I'm in a real religion, why are all the people who confess to me girls?

Panting heavily, Kiryuin could only point at the energetic Amane with a speechless expression and weakly ask Hayasaka, who was still watching the show from the sidelines.

“Miss Tianyin was indeed seriously injured, otherwise she wouldn’t be recuperating in a place like this.”

Hayasaka first placed the noodles on the table, then hugged Amane from behind and pulled her forcefully.

Tenon, who had been clinging to Kiryuin like an octopus, was lifted off the ground like a harmless koala.

"Miss Tianyin, please mind your manners."

"I was just so happy to see Kaede~ By the way, Kaede, how did you find this place?"

"Huh? Is that even a question? Of course it is..."

Just as Kiryuin was about to say that she had heard about Amane's hospitalization from Sakayanagi, Kiryuin's gaze fell on Amane's left hand.

"Tianyin...your hand..."

Kiryuin's voice trembled slightly.

Noticing that Kiryuin's expression was a bit off, Amane quickly explained the situation with her left hand again.

As expected, after hearing Amane's explanation, Kiryuin immediately showed the same look of disgust as Sakayanagi had back then.

"Tch, I almost thought you were... Hmph, you're such a troublemaker."

Kiryuin gave a dismissive snort.

"I can't help it. I thought my hand was fine, but Hayasaka and the doctor won't let me take off the cast. It's really uncomfortable for me to wear this all the time."

As Tenon spoke, she shrugged, and looking at her round, somewhat comical left hand, Kiryuin couldn't help but laugh out loud. Even though she immediately reverted to her disdainful expression, it was impossible to fool Tenon's eyes.

"Fine! Even you, Maple Flower, are laughing at me. Let's see how I deal with you!"

"Take care of me? How can you take care of me with just one hand?"

Kiryuin stuck his tongue out at Tenon.

If Amane were in her complete form, Kiryuin would be a little more wary, but now that Amane's left hand is wrapped up like a dumpling, it would be extremely difficult to deal with her. You have to understand that she is not the kind of girl who can be easily subdued by Amane's affectionate gestures and being thrown onto the bed.

Tenon smiled without saying a word as she faced Kiryuin's long-awaited provocation.

In an instant, both Kiryuin and Hayasaka's faces turned bright red.

"Pah! There are outsiders here and you're just doing all sorts of ridiculous things..."

Kiryuin was afraid that Hayasaka would discover the relationship between her and Amane, so she quickly turned to Hayasaka beside her to explain.

But to her surprise, Hayasaka also blushed and turned her face away shyly.

Something's wrong!!

Kiryuin's gaze shifted back and forth between the two. Now that he thought about it, it was quite strange that Amane was injured. According to Amane herself, the injury didn't seem serious, but she ended up having to stay here to recuperate for a month. Moreover, taking care of Amane could have been done by hiring a caregiver or sending someone from the family. Instead, the task of taking care of Amane fell on Hayasaka, who was the same age as Amane.

Hayasaka is such a pretty girl, yet she actually agreed to take care of Amane as a maid for a month... tsk tsk.

Kiryuin wouldn't believe there wasn't something fishy going on.

"Ahem, Miss Tianyin, your breakfast has been sitting for quite a while. If you don't eat it soon, it will taste much worse once it gets cold."

Hayasaka noticed that Kiryuin was starting to suspect her. Although Hayasaka felt that there was nothing to hide about her relationship with Amane, she also understood that the worst thing to do before reaching the final conclusion was to celebrate halfway through. While making her relationship with Amane public in advance could certainly settle some things, it would take Amane at least several years or even ten years before she could have the ability to be independent within the family.

As the former Aya, it would cause unnecessary suspicion and trouble if she were prematurely categorized as Amane's ally. Therefore, Hayasaka prefers to remain in Amane's shadow until Amane gains the power to decide her fate before revealing her existence.

Before this, even though everyone knew what kind of relationship she had with Tianyin, as long as Tianyin didn't make it public, no one could do anything about it.

This is how ordinary people survive.

"Oh! I almost forgot, my noodles are almost cold. Maple, do you want to have breakfast with me?"

Kiryuin glanced at the delicious-looking noodles and couldn't help but swallow. She was originally waiting for Sakayanagi to treat her to a big meal at noon, so how could she possibly eat anything? The bumpy ride and the long time she spent downstairs on an empty stomach had left Kiryuin starving.

If there were no other people around, Guilongyuan would have already stopped being polite to Tianyin and started feasting.

"Would a normal person eat such a lavish meal so early in the morning? Aren't they afraid of getting an upset stomach? You've already eaten when I arrived, and you're still eating by yourself..."

Gugu~

Kiryuin's lips began to twitch uncontrollably.

She originally wanted to be more assertive; she couldn't let people say she came to the hospital to visit a patient, only to get a few meals and leave. If she did that, Sakayanagi would definitely laugh at her when she got back.

