章 496: Is Ren a Bastard?
The next day.
Standing in front of the vending machine, Ren buys a can of matcha soda out of habit, opens it, and drinks it slowly while contemplating the question Gabriel asked him last night.
After being here for one night, he still can't think of a suitable place.
Although Gabriel left the decision to him and wouldn't mind, the more this happens, the more entangled he becomes.
Choosing any place he wants to visit is fine, but Gabriel might not like it.
It's Gabriel's last weekend here, so Ren has to leave good memories for him.
Considering this, the location choice shouldn't be based on himself but on Gabriel's preferences.
But where does Gabriel, who stays home and plays games all day, want to go?
Ren really can't think of it.
Arcade?
He's been there before with Hayasaka, but he doesn't know if Gabriel would like it there.
Should he ask someone?
"Kamikawa-kun, what are you doing here?"
As he is still pondering this, Chika comes and interrupts his thoughts.
"Buying a drink."
Upon snapping back, Ren takes two steps aside, giving way to the vending machine.
"You look worried."
Chika inserts a coin, puts it into the vending machine, presses her favorite drink button, and asks hesitantly.
"How do you know?"
Is he that obvious?
The juice she bought falls, but Chika has no intention of drinking it. Instead, she stands in front of Ren and hurriedly asks, "You're really thinking about something! Can you tell me, and let me hear it? Maybe I can help."
After hearing this, Ren realizes that Chika actually has no idea what he's thinking; she just casually asked.
"Is it because you like a girl but are too scared to say anything?"
Seeing Ren not speaking, Chika speculates reluctantly.
"No." Ren denies.
"Then what is it? Are you worried about the final exams? But with your level, you don't need to worry about finals."
"No." Ren continues to deny.
"Is it something very secretive? If so, I won't ask."
Chika suddenly recalls something and steps back a few paces, away from Ren.
"It's not a secret."
Ren doesn't consider thinking about where to go with Gabriel on the weekend a secret.
The reason he hasn't said anything is because he thinks Chika might not be able to help.
There's nothing to say.
"I'll give you juice." Chika hands him the freshly bought juice, "As a thank you, tell me what's on your mind and let me hear it."
"I'll drink something."
Ren doesn't take it and shakes the unfinished matcha soda in his hand towards her.
"You don't have a girl you like, and it's not a secret, so why don't you tell her? What do you think I can't help with?" Chika complains while taking back her juice.
"Um."
Ren certainly thought so.
After all, Chika has always been a symbol of distrust in his mind.
"Exaggerated! Why do you think I can't help?" Chika feels offended.
"Can you really help me?" Ren asks back.
"Not necessarily? Depends on your problem. I'm just good at love matters and girl problems."
Chika becomes hesitant and no longer jumps like before.
"I'm thinking about where to go with Gabriel on the weekend. Can you help?" Ren finally chooses to trust Chika and voices his question.
Initially, he had the idea to ask someone else, but Chika happened to be the first.
"Thinking of a date place? That's my expertise!"
Chika's eyes sparkle, and she says impatiently, "It's not a date, just hanging out."
Ren doesn't consider it a date.
"Besides, this is an activity for two people, so it doesn't matter if we consider it a date." Chika waves her hand.
"Oh."
"Since you're planning to hang out with Gabriel-san, then I... Wait a moment, I guess I can't help you."
When Chika was about to show off her skills as a love detective, she suddenly realized that something was off.
"Why?"
Ren doesn't quite understand why she suddenly changed her mind.
"Because I feel like if I help you, I'll feel like I'm assisting a criminal and making you a bastard." Chika looks at Ren and says with a puzzled tone.
"Bastard? What does that have to do with me?"
Ren doesn't know the meaning of this word, but from a literal standpoint, it doesn't sound good.
"Do you have no self-awareness about this at all?"
Hanging out with Hayasaka and Yotsuba, then Itsuki, having good relations with Fumino and some other girls, and now planning to hang out with Gabriel, Ren is surely considered a bastard, right?
"Why should I have self-awareness about this?"
Ren looks at her very confused; he doesn't even know what bastard means.
"Can you help me? If not, just forget it."
"Mmmh..."
Chika hesitates, her conscience troubled.
From her standpoint as a love detective, she finally met someone willing to be helped, so she should help him.
But if she chooses to help him plan a date, as mentioned earlier, it would make him a bastard, and she would be an accomplice, making her conscience slightly uncomfortable.
"I'll go back first, goodbye."
After waiting for a while and finding that he still didn't answer, Ren gives up on asking for her help and plans to ask someone else.
"Wait a moment, let me help you."
Just as Ren was about to turn around and leave, Chika stops him.
The intriguing identity of a romantic detective finally conquers her conscience.
Ren doesn't have a girlfriend right now; he's just hanging out with other girls, so he's not a bastard at all.
This is what Chika convinces herself.
"Can I?"
"Of course. Things like choosing a date location are very simple for a love detective like me." Chika says confidently, "Even if you ask me to help plan the entire day of the date process, it's okay."
"Is that really possible?" Ren notes the key point.
"Haven't I already said it's okay? Why do you have to ask again?"
Chika is very dissatisfied with his attitude.
"What I'm asking is for you to help plan the process of hanging out throughout the day." Ren says.
"Eh?"
Chika is astonished.
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