Friend, a peculiar word, but it is intertwined in the most familiar places.

People always enjoy calling someone who is very familiar and not related by blood a friend.

But...

A depressed mood is inseparable from a person with depression.

"Osaka, how about going to karaoke in the afternoon?" (female)

"Ah, good idea! It's been a long time since I went..." (male)

Sometimes, we often use other irrelevant words to replace the word friend, or we tarnish the word.

"I told you, Osaka and that girl are having an affair!" (male)

"Hmm, it's indeed suspicious that the two of them went to play." (male)

Then, one person tells ten, and ten tells a hundred...

Rumors always become twisted as they spread.

In the end, what is announced on the bulletin board is that a certain male student and a certain female student had an improper relationship in the school.

From this, it can be concluded that the concept of friends is not something everyone can comprehend or understand.

"That's right, in the end, trouble is caused by friends' friends." (Yuanhui)

"What are you talking about? You've been talking to the air since earlier, is it a residual effect from your news department?" (me)

"Don't look unhappy, smile, smile..."

Speaking of it, he even maliciously makes cute gestures on his own face.

"Hehe, I can't genuinely smile because you disgust me."

It was clear at noon, but in the afternoon, the weather suddenly changed, just like me now...

I turned my head to the right and continued my narration.

It's as frustrating as going home with a neurotic acquaintance.

"Hey, look... look!"

Yukari and her two followers, Chiyori and Shinobi, were walking ahead of us.

"Oh my, as expected of the president, even though I face the same old photo albums every day, I'm completely devoid of desire."

"Don't say that, you idiot!"

Ah, this person gives a headache no matter who they are with.

Fortunately, Yukari and her group are far ahead at the corner, even though Yuanhui shouted loudly just now, they didn't notice, or else...

"It's you again!"

Yukari suddenly turned back and grabbed Yuanhui's head, her face stern.

"What did you use to compare with me just now?"

"Uh, hahaha, of course it was a dirty magazine... right?"

What!!!

Yuanhui, with a face full of happiness, was tied up and carried away, as if going back to school.

"Hey, it's finally quiet."

Secretly, I gave a thumbs up to Yukari as she walked away.

Well done, Yukari! With him gone, I can now go to work without worries, I checked my phone.

"It's 4:20, I only have ten minutes left, I need to hurry!"

Meanwhile, on the campus at this moment...

"Let... me... go!"

A long and desperate cry for help echoed in the dark and empty campus.

"Someone... please... help... me!!!"

"Ah, there's a ghost...!"

The resentful voice frightened away the few remaining people on campus, but Yuanhui was still tied to the trunk of a tree that was as thick as a person.

"Waaah... someone please release me, it could be fatal..."

Another gloomy and rainy day, looking up through the window at the gloom outside, the leaves trembled violently in the heavy rain.

The winter rain is always exceptionally cold, and today I happened to forget my umbrella.

So I thought to myself, am I going to brave the rain to go back tonight?

"Ah, it's really important to pay attention to the weather on my phone in the morning."

"Hey, Juxi, didn't you bring an umbrella?"

Following closely behind me, Qiu Caolan, wearing a pink down jacket and black leggings, came in through the employee corridor just now, holding a transparent umbrella in her hands.

"Oh, did Lan check the weather forecast?"

"Of course I did."

"Oh...really?"

Qiu Caolan is indeed my senior at work, always cautious and attentive.

The two of us stood in front of the employee lockers, and she boldly took off her down jacket in front of me, immediately causing her sweater to bulge out from her chest.

Looking at these waves, I secretly speculated on her approximate size in my mind.

"Um, it's on par with Chiyori's F size!"

I whispered my conclusion.

"What did you say?"

Just as she took off her hat, a faint green color brushed past in front of me... Did she hear it?!

"No...nothing, right?"

"Really?"

Doubtfully, she leaned closer to me and interrogated.

"Could it be that you have a bad idea?"

"No, no, it's just that it's almost time for the shift change, you know!"

I forgot to mention, this shop is owned by Lan's father, and Lan helps out her family while earning some pocket money from her dad.

In any case, there are quite a few high school students working part-time, and when I first applied, there were five high school students competing for this job with me.

"Among them, you are the only one who is down-to-earth. Thinking about it, those guys left without even experiencing half an hour of work."

As she spoke, Lan made a disdainful face.

She must have looked down on those people in her heart!

After putting on the red work uniform, I was considered on duty.

Working in a fast food restaurant is not easy, as the turnover is very fast. Basically, as soon as one customer leaves, the next one comes in.

"Welcome, what would you like to order?"

"Three bowls of ramen to go."

"Alright... here you go, take care!"

