My Dear Childhood Friend~

During breakfast, mom decided to have a conversation about yesterday's incident.

"I wasn't aware you knew so many boys Michi." How do I tell her all of them are most likely delinquents and I knew even more dudes?

"That's only the tip of my friend circle." She was even more astonished now.

"Did the boy that rejected you, were in yesterday's crowd?" We're dwelling back on that topic yet again? But I shook my head in denial.

"How about dating one of those boys that came over?" Suddenly I wanted to know if there was someone they liked more than the others.

"Oh, who would you promote as a candidate?" They both were deep in thought.

"The blue-haired guy." So mom voted for Souya, I glanced at dad.

"How about the blonde kid with an earring?" Dad was rooting for Chifuyu I see.

"Maybe once I'm done with my part-time job and training sessions will I consider my options, for now, I don't have much time." They nodded.

"But shouldn't you have fun and relax more during summer?" Dad asked.

"I rather put my summertime on spending time with Kazutora." I would pay him a visit tomorrow and he would be ultimately released on Saturday. Somehow dad managed to get custody of him to our surprise. I wasn't so sure how Kazutora would feel while finding it out. Maybe he expected this outcome, but perhaps he was waiting for his mother to change her attitude towards him. I chased these thoughts away and finished my breakfast.

"Yes I guess he will need a lot of care from us." dad admitted.

I decided to arrive at school earlier, I wasn't sure if Kisaki would fulfill my request this quickly or actually at all, but I could at least give him a chance to speak with me before class. Surprisingly he was already in the classroom when I arrived, was he waiting for me? I was about to approach him but a mission popped up.

'Would you rather ignore Tetta Kisaki for the whole day or ask him whatever he will go on a date with you once you get a high score on your test?' I checked the rewards I would be granted and since I needed Intelligence to get better scores for the other mission I was given, I had to proceed with the second option.

"Tetta-Kun, how is my favorite moon child doing?" I wanted to squeeze his cheeks. I never thought that I would see shock appear on his face, what a nice variety of emotions, usually he was angry or indifferent.

"What?" he uttered.

"I asked how you were doing." he suddenly gave me a paper that had a school's name and its address.

"I fulfilled my end of the deal, now it's your turn." I took the paper he gave me.

"Just one more thing..." he didn't look too pleased that I was still disturbing him.

"How about making another deal, if I do really good on all the exams how about going on a date with me." I sent him a kiss and wiggled my eyebrows.

"I don't want to get more involved with you." That was what he said. It was time to use provocation.

"You don't dare?... Because you know I will ace everything with flying colors? Is this how much trust you have in my studying abilities... I'm touched." I think it worked.

"Okay, let's bet but you need to get 90% on all subjects. However, if you fail you will have to do something for me instead." we shook hands as an agreement, somehow I was positive I would win so I didn't even enquire about what he wanted me to do. Classes went by, but on the last one, I expressed to the teacher how I didn't feel good so he sent me home. Presumably, I got this privilege because of my dark illness history. But rather than heading home, I went to Kakucho's school, stopping on the way to buy flowers. I was waiting in front of the school gates for a while.

"Excuse me, is by chance a student named Kakucho in school today?" I asked one of the passing male students. But someone else heard me and conveyed.

"He should be coming out soon." I nodded and waited for him when he saw my face he was astonished. I cleared my throat which got hoarse from all the nervousness I was feeling, but before I could utter any other sound I was picked up like a sack of potatoes.

"What's the meaning of this?!" I yelled to which his response was.

"I will explain later!" He was running someplace.

"Why is your hand on my butt? Get it off!" What kind of scenario was this?

"I need to keep your skirt in place so it doesn't fly up." I facepalmed.

"Maybe if you just let me walk on my own two feet you wouldn't need to resort to this?" he didn't seem to listen, but then I received a mission.

'Would you rather resist Kakucho's grip or by "mistake" touch his butt.' Since I felt evil for being dragged away like this I chose the other option and with my free hand, I patted his butt softly.

"What the?" he yelled.

"It's revenge!" We arrived at a park that had benches. He finally placed me back on the ground.

"Care to explain now?" I tapped my foot in distress, but then I glanced at the flowers that I held onto so dearly.

"Take those, I wanted to say sorry for not being there for you in the most difficult part of your life." He took them gently, being shocked by my words, I guess his explanation could wait.

"So what happened to you?" I asked pointing at his scar. From what I calculated the system wanted it to seem like I never knew about his accident and the death of his parents.

"Wait you never knew about my circumstances?" He asked as I nodded.

"I was constantly in and out of the hospital and only recently did I get better." The system never specified what kind of sickness Michi seemed to have, but I guess I was now healthy? He sat on the bench looking devastated.

"Then why did I think you abandoned me when you weren't aware of anything?" Poor guy, it was because the system wrote it that way, for some spice possibly.

