"Well, would you look at that?" Reiko whistled, gazing at the letter in her hand. Before her was the correspondence from Tokyo University, revealing the results of her College Entrance Exam.

 

Masaki Reiko, of Kurogin High School for Boys, Year 3 Class D... had passed the Entrance Exam.

 

"That director will be in shock," Reiko murmured with a chuckle, recalling how she had been despised by Kurokawa. She tucked the letter into her backpack and left her house.

 

It was still early, so she sent a text to Ryu, informing him that she was on her way to go to school together. As she glanced at the sky, she noticed the blossoming trees, a beautiful sign of spring. After a few minutes of walking, Reiko spotted Ryu leaning against their gate.

 

"Ryu-nii!" she greeted happily, causing Ryu to raise an amused eyebrow. He knew that when Reiko was this cheerful, something good had happened.

 

"Why are you so happy?" he asked.

 

"Why can't I be?" Reiko replied, grabbing Ryu's shoulder and leaning in slightly. "Well, you see..."

 

"What is it?"

 

"How should I put this?" Reiko giggled, making Ryu shiver slightly, unaccustomed to this side of her. "I passed the exam."

 

He paused, looking at her in surprise. "You passed... and you're happy about it?"

 

Reiko shook her head and grinned. "Well, Kurokawa will be absolutely shocked because I passed. Just imagine... a Class 3D student succeeding in a College Entrance Exam!" She burst into laughter, while Ryu sighed at her antics.

 

"Well, have you informed Hayato?"

 

Reiko nodded. "Yeah, but I haven't received a text from him yet. He's probably still sleeping."

 

Kurogin High School

 

Reiko and Ryu joined their classmates, gathered together and flipping through magazines. Ryu casually skimmed through pamphlets while Reiko observed her classmates with amusement, noting that Hayato was still nowhere to be found, most likely still asleep.

 

Suddenly, the door swung open, revealing Yamaguchi's surprised entrance. She scanned the classroom, bewildered. "Who's getting married?" she asked in astonishment. "Students getting married? Isn't it a little early?"

 

Everyone stared at her with dumbfounded expressions, while Reiko chuckled at their teacher's reaction. "We're just looking at the pamphlets for the company where Tamura has an interview," Ryu explained, and everyone nodded in agreement, leaving Yamaguchi pondering her thoughts.

 

"Ah, is that so?"

 

"Yeah, obviously." Everyone dispersed and took their seats, settling into their individual chairs. Suddenly, the door swung open once again, this time with a loud bang, grabbing everyone's attention. A tall man wearing a brown leather jacket, sunglasses, and a stern expression entered the room.

 

All activity ceased as everyone, including Ryu and Reiko, gazed at the imposing figure. Yamaguchi approached the man cautiously. "Excuse me, who are you?" she inquired, while the man silently regarded her.

 

"Where is my son?" the man responded, prompting Ryu to recall his familiarity. Reiko turned to her cousin. "Do you know that guy?"

 

As the man strode into the room, his eyes scanning each student, he replied, "That good-for-nothing idiot son." The other male students instinctively backed away, while Ryu and Reiko stayed farthest from the man.

 

"What do you mean by 'idiot son'?" Yamaguchi pressed, only for the man to hurl a chair in front of him, shocking everyone. Reiko, though confused, looked at him without fear, while her classmates seemed visibly frightened. After all, a father like him could be genuinely terrifying to them.

 

"Whose dad is that?" Tsuchiya asked, but Hyuga and Takeda shook their heads in confusion. The man stood near the window, removing his sunglasses and turning to face the students.

 

"He's not here," he murmured. Yamaguchi stood beside him, smiling nervously. "Perhaps I made a mistake."

 

"I thought so," Yamaguchi began, facing the man. "There's no one in my class worthy of being called an idiot son. They're all good kids." The students nodded in agreement, except for Ryu and Reiko.

 

Reiko had been pestering her cousin about his familiarity. "Whose dad is that?" she questioned, and Ryu looked at her seriously.

 

"Your boyfriend's," he replied quietly, causing Reiko's eyes to widen in complete shock.

 

Just then, Hayato walked in from the back, unnoticed by the others. "Sorry for being late," he mumbled, still groggy with closed eyes. As he finished speaking, he opened his eyes and wiped away the sleepiness, only to be surprised by the presence of the man.

 

"Huh?"

 

The man noticed him and walked toward Hayato. "Where have you been?!"

 

"Why are you here, you stupid old man?!" Hayato retorted, their voices escalating into a heated exchange. Reiko, Ryu, Takeda, Tsuchiya, Hyuga, and Yamaguchi stood at the back, watching it all unfold.

