After deciding to give up, he started to gain popularity

But it can only be attributed to the fact that Chika has done something to offend Kaguya. After all, she is dull and stupid, and does things as she pleases without considering the consequences. It is normal for such a situation to occur, but Kaguya essentially dotes on her as her childhood sweetheart.

So the question is - what about him? Would a proud girl like Kaguya really compromise and accept such a close contact with him just because "holding hands is a rule"?

What's more, they had not only maintained this level of closeness just now, but even used a more intimate method.

Yes, he could attribute the reason to the emergence of the other person's other personality of "young Kaguya" who liked to act like a spoiled child, but that was just a change of personality. His essential emotions towards people wouldn't change drastically because of it, right?

Not only that, you can also get a glimpse of clues in your daily interactions.

It was fine at first, as he could often feel Kaguya giving him that fake business smile, and even giving him malicious looks. He could feel the naked chill even without her saying anything, but he didn't feel distressed. Instead, he felt that this was how Kaguya Shinomiya should be.

Then, with his unremitting efforts, she was able to gradually show him a sincere smile in the process of getting along, and her tone was not as confrontational as at the beginning.

At that time, he felt that his efforts had paid off. Kaguya had upgraded him from the level of "someone who could be used" to "someone who could get along with others", and even regarded him as a friend like Chika.

But now think about it, is everything really as he thought?

Would someone with Kaguya's personality be able to show him such a kind and gentle smile just because she considers him a friend? Would she be able to accept holding hands with a boy like him, or even have more intimate actions? Not to mention that she often shows him a coquettish and willful look recently.

Even though there were indeed a few times when her other personality emerged, it seemed that he had clearly seen her lovely appearance on other occasions. It couldn't be that it was all because of her other personality, right?

He didn't believe that.

So I thought maybe... this was because she actually had some feelings for him?

Because they have enough affection for each other, they are willing to get close to each other and can accept some more intimate interactions, just like him and Mahiru. Although their relationship has not reached the level of dating, the interaction below is not a problem at all.

Of course, this could also be because of Chika. As Kaguya's only friend, the two had been together for many years, and Chika's behavior pattern must have influenced Kaguya to some extent. That's why she sometimes unconsciously shows him the same character as Chika, who likes to act coquettishly and playfully.

Both situations are possible, and this is something he cannot decide just by reasoning. Only by asking Kaguya in person can he know whether she really has a "more than friends, less than lovers" feeling for him or it is because of something else.

But could he go to her in person and ask her for clarification? Obviously, this was impossible.

Because if he really did that, he would look like an arrogant narcissist who would even go to girls to ask "Do you like him?"

What decent boy would dare to do such a thing? I'm afraid he must be so shameless that even a city wall cannot compare to it.

Although the two seem to be slightly different, they are essentially exactly the same. Let alone Kaguya, even if you ask Mahiru, who has the closest relationship with him, you will only get this answer from her -

"Kanade is so narcissistic! Although you are a very good person, it is not enough to be a lover."

Because she had rejected him before, rejected his confession, and acted very angry about it, so he chose to let go and leave instead of pestering her.

It's because I was worried that my existence might cause trouble to the other person.

I just didn't expect that Mahiru was willing to continue interacting with him, even though not as a lover. But she would also consider the feelings of his friend very carefully, and was even willing to spend more time to take care of him... Why did it feel like she seemed to feel guilty about him again?

Xiachuan Zou quickly shook his head, feeling that he couldn't let his imagination run wild any longer.

He shouldn't doubt Mahiru's sincerity, or rather, no matter what the truth was, it was true that they were still good friends, and he shouldn't let other unnecessary things affect their relationship again.

As for Kaguya...

Forget it, there's no point in thinking so much, it will only make him more troubled.

Xiachuan Kanade sighed and felt that he shouldn't worry too much about these things.

After all, the current way of getting along is very good, and there are so many familiar friends around him, so he will no longer feel lonely. He also believes that as long as he is willing to call them, he will definitely get a response, and these can also become his motivation to continue working hard.

166. It seems that he doesn’t need to explain...

When we found Ying Lili, the little golden retriever was sitting alone on a stone block, with her cheeks supported by her hands, seemingly in a daze.

Natsukawa Kanade came over and said apologetically, "Sorry, Eriri, I must have kept you waiting."

He estimated the time based on past experience, but he didn't expect that this time the game content would change so drastically due to the intervention of Fujiwara Chika and the others, and Kaguya's foot injury also delayed a lot of time.

