A youth story of a passerby at the end of the world

"Yeah, it seems like she'll confess this afternoon." I'll have to go check on her this afternoon.

"That's good. I was actually planning to talk to you about this." I can rest easy for now... right?

Otherwise, she probably would have stayed here.

"Is things not going well on your end?" Uesugi Genshin glanced at Hayasaka's profile and asked weakly in a low voice.

"Well, I guessed it a long time ago." Nodding slightly to confirm, Hayasaka Ai leisurely swung her leg, a cute gesture befitting a high school girl. "So your success here is really a big help."

"Then can I rest easy now?"

"......Um."

With Hayasaka Ai's response, Uesugi Genshin smiled, finally able to relax.

"...Ugh, I want to bang my head against the wall."

Just as when you're happy, you might subconsciously do some meaningless big movements, like punching the air without any purpose, but when you recall something that made you feel bad because of yourself, you might think... "I should just die."

"Then go ahead and crash into it." In a sense, it's her own fault. Hayasaka Ai picked up the bento box next to her, opened it, and said, "Let's eat first."

She read it aloud with a tone that was both hopeless and expectant, "Ta-da, it's a rice ball."

“You should have seen him at the apartment.” Uesugi Genshin sighed helplessly as he took the bento box from Hayasaka.

Since they lived in the same apartment, Hayasaka should have known perfectly well what Yukinoshita was doing.

but......

"It's a rice ball."

It was quite unexpected, because we could only find flour, and rice was a rare commodity that we didn't usually eat. The canteen mostly served noodles, shaped like spaghetti, or ramen and bread.

But the gene of liking to eat rice is ingrained in the Japanese.

Whether in ancient or modern times, as long as one joined the army, one was guaranteed to eat rice. Regardless of whether it was enough or not, this was extremely attractive to ordinary people. Even the flour aid from the United States in the mid-20th century, which had ulterior motives, did not change Japan's love for rice.

Rice balls, like steamed buns in China, are a national food that everyone loves.

It's still a neat triangle, with a ring of seaweed on the outside. Take a bite, and you'll find it's full of filling.

...Isn't this just like a steamed bun?!

I thought it would just contain simple dried plums, but it turned out to be quite rich in ingredients.

The first one is fish, the second one is shellfish, the third one is crab, the fourth one is shrimp, and the fifth one, well, this one is quite ordinary, it's seaweed.

"Oh, how luxurious." After finishing the last bite, Uesugi Genshin licked his fingers and exclaimed.

“Indeed.” Hayasaka Ai couldn’t eat anymore after the third one. By the way, she ate fried fish, pickled vegetables, and mentaiko.

“It’s really delicious.”

“That’s right.” Hayasaka Aiya replied leisurely, crossing her legs in a cheerful mood.

In her "sexy girl" mode, her skirt almost reached her upper thighs, and the calf socks below exposed almost her entire long, white legs, showcasing her youthful vitality.

The view right now is truly beautiful.

Chapter 242: The Betting Contest

"I told you not to forget the miso soup, but you still didn't take it."

Just as I was packing up my lunchbox, Yukino Yukinoshita stormed over, carrying a huge thermos.

Could the miso soup they mentioned be inside?

If it's made in the morning, you can still drink it hot at noon.

Compared to a plain cold bento box, a steaming bowl of miso soup would definitely make your stomach feel much more comfortable.

"Sorry, I forgot," Hayasaka Ai replied casually.

Uesugi Genshin was highly skeptical of her claim that she had forgotten.

Yukino Yukinoshita glared at Hayasaka, but she showed no remorse.

"I am truly grateful that you brought it over so specially." Uesugi Genshin bowed respectfully and reached out to take it.

"Ha..." Seeing that this person was trying to be clever again, Yukino Yukinoshita still handed him the thermos and at the same time pulled out two paper cups from somewhere.

"Have you had your drinks yet?" Uesugi Genshin asked, taking the two paper cups handed to him.

"No."

Yukino Yukinoshita stood in front of him, looking directly into his eyes.

As soon as she finished speaking, she looked away shyly.

