Nanxiang Lin Is a Short-Tempered Maniac

Today’s weather wasn’t very good.

Although the sunlight was bright, no one could predict what would happen the next moment.

A sudden torrential downpour might come at any time, so at moments like this, it was better to trust the weather forecast.

I had been paying close attention to the forecast.

Even though I hardly ever used my phone, during this period I kept opening it again and again to check the day’s weather.

Eventually, I saw a piece of news.

[Tomorrow, Sakurano Town will experience the first extremely heavy rainstorm of the month.

It is expected to arrive at 3 p.m. and continue until 3 a.m. the next day.

Please take proper precautions.]

The first extremely heavy rainstorm.

The first event was about to arrive.

It could even be considered good news.

At the very least, it allowed me to smile a little.

I would be able to go back soon.

That really was something to be happy about.

In this room, which had grown incomparably dim as night fell, I stayed silent and slowly closed my eyes.

Sure enough, I was so tired.

I was almost at my limit.

I really had to hurry and go back.

For now, I might as well listen to a song.

A gentle melody, so soft it seemed capable of calming everyone’s heart, became the comfort I felt before falling asleep.

Morning light streamed through the window and landed on my face, as if declaring that today would be a fine day.

Even though I already knew from the news that the good weather wouldn’t last long.

So I took the only umbrella in the house and went out.

This time, I didn’t run into Ichijou Rikuhiko.

You could say I was pretty lucky.

Although I had already come into contact with the Upper Crescent Moon and gotten to know her, it still wasn’t time to acknowledge each other in front of Ichijou Rikuhiko.

A pale blue scene spread out before my eyes.

It was the flow of Sakurano High School students.

Each of them carried an umbrella, clearly having received the same news.

Of course, there were also some who hadn’t brought one.

For example, Nishimura Noriyuki.

[I’ve told you so many times already, don’t follow me.

Are you deaf or something?!]

A loud shout came from the school gate, instantly drawing all the students’ attention.

Even I unconsciously started moving in that direction.

Because I knew the owner of that voice.

Or rather, I had seen her once about half a month ago.

That was one of the heroines, Nanxiang Lin.

[Excuse me, could you let me through?]

With a gentle smile, the onlookers made way for me, allowing me to clearly see what was happening inside.

I saw Nanxiang Lin, who looked as young and small as a twelve-year-old girl, tilting her head up and staring at the person kneeling before her with a face full of disgust.

It was a skinny boy wearing glasses.

He looked like a first-year student as well.

At that moment, however, he was gazing at Nanxiang Lin with infatuation, kneeling on the ground without a hint of shame.

[Lin, I want to follow you.

I’m willing to become your s*ave!]

He even crawled closer, pleading desperately.

[If I can’t stay by your side, I’d rather die right now.

Please, please, Lin.

I’ll give you anything you want.

I’ll even be your dog!]

As he spoke, he barked twice, just like a real dog.

This behavior immediately sparked discussion among the surrounding crowd.

[Is this guy crazy?]

[He’s definitely sick, but the one in front of him is Sakurano’s legally approved loli, Nanxiang Lin.]

[You can tell.

That’s why lolicons are really perverted.]

[Honestly, I kind of like Nanxiang Lin’s type though—ah, don’t look at me like that.

I’m not a lolicon.

I just think that look of disgust is amazing.

It’d be even better if she stepped on my face with her foot.]

[You’re pretty messed up too, aren’t you.

You’re just as broken as that lunatic.]

Actually, people who are completely broken aren’t like this.

But I wasn’t interested in explaining that.

I kept watching the situation unfold.

[You—]

The disgust on Nanxiang Lin’s face grew even stronger.

[Are you even a man?

Other than carrying the title of “man,” what do you have to show for it?

You’re like an earthworm rolling around in the mud.

All you can do is spit dirt.

You’re worse than a toad, yet you still want to follow me.

Lower your head.

Don’t look at me.

Your disgusting gaze is burning my eyes, you know that?

If you don’t have even a shred of what it takes to be a man, go home and sleep.

Don’t follow me around like a stalker.]

With an utterly contemptuous tone, she launched a direct verbal assault on the boy, plunging the surroundings into silence.

[And you lot too.

You see something happening and just have to crowd around, right?

If a hen laid an egg, you’d probably get excited and start hooting like monkeys, wouldn’t you?

Get lost already.

Why are you blocking the way here?

You’re getting in everyone else’s way, you know.]

The crowd stirred slightly.

Then—

[So cute.

Getting scolded feels amazing.]

[Don’t be that pathetic, okay.

And your pervert rating just went up again.]

Of course, there were also a few voices of complaint.

But in Nanxiang Lin’s eyes, they only seemed to provoke her even more.

[Hurry up and move.]

