Chapter 29: Cold Outside, Hot Inside
Then, Ren and Hitori ended up being late together in the afternoon.
Some of the feelings Hitori had, Ren also shared. In fact, he was somewhat innocent and pure-hearted, but because Hitori was so passive, he had to gradually figure out how far to take the initiative.
As a result, they accidentally overslept—after all, lunch break was only an hour and a half.
"Watanabe, come to the office after school this afternoon."
The first class in the afternoon was history, taught by their homeroom teacher, Kirisu Mafuyu. She looked at Ren, who remained expressionless, and Hitori, who was so embarrassed she seemed about to melt away. Without giving them a hard time, she simply told Ren to report to the office after school.
For students, nothing was more terrifying than this. Hitori was filled with regret, thinking that if it weren't for her, Ren might not have been late. But under Mafuyu's authoritative presence, she didn't dare explain anything and obediently returned to her seat with Ren.
Ren, on the other hand, didn't feel too burdened. Toyosaki High had a relatively relaxed school culture that didn't restrict students from dating, as long as they didn't do anything beyond what was appropriate for high school couples—which was practically no restriction at all.
So, he wasn't worried about being scolded by Mafuyu.
After school ended in the afternoon, Ren said goodbye to Hitori and got up to go see Mafuyu. Just then, Yuno also stood up.
"Before Watanabe-kun came back, Kirisu-sensei already told me to see her after school."
Meeting Ren's gaze, Yuno smiled gently and explained.
"Then let's go together."
Since they had a bit of a past connection and were now classmates, Ren and Yuno headed to the office together.
"Watanabe, come in first. Gasai, wait a moment."
When they arrived at the office, Ren was called in first. Mafuyu remained as cold and unapproachable as ever. After glancing at Ren, she slowly said:
"Dating is something every high school student looks forward to, but I still hope you don't get too absorbed in this fleeting happiness, Watanabe."
"It could increase your expenses and might affect your studies. I hope you'll pay more attention to the realities of your situation—this is something no one can escape. Watanabe, your circumstances don't support you casually wasting your youth."
Without being too harsh or too blunt, Mafuyu, considering Ren's pride and rebelliousness at this age, gently reminded him from the side.
From her perspective, Ren's family situation and financial condition didn't support him dating and neglecting his studies during high school. After discovering this today, she couldn't let it go and decided to advise him.
"Kirisu-sensei is unexpectedly kind, isn't she?"
Ren suddenly realized. During their previous interactions, he had sensed that Mafuyu had a cold exterior but a warm heart, but one exchange wasn't enough to be sure. After being reminded by her again, he was now certain that she was a good person and a good teacher.
"Exaggerated. Now that you're dating, you even dare to tease your teacher?"
Hearing this, Mafuyu frowned in displeasure. Students aren't allowed to talk back to their teachers—that's the rule of the land.
"It's just my sincere thoughts. Thank you for your concern, teacher. I know what you're worried about, and I've considered the practical financial conditions. During this period, I've also found a suitable main career. At least for the next few years, I don't need to worry about financial issues."
Ren smiled and took out his phone. Instead of showing Mafuyu his bank balance, he showed her the video data for "Lemon."
"So the Ren who composed the music and wrote the lyrics is really you?"
Even Mafuyu had heard this song and seen Ren's name, but she thought it was someone with the same name as Ren. She never expected it to actually be him.
Now that Ren directly provided the account information, Mafuyu had no choice but to believe it, even if she found it hard to accept.
Her expression was one of shock, and it took her a long time to regain her composure.
"Yeah, I thought it might work, so I gave it a try. I didn't expect it to actually succeed. The traffic has already been monetized, so you don't need to worry about it affecting my studies or life."
"Now that I don't have to worry about basic necessities, my study efficiency has actually improved a lot compared to before. If my final exam results are poor, then you can scold me."
Ren put away his phone, feeling no resentment toward Mafuyu. It's not easy to come across such a good teacher—not only is she easy on the eyes, but she also genuinely looks out for you.
"Alright, when you leave, ask Yuno to come in."
Having regained her composure, Mafuyu nodded. For Ren, the most serious issue was financial stability. A video with tens of millions of views, rapidly increasing in popularity and featuring ads, could generate enough income for Ren to comfortably get through high school and even cover all his university expenses. She no longer needed to worry about Ren falling into ruin because of a relationship.
Afterward, Ren left the office, and Yuno, having been notified, came into the office.
Mafuyu rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming on. Figuring out how to talk to Ren without upsetting him was quite taxing.
As for Yuno, her family situation was only slightly better than Ren's, but not by much. Her adoptive parents had unfortunately developed mental illnesses and were now in long-term care at a psychiatric hospital, possibly for the rest of their lives.
It was hard to imagine how Yuno, growing up in a household with mental illness, had developed such a gentle personality. Today, Mafuyu had called her in mainly to check on her family situation and academic progress.
Fortunately, like Ren, Yuno was obedient and clearly aware of her own circumstances. Both had found their own ways to survive, which made Mafuyu's job a bit easier.
After Yuno left as well, Mafuyu took out her phone, put on her earphones, and listened to Ren's "Lemon" once more. Then, she followed Ren's account.
However, upon seeing Ren's YouTube name, she frowned again. "A Girl's Armpit Smells Sweet and Fragrant"
Could it be that Ren's mental state wasn't actually that stable? Or was this his way of venting his inner loneliness as someone alone?
And why was it the same format as the name of that perverted expert she encountered while playing Apex? Was this kind of name trending online lately?
After making a mental note of it, Mafuyu organized her teaching materials and left the school.
On Ren's side, he drove Hitori to her doorstep and was about to leave when Hitori, who had gotten out of the car, didn't close the door but instead said hesitantly, "Ren, would you like to come in?"
"Hmm? Then I won't stand on ceremony."
Though Hitori didn't mean it in that way, her initiative to invite him to meet her family was undoubtedly a good thing. It meant Hitori was willing to let him enter the place she considered the safest in her heart, a sign of their deepening relationship.
After parking the car, Ren and Hitori entered the Gotou household.