Chapter 786: Saten Ruiko, the Helpful One
“What do you want to drink? It’s on me!” Even though Frenda tried to tempt her, she noticed Saten Ruiko kept glancing towards the window.
Frenda then said, “Alright, don’t mind that person. It’s impolite to stare.”
“To be lectured by Frenda…” Saten Ruiko immediately showed a complicated expression.
Frenda thought for a moment, then explained, “Just now, there was indeed a brief moment where I thought that girl was ‘Our side,’ so I was a little wary.
But after observing carefully, I was wrong after all.”
Frenda shook her head, “In the end, at most, she’s just involved in a rather strange research project, right? She hasn’t essentially fallen to the other side yet.”
“Is… is that so?”
Saten Ruiko probably understood what Frenda hadn’t fully expressed, but for a moment, she still didn’t know how to react appropriately.
Fortunately, Frenda didn’t care about this at all and simply continued to buy drinks as planned.
After paying for their desired drinks, Saten Ruiko noticed the uniquely-featured girl by the window was talking to someone.
Because the keyword “Fireworks Display” appeared in the conversation, it naturally caught Saten Ruiko’s attention.
“…I will watch, the Fireworks Display,” the girl said.
“No, I can see it from here too. I calculated that the height of the buildings here is just right; they won’t block the fireworks that rise to their highest point, so there’s no difference.”
“No, there’s no way there’s no difference, right?” Unable to hold back, Saten Ruiko muttered softly.
Across from the convenience store was the other side of the shopping street, which, of course, was also a row of three-story shops.
Behind the shops were student apartments in the residential area and office buildings in the business district.
From this perspective, she would probably only be able to see a few of the highest-flying fireworks, right?
“What, is Saten going to watch the fireworks tonight?” Frenda asked.
“Yes, with Lin Wuming and the others,” Saten Ruiko nodded, “You come along too?”
“Then forget it,” Frenda shook her head, “Kihara would probably be interested, right? We can also see the fireworks from Our hotel, so there’s no need to go that far.”
Compared to this narrow and cramped convenience store, the top-floor presidential suite of the hotel where one of Item’s headquarters was located could be called the true “best viewing spot.”
If it weren’t for a large group of friends attending on the other side, Saten Ruiko might have chosen to visit Frenda at her “home.”
After a moment of serious thought, Frenda suddenly changed her mind: “If… Ruiko invites me, I can also accompany you to watch the fireworks on-site.”
“That’s great, it’s settled then…” Saten Ruiko was saying when she was suddenly interrupted by a commotion behind her.
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I really just accidentally lost my wallet…” It was a girl’s voice, almost crying.
Saten Ruiko couldn’t help but look back.
She saw a girl desperately bowing and apologizing in front of the cashier.
The staff member next to her looked at her with a troubled and helpless expression.
The girl had light flaxen shoulder-length hair and was wearing a sailor uniform, which must have been a school uniform.
Her figure was slender and frail.
For some reason, Saten Ruiko always felt that her uniform looked a bit dirty, as if she had fallen somewhere.
She could even notice some minor injuries on the girl’s exposed hands and feet.
—She must have accidentally lost her wallet when she fell, right?
Saten Ruiko thought.
The things the girl wanted to buy weren’t much: a sandwich and a carton of milk.
Even the most expensive combination in the convenience store wouldn’t exceed six hundred yen.
So Saten Ruiko took out her wallet.
“Saten, you’re not going to…” Frenda noticed her movement.
“What does it matter? It’s not much money anyway,” Saten Ruiko said.
…
Amidst the girl’s desperate bows and thanks, Saten Ruiko left the convenience store.
“You really are a good person,” Frenda said.
“It’s nice to do good deeds within my capabilities,” Saten Ruiko said, “Even if it’s just for self-satisfaction, it’s good.”
“Speaking of which,” Saten Ruiko continued, “Lin Wuming’s friend, Kamijou, is also such an unlucky fellow. He always loses his wallet, and Lin Wuming always lends him a hand…”
Ultimately, it wasn’t just self-satisfaction; Saten Ruiko’s true motivation was actually to “imitate Lin Wuming.”
…
In the convenience store, the girl who had received timely help from Saten Ruiko held the food she had finally obtained and, with her head down, was about to leave.
As she passed the window dining area, the girl with black and white hair and special “patches” on her skin—Caochi Liangzi—suddenly spoke.
“Haruue.”
“…” The girl stopped but didn’t dare to look up at Caochi Liangzi.
“Oh…” Caochi Liangzi sighed helplessly, “Don’t be so afraid of me. I’ve never bullied you…”
Still getting no response, Caochi Liangzi shook her head, “You can’t keep going on like this. Honestly, I advise you to transfer schools as soon as possible.”
“…Thank you.” Dropping a hurried sentence, the girl named Haruue continued to run out with her head buried.
Caochi Liangzi no longer paid attention—she had done all she could.
If she hadn’t met her here, Caochi Liangzi wouldn’t have bothered to meddle—when she spoke just now, she never even lifted her gaze from the paper in front of her.
After simply finishing her brunch, Caochi Liangzi still had no intention of getting up and leaving, just as she had said on the phone—she would watch the Fireworks Display here.
In other words, she would stay until at least dark.
Since her recovery and discharge from the hospital, she had frequently visited this convenience store, becoming a regular here.
She knew that the customer traffic wouldn’t be too high here, so even staying for an entire afternoon wouldn’t affect business.
Compared to a bustling coffee shop with people coming and going, this remote little shop, almost deserted, was the most suitable place for quiet study.
Though saying so might be a bit unfair to the owner…
Shaking her head, Caochi Liangzi cast aside the recent small interlude and lowered her head, refocusing on the paper in front of her.
Time passed by little by little…
Saten Ruiko brought Frenda back to her apartment, and then, urged by the golden-haired beautiful girl who knew no politeness, she changed into loungewear and an apron and entered the kitchen.
Bearing the expectations of her friends and a hint of excitement from deep within herself, Saten Ruiko examined the kitchen knife in her hand.
Then she nodded, “Alright, let’s begin!”
A small cheer came from Frenda behind her.
Saten Ruiko smiled—was this how Lin Wuming felt when he cooked in the kitchen?
Since she had received the compliment “very much like Lin Wuming” from Haruue Erii this morning, Saten Ruiko was now full of fighting spirit.
