Are you joking?

"Do you like me?"

Upon hearing these words, Ren's attention shifted to this matter, not paying much heed to the change in his name.

Compared to this, the change in the title is not significant.

"Yes, are you happy now?"

Observing his reaction, a slight brightness appeared in Ichika's smile.

"Not really." Ren shook his head.

"Hm?"

His response was a bit unexpected.

When Ren hears someone say they like him, even if he remains expressionless, he would at least feel embarrassed. But why does he seem completely indifferent now?

"It seems you don't believe what I just said?" After a moment of thought, Ichika feels she has identified the issue.

"Are you joking?"

After this period of learning, Ren finally noticed a pattern.

These ambiguous words initiated by girls towards him, basically, they were all jokes, or it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were all jokes.

This was his own experience.

After all, Raphiel used the excuse of joking to often say something to him, like being with him and kissing him.

Therefore, gradually, Ren became immune to such conversations.

He's not a fool; after all this time, it's only natural for him not to learn anything.

Moreover, Raphiel did say she liked him a little.

Ren didn't take it seriously last time, so it's certainly impossible for him to take it seriously now.

"So, you consider my sincere words as a joke..."

Hearing this, Ichika's eyes immediately reddened, tears almost flowing, and the previous smile completely disappeared.

Seeing her like this, Ren fell silent. After a few moments, he hesitantly asked, "Is this acting?"

The word acting is something he learned after Ichika said she wanted to become an actress, so it fits to use it here.

"Eh?! How did you know?"

Ichika was stunned, and the tearful expression suddenly vanished.

"The expression was unnatural." Ren said.

When Ichika's expression changed, he knew she wouldn't really cry but was just acting.

Thanks to his extraordinary powers of observation and perception, he could see fake expression changes in an instant.

However, Ichika's acting skills are indeed excellent, and it took him a moment to make sure she was acting and not sincere.

All he could say is she's worthy of being an actor.

"I almost cried instantly. Can that be considered an unnatural expression?" Ichika wiped her eyes with a tissue and looked very confused.

"It seems so to me."

Maybe for others, instantly crying might be a big deal, but for Ren, as long as someone wants to cry, it's very easy.

"It seems I haven't learned enough during this period."

Ichika linked her acting ability to what seemed like a lack of learning due to a short study period, not suspecting that it's Ren's issue.

"Is this what you learned at the office?" Ren asked casually.

"Not just that, there are also dialogues and other basic skills for some actors." Ichika sighed, "I haven't been to the office for a long time, and there's still a lot I need to learn."

"So that's it."

He's not interested in becoming an actor; he just wants to know a little and satisfy his curiosity.

"And my acting teacher is very strict and has very high requirements." Ichika complained.

"Is it challenging?"

Strictness implies hard work, which can be considered reasonable.

"Very challenging! I don't have much free time, and I have to juggle studying and work. It's really tough."

"Is that why you're so stressed?"

Ren feels like he understands something.

"Of course, but we can't do anything about it." Ichika sighed.

"Impossible?"

"Yes, it's not easy to become an actress."

After saying this, Ichika smiled again.

"However, my acting teacher praised me for being very talented. For example, it didn't take me long to learn acting skills that almost made me cry."

"Keep it up."

"Is your encouragement just empty words?" Ichika seems not to approve of his encouragement. "At first, you said you would support me. It's not enough without practical actions."

"What should I do then?"

Ren doesn't know what other form of encouragement there is.

"Do you want me to choose?"

Ichika doesn't know what Ren is thinking and stares at him strangely.

"Choose what?" Ren pays attention to choice of words.

"Of course, I have to choose a place where I can relax." Ichika explains with a smile, "Otherwise, what do you think I would choose?"

"Sorry, I don't know where to relax."

Ren really doesn't understand this information.

"It's okay. Besides, I don't want to relax now. Let's wait until summer vacation. Maybe I'll have time then."

Ichika takes out her phone and checks the time.

"Are you busy?" Ren asks hesitantly.

Ichika explains, "Yes, because there's too much to learn, I have to go to the office these two days on the weekend, and I don't have any free time. If nothing happens during summer vacation, I have to stay at the office. If it's good, I can rest for two or three days."

"What about now?"

Ichika took the initiative to ask him out, and she seems to have no free time.

"It's lunchtime now, about an hour and a half. I have to go back to the office later."

Placing her phone on the table, Ichika picks up the untouched menu on the table and hands it to Ren.

"Okay, we've talked for a long time and haven't ordered anything. You can order whatever you want to eat. I'll treat you. Thanks for being someone to talk to."

"Um."

No wonder he always felt something was missing; turns out there's nothing.

He almost forgot.