Reikou, Ryuuto, and Shiori sat silently. Then, the question arose—
WHAT IS REAL LOVE?
"There are two types of love!"
"First, if someone falls in love because of their body, money, or looks, that's not real love. Because you don't love them, you love their body."
"Second, if you fall in love with their soul, that is real love. Because you love their soul, not their body."
Ryuuto said this, and both Reikou and Shiori looked at him in shock.
"Hun?" Reikou.
"Huh?" Shiori.
"Ryuuto! Why are you sitting here... go and give a speech on stage!" Reikou laughed.
"For real?" Shiori whispered.
"Ahh!" Ryuuto, in embarrassment.
"Okay."
"So, Ryuuto, how do we know if we love by body or by soul?" Reikou asked.
"Umm! Well..." Ryuuto thought.
"That's simple! Whenever you love someone, ask yourself one question."
"Ask if she was a he—meaning, if this girl were a boy, would you still talk to them or not?"
"After asking yourself that question, if you lose interest... that means you fell in love for the body."
"Hunn!" Reikou.
"Hunh!" Shiori.
"Huhh!" Ryuuto.
Kiyoshi—
"Kiyoshi, when did you come?" Shiori asked.
"Yo! I was here behind you... and I listened to the whole conversation."
"Yooooo! I am Kiyoshi Shenzuki."
"Nice to meet you all, especially Reikou," Kiyoshi said.
"Hmm! How do you know my name?" Reikou replied.
"Ohhh, god! We are in the same class!" Kiyoshi yelled while showing a huge smile, looking like he wanted to show off his white teeth.
Kiyoshi Shenzuki stood proudly, both hands in his pockets, smiling like he wanted to show his teeth... His presence felt so confident, like a stone cutting through the water flow.
"Hey! Kiyoshi... I was going to answer! Why did you interrupt?" Ryuuto asked loudly.
The whole canteen went silent, and students started staring at them.
CHILL EAT EAT —
"Why are you getting angry?!"
"You took too long, so I thought you didn't know the answer, so I gave the correct one."
Kiyoshi said while rubbing his head with one finger.
"NO! YOU DIDN'T GIVE THE CORRECT ANSWER!"
A new girl's voice came from behind Kiyoshi, and she climbed up on his shoulder—
"Hellooooo! I am Yueko Han."
"Nice to meet you, my dears."
Yueko Han... a friend of Meiyu...!
Her presence felt like... a dry flower suddenly getting water. Her long red hair shined like a crystal, and her boobies...!!
Reikou fell into deep thought while staring at her boobies—
"You're really such a pervert," Yueko whispered, her face just in front of Reikou's, both hands on his cheeks.
Huhmmmm—
"No! Don't think wrong... I wasn't looking there!" Reikou tried to defend himself.
"Ahh, don't worry."
"By the way, nice to meet you, Reikou," Yueko said with a faint smile on her lips.
For a moment, laughter filled the group—
"But! Hey, Yueko, why did you say my answer was wrong?!" Kiyoshi asked.
"Because you gave such a boring and long lecture."
"In simple words, real love is when you love someone without knowing why... That is love."
"Am I right, Reikou?" Yueko replied, turning her head toward Reikou and slightly tilting it.
"Hmm! What—?" Reikou asked in confusion.
"If I'm not wrong... You fell for Meiyu, right?!"
"Hmm..."
"Aoww! Don't be shy," Yueko said.
"Yes! He did," Ryuuto said.
"I see—" Yueko replied.
"But, for your kind information..."
"She's not the romantic type."
"And she has her own rules."
Yueko rested one hand on the table, the other on her cheek, looking into Reikou's eyes with disappointment—
"Yeah! I know..." Reikou lowered his head.
"Yueko, but why is she like that?" Reikou asked curiously.
"Well, I don't know much... but because of her past."
"After that incident, she made her rules," Yueko answered softly.
"Wh-what incident?!"
"I don't know much..." Yueko whispered.
"Hmm..."
"If she made those rules after that..."
"Then it's going to be difficult, Reikou," Kiyoshi said.
Hyy-Hyy-Hyy—
"If Reikou breaks her rules, then he can reach her."
"Breaking the rules... even without her realizing," Ryuuto said.
"Huhh!" Reikou.
"Humm!" Shiori.
"Huhmmm!" Kiyoshi.
"Umm!" Yueko.
They—
Reikou, Shiori, Kiyoshi, and Yueko stared at Ryuuto!
"Ahh! Hey, I was just giving an idea..." Ryuuto whispered, rubbing the back of his head.
"You stupid boy..."
"Sometimes you give brilliant ideas," Shiori said.
"For sure," Yueko added while sipping a cold drink.
"Yeah! He's right."
"See! This is Meiyu's heart."
"Her heart is protected by walls."
"A wall called 'WALL OF RULES.'
"If he wants to reach her heart..."
"Reikou has to break the 'WALL OF RULES.' That's the only way he can reach her," Kiyoshi explained.
"Yeah! In simple words, break the 'WALL OF RULES' and reach her heart," Yueko said while taking another sip of her cold drink.
"Hey Yueko! Do you know her rules?" Shiori asked.
"Honestly, I don't know about her rules."
"But! The thing I do know is—"
"What!?" Reikou asked, curious.
"She has 8 rules," Yueko completed while taking another sip of her cold drink.
"So, I have to break 8 rules..."
"That means 8 challenges," Reikou whispered, gripping his fist.
"But how will I get to know her rules?" Reikou said again in a low voice.
"Hey! Reikou, don't worry. I'm with you," Ryuuto said, placing his hand on Reikou's shoulder.
"Yeah! Me too," Kiyoshi said, holding Reikou's neck from the other side.
"Mm! Well, Reikou, I'm also with you," Shiori added.
"Yeah! Reikou, me too," Yueko said, taking another sip of her cold drink.
"Okay then—"
'8' Rules.
'8' Challenges.
ACCEPTED.