Chapter 58: Soaring

"I'm home."

Ishikawa Hayato greeted his family.

At the end of the straight hallway, the sound of slippers on the stairs echoed.

*Tap, tap,* 

A few sounds coming down the stair corner was Ishikawa Shizuka, still holding a broom.

Seeing Ishikawa Hayato enter, she welcomed him, "Welcome home, Hayato, are you hungry? Do you want me to cook something?"

Ishikawa Hayato changed into his house slippers, looked at his mother on the stairs, and dramatically wiped away a tear.

"I wasn't that hungry, but since my supreme mother asks, I can only say, Mom, I'll love whatever you cook."

Ishikawa Shizuka's face hardened when she heard him, and she asked, "Hungry or not hungry?"

"Hungry."

"Good." Ishikawa Shizuka swept the dust from the steps into the dustpan, then prepared to come down.

But Ishikawa Hayato walked over and reached for the broom.

"Is there anywhere else that hasn't been swept?"

"If you're hungry, don't work anymore." Ishikawa Shizuka stopped Ishikawa Hayato.

"It's fine, I want to prove that I'm more useful than that man who, after coming home, just eats, then sits on the sofa and watches TV, and can't even win the remote control from his daughter."

Ishikawa Hayato was this close to naming this man.

Then, an angry shout came from the living room.

"I can hear you!"

Ishikawa Shizuka chuckled, handed the broom to Ishikawa Hayato, then lightly patted Ishikawa Hayato's head with a small complaint.

After telling him what still needed sweeping, she walked down the stairs and turned towards the kitchen.

When Ishikawa Hayato finished sweeping and walked into the living room, he saw his father sitting alone at the dining table, with a bottle of wine and a small wine glass in front of him.

Ishikawa Hayato greeted him.

"Good evening, Dad, are you hungry too?"

"And now this son has got me worked up." Ishikawa Jinpei gave him a heavy look.

Ishikawa Hayato smiled.

"So, it turns into: coming home to eat and watch TV, losing the remote to his daughter, and being so angered by his son that he eats another big bowl of rice."

"You brat!"

Just as Ishikawa Jinpei was about to get angry, he saw Ishikawa Hayato pick up the wine to fill his glass, then naturally sat down opposite him.

Ishikawa Hayato asked.

"You're in a bad mood today, what happened at the company?"

Ishikawa Jinpei was startled, then sighed.

"Just that same old trivial stuff."

"Tell me about it."

"It's nothing."

The wine glass was picked up, a small sip was taken, and then it was put down.

It made a *da* sound on the table.

"If you don't want to do it anymore, I have ways to earn some money, so you won't have to worry about your retirement."

"Don't you dare do anything illegal."

"Relax, it's through legitimate channels."

"Forget it, as long as you don't take my pension money later."

"You should ask your daughter about that."

The wine glass was picked up and emptied in one gulp.

"No more drinking, no more drinking, let's eat supper."

"Let's eat!" Ishikawa Hayato exclaimed loudly, "Mom, is it ready? Two gluttons are waiting for their food."

"Coming~"

...

The two men were eating noodles at the dining table, and Ishikawa Shizuka sat beside them, as if realizing it belatedly, keeping them company.

"You two slow down."

Ishikawa Shizuka watched them slurping noisily and said worriedly.

Ishikawa Hayato's speed of slurping noodles didn't decrease at all, he even managed to speak in between.

"Mom's cooking is delicious, the noodles must have some magnet of love as a secret ingredient, making me want to eat more and more."

Ishikawa Jinpei looked up, his expression blank, as if saying, 'What kind of saucy talk do you say to my wife all day?'

The man’s thoughts quickly raced through his mind, and then he asked sarcastically.

"Where's your harem, you brat? You haven't made it onto the list of girl's most hated by the entire school, have you?"

"No one would make a list for people they hate, right...?"

Ishikawa Hayato was helpless.

When did his dad start speaking in such a sophisticated manner?

He continued.

"Within a month, I will definitely bring show you results!"

Ishikawa Jinpei said, "Alright, I'll check on the girlfriend rental app then."

Suddenly, Ishikawa Hayato gasped, straightened his body abruptly, sitting upright and eating his noodles steadily, neither too fast nor too slow.

Ishikawa Jinpei: ???

Then he turned his head and saw Ishikawa Shizuka with a calm expression beside him.

Immediately, cold sweat poured down his face like water wrung from a rag.

And at this critical moment.

Ishikawa Hayato's phone rang.

He opened his phone.

In Line, Bocchi sent a message.

[ I'm home. ]

Ishikawa Hayato was a little surprised.

It seemed she got home much faster than he had expected.

Could it be that girl ran all the way after getting off the train?

He replied.

[ Thanks, I'm relieved. See you tomorrow then. ]

Bocchi: [ Mm, see you tomorrow. ]

Ishikawa Hayato turned off his phone.

