Chapter 136: You Can't (Part 1)
After a brief chat with Ishikawa Hayato, learning a bit about him, she had accomplished her goal of inviting him over.
She merely wanted to meet the young man face-to-face and observe the dynamic between the two of them.
With both objectives met, she wouldn't bother them any longer.
She stood up with a smile, feigning surprise as she said,
"Oh, is it that late already? I'm going to get some gas for the car, Ryo. Call me when everyone has arrived."
"Mm."
Ryo responded, also standing up.
Her luggage was still upstairs, and there was still some time before they had to meet.
She wanted to lie down on her bed for a bit longer.
Watching Ryo's Mother walk out, Ryo turned and headed for the second floor.
Ishikawa glanced at Ryo, who left without a single word, and helplessly hurried to follow her.
Reaching the second floor, Ryo paused at her bedroom door, looking back at Ishikawa Hayato, who was following her.
She didn't pay him much mind and simply walked into her room.
Ishikawa Hayato followed her in.
Inside the room, she first walked to the closet to quickly check her luggage.
As she was looking through it, she heard the sound of the door closing.
Her heart instantly quickened from the sound, and a sense of unease spread through her.
She turned to look, but a strong hand swept past her face and pressed against the wall beside her.
Ryo leaned back against the wall, tensing up.
Unlike Ryo's slightly timid, retreating, and awkward smile, Ishikawa Hayato pressed one hand against the wall, smiling as he looked at her.
He scrutinized Ryo, observing the now nervous expression of the proud young lady.
He hesitated, then suddenly closed his eyes.
He tilted his chin up and slowly leaned towards her, as if to kiss her.
Seeing Ishikawa Hayato with his eyes closed, looking foolishly with pouted lips as he slowly approached her, Ryo let out a sigh of relief.
After a moment's hesitation, she reached out her hand.
Ishikawa Hayato felt a cool hand press against his cheek, then push him aside. He knew he wouldn't get a kiss and regretfully opened his eyes, saying,
"Ah... if it were the generous, elegant Ryo-neechan, radiating the charm of a mature woman, she would surely give me a passionate kiss to warm my lonely heart."
"That's an illusion."
After confirming her luggage was all there, Ryo turned and walked towards her bed.
She reached the bed, preparing to lie down and rest, but seeing Ishikawa Hayato still in her room, she felt she couldn't lie down.
Contrary to her earlier assumption, Ishikawa Hayato was not someone who would back down when things got serious.
If you took a step forward, he would dare to take two.
Although she knew he wouldn't make a move casually, she still didn't dare to lie on the bed in front of him.
Ryo looked at Ishikawa Hayato, expressionlessly pointing towards the door.
"Mm." She also subtly gestured.
Ishikawa Hayato looked at Ryo, who was suddenly trying to kick him out, in disbelief.
He said pitifully,
"Surely the mature and elegant Ryo-neechan would let poor me stay in her room, wouldn't she?"
Ryo listened to him expressionlessly.
Seeing his antics, her intention to make him leave didn't waver.
However, seeing him carefully sit on the chair, she thought for a moment and then tacitly allowed him to stay.
Ryo slowly sat on the bed, lifted her stocking-clad legs onto it, and laid down.
Only then did Ishikawa Hayato realize she wanted to rest.
He turned his chair around, facing away from her.
Ryo watched him for a while, then slowly closed her eyes.
In the quiet room, Ishikawa Hayato silenced his phone and silently scrolled through web pages.
Ryo lay on the bed, on her side, her closed eyes facing Ishikawa Hayato's direction.
The two of them hadn't been alone together for quite some time.
Although they used to go on adventures in the countryside often, and occasionally wander around towns, their adventures had paused after the performance during the typhoon that day.
Of course, it wasn't for any serious reason.
It was simply because they had to prepare for final exams.
Although one of them didn't need to prepare, and the other was only pretending to prepare, making it all a complete waste of effort.
Afterward came the endless practice sessions starting from the first day of summer vacation.
After such a long time, the two finally had a chance to be alone together again.
Perhaps this was the reason for Ishikawa Hayato's persistence and Ryo's tacit allowance.
Time slowly passed.
Ishikawa Hayato chatted with Nijika and the others on Line, informing them that their mode of transport to the villa had changed.
He reassured Hitori, who was worried about being too rustic and polluting Ryo's family's luxurious car.
At the same time, he apologized to Kita, who was complaining incessantly.
And he also planned the album production with Nijika.
Soon, the Line conversation ended, and the three began to get off the train or leave their homes, heading to STARRY to gather before coming over.
Ishikawa Hayato put down his phone and turned his head to look out the window.
The sun was bright today, perfect for seeing beautiful girls in swimsuits.
Thinking of such strange thoughts, he chuckled.
But suddenly, he heard Ryo's even breathing behind him, and he turned to look.
Ryo lay on the bed with a serene expression.
Her chest rose and fell slightly with her breathing, and she seemed to be sleeping soundly.
Her hands were bent in front of her, her slender fingers slightly curled, and her stocking-clad legs were half-bent.
Ryo, in her sleep, looked even more gentle, even having a sweet, delicate charm.
Ishikawa Hayato's biggest regret right now was that Japanese phone cameras couldn't be silenced.
He really wanted to capture Ryo's peaceful sleeping form right now.