 

"Is that, by any chance, Yabuki's..." Yamaguchi began, and everyone looked at them in shock.

 

"Dad?!"

 

Yamaguchi turned to Ryu for confirmation, and he simply nodded. Yamaguchi glanced back at the two, feeling nervous about how she would accommodate Yabuki's father, unsure if she could handle the situation.

 

"Well, now's the time to meet your father-in-law, Reiko..." Ryu joked, causing Reiko to blush and playfully hit him on the shoulder.

 

"He really gets on my nerves," Hayato grumbled, while Takeda, Hyuga, and Reiko burst into laughter. Ryu sat in a separate chair with his back turned to them.

 

Hayato sat between Takeda and Tsuchiya, while Reiko occupied another couch next to Tsuchiya. Hyuga stood behind Hayato, mimicking a baseball swing.

 

"What's the matter?" Hayato asked, curious about their amusement. Reiko and Takeda exchanged glances and chuckled to themselves.

 

"I couldn't help but notice that you sounded just like your dad," Takeda replied, causing Reiko to burst into a goofy laugh, followed by Tsuchiya.

 

"Absolutely," Reiko chimed in, and Hayato looked at her incredulously.

 

"No way!" Hayato retorted. "I'm more like my late mother," he argued, as Reiko observed him silently, both sharing a similar past.

 

Hayato stood up and pointed at Ryu. "Hey, remember my mother, right?" Ryu turned to look at him and nodded.

 

"Yeah, she was beauty, wasn't she?" Ryu stated, surprising everyone. Then he turned his back to them and smirked. "But... Hayato is undoubtedly just like his father."

 

Everyone smiled, and Tsuchiya grinned. "Completely."

 

Reiko and her friends gathered at her café after school, reminiscing about the recent events. Hayato and the others had skipped school the next day after encountering Hayato's father. Reiko sat at the café, recounting the story to her friends.

 

"Can you believe it? Hayato didn't even introduce you to his dad. How does that make you feel, Queen?" Daisuke teased, prompting a side glance from Reiko and an eye roll.

 

"Cut it out," she muttered, while Euna and Shuriko chuckled.

 

"I think it's because his dad rarely comes back home since he drives a trailer truck. It probably never occurred to him," Shuriko reasoned, and Euna nodded in agreement.

 

"Yeah, give your man a break. With all the fights and friend problems, he forgets about his own issues," Shuriko added, causing Euna to burst into laughter. Reiko couldn't help but join in as she stretched out on the couch. Suddenly, her stomach growled loudly, catching the attention of the others, who burst into laughter.

 

"Well, what does Reiko's tummy want to eat?" Shuriko asked, grinning.

 

"Since I passed that stupid exam, it's on me! Let's go to Kumai's Ramen shop," Reiko declared, and everyone cheered, except for Mizuo, who smirked.

 

Reiko and the rest of the West Side made their way to the Ramen Shop. Mizuo entered first but stood idly, causing Reiko to accidentally bump into his back. "Hey Mizuo, why are you just standing there?" Reiko grumbled, rubbing her nose. Euna, Shuriko, and Daisuke looked on from the side, amused.

 

"Salty-ra and Soy-ra, please," a familiar voice called out. Mizuo stepped out of the entrance, revealing Hayato working alongside Kuma inside the shop. Reiko's eyes widened with curiosity.

 

"Alright," Kuma responded as Hayato went inside and clumsily started washing dishes. Kuma noticed this and stopped the young man. "No, no, don't do it like that. Look, you do this and then this. That's how you do it," Kuma instructed, teaching Hayato the proper way to wash the dishes.

 

"Oh, I see," Hayato exclaimed, amazed by the technique.

 

"You don't do this at home, do you?" Kuma asked, to which Hayato guiltily looked away.

 

"What's he doing here?" Daisuke asked.

 

"Well, look at that. Someone's being a hardworking man," Euna commented, and Reiko smiled. They entered the shop and sat at a table by the window, waiting for someone to take their order.

 

Reiko watched Hayato as Kuma patiently taught him. Suddenly, two young kids approached Kuma, saying they were hungry. Kuma instructed them to sit at one of the available tables. Reiko smiled at them, and they nodded in response. In that moment, Reiko and Hayato's gazes met, one filled with amusement and the other with surprise.

 

"Ahh, Reiko," Hayato murmured. Kuma noticed the new guests and remembered that one of them was Yamaguchi's student.

 

"Oh, that one is your classmate? You can go to them and take their order first," Kuma suggested, and Hayato nodded as he walked over to their table.

 

"What are you all doing here?" Hayato asked.

 

"You left your girl with us, and she's hungry," Daisuke playfully replied. Hayato shook his head.

