The distance between the two rapidly closed.
Their eyes met.
Kitahara Makoto could clearly see his reflection in Yamada Ryo's eyes.
Yamada Ryo's expression was calm; she neither dodged nor panicked.
"Ryo-senpai, I want to kiss you."
Kitahara Makoto whispered.
Togawa could be kissed directly last night, but Yamada Ryo... Kitahara Makoto really couldn't grasp her intentions.
"You can kiss me." Yamada Ryo tilted her head and thought for a moment, "Consider it a return favor for feeding me just now."
Kitahara Makoto: "..."
If you put it that way, then I won't be polite!
The two were standing in a small alley on the street. Kitahara Makoto looked around and, seeing no one left or right, simply lowered his head and directly blocked Yamada Ryo's moist, rosy cherry lips.
Yamada Ryo's combat power truly lived up to its ten thousand points; she wouldn't panic like Bocchi-chan, nor would she shy away in distress like Nijika. Instead, she actively responded and enthusiastically cooperated in exploring a new world.
Several minutes later.
Seeing that Yamada Ryo was about to run out of oxygen, Kitahara Makoto finally let go of Yamada Ryo.
"Hoo... hoo..."
Yamada Ryo was breathing rapidly, her pretty face flushed.
"Ryo-senpai, how do you feel?"
Kitahara Makoto asked with satisfaction.
Yamada Ryo raised her hand to wipe away the silver thread from the corner of her lips, taking a deep breath to calm herself:
"It feels good. Thank you for the treat."
Kitahara Makoto: "..."
It was already late, and there was definitely no time for another kiss. Kitahara Makoto could only regretfully walk out of the alley and go with Yamada Ryo to rent clothes.
He originally thought renting clothes would be troublesome, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy.
The two walked into the store, and after trying on just one outfit, Yamada Ryo said simply:
"Good, this is it."
"..."
After renting the clothes, Kitahara Makoto and Yamada Ryo arrived at the newly opened Dance Center. Upon seeing the other contestants, Kitahara Makoto's expression immediately became subtle.
"Ryo-senpai, did we come to the wrong place?"
"No." Yamada Ryo crossed her arms over her chest, "The competition is being held right here."
Looking at the floor full of little kids, Kitahara Makoto couldn't help but say:
"Ryo-senpai, did you miss a competition requirement, like adults are prohibited from participating?"
Among the contestants present, all were elementary school students, with a few junior high school students. As for high school students... besides him and Yamada Ryo, there was no one else.
Their opponents were actually elementary school students?
Kitahara Makoto inexplicably felt like an adult bullying children.
"By law, you're only considered an adult at twenty." Yamada Ryo raised her chin and said righteously, "So it's fine, we're just seventeen-year-old kids too."
Kitahara Makoto: "..."
How could you even say that!
As they were speaking, a staff member walked over, saying with a subtle expression:
"Please get ready, you two. It will be your turn to perform soon."
"We're ready." Yamada Ryo clenched her small fists, her expression serious, "That free bass, I'm taking it!"
"..."
Kitahara Makoto sighed and could only follow Yamada Ryo to the center of the venue.
Since they were already here, they couldn't back out now.
"Ryo-senpai, Kitahara-kun, good luck."
Kita stood among a group of elementary school students, quietly cheering them on, even too embarrassed to speak loudly.
"G-good luck..."
Bocchi-chan was also dragged along, stammering and quietly cheering.
As for Nijika, she clearly already knew that their opponents today were elementary school students, so she didn't come at all.
The competition process goes without saying.
Their opponents were mainly elementary and junior high school students. After Kitahara Makoto and Yamada Ryo's training in their dreams, their coordination was already extremely tacit. Their flowing waltz performance earned a round of cheers and applause.
The performance was simply too brilliant, and they accidentally won first place in the end.
The champion's prize was not a bass, but a free one-year membership to a dance class.
Thump.
Yamada Ryo fell to her knees, her whole body turning gray:
"Won the competition, lost my life..."
"Don't be disheartened, Yamada Ryo." After the competition, Kita quietly sneaked over, "You and Kitahara-kun are champions, you know."
Yamada Ryo continued to wallow: "I don't want to be champion, I really just wanted that bass."
"Kitahara-kun, what should we do?"
Kita looked over helplessly.
Kitahara Makoto also had a headache; not only did he have to compete with elementary school students, but if he won, he would also have to act lazy. Only Yamada Ryo could do something like that.
"Wait, I'll go ask the event organizers."
Kitahara Makoto found the organizers and asked if he could exchange the champion's free spot with someone else.
After a brief discussion, the organizers quickly agreed that it was not a problem.
So Kitahara Makoto turned around and went to find the third-place winners of the dance competition.
The third-place winners were a pair of elementary school students, who were currently very happy holding their bass guitars, showing no disappointment at all. Their two mothers stood nearby, chatting.
"Hello, excuse me..."
Kitahara Makoto stepped forward, exchanged a few simple pleasantries, and then got to the point, asking if he could exchange the champion's free spot for the bass guitar.
Upon hearing this, both mothers were a little tempted. One of them asked:
"A year of free enrollment is more valuable, isn't it? Why would you want to exchange it for a bass guitar?"
Kitahara Makoto pointed to Ryo, who was acting lazy in the corner, and truthfully said:
"The reason Ryo-senpai dragged me into this competition was because she wanted this bass, so please."
"Ah, I see."
The two mothers exchanged glances, their faces showing understanding, and then they agreed.
The annual tuition for the dance class was not small. In comparison, this bass guitar was not a high-end brand, costing around 100,000 yen. Exchanging it was definitely a profit.
After a busy period, Kitahara Makoto returned to the corner, holding the bass guitar.
Kita and Bocchi-chan were still comforting Ryo, but it was not very effective. Yamada Ryo, who had won the championship, only wanted to act lazy.
"Ryo-senpai, your bass."
Kitahara Makoto handed over the bass guitar.
"Eh, how did Kitahara-kun get the bass?"
Kita Ikuyo turned her head curiously and saw the two elementary school students not far away wiping away tears. She was startled and quickly said:
"You didn't mug elementary school students, did you?"
"You shouldn't say such things," Kitahara Makoto said seriously. "I never do anything illegal."
Kita put her hands on her hips and asked curiously:
"Then why is this bass guitar in Kitahara-kun's hands?"
"It's a long story..."
Kitahara Makoto briefly explained what had happened.
"God, I'm so grateful!"
Yamada Ryo hugged the bass guitar, her eyes sparkling:
"My life has turned colorful again!"
As for the poor elementary school students wiping away tears not far away, Yamada Ryo simply chose to ignore them:
"After working hard all day, I finally got something. My treat, let's call Nijika and go for yakiniku!"
All in all, a world where only elementary school students got hurt was achieved.
Kitahara Makoto said expressionlessly:
"The takoyaki and red bean soup this morning, I paid for all of it."
"That day we went to the newly opened dessert shop..." Gotō Hitori stammered, "Ryo-senpai said she'd treat us, but in the end, I paid..."