Chapter 308: The End of the Second Year of High School
"so……"

"So, instead of acting unnaturally like we're lovers, why not just do it the same as usual? Of course, I'm not saying that nothing needs to change, but I don't think it's necessary to stick to the formalities." At this point, Zero's eyes flickered, and he slowly wiped his face away, continuing in a lower voice, "If you have any needs, just tell me, and we'll slowly discuss it..."

When Zhuo heard these words, even though he was a little confused about Ling's final performance, these words still touched his heart.

Although Zhuo was worried about how to make Ling feel the happiness of a lover and what kind of behavior he should do, there was no need to worry about these things. Ling liked Zhuo, and Zhuo also liked Ling, so the two of them became lovers. As long as there was this fact, it was fine.

There was no need to deliberately create anything, nor to show off. The two of them just needed to deepen their understanding of each other in their own unique way and get closer little by little. That was all...

"You're right. Sorry, I seem to have lost my composure a little. I feel like I want to show something, but I don't know how to do it."

"……Um."

"Oh, that's right... Although it's the same as always... from now on, I will carry on with my feelings for you."

Zhuo held her hand with determination and wrapped her palm.

Then, Ling's already expressionless face became even stiffer. She trembled a little when she took his hand, and for a second she subconsciously pulled it away, but she still came back and held Zhuo's hand, looking away.

"wash."

"Ok?"

"…That's enough. I'm happy."

"Yeah."

"Yes."

After Ling repeatedly affirmed his feelings and expressed them to Zhuo, he quietly enjoyed the warmth around him.
……

Zhuo has become accustomed to going to school together. Although times are different now, it seems inappropriate to be too close.

Of course, he was very happy to have close contact with his girlfriend, but this action might not be seen the same way by others. Besides, Zhuo didn't want others to see his miserable appearance so early in the morning.

He carefully kept his worries in his heart, not letting them show on his face, and then waited for Ling to sit on the back seat of the bicycle, with his arm around Zhuo's waist, and rode to school.

Of course, the exams will start soon after Christmas, and December is the end of the second year of high school. Even so, there are still more than ten days before the end. Because of this, it is still the early rush hour, and there are still many students and office workers around who are paying attention to them.

Although it was expected, I didn't expect that after such a long time, they would still attract so much attention - no, maybe the people who noticed them were seeing them for the first time, after all, it's impossible for all the people on the street to be the same group. It's reasonable to think so.

……

Walking side by side with Zero in the corridor, the first people to notice them were the girls gathered at the classroom door.

They were sitting at the table, seemingly chatting animatedly. When the girls noticed that Zero had walked into the classroom, they looked up... and then resumed their conversation without paying any attention.

Their gazes would also move vaguely to Zhuo's face.

At that time, the look on their faces was something Zhuo had never seen before. It wasn't a malicious look, how should I put it... In short, it was hard to describe.

This was natural, because Zhuo had never attracted the attention of women before. In the past, Zhuo usually looked like a stranger. So even if he felt that the way girls looked at him had changed a little, he couldn't figure out what the change was and why it happened.

As for why everyone was so quiet, it was because they were used to it. Zhuo and Ling had been going in and out of the classroom together for a long time, and although it caused a stir at the beginning, as time went by, everyone got used to it and didn't pay much attention to it.

Zhuo felt that perhaps even these things were part of Zero's plan - since he was wrong and Zero liked him from the very beginning, then the purpose of all the things he had done before was, of course, to allow him to look at her honestly; on the other hand, it was probably to pave the way for the present.

If I hadn't been so timid at the beginning, I would have been able to see Zero's intentions with just a little thought. Haha - anyway, the result is good now. That's enough.

So even if the relationship between Zhuo and Ling changed quietly, no one noticed anything unusual when they were at school.

That’s what Zhuo thought.

"Good morning, Zhuo."

Zhuo went to his seat to put his things down, and Ling also sat down next to him because their seats were next to each other - Kanda and Ren greeted him with their usual smiles.

Zhuo froze for a moment when he heard their voices - even if Zhuo was no different from usual now, Zhuo couldn't be sure whether the two people who knew him inside and out could see anything.

"Morning, you two."

"What's wrong? Have you finally come to your senses?"

Ren's firm tone and teasing expression made Zhuo realize that this guy should have seen through it.

Ren was the first to know Zhuo's feelings for Ling, and he had served as a military advisor many times during that period. Of course, the two of them were military advisors who gave each other advice. Although I don't know what happened, they seemed to have understood that the two had started dating.

"What are you saying... I don't understand what you are saying." Zhuo kicked Ren under the table, and his tone turned into a lecture.

"Haha, it doesn't matter if you don't understand..." Ren said, and changed the direction he was facing, and greeted the back of the head of the girl in the front row: "Good morning, Mrs. Utsunomiya."

"..."

Ling and Zhuo's seats were both in the first row, while Kanda and Jin were standing in the aisle in front of the second row. Zhuo had to change the direction of the seats to be able to talk to them.

While they were talking, Ling was busy packing her backpack and putting both lunch boxes into her pocket. Zhuo was considering whether to just take this guy away.

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

"Tsk, you are kidding yourself, you definitely don't know how beautiful it is in your heart~"

"You guy-"

Zhuo was not very angry about Renjianxixi's teasing, but it would be inexplicably shameful to talk about such things openly, so Zhuo lifted the textbook on the table and pretended to throw it to scare him.

What Zhuo didn't expect was that Ling actually replied to him at this time.

"Good morning, Kiritani-san."

Zero turned around to face him very seriously, put his hands together on his legs, and responded with his head slightly lowered.

This may not be obvious enough. If we change the scene to sitting upright, or kneeling on the tatami, with hands on knees and slightly bowed as a greeting gesture - what is this?

Although only Zhuo, Ren and Kanda heard the "woman's" whispering, the destructive power was already great enough.

Zero's face remained calm, and he acted as if it was a matter of course, with no intention of denying it.

Zhuo was not the only one who was fascinated by her.

He heard Ren and Kanda holding their breath. Even the students who happened to look over here were staring at Zero's expression in a trance.

(End of this chapter)