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Chapter 18: A Husky in a Wolf Pack
"Oh, it's you. Is something the matter?" Suyan said in a flat tone as he looked at the girl who had suddenly run up to block their path.
Rei's breathing was slightly heavy, and there were still traces of sweat rolling down her forehead. Suyan glanced past her to see her childhood friend Takashi Komuro standing not far away like a statue.
Suyan easily pieced together the situation in his mind: Takashi had approached Rei to make up, she had refused, they argued, and now she was using him as a shield. It was a reasonable assumption.
But doesn't this make me a human shield? Suyan thought. Unfortunately, Suyan had no interest in getting involved with the two of them.
"Thank you for the bento earlier. I've already washed the box; I'm returning it now." Rei, unaware of Suyan's assumptions, held it out to Suyan with both hands.
Suyan was taken aback for a moment. "You came all this way just for this?" He really hadn't remembered the bento box for a moment.
Rei looked confused. "Is there a problem?"
"No, nothing. Is there anything else? If not, I'm going."
"Um..." Rei looked at Suyan with some hesitation. Originally, she had intended to leave after returning the box, but a quick peek over her shoulder showed that Takashi was still there.
The idea of using Suyan as a shield immediately popped into her mind. Rather than face her loathsome childhood friend, she would rather stay by Suyan's side and talk to that annoying guy. Since she had already made herself out to be so miserable during lunch, he hadn't comforted her at all and even seemed to be enjoying her misfortune. She wasn't sure if he would agree to this.
"Suyan, is this student your friend? Won't you introduce us?" Saeko asked timely.
"Busujima... Senpai!" Rei naturally recognized Saeko. She thought Saeko was just passing by, but seeing her with Suyan was a shock. She corrected herself quickly to "Senpai" due to being held back.
Saeko gave Rei a polite smile, her gaze filled with inquiry as she looked at Suyan.
"No, we just sit near each other in class," Suyan denied it flatly.
"Is that so?" Saeko was slightly surprised. Rei's looks didn't seem much inferior to her own, and her curves seemed even more developed. Could Suyan really not even be ordinary friends with her?
However, she didn't press the matter. Saeko, believing herself to be deeply flawed, never thought she was worthy of Suyan. If he had more partners, it might even make her feel more comfortable with her own worthiness.
Rei felt a sting of disappointment. She had already told Suyan the biggest secret in her heart, yet she wasn't even a friend? She glanced back at Takashi and decided to push her luck. "Can I walk home with you two?"
Suyan: "???"
Saeko looked at Rei in surprise, then at Suyan. I thought you said you weren't close? It seemed like she not only knew she was moving into Suyan's place, but seeing her and Suyan together had made her regret not moving in earlier? Her thoughts reached a logical conclusion, and she took Suyan's hand. "Of course."
Suyan was bewildered. Wait, what would you not mind? And what does 'of course' mean? He thought back to his "FWB" comment at lunch. Is she playing for keeps to get rid of her childhood friend? He felt completely dead inside.
"Thank you both so much!" Rei bowed happily. She just wanted to walk with them until their paths diverged. Isn't that a perfectly normal thing among friends?
But in reality, neither Suyan nor Saeko actually had a single friend. Others would feel inferior just standing in front of her, and Suyan viewed everyone else as being on a death countdown.
Rei stepped up next to Saeko. "Hello, Busujima-senpai! I'm Miyamoto Rei. I sit behind Suyan."
"Nice to meet you, Miyamoto-san," Saeko nodded. And so, Rei the "Husky" successfully mixed in with the two "Lone Wolves."
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