"Haasaka."

Amane glanced at Hayasaka. After half a month of getting to know each other, Hayasaka and Amane had developed some basic understanding. Amane calling her name at this awkward moment was naturally because she wanted Hayasaka to serve Kaede a bowl as well.

If the meals had been prepared in the same quantity as before, there would definitely have been leftover food. However, this time was different. Hayasaka thought that Amane wouldn't spend too much time eating when Kiryuin came to visit, because it would be irregular for her to be busy eating while talking to guests. Therefore, he didn't prepare as much food as before. Who knew that something would go wrong this time.

This was Hayasaka's mistake, but if she said there was nothing wrong, things would definitely escalate to an even more awkward point. She had to come up with an appropriate explanation.

Hayasaka blinked and gave a polite smile.

"In order to prepare the freshest food for you, Miss Tianyin, I make each bowl of food fresh, such as noodles, because the taste will be affected if they are stored for too long. The kitchen ingredients are also very complete. Please wait a moment."

"No, it doesn't need to be that complicated..."

Kiryuin blushed and waved her hands repeatedly at Hayasaka. Her stomach was acting up, and this made her extremely embarrassed.

"Maple Flower, why don't you eat some with me? I'm not very mobile right now, so I need someone to feed me."

Upon hearing that he could feed Tenon, Kiryuin couldn't help but feel a little tempted.

Previously, it was usually Sakayanagi who was in charge of feeding Amane, but I never thought that today it would finally be her turn.

"Um... I mainly fed you because I was worried you'd be hungry, but I'm not hungry at all... Hmm, this fried egg is pretty good..."

……

Sakura Airi slowly woke up from her sleep amidst a series of noises.

Airi sat up in her sleeping bag, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she groped for something beside her. After grabbing at nothing several times, she finally found her glasses.

After putting on those old-fashioned red glasses, Airi finally peeked out of the tent window to take a look.

The beach, which had been deserted until yesterday, was now packed with people. This startled Airi, who was a little socially awkward, so much so that her face turned pale. Not quite understanding what was happening, she quickly put on her sportswear and crawled out of the tent.

The glaring sunlight made Airi squint unconsciously.

"Sakura-san, you're awake? I didn't expect you to be so lazy on weekends. But I've met people who are even lazier than you."

Horikita, dressed in sportswear, sat quietly under the shade of a tree not far from the tent, turning the pages of a book. Her calm and composed demeanor contrasted sharply with the noisy beach just a few steps away.

"Sorry, I overslept a little. Is there anything I can help you with for breakfast?"

Airi straightened her sportswear a little guiltily, and only responded to Horikita's words after confirming that there was nothing wrong with her attire.

"No need for that. I prepared breakfast while I was exercising this morning. I was worried that it would be cold by the time you woke up, so I kept it warm in the pot. I hope it will suit your taste. Of course, if you don't like the taste or it doesn't suit your taste, don't force yourself."

Horikita looked up at Airi and finished speaking, then pointed to a steamer sitting on the fire beside them.

The small fire in the bonfire was constantly scorching the bottom of the pot, which was clearly what Horikita meant by heating the food in the pot.

"Thank you so much for the breakfast you prepared, Horikita-kun. I'm not a picky eater."

Airi carefully used the cloth beside her to lift the pot lid, and the rich aroma of milk and meat instantly broke free from the confines of the steamer and began to flow into Airi's nostrils.

When the steam dissipated, Airi realized that there was a sandwich in the steamer.

The bread was probably slices of toast distributed by the school, but the eggs, ham, and bacon inside all looked like products that had undergone secondary processing.

Airi was a little surprised that Horikita ate such a lavish breakfast, which could even be described as a bit too high in calories, since a girl like Horikita who is keen on exercising should usually be quite particular about her diet.

It's impossible to eat something so greasy first thing in the morning.

'Did Horikita-kun prepare this especially for me?'

Airi glanced at Horikita discreetly. The sandwich was perfect in both appearance and taste. Airi, who was currently trying to control her breast development by dieting, was finding it a little unusual to eat something so greasy. Although Horikita said she didn't have to eat it, who would be so picky about a meal carefully prepared for them first thing in the morning? If such a person actually existed, they'd probably be considered a fool lacking common sense.

Airi picked up the sandwich, swallowed, and stared at the greasy bacon with her eyes tightly closed.

"I'm starting!"

As if to encourage herself, Airi took a big bite of the sandwich right away.

"Waaaaah..."

Well, it wasn't that the sandwich tasted so good that Airi would cry, but rather that Airi choked on the sandwich.

Seeing Airi's face turn red, Horikita sighed helplessly and took a can of drink from the basin next to her and tossed it to Airi.

Airi didn't even bother to see what drink Horikita had given her; she opened it and drank it down in one gulp.

