Chapter 358

Natsume Ruri sat back in her original spot, took that familiar notebook from the small bookshelf on the side, opened it, and began to write seriously with a pen.

Natsume Chikage noticed his sister's actions and was a bit confused:

"Come to think of it, didn't you say you were writing a 'life log' before?"

"Is it finished now?"

Natsume Ruri shook her head, her pen tip not stopping:

"Not yet."

Natsume Chikage was a bit curious:

"What have you written up to now? Can brother see it?"

A blush "whooshed" across Natsume Ruri's cheeks; she coughed lightly and pulled the notebook closer to her chest:

"No."

"The notebook... is full of a young girl's secrets; brother can't see it."

Natsume Chikage was instantly petrified, as if he had suffered an invisible blow.

Was he... being shunned by his younger sister?

Late at night.

"Ruri, brother is turning off the lights."

"Mm..."

In the three-mat small room, the warm light went out, and it fell into a peaceful darkness.

In the bed next to him, Natsume Ruri yawned a little, rubbed her eyes, and prepared to enter dreamland in a daze.

Natsume Chikage lay back in his own bed in the dark.

He skillfully picked up the phone by his pillow, the faint light of the screen illuminating his face in the darkness.

As usual, he prepared to check for unread messages first; if there were none, he would just write until the early hours of the morning before sleeping.

Clicked the LINE icon.

The list showed several unread messages: Furukawa Masahiro, Araki Jiai, Tsukishima Rin, Yasui Ryoto, Asahina Akatsuki, and the collection club group chat.

Natsume Chikage first clicked on the message sent by Furukawa Masahiro.

【Furukawa Masahiro: Natsume-kun, what time would be convenient for you to call tomorrow? I'll arrange for a driver to pick you up.】

【Natsume Chikage: Is after five o'clock tomorrow afternoon okay?】

The message was replied to almost instantly.

【Furukawa Masahiro: (*^▽^*) Okay, big brother! But before grandfather went to sleep, he asked Saio to ask you where exactly you'll be waiting for the car?】

【Natsume Chikage: It's little Saio. I should be near the Shibuya subway station.】

【Furukawa Masahiro: (*^▽^*) Mm-hmm, Saio remembers, I'll tell grandfather and the driver uncle later. Big brother, you must come, Saio will be waiting for you the whole time!】

【Natsume Chikage: Mm. It's getting late now, Saio should rest early too.】

【Furukawa Masahiro: Mm-hmm, see you tomorrow, big brother!】

After replying to Furukawa Saio.

Natsume Chikage clicked on the message sent by Araki Jiai.

【Araki Jiai: Σ(⊙▽⊙") Natsume-kun... today I heard from other students that you and Zhongdao Satoshi are preparing to settle things with a baseball match? And the bet is... if you lose, you'll be single for three years, and if he loses, he'll give you his beloved bat and never harass you again? Is this news true?!】

【Natsume Chikage: It's true.】

【Araki Jiai: Σ(⊙▽⊙") You're confused, little brother!! Why did you agree to such a bet! If you really lose, wouldn't you really be single for three years?!】

【Natsume Chikage: I just won't lose.】

【Araki Jiai: You're that confident?! That guy has been playing baseball since he was a kid... wait, you haven't played before, have you?】

【Natsume Chikage: Does baseball in a game count?】

【Araki Jiai: 【○? ｀Д?? ○】 What nonsense are you talking about, of course that doesn't count! Listen to me, just go back on your word, act like this bet doesn't exist!】

【Natsume Chikage: The student council is supervising; if I go back on it, it counts as me losing.】

【Araki Jiai: Then it's over... why did you agree?! You've barely touched a baseball, how can you compare to someone like Zhongdao Satoshi who has practiced since he was a kid? Isn't this just messing around?!】