No bigger conflict broke out in the end, and a path was cleared for her.

What a boring incident.

There really wasn’t anything worth looking forward to.

Anyway, I turned around, ready to leave.

[Hey, you over there with the big chest.]

Unfortunately, her dissatisfaction turned toward me.

[My name is Higashi Hazuki.

May I ask what you need?]

I smiled.

It was the kind of smile that usually made people feel at ease.

But right now, it had no effect.

[Higashi, huh.

My name is Nanxiang Lin.]

Nanxiang Lin frowned, her displeasure becoming even more obvious.

[Quick, tell me.

How did you make your chest so big?

There has to be some secret, right?

Tell me.

Hurry up and tell me.]

She asked bluntly, sounding impatient.

She really wasn’t polite at all.

But that fit her in-game description perfectly.

Overbearing and unreasonable.

[You just need to supplement your nutrition, Nanxiang.]

[Supplement nutrition?]

[For example, drink more milk.

The kind you can buy at any store.]

[So you drink milk every day to get such a big chest.]

She stared at certain sensitive parts of me, somewhere between envy and jealousy, and I could clearly feel the malice.

Milk, huh.

Someone as poor as me obviously couldn’t afford to drink it regularly.

Even if it was cheap, it was still a luxury I couldn’t have every day.

As for the previous Higashi Hazuki, who knows.

Maybe she really did get enough nutrition every day.

But as for me now, I could only guarantee enough energy to survive the day.

Nutrition beyond that was asking too much.

Sorry about that, original Higashi Hazuki.

Another completely insincere apology.

[Maybe that’s true.]

[What are you saying?

Either it is or it isn’t.

What does “maybe” even mean?!]

Visibly irritable.

But still better than the lifelessness after being broken.

I kept smiling.

[Class is about to start.

I’ll excuse myself now, Nanxiang.]

[Hey, are you looking down on me?!]

As I turned away, Nanxiang Lin was still shouting angrily, full of fire.

At the very end—

[Seriously, I hate people like you the most, Higashi Hazuki.]

Ah, so instead of improving our relationship, I’d actually drawn her hostility.

But as long as it didn’t affect Ichijou Rikuhiko’s route with her, then to me—

It was no more important than a wisp of smoke.

[Good morning, Yue.]

Amayama Kaoru hadn’t changed at all.

She still treated me as her best, closest friend, completely unaware that at certain times, the friend she cherished treated her like air.

Like right now.

[Did you hear?

There’s a new magical girl series out.]

[The designs are super cute—]

I only needed to respond with a few casual “mm-hmms,” and she rattled on endlessly like a wound-up toy.

As expected, she really was an easy-to-guide idiot.

I turned my head slightly and looked out the window.

It would be noon before long.

[Is something going on today?]

Ichijou Rikuhiko was sometimes sharper than I expected.

You could say this observational ability was something a typical gal-game protagonist should have.

[Ichijou, have you figured out how you’re going to talk to Noriyuki?]

I didn’t answer directly, instead looking toward the cherry trees in the distance.

The petals were still dancing in the air.

Pink tinged with gold, lit by the midday sun, bright and dazzling.

It really was nice weather.

I narrowed my eyes slightly.

[About that, it’s still the same as before.]

Ichijou Rikuhiko answered frankly, even though it was something he should probably feel ashamed of.

[Looks like we’ll still need our earphones.]

[Is what Higashi wants to say related to Noriyuki?]

[Mm-hmm.]

I stretched out my hand toward the sun hanging high in the sky, blocking the slightly blinding light.

Only thin beams slipped through my fingers and landed on my face.

[Ichijou, you know it’s going to rain heavily this afternoon, right?]

[Yeah.]

[You brought an umbrella, right?]

[Of course.]

[That’s good, then—]

Nothing unexpected happened, which was enough to let me smile on the surface.

[Noriyuki didn’t bring an umbrella, so he really needs yours.]

[So Higashi wants me to walk Noriyuki home?]

That quick thinking was really convenient.

[Exactly.

And I hope you can use this chance to deepen your relationship with Noriyuki.]

[Looks like I’ll have to prepare properly.]

Always full of fighting spirit.

Ichijou Rikuhiko was unexpectedly a very useful tool.

Next—

[Time to eat.]

In truth, I was still forcing myself to swallow as usual, clutching my stomach in discomfort once again.

Fortunately, Ichijou Rikuhiko didn’t offer any annoying concern and just focused on his meal.

That saved me the trouble of dealing with it.

I gazed into the distance.

If you looked closely, you could see a patch of black drifting this way.

Even though it was a bright midday, there was an unmistakable sense of an approaching storm.

At least at that moment, a light breeze rose, carrying with it a scent so appetizing that it even made me feel hungry.

I sniffed lightly.

Strangely enough,

I felt hungry again.