At noon, the willows were still lush and green. As soon as the bell rang for the end of class, countless uniforms formed a picturesque scene. The boys and girls pouring out of the building flowed towards the cafeteria under the sunlight. Logan listened to the familiar yet distant sounds of laughter and felt surrounded by the vibrant energy of youth.
"Isn't it great?" Logan, with the mindset of someone in their thirties, began to contemplate life deeply.
"It really is great." David walked next to Logan and used him as a shield, and his eyes almost never stopped wandering, "The freshmen girls... this is the joy of being a senior, huh?"
"..." Logan squinted at the other party, "Hey, can you not ruin the mood?"
Quite a few fresh-faced girls walked by, their pants altered to be more form-fitting. Whether freshmen or seniors, tall or short, slim or chubby, each had their own charm. In fact, it is very meaningful to look at it in a rigorous academic spirit.
While eating, David still kept looking around, chattering about random topics, while his head swiveling like a fan. Every time he saw a particularly valuable 'research subject', he would sigh as if enlightened, and his expressions was extremely rich.
Regarding this kind of behavior, Logan could only eat in silence, feeling that he had made a poor choice of friends.
"Wow, Logan, there's that senior with the long black hair again. Hiss, she's wearing a white shirt today. Your guess of a C cup was spot on. Truly, your sharp eyes are admirable..."
"Shut up!"
…
The entire lunch was spent with David's tireless commentary. When they returned to the classroom, before the class started, David began talking about anime, cosplay, allowance amounts, and fair-skinned, long-legged girls. His conversations spanned various topics with dreams of splurging money one day.
On the other side of the classroom, a cute, petite girl with a well-proportioned figure was smiling and talking to about a dozen classmates. She held a piece of paper in her hand and said that there was still a shortage of people for the fun sport day this week. Asking if there's anyone willing to sign up.
It's Diane, the literature committee member. She had a refined appearance, gentle speech, and a warm smile. Most of the class gathered around her, asking questions, creating a harmonious scene. This is a normal high school behavior, okay?!
However, although Diane's publicity effect was good, very few people signed up in the end. Being good-looking, gentle, and popular was one thing, but the fun sports day event is a bit of a trap, because many projects are aimed at 'fun', so they are not allowed to walk normally, and they are not allowed to turn normally when turning in circles. They must use strange postures to compete for victory. This is why it is very disliked by the image-conscious high school sophomores.
No one responded, and Diane was a little embarrassed. One of her best friends winked at her, then she looked at the registration form in her hand that still hadn't been completely filled, stood there stubbornly for a while, and then repeated her request in a gentle voice.
No one said anything. The scholarly-looking female class monitor coughed, stood up to save the situation, and then two boys with soft hearts also signed up. But when asked again, there were no more volunteers.
'Still short by one…' Diane sighed inwardly. There was nothing she could do. Just as she was about to step down, she caught sight of the lazy squad in the corner. At this time, Logan was being pestered by David. Biting her lip lightly, Diane walked over.
"Logan, do you want to sign up?"
David's words stopped abruptly. After all, his words are not suitable for children. When he saw Diane taking the initiative to talk to them, he winked at Logan as if he was convulsed.
"Ah, oh, sign up, huh?" Logan was already tired of David's repetitive chatter about girls, and then looked at the girl in front of him.
A familiar face, maturing from its youthful look to something more striking. The parents on both sides have known each other because their children are attending the same school for many years. The memories of elementary school and junior high school gradually blurred. Those childhood games and conversations faded with distance and self-doubt, becoming memories too faint to savor.
This was a gentle flower on a branch, a literary girl who read and played the piano. Standing close, there was a fragrance described in the novel coming from her, but Logan's gaze was already calm when he looks at her.
"Well, about signing up, sorry..."
Logan had no way of knowing how he would have faced it in the past. In the second week of September, the weather was still very hot. In the classroom where he had been for more than a year, Diane felt that the person in front of her seemed to have become more unfamiliar and distant.
The clock beside the blackboard had been hanging on that wall for who knows how long. In another long wait, its hands slowly moved to five o'clock.
"Logan, you said you wouldn't go last time, but now she's asking again and you're still refusing. You're really heartless, not even giving face to a childhood friend." David lamented and sighed, with an angry look on his face.
Logan shrugged and was too lazy to respond. He packed his schoolbag and said goodbye before walking out of the classroom.
On the bus, Logan put the matter behind him. Holding onto the handrail, he looked at the route map posted inside the bus. Instead of getting off at his usual stop, he went against the evening rush to the city center.
Out of necessity, he needed to make money. Logan secretly regretted why he didn't bring some gold when he came back. Although he could make up for it next time, he couldn't just try nothing now.
Gold is actually not easy to get. His savings in Konoha are mostly in paper currency, and converting it into gold was unlikely. The only way to get gold is to loot the treasury of a small country. However, it wasn't feasible since he had just returned to Konoha and was about to start a part-time job as a teaching assistant. He couldn't act as freely as he did during his three-year training.
Modern technology's ability to detect anomalies was also not to be underestimated. Logan wouldn't use Ninjutsu unnecessarily to cause trouble. After thinking it over, he decided he had to earn money honestly.
What he wanted is a way to make money that is easy and can make a lot of it. Based on his own actual situation, Logan decided to try being a martial arts instructor that he had thought about before.
Reality, however, was harsh. Logan visited several martial arts gyms, Sanda and Taekwondo's training classes. The receptionists were very enthusiastic when he entered the door. When they heard that Logan was applying for a teaching position, their expressions immediately turned to one of dealing with a troublesome kid. They won't even give him a chance to demonstrate his ability. With a young student face, no relevant certification, and not looking like a muscle-bound hunk, not to mention the coach, even being a sparring partner is not possible for him.
Feeling awkward, Logan watched the groups of young people practicing under a middle-aged instructor he could easily defeat. Resisting the urge to challenge them, he left and didn't bother visiting the last place on his list.
Walking along the bustling street, Logan sighed, blaming himself for underestimating the complexities of societal operations.
After adjusting his mood, Logan continued looking for ordinary part-time jobs. This yielded some results. Since he was carrying a schoolbag and looked like an honest student, many stores are willing to consider him. However, the work hours clashed with his schedule. Working three to four hours into the evening wasn't practical outside summer or winter breaks, and his parents wouldn't approve of him neglecting his studies.
'It seems that the shadow clone is still needed.' Logan secretly thought. Having a clone at home would greatly improve safety, as staying indoors would avoid exposure, thus keeping his secret.
After wandering around and leaving a bubble tea shop, Logan was slightly disappointed. The hourly wage of part-time work was really low. Saving money at this rate would be a long-term project. He roamed most of the city center until dusk. Only after leaving a bar did he feel a bit more satisfied and took the bus home.
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