Σ(ﾟдﾟlll)?!
"OoC? Teacher Shizuka, do you think this is just cosplay?"
"No... it's just that it's weird for you to ask me to report such things..."
Hiratsuka Shizuka still stuck to her usual stance. If Hakuto had the habit of reporting, she would be unable to sleep happily.
"Teacher Shizuka, do you think I don't have this reporting habit?"
"Do you?"
Well, actually, I don't...
Hakuto awkwardly tapped his head. He truly didn't have the habit of reporting at school because Hiratsuka Shizuka, to some extent, would hinder him.
He hadn't expected that Shizuka's mind was so sharp. A simple report could already make her realize something was off with him.
Sure enough, the saying was true.
Only teachers and parents really know you, although Hakuto didn't have parents.
Well, there's another hellish joke.
Hakuto sighed, "Teacher Shizuka, you really are sharp and noticed my concerns in an instant..."
"Hmm? Hakuto, when did our relationship become so stiff that we have to pretend like this?"
"Yeah, Teacher Shizuka..." Hakuto choked up as he spoke, "Actually, I've been diagnosed with a terminal illness and don't have long to live... Waaah~"
As soon as Hakuto finished speaking, Hiratsuka Shizuka also got into character and immediately began choking up!
"Waaah, really, Hakuto?"
"Really, Teacher Shizuka..."
"Waaah, Hakuto, can I sneak a taste of your offerings?"
"That's not allowed, a deal is a deal."
Once it came to personal benefits, Hakuto quickly stopped pretending and became serious.
"I'm not acting anymore, I still have work to do."
As soon as Hakuto spoke, Hiratsuka Shizuka knew he was acting. After all, she knew him too well.
As Hakuto's close friend and teacher, Hiratsuka Shizuka didn't mind playing along.
Though, it might affect her reputation... Wait, did I just say something weird?
"Well, you might have to explain things to Hachiman."
"Can't you handle it yourself?"
"Huh? Do I have the habit of calling a grown man?"
Of course, unless I need help...
After all, there's a saying: true brothers only think about you when something happens. Hakuto believed he was a true brother!
If someone asked Hakuto if he loved his brothers or loved gold more?!
Hakuto would feel that this question was unnecessary, as his loyalty was acknowledged with a thumbs-up in the entire Shiratori family.
Oh? You want to ask what the Shiratori family means?
The Shiratori family is Hakuto's family! The whole family is just one person!
After hanging up the phone, Hakuto immediately called another person.
"What's up?" The cold voice of Ginko came from the phone.
"Ginko..."
"Say it if you need something, are you short on money?"
"Not exactly, just that there's something going on at school, I might not be able to accompany you for a few months..."
As soon as Hakuto finished speaking, Ginko fell silent for a while. There was the sound of "pia pia pia," likely her making moves in a game.
Hakuto didn't say anything, just quietly waited for his childhood friend.
After a while, Ginko finally spoke again.
"Cancel it."
"Huh?"
"I said cancel it."
Ginko's tone carried a hint of an unrefusable attitude, clearly not wanting Hakuto to follow the so-called school arrangement.
"I actually want to cancel it too..."
Hakuto, more than anyone else, wanted to cancel this, but he couldn't.
It was no longer a matter of being clingy, it had already become a part of him.
"Can't cancel it?"
"That's right, I have to go."
Hearing Hakuto's firm tone, Ginko gave up on the idea of asking him to cancel.
However, ending something that had lasted for over ten years suddenly made Ginko feel somewhat uncomfortable, even though it was only for a few months.
"School activities shouldn't be that busy, could it be an overseas trip?"
The Japan region is small, there's almost no such thing as long-distance relationships!
Once you get on the high-speed rail, even if the distance is diagonal, you can reach the destination in just a few hours.
Just like how after an 8 PM game, Ginko could be at Hakuto's house by around 10 PM.
So Ginko couldn't quite understand why Hakuto wouldn't have time unless he was going abroad.
"You guessed it right, I will indeed be going abroad, but not right now. It will probably be a long while before then."
Abroad... Actually, it's not just abroad, it could even be called traveling around the world...
Sigh, this is troublesome, but this trouble can't be avoided...
"The school event is being held in a remote mountain area, and I'm not even sure if there will be any signal..."
"Are you being kept by someone? Is your sponsor not allowing you to interact with others?"
"Ginko, when did you develop an SM side?!"
Actually, it's not Ginko's fault for thinking this way. Hakuto's tone suggested that he might not even be able to answer the phone.
This means he would be almost out of contact for months, and over the past dozen years, aside from special circumstances, Ginko almost saw Hakuto every week.
That's why Ginko was overthinking...
"When are you leaving?"
"I'll leave in a while..."
As Hakuto spoke, the chess piece in Ginko's hand suddenly dropped, and she felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
"Hakuto, are you hiding something from me?"
"No..."
Ginko thought of that bad feeling in her heart and inexplicably started to tremble.
"Ginko, it's just a school event. Are you overthinking it?"
Upon hearing Hakuto's completely natural tone, Ginko snapped back to her senses.
She sighed, "Maybe it's just because I've never been away from you for this long..."
"Don't worry, I'll be back soon..."
"By the way, what did you mean by possibly going abroad?"
"Sort of like going abroad for a competition? One of the destinations is my hometown, China..."
"How long do you think this will delay?"
"Well... I'm not sure. It should be soon..."
Could Hakuto say it would take at least a year?
If he really said that, Ginko would never let him go. Absolutely not!
"Call me when you get a signal... By the way, is there still anywhere in Japan without signal coverage?"
"Who knows? Don't worry, I'll contact you when I have time."
"Mm..."
"Alright, Ginko, goodbye."
Hakuto hung up the phone, and Ginko reluctantly acknowledged the situation. What happens next is another matter.
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