But after drinking, Airi's face immediately showed a rather painful expression.

"What kind of drink is this? It's so sour."

"Tomato juice tastes a bit strange the first time you drink it, but after drinking it a few times, you'll find it tastes pretty good."

"Huh? Would anyone actually drink something that tastes this bad? I don't think any normal person would drink this kind of beverage."

"That's true, but Amane really likes... drinking tomato juice...?"

Chapter 150: The Only Chance

"Horikita-kun, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Airi quickly chewed the sandwich in her mouth, then looked worriedly at Horikita Suzune, who had suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

"It's not because of my health, it's just... I was thinking about something from a long time ago."

Horikita's face kept shifting between conflict and joy. What made her joyful was that she finally remembered that she had made a promise with a girl named Aya, and that the girl had actually come to meet her years later, even when she had almost forgotten about that chance encounter.

She truly fulfilled the promise the two young people made to each other when they parted ways.

On the contrary, after her brother Horikita Manabu entered high school, in order to catch up with her brother, Horikita Suzune, who was already an excellent student, had no choice but to bury herself in her studies.

In order to meet Horikita Manabu at the high school and gain his approval, she sacrificed so much while studying hard, including her hobbies, friendships, and social life...

Horikita Suzune's life revolves entirely around her studies, and even the promise she once cherished as a child has fallen into the deepest recesses of her memory with the passage of time.

Only now has that distant memory, which had been covered by layers of hazy dust, awakened.

This should have been a good thing, but... Horikita Suzune felt incredibly conflicted about it.

The reason for her dilemma was that she finally understood something: back then, whether it was from the perspective of outsiders or herself, Amane's care and tolerance towards her were almost meticulous, to the point that even the female students would be jealous of the treatment Horikita received.

However, even though Amane was so good to her, she couldn't bring herself to confess her feelings to Amane, which even made Amane cry. Even her older brother, Horikita Manabu, felt that she was wasting Amane's time and deliberately stringing her along. But at that time, she just couldn't get over that hurdle in her heart. Fortunately, Amane didn't mind her hesitation and continued to treat her as a lover. However, her hesitation made Amane wait for her for almost a year before Horikita Suzune finally confessed her feelings.

Before Horikita Suzune truly confessed her feelings, no one around Amane except Sakayanagi understood the reason behind it, nor did they support Amane continuing her relationship with Horikita. However, Amane ignored all these opposing voices and continued to live with Horikita in her own way.

Sometimes, when Horikita Suzune looked at the sleeping Amane, she would wonder, "Amane is so easy to like or depend on... she's practically a star. Why would anyone date her? And why is Amane still willing to stand by her side, support her, and protect her even after she backed down twice when she confessed her feelings?"

Horikita Suzune doesn't think she can compare to girls like Airi or Karuizawa in terms of figure or appearance. Even in terms of intelligence, Sakayanagi Arisu clearly possesses the same talent as Amane. Even if Amane needs someone outstanding to stand by her side, Sakayanagi Arisu is undoubtedly the first choice, both in terms of family background and ability.

As for force...

Does Tianyin need girls who can fight?

So what qualifications does Horikita Suzune have to stand beside Amane?

Now the answer to everything has finally been found: Tianyin was fulfilling her original promise.

To keep her promise, she agreed to her decision; to keep her promise, she agreed to help her become a student in Class A; to keep her promise, Amane even stood on the opposite side of Sakayanagi and dismantled all the key parts of Sakayanagi's class bit by bit, making the whole class a dangerous building that Amane could collapse with a few stomps if she wanted to.

To keep her promise, Tianyin carried out her angry words from back then: "Why don't you find a few more girls, schedule them for a day each when you're free, so you don't have to be here with me all the time? You know I see your words every day, but eventually I'll get tired of them."

Upon realizing that this was something she herself had requested, Horikita Suzune felt a pang of pain in her stomach as she contemplated slapping herself.

But what troubled her the most was...

'We can try dating first...'

Was Tianyin dating her only to fulfill a promise she made back then?

Logically speaking, dating is a major life event, and Amane shouldn't be so hasty. However, Horikita thought about Karuizawa, then about Ichinose, and finally looked through the crowd at Shiina Hiyori, who was struggling to carry a bucket of water.

as well as……

Sakayanagi Arisu.

It seems that Tianyin's approach to relationships is indeed not very rigorous.

Seeing Horikita Suzune's constantly changing expression, Airi was too frightened to ask any more questions. After all, when it comes to things from a long time ago, such statements are often related to a person's energy and past experiences.

If you speak carelessly about such a sensitive matter that easily touches on other people's privacy, you are likely to make a mistake.

Even Sakura Airi, who has almost no social life, knows this common sense.

Seeing that Airi was starting to enjoy her breakfast, Horikita decided not to disturb her any further. Instead, he waited until Airi finished her breakfast before talking to her about 'that matter'.