Even with chuunibyou, let's learn together!

Page 266

Is this... a request for a kiss?

Hayakawa looked at the girl in front of him with her eyes closed, offering no resistance and appearing completely submissive, and fell into deep thought.

Faced with Umaru's obvious attempt to kiss him, Hayakawa's brain went blank for a moment. He couldn't figure out how the situation had changed from one-sided humiliation to the current ambiguity. So, being the best at studying, he immediately tried to solve the problem from an academic perspective.

Could it be...?

Hayakawa frowned, his mind a jumble of thoughts.

Is it the suspension bridge effect?!

The suspension bridge effect, simply put, is when a man and a woman are in danger and mistake the increased heart rate caused by the danger for attraction, thus mistakenly believing they have developed feelings for each other.

Could it be that her overly intense behavior and the strong sense of pressure made Umaru's heart beat faster, causing her to mistakenly believe that she was attracted to him?

Isn't this too strange? Is the suspension bridge effect really that versatile? If it's so common, why have I never encountered it before?

Okay, none of that matters. The most important thing right now is... how should I respond to her?!

Hayakawa looked at Umaru beneath him, and options gradually appeared in his mind.

Inner Theater 1:

Hayakawa hurriedly climbed off Xiaomai, forcing a smile as he said, "I'm sorry, I was just joking with you. I had absolutely no intention of kissing you. Please don't misunderstand..."

Umaru's face instantly turned bright red, her eyes filled with shame and anger, and she slapped Hayakawa hard across the face.

"A person who toys with a young girl's feelings! Shame on him!"

I never want to see you again in my life!

"..."

This won't do. Not only will I get slapped, but I'll also be completely blacklisted by Umaru. Moreover, this attitude isn't humble enough; I'm afraid I'll never be able to hold my head up in front of Umaru for the rest of my life.

It's not worth making such a sacrifice for a mere hamster.

Inner Theater 2:

"Snapped"

Hayakawa, his face icy cold, pushed away Umaru's body that was leaning towards him, his whole demeanor as indifferent as if he had been killing fish at RT-Mart for ten years.

"why?"

Umaru looked at Hayakawa with confusion and sadness, finding it hard to believe that such a heartless and despicable man existed in the world.

"I hate women who approach me out of nowhere the most."

Hayakawa's lips curled into a disdainful smile as he casually waved his hand and left Umaru as if throwing away trash.

"I'm already tired of someone as boring and dull as you."

"Disappear."

"..."

This is even worse. No matter how emotionally devoid or indifferent I am, I shouldn't be so cruel to Umaru. Besides, Umaru and Minami Aizami are good friends. If I bully Umaru like this, how will I face Minami Aizami in the future?

Then there is only one way left.

Brain Theater 3…

"Kiss her."

The three words flashed through Hayakawa's mind, and he felt a tremor in his heart, his throat bobbing violently.

Having chosen this path, even someone as powerful as him cannot be certain of what changes the future will bring.

Chapter 412 It's all a misunderstanding!

For Hayakawa, there were actually no other options.

Although he studied too much in the past and treated himself like a robot, which made his mind somewhat dull, in fact, Hayakawa is a person full of emotions.

The reason why people want to abandon their emotions to focus on improving their academic abilities is essentially because they are emotionally rich and therefore need to reduce their emotional influence.

Therefore, Hayakawa finds it difficult to be truly indifferent when facing familiar people, especially friends.

At that moment, Umaru closed her eyes and took the initiative to kiss him. Hayakawa, mindful of her girlish heart, could not refuse.

"no way…"

Hayakawa remained silent for a long time before finally making up his mind. He lowered his head and leaned closer, while Umaru beneath him felt the approaching heat and her breathing became more and more rapid. Her originally unremarkable chest heaved violently, even developing a tiny, insignificant curve.

The two grew closer and closer, and their hearts seemed to draw nearer as well. Just as their lips were about to touch, the bedroom door suddenly opened.

"Xiao Mai, how are you feeling?"

Doma Taihei walked in from outside, his voice anxious, "I took leave from work and came back. I bought you fever reducers and lunch, please eat a little..."

He stopped at the doorway, staring blankly at the man and woman on the bed.

"..."

Umaru heard the sound and abruptly opened her eyes. Upon seeing the person in the doorway, her brain seemed to boil over, steam billowing out. Her eyes spun like mosquito coils, and she stretched out her hand. Her trembling voice, as if squeezed from her throat, was broken and incoherent; she couldn't even utter a complete sentence: "Ah...ahhh..."

