“Gu Jin, over here!” Shimamura Yoko waved with a smile, her ponytail swaying with her movements, the tenderness in her eyes more fervent than the summer sun.
“Yoko! Sorry to keep you waiting.” Gu Jin quickened his pace, his sneakers treading over the tree shadows on the ground.
“Hmph! So you do know! Look at what time it is now.”
The girl puffed out her cheeks, the dark navy hem of her skirt gently swaying with her straight calves, the shoelaces on her white canvas shoes tied into cute bows.
Her seemingly angry expression couldn't hide the intimacy in her eyes and brows—this was their own little romance.
Shimamura Yoko had always been the center of attention at Wako Junior High School.
Her top-tier looks and excellent academic performance made her a well-deserved school idol, but ever since her relationship with Gu Jin went public, trouble had followed.
Especially after Nono’s “big mouth” spread the news of their alone time in the Sakurai Video Room, Gu Jin instantly became the “public enemy of men” on campus, with delinquents occasionally coming to find him.
“Something came up just now.” Gu Jin sat down beside her.
“Ah? What happened? Did someone cause you trouble?” Shimamura Yoko spun around abruptly, her eyelashes fluttering with unease.
Her grip on Gu Jin's school uniform sleeve tightened, afraid of hearing an affirmative answer.
“No, it was Coach Taoka Moichi from Ryonan High School who extended an olive branch to me; he invited me to join Ryonan High School.” Gu Jin gently covered her hand, feeling the coolness of her fingertips slowly warm up.
“Really? That’s great, Ryonan is a good high school.” Shimamura Yoko's eyes lit up astonishingly, and she tilted her head to look at Gu Jin, her hair brushing his reddened ear tip.
“Yoko, why don’t you come to Ryonan High School with me? I think with your grades, you could definitely get a ‘special scholarship student’ spot at Ryonan High School.” Gu Jin’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he squeezed her hand.
Shimamura Yoko and Gu Jin were neighbors, and although their family background was ordinary, she became a top student on campus due to her excellent academic performance.
Her father, Shimamura Yuji, was a police officer who died in the line of duty, after which Yoko and her mother, Shimamura Konan, depended on each other.
Shimamura Konan was a resilient and great woman, waking up early and working late every day to sell ramen from her stall, single-handedly supporting the entire family.
Knowing that Gu Jin lived alone, Shimamura Konan would always cook an extra bowl of noodles or conveniently help him put away his dried laundry.
Returning the favor, Gu Jin would help out at the ramen stall whenever he had free time, moving tables and chairs, boiling water, and greeting customers.
In the daily mutual care, the hearts of the two young people grew closer, and Gu Jin finally, through this enduring warmth, entered Shimamura Yoko's heart.
“Are you begging me? Then I’ll have to think about it.” Shimamura Yoko deliberately blinked her big eyes, her eyelashes casting butterfly-wing-like shadows beneath them.
She bit her lower lip to suppress a laugh, but couldn’t hide the upward curve of her lips.
“Naughty!” Gu Jin flicked her forehead with his finger, earning a playful tap from the girl.
“Since you’re so sincerely asking me, then I’ll reluctantly agree.” Shimamura Yoko threw herself into his arms, the pleats of her skirt brushing against his school uniform pants, her fragrant hair caressing his nose.
Amidst the cicada's chirping, the two bento boxes on the stone bench gradually warmed in the sunlight.
Just as the two were engrossed in their affection...
A discordant voice rang out.
“Gu Jin, Sakuragi told me to tell you, don’t leave after school!” Takamiya Nozomi pushed up his black-rimmed glasses, his round cheeks slightly raised, his gaze behind the lenses a half-smile.
Shimamura Yoko suddenly clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white: “What do you guys want? I warn you not to mess around, if you dare lay a finger on him, I won’t let you off!” Her slender figure blocked Gu Jin, her ponytail gently swaying with her movements.
“Yo… Yoko-chan, it’s a misunderstanding! I’m just a messenger.” Takamiya dramatically raised his hands and backed away, his thick palms waving wildly in the air, “You shouldn’t take your anger out on me, should you?”
To be honest, Takamiya Nozomi was actually a little “afraid” of Shimamura Yoko.
Gu Jin raised his hand and pressed Yoko’s trembling shoulder, his voice as steady as a pine tree: “It’s fine, this is a boys’ matter, don’t worry about it for now.”
“But… they’re all delinquents!” Shimamura Yoko’s eyes reddened with anxiety, “How could you…”
“Trust me.” Gu Jin curved his lips, showing a comforting smile. Yoko bit her lower lip, and finally, slowly took a step back, her fingertips still anxiously twisting the hem of her skirt.
The crisp sound of the after-school bell pierced the classroom’s silence, and Gu Jin neatly zipped up his schoolbag and strode towards the school gate.
Shimamura Yoko, hidden at the corridor corner, hesitated repeatedly, finally following quietly with small, light steps.
The twilight stretched her shadow long, her heartbeat almost deafening—Sakuragi Hanamichi was notorious around Wako Junior High School, and this “invitation” looked like a trap no matter how she saw it.
Under the sycamore tree at the school gate, Sakuragi Hanamichi's signature red hair was particularly striking in the setting sun, with Yohei and two others standing beside him, looking stern.
Gu Jin walked towards the figures: “Sakuragi-kun, what do you need me for?”
Shimamura Yoko held her breath, her nails almost digging into her palms.
But then Sakuragi suddenly turned his face away, his Adam’s apple bobbing twice, and he spoke in a muffled voice: “Hey… uh… Gu Jin, thanks.”
Gu Jin raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint curve on his lips: “Thanks for what?”
“Thanks for the heart medicine you sent my dad last time, and for asking Yohei and the others to help.” Sakuragi scratched his head, a suspicious blush creeping onto his earlobes, “If it wasn’t for you…” His voice grew softer and softer, finally fading into the howling evening wind.
“It’s nothing, as classmates, I just happened to see it and couldn’t stand by.” Gu Jin’s tone was light and breezy.
Sakuragi’s Adam’s apple bobbed violently twice, his red hair trembling uneasily in the wind: “But I used to always cause you trouble… and even deliberately bumped into you during PE!” Recalling past incidents, he unconsciously gripped the hem of his school uniform, his nails almost piercing the fabric.
Gu Jin suddenly chuckled, his eyelashes casting fine shadows beneath his eyes: “One thing at a time.” He reached out and patted Sakuragi’s tense shoulder, with moderate force, “Besides, if we’re really counting, I didn’t suffer any losses—you were punished to run 10 laps around the track last time.”
The setting sun merged their shadows, and Sakuragi suddenly blushed, his averted profile reflecting the evening glow: “Th-that… my dad bought premium Kuroge Wagyu beef, and the marinade is a secret recipe he brought back from Hokkaido!”
He abruptly turned his back to everyone, but his voice clearly drifted over: “He, he said he absolutely must invite his savior to eat at our house!”
“Alright, then I won’t be polite,” Gu Jin said with a smile.
“Then let’s go now!” Sakuragi grabbed Gu Jin’s arm, so excited he almost jumped.
Under the cherry blossom tree on campus, Yoko’s fingers, gripping her schoolbag strap, suddenly relaxed.
After a sigh of relief, she walked in the direction of her home.
However, she didn't notice a malicious gaze watching her from behind.