 

"Well, Reiko-chan said it's her treat since she passed the exam at Tokyo U," Shuriko explained. Hayato looked at Reiko blankly, and she met his gaze with quiet resolve.

 

"I'm hungry. I'll have Shoyu Ramen with an extra serving of chashu," Reiko replied, avoiding his gaze, sensing its meaning. Mizuo glanced at Reiko and then at Hayato before quickly placing an order to avoid any explanations later. Following Mizuo and Reiko, Daisuke, Shuriko, and Euna placed their orders, along with some bulk orders.

 

Reiko suddenly looked at them. "Hey guys, are you trying to stuff yourselves just because it's my treat?"

 

"Well, it's a rare occasion, so why not?" Shuriko replied with a grin. Hayato smiled and repeated their orders without writing anything down, which amused Reiko.

 

Hayato returned to Kuma, who acknowledged their order with a nod. Hayato then noticed an auntie in her thirties getting ready to leave and bid her farewell.

 

Ryu, Takeda, Tsuchiya, and Hyuga were outside, greeting Hayato.

 

"Oh, the guys are here," Shuriko noticed as everyone looked up, still waiting for their orders. "Looks like they're going to help him."

 

"Probably," Mizuo murmured, while Reiko leaned on the table.

 

Suddenly, more guests entered the shop, making it busy for Hayato and Kuma to handle. The boys quickly entered the shop and approached Kuma, offering to help out. Ryu glanced at Reiko and the West Side group waiting for their orders, nodded in acknowledgment, and Kumai provided them with uniforms.

 

A few minutes later, Reiko and the others' orders were ready. Hayato quietly placed all the food on the table. "Enjoy your food," he said, looking at Reiko.

 

"You didn't tell me," he murmured. Reiko looked at him, roughly splitting the wooden chopsticks.

 

"I texted you yesterday, ," she murmured back. Mizuo and the others watched the couple exchange words.

 

"We didn't talk yesterday," Hayato argued.

 

"You were too busy dealing with your own problems with your dad," Reiko replied. "You didn't even introduce me to your dad." Hayato was taken aback, while Reiko began slurping her noodles and avoided his gaze. He sighed, bowed to them, and left the area to attend to other orders.

 

The four friends looked at Reiko silently. Shuriko nudged Daisuke. "Are those two fighting right in front of us? Seriously? This afternoon?" Daisuke shook his head before eating some gyoza and slurping the noodle soup.

 

 

A few minutes later, Reiko approached Ryu to settle the bill for their food order. Reluctantly, she handed the cash to Ryu, who glanced at her while checking the payment. "Are you fighting with him now?" Reiko clicked her tongue in annoyance as Ryu handed the change to his cousin.

 

"We're leaving now, Ryu-nii," she muttered as she headed towards her friends. Hayato noticed her preparing to leave the restaurant. Luckily, there were fewer customers than before.

 

"Hey, Reiko," Hayato called out, but she didn't pause or look at him. Her friends watched quietly from the back, observing their interaction. Hayato approached his lover and gently held her arm.

 

Reiko glared at him and roughly yanked her arm back. "We have nothing to talk about. We're leaving," she said, quickly walking out of the shop, leaving her friends and Hayato stunned.

 

Mizuo coughed, catching Hayato's attention. He looked hurt and confused. "Just give her some time, Yabuki," Mizuo advised. Hayato sighed, nodded, and bid them goodbye before returning to help at Kumai's shop.

 

 

 

At Masaki Reiko's residence, Reiko and Mizuo were relaxing after accompanying Euna home and seeing Shuriko and Daisuke off to their own residences. Reiko prepared tea for both of them and placed it on the table in front of the couch where they sat. Mizuo sighed as he glanced at Reiko and asked, "So, what's all this fuss about?"

 

"What do you mean?" Reiko replied, sitting beside Mizuo with a cushion pillow on her lap, sitting Indian style.

 

"You're giving Hayato the cold shoulder just because of a misunderstanding," Mizuo pointed out. Reiko rested her head against the couch comfortably.

 

"I don't know what you're talking about."

 

"Try not to dwell on these emotions for too long, or you might regret it," Mizuo warned, looking at Reiko in the eye. She shrugged her shoulders in response.

 

"By the way," Mizuo suddenly remembered something important. "I heard that some shops near Kumai's Ramen Shop are closing down. There are plans to build a big apartment complex there."

 

Reiko paused, took a sip of her tea, and sighed. "Could you look into that matter?" Mizuo nodded.

 

"I'm worried that Kumai might have been visited by those who want to shut down his shop... and your lover might get involved."

 

Reiko looked down and nodded. "I hope not."