【Natsume Chikage: Don't worry, I have confidence.】

【Araki Jiai: Confidence? What confidence do you have, let's hear it.】

【Natsume Chikage: I'll hit home runs every time, I can't lose at all.】

【Araki Jiai: Hitting home runs every time? I'm speechless... stop trying to make your sister Ai laugh. Why didn't I notice you were so humorous before, Natsume-kun? What kind of situation is this, and you're still joking?】

【Natsume Chikage: I'm not joking, seriously...】

【Araki Jiai: Fine, fine, I'll think of a way later. You just practice baseball honestly during this time.】

【Natsume Chikage: Really don't need to, I really have confidence!】

【Araki Jiai: Mm-hmm, got it, got it, home runs every time, right. But it's getting late, you rest well, see you tomorrow, goodnight.】

【Natsume Chikage:... Goodnight.】

Natsume Chikage was a bit dumbfounded; he didn't know if she really knew or was just pretending.

But it seemed she didn't intend to send more messages, and he didn't want to explain further.

Next.

He clicked on the message sent by Tsukishima Rin.

【Tsukishima Rin:... Natsume-kun, didn't you say you had a way to solve the matter with Zhongdao Satoshi? How come you're suddenly going to have a match? And... it's in baseball, which he's best at?】

【Natsume Chikage: Yes.】

Tsukishima Rin, lying on her bed in her room and holding her phone, felt her eyes turn red the moment she saw Natsume Chikage admit it.

She wiped her tears, unable to understand why he would do this.

If he really lost, wouldn't he really be single for three years?

Thinking of Natsume Chikage, who had nothing to do with all this, being dragged into such trouble because of her, Tsukishima Rin felt really terrible in her heart.

【Tsukishima Rin: Although I don't know what you specifically talked about with the student council, in the end, it's all my problem. Sorry, Natsume-kun, for letting you encounter these things for no reason... I'm really, really sorry! I'll go find Zhongdao Satoshi tomorrow and make him cancel this bet!】

【Natsume Chikage: No need. This bet is already known to the student council, and it's being presided over by Konoe Hitomi; she won't let the bet be voided.】

【Tsukishima Rin: Wuu, then what should we do. You haven't really played baseball, and Zhongdao Satoshi has played since he was a kid, and he's the very talented kind. If this continues, it's really hard for you to win! I don't want you to lose so innocently, I don't want you to be single for all three years of high school for no reason. Wuu... I don't want this!】

【Natsume Chikage: Even if I really lose, it's just being single for three years of high school, it's no big deal.】

Tsukishima Rin hugged the pillow in her arms tightly, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and typed on the phone screen seriously.

【Tsukishima Rin: No matter what the final result is, whether it's three years or several, I will wait for you, please must do your best!】

【Natsume Chikage:... I won't lose, I have confidence.】

【Tsukishima Rin: Mm!】

Natsume Chikage looked at the chat history and was silent for a rare long while.

Then, he clicked on the message sent by Yasui Ryoto.

【Yasui Ryoto: Natsume-kun, I heard you agreed to have a baseball match with Zhongdao Satoshi? Is it true?】

【Natsume Chikage: True.】

【Yasui Ryoto: Awesome!!】

Yasui Ryoto on the other side of the screen was overjoyed.

He felt that Natsume Chikage, who hadn't really played baseball, daring to compare this with Zhongdao Satoshi was simply throwing the game.

But then again, this Natsume Chikage really had guts.

Daring to actually compare baseball with Zhongdao Satoshi.

If it were him, he wouldn't dare at all.

This is like, in shogi, he is a professional.

And in baseball, Zhongdao Satoshi is also a professional.

Letting two people from different fields compete on the other's home turf, whoever goes to the other side is bound to lose.

He dared to call Zhongdao Satoshi over to compare shogi, Zhongdao Satoshi definitely wouldn't dare.

Vice versa.

And Natsume Chikage is okay at shogi, but baseball... no matter how you look at it, it's not very good.

This thing really requires years of practice.

You, a shogi player, running to compare playing baseball with others, is purely messing around.

But it doesn't matter if you lose, anyway Natsume Chikage is just being single for three years.