This led to the current situation - the test of courage competition was already halfway through, but he had just fulfilled his promise with Kaguya.

Fortunately, I have found Eriri now, so it should be no problem for me to accompany her throughout the whole process. However, this will put trouble on Mahiru's side, and we might not have enough time...

After hearing Natsukawa Kanade's voice, Eriri came back to her senses all of a sudden and couldn't help but smile.

No, I didn’t wait long either—that’s what she wanted to say, but when the words came to her lips, they turned into a complaining tone: “Really, you’re too slow!”

"Sorry, sorry, I really can't get away..." Xia Chuan Zou bowed his head and apologized again.

"No, it's okay. I understand. After all, Kanade is the student council president. He must be very busy with work at this time... and! Actually, I didn't wait very long, haha..." Eriri quickly waved her hands to explain.

Just now, she accidentally returned to her true nature. She had clearly made up her mind to correct her awkward personality. Fortunately, he didn't care about it. What if he got angry and left?

Ying Lili thought secretly in her heart.

Obviously, if it were in the past, she would never be so easy to talk to, let alone wait until now. If the other party was just a little late, she would be impatient and want to go back to her room and not come out.

But as her mood gradually brightened, and she realized that she was infatuated with this guy, the situation changed completely. Even someone like her who liked to stay at home could muster up the courage to take the initiative to ask him to participate in this kind of activity that only real people would participate in...

It was so amazing that she could only like this kind of feeling. She never thought she could do it to this extent.

"Uh..." Xiachuan Zou hesitated.

In fact, he was not busy with work, it was completely a personal matter. This statement made him feel so ashamed...

For a moment he wanted to explain the truth to Eriri, but when he thought about it carefully, it was not right to explain in front of a girl, "Actually, I was just accompanying another girl, not busy with student union work."

There's a feeling... that he doesn't understand the atmosphere and seems like a real scumbag.

Anyway, let's just default...

So Natsukawa Kanade said, "Let's not talk about this for now. Let's go to the Test of Courage Conference. The content of this event is quite good. Even if you are afraid of these things, it doesn't matter. The experience is worth it."

"I, I'm not scared, okay? I was just scared by that guy Kasumigaoka last time!" Eriri was so angry that she became a rolling ball beast.

She didn't want to be called a coward by the other party. It was obvious that the stinky woman Kasumigaoka was the one who was really scared. When he came out of the haunted house, his face was scared pale. And she just made a little louder voice halfway through!

Isn't it obvious who the coward is? !

"Eh? That's not right. Why do you, Kanade, know the content of the game?" Eriri suddenly realized something.

"..." Xia Chuanzou felt that something was not good. A casual remark of hers actually aroused the suspicion of this golden retriever. She had always been stupid before... so naive that she would never consider such things.

"actually……"

"Oh, I understand!" Ying Lili suddenly raised her head, with a look of sudden enlightenment on her face.

"I'm so stupid! I almost forgot that you're the student council president! For a large-scale event like this, your student council will definitely get involved, right?"

"..."

"If you think about it carefully, maybe the entire test of courage this time was also completed by your student union..." Eriri nodded frequently and then commented.

"I know that too. Not only this kind of test of courage competition, but other large-scale events like cultural festivals seem to be under the charge of the student union... When I think about it, the power of our school's student union is really great..." Eriri said with emotion.

Don't be fooled by her appearance that she knows a lot. In fact, she is not the kind of person who cares about these things, either in the past or now. The reason why she can say these things is entirely because someone is serving in the student union and is even the serving student union president.

In order to create some topics when they were together, she went out of her way to find out more about him. Unexpectedly, she found out about the gossip between him and a certain girl...

The key is that this is all true! Because at that time he really became the kind of person who was "pursuing someone" again, and he was so unresponsive that even his line replies were very perfunctory.

She was very scared at the time, afraid that he would succeed in his pursuit. If that happened, given his personality, she would probably have no chance at all...

Fortunately, it is not too late now. As long as she works hard enough, even a stupid guy like her can fall in love with him again!

After explaining his ideas in one breath, the little golden retriever turned up his nose and made a cute expression as if asking for praise.

Of course, Eriri would never admit it. Even if Natsukawa Kanade really leaned over and touched her head and directly praised her, "As expected of Eriri, you know so much," she would still push his hand away in disgust, and then say to him with a shameful expression, "You, you, what are you doing, who allowed you to touch my head!!!"