So the three of them sat together on a bench and drank the steaming miso soup.

The two girls used paper cups, while Uesugi Genshin used a thermos cup, but it was almost the size of a bowl, giving him the illusion that he was drinking soup.

"What are we going to do this afternoon?" Hayasaka Ai asked, briefly putting down her cup.

"I need to confirm the exchanged supplies with Ishigami, the accountant here," Yukino Yukinoshita said, blowing out her breath in the hot air as she explained her plans.

"I plan to go to the docks." This was Uesugi Genshin's plan for the afternoon, to go with the people from Shuchiin.

Although Baiyin said there was no need to worry, he still wanted to see for himself.

The distance from Shuchiin to the coastline is quite far. Sobu High School is about 500 meters from the sea, but here the straight-line distance is 1.5 kilometers, not to mention the dense cluster of buildings throughout the port area.

This is the heart of Tokyo.

"What about me?" Hayasaka Ai pointed to herself, as if she was the only one who was unaffected.

"Do you want to come with me?" Uesugi Genshin asked with a raised head and a smile.

"...Never mind." If she talked to the students of Shuchiin, she couldn't reveal her true strength. If her friends or classmates found out, it would mean that she had been pretending all along.

"Then you should get some rest." Therefore, Uesugi Genshin considerately offered her a holiday.

"Well, that works too." But suddenly she didn't know what to do. Should she go see her friends? Or should she go with Yukinoshita-san?

-----------------

"Since that guy introduced you, then just come along." Dragon Ball Momo looked like he didn't want to bother.

"Why such an annoying expression? I don't think I did anything to annoy you." Uesugi Genshin scratched his face, really hadn't done anything.

"Not to you." Turning her head sharply, Dragon Ball Momo sighed heavily. "Aren't you just that kind of person, visiting? Inspecting?"

He was speaking normally, but it gave people the impression that he was nitpicking. However, he was actually quite cute, so in Uesugi Genshin's eyes, his personality became a plus.

"more or less."

"Listen carefully, just watch quietly, don't say anything or make any comments." Dragon Ball Peach warned sternly, pointing her finger.

"I just wanted to see your docks."

"That's for the best." Crossing her arms, Ryuu Momo muttered to herself, then glanced at the sword at Uesugi Genshin's waist, "Our people are just starting to look decent, not as good as you."

It seems that the people from Shuchiin did not meet her standards, which is why she seems to lack confidence now.

Does she really think she'd speak out about Shuchiin's actions?

"Dragon Ball." A serene voice came from the side.

"Oh, Miss Shinomiya." Dragon Ball Momo greeted Shinomiya Kaguya, who was approaching, with a rather impolite greeting.

The title is so long. Uesugi Genshin doesn't understand why she doesn't just call him Shinomiya.

"Oh, President Uesugi is here too." Kaguya Shinomiya greeted him as if she had just noticed him.

"Good afternoon." Uesugi Genshin nodded in response; this was their first meeting this time.

"Could it be that President Uesugi is going too?" Kaguya Shinomiya tilted her head, revealing her question.

"Hmm, I didn't expect Vice President Shinomiya to fight zombies too." Seeing the archery gloves on Shinomiya Kaguya's hands and the half of her archery uniform, that is, the part with the breastplate on, she was quite surprised.

For most women, drawing a bow is an action that can cause chest pain, but to be honest, Kaguya Shinomiya probably doesn't have this problem.

“Of course, there are no cowards hiding in Shuchiin.” With a smile and narrowed eyes, Kaguya Shinomiya answered his question, “Everyone should contribute to Shuchiin for everyone, and I believe that President Uesugi’s Soubu High School is no exception.”

On the surface, it was polite and courteous, and under Kaguya Shinomiya's direction, it carried an air of elegance, but Uesugi Genshin sensed a subtle hostility.

"Yes, making the best use of every individual is the mark of a qualified leader. In that sense, Silver has done a very good job."

"Can you two stop wasting time?" Dragon Ball Peach interrupted the two's pointless conversation that was about to begin.

