COTE: Horikita Is My Childhood Sweetheart

Chapter 143: Are you repaying me? It's obviously revenge.

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Someone once said this: If a man pursues a woman, there is a mountain between them; if a woman pursues a man, there is only a layer of gauze between them.

The general idea is that it may be harder for a man to pursue a woman than to climb a mountain. No matter how much effort a man puts in, it will be futile if the woman is unwilling. On the other hand, if a woman likes a man, as long as she is willing and proactive enough, she can easily win his heart.

In truth, Rin was indeed moved by the bold and proactive Karuizawa.

If Rin and Karuizawa had known each other for longer, he might have actually accepted her confession.

The two of them stayed in the drink shop until the sun softened its glare. When it was time to leave, they paid the bill and walked toward the dormitory building together.

As they walked closely side by side, Karuizawa glanced at Rin's wrist. Seeing the bracelet he wore, she instinctively touched the necklace around her neck and couldn't help but smile sweetly.

Although the afternoon date didn't result in Rin becoming her boyfriend, Karuizawa was already satisfied with the exquisite necklace he had gifted her.

She firmly believed that as long as she kept working hard, this boy would definitely become her boyfriend one day!

Rin turned his head to look at Karuizawa, who was once again tightly holding onto his arm. Under the glow of the setting sun, her hair and face were bathed in a warm, golden hue.

"By the way, Kei, how many points do you have left now?" Rin asked casually.

"Hmm? Let me see." Karuizawa momentarily released Rin's arm, took out her phone from her pocket, and checked her remaining personal points.

"There are still more than 37,000."

"It's been less than a week since school started, and you're down to 37,000 from 100,000?" Rin asked subtly.

"Well," Karuizawa began to explain, "I went shopping, had drinks and meals with Matsushita and the others, and also bought daily necessities, cosmetics, everyday clothes, and pajamas. That alone cost about 50,000."

Karuizawa tapped her slender white fingers, listing her expenses. Then, raising her head slightly, she added, "And the bracelet I bought for you cost 12,000."

"This bracelet is worth 12,000?" Rin repeated, slightly surprised.

"Yes!" Karuizawa confirmed with enthusiasm.

She showed an expectant expression and asked, "I spent so many points on this gift for you, Rin. Aren't you touched? You must be very touched!"

"Well," Rin said with a smile, meeting her gaze, "I am very touched."

"So Rin, you have to let me be your girlfriend!"

"That won't work."

Rejected once again, Karuizawa pursed her lips in frustration. Rin then pointed at the silver necklace on her snow-white neck and said, "Kei, guess how many points it cost me to buy this necklace for you."

"Seven thousand?" she guessed.

"No."

"Twelve thousand?"

"Still not enough."

Her expression shifted slightly, her sparkling eyes widening. "Twenty-four thousand?"

"That's about right," Rin confirmed with a smile.

Since Karuizawa had brought up the price of the bracelet, Rin felt it only fair to mention the price of the necklace he'd given her, to let her know that his gift was no less valuable than hers.

Hearing that the necklace Rin gave her was worth 24,000 points, Karuizawa couldn't help but reveal a sweet smile of joy.

"Rin, you gave me such an expensive necklace. I have nothing else to repay you, so I can only repay you by being your girlfriend!"

"You wish."

"And is that repayment? It feels more like revenge."

Rin pinched Karuizawa's smooth cheek again. This girl was truly scheming. Did she really want to be his girlfriend?

Karuizawa blushed as Rin affectionately pinched her cheek. Strangely, she found she liked this small gesture. Every time he pinched her face, her heart would race, and she felt an overwhelming sense of happiness, as if she were swimming in a river of honey.

She was already so happy from just being pinched on the cheek by Rin that she didn't dare to imagine what it would feel like if he hugged or kissed her. Would she be so happy that she might faint?

"Hui, don't spend all your remaining personal points. Use them sparingly," Rin said.

"Um?"

Karuizawa, who had been lost in her daydream of being hugged and kissed, was momentarily stunned. She looked up with her rosy face and asked, "Why?"

"Because the school may not necessarily deposit 100,000 personal points into our accounts on the first day of the next month."

"Eh? That's not right. Chabashira-sensei told us before that the school will transfer 100,000 personal points to us on the 1st of every month."

Not wanting to delve into the concept of "class points," which would be tedious to explain, Rin responded directly, "You can choose to believe Chabashira-sensei, or you can choose to believe me."

"I believe you," Karuizawa answered without hesitation.

Although Chabashira was her homeroom teacher, Rin was her destined boyfriend! Of course, she had to trust her (future) boyfriend.

"Then trust me and save your personal points."

"Got it, I will."

By now, Karuizawa had already won over all the girls in Matsushita's circle, successfully forming a small clique of her own. Because of this, she no longer needed to spend personal points to treat others to shopping, meals, or building relationships.

If Rin wanted her to be frugal, then frugal she would be.

As Rin and Karuizawa walked back toward the dormitory building, they happened to encounter a few familiar faces.

Well, not exactly acquaintances—just classmates.

Ike and Yamauchi were carrying two plastic bags each, filled with various snacks, instant noodles, and drinks. It seemed they had spent a hefty amount of personal points.

The two boys noticed Rin and Karuizawa at the same time the latter noticed them.

When they saw Karuizawa holding Rin's arm so intimately, both Ike and Yamauchi's eyes turned red with envy.

While they were stuck in their dorm rooms playing games over the weekend, Rin was out on a date with a pretty girl from their class.

So envious!

Their jealousy was palpable, and their eyes burned with envy.

Even when passing classmates, Karuizawa made no effort to let go of Rin's arm. On the contrary, she clung to it even tighter, as if shy but determined. She wanted everyone to know just how close she and Rin were.

Rin didn't pull his arm away either. He had always been straightforward in his interactions with girls, handling them with ease and confidence.

Otherwise, back in junior high, the other girls wouldn't have known that Rin received snacks from different girls almost every day.

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