They are still close to me today despite their negative feelings

"puff."

Chen Di, who was reviewing the questions he had answered incorrectly, couldn't hold back and his test paper trembled.

"Eh?"

The girl named Li Yueyao was slightly taken aback at first, and then looked as if she were facing a formidable enemy.

"Ning, Ning Ruoyu?!"

Well, you can tell from how normally she calls me "classmate"—there are people like that, right? Even though they've heard of the school's most famous figures, or are even considered well-known by others, they actually have a very narrow social circle, and they've only heard of most of those legendary figures in school without ever meeting them.

So the conclusion is that she most likely doesn't know me. To avoid future issues with her attitude, I should be honest with her now.

"Aren't you going to hide it?" Chen Di looked at me with a wry smile and said softly.

"I'm tired of hiding during summer vacation."

I hid my identity at the beginning of summer vacation to participate in activities normally, but later I ended up looking like an onion. Please spare me, I never want to experience this kind of contrast again.

"I thought it would be better to make things clear sooner rather than later—after all, you wouldn't want to study with someone you dislike, would you?"

I remember who this Xiao Yao is. It was a rumor I heard in the basketball club; one of the girls seemed to be called that.

"...Ah, yes."

Perhaps angered by my somewhat unrestrained remarks, the girl said with a cold face.

"You're probably using that relentless stalking to follow An'an again, begging her to study with you. Do you really think no one knows what you're up to?"

"that……"

"An'an, there's really no need to pay attention to people like that! Just like before, it was because you were too friendly that people—"

"Please be quiet!"

An Yu shook off Li Yueyao's hand, his tone cold and tinged with anger compared to his usual gentle and easygoing manner.

"This is the library. If you don't want to study with us, then please don't make a lot of noise here—and don't talk to Ning Ruoyu like that!"

"Eh?"

Li Yueyao stood there, stunned. An Yu's voice wasn't loud, but every word reached her ears. The librarian in the distance stood up, glanced at us, lingered on An Yu for a moment, and then sat back down.

This is probably a privilege of the top-tier beauties.

However, the first-tier beauty looks somewhat annoyed now.

"...I'm sorry, Xiaoyao. If you want to study with us, please at least respect the classmates and friends I'm with. If you're not willing to apologize to him, then it's better if we keep our distance."

An Yu raised her head slightly and responded with firm yet calm words. Unlike the adorable mascot who had just been casually patted on the head and pinched on the cheek, she now resembled a cold block of ice, radiating a distant aloofness that left people somewhat bewildered.

It's hard to imagine that such words would come out of An Yu's mouth. I was originally thinking about how to get rid of this somewhat annoying girl, but seeing An Yu like this now, I actually feel a little sorry for her—hearing such words from an idol, it felt like the girl's eyes had shattered.

"An'an, I'm just worried..."

"Then please don't worry, thank you."

"...Xiao Yao?"

Hu Dan, who had just returned from the restroom, spoke up from behind Li Yueyao.

She glanced at An Yu, whose face still held a hint of anger, and Li Yueyao, whose mouth was agape and who looked completely lifeless, and seemed to understand quickly.

"—Anyway, let's go outside and talk first."

She placed her hand on Li Yueyao's shoulder and gave me a somewhat apologetic look. Completely at a loss, Li Yueyao let Hu Dan lead her out of the library.

"Wow, An'an, that's amazing!"

Seeing the two girls leave, Ge Lanlan finally couldn't help but tease An Yu, who was still a little angry.

"That's right. I heard that Li Yueyao is quite temperamental when she plays basketball, but I didn't expect An'an to have such a strong aura when she's angry!"

Xu Xingxin was also still shaken.

"...Why are you calling me An'an?" Ge Lanlan glanced at Xu Xingxin with disdain.

Xu Xingxin scratched his head awkwardly.

Was he there to make things awkward at today's study session?

"Eh?"

An Yu seemed to only realize what was happening now, and hurriedly looked at me.

"Um, Ning Ruoyu, actually I think Xiao Yao is just like me before, she doesn't know either, so..."

Here, take the bread back.

Before she could say anything more, I handed her the bread.

"Oh, thank you... Eh? Why?"

"I've solved the second big question," I said with a smile.

"Oh, I see. That's amazing." An Yu obediently took the bread, then tore off a small piece and put it in his mouth.

Can I apologize on her behalf?

Do you think I would care about something like that?

"Whether you care or not, you still have to..."

"Alright, alright, I don't want to be bowed to like that again, please let me go." I said with a wry smile, "I don't mind, this time I was the one who brought trouble upon myself, just consider it that both she and I were at fault."