In short, this guy is just such an awkward tsundere, but because he is so cute, even his look of disdain for others can be regarded as a kind of lovable cuteness.

But at this moment, Xiachuan Zou had something more important to worry about. At this point, he couldn't even say that he was actually with another girl before...

I thought Eriri had discovered that he had participated in the game, and then she would ask him who he went with before. Of course, he would not lie to her, but I didn't expect her to explain it for him...

The key point is that her explanation is indeed correct. This event was indeed planned by their student union, but the game content was outsourced to the game club headed by Fujiwara Chika. However, Eriri must not know this, so her understanding is not wrong at all...

167. Even fools can be brave

"You... are right." Xia Chuanzo nodded stiffly.

He always felt guilty for cheating a fool.

"But none of this matters. Let's hurry up and go to the Test of Courage. I'm afraid if we delay any longer, we might be too late..."

Placing his hand over his chest, Natsukawa Kanade frantically tried to comfort himself in his heart - he had not lied to Eriri, he had just said it in a different way...

"Okay, let's go then." The little golden retriever nodded, then took the initiative to move over, got close to Xia Chuan Zou, and walked side by side with him.

So the latter took her hand naturally.

"?...!!!"

What...what's going on!!!

The little golden retriever's heart began to shake wildly.

Why...why did he suddenly hold her hand?!

Ah, of course not! It's just that she hasn't made any preparations yet... Her hands aren't dirty, are they? Are they too cold... Wait! What if her hands get sweaty later? She'll definitely be looked down upon!

Eriri's heart was shaken wildly.

But she was unwilling to let go because she might not have the courage to bring it up again later. But the more important thing was - what if she did that and was misunderstood by Zou as rejecting contact with him like this? She really didn't hate him!

...In short, let's take it one step at a time!

Ying Lili simply gave up thinking, her face blushing as she lowered her head slightly, her eyes occasionally glancing towards the place where the two people were connected, then slowly raising them up until she could clearly see the profile of the person next to her, and then she couldn't take her eyes away, she was almost obsessed with it.

The play is really beautiful (*^▽^*)

"..."

Natsukawa Zou, who was standing by, had no idea that the little golden retriever next to him was having so many wild thoughts. He just wanted to abide by the "rules of the game" - those participating in the test of courage had to hold hands throughout the whole process.

This was what Vice President Shigong told him himself, how could it be wrong?

Anyway, he definitely believed it. However, from my personal experience, this rule actually has a loophole, that is, "a 'breakup' not witnessed by the staff does not count as a violation of the rules."

Just like how they acted separately from Kaguya before, one person went to lure monsters while the other went to find items.

It would be fine if it happened once, but they had used the same trick so many times, so the staff must have noticed that they had split up into two groups, right? But since they, including the person in charge who came out later, did not bring this up, it naturally meant that there was nothing wrong with this method—

The "stealth" method they use is counted within the rules of the game.

This makes us have to praise Fujiwara Chika again. Although this girl has always been given the image of being unreliable and a pure fun-loving person, whether it was the earlier election campaign or the game session of this test of courage competition, she performed very well and handed him a high-scoring answer sheet that was far beyond his imagination.

Of course, the design of the "game" that tested human nature did scare him in the beginning, but the content of some other links was still very solid and good, both novel and interesting, much more interesting than the simple haunted house walking experience in previous years. He could even foresee how explosive the reputation of this year's Test of Courage would be, and for him this would also be a good achievement in his career as student council president.

Of course, what he cares more about is that since he has to participate in it three times in succession, if the content of the game itself is very boring, it will really be a torture for him.

Because he is not participating alone, he cannot choose to give up.

He had originally planned it out. No matter how boring or uninteresting the game was, in order to take his partners' feelings into consideration, he would definitely try his best to appear to be immersed in it and strive to give them a perfect "haunted house experience."

However, after participating in the whole process, he found that the reality was completely different from what he had imagined. This test of courage was not only not boring, but it really aroused his interest and made him get involved.

The only downside was that his first experience seemed to be the extremely difficult mode - completing most of the challenges while carrying Kaguya on his back...

All I can say is that it's a good thing that he started exercising consciously a long time ago, and his physical fitness has been well developed, otherwise he would have collapsed from exhaustion by now, let alone come here to fulfill his promise with Eriri and the others.

"..."

"..."

Holding Eriri's hand, Natsukawa Kanade led her all the way to the entrance square of the "special passage".