"Male or female?" Ishikawa Jinpei asked hastily, relieved to have escaped.

"A very cute girl."

Ishikawa Hayato was triumphant.

His mother's eyes lit up, and she asked eagerly.

"When will you bring her to see us, and don't do anything strange to her."

Ishikawa Hayato thought for a moment,

'Inviting her to his home...'

Given Bocchi's current state, it would surely turn into a tragedy.

He waved his hand.

"Don't rush, and relax, how could I do anything strange?"

The master and mistress of the Ishikawa Family heard his words and both showed very uneasy expressions.

...

The next day, Ishikawa Hayato, as usual, greeted his family like a pervert, then happily skipped his way to school.

If you ask why he was so happy.

The answer was: the manuscript fee had arrived!

Although living off from a fair-skinned, busty, pink-haired beauty was a tempting life, it wasn’t exactly healthy to keep doing it indefinitely.

Along with the manuscript fee came some letters, which were from readers after he had informed the editor of his decision to stop writing and the news was published.

He had squeezed in time to read the other letters last night, and some had already been replied to, ready to be sent out later.

However, there was still one in his backpack, and seeing the handwriting on the envelope, he probably knew who it was from.

It was truly strange to think that in this day and age, someone would still use handwritten letters, though it might also be because he had never left any of his social media accounts.

On the road near the school, amidst the gathering crowd of students.

He looked around.

Unfortunately, he couldn't find a girl wearing a tracksuit over a skirt, or a fiery red-haired girl bursting with energy.

So he simply blended into the crowd, moving forward, like standing on an automatic walkway, being pushed along by the tide of people just like everyone else.

At this moment, Ishikawa Hayato remembered his conversation with his father last night.

Ishikawa Jinpei: "Compared to writing books, your part-time job takes longer and pays less per hour, why don't you continue writing?"

Ishikawa Hayato: "There's a complex, interesting reason for this, and this reason frequently appears in our conversations, wrapped in spices, sugar, and all sorts of adorable things."

Ishikawa Jinpei: "Speak like a normal person."

Ishikawa Hayato: "Wah-bi-ba-bu."

Walking through the school gate, then to the shoe lockers at the entrance, he greeted many friends he knew within the school while walking towards the classroom.

Pushing open the classroom door.

Ishikawa Hayato greeted his classmates.

"Good morning!"

He received an enthusiastic response, which made him even happier.

While replying to his classmates' greetings, he walked back to his seat.

Before sitting down, Ishikawa Hayato noticed Kita two seats to his right.

She was smiling and chatting with her friends, already so happy early in the morning.

Girls were truly formidable.

Just as he was thinking this, Kita turned her head and looked over. Noticing that Ishikawa Hayato was watching her, she gave a polite smile.

Ishikawa Hayato also responded with a faint smile and sat down.

However, the next moment, their interaction was noticed by Kita's friends, and the four girls all looked at Ishikawa Hayato.

The girls’ eyes, filled with a variety of emotions, were extremely bright. Several pairs of gazes fixed on him, giving him the feeling of being illuminated by a spotlight.

To their curious stares, Ishikawa Hayato calmly made a peace sign by his face and responded with a grin.

The girls paused, then smiled faintly and withdrew their gazes.

Only Kita glared fiercely at Ishikawa Hayato with an indignant look that said, 'What are you doing?!'

However, her annoyance had just begun when it was noticed by her friends nearby.

The girls laughed and teased Kita.

A pervert naturally possesses superior senses, and Ishikawa Hayato didn't even need to consciously listen to hear their conversation without even trying.

Kita's friends jokingly said to her.

"It's really LOVELOVE."

"Kita-chan's angry gaze is so cute, I've never seen it before."

"Kita-chan, I'm sorry, we dragged you into this."

The voice didn't sound apologetic at all, but rather teasing.

"It's like this first thing in the morning, I'm really envious."

"Wait..."

Before Kita could finish her words of protest, one of the girls, as if inferring something from Kita's hesitant expression, stepped forward and took Kita's hand.

She pulled Kita over, even before Kita could react.

"Don't mind us, Kita-chan, come on~"

Ishikawa Hayato didn't need to listen anymore. A girl was already smiling and pulling Kita over.

"Ishikawa-kun, Kita-chan is all yours."

Her words drew giggles from a few friends behind her.

They always held anticipation and curiosity about romance, and when one of their friends started a relationship, they couldn't help but nudge her to speed things up.

Curious, wanting to understand, wanting to give their friend's romance a boost.

No one thought this was malicious.

After all, Kita had said it herself yesterday.

However, Ishikawa Hayato looked at the hesitant Kita and stood up.

"Thanks."

He said casually to that classmate, then took Kita's wrist, and amidst her friends' surprised exclamations, walked out.

...