“…You’re lying again.” An Yu thought for a moment, then carefully and reluctantly tore off another small piece of bread, and handed over about four-fifths of the bread that was left.

"Then at least—I'll treat you to my bread!"

It seems my ability to make excuses has really declined; now I don't even believe An Yu anymore.

I took the bread and tore off a piece, just like An Yu, and put it in my mouth. Chen Di next to me tapped the test paper on the table with his pen.

"I haven't finished the second question yet."

He glanced at me with a smile, and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Hu Dan is here, isn't she? I clearly keep my word."

[Next chapter preview: "But you know, back then, that guy..."]

The boy smiled, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

"Huh? Did he get confessed to?"

"My anger back then hasn't changed even now."

"Even if the methods are dirty."

Interlude: The Past Where He Was Not Present

"...Are you feeling better now?"

Seeing Li Yueyao sitting blankly on the stairs, Hu Dan sighed and handed her a glass of orange juice.

"I... I just wanted to protect her."

Li Yueyao looked up at Hu Dan, her somewhat lifeless eyes appearing empty and lonely.

“Although I have no right to say such things, you don’t look like you’re protecting An’an at all—you look more like you’re badmouthing someone she cares about right in front of her.”

Hu Dan took a sip of orange juice and laughed self-deprecatingly.

"But you know, back then, that guy..."

……

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

In the cafeteria, An Yu, holding a tray, cautiously struck up a conversation with a boy who was sitting alone.

"what?"

The boy looked up impatiently, but his expression changed the moment he saw An Yu, like a chameleon.

"There's no one here. Would you like to sit here?"

He said with a grin, but for some reason, the expression on his face always made people feel a little uncomfortable.

"Yes, there are two of us, is that alright?"

"Of course! Look how empty it is around here!"

"Thank you very much!"

An Yu bowed politely and put down his plate.

"Hu Dan! I've found my spot here!"

"...She really is as polite as they said, An Yu~"

"Huh? Do you recognize me?"

The girl looked somewhat surprised.

"Of course! We're classmates!"

The boy smiled, revealing his gleaming white teeth.

"My name is Ning Ruoyu! Hehe, nice to meet you~"

His smiling expression and friendly tone were evident, but his eyes kept darting between An Yu's face and chest, like a greedy little snake eyeing a rabbit.

This left Hu Dan, who was also meeting the boy for the first time and was holding a plate, with a very unpleasant impression of him.

……

"Did Ning Ruoyu get posted on the confession wall?"

"Right, he named names. How should I put it, considering his usual behavior, it's true that he's finally gotten what he deserves."

"It's so embarrassing to be in the same class as him. I heard he's been relentlessly pursuing girls who have boyfriends, sending them all sorts of unflattering selfies..."

During a physical education class in March, the girls from Class F, who were chatting under the shade of a tree, talked about a recent, rather lively incident.

"Now, neither boys nor girls can stand him anymore, right?"

"Ah, I heard that he usually treats boys very badly. The class monitor has to remind him separately because he never reads the class group notifications, but he still looks really annoyed with the class monitor—I feel disgusted for the class monitor."

"After all, Chen Di is really responsible. Ning Ruoyu must be jealous of Chen Di's popularity."

An Yu ran over, slightly out of breath.

"where did you go?"

Hu Dan, who was responding to others among the girls, saw An Yu and immediately asked her with concern.

"I ran into Xiaoyao over there, who was going to do a chemistry experiment. She gave me a bag of QQ candy~"

An Yu said with some excitement.

Li Yueyao and An Yu met when they were going over the test papers together in an English class. An Yu lent her dictionary to Li Yueyao, who had forgotten her reference books, and thus gained the girl's friendship.

After all, in high school, it's much easier to gain or lose friendships than in the future.

Hu Dan smiled and patted the girl who was holding snacks, while the girls around her also watched with expectant eyes.

"What are you guys talking about?"

An Yu opened the snack packaging and handed out the QQ candies to everyone. However, seeing the girls' longing looks, most of them smiled and shook their heads in refusal.

After all, for them, watching An Yu eat snacks is more therapeutic than enjoying them themselves.

"It's Ning Ruoyu, the one we mentioned at the restaurant last time," Ge Lanlan explained to the girl.

"Oh, Ning Ruoyu."

An Yu popped a QQ candy into her mouth. "What's wrong with him?"

"My profile picture has been posted on the confession wall."

"Huh? Did he get confessed to?"

An Yu's eyes widened.

"...The confession wall is no longer what it used to be. Now it's more like a human wall," Hu Dan said.