CHAPTER 455: CHAPTER 320: LOVE THAT’S HARD TO ENCOUNTER

The wind chime at the shrine rang.

It seemed to be responding to the call of the gods, bringing with it a gentle breeze that swept through the fallen leaves.

Clap, clap.

Two claps sounded, and a young girl stood in front of the worship hall, her hands clasped together, eyes closed, silently reciting her wish.

[Dear god, please! Let me meet a super handsome boyfriend this year.]

The wind remained silent, or perhaps the crisp sound of the wind chime was the god’s response.

"Reiko, what did you wish for?"

The girl raised her head and looked at her best friend waiting by her side: "Of course, I can’t let you know."

Chikako smiled and said, "I can guess without thinking. It must be because Tanahata-kun from the next class got a girlfriend, and you’re envious, jealous, and resentful, wanting to find an even more handsome guy."

"It’s not that!" The girl’s face turned red, her thoughts being exposed, making her feelings stammer.

"Ha, lying in front of the gods, your wish just now won’t come true."

The girl quickly covered her mouth.

Chikako teased her: "I guessed right, didn’t I?"

"Then, what wish did you make, Chikako?"

"I didn’t make one."

"Liar, you also like Tanahata-kun, don’t you?"

"I really don’t."

"Liar, liar, liar, liar, you’re definitely lying! You’re definitely envying that Riho right now!"

"Well, a little, though it’s just because I find it notable that she’s dating a handsome guy."

Uesugi Sakura, the cat, was lounging on the donation box, lazily listening. This was the ninth girl asking the gods for a boyfriend.

He switched his right front paw to his left and continued listening to their conversation with lazy indifference.

Reiko: "Do you think boys want girlfriends too?"

Chikako: "Ah, isn’t that obvious?"

Reiko: "Then why isn’t Tanahata-kun’s girlfriend me... I hinted so much when he was single... Is he just dense?"

Chikako: "There are many reasons, but the most important one is that he doesn’t find you appealing."

Reiko: "Not appealing... How can one become appealing?"

Chikako: "Well, being good-looking, of course. Just like you like handsome guys, boys like pretty girls too!"

Uesugi Sakura closed his eyes to sleep, twitching his ears, hearing the high school girl in the sailor uniform say "good-looking" repeatedly.

"Is there any way to succeed without being good-looking?" Reiko tried to inquire.

"Well, maybe... building feelings over time? But if you’re passed over at first sight, there’s really no hope. If it never starts, what’s there to talk about the future... Everyone says Tanahata-kun is handsome and nice to girls, yet he chose a beautiful girl like Riho as his girlfriend. Reiko, we don’t stand a chance."

"Really, no chance at all?" Reiko’s eyes still held a spark of hope.

"No chance. I figured it out; love doesn’t matter at all to me." Chikako shrugged, feeling that she had become enlightened.

"Why?"

"Just can’t meet someone."

As she spoke, she bent down, grabbing Uesugi Sakura’s lazy head, "Sometimes being alone is quite fine, isn’t it? If loneliness is too much, just get a cat."

...

The wind chime rang again.

Uesugi Sakura still lay on the donation box as the two high school girls’ silhouettes gradually moved away from the stone path, and they descended the tree-lined road, step by step.

He looked up at the dangling chime moved by the wind.

He thought, the gods should have heard the girl’s plea through this chime.

Wishing for a handsome boyfriend...

No one wants to be lonely, perhaps that’s why people entrust their love to prayers, at least... the almighty gods can offer a Schrodinger’s hope to the girl.

The cat jumped down from the box, looked back at the dazzling sun, and with a lazy stretch, held his tail high as he slowly went down the mountain.

Today was another day without any gain.

...

In the afternoon, the sun was more dazzling and hotter than in the morning.

In the Tokyo University library, many school-age children were looking for books that interested them among the rows of shelves.

Uesugi Sakura, as a volunteer guide, finally got a chance to rest; walking around the school had left him quite sunburned.

In the library now, they were sensibly keeping quiet.

As people became quiet, their hearts also became peaceful.

"Uesugi, why did you volunteer?" Todaka Keichiro sat down opposite him, holding a bottle of mineral water.

"To experience life and gain insights; but why are you volunteering? I thought you always wanted to be with your girlfriend?"

"It’s the end of the semester, just finding something to do."

Commonly known as looking for something to do without a task.

Uesugi Sakura took a sip of the iced coffee he had ordered earlier and asked, "Have you improved in your second language? The last question in the final exam requires you to sing a Chinese song in front of everyone."

"Sing in front of everyone? That’s way too embarrassing!" Todaka Keichiro couldn’t help but complain.

"If you sing well, it won’t be embarrassing, it might even make everyone go ’Todaka-kun is amazing!’" Uesugi Sakura said seriously as he read this line.

Todaka Keichiro glanced at him, "Didn’t realize Uesugi you could joke like this."

"I’m just stating the truth, not joking."

...

Outside the school gate, Uesugi Sakura stood in front of a group of children to lead the way.

Whether it was because of what Aei had said before, "Big brother is very popular," many little girls shyly walked in front of him, making confessions like "I like you."

Some even handed him a pink note.

Today’s kids... are they maturing this early?

Although he timely rejected this inappropriate affection, he still earned the jealousy of a group of little boys.