The Thousand-Layered Scheme to Win Over Chuuya

Bai Muqiu, a new member of the Sheep organization, finds the legendary God of Calamity. The God of Calamity has just been born. He is straightforward and naive, and under Bai Muqiu's careful care, he soon comes to rely on him. A few years later, Muqiu announces to everyone, "This Mr. Zhong is my little boyfriend." Naive Zhong: "What does 'little boyfriend' mean?" Muqiu: "It's just a pet name for you. It doesn't mean anything special~" Zhong believes him. But this little boyfriend is terribly slow on the uptake. No matter how much Muqiu hints, their relationship stays stuck at ordinary friendship and never takes a step further. Then he'll just have to put on an act. Muqiu isn't weak, but he'll pretend to be, so Mr. Zhong will offer to open his bottle for him. Muqiu has great stamina, but he'll run a few steps and pretend to twist his ankle, so Mr. Zhong will worry and help him apply medicine. Muqiu is perfectly healthy, but he'll sometimes clutch his chest and cough, so Mr. Zhong will ask after his health with concern. Muqiu keeps up the act for years. Until one day, Zhong finally gets it: "If he's your boyfriend, why put the word 'little' in front of it?" * An everyday romance, light and sweet, with hardly any angst. Don't worry. * [Zhong's personality later in the story follows his characterization in the novel Sixteen.] * Zhong is very alpha. * The protagonist's name is "Qiu Si," pronounced like "Autumn Thoughts," but it's fine if you get it wrong. No need to go out of your way to correct yourself, lol. Next story: How to Stop Ranpo from Becoming My Childhood Friend Nanquing comes from a prestigious family. With his exceptional powers of observation and deduction, he becomes the top student at the police academy. Nanquing believes himself to be one of the smartest people in all of Yokohama, or even the world, until a man named Edogawa Ranpo appears in Yokohama. Ranpo's arrival plunges Nanqing into a crisis of self-doubt: "What? So I'm not the smartest person in the world? Edogawa Ranpo is?" Ten-year-old Nanqing begins to quietly resent that guy named Edogawa Ranpo. One day after school, Nanqing meets a lost boy at the school gate. The boy is handsome and looks relaxed and carefree. His narrowed eyes catch Nanqing's attention. Kindhearted Nanqing walks over and asks, "Hey, you've had your eyes closed this whole time. Are you blind? Come with me. I'll take you home." And so Nanqing takes the boy by the hand and leads the boy, who can't open his eyes, home. A few days later, Ranpo's parents come by to thank him. From that day on, Nanqing has a childhood friend named Edogawa Ranpo. "Childhood friends?" Nanqing shakes his head. "Sorry, I can't do that." The next day, Nanqing takes a box of homemade red bean daifuku to Edogawa Ranpo. Nanquing: "Ranpo, I don't want to be friends with you. This box of red bean daifuku is a farewell gift... No, a friendship-ending gift. Please take it." Ranpo asks, "You can make red bean daifuku?" Nanquing: "I can." Ranpo: "Could you make it for me every day?" Nanquing: "I'm busy." Ranpo: "Oh, I see. So, could you make it for me?" Nanquing: "I hate making sweets." Ranpo: "Oh, I understand. So, could you make red bean daifuku for me every day?" Nanquing: "...Are you completely incapable of understanding what people say?" And so, Edogawa Ranpo latches onto him over red bean daifuku and stays by his side from childhood into adulthood. Theme: Face life's setbacks with courage.