No words were exchanged on the way.
It was still early during the journey. After getting off the train with the two girls, Kitahara Makoto decided to go to the supermarket to buy ingredients, planning to cook dinner himself.
Chihaya Anon and Takamatsu Tomori each bought small cakes, intending to take them to Hana.
"Oh, by the way, Karin-chan has fully recovered and has returned to Tokyo for school."
While buying ingredients at the supermarket, Chihaya Anon quietly leaned over and whispered:
"Karin-chan sent a message saying she wants to treat us to a big meal and asked when we're free."
"Let's finish the final exams first." Kitahara Makoto pondered for two seconds, "Let's make plans during the summer vacation."
"Got it."
Chihaya Anon nodded lightly and then said:
"Besides us, Karin-chan also plans to call Ayane and the others."
Kitahara Makoto glanced over upon hearing this:
"You guys aren't going to play any weird games again, are you?"
"Of course not." Chihaya Anon glared at him with her bright eyes, "At that time, everyone didn't know, but now that we've learned our lesson, we definitely won't repeat the same mistakes."
Kitahara Makoto was skeptical about this.
Girls, by nature, are curious. Besides Karin-san, who truly learned her lesson, it's hard to say about the other girls.
"I hope so."
Kitahara Makoto didn't dwell on it, just let out a light sigh:
"This time, when I go to the gathering, I finally won't have to feel guilty."
"Eh?"
Chihaya Anon blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Kitahara Makoto said self-righteously:
"Last time at the KTV gathering, I was just pretending to be Anon's boyfriend, and I felt a lot of psychological burden. Now that I don't need to pretend, I naturally don't have to feel guilty."
Chihaya Anon's pretty face flushed slightly, and she quickly covered her chest with her hands, looking at him with disdain:
"What do you mean? A mere scumbag who wants to have a harem, please know your place, okay? I never planned on dating you."
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow and looked at her:
"We've already kissed, and Anon doesn't want to take responsibility?"
"Tsk." Chihaya Anon raised her chin arrogantly, "Just a few kisses, and you want to be my boyfriend? Kitahara-kun, aren't you being too naive?"
"Not to mention just kissing, even if something more intimate happened, many people wouldn't start dating."
"You want to claim to be my boyfriend now? Kitahara-kun, please don't be so naive."
Kitahara Makoto's mouth twitched slightly:
"You're so skilled at this, how many times have you rejected others?"
"Hmph~"
Chihaya Anon snorted proudly:
"Changing the subject won't work. Anyway, don't think you'll easily become official."
"…"
After buying the ingredients, Kitahara Makoto took the two girls home, and then began to prepare the meal.
There's no need to elaborate on what happened during that time. After dinner, the three of them started reading and studying together.
Before they knew it, it was eight o'clock in the evening.
Kitahara Makoto changed into his running shoes, ready to go out.
"I'm going for a run in the park." Kitahara Makoto turned his head to Anon and Tomori, "Do you two want to come along?"
One of today's daily tasks was to run ten kilometers, and the weather during the day was too hot, so it was better to run at night.
Regardless of wind or rain, Kitahara Makoto never missed the daily fitness tasks issued by the System.
"Running in such hot weather, Kitahara-kun, are you an idiot?" Chihaya Anon rested her right hand on her chin and retorted upon hearing this, "Sorry, one hundred percent no."
Takamatsu Tomori wanted to go for a night run together, but considering her stamina and the fact that she hadn't been feeling well these past two days, she chose not to cause trouble and simply said softly:
"Makoto-kun, please be careful by yourself and come back early."
"Received."
Kitahara Makoto waved his hand and left for a night run in the park.
His current physical fitness had already surpassed human limits, and running ten kilometers in one go was effortless.
Half an hour later.
Kitahara Makoto returned from his run and found Takamatsu Tomori sitting on the sofa on a video call. He could hear a gentle female voice from the other end of the video, clearly Tomori's mother.
Seeing this, Kitahara Makoto lightened his steps, said nothing, and quietly walked into the bathroom.
"Whew…"
Kitahara Makoto exhaled lightly, quickly stripped off his clothes in no time. He was drenched in sweat after his run, so the first thing he naturally did upon returning was to take a bath.
However, just as he turned on the shower, Kitahara Makoto suddenly felt a gaze fall upon him.
He silently turned his head to look and saw a pink-haired girl sitting in the bathtub, her eyes wide as she looked at him.
"Anon?"
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"I was taking a bath. Kitahara-kun, why did you suddenly come in?"
Chihaya Anon covered her body with her hands, glaring at him shyly.
"Of course, I came in to take a bath."
Kitahara Makoto said with righteous indignation.
"Get out, quickly!"
Chihaya Anon shooed him away shyly.
"No."
"Huh?"
Kitahara Makoto lowered his voice and said:
"Tomori is currently on a video call with her mother outside. If I go out now and she sees me, it'll be a huge problem."
While speaking, Kitahara Makoto began to openly shower.
"Stupid Kitahara, you're actually showering now?!" Chihaya Anon's eyes widened, and she couldn't help but retort shyly, "You knew I was bathing, yet you still barged in! Kitahara-kun, you're too perverted!"
Kitahara Makoto said righteously:
"Let me clarify, I didn't know Anon was bathing. I only came in because I saw there was no light in the bathroom… Anon, why didn't you turn on the light?"
Chihaya Anon: "…"
Why didn't she turn on the light?
Of course, it was because she rented a place alone, and everything cost money: communication fees, transportation fees, rent, utilities, and so on. Chihaya Anon had already developed a habit of being frugal. Anyway, the living room had lights on, so it didn't matter if the bathroom light wasn't on.
"Even if I didn't turn on the light, after seeing me bathing, Kitahara-kun, you should still show gentlemanly conduct, put your clothes back on, and then stand facing the wall, right?"
Chihaya Anon tensed her pretty face, trying to make Kitahara Makoto admit his guilt with her gaze.
"Putting on clothes halfway through a shower just feels uncomfortable all over." Kitahara Makoto said while showering, "Besides, Anon has already seen me naked, right?"
"Pfft~"
Chihaya Anon couldn't help but lightly spit.
"Lewd!"
"Pervert!"
"Ecchi!"
"…"
Kitahara Makoto didn't care. He quickly rinsed his body clean, turned off the shower, and then turned to walk towards the bathtub.
"You, you, you, you… what are you going to do?"
Seeing Kitahara Makoto walk over completely naked, Chihaya Anon immediately panicked. Her pretty face flushed crimson, and she shyly averted her gaze, her heart rate uncontrollably accelerating.
Does he want to take advantage of her in the bathroom?
Tomori is still outside, she'll hear us!
"Do what?" Kitahara Makoto came to the bathtub and whispered, "Of course, I'm taking a bath."
Chihaya Anon turned her pretty face away and whispered:
"Wait, wait a minute, I'll get up right away and give you the bathtub…"
"No need for that much trouble."
Kitahara Makoto shook his head.
Hearing "no need," Chihaya Anon's heart rate accelerated again, and a bad premonition instantly grew stronger.
The next moment.
Kitahara Makoto lifted his leg and stepped into the bathtub, lowering his voice as he said:
"I want to bathe with Anon."
Chihaya Anon's heart leaped into her throat, and she shouted in shame:
"I don't want to bathe with you!"
"Shh~"
Kitahara Makoto reached out and covered Anon's mouth, lowering his voice as he said:
"Anon, you don't want Tomori to find out about our secret bath, do you?"
Chihaya Anon: "…"