They all have hidden attributes!

After saying that, she added the sugar cubes to the black tea and stirred it with a spoon: "My birthday is in August, so you should prepare well and not forget."

"Please don't have too high expectations," Makoto Takahashi said frankly.

"It's okay. If you're not satisfied, I'll find a way to get the gift myself."

"Senior Xing, it's really scary when you say things like that."

After chatting for a few minutes, a black sedan pulled up. He said goodbye to Tachimi Yuki and got into the car to return to his apartment in Toshima Ward.

As I stepped into the apartment building, my phone, which was in my pants pocket, started buzzing.

Makoto Takahashi stopped in front of the elevator, answered the phone, and heard Haruna Nekoya's cheerful voice in his ear.

"Acheng, is now a good time? I'd like to use your bathroom."

Her warm and positive aura, even through the phone, made people feel relaxed and happy.

"I just finished my morning training. The gym was stuffy and hot, and we had to take turns showering, with the first-year students taking the last turn."

"I've done the math, and going to Acheng's house is the fastest way. Plus, I'll bring you lunch, okay?"

The background noise was a bit loud, and it sounded like she was on a scorching hot summer street. Takahashi Makoto readily agreed, "I just got home, just come straight over."

"Ah Cheng is really the best! By the way, listen to me..."

When Nekoya Hina started gossiping about the badminton club, Takahashi Makoto was forced to stay in front of the elevator—the cell phone signal was very poor in the elevator.

After a moment's thought, he simply turned around and left the apartment, went to a convenience store to buy various drinks, and enjoyed the air conditioning.

A short while later, a figure wearing sportswear and with a chestnut ponytail walked into the convenience store.

As expected, the "lunch" that Nekoya Haruna mentioned referred to was convenience food from the deli section. Takahashi Makoto hung up the phone and gestured for her to stop.

"Haruna, you're being way too perfunctory, aren't you?"

"What? It's A-Cheng."

Nekoya Hina turned around and saw him, then walked straight over with her gym bag on her back: "It's not just a perfunctory answer. The meat buns at the convenience store are really delicious. What do you want to eat, Makoto? Bento or oden?"

Two bento boxes.

"Ah Cheng can eat too much!"

"You're not bad either; you can eat four meat buns after finishing your ramen."

In Makoto Takahashi's memory, Hina Nekoya's appetite far exceeded that of an average girl, and she could eat as much as she wanted without gaining weight, and of course, she didn't grow up at all.

"I need to train, it's very demanding." She pouted unhappily and ordered six meat buns from the shop assistant.

After buying lunch, the two of them, carrying shopping bags from the convenience store, returned to their apartment together.

As soon as she stepped inside, Nekoya Hina exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, Makoto's apartment is so clean now!"

"The bathroom is clean now, what would you like to drink?" Makoto Takahashi brushed off the topic.

"I'm going to take a shower first, I'll drink the electrolyte water."

While Nekoya Haruna was taking a bath, he put various drinks in the refrigerator, turned on the air conditioner, and ate lunch by himself.

After finishing two bento boxes, and using two bamboo skewers to pick up the boiled egg from the oden, Nekoya Hina, wearing shorts and a vest, walked out of the bathroom and collapsed wearily onto the sofa opposite the coffee table.

"Ah, that feels so good."

She lay on her back, her soft thighs sinking into the sofa, staring at the ceiling as she said, "Acheng, I almost caught Huachuan today."

"You haven't given up yet?" Takahashi Makoto said, chewing on a knot of seaweed.

"I started playing badminton to avenge my defeat. She stopped playing after she swept me, how could that be?"

Nekoya Hina sat up indignantly, then lay back down as if all her strength had left her, collapsing defenselessly in front of Takahashi Makoto, her tone softening as she spoke:

"Besides, it would be such a waste for her to give up like this, that's what I think."

"No wonder, you usually only have a short attention span."

"Yes, apart from badminton, I can't think of anything else I've persisted in."

"This is fine too."

After saying this, Makoto Takahashi suddenly realized why he had felt attracted to Maya Uesugi when he faced her defeat earlier that day.

The reason couldn't be simpler.

When Uesugi Maya frankly admitted her defeat, she showed no resentment or difficulty in accepting it. She had suffered countless crushing defeats at the hands of Tatsumi Yuki, but she always managed to climb out of those defeats and persevere.

Despite having said that she was terrified of failing in a competitive relationship, she remained tenacious and stubborn.

"It really feels like trying to crawl out of hell," Makoto Takahashi said in a low voice.

"Acheng, what were you saying just now?" Nekoya Hina blinked when she saw his hand holding the bamboo skewer freeze in mid-air, and then sat up cross-legged on the sofa.

After a pause, she exclaimed "Ah!" as if she had suddenly remembered something important, and raised her hand to touch her head: "Ah, I remember now, today is the day of A-Cheng's strange appointment, right?"

"We lost."

"Huh? Damn it, Hell Girl is so pathetic!"

