COTE: Horikita Is My Childhood Sweetheart

Chapter 132: This...your girlfriend?

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Mirai, who was focused on the oven, said casually, "Welcome."

When she turned around and saw Rin standing next to Ichinose, she couldn't help but let out a surprised, "Huh?"

"Rin, why are you here?"

"Boss, isn't it obvious? I'm here to support your business," Rin replied with a smile.

"Welcome, welcome," Mirai said warmly. Her gaze shifted to Ichinose, standing beside Rin. Narrowing her eyes slightly, she asked, "And who might this be? Your girlfriend?"

"No, no, no! I'm just Matsuoka-san's friend," Ichinose stammered, waving her hands in a panic. "Just friends, nothing more."

Mirai gave Rin a meaningful smile. If she remembered correctly, the long, bright red-haired girl who came with him yesterday was also "just a friend," wasn't she?

Facing her knowing expression, Rin responded with an awkward yet polite smile.

What's wrong with having friends?!

Sakura was his friend.

Ichinose was also his friend.

You can have only one girlfriend, but friends?

You can have countless!

"Hey, Ichinose, let's find a seat," Rin said, breaking the tension.

"Good idea," Ichinose replied quickly.

Mirai watched the two walk off to their table and muttered under her breath, "The red-haired girl from yesterday was stunning, with a great figure."

"Today's pink-haired girl is also gorgeous and has an amazing figure."

"All the girls Rin brings here are so outstanding. He's really popular with them."

Mirai glanced at Rin's handsome face and immediately felt it was only natural. A boy with looks like his should be popular with girls.

It'd be strange if he wasn't.

As a woman herself, Mirai knew very well that most girls are drawn to appearance first and foremost. Back in her youth, she also loved looking at handsome boys.

In truth, though, this wasn't limited to girls. Most people, regardless of gender, were influenced by appearances. Boys liked looking at pretty girls, and girls liked looking at handsome boys.

When people meet, the first thing they notice is how the other person looks. Appearance often determines whether you'll want to interact further or invest time to understand their personality.

After settling down, Rin ordered a cup of honey strawberry juice, while Ichinose opted for lemon tea.

A short while later, Mirai brought the drinks to their table.

"Boss, why Don't you throw in a free cake for us this time?" Rin joked.

Mirai gave him a wry smile. "Rin, why don't you assume I'm not giving you one this time?"

Ichinose looked back and forth between Rin and Mirai with some confusion. Their casual banter gave her the impression they were unusually close, almost like old friends.

"Did you not do well on your exams?" Rin teased.

"Nope," Mirai replied bluntly, giving him a pointed look. "I just don't feel like giving it away for free this time."

Then, shifting her gaze to Ichinose, who wore a slightly puzzled expression, she added, "But if you want cake, just name it—I'll treat you."

"Ah?" Ichinose looked bewildered. Waving her hands quickly, she said, "No, no, I'm not really in the mood for cake lately."

"Losing weight?" Mirai asked, her question cutting straight to the point as only another woman could.

"Uh…" A hint of embarrassment appeared on Ichinose's bright face. "Yes."

Mirai glanced at Ichinose's noticeably full chest and turned away, muttering under her breath, "This girl's chest is so big, she should slim that down instead."

Rin chuckled as he looked at Ichinose's flustered expression. "Ichinose, you're not fat. Why do you feel the need to lose weight?"

"Please, Matsuoka-san, stop talking," Ichinose replied shyly, her cheeks flushed crimson.

The truth was, Ichinose had weighed herself that morning and was shocked to discover she had gained 0.3 catties. Resolving to cut out high-sugar milk teas and cakes, she decided to opt for a healthier choice today.

This was why she had ordered a cup of lemon tea earlier instead of her usual.

Lemon tea, with its low-calorie count, not only avoids contributing to weight gain but also aids digestion and can promote weight loss.

Rin, however, firmly believed that Ichinose wasn't overweight at all. Her waist was particularly slender, and though her legs were shapely, they were long and well-proportioned without any hint of bloat.

In his view, any weight Ichinose had gained likely went to her chest or hips.

Ichinose took a small sip of her cold lemon tea, her lips slightly parted as she drank through the straw. The refreshing taste immediately relaxed her, and she narrowed her blue eyes in pleasure.

"Hah…"

She exhaled softly, a faint breath tinged with the aroma of lemon tea. Looking across the table at Rin, her expression grew serious.

"Matsuoka-san, I'd like to ask you something."

"Go ahead, Ichinose. You look so serious—does this question mean a lot to you?"

"Yes, it's very important."

"Oh?" Rin gestured for her to continue, indicating he was listening intently.

"I have a female friend," Ichinose began, her tone deliberate and measured.

Hearing this, Rin's mouth twitched slightly. A female friend? Ichinose, let's be honest here—is this so-called female friend actually you?

Before he could speak, Ichinose continued.

"This female friend has fallen in love with a girl. If you were the girl she likes, Matsuoka-san, what would you do?"

Her solemn tone left Rin momentarily stunned. For some reason, his thoughts jumped to Hirata—the gentle yet slightly offbeat guy who always seemed a little out of place. Rin couldn't help but wonder if Hirata might secretly like men!

"Ichinose, why are you asking me such a strange question?" Rin asked, his expression uneasy. "I've never been liked by someone of the same sex, so how could I answer that?"

Ichinose, sharp as ever, immediately noticed his discomfort.

"Hey, Matsuoka-san, your expression looks a little odd," she said, leaning forward slightly. Suddenly, her excitement flared, and she asked in a hurry, "Could it be that you've actually experienced being liked by another boy?!"

"No!" Rin retorted quickly.

"Really?" Ichinose's lips curled into a mischievous smile, prompting Rin to give her a displeased look.

"Really not," he insisted.

Then, narrowing his eyes, he added, "And Ichinose, this 'female friend' you mentioned earlier—isn't it actually you? Are you the one being liked by another girl?"

Ichinose froze for a moment, her mischievous smile faltering. Then, after a pause, she nodded with a mix of embarrassment and helplessness.

"Matsuoka-san, you guessed it… The girl my 'female friend' likes really is me…"

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