CHAPTER 455: CHAPTER 448: THE HEROINE OF THE BONFIRE PARTY

During dinner prep time, Shirakawa Sawahei eventually didn’t use the opportunity to tease the Little Arrogant. He used the ingredients from the restaurant and simply prepared them, then borrowed a small hotpot.

It was already past the dining hours for travelers, so the few people in the restaurant were scattered with no interaction. Sitting by the window, Shirakawa Sawahei lit a solid alcohol fuel, and the blue flame rose, gradually spreading warmth.

"It’s snowing again."

"Isn’t it nice to eat hotpot on a snowy day?"

"But waiting for the hotpot isn’t nice." Miss Kaori said softly, looking at the swirling snow outside the restaurant window, "I thought I could eat soon."

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Then just wait a little longer." Shirakawa Sawahei replied while preparing the hotpot base, "The essence of hotpot is also in the waiting."

As the heat rose, Shirakawa Sawahei counted the ingredients and suddenly laughed, "Hayakawa, you don’t eat much, right?"

"Asking a girl about her appetite is very rude," Little Arrogant said coldly, "But to answer, I don’t eat much."

"That’s good, I was worried you might blame me if you didn’t get full."

"I might not get full, but I’ll definitely blame you," Miss Kaori said matter-of-factly, "It’s a girl’s privilege."

"Unreasonable yet still kind of cute."

"Thank you. Can I start eating now?"

"Not yet."

"Oh." Evil Little Arrogant expressionlessly put down her chopsticks.

"Can I start blaming you now?"

"Feel free."

While waiting for the hotpot, Miss Kaori whimsically tapped the windowpane with her knuckles. The fingers of a girl who plays piano are always beautiful, and the transparent glass blocked the cold wind and snowflakes. Little Arrogant’s elegant and delicate fingers seemed to touch another world. This image was undoubtedly beautiful, as if it could easily be turned into a long shot in a movie.

Shirakawa Sawahei took a moment from his busy tasks to glance over, unable to help but smile, "I used to love drawing on the window when it snowed as a kid."

Little Arrogant withdrew her fingers expressionlessly, "Shirakawa, your childish past has nothing to do with what I’m doing now, please don’t label me with anything weird."

"Just a little childish, nowadays many girls like to play dumb and act cute..."

"That’s many girls, not me," the girl sneered, "Is this how you usually interact with many girls, Shirakawa?"

"No, no... It’s almost ready, we can eat now..."

Shirakawa Sawahei picked up a piece of tofu and placed it in Little Arrogant’s bowl, changing the subject, "It looks like your sister is here."

"I know, you just mentioned it."

"Hmm? I mentioned it?"

"You did, you asked Tachibana to bring something to Koorikin." Miss Kaori picked up the tofu. This simple hotpot didn’t have many sauces, just a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Plus, the beef bone broth base Shirakawa Sawahei made, barely qualifying it as a gourmet hotpot. The tofu absorbed the broth and became fragrant and piping hot. She pouted and blew on it gently before safely putting it in her mouth.

It was still very hot. Evil Little Arrogant frowned slightly; it was rare for Shirakawa Sawahei to see her like this, and he laughed heartily.

"I take back what I said, Hayakawa, saying you’re kind of cute was too harsh; you are very cute."

"I would be delighted if Shirakawa praised me without a sarcastic tone." Hayakawa Kashi chuckled coldly, seemingly a bit annoyed, and helped herself to another piece of beef.

"So, Hayakawa already knows where her sister is..." Shirakawa Sawahei sighed, "By the way, what were you talking about in the room with Tachibana?"

"Curious?"

"Very curious."

"Then why don’t you ask her?" Miss Kaori ate the hotpot by herself, "After all, she won’t hide it from you like I do."

"Although that’s what you said, asking Tachibana feels like an open-book exam, not much of a challenge."

"You want a challenge?" Little Arrogant put down her chopsticks and propped her chin with interest, "Why not call each member of the Calligraphy Club and talk to them one by one?"

"And maybe find out from my sister what exactly happened in the hot spring?"

"Let’s not, I’ll just take the open-book exam in a bit." Regarding the mishap with Black Hearted Lolita, Shirakawa Sawahei immediately backed down, "Let’s not trouble Hayakawa."

Hayakawa Kashi nodded contentedly and picked up her chopsticks again, "Shirakawa, you’re also kind of cute."

"..."

"Tomorrow seems to be the last day, are you going to the campfire party?"

"Not sure, I haven’t attended one before."

"Hmm? No one invited you? Doesn’t Akihisa High School have any legends about meeting partners at the campfire dance?"

"How would I know? I never paid attention."

Shirakawa Sawahei thought back to the forest school during his first year of high school in summer where there was a courage test, and realized the campfire event would be the first one during his second year...

Well, it seems he really didn’t know.

"Why are you so interested in these superstitious rumors?" Little Arrogant replied without looking up, "If you put it that way, there might be some love-related legends. Before the forest school, some girls even wanted to ask me to dance with them."

"???"

"Don’t be so surprised." Hayakawa Kashi seemed to anticipate his reaction, "They were looking for you, but somehow ended up asking me."

"Hayakawa, are you planning to dance tomorrow?"

The girl’s actions paused, she lightly put down her chopsticks and looked up, "Shirakawa, are you inviting me or worried about me?"

"Just, just concerned about a friend."

Miss Kaori pursed her lips and sneered, "I think you’re concerned about friends... How about you also ask about my sister?"

"That... let’s skip it." Shirakawa Sawahei cleared his throat and said seriously, "Let’s just focus on eating hotpot."

"Don’t be, I’m also interested in caring about friends." Hayakawa Kashi slowly asked, "Shirakawa, who exactly do you plan to dance with tomorrow?"

"..."

"Hayakawa, didn’t you say before that it’s all superstitious rumors, not to be believed?"

"I know, but I just want to ask, who do you plan to dance with?"

Shirakawa Sawahei was silent for a moment, realizing Little Arrogant wouldn’t easily let it go, so he had to reluctantly mention a name...

...

"Why is Shirakawa not back yet?" the Black Hearted Lolita asked worriedly in the room.

"Uh, I don’t know... Earlier when he heard Xiao Mo went to bring dinner to Hayakawa, he rushed over... Now Xiao Mo is back, and he’s gone..."

"Maybe he went to have dinner too?" the lazy girl speculated, "After all, Shirakawa didn’t eat anything all afternoon, he must be hungry."

"Makes sense... Ah, Koorikin, you’re pulling my hair."

"Ah, sorry... By the way, our bed is a bit crowded, what will we do tonight? If Shirakawa comes over, there won’t be enough space, right?"

"There are only four beds here. If Konatsuori also comes over, will Shirakawa sleep on the sofa?"

"Won’t he catch a cold?" The shy one hesitated for a moment, then suggested, "How about I switch places with Shirakawa..."

"Switch what?"

A grizzled man who just finished eating hotpot with the Little Arrogant pushed the door open and asked, "Why do you need to switch with me?"