Because Takahashi Makoto was involved, Nekoya Hina angrily pounded the sofa and asked urgently, "What are you planning to do, Makoto? Are you going to become a slave to the angel?"

"No, I just want to celebrate the young lady's birthday with her."

Makoto Takahashi shook his head and reassured her with simple words: "You need to prepare a birthday present. Fortunately, there's still time, in August."

"Speaking of August, Acheng, will you come to cheer me on at the national tournament?"

"I'm not sure yet, but I'll definitely go if I have the time."

"Does Acheng have any other plans?"

"band."

"What? Uesugi is clearly useless. It's only because A-Mao plays with her that he suffers."

In her words, Maya Uesugi went from being called "Hell Girl" to "that guy," which shows how dissatisfied Hina Nekoya was after losing the archery match.

After a moment's thought, Makoto Takahashi reassured her, "If Haruna makes it to the finals, I'll definitely be there."

"It's a promise."

Nekoya Hina's eyes lit up, and she reached out to bump fists with him: "If A-Cheng is willing to go to the site, everyone will be more motivated."

"I feel that planting a flag will only lead to accidents."

Makoto Takahashi bumped fists with her, picked up a string of accordions and brought it to his lips: "Hurry up and eat lunch, it's going to get cold."

After lunch, Nekoya Haruna rested in her apartment for a while before returning to the academy gymnasium in the afternoon to train in preparation for the national tournament.

Makoto Takahashi originally wanted to go next door to knock on the door and check on Maya Uesugi's condition.

Upon closer inspection, it's completely unnecessary; I might as well stay in the air-conditioned room and read light novels.

First of all, Maya Uesugi is not fragile and does not need meaningless comfort and companionship; she only needs to solve the problem.

Secondly, Uesugi Maya's personality is like a cat's; if you take the initiative to approach her, you will only be met with estrangement and distance. When she wants to get close, she will take the initiative to cling to you.

Finally, Maya Uesugi might not be home.

After her defeat today, she has only two choices left if she wants to defeat Tachimi Yuki.

The first is to fall in love with her, and the second is a band. Neither has a clear standard, but both are much more promising than projects like archery.

Regardless of whether you choose the former or the latter, Uesugi Maya will come looking for you.

As evening approached and the orange-red sun slowly sank below the floor-to-ceiling windows, the doorbell rang.

Makoto Takahashi got up from the sofa and walked slowly to the entrance. He opened the door, and Maya Uesugi, wearing a white apron, handed him a thermal bag.

"Dinner." She moved calmly, her tone neither cold nor warm, seemingly unaffected by the situation.

Makoto Takahashi took the heavy insulated bag and asked with a smile, "Do you need me to talk to you? Or would you like to be alone?"

“This is not a setback for me.” Uesugi Maya was as calm as he had expected.

She turned her face away, avoiding Takahashi Makoto's gaze, her ears burning slightly.

"I've handed the Kendo club back to them. I'll be focusing all my energy on the band this summer. Starting tomorrow, everyone will meet at the club office at 8 a.m.

"Wait, 8 o'clock?"

Makoto Takahashi rubbed his temples, complaining, "The morning meeting on school days is at 8:40. I want to sleep in until I naturally wake up during the holidays."

"I'll come and wake you up." Uesugi Maya's face turned cold and unyielding, her caramel-colored eyes glaring at her with displeasure.

Considering the vast difference between the taste of lunch and dinner today, Takahashi Makoto had no choice but to raise his hands in surrender: "I understand, sir."

Having received a satisfactory answer, she turned and went home.

After opening the door to her apartment, Maya Uesugi suddenly turned around and asked, "What conditions did Tatsumi propose?"

"Let me pretend to be her boyfriend."

My promise remains valid.

"To make me fall in love with you?"

"You're not too stupid."

"Just a despicable woman." Takahashi Makoto curled his lip in exasperation.

No wonder this woman said she had no intention of being in a relationship. She could have been a little more ambiguous, but her cold gaze completely ruined the atmosphere.

Back at his apartment, Makoto Takahashi opened the insulated bag, took out the bento boxes one by one, and placed them on the coffee table, opening them with the feeling of unwrapping a gift.

Tonight's dinner was as exquisite and plentiful as ever. The stir-fried pork with green peppers looked very appetizing, and there was also scrambled eggs with tomatoes, grilled saury, and pan-fried salmon bones.

As he picked up his chopsticks to eat dinner, he tapped his phone screen with his left hand to send a message to Haruna Nekoya, telling her to come to the Light Music Club tomorrow at noon to pick up her apartment key.

On July 19, Makoto Takahashi was awakened by the vibration of his mobile phone.

Thinking it was Uesugi Maya, I groggily reached for my phone on the pillow, answered the call, and heard Kashima Reiko's calm voice instead.

Good morning, Takahashi-kun.

"Kashima-senpai?"

Makoto Takahashi sat up sleepily, drew back the curtains, and tried to clear his head. The distant sky was just beginning to glow with a pinkish dawn.

What time is it now?