They all have hidden attributes!

"Probably."

She turned her head to look at me, naturally closing the distance between us, and changed the subject: "Want to go to the arcade together later and have a blast?"

“No, today is the release date of the new volume of ‘Himuro-kun, Who Says One Thing and Means Another’.” Makoto Takahashi resolutely refused.

What could be more important than going to the bookstore to buy the latest volume of a light novel you've been waiting for, and then returning to your apartment to admire the cover and color illustrations?

No.

"Ah Cheng, you seem a bit aloof?"

Hina Nekoya looked puzzled, as if she didn't understand why she was rejected: "We're best friends, right? I'm feeling really down right now."

"I don't deny that they are part of the 'bad friends' group."

"Hey, what do you mean by not denying it?"

"I thought you were quite charming when you ran away. Running away," Takahashi Makoto said expressionlessly.

"Wait, why do I have to say it twice? I know Cheng isn't good at dealing with strange women, but Kashima-senpai is really scary."

"..."

"I was wrong!"

"You're going to work today, right?"

Only after being reminded by Makoto Takahashi did Hina Nekoya remember about the shift schedule, which made her seem a bit silly.

As they chatted, the two walked out of the academy gate. Uesugi Maya maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far, following behind Takahashi Makoto and Nekoya Hina.

It wasn't until they arrived at the train station that the two separated because they were taking different lines, and it was then that Uesugi Maya closed the distance and came to the same platform as Takahashi Makoto.

There was still some time before the evening rush hour, and the tram station was deserted. After a while, the sound of trams running along the tracks could be heard.

Maya Uesugi turned her gaze to the red carriage of the Toden Arakawa Line tram, her long black hair dancing lightly in the wind.

"Can we go to the waiting room to talk now?"

"Unless you turn into a blue octopus."

The remark carried a hint of irony, but she seemed not to grasp Takahashi Makoto's humor, casting a confused look into her caramel-colored eyes.

The tram made a not-too-screech braking sound and stopped in front of him. Makoto Takahashi pressed a button, and the tram doors opened.

After he boarded the train, Maya Uesugi hesitated for a moment before stepping into the carriage and standing coldly beside Makoto Takahashi.

The Toden Arakawa Line streetcar has only one carriage and usually has very few passengers. At this moment, there are only two people in the carriage, but Uesugi Maya is using a folded black umbrella as a cane and ignoring the empty seats.

"Do you have OCD?" Makoto Takahashi asked curiously.

"Psychological fastidiousness".

No wonder.

After hearing what Uesugi Maya said, he finally understood why she had chosen to sit at his desk.

I've heard that people with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) feel like their butts are pressed against someone else's when they sit on another person's chair, especially one that's still warm.

However, the current atmosphere is clearly not suitable for discussing topics like "buttocks," and it might be accused of "MeToo behavior."

Despite thinking this, when Makoto Takahashi looked up, his gaze inevitably lingered on the girl's curvaceous figure.

It's worth mentioning that Maya Uesugi's chest curves are neither sparse nor excessive, but rather perfectly balanced.

Seemingly sensing his gaze, a hint of wariness flashed in Uesugi Maya's beautiful caramel-colored eyes as she spoke in a calm voice, "Nekoya Hina, is she the friend you mentioned?"

Is there a problem?

"She must have a lot of friends. She's not just in Group C, but she's also often seen in Group A."

Hina Nekoya's cheerful and straightforward personality is very popular, destined to make her a popular character. She has a place in every small group in the class, and Makoto Takahashi is well aware of all this.

But for some reason, when Uesugi Maya said those words, she gave off an unprecedented feeling of annoyance.

Perhaps it was because her eyes questioned, "Are you really friends?"

"You probably don't understand the dynamics within a girls' group, right? There's an unspoken rule like this."

Uesugi Maya turned her delicate face to the side, revealing a gaze that seemed to be looking into the distance, and said calmly, "As long as someone in the group gives the first hint, others can no longer take the initiative to approach the boy she points out, which is why you only have her as a friend."

It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but in places like Japan, there are indeed many unwritten rules, and those who break them are ostracized from small groups.

But Nekoya Hina is a friend with a straightforward personality, how could she be so despicable?

Thinking of this, Takahashi Makoto smiled and said with a barbed tone, "I didn't expect Uesugi-kun to know these things. You don't have a single friend, do you?"

"I just don't have any interest, it doesn't mean I lack social skills."

Is it really okay to talk badly about others behind their backs?

"I was just stating the facts. I didn't mean to deliberately sow discord." Uesugi Maya's tone remained calm, and her expression showed no sign of wavering.

Nevertheless, it still makes one feel furious.

What's wrong with this woman?

No wonder she always gets into conflicts with others and is known as "Hell Girl". Even Makoto Takahashi, who considers himself to be emotionally stable, feels very uncomfortable seeing her arrogant attitude.

I can't pretend I didn't hear it when someone speaks ill of my good friend to my face.

"Uesugi-kun wants to invite me to join the band, is that right?" he asked with a polite smile.

"Yes."

"If you kneel down and beg me now, promising to do anything, I'll seriously consider it."

