COTE: Horikita Is My Childhood Sweetheart

Chapter 142: We are all friends!

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The way Mirai looked at Rin now was as if she were staring at a shameless little playboy.

Dating three girls in just two days? If that wasn't the mark of a scumbag, then what was?

"Well, isn't this Rin? And the one with you is..." Mirai began sarcastically.

Before she could finish, Rin cut her off immediately.

"She's a friend! We're just friends!"

"Friends, friends, and more friends. You sure have a lot of friends," Mirai teased with a sly smile.

"Ahaha, that's right. I'm just good at maintaining relationships," Rin replied, forcing a laugh.

Karuizawa, who had been watching their exchange with a puzzled expression, finally spoke. "Rin, do you know her?"

"Yeah, we're acquainted," Rin replied nonchalantly.

"Not really," Mirai interjected with a scoff.

"...Okay, fine. We're not that familiar. Kei, let's find a seat."

"Sure," Karuizawa nodded obediently, following Rin to an empty table.

As the two walked away, Mirai muttered to herself, "Calling each other by their first names and clinging so closely… They must be a couple, right?"

She frowned and continued to speculate. "But if Rin's dating her, then what about the other two girls he brought here earlier? Is he juggling three relationships at once?"

Her curiosity piqued, Mirai kept a close eye on Rin and Karuizawa.

When she saw Karuizawa sit next to Rin instead of across from him, Mirai smirked knowingly. "If they're sitting side by side, they must be a couple. Friends don't sit like that—only couples do."

But that assumption wasn't entirely accurate.

Karuizawa chose to sit next to Rin not because they were a couple, but because she was bolder and more forward than Sakura or Ichinose.

After sitting down, Karuizawa picked her favorite drinks and cake from the menu. Then, turning to Rin, she said, "Rin, help me place the order. I'm going to the bathroom."

"Alright, go ahead," Rin replied.

Karuizawa quickly headed toward the bathroom, her honey-colored hair swaying lightly as she moved. Though she had clung to Rin's arm earlier, staying so close to him, it would be a lie to say she wasn't feeling warm.

In the privacy of the bathroom, she planned to freshen up by wiping away her sweat with a handkerchief and tidying up her appearance in the mirror. She also wanted to admire herself wearing her new necklace.

As soon as Karuizawa disappeared into the bathroom, Mirai handed her current task to another employee and made her way to Rin.

"So, Rin, she's your girlfriend, isn't she?" Mirai asked directly, her curiosity getting the better of her.

Rin sighed, twitching his lips. "She's a female friend."

"Isn't that the same thing?"

"It's completely different," Rin replied, rolling his eyes.

There's a huge difference! You can tease and joke with a female friend, but with a girlfriend? There's no shyness—you're just outright close.

Rin then ordered a honey cranberry tea and a mousse cake for himself and relayed Karuizawa's drink and cake choice to Mirai.

"Wait here," she said, walking back to the counter.

When Mirai returned to her station, she happened to see Karuizawa coming out of the bathroom.

Fresh from washing her face, Karuizawa's honey-colored bangs were damp, giving her an even fresher, more radiant beauty. The subtle glistening of her skin made her look effortlessly charming.

"Hello, Madam."

Karuizawa casually greeted Mirai as they crossed paths.

Mirai took the chance to ask, "Student, are you and Rin in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship?"

Karuizawa's cheeks turned red, and she replied somewhat discouraged, "I wanted to, but Rin didn't accept my confession."

Karuizawa's words piqued Mirai's curiosity further. "Have you confessed to Rin?"

"Yeah," Karuizawa nodded.

"What reason did Rin give to reject your confession?"

It would've been better if Mirai hadn't asked that question. As soon as she did, Karuizawa felt an overwhelming urge to cry. If she'd known this would happen, she would've confessed directly instead of suggesting he pretend to be her boyfriend, which made Rin think she wasn't serious.

"This is a secret between Rin and me. I won't tell you," Karuizawa replied sullenly.

"Okay," Mirai said, suppressing her curiosity. But she couldn't resist asking another question. "If Rin rejected your confession, why are you still holding onto his arm like that?"

"Not only will I hug Rin, but I'll also cling to him until he agrees to let me be his girlfriend!"

Though bold and slightly shy, Karuizawa wasn't afraid to express her thoughts to Mirai.

Mirai fell silent. Compared to the two girls Rin had brought with him before—Sakura Airi and Ichinose Honami—this honey-haired girl might not have the same physical appeal. However, her determination and honesty stood out.

She clearly wanted to be Rin's girlfriend!

"Let me give you some advice, kid. If a girl is too proactive, boys won't take her seriously. You should try to be more reserved."

"I am reserved," Karuizawa replied seriously.

Mirai had to resist the urge to point out the obvious. Reserved? Not at all! She had seen with her own eyes how tightly Karuizawa was hugging Rin's arm, her chest pressing against him!

Is this what you call being modest?

After finishing her conversation with the speechless Mirai, Karuizawa walked back to Rin and sat beside him again.

Rin glanced at her and asked, "Kei, I saw you talking to the boss just now. What were you two talking about?"

"Nothing much," Karuizawa replied casually. "She just advised me to be more reserved and not so proactive with you."

Rin looked at Karuizawa leaning comfortably on his shoulder, then sighed, "Kei, you really should be more reserved."

Unlike Sakura or Ichinose, who never took the initiative to sit close to him, Karuizawa was bold and proactive. Her eagerness to stick close to him was obvious.

Karuizawa tilted her head and asked expectantly, "If I become more reserved, Rin, will you agree to let me be your girlfriend?"

"I told you to be more reserved, not to start dreaming of beautiful things," Rin replied with a hint of exasperation.

Pouting slightly, Karuizawa let out a small sigh. After failing to win him over once again, she muttered, "Then what's the point of being reserved? People online say that girls who take the initiative are more likely to end up in relationships. Most girls who stay reserved are single."

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