"Uh-huh?"

Doma Taihei looked at Hayakawa, then at Umaru lying on the bed. His gaze shifted from initial confusion to doubt, then to sudden realization, followed by sighs and understanding. His helpless shake of his head seemed to say, "Ah, so this is how it is now," like an old father saying, "Oh, so this is how it is."

"You guys continue."

Doma Taihei put his things down and walked out the door as if nothing had happened: "I'm going out for a walk."

"Aaaaaaah, bro, don't go! This is a misunderstanding!"

……

Five minutes later, Hayakawa and Umaru returned to the low table to drink tea. Everything seemed to have returned to how it was when Hayakawa first entered the room. The difference was that before, the two of them sat facing each other, but now they sat on the same side, with another person opposite them.

"Hayakawa-kun, here."

Doma Taihei poured Hayakawa a cup of tea with a gentle and kind gesture, but when facing Umaru, his expression became more serious. He cleared his throat and asked in a slightly deep voice, "So... when did you two start?"

His expression was rather serious, clearly indicating that he intended to inquire thoroughly. He had been quite shocked by what he saw as soon as he entered the room, so Doma Taihei hadn't reacted for a moment. His only thought was, "My sister is in a relationship, so I should respect her decision." But now that he had come to his senses and thought about it carefully, he realized that as her older brother, he had the necessity and the right to inquire about such an important matter. He couldn't let his lovely sister be hurt in love because of a frivolous man.

However, Hayakawa is a neighbor, and judging from our usual interactions, he is a humble, studious, and very polite child. He is also serious in his attitude towards people, has no smell of smoke or alcohol on him, does not go out at night, and does not wear strange clothes. Obviously, he has no bad habits.

In addition, they had known each other since Umaru's elementary school days and later reunited as childhood friends. Her looks and grades were also acceptable, so Doma Taihei was quite at ease. In his opinion, Hayakawa was indeed a suitable partner for his sister. If they really liked each other, then he had nothing to do with it.

After all, many high school students were already dating back then, let alone now, which is very common in high school and not surprising at all.

Even a failed relationship, as long as it doesn't leave an irreparable wound, can still be an unforgettable part of youth, something to cherish for a lifetime.

Thinking about this, Doma Taihei couldn't help but recall his high school days. Although he studied hard and became the top student in his grade, he also fantasized about having a relationship. Now, thinking back, he even feels a little regretful. It seems that some girls confessed to him back then.

He really shouldn't let his old-fashioned ways leave his sister with regrets; he should be a brother who respects his family.

"Hayakawa-kun, drink tea."

Thinking about this, Doma Taihei's desire to stop him diminished, and he became more accommodating towards Hayakawa.

"Ok."

Hayakawa picked up his teacup and took a sip with a blank expression. Ever since Doma Taihei suddenly came in, he had shut down his emotions and become a real wooden man.

Well... it's true that impulsiveness is never a good idea; it only brings terrible consequences. A moment of soft-heartedness and courage, unsurprisingly, cast a shadow over my entire life. I was caught red-handed in bed...

I will never act impulsively again.

"Brother, don't misunderstand."

Umaru looked at Hayakawa's stiff face, then at Taihei, who seemed to be thinking about something and had a very gentle expression. Finally, she couldn't bear it any longer. She straightened up abruptly, her face flushed, and explained with shame, "It was all a misunderstanding just now."

"Misunderstand?"

Doma Taihei was taken aback, and said with some helplessness, "Umaru, you didn't tell me about your relationship with Hayakawa before, and now that I've found out, you still want to keep it a secret. Why is that? Is it because you think I'm the kind of unenlightened older brother who would tell our parents? Don't worry about that. You're already sixteen years old, practically an adult. I won't interfere too much in your own affairs and will respect your decisions. As long as your relationship doesn't affect your grades or your life, I'll help you keep it a secret from our parents."

After saying that, he chuckled and took a sip of tea, quite pleased with his open-minded remarks.

"Brother..."

After hearing Taihei's words, Umaru was both moved and helpless. She was moved because Taihei understood her, but helpless because the misunderstanding seemed to have been confirmed.

I closed my eyes because I was scared and acted impulsively. Although I had a little bit of expectation in my heart, it was definitely not to the point of dating!