Hearing this, Uesugi Maya, who was gazing at the scenery outside the car window, turned around and looked at me with a chill in her caramel-colored eyes: "Deliberately provoking me will do you no good. It will only bring disaster to your school life, such as having your indoor shoes covered in glue."

"I'm just stating the facts," Takahashi Makoto said, spreading his hands with an innocent look on his face.

"You like me?"

"I don't like you, but life should be quite convenient after I start dating you, and we can do it together."

Upon hearing this, Uesugi Maya met his gaze for a moment, then nodded coldly, showing no sign of anger: "I see, you're angry."

"Please take back what you just said," Takahashi Makoto emphasized.

"I will not apologize for the facts."

Maya Uesugi slowly shook her head, completely disregarding the tense atmosphere, her attitude firm:

“I said in the classroom that Takahashi was more serious than I thought, and now it seems that’s true. Politeness is just a social nicety for you; you don’t actually have any social skills.”

Her current attitude is exactly the same as when she was speaking ill of Nekoya Hina earlier; there's no blatant sharpness, just a calm yet unquestionable tone.

Her serious demeanor, coupled with her composed temperament and calm attitude, made it seem as if her entire past life had been negated by just a few words.

Uesugi Maya clearly lacked some self-awareness, and proposed her own exchange terms:

"If you join my band, I'll teach you normal interpersonal skills, help you eliminate the influence of your friends, and make you a popular character among girls. How about it? Judging from your appearance, as long as you're normal, becoming a popular character like Tsurumi Sawa is very easy."

"..." Takahashi Makoto remained silent, trying to suppress his urge to hit someone, and took a slow, deep breath.

"You have a strong ability to control your emotions," Uesugi Maya said detachedly.

Being bothered by this troublesome guy is definitely not a good thing, Takahashi Makoto thought to himself, and asked impatiently:

"So, why is Uesugi-kun interested in me? I can change that."

“It’s none of your business,” Maya Uesugi said with a serious expression.

This person is sick; no wonder he always keeps to himself.

Makoto Takahashi looked away from her indifferent face and decided to ignore her.

A heavy silence enveloped the carriage, with the sound of fine rain coming from outside the window.

The slowly moving tram passed the Omokage Bridge and Gakushuin stations. Makoto Takahashi got off at the Kishimojin-mae station in Toshima Ward. Maya Uesugi hadn't given up observing him and followed behind him with a black umbrella in hand.

Makoto Takahashi bought instant noodles, a bagged salad, and oden at a convenience store for dinner. While eating at the long, narrow table placed close to the window, Maya Uesugi seemed to be haunting him, and the cashier's strange gaze was unbearable.

If Uesugi Maya is scared, he might actually call the police.

After dinner, Makoto Takahashi bought the latest volume of "Himuro-kun: The Man Who Says One Thing and Means Another" at the bookstore and headed towards his apartment in Mejiro 2-chome.

On his way back to the apartment, he had to cross a pedestrian overpass. He stopped in the middle and turned to face Uesugi Maya.

Would you like to come to my house for a cup of tea?

"Thank you, see you tomorrow," Uesugi Maya politely declined.

When a girl goes alone to the home of a boy who lives alone, it implies [consent].

Receiving the expected answer, Makoto Takahashi turned and continued walking. This time, she didn't follow him, which was somewhat disappointing to her.

Returning to my apartment building alone, I felt the familiar weightlessness as I took the elevator.

Makoto Takahashi's apartment is a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchen and a storage room. The living room and bedroom are quite spacious, which is even a bit luxurious for someone living alone.

Because he has no living relatives, Makoto Takahashi actually has a considerable amount of insurance money in his account. When he came to Tokyo, he rented a slightly larger house because he thought he might invite friends home.

As a result, because she lived alone and was not good at tidying up, her living room was cluttered with items and there was no space for entertaining guests.

Fortunately, he never eats in the apartment, mainly relying on convenience store food and takeout, so the living room doesn't have any extra smells.

From this perspective, not having any friends to bring home is actually a good thing; the regret of not bringing Uesugi Maya home just now instantly dissipated.

Makoto Takahashi thought optimistically as he lay down on the sofa, opened the newly bought light novel, and began to carefully appreciate it, starting with the illustrations.

After reading the entire book in one go, it was already late at night. After taking a shower, I went straight back to my dorm to sleep.

November 24th, Wednesday.

Buzz-buzz-

At 8 a.m., the pre-set alarm on his phone rang. Makoto Takahashi called out to the system with his eyes closed, and a semi-transparent panel popped up in his dark vision.

He reached out from under the covers, turned off the alarm clock, slowly sat up, and after a moment of stunned silence, got out of bed to go to the bathroom to wash up.

He scooped up some water to wash his face, clearing his mind, and then mentally selected the [Training] option while simultaneously considering this month's [Assessment].

Unlike [Training], [Play], and [Rest], the [Assessment] option can only be used once a month. You must participate in the competition on the day you select [Assessment], and the rewards are also very considerable.

I participated in the National Archery Tournament in May and won the championship, which boosted my Charm by 30 points. If I do it again, I should be able to break through the limits of human Charm, right?

However, the rainy season is a season with few competitions, and besides learning archery since childhood, Makoto Takahashi has no other hobbies. The next archery tournament he can participate in is the national selection in August.