And like this, it repeated for over an hour, until the mealtime was over and there was finally some free time.

"Hey, you're adapting quickly."

"I have no choice, if I don't adapt quickly, I'll get fired by the manager."

"Hahaha, you've got guts! That shy rookie demeanor you had when you first started in the shop is completely gone now..."

"...haha, you really know how to joke."

There were no customers left in the shop at this time, so I started playing around with Lan again.

To be honest, Lan's smile is always very bright. That natural joy from the bottom of her heart always makes me feel... feel... like a man!

"If you could be as serious in your daily life as you are at work."

"Hey, I'm not as diligent as you think."

"Very modest of you. If you're not considered diligent, then the whole world must be lazy."

"Haha... hey, have you had enough of complimenting me? Just to clarify, I don't have the privilege of giving you a raise!"

"Huh...! How can you say that?"

I deliberately made a look of working hard but not getting rewarded, and then looked at her with feigned interest.

"Oh, don't look at me like that... I only work a few hours a day, and the pay is not bad."

"That's right, my daughter is so knowledgeable about managing the household..."

I don't know when it started, but the obese shop owner (Lan's father) emerged from the kitchen and sternly reprimanded me.

"I absolutely won't raise the wages, that's final!"

"Yes... yes!"

What a terrifying person. Before I could catch my breath, a sharp sound exploded in my ear once again.

"Oh, by the way, I just remembered something..."

He turned back with a gloomy face, approaching me with a terrifying expression and sharp eyes.

"My daughter... will absolutely not be given to you! Absolutely!"

"Who said anything about taking your daughter?!"

"Oh? Are you saying my daughter isn't good enough for you, or that she's not pretty enough?!"

"Well, how can I answer you then?"

It seems that he has misunderstood our relationship. I came here just to work and earn some pocket money, but I unexpectedly got involved in a family dispute.

"Well, actually..."

I was about to explain that there was nothing between Lan and me when she shamelessly interrupted me and sang a different tune to her dad.

"Oh, dad... I won't marry anyone except Juxi in my whole life. Please let us be together!"

"...What nonsense are you talking about?!"

Lan's dad was furious, and Lan was only adding fuel to the fire. She would drive someone insane!

But Lan's dad didn't give any feedback, instead he raised his darkened eyes and slightly opened his mouth.

"Very well... very well!"

Phew... I let out a sigh.

What a farce, that old man with a theatrical tone is really not so easily fooled.

He pointed at me and cursed.

"Ah, you... you bastard! One day, I will take my precious daughter back from your hands!" (He fell for it completely)

"You're out of your mind! How can you be so easily deceived?!"

While this fast food restaurant was in a commotion, Lan held onto my arm and confronted the old man...

"Huh? Is this the right place?"

Following the address, Yukari, who hadn't even had time to take off her school uniform, rode on her red knight and came to pick me up.

But when she entered, she saw this scene and heard those words.

"Stop right there! If you have the guts, fight me like a man!" (The old man)

"Who would bother arguing with you?!" (Me)

"Dear father, please! Juxi and I are sincerely in love, and we're in a serious relationship with marriage in mind." (Lan)

"It has nothing to do with me. Don't... don't..."

The sight of the wet woman standing at the door made me dumbfounded, and my speech became fragmented.

"You... you... Xiang?"

"Not bad, it's only been a few days... I didn't expect to already have a wife in hand, huh?"

Before Yukari could even say the word "sister," she sneered and mocked me.

I wanted to explain that there was nothing between me and her, but when I looked at Yukari's completely soaked clothes, accentuating the contours of her body, I urged her first.

"Can we discuss this at home? Don't catch a cold..."

"What? Feeling guilty?"

"What have I done wrong? Why should I feel guilty?!"

Being kind-hearted is really annoying. I greeted her with concern, but she stared at me with eyes that had turned icy, mixed with disdain.

"Um, what should I say?"

"There's nothing to say, just go back by yourself!"

In a fit of anger, Yukari suddenly hopped on the motorcycle and flew away like a bird, leaving me alone in the rain, gazing at her receding figure with a tangled heart.

What on earth is wrong with her?

Yukari, riding the red knight, sped through the rain, letting the raindrops slap her face.

She was also questioning herself.

"Why... why did I get so angry just now?"

When she saw me with that girl, she couldn't control her anger.

Back at home, Yukari parked the red knight in the yard, leaning against the glass door and burying her head in her knees, thinking, have I gone crazy? Wasn't I supposed to go pick up my little brother? Look at what foolish things you've done!

As she thought, it seemed that something other than rainwater flowed down her cheeks.

"Can't even tell apart from the rainwater anymore?"

She lightly rubbed her chest, because there... it hurt so much!