As for Hayakawa, needless to say, she herself played that game and it was obvious that he was a two-timing scumbag, and probably more than two. Just the one she knew was Kominami-senpai. How could she possibly date someone like that?

If my brother found out that my seemingly wonderful brother-in-law was actually having a harem, he'd probably throw Hayakawa into a pressure cooker and stew her for two hours!

Chapter 413 Stewing Hayakawa into Char Siu

Umaru couldn't help but recall how her older brother Taihei usually cooked. Once, she said she wanted to eat char siu, and Taihei initially refused, but on a day off later, he researched how to make it. Umaru remembered that he put the marinated and tied-up pork into a clay pot and then stewed it on the fire for an entire afternoon, a full five hours.

If his brother knew that Hayakawa had ambiguous relationships with so many girls, would he still be happily pouring him tea? He'd probably end up like char siu, stewed for five hours.

"Gudong"

Thinking of this, Umaru swallowed hard, her expression filled with fear.

No, for Hayakawa's safety and to prevent my brother from becoming a criminal, I must keep this a secret.

[Oh no, oh no, we have to keep this a secret!]

Umaru couldn't help but glance at Hayakawa. She was sure she wouldn't let anything slip, but she was worried that Hayakawa, that stubborn and inflexible blockhead, might accidentally let something slip.

Fantasy Moment:

"Speaking of which, Hayakawa-kun, was Umaru your first love?"

"Hmm? I don't know if that counts, because I'm dating three girls at the same time, so she should be considered the other woman."

"Oh, is that so? Hahaha!"

"boom"

Turn on the pressure cooker.

"..."

I don't want a future like that.

Please, Hayakawa, you really need to learn to read the room.

Umaru couldn't help but show a look of horror as she watched Hayakawa pray silently in her heart.

However, something unexpected happened to Umaru.

"Brother Taiping... I hope this way of addressing you isn't offensive."

Hayakawa remained calm and politely addressed Doma Taihei, saying, "This is my first time visiting you, but I apologize for not preparing a gift beforehand."

Upon hearing this, Doma Taihei quickly waved his hand and said, "It's me. You're Umaru's classmate, so it's my fault for not preparing a proper welcome for you. Next time, I'll have Umaru tell me in advance."

"Uh…"

Doma Umaru stared in disbelief at Hayakawa and Taihei, finding the display of brotherly affection before him utterly unbelievable.

Is this Hayakawa? Is this the same Hayakawa who had no manners, whose mind was only on textbooks, and who could only scare people with a fierce, deadpan face? How did he suddenly become a social expert who can have a good conversation with elders?

Where did the Hayakawa who used to say, "Who are you? If you disturb my studies again, I'll delete you," go? Suddenly, she's learned to communicate normally with people. This isn't evolution; it's mutation!

"Hey,"

Doma Taihei chatted with Hayakawa for a bit and was quite satisfied with the boy's serious and polite attitude. He couldn't help but scold Umaru: "Umaru, look at Hayakawa-kun, he looks much more mature than you. Unlike you, you're so old and you only know how to stay at home all day."

Upon hearing this, Umaru couldn't help but puff out her pink cheeks, like a squirrel whose winter food reserves had been stolen.

What?! He usually just stays at home all the time! Even on my days off, I sometimes go out with friends, go shopping together, or go to game expos by myself to buy new games and comics, but he never goes out, okay? He just stays at home all day long, cramming those textbooks. Compared to him, I'm practically an athletic girl!

Doma Taihei said one thing to Umaru and then stopped. After all, it wasn't appropriate for him to lecture his sister with Hayakawa present. His earlier remark was just to put Hayakawa at ease. Now, he stood up and said to Hayakawa, "Hayakawa-kun probably hasn't had lunch yet. Since you have difficulty walking, don't go home and cook for yourself. Stay here for lunch."

After saying that, he walked straight out the door.

Hayakawa tried to stop him, saying, "This is too much trouble. I'd better go back."

"No trouble at all. It's the same whether I cook for two or three people. Just stay here and relax. I'll have Xiaomai take you back next door after you've finished eating."

Doma Taihei's voice came from the kitchen, followed by the clanging of pots and pans. Clearly, he had started cooking and was planning to make a big mess of it.

"..."

Hayakawa looked somewhat helpless and slowly lowered his hand to stop him.

Actually, it's just a meal, so whether he eats or not doesn't matter to him at all. Going a whole day without eating is commonplace for him.

"That's great."