The Unexpected Answer
"Don't know."
Ren doesn't know much about this, so he can't answer.
"Never mind, let's wait until the summer vacation is over. We can't get any results from the discussion now."
Seeing he doesn't understand, Gabriel abandons the idea of giving a gift for now.
After thinking about it, she continues, "By the way, Kamikawa, you can find out what Kirisu Sensei likes during the summer vacation so that you can easily buy a gift after the summer vacation."
"Yes." Ren nods.
"Also, it's okay even if you can't get useful information from anything else. It doesn't matter. You don't need to worry too much." Considering her strange logic, Gabriel adds specifically.
If she doesn't say this specifically, Ren might think about how to test Mafuyu during this summer vacation.
She's confident Ren can do something like that.
"Um."
After hearing what she said, Ren also lowers his requirements for himself and no longer forces himself to test her.
After choosing snacks and paying the bill, Gabriel and Ren leave the convenience store together.
Ren is responsible for carrying two bags of snacks, while Gabriel follows, taking out a pack of snacks from the bag to taste from time to time.
Of course, she doesn't forget Ren and will give him a taste.
"Just two more weeks until the final exams, then the summer vacation. Time passes so quickly!"
After putting the newly tasted snack bag back into the bag, Gabriel remembers this and starts talking.
Originally, she wanted to use these two weeks to teach him common sense for surviving alone, but after entrusting it to Mafuyu, she gave up on the teaching idea.
The main reason is that after she teaches him, he won't need it.
She doesn't want to be a tool that only cooks for Ren.
"Do you need me to teach you?"
Talking about the final exams, Ren remembers Gabriel's last exam results and what she said about asking him to help guide her during the exam period.
Now it's clear that the exam time is approaching.
"Mhm..."
Gabriel hesitates a bit. Even though the one teaching her is Ren, she still refuses to learn.
"Never mind. I might not pass with my grades; I won't be demoted to a failing grade and need to take makeup exams." Gabriel is still a bit confident about her grades.
"Um."
After being rejected, Ren doesn't say anything and just walks calmly.
"If only life could last forever."
After walking for a while, Gabriel sighs while looking at the apartment building not far away and Ren beside her.
Compared to the monotonous and unchanging life in heaven, life on earth during this period is clearly more interesting.
Not only are there games in the world, but also Ren...
"Will do."
As Gabriel looks at him, Ren responds softly.
"That's good." Gabriel says with a smile.
...
The next day, during noon.
"Naoki, here!"
Nino stands under the shade of a tree, watching Ren walking towards her with lifted steps, and inevitably greets him.
She hasn't seen Naoki for a long time, so she could only alleviate her longing by sending messages. Now that she can finally go on a date again, she must be a bit excited.
"Good day."
After confirming Nino's position, Ren approaches and takes the initiative to greet.
"Good day." Nino naturally comes up to him and holds his arm. "It's a bit hot here. Let's go to the mall first."
To go on a date with him, she dressed carefully today, and the weather is very hot today, but she easily sweats, causing her makeup to smudge.
If she didn't want to meet him beforehand, she wouldn't wait outside in such hot weather.
"Um."
Ren doesn't refuse her arrangement.
"We have final exams soon."
After entering the mall and discreetly using the mirror to make sure there's nothing wrong with her makeup, Nino takes the initiative to bring up the topic.
"Yes?"
Although Ren has known about the final exams for a long time, he doesn't know Naoki's identity, so he can only pretend not to know anything.
Fortunately, being expressionless doesn't require acting skills, and he doesn't need to worry that Nino will realize that he's acting weird.
"I'm very sure that I will succeed in the final exams this time."
Thinking that the after-school practice given by Ren is basically a perfect experience, Nino is very confident when saying this, and she's not worried at all about putting up any flags.
"It seems like you've studied very hard during this period." Ren praises.
"Right, I've worked hard to get the reward you mentioned." Nino deliberately mentions this, "Are you ready with the gift you gave me?"
Anyway, this is her main motivation for studying hard.
"... "
Ren doesn't know what to say because he's completely unprepared.
"Are you so busy that you forgot?"
Nino doesn't mean to blame him at all; instead, she is very considerate and looks for reasons for him.
"Yes." Ren admits smoothly.
"Then what should I do with the gift you gave me?" Nino looks a bit dissatisfied, "I don't want your hasty gift."
"Whatever you want, I can give it to you." Ren gives her the choice.
This is something wrong and not well thought out.
"It's simple. I want you to accompany me to the summer fireworks show."
After hearing his words, Nino smiles and throws out a request she has already thought of.
A fireworks show?
Ren is no stranger to this term, and it can even be said that he is quite familiar with it.
"Yes, that's the gift I want." Nino looks at him hopefully.
A fireworks show is very suitable for important matters.
"Sorry, I can't accompany you to the fireworks show. Can you choose something else?"
Because he will go to the fireworks show with Gabriel, Ren can only refuse her invitation.
"Eh?"
The smile on Nino's face freezes, and she didn't expect the other party to reject her.
In her expectations, he should agree.
After calming her emotions and almost unable to hold back her smile, she asks, "Why? Do you have plans with someone else that day?"