TPMITWON Chapter 53: Of Course, I Passed

Souta glanced at Pakura, who was still standing calmly with her arms crossed in front of her chest. Pakura-chan's gaze remained the same as usual—calm and hard to read.

"I just wanted to wait for you," Pakura replied briefly.

"Waiting... Haah... Alright, thank you for waiting for me," Souta said, this time with a sincere smile that was rare for him.

Pakura nodded slightly, then looked at Souta with eyes full of interest. "So, did you pass?"

"Yes! Yes! How about it, Souta? Did you make it or not?! Hurry up and tell me!" Makima suddenly shook Souta's body with enthusiasm.

"Hm... Of course," Souta replied casually, nodding his head without much expression.

"Awesome! Hehehe!" Makima chuckled softly, then leaned in with sparkling eyes. "So... does that mean you've got money?"

Souta looked at Makima with a confused expression. "Money? What money?"

"Money! Don't you know about money? Isn't it true that if someone works, they earn money?" Makima said with an excited tone.

Souta sighed before shaking his head. "Of course not. I haven't even started working yet. How could I have earned money?"

"Ouh... You're right," Makima nodded slowly, her expression slightly disappointed as if she had just realized something that should have been obvious from the start.

Souta looked at Makima with a hint of suspicion. "By the way, why are you asking about that?"

"Hehehe... I thought you could treat us by buying snacks after you got the job..." Makima said in a shy voice, lowering her head a bit.

Souta snorted softly, amused by his friend's behavior. Before he could say anything, Pakura stared at Makima with a shocked expression.

"You...," Pakura murmured in disbelief, while Makima just chuckled softly.

"Uh? I'm sorry! I was wrong! Really, I'm so sorry!" Makima, feeling the cold stare from Pakura, immediately felt her body stiffen.

Out of fear, Makima's lips trembled slightly. Her usually calm eyes now looked anxious as she searched for a way to fix her mistake.

"Enough! Enough! I'll buy snacks later after I have money! But not now! Are we still going to your house, Makima?" Souta asked in a softer tone, trying to ease the sudden tension.

Souta could feel the discomfort in the air and didn't want to make the situation any more awkward.

"Hah? Ouh! Of course! Let's go! We're going to my house!" Makima replied with a somewhat forced smile, although it was clear she felt relieved to divert attention from the tense situation.

Makima's wide smile hid her worries, but the meaning behind her slightly shining eyes showed that she wanted a brief escape from the silence that often filled her life.

"Yes! Yes! Wait for me to throw this away first!" Souta nodded quickly and stepped away. He walked to the left side of the building where they were standing, heading towards a large trash bin made of old wood and faded brown.

The sound of Souta's footsteps was muffled by the damp ground due to the swirling dust. Swiftly, Souta opened the white bag containing paper waste and tossed it into the trash bin. After that, he returned and continued on his way.

Makima was already ahead, leading the way. Souta followed behind her, while Pakura walked lightly, her eyes scanning the surroundings.

The village of Amegakure, known for its sand-structured houses, appeared quiet. A gentle breeze blew, carrying small grains of sand swirling in the air. The atmosphere that afternoon was somewhat gloomy, yet there was still a sense of calm enveloping it.

Before long, they arrived at Makima's house.

The house stood sturdy in the middle of the village, different from the surrounding homes.