The next day, Marin asked Nowa to go out and have fun together.
Marin wasn't as happy as she originally thought, nor did she have any desire to enjoy gossip.
The reason was that when she was sleeping last night, she suddenly felt that her progress was even slower than Murakami-san's.
She and Gojo-kun had known each other for so long, but she hadn't even noticed his feelings.
She clearly needed that 'Love Battle' strategy from Akira-kun's club!
Marin couldn't help but toss and turn in bed.
However, thinking about it carefully, according to what Gojo-kun said, Murakami-san should have started liking Nowa since high school, right?
That's quite a long time to have liked someone.
But Nowa rarely talked about her high school days; she did mention Murakami-san a few times, but it didn't seem like Nowa had any special meaning when she talked about Murakami-san. It was simply an introduction to a popular male classmate from high school.
Marin thought more and more in bed, pondering over and over in her mind about ways to hint to Gojo-kun.
What kind of method could she use to make Gojo-kun realize her feelings?
Although she sometimes said some outrageous things, it was clear that both of them treated them as jokes.
If it were truly meant as a test or genuine affection, Marin wouldn't be able to say it successfully.
"Marin, what's wrong with you? You look like death."
"I slept too late last night. I feel sick and have no energy, and I don't have an appetite for anything."
Marin said weakly.
"No way, is it that serious?"
Nowa leaned over and touched Marin's stomach. "It really feels flat. You really haven't eaten anything."
"You don't need to be so thorough."
Marin complained, but she didn't forget the task Wakana had given her.
"Nowa."
Nowa looked up, eating a lollipop, with a hint of confusion in her eyes.
"If someone you don't have any feelings for, like a friend, confessed to you, what would you do?"
Nowa took the lollipop out of her mouth, clearly not paying much attention to Marin's words.
"Marin, did someone confess to you? That's pretty good!"
Marin waved her hand.
"No, it's just an example. I want to hear your answer."
Nowa put the lollipop back in her mouth and answered directly.
"That wouldn't work. After all, he's just a friend."
"Eh, but..."
Marin hesitated, then remembered a reason and asked.
"What if Kensei-kun confessed to you?"
In his absence, Morita Kensei was unfortunately used as an example by Kitagawa-san, and also unfortunately rejected by Nowa...
"No."
Nowa's answer was still very direct.
"Laughing to death, are you some kind of comedian?"
"Too real, totally impossible..."
Marin thought dejectedly, feeling like her mission was going to fail...
Forgive me, Gojo-kun...
"Right?"
Nowa answered as a matter of course, "But neither of us is the other's type. Kensei-kun definitely wouldn't consider me either..."
"Indeed." Marin nodded.
"But Marin, your question is too funny."
She had been so subtle, yet she still got such an answer.
"But Marin, why are you suddenly asking such a question?"
Nowa asked curiously.
She never used to ask such questions. Marin always directly rejected strangers who confessed, never considering their feelings.
"Actually, actually, there's something."
Marin hesitated, not wanting to talk about Murakami-san's situation, but rather about her own and Gojo-kun's situation.
After all, hearing Gojo-kun say yesterday that Akira-kun and Kashiwagi-kun were helping Murakami-san pursue Nowa made her feel envious of her own and Gojo-kun's progress.
If she could really find good friends to help her with her love life, she would surely be very happy.
"Mm."
Nowa patiently waited for Marin to share her feelings.
"Nowa, actually, actually."
"Actually, I kind of like Gojo-kun."
Marin stammered out her thoughts, then couldn't help but look up at Nowa, wanting to observe her reaction.
"Eh? Marin, you haven't started dating Gojo-kun yet?"
"Eh? Nowa, why would you think about dating!"
Marin looked shocked. In front of Nowa, she and Gojo-kun were just ordinary friends!
How did her best friend suddenly start seeing her and Gojo-kun as a couple?!
"Actually, I wasn't very sure, but I feel like Marin and Gojo-kun get along quite intimately."
Nowa tilted her head and thought for a moment, "It's that kind of intimate treatment that's completely different from when you're with Kensei-kun and Shiki-kun."
"Including the last karaoke session, I also felt that Marin treated Gojo-kun a bit differently."
"Is, is that so?"
Marin asked, blushing.
Nowa said with a hint of understanding, "So, Marin, are you planning to confess to Gojo-kun, and that's why you're asking me this question?"
Marin looked at Nowa in front of her, feeling like she had a look of conviction.
Although she really wanted to deny her statement, she had promised Gojo-kun not to reveal anything about Murakami-san, so Marin could only "reluctantly" attribute the confession to herself.
"Yes, yes."
"In that case, Marin, just go ahead and confess."
Nowa encouraged her.
"After all, with such a cute Marin, who could possibly refuse!"
Nowa looked as if it were a matter of course.
"Ho-how can I just confess directly!"
Marin was flustered. Although Nowa's praise wasn't unfounded, it was precisely because the other person was Gojo-kun that she felt such a sense of anxiety and apprehension.
Marin would never think that Gojo-kun's status was lower than hers, or that Gojo-kun should accept her confession or anything like that.
That wouldn't be the Gojo-kun she liked.
"But, looking at Gojo-kun, he seems like someone who's emotionally dense, doesn't he?"
Nowa pondered, "If you hadn't said anything, I would have thought you two were dating. Marin, you're also an emotionally dense person."
"I haven't dated anyone before!"
Marin couldn't help but whine. It was also her first time liking someone so much, which was why she couldn't help but feel anxious.
After saying that, Marin remembered the task Gojo-kun had given her and asked.
"So, Nowa, you don't have any thoughts of dating?"
"I feel like Nowa hasn't been interested in any boys."
Nowa turned her head to look out the car window, thinking for a while.
"It's not that I don't have thoughts of dating, but I just feel like they're not suitable. The boys I've met aren't the right ones for me."
As she said this, impressions of the boys she had interacted with floated in her mind, and she felt herself unconsciously pause when Kouki appeared, but due to the time they had spent together, she subconsciously skipped past him.
A smile appeared on Nowa's face.
"After all, I'm quite picky!"