"Oh, Dragon Ball, this is just normal socializing."

Kaguya Shinomiya chuckled, but to Momo from Dragon Ball, it sounded like a mockery.

"Ah, well, I'm just a straightforward and rude person anyway." She waved her hand as if shooing away insects.

"Nobody said that," Kaguya Shinomiya said softly, sounding troubled.

“I prefer to get straight to the point.” Uesugi Genshin spread his palms. “So, when do we set off?”

"Everyone's here." After briefly glancing at the number of people around him, Longzhu Tao called over a few squad leaders and confirmed with them.

Finally, she asked Kaguya Shinomiya, "Isn't Shirogane coming?"

"Yes, the president said there's something I need to prepare." Kaguya Shinomiya explained with an apologetic smile.

"Well, he's a very busy person too. Anyway, I'm the one in charge." Teasing the absent person, Dragon Ball Momo indicated that it didn't matter that he wasn't there.

"Dragon Ball, everyone from the Archer Team has arrived." Kaguya Shinomiya glanced at her group and reported to Dragon Ball Momo.

Uesugi Genshin looked at the group of people standing next to Shinomiya Kaguya, most of whom were girls. It's normal for archery to have more girls, since kendo has more boys, while archery is relatively quieter.

Once everyone had arrived, Dragon Ball Peach said, "Let's go."

Walk along the road towards the intersection. You can see Tokyo Tower from this direction. Tokyo Tower is located in Minato Ward, and you can see it from almost any location except the edge.

"President Uesugi, how about we have a match?" On the way, Kaguya Shinomiya made the suggestion she had been planning for a long time.

"If I were to intervene, wouldn't that be overstepping my bounds?" Uesugi Genshin politely declined.

"Oh, are you afraid of a little girl like me?"

Trying to provoke him won't work.

"What kind of petite woman are you? From what I've observed, the muscles in your arms are quite robust, comparable to most men."

A grid pattern instantly appeared at her temples, and Kaguya Shinomiya didn't take it as a compliment. "So you're afraid of losing?"

“No, that’s not it,” Uesugi Genshin said, shaking his head.

"Since that's the case, why don't we give it a try? Just in case, I'm thinking of preparing a prize. Ah, how about the loser can have the winner grant any request?"

The truth is revealed when the map is unrolled.

“But I don’t want anything.” Uesugi Genshin spread his hands and said speechlessly, “On the contrary, it seems that Vice President Shinomiya needs something from me.”

"I need something..." Ugh! Does this man even know how to talk?!

“You two look like two silly men fighting over a woman.” Dragon Ball Momo, who had been silent, interrupted the conversation at the right time. She turned to Uesugi Genshin and said calmly, “To be honest, I’d also like to see you make a move.”

"Okay then."

"Hey!" Why is it okay for Dragon Ball to say it, but not for her? Kaguya Shinomiya couldn't contain her anger any longer.

"Ah~" Seeing that Kaguya Shinomiya was stomping her feet in anger but hadn't shown it yet, thanks to his self-control, Uesugi Genshin explained, "I want to get along well with Dragon Ball."

What does this mean? It means he doesn't want to get along with her anymore, and Kaguya Shinomiya almost broke down.

"No, that's not what I meant." Seeing that the other party had definitely misunderstood, Uesugi Genshin continued to explain, "Dragon Ball hopes to become friends and it's necessary to deepen our relationship. As for Vice President Shinomiya, we're just friends who are also lovers, so we can treat each other normally."

"L-lover?" Kaguya Shinomiya said softly, her face flushed.

This guy is pretty good, she thought to herself.

“We’ve been friends for a long time, haven’t we?” Dragon Ball Peach said without any wavering.

“Yes,” Uesugi Genshin agreed.

The group arrived at the crossroads and then headed towards the sea.

The road was very narrow at first, with only two lanes in each direction. There was nothing in the middle or on both sides. It only took about 10 big steps to walk from the building on the left to the building on the right.

Upon closer inspection, I noticed large patches of blood on the ground that hadn't been cleared, indicating that there had been quite a few battles along this road.