Graduation Ceremony and Itsuki's Request

　Zhou bit his yawn while looking at the principal who greeted him with a stern look on the stage.

　The day of the graduation ceremony has arrived, but I am listening to the principal who is on stage with no particular emotion. It's boring to the point where I honestly want to go to sleep.

　Most of the students around him seemed to feel the same way; only a few were listening intently, and the majority were either just playing along or looking sleepily at the podium.

　There was no way he could openly look bored, so while he put on a serious expression, Shuu listened casually as he was anxious for the conversation to end quickly.

　If this was their own graduation ceremony, they would have been deeply moved, but since it was a completion ceremony, they wouldn't feel any emotion.

　It's a shame to say this, but it didn't matter, so Zhou spent a boring time pretending to be an honor student.

"…Ah, my shoulders are stiff."

"The principal's story is long."

　When we returned to the classroom after the ceremony, everyone was saying these words out loud.

　Even so, the reason why my voice is still bouncy is probably because I have about two weeks of freedom waiting for me after homeroom is over.

　 Shuu sighs softly as he watches his classmates smile at the thought of finally being freed from boring classes.

　Spring break starts tomorrow, how did you spend it?

　For the time being, I showed my face to my parents the other day, so I think it's fine not to go home due to transportation costs, but it's getting relatively free. Even if I do some preparation for the second year, I still have time.

　Even if I try to work part-time for a short period of time, I haven't found the job I'm looking for beforehand, so I don't have enough days, and the only friends I hang out with on my days off are Itsuki and Chitose.

"Hey, hey, Zhou-kun."

　Itsuki, who I had just talked about in my head, spoke to me from behind.

　When I looked back, I had a really refreshing smile...for Zhou, it was a smile that even felt suspicious, and I had a bad feeling about it. Itsuki smiled like this when she asked for something or when she brought in trouble.

"what is it"

"Are you free from tomorrow?"

"Well, I have some free time."

"Yeah, yeah, that's what I thought. Good, good."

"...what is it"

　Itsuki, with a big smile on his face, tapped the bag hanging next to his seat.

　Yesterday, I brought a lot of stuff home and emptied my lockers and desks, but there was a lot of stuff. I don't have class today, so my luggage should be nothing more than a pencil case, files, and wallet, but I'm packing up some unnatural things.

"...it is?"

"Change of clothes"

"Why?"

"Stay overnight."

　It can't be helped that Shuu's face turned into a grimace as she begged him in a bouncy and flattering voice that almost had a heart symbol at the end of the sentence.

"Hey, do you know what spinach is?"

"I know, I know, it's noisy every night we visit."

"That's just a nuisance to the neighborhood at night, you idiot. Are you trying to make a scene?"

"I'm just kidding. It's true that I was staying the night."

　Basically, Itsuki rarely misses contact in advance.

　In that case, something suddenly happened that required me to stay overnight, but I can't think of any such circumstances.

"I had a fight with my father in the morning."

　As if to answer Shu's questions, Itsuki easily revealed the situation.

"…about Chitose?"

"Hmm. When my father gets angry, he won't listen to me for a few days. I don't think it's okay for him to stay at Chii's house. Even though Chii's parents will accept it, it's still a bad idea."

"You mean it's fine with me?"

"I thought you could stay the night."

　I guess they thought it would be okay since they had stayed there several times when the room wasn't tidy.

　As for Shuu, it's not that he doesn't like staying overnight.

　The only problem is whether Mahiru, who comes to make the meal, will not like it.

　Isn't it quite painful to be forced into angel mode in a place where Mahiru is supposed to rest?

　She only shows herself to Amane, so she will try to hide it in front of Itsuki.

　Another problem is that recently, Mahiru has been acting strangely cute and embarrassed, so I can't help but think of him as the opposite sex, but I'm afraid Itsuki will see it and make an unintentional misunderstanding.

"...I'll contact him once."

　I needed to know Mahiru's intentions, so I sent him a message. He'll probably send me a shopping memo once before he goes home, so I'll probably notice it then.

　Itsuki let out a sigh of admiration for some reason when Zhou sent a message with familiar movements.

"What, are you even living together?"

"I'll just roll you out on the floor without heating or futon."

"Should I praise you for your kindness in letting me stay, or should I lament the coldness that makes you freeze to death?"

"I want to lament about your delusions."

　I looked at him and asked, ``What the hell are you talking about?'' Itsuki shrugged.

　This is where I want to shrug my shoulders. I don't want Mahiru to be bothered by some strange misunderstanding.

　Itsuki can somehow read the atmosphere, so I don't think he'll mess around with Midday, but it's a little depressing to be slightly teased when Midday isn't around.

　While I was sighing at Itsuki's smile, it seemed that he was touching his smartphone in the middle of the day.

"Say ok."

"Yay, I can eat home-cooked food."

"That's not what you're looking for."

"There were a few. I guess I wanted to try the food that Shu praised so much."

"...Don't cause trouble for him."

"I'll call it to you, but I won't call it to that person."

"Don't call me either."

　When I tapped Itsuki's forehead with a smile, he said, ``Go away!'' and laughed happily, making Shuu sigh deeply at how showy this was.