They all have hidden attributes!

“It’s okay to sit a little longer. The car is outside, and Xiaoye will wait,” said Tachimi Yuki, toying with the black chess piece in his hand.

"I don't have the habit of making others wait for me."

"That's a good habit of a good child." She put down the chess piece in her hand and gestured to Kashima Reiko to tidy up.

Makoto Takahashi picked up his glass and drank the last of his cola: "It's just because I don't like waiting for others, so I try my best not to make others wait for me."

“I see. From a etiquette standpoint, we should arrive about 10 minutes early.” Tachimi Yuki took a leisurely sip of black tea before standing up.

After Kashima Reiko packed up the tea set and chess set, the three of them went out together and took a car to Meguro Ward.

Meguro River is a small river known for its continuous cherry blossoms on both banks, making it an excellent spot for cherry blossom viewing in spring. Today, it is filled with stalls.

The car stopped in front of Nakameguro Park. After getting out of the car, Makoto Takahashi saw Maya Uesugi, who was wearing a black shirt and a white high-waisted long skirt, standing across the street.

Upon noticing him, Uesugi Maya, wearing black round-toed leather shoes and carrying a book, crossed the pedestrian crossing.

The setting sun was slowly sinking, dyeing the lower half of the sky crimson. Everything in sight began to blur in the slanting light and shadow, except for the tall, slender figure of the girl, which was clearly visible and breathtakingly beautiful.

Her long, smooth black hair fluttered slightly, and even without looking at her delicate face and slender waist, her calm and composed demeanor alone made her stand out from the crowd around her.

The high-quality black shirt was perfectly wrinkle-free, and the white high-waisted long skirt swayed slightly with each step.

Her skin was fair and radiant, and her beautiful eyes, bathed in the glow of the setting sun, took on a honey-like hue. A faint, almost imperceptible, cold smile played on her slightly upturned lips.

The scene before him perfectly matched Takahashi Makoto's imagination of a "literary and artistic beautiful girl," not to mention that Uesugi Maya was a bestselling author.

Approaching them, she glanced sideways at Kashima Reiko and Tachimi Yuki, pursed her lips unhappily, and said to Takahashi Makoto:

Good evening, Takahashi-kun.

"good evening."

Makoto Takahashi glanced back at Yuki Tatsumi and Reiko Kashima, then looked at Maya Uesugi again, and asked with dissatisfaction:

"Why aren't any of you wearing yukatas? It's a summer festival!"

“Wearing a yukata makes it inconvenient to move around,” Uesugi Maya said expressionlessly.

Makoto Takahashi's gaze drifted to Yuki Tachimi, who straightened the hem of her dress and smiled slyly: "When I invited you yesterday, you looked so unenthusiastic that I thought you didn't care."

"You're not wearing any either." Kashima Reiko, dressed in jeans and a white T-shirt, stared straight at him before he could speak, her calm tone as sharp as a drawn blade.

“I don’t have a yukata. Never mind. Do you have any specific arrangements?” Takahashi Makoto asked.

These words were like a fuse that ignited a fire. The two young ladies, each with their own agendas, met eyes, their gazes suddenly sharpening. An invisible sense of oppression collided, tearing apart the festive atmosphere.

Chapter 37 The Same Uniqueness (Please continue reading)

Tonight the sky is clear and cloudless, perfect weather for watching fireworks.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the summer festival, the sweet aroma of honeycomb cakes filled the air, and men and women in yukatas chatted and laughed.

In the crowded throng, Makoto Takahashi stood out from the surrounding air.

The Japanese are very good at reading the atmosphere, so when passersby sensed the subtle tension, they all moved away and then casually glanced at the spectacle.

Is this a battleground?

"I don't know, but he's so handsome!"

Want to strike up a conversation?

"I'm a little embarrassed, all three girls are incredibly beautiful, and their demeanor is also..."

Makoto Takahashi felt like he was a Christmas tree placed in the middle of the Ginza intersection in the summer, attracting attention while appearing somewhat out of place.

Hearing the whispers around him, he felt even more uncomfortable. To avoid being mistaken for a scumbag, he stepped back to Kashima Reiko's side.

So, to the audience, the scene should look like an ordinary couple plus a pair of friends arguing, right?

Contrary to expectations, Ritsuki was determined to drag him down with her.

She clapped her hands lightly, placed them beside her face, turned her head to look at her, and her beautiful, deep blue eyes flickered slightly:

"Takahashi-kun, how about we go watch the archery ceremony? The archery is being handled by Saionji 8th Dan. In a few years, she won't even be able to draw the bow."

Whether or not they see Nash is not important; what is important is that Takahashi Makoto meets her mother. This experience can instantly and greatly increase the familiarity between the two and shorten the distance between them.

People will naturally categorize each other into two groups: friends who know each other's parents and ordinary classmates.

Uesugi Maya was unaware of Tachimi Yuki's intentions, but that didn't stop her from wanting to stir things up.

In her view, Makoto Takahashi, like her former self, longs to be loved and seeks deep, genuine, and honest relationships.

They are different from themselves, warmer, more sincere, and more considerate of others.

The two share the same uniqueness.

Therefore, Maya Uesugi hoped that he could stay away from bad women like Yuki Tatsumi and Reiko Kashima.

Besides her primary motivation, Maya Uesugi also harbored a selfish desire to make Makoto Takahashi fall in love with her, thus making Yuki Tatsumi a "loser."

And, without even realizing it herself, there was a lingering, not-quite-dead longing for the idea of ​​being loved.

"Takahashi-kun, our purpose is to gather material and collect folk songs. Besides, with so many people around, we can enjoy the festive atmosphere in a different way."

