Because of the earlier Genin Team assignments, Yumiko and Chizuru had been placed in the same team, so naturally they went out together.
Although Chizuru hadn't originally belonged to the [Oregairu Popular Trio], thanks to the team assignment, her relationship with Yumiko had indeed become considerably closer recently.
But because of what happened this morning, the atmosphere as they walked side by side was particularly awkward.
Yumiko kept glancing at Chizuru beside her, a million questions racing through her mind: 'What was she thinking? She actually did that kind of thing with Nishikawa Makoto?'
'Had she secretly gotten involved with Nishikawa Makoto when I and Yui and Hina weren't paying attention?'
And Chizuru, who had experienced two social deaths in just one morning, just wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
She walked in silence, her head lowered, wishing she could bury her face in her chest, not saying a word as they headed to meet up with their team's Jonin Instructor.
"Get to work!"
A rough shout suddenly broke the silence.
The two instinctively turned their heads to look.
In front of a fairly famous barbecue restaurant in Konoha, two familiar figures were going in and out under the owner's urging, carrying boxes of ingredients.
They were Kinoshita Kazuya and Aki Tomoya, who had dropped out of the Ninja Academy two years earlier.
Chizuru raised an eyebrow slightly: "Are they..."
"In Konoha, once you turn 12, you can't get a stipend anymore. You have to work and support yourself."
Yumiko explained casually, not slowing her pace at all, "Let's go."
Just then, Kazuya and Tomoya turned around and saw the two of them.
Yumiko was unmoved and turned to leave.
She hadn't planned to greet them anyway. She wasn't close to these two at all.
"Y-you... hello..."
Kazuya instinctively lowered his head, not wanting the goddess-level girls from his class to see him like this.
But thinking this might be one of the few chances to talk to her, he finally mustered the courage to say hello.
Hearing this, Chizuru nodded in response.
"I-Ichinose... so, so beautiful..."
Kazuya immediately got a lecherous look on his face, his mouth almost splitting to his ears, drool practically dripping down.
He suddenly remembered the 'rental girlfriend' Mizuhara Chizuru from the real world… what a coincidence, both were named Chizuru, both had such high-level appearance, both were so pure and innocent. They definitely looked like good girls.
'They probably had never even held hands with the opposite sex, right?'
Compared to his idiotic smiling response, Tomoya's reaction was much colder… he just glanced coldly at the two, then turned back expressionlessly and continued moving boxes.
Anyone watching would think the two owed him eight million yen.
"What's wrong with that guy?" Yumiko couldn't help frowning.
She had always been protective of her own.
Although Chizuru wasn't as close to her as Yui and Hina, seeing someone from her group get snubbed still made her want to stand up for them.
"After being crushed by reality, he turned out like this."
Just then, Eriri walked over from the side and picked up the conversation.
With that, Team 6 was assembled.
Looking at her last teammate, Yumiko raised an eyebrow: "What do you mean?"
Eriri wrinkled her nose in frustration and explained: "Tomoya always thought he was the protagonist of a reincarnation story… but he couldn't even graduate from the Ninja Academy. The blow was too much, so now his personality is a bit... like that."
"Protagonist? That guy?" Yumiko couldn't help but laugh out loud.
In terms of looks, he couldn't compare to Hayato. In terms of athletic ability, he couldn't even compare to Kakeru.
And then there was that Hikigaya, even the crossdresser Totsuka Saika… Yumiko thought all of them were better than Aki Tomoya.
He could barely hold his own against that Kazuya next to him.
Let alone compare to the monster in her own house.
Yumiko suddenly felt that there was a phrase particularly suited for Tomoya:
You're so average, yet so confident.
"People who play too many games, especially too many galge, are all like this." Eriri said with a helpless sigh.
She was a female otaku herself, not looking down on otaku… but the key was you had to distinguish between virtual and reality.
Actually, over the years, Eriri had thought about trying to comfort Tomoya.
She had even dragged Megumi and Utaha along, hoping to get him to lighten up.
But every time, Tomoya would just scowl.
Who could stand that?
Especially since Megumi and Utaha now didn't have the feelings for him that they did in the 'original work'.
Who would be so desperate as to repeatedly offer a warm face to a cold shoulder?
Watching Tomoya with his back to them, clearly in a mood to ignore everyone, Eriri sighed and left with her two teammates.
She was at her wit's end too.
She just hoped that after returning to the real world, Tomoya would go back to normal.
After all, back there, he was a game blogger with hundreds of thousands of followers… that identity should help him regain some confidence, right?
As the three walked together, Yumiko said to Eriri as a reminder: "I think you'd better not get too close to him. I feel like his mental state is getting more and more unstable."
…
On the other side, Makoto also went out… but what he was attending was a Jonin Meeting.
In the large conference room, Hiruzen sat at the head, with framed photos of the first four Hokages hanging behind him.
A large number of Konoha's Jonin had already gathered, waiting for the meeting to begin.
Just then, the door opened again.
Makoto walked in slowly, immediately drawing many eyes.
Yuhi Kurenai tilted her head and said to Kakashi beside her: "The last time someone became a Jonin at 12 was you, right?"
"The younger generation is formidable."
Kakashi sighed, but there was a hint of relief in his voice. After all, he was genuinely happy that someone had learned his teacher's Flying Thunder God Technique.
Guy, as always, was boiling with passion: "This is youth!"
"If nothing unexpected happens, he should be the Fifth Hokage, right?" Shiranui Genma said casually, a senbon in his mouth.
Beside him, Namiashi Raido added: "Not necessarily. There were people who said the White Fang of Konoha would become the Fourth Hokage too, but later... ugh—"
Before he could finish, Genma clamped a hand over his mouth.
"What are you doing?"
Genma lowered his voice in warning, "Don't say anything that might hurt unity."
He secretly glanced toward Kakashi, and seeing that the other wasn't looking their way, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sensei."
Makoto walked up to Hiruzen under the gaze of everyone.
Hiruzen nodded and officially announced the start of the meeting.
"The reason I called you all here today is probably already clear to you. In one month, the biannual Chunin Exams will begin."
Hearing this, Makoto's gaze darkened.
'Finally, it was coming.'
However, Hiruzen's next words completely caught Makoto off guard.
"The situation is a bit special this year… Kirigakure will also be sending representatives to participate in the exams."
Makoto: '...Huh?'