scattered paintbrushes, putting them together: "I'm curious, do you intentionally hurt others, or do you hurt others without realizing it, or do you have some kind of standard?"

"I hate all people who wear masks and are hypocritical and not genuine."

When Maya Uesugi said this, her tone was so firm it sounded like she was pronouncing a death sentence.

"Including your family?" Makoto Takahashi asked.

“If you mean my father, then yes.”

Remembering that Maya Uesugi had mentioned her mother's untimely death during childbirth, he suspected there might be more complex reasons behind it and didn't delve deeper into the topic.

In conclusion, she actually has her own set of principles and is not the Hell Girl that most people describe her as.

Or perhaps most people only understand Uesugi Maya's outward appearance, or they simply parrot what others say. In Tachimi Yuki's eyes, she is just a foolish younger sister.

"Then why don't you have any friends? Surely there are some sincere people among you?" Takahashi asked.

"I do not need."

Her answer came out without hesitation, and Makoto Takahashi immediately followed up: "If you don't mind the presence of your companions, you might be able to capture the Jade Dragon Golden Flag."

Although Aristotle said: "He who lives alone is either a god or a beast."

But the essence of his statement is to point out the social nature of human existence, that those who are detached from the city-state cannot achieve true happiness.

"You just don't understand my beliefs, and I don't understand why you want to become the strongest creature on Earth."

Maya Uesugi glanced around the living room again, then walked towards the kitchen: "We have different goals, let's leave this topic here."

Different opinions are fine as long as we respect each other; there's no need to change the other person's views.

Makoto Takahashi had this thought when his guidance on finding a way out was rejected.

A short while later, Uesugi Maya finished inspecting the apartment and returned to the living room, unusually uttering a word of praise: "The kitchen has never been used. You did a great job, saving me the most troublesome part."

After saying that, her gaze fell on the envelope on the coffee table, and she frowned unhappily: "Do you have a habit of bringing flyers home?"

"I think we should at least respond politely, and of course we should reply to sincere letters."

Makoto Takahashi shrugged and asked listlessly, "Where do we begin?"

"You just need to pack up your art supplies. Since the restaurant doesn't need them, let's turn it into an art studio. I need to go buy cleaning tools first."

Maya Uesugi took a hair tie from the pocket of her pleated skirt, raised her hands, and deftly twisted her long black hair into a bun, revealing her snow-white nape.

With each movement, the white shirt that clung to her body accentuated her slender and curvaceous figure, and Makoto Takahashi realized with a profound realization that a beautiful woman looks good with any hairstyle.

"Put away anything you don't want to be seen in public before I get back, like your underwear and anything that shows off your sexuality."

He followed Maya Uesugi's disdainful gaze and saw the light novel that Kashima-senpai had given him casually tossed on the sofa.

"Yes, I will clean the bedroom myself." Takahashi Makoto had no choice but to obediently agree.

“I will thoroughly clean the rest of the place. I will come here regularly when I have time, just consider it as an extra charge.”

"Uesugi is more reasonable than I imagined."

"This is all so you can practice bass properly without being affected by your surroundings," she explained, stepping out of the apartment.

“I thought you would say that this is how I fell in love with you,” Makoto Takahashi replied casually, but Maya Uesugi ignored him.

Just as Makoto Takahashi finished packing up all the light novels, paints, and brushes in the apartment, Maya Uesugi returned to the apartment.

Her hands were full of cleaning tools: spray bottle, mop, broom, rags, various cleaning agents, disinfectant... all things that Makoto Takahashi hadn't originally prepared in his apartment.

—There are two lemons left.

The cleanup operation has begun.

Chapter 34 People on the Same wavelength are a gift

"Soaking lemons in hot water and spraying them in a spray bottle can effectively eliminate various odors, and is especially effective against amines left over from hot pot."

"This is activated charcoal. Place it in a corner to remove various odors. You just need to replace it periodically."

"Please categorize the trash you throw on the ground into two groups: necessary and unnecessary. Put the unnecessary trash directly into a garbage bag."

"Dust easily accumulates under the coffee table, and it's troublesome when it gets stirred up. Let's cover the sofa first."

......

Maya Uesugi quickly took action, her movements swift and decisive. Makoto Takahashi, naturally, wouldn't just sit idly by and watch; he followed her instructions and did what he could.

With a cool, uncomplaining voice, Uesugi Maya's effortless movements seemed to declare that she could easily tidy up the room on her own, making it hard to believe she came from a wealthy family.

Even if you don't have any romantic feelings for her, you'll still think to yourself, "Whoever marries her will be very happy."

—If someone with Uesugi Maya's personality could actually get married.

The rain outside the window had stopped sometime earlier, and by the time the two of them had finished tidying up the entire apartment, it was already past dinner time.

The laundry, wiping cabinets and lamps, cleaning windows, and converting the dining room into an art studio took several hours.

Makoto Takahashi picked up his phone, glanced at the time, and said somewhat apologetically to Maya Uesugi, who was tying up garbage bags:

"Thank you for your hard work today. I'm quite familiar with Ikebukuro, so let me treat you to dinner."

"No need, I don't like eating out."

She stood up, her delicate face showing a hint of fatigue: "If you feel guilty, just practice well and don't become more reckless just because someone is cleaning up after you."

The cold words sounded a bit harsh, reminding me to maintain cleanliness while remaining calm and composed.

Actually, Uesugi is quite good at taking care of people, Makoto Takahashi thought to himself, and then for no reason thought of what Hina Nekoya said about the two being similar, probably meaning that they were similar types of stand-ins.

So, will Uesugi Maya also be drawn to her world, just like herself, and yearn to explore and understand it?

After looking around the now clean living room, Makoto Takahashi walked over, picked up the trash bag, and said, "It's late, let me take you home."

Maya Uesugi untied her bun, letting her long, smooth black hair fall down: "Just get off at the tram station."

The two carried the trash bags downstairs together, and as they walked out of the apartment building, a system panel popped up in front of Takahashi Makoto's eyes.

[Friendship Training Triggered]

[Assistance Card: Two Completely Opposite People]

[Constitution +8]

[Skill: Painting, Level Up]