Uesugi Maya spoke calmly, her cool yet melodious voice quite persuasive: "I've booked seats on the terrace of a nearby cafe. The fireworks will launch from Kamimeguro; it's guaranteed to be the best viewing spot."

Without a doubt, Makoto Takahashi found Maya Uesugi's proposal more appealing than Yuki Tachimi's.

Just as he was about to agree, Li Jian, the senior student, suddenly walked over, wrapped her arms around his arms, and enveloped them with her soft touch.

"Hey junior~ We've already been sitting at a family restaurant for quite a while this afternoon, going to a coffee shop would be too boring, how about we just wander around a bit?"

The sweet voice made sense, especially since she also showed an adorable, coquettish expression.

After a moment's thought, Makoto Takahashi asked the three, "Do we really have to act together? Wouldn't it be better if we each did what we liked?"

"I want to be with my junior." Tachimi Yuki lowered her eyes slightly, looking aggrieved.

Compared to her cute expression, Uesugi Maya not only had a cold face, but her eyes were also unpleasant.

"Don't you understand what a light music club's group activity is?"

She crossed her arms and gave me a disdainful look: "If there's no better arrangement, then listen to me."

"If the four of you are going to stay together, you should at least respect Kashima-senpai's opinion."

Makoto Takahashi turned to look at Reiko Kashima beside him and asked, "Senior, is there anything you'd like to do?"

Although he knew she was a maid in the Tachimi family, Makoto Takahashi still wanted to consider everyone's feelings, after all, it was a rare summer festival, and besides, Kashima-senpai was a good person.

Seemingly surprised that he would ask her, Kashima Reiko opened her pink lips in astonishment, but no sound came out.

After exchanging a glance with Tachibana Yuki without thinking, she said in a lukewarm tone, "Whatever."

"Takahashi-kun, I don't recommend you associate with this hypocritical and wicked woman," Uesugi Maya said coldly.

"Xiaoye, really. Everyone has their own way of surviving. You have no empathy at all."

Yuki Tachibana naturally tilted her head and leaned on Makoto Takahashi's shoulder, their intimate gesture making it seem like they were long-time lovers: "No man would like your sharp personality."

"Tachimi-senpai, do you even have the right to talk about others?" Takahashi Makoto pulled his arm away from her and rubbed his temples with a headache.

Maya Uesugi is indeed unique. She hates all hypocritical people who wear masks and are not sincere, yet she doesn't want to rely on anyone, which makes her personality very awkward.

But Tatsumi Yuki has no right to criticize her. Compared to Uesugi Maya's lack of empathy and teamwork, Tatsumi Yuki simply treats others as pawns and tools, and treats everyone equally with an arrogant perspective.

"Junior, what do you mean by that?" Li Jianxing pretended not to understand and raised her face to meet his gaze, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.

"In my senior's eyes, I am no different from Kashima-senpai, Uesugi-kun, and the passersby around us."

Makoto Takahashi spread his hands, his face full of honesty as he spoke his true feelings: "It feels like you don't care about the feelings of anyone except yourself, so don't make fun of Uesugi-kun."

If he absolutely had to choose between Uesugi Maya and Tatsumi Yuki as his lover, Takahashi Makoto would definitely pursue Nekoya Hina.

—The answer is on the third side of the coin.

"Heh." Uesugi Maya sneered, a victorious composure appearing on her exquisite face.

After being ridiculed, a shadow visibly fell over Tachibana Yuki's expression, and a sense of terror emanated from his eyes.

"Is there a problem, junior? You need to know that rational ruthlessness and callousness are the keys to survival."

His voice was much lower and slower than usual. Meeting her clearly angry gaze, Takahashi Makoto maintained his indifferent expression and slowly spoke:

"If we must interpret it from a survival perspective, human nature is very complex. Making good use of other people's feelings is also a weapon."

Upon hearing this, Tachibana Yuki's expression froze on her face. She had always been thinking about exploitation and had never considered this angle.

Perhaps this is why her mother has always been dissatisfied with her?

A competent leader will naturally have countless pawns under his command, but in order to get others to entrust their dreams to him and to make them willing to dedicate themselves loyally, their mindset is also an essential factor.

Thinking of this, Tachibana Yuki smiled gently again, gazing into Takahashi Makoto's blue eyes with a look of intrigued fascination:

"Junior, you're wrong. Xiaoye and Lengzi are indeed the same, but you are definitely special to me."

"Really? Then please take good care of my feelings in the future," Takahashi Makoto said, half believing and half doubting.

"Mmm~ I understand."

She took two steps back and glanced at Uesugi Maya: "Maya, I'm asking you one last time, do you really have to go against me? Doing this shouldn't do you any good."

"Do you think you're capable of love? Someone like you only wastes other people's feelings and sincerity," Uesugi Maya said with a sneer.

Seeing her calm expression, Ritsuki took a deep breath to compose herself and softly said to Kashima Reiko:

"Lengzi, it's rare for someone to care about you. Enjoy the holiday today. I'm going to visit my mother."

“I didn’t mean to send my senior away,” Makoto Takahashi said.

"I know, but I suddenly remembered something important, and my junior doesn't like archery, so I won't force him."

Li Jianxing waved goodbye to the three men in a graceful manner, and soon walked away from the crowd, surrounded by bodyguards, along the street outside the park.

She abandoned her original plans for tonight. Given Takahashi Makoto's complex personality and his way of thinking that she couldn't understand, she needed to be more cautious.

The best approach is to gradually understand and explore his weaknesses, like rainwater seeping into the soil, slowly but forcefully infiltrating his life.

Chapter 38 The Unapproachable Senior

[Friendship Fun Triggered]