With no other options, he could only use his super brain to imprint the scene perfectly into his memory, then turned back to his phone.
After a long while, Ryo was woken by her alarm and her own tension.
The moment the alarm rang, her first thought was that Ishikawa Hayato was still beside her, and she had actually fallen asleep.
She quickly regained consciousness and opened her eyes.
With the sound of the chair turning, she saw Ishikawa Hayato turn around.
He smiled and waved, saying,
"Good morning."
Ryo was silent.
It seemed he knew she had fallen asleep.
She didn't know why she only wanted to lie in bed for a bit, yet she had fallen asleep next to this guy who was very likely to mess around.
But fortunately, nothing had happened.
"Mm, morning."
She rubbed her eyes, sat up, and then saw Ishikawa Hayato looking up, his face, brightened by the sunlight, bearing a dreamy expression.
"What's wrong?"
Ryo asked.
Ishikawa Hayato immediately snapped back to reality.
He sighed with a smile.
"Ah, hearing Ryo's half-asleep voice greeting me made me can't help but fantasize about the future."
Ryo walked to the closet, pulled out the mirror inside, and tidied her hair, saying,
"Don't think about anything 'H'."
Ishikawa Hayato's expression sobered.
“Now that you mention it, that’s exactly what I’m thinking about.”
Ryo, after confirming her hair wasn't messy, looked back at him expressionlessly.
Seeing Hayato Ishikawa look guilty and showing a hint of surrender, she called out,
"Let's go."
At the door, as the two waited for Ryo's Mother and the other three to arrive, Ryo casually asked,
"Was all that nervousness back then just an act?"
As soon as Ryo spoke, Hayato Ishikawa stopped paying attention to the strange gaze he’d just noticed coming from the room diagonally across from them.
Facing Ryo's abrupt question, Ishikawa Hayato thought for a moment before understanding what she was asking.
He replied, "Ah, no, PA-san seemed serious. It would be very dangerous if I didn't keep my distance."
Ishikawa Hayato refused intimate acts without love.
He said, feeling like he was implying Ryo was just pretending, and added with a smile to Ryo,
"But Ryo is different. Whether Ryo is serious or pretending, as long as Ryo-neechan says I can come over, I'll pounce without hesitation."
Ryo looked at his sparkling smile and silently backed away a bit.
But seeing his crestfallen expression because she had moved away, she turned to look at the sky, the corners of her eyes slightly curved.
After waiting a while at Ryo's doorstep, Ishikawa Hayato saw Hitori, Nijika, and Kita walking together from a distance.
Among the two active and youthful girls, Hitori, still wearing her tracksuit in the height of summer, stood out immensely.
As the three approached, Ishikawa Hayato greeted them, spreading his arms and walking towards them.
"Long time no see, everyone!"
The girls, who were in good spirits because of the upcoming outing, stopped in their tracks at his gesture.
Nijika, who was at the front, looked at him warily and said,
"Didn't we just not see each other yesterday? And you were the one who took time off, Hayato-kun. Also... what are you trying to do, Hayato-kun?"
"After not seeing you for so long, I can't ease my affection for everyone without a hug."
Ishikawa Hayato said, leaning in, but Nijika pushed him away with a vigorous outstretched arm.
She shifted her gaze to Ryo behind Ishikawa Hayato, then brought her gaze back to Ishikawa Hayato, saying with disdain,
"Have some self-respect!"
After she finished speaking, she deliberately kept her distance from Ishikawa Hayato and walked towards Ryo.
Kita, who followed behind her, also wore an inscrutable smile and said flippantly,
"Keeping your distance is very important, Ishikawa-kun."
As if she had successfully gotten back at Ishikawa, her steps became light, and she quickly passed him.
Ishikawa Hayato showed a desolate expression.
Hitori, who was lagging behind, saw Ishikawa Hayato's dejected look.
She immediately became anxious and said in a weak, rapid tone,
"Hayato, I... I don't mind."
She even reached out her hand to Ishikawa Hayato somewhat boldly.
Ishikawa Hayato, of course, wouldn't refuse.
He took the opportunity to half-crouch and lean on Hitori's shoulder, wailing.
"W-wah (╥﹏╥)... Bocchi is the best."
Hitori's hand, which had reached Ishikawa Hayato's back, hesitated for a moment.
Hearing Ishikawa Hayato say that, she then placed it on his back and gently patted him, comforting him.
On her face, resting on Ishikawa Hayato's shoulder, was a peculiar smile, a blend of worry and satisfaction—two vastly different emotions.
Hearing the conversation behind her, Kita looked back.
Seeing the two of them like that, her first thought wasn't jealousy, but...
She sighed to Nijika beside her, 'I get the feeling Gotou-san is the type who'd be tricked by a guy until she has nothing left...'
'Ishikawa-kun is just on another level.'
Even she felt a bit unsteady, and Gotou-san seemed to be falling right in without any thought of resistance.
It almost looked like she wouldn't mind becoming Ishikawa Hayato's puppet.
She was starting to worry about what might happen if these two got together.
'Yeah, it's really worrying.'
Nijika also wore a helpless expression, letting out a long sigh.
Beside them, Ryo watched the two who seemed to be complaining with an expressionless face.
Her gaze suggested she was mentally roasting them.
She was probably thinking: 'You two are the ones who need worrying about too!'
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