"So why did you come to find me out, weren't you also thinking I abandoned our friendship?" he looked like he was about to cry, but I needed to go with the script I didn't want to seem indifferent. So I tried to think how I would react based on all the circumstances that the system presented to me.

"I won't lie I did for the longest of time, but recently I realized that something else must have taken place, so I dug up some information and found out you are an orphan? So I apologize for not being able to be there for you, that's all I wanted to say to you today." I was suddenly put into a hug.

"So you thought about me all this time?" It was hard to lie thru my teeth in this situation.

"Yes..." I patted his back but just wanted to escape, maybe bury myself underground.

"But we can't be what we used to be." Oh, great, what kind of drama was he trying to stir now?

"I'm a delinquent and you could get hurt if you hang around me." I pulled away and actually squeezed his cheeks in anger.

"Listen here you little shit. Do I look like I care? Maybe you should ask me for my opinion, instead of acting out some soap opera?"

"You were much cuter when you were younger." I wasn't so sure what made him say this, but it was defamation to my name.

"Objection! I'm always the cutest I can possibly be." I pouted, this time it was he that pinched my cheeks, but I guess I made this atmosphere less sappy with my outburst.

"Also I really do not care, I have like maybe 20 other friends that are delinquents." It was probably less, but I didn't care to count them all.

"Are you planning to become one yourself?" I guess it could appear like it was the case then again, the same could have been said about Emma. But unlike me, she had a brother that was involved in a gang, although I would soon get one of my own.

"Not really, but there is that one girl that seems to deliberately try to make me join a gang." he nodded and I decided to shift onto another topic.

"I guess you don't have a phone?" he shook his head, he probably used the money he had on other necessities.

"That's troublesome I wanted to give you my number, so we could hang out sometime." Well, it was time for a sugar mommy move.

"Then I will buy you one." he was in total shock.

"You don't have to." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You can't refuse, it's for my own convenience. Also, I can put my paycheck onto those expenses." I tried to sound as threatening as possible.

"Over the years you became more daring it seems." I guess all he remembered about Michi was sparkles and rainbows.

"Furthermore if you're ever struggling with anything just visit me." I wasn't aware of his financial situation, was he still in an orphanage, or did he get adopted? Or was he living under one roof with Izana? I didn't feel like inquiring about such details right now. I wrote down my address and phone number.

"Here you go," I handed him over the piece of paper.

"Are you sure you want to put so much trust in me?" Why were so many people trying to look out for me? I had a pretty stable head on my shoulders, thank you very much.

"Says the person that once confessed he wanted to marry me." Yes, I went there, he must have remembered that incident because his face turned red.

"You haven't gone around and told it to everyone?" Who was everyone?

"Maybe~ What do you want to back out on your promise?" He just froze in place, I waved my hand in front of his face. Only then did he grab it and yelled.

"It was just a little kid's nonsense!" Wow, he didn't have to take this so seriously. But his reaction made me wonder since he looked so much up to Izana would he actually go to him to ask for his marriage blessings?

"So you want that promise to be forgotten in time?" Teasing people was becoming a new hobby at this point.

"Yes... wait no..." to which I responded.

"You do realize I'm just messing with you?" he looked at me, betrayal portrayed on his face. We talked some more after this, but then parted ways on a good note with a promise that we should meet someday soon.

Later I was passing a Taiyaki stall, realizing how I never tried this treat I decided to buy myself one, that was until a mission popped up.

'Would you rather purchase 10 Taiyaki or 10 Ramen bowls next door?' What was I even supposed to do with 10 ramen bowls? It's not like I would be able to take them home, was the system trying to make me into charity...?

So here I was with 10 piping hot Taiyaki in a paper bag.

"Thank you for the purchase." I heard as I left the stall snacking on one of them. They were good, but I didn't feel like carrying them around the neighborhood. Then I spotted Draken in the distance, he was together with Mikey that upon seeing me eating his favorite treat, glanced at it like a cat at its treat.

"Wait that's perfect." I took another Taiyaki out of the bag for myself to devour and walked closer to Mikey and shoved the bag into his hands.

"You looked like you wanted it and I bought too many by mistake." and escape. They both seemed confused, but as I was walking away I overheard this banter.

"Is this how love at first sight, feels like?" causing Draken to smack Mikey on the head.

"Just because a stranger gave you your favorite snack doesn't mean shit!" because I was walking away at a fast pace leaving no room for other interactions, I could no longer hear what they were saying. Until suddenly I heard Mikey scream.

"Michi!" Wait did he hear how I looked like from the other guys in Toman? I think I saw the beanpole chasing me.

"No, no!" I wasn't prepared for this interaction to end up in more conversations. I accelerated my speed and caused Draken to lose me in the crowd, then exhausted I made my way to Wakasa's gym.