Chapter 541

"Mm, I think that's fine."

Yukimura Suzune had already picked up her book again, restored to her usual cold appearance, and said flatly:

"I was planning to stay in the club room to process the materials for the 'Seven Mysteries' incident anyway."

"Since there are no items that must be purchased or field investigations that must be conducted, there's naturally no need to go out specifically."

Hearing this, Natsume Chikage was stunned instead and looked at them with some confusion:

"Eh? Didn't you all just say you wanted to go out for a walk? Why aren't you going now?"

Fujiwara Aoi turned her head and gave him a bright smile, her smile hearty and sincere:

"That's because—if we're going out to play, of course it's most fun when the four of us go out together!"

"Without you, Natsume-kun, it always feels... a bit strange, like something is missing."

Saionji Nanase also nodded in agreement with a smile, her eyes warm:

"That's right. It's more interesting when we all act together."

Yukimura Suzune didn't look up, still looking at the page in her hand, and added flatly, as if she were just saying it casually:

"I don't mind."

Natsume Chikage was stunned.

He looked at the three young girls in front of him.

A warm current quietly surged through his heart.

He didn't say anything more, just silently engraved this sentiment, along with their appearance at this moment, into a soft corner of his heart.

In the afternoon.

"Ring-a-ling—"

The crisp and pleasant school-ending bell rang on time, breaking the campus's tranquility, like a stone thrown into the water, stirring up ripples of joy.

The teaching building was instantly filled with noise and vitality, students’ faces overflowing with the joy of liberation, one after another packing their schoolbags, calling friends, or running to club activity rooms, or discussing where to play, or walking straight home.

Natsume Chikage also quickly organized his schoolbag.

He stood up and said to Yukimura Suzune and Saionji Nanase, who were still in their seats:

"Then, I'll be going first."

Yukimura Suzune looked up, glanced at him with her cold eyes, and nodded gently:

"Mm, goodbye."

Saionji Nanase raised a bright smiling face and waved:

"Natsume-kun, see you tomorrow!"

Natsume Chikage smiled at them and nodded in response:

"Mm, see you tomorrow."

Having said that, he turned around, preparing to leave Class 1-A.

However.

Just as he stepped out of the classroom door, his line of sight collided with an unexpected figure.

He saw Konoe Hitomi just arriving at the door.

Seeing Natsume Chikage come out, her deep eyes looked straight over, without any pleasantries, and she spoke flatly in a declarative rather than questioning tone:

"Since you're here, let's go."

Natsume Chikage’s footsteps paused, a hint of astonishment appearing on his face:

"Go? Go where?"

Konoe Hitomi tilted her head slightly, as if she felt his question was redundant, her tone still without any fluctuation:

"Do you even need to ask?"

"Of course, it's the same as last time, to practice."

Natsume Chikage wasn't a fool and immediately understood what she meant.

She was referring to the time she arranged for a professional coach to guide him in baseball batting.

It seemed that this time she intended to continue providing similar help; perhaps she had found a pitching coach?

He thought for a moment and didn't refuse.

After all, having a professional coach’s guidance, even if it was just introductory basics, was far more efficient than fumbling around by himself.

"Mm, I understand."

He nodded without asking more.

"Let's go."

Saying this, Natsume Chikage naturally followed Konoe Hitomi, and the two walked side by side, intending to head toward the stairwell.

Only.

They had only just walked a short distance from the door of Class 1-A.

When they met Fujiwara Aoi, who was walking out of the Class D classroom.

Natsume Chikage met her gaze and, out of politeness, nodded slightly at her, which counted as a greeting.

But he didn't stop his pace, nor did he explain anything, just continued to follow Konoe Hitomi, and soon turned into the stairwell, their figures disappearing around the corner of the corridor.

However.

The short but information-heavy conversation just now, as well as the backs of the two leaving side by side, were not only seen clearly by Fujiwara Aoi but also fell into the eyes of Yukimura Suzune and Saionji Nanase, who were planning to go to the club room together.

The air seemed to freeze for half a second at this moment.

The strap of the schoolbag Fujiwara Aoi was carrying slipped down a bit unconsciously.

The smile on Saionji Nanase’s face stiffened slightly, and she blinked her eyes.

Yukimura Suzune’s fingers holding the books tightened quietly, her knuckles turning a faint white.

The three of them stopped in place simultaneously.

"...Practice?"

Fujiwara Aoi muttered this keyword, her face full of confusion and incomprehension, and then her face flushed red.

Saionji Nanase’s brows furrowed slightly, a hint of confusion flashing in her lively eyes; clearly, she hadn't reacted in time.

Yukimura Suzune pursed her lips tightly, strange thoughts constantly emerging in her mind.

That sentence "practice the same as last time" was like a small stone thrown into the lake of their hearts, stirring up layers of ripples that were hard to calm down in the hearts of the three.

Go to practice together?

Practice what?

Last time... when was that?

How did the two of them look so familiar with each other?

Why did Konoe-senpai specifically come to find him?

Between them... what kind of agreement was there?

A series of question marks uncontrollably surged and swirled in the minds of the three girls, casting a lingering, messy haze over their originally relaxed mood after school.

On the way out of school.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the sunlight approaching three o'clock carried just the right amount of warmth, lazily shining on the school gate, dragging long shadows on the ground.

Natsume Chikage and Konoe Hitomi passed by other students leaving school and arrived at the school gate.

Just as they were about to step out of the school gate, two figures walked out from the side.

It was Nakajima Satoshi and Aoki Masao.

The moment the two saw Konoe Hitomi, their bodies stiffened obviously, and then they straightened their backs simultaneously, expressions mixed with respect and nervousness appearing on their faces, and they bowed their heads to greet them solemnly and almost synchronously:

"Good afternoon, Konoe-san." X2

Konoe Hitomi stopped, just glanced at the two with the corner of her eye extremely indifferently, and there was no sign of response on that beautiful but expressionless face, as if she had never taken the two into her eyes.

Nakajima Satoshi and Aoki Masao seemed to have long been accustomed to this attitude of Konoe Hitomi and did not show embarrassment or dissatisfaction.

After all, Konoe Hitomi was like this in school.

And she was qualified to be so.

At this moment.

They stood up and then turned their gazes to Natsume Chikage, who was following beside Konoe Hitomi, their expressions relaxing slightly.