Chapter 504: Chapter 496: I’ve Become Trashy, But Also Stronger
"Then should I confess to you another day?"
"That doesn’t count, that’s cheating! You already know I like you!"
"How about I pretend to have amnesia?"
The lazy girl, with tears in her eyes, was stunned: "How would you pretend?"
"I could stage a car accident, then have surgery or something?"
"You’re kidding me!" the little cutie said angrily. "Have you watched too many stupid dramas?"
"But weren’t we watching them together?"
"True... no, wait! What are you pretending for!" Ise Yu Yuzhijin said hatefully. "Do you know how tormented and suppressed I felt waiting for you here? I couldn’t even touch my favorite strawberry cake! And you’re here planning to act and deceive me!"
"Alright... I’m sorry, Jin." Shirakawa Sawahei held the girl’s small hand sincerely and said, "Sorry to keep you waiting, I’ll make sure you won’t have to in the future."
"Call me Ise Yu!"
"Ise Yu..."
"Classmate!!!"
"Ise Yu, classmate..."
The lazy girl then pouted and turned her face away, sullenly saying, "Even if you say so, don’t think I’ll agree to be your girlfriend together with Sakurazawa-chan... After all, I’m a public figure, and gossip about a manga artist easily attracts attention... You better think it over carefully... don’t say I didn’t give you a chance..."
"Cough cough..."
Shirakawa Sawahei hesitated for a moment but decided to speak, "Actually... Tsukimi is the third one..."
"The girl I confessed to before... you know her too... it’s Hayakawa Kashi... if possible..."
Before he could finish, the lazy girl pushed him out the door and slammed it shut with a thud, while an angry declaration was made behind the door.
"In your dreams! Shirakawa, the scumbag, don’t ever think I’ll let you see me again in this life! If you ever see my face again, I’ll be a puppy!"
"Sister Yin! Stop pretending to be dead! Come here right now! From now on, if this guy’s phone calls, hang up immediately! Don’t say a word to him! Don’t chat with him on Line either... in short, don’t say a word to him!"
Shirakawa Sawahei: "..."
A certain innocent Minotaur artist weakly spoke from behind the door: "Um... if you really want to do that... can’t you just secretly block him?"
"..."
"Sister Yin, you’re so annoying! Why didn’t you come out and say something with your sharp mind earlier?" the lazy girl said in embarrassment and anger. "Go and hurry up your pizza! You’re always chattering, not doing proper things!"
There was no way around it, the pattern of the second attack was the same as always. First, there was an explosively cute girlfriend, and then the next moment, they flipped the script, wouldn’t let him hold hands or hug, or even call their name.
Kashi was like that, and Ise Yu Yuzhijin was too... it’s tough being a scumbag.
The heartless rejections from his previous two girlfriends made Shirakawa Sawahei pessimistic about winning over Tsukimi next. He lingered in front of Hinata Rion’s house for a while, checked the time, and after some thought, decided to find Tsukimi Sakurazawa first.
It was already ten at night, and Shirakawa Sawahei didn’t make any extra moves. He directly hailed a taxi, even though each tick of the meter in Neon cabs seemed to jump on the passenger’s heart. For Shirakawa Sawahei now, none of that mattered.
The screen of his phone showed several Line messages sent by Tsukimi Sakurazawa that he hadn’t opened for a read, keeping it on the lock screen display status.
Asking her where she was; this method of confessing was utterly foolish. A true scumbag should thoroughly understand the person he likes and find her accurately without any hints.
Just like now.
The taxi stopped near Akihisa High School. Shirakawa Sawahei got out of the car and saw a small black dot squatting in the snow.
Everything was in the scumbag’s control... truly proving that saying...
I’ve become scummier, but also stronger!
There was a hint of tenderness in Shirakawa Sawahei’s eyes. He picked up his phone and dialed Tsukimi Sakurazawa’s number, simultaneously walking step by step toward that small black dot.
Step by step, the thin layer of snow on the ground became soft underfoot, and Shirakawa Sawahei’s footsteps merged into the snow silently, with only the constantly flickering phone screen moving forward.
He reached the small black dot—a girl wearing a hat and dressed all in black, sobbing quietly to herself. Shirakawa Sawahei sighed softly.
"Tsukimi..."
The girl looked up blankly, and their eyes met, which made the scene extremely awkward...
It was a male cross-dresser in black Gothic Lolita costume. Of course, if you insist on asking how it was clear it was a male cross-dresser...
Which girl would have such a prominent Adam’s apple! The bow on the neck almost couldn’t cover it.
"What do you want?" A deep, resonant voice sounded, seemingly curious why Shirakawa Sawahei was in front of him. Shirakawa Sawahei’s brain froze for half a second before he waved his hands frantically, "Sorry, mistaken identity... sorry for disturbing you, goodbye..."
"Inexplicable." The male cross-dresser shook his face and stood up, striding away. Shirakawa Sawahei watched his departing back with a sense of loss.
Gone home... Tsukimi Sakurazawa.
Not getting a reply... Is that girl’s heart feeling as lost as mine right now...
Should’ve come earlier... no, wrong... should’ve realized it sooner.
Realized sooner that I like her and that she likes me too...
Pure friendship between a boy and a girl... that’s indeed a universally acknowledged lie... Shirakawa Sawahei chuckled wryly, shaking his head, planning to find Tsukimi Sakurazawa again tomorrow to talk it over. Suddenly, the girl’s trembling voice came through the phone, which hadn’t been hung up all this time.
"Hello... Shirakawa?"
"Shirakawa..."
"Tsukimi...?"
"Yeah, I’m here."
The two of them simultaneously remained silent for a while, listening to each other’s breaths and the sound of snow falling, quietly waiting. Finally, Shirakawa Sawahei broke the silence with a gentle voice.
"Sorry for leaving early tonight..."
"..."
"Sorry for not replying to your messages right away."
The girl’s breathing began to tremble as she bit her lower lip, trying not to speak.
"And... sorry for not recognizing your feelings sooner."
Shirakawa Sawahei paused and then spoke a bit self-deprecatingly, "It’s true there isn’t real friendship between a boy and a girl... unless you’re the loved one."
"You helped me understand this, now it’s my turn to help you understand it."
"Tsukimi, I like you."
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. Shirakawa Sawahei took a deep breath, lightly laughing, "Sorry... does confessing over the phone seem too hasty... how about we arrange to meet up some other day..."
"..."
"Shirakawa."
"Hmm?"
"Look behind you." The girl’s voice trembled, sounding like she was both crying and laughing.
"I’ve been waiting for you for a long time."
"For a really long, long time."