Chapter 363 326 – Announcing My New Girlfriend

Listening to her own voice coming from the phone, Shizuka Yoshimoto stood frozen in place for a long while.

After coming back to her senses, she tapped the screen.

"Why don't you hate me like this?"

"Why are you helping me so much?"

Two clear, sweet lines sounded along with Shizuka's falling tears.

Takumi reached out and brushed his fingers over Shizuka's delicate cheek, wiping away her tears.

"Why would I hate you? You're clearly very cute, Yoshimoto-san.

"And you're the one who helped me first. This is just my way of returning the favor.

"Since you're not used to communicating by speaking, using this method as a substitute is perfect.

"People can always learn, improve, and change little by little, but I don't think anyone should force you like that.

"I think this method suits you much better, Yoshimoto-san."

Takumi looked at Shizuka gently. A girl this cute deserved to be cherished by others.

She herself was not used to communicating through speech, and blindly forcing her would only have the opposite effect.

Since she liked this method, then of course he could give her a hand. After all, it was not anything difficult for him.

"From now on, you can talk and communicate with other people too.

"Don't be as shy as before. Lift your head, look into the other person's eyes, and then tap the screen. That's all."

Takumi showed a warm smile and gave Shizuka a bit of advice for changing herself.

Finally, he looked at her with great interest and encouraged her. "You can try it right now. It should feel different from before."

As he spoke, he was about to let go, but Shizuka's small hand tightly grabbed his sleeve.

Looking straight at Takumi, Shizuka's tears spilled from her eyes again.

Only this time, they were tears of pure joy.

Driven by a certain feeling, she reached out and tapped the screen.

"I like you."

"I'm sorry."

"Please don't mind it."

"I'm not asking for a reply."

"I just wanted to tell you how I feel, no matter what."

As each sentence sounded, Shizuka lowered her head shyly.

She did not dare face the reality in front of her. While she hoped Takumi would respond, she was also afraid he would reject her.

After all, Takumi already had girlfriends. For her to suddenly insert herself like this should have been completely impossible.

But no matter what, just like it was written in the book, she was like a princess from a fantasy, revealing her feelings to her knight.

And while Shizuka's mind was in complete chaos, Takumi gently pulled her into his arms.

"I like you too. I love you, Shizuka."

Takumi did not reject her feelings. Instead, he gave her an enthusiastic response.

At the same time, he quietly murmured in his heart, "Sensei, from now on, I'll call you Shizuka Cutie~"

"Achoo!"

Inside the office, Shizuka Hiratsuka suddenly felt a chill run through her entire body.

She was certain someone was definitely talking about her behind her back!

Who was it?

It couldn't be that brat Takumi, could it!?

And just as Hiratsuka-sensei guessed the target correctly, it was break time on the rooftop.

The usually spacious rooftop was missing a few of its regulars, but there were still quite a lot of people.

Karane Inda, Hakari Hanazono, Miko Yotsuya, Hana Yurikawa, Yuria Niguredou, Yuki Suou, Yuki Nonaka… everyone was lined up there, eating lunch together.

Into this warm and harmonious scene, Takumi brought Shizuka before the girls.

Staaaaare.

In an instant, everyone's gaze gathered on Takumi.

Facing that group of people, Takumi fearlessly straightened his back and declared with righteous conviction, "Today, I have something to announce. Shizuka Yoshimoto-san, as my new girlfriend, will be joining us. Do you all agree?"

Rather than a question, Takumi's words sounded more like a statement.

Hitagi Senjougahara blinked and did not give any response.

Yuki Suou also wore an expression that said, I'm already used to this.

Needless to say, Miko, Hana, and the others were the same. Only Yuria, who had joined more recently, looked slightly surprised.

But more than that, she was excited, muttering, "As expected of Master."

The most agitated one was, of course, Karane.

Even though she had mentally prepared herself for this before, being hit with it so soon still made her tsundere emotions flare up quite intensely.

"Is your brain broken?!"

"Who says something like that so openly?! At least be a little more subtle!!!"

"This kind of thing—"

"Waaah, Takumi-kun~~"

Before Karane could finish speaking, she noticed Hakari crying beside her.

"Hakari!?"

Karane, who outwardly treated her as a bad friend but had in fact already accepted her as a close friend, immediately stepped forward to comfort her.

But in the next moment, she saw that Hakari's face was flushed, the corners of her mouth were smiling, and the tears were clearly tears of joy.

"Even after falling in love with another girl, you still didn't abandon us or anything… You really are gentle no matter where you are!!"

"Your brain seriously needs an antiseptic case installed, woman!!!"

Karane's shout grew even louder.

Hakari's thought process was a level of insanity Karane could not hope to reproduce even in ten years.

Even Yuki Suou was so shocked by this scene that she gave a thumbs-up.

"Amazing, sis. Your brain really is wired differently."

"Ahem~ This is something I couldn't help. A new lover was right in front of me. Giving up on her would be the same as giving up on her life. I couldn't do something like that."

Takumi spoke with righteous conviction, trying to salvage his scumbag behavior a little.

Unfortunately, barely anyone paid attention to Takumi's "excuse."

In truth, everyone was not that resistant. There were already so many of them that they had gotten used to it.

And seeing the newly added little cutie, Shizuka, Yuki Suou also stepped forward to greet her.

"You're so cute~ You're Yoshimoto-san, right? Welcome to our big family."

As she spoke, her mind also began turning, and she secretly started thinking.

She actually had a very close maid, who was also the daughter of the Kimishima family serving under her.

Recently, the other girl was also preparing to transfer over and attend school with her.

The reason Yuki had not been at Takumi's house last night was because she had gone to handle that matter with her.

"When Ayano transfers over, I feel like that'll be a nice surprise for Onii-chan!"

Just as she was thinking this, the rooftop door opened again.

A girl holding a cane walked in elegantly, appearing in everyone's view.

"Looks like I'm late. The transfer procedures were harder to deal with than I expected, and they only finished at noon."

"Hello, everyone. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Kotoko Iwanaga, Takumi's girlfriend, and of course, one of you as well."

"I came from the neighboring city. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

She lightly lifted the hem of her skirt and introduced herself.

Seeing yet another girlfriend pop up, Karane had nothing left to say. She was completely numb.

This efficiency was fast enough already. They had not seen him for three days, so exactly how many more were hiding in the background?!

...

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