Chapter 249: Buying a Boyfriend
Chapter 249: Buying a Boyfriend
The chill in the air, the sense of touch in the dimness.
The skin on his palm and fingertips seemed more sensitive than usual in this situation.
He could feel the girl’s hand—soft, yet tense.
Their gazes locked for a split second.
Thud thud thud…
His heart pounded rapidly. Himekoji could almost hear the thundering in his chest.
Of course, this nervousness was just a natural physical reaction to being in a haunted house.
Sure, there were people who tried to manufacture romance by visiting haunted houses, but that was absolutely self-deception.
In this scary, terrifying, creepy situation, people’s hearts would beat faster without them realizing it. They’d mistakenly believe that this accelerated heart rate meant they had feelings for the other person. And so, feelings of romance would sprout. The so-called “suspension bridge effect.”
It was fake! It didn’t exist!
Himekoji, a veteran of countless battles on the single life battlefield, would absolutely not fall for it here!
…
“Let’s head to the exit!”
In the darkness, Yuigahama flashed a bright smile. Like a burst of sudden light, it seemed to illuminate their surroundings.
She glanced at Himekoji and quietly let go of his hand.
So fast. So sudden.
This brief handholding was perhaps better described as a brief touch, then separation. Himekoji hadn’t even had time to properly register the temperature or feel of her hand before it was gone.
He was a little surprised. So he paused, slightly dazed.
Just as he stood there, stunned, Yuigahama suddenly grabbed his elbow.
“Hurry!”
Already standing, she pulled him along as she charged forward.
Because of their earlier delay, the group ahead had vanished from sight. In the pitch-black corridor, it was just the two of them now, surrounded by all sorts of strange, frightening, ghostly creatures.
“Let’s catch up to them.”
Without the safety of the larger group, Yuigahama must have gotten scared. Her hand gripped Himekoji’s arm tightly, so tightly it almost hurt.
The two of them sprinted through the dark, cold haunted house—walls splattered with fake blood—rushing past fake corpses and dead warriors.
In the end, they failed to catch up to Hayama and the others inside the haunted house.
Because—
“Seems like… the exit?”
After rounding the last corner, they saw a large doorway. Noise drifted in from outside, and bright light poured through the crack around the door.
“I-It’s over… That was really scary…”
They burst through the doors, greeted by the heavy, hot summer breeze outside.
“Phew—”
Finally, back to the normal world.
Probably sighing with relief, a suddenly weak Yuigahama wobbled, looking for a bench. And there, on a bench ahead, sat Hayama and Totsuka.
Himekoji also felt a bit worn out. His heart was pounding uncomfortably.
If this kept up, wasn’t he going to get that… irregular heartbeat thing? Or heart failure?
“Akito! You’re out too! That was fun, wasn’t it!”
Totsuka, who had been sitting on the bench and leaning forward, constantly peering towards the haunted house entrance, stood up reflexively when he saw Himekoji emerge, waving excitedly.
Fun? Where exactly was it fun?! That stuff…
But since it was Totsuka saying it, Himekoji chose to nod along.
“Yeah.”
“We certainly had plenty of excitement. Well then, shall we head to the next place?”
Hayama asked, looking around at the group.
Seemingly, no one objected.
Miura, sitting on the bench, hopped up with a spirited “Heave-ho!”
“I’ll go get Ebina and the others. They’re still in the souvenir shop.”
“Yeah, yeah, go ahead.”
Akiko nodded hurriedly, a big smile on her face.
Finally! That mother-hen was letting go! Brother! Akiko is coming!
“Akiko, come with me.”
“Huh?”
The script wasn’t going right!
“Mmm…”
Akiko puffed out her cheeks resentfully, then cast pleading eyes towards Himekoji.
“Then… maybe I’ll go with you guys?”
Himekoji paused for a moment before speaking up.
“Never mind, you go by yourself.”
Miura, already standing, changed her mind. She sat back down, firmly pressing Akiko back onto the bench.
“I-I’ll go with Onii-chan!”
If I don’t feel Onii-chan’s brotherly love soon, I’m going to wilt like a plant without water!
Akiko desperately wanted to shout the words echoing in her heart.
But she knew… if she actually did that, Onii-chan would definitely scold her…
“Hmm?”
The Queen turned a displeased gaze towards her.
“Have you forgotten what you promised me?”
“No…”
“Then obey me.”
Ding!
Akiko, control yourself! Patience is a virtue! Since you chose Miura Yumiko, trust her!
“Fine.”
Akiko reluctantly pressed her lips together and finally settled down obediently.
Himekoji, however, couldn’t help being puzzled—
Just how did Miura do it? How did she manage to get Akiko so completely under control?
Hmm… Perhaps one day he should ask her for some tips…
“Then I’m off.”
“Yeah, come back soon.”
Hayama told Himekoji with a smile.
Huh? What the heck, that smile was totally creepy!
Why did it sound just like what a wife says to her husband when he leaves for work?
Thankfully Ebina wasn’t around, otherwise her signature, chilling “kyahaha” would surely have popped up!
Himekoji shivered at the thought.
…
The moment he stepped into the souvenir shop, he bumped straight into someone.
Weird, he was watching where he was going! How could he still bump into someone?
Even though it felt strange, he apologized first.
“Sorry, did I hurt you?”
“No…”
Huh? That voice?
Himekoji quickly looked down at the girl who had stumbled into his chest—
It was her, alright…
Hikigaya.
The girl was rubbing her forehead, looking pained.
Hmm, if it was her, then it wasn’t surprising. After all, she had such low presence that sometimes you really just didn’t notice her.
Once he thought that, he felt no more guilt.
“Hikigaya? What are you doing here?”
Himekoji regretted asking the moment the words left his mouth, as all he got in return was a look like he was an idiot.
“We’re in the same class.”
Her eyes were half-lidded and unfocused—her classic Dead Fish Eyes—as she spoke, looking all sulky and somehow… charming?
Hmm, how to describe it…
Like a kind of salted… or maybe rotten… cuteness?
Weirdly appealing.
By the way, something worth mentioning—
Their class had gone from forty to forty-one students when Akiko transferred in, which meant one extra person when dividing into groups of five for the School Trip.
It was said that before the trip, someone strongly proposed to Hiratsuka-sensei that they should be a group all by themselves… and Hiratsuka-sensei actually agreed.
…
“No, I meant, are you here to buy souvenirs?”
“Yeah.”
Hikigaya took a step back. She’d accidentally fallen against Himekoji earlier and now quickly put distance between them.
“To keep as mementos? Never thought you’d be into this stuff.”
“For my I-I… uh, for my Imouto.”
To make her excuse more believable, Hikigaya unconsciously waved a shopping list in her hand.
Her imouto, Hikigaya Komachi, had shoved it into her hand before she left home.
“Huh?”
Sharp-eyed Himekoji spotted something on the list and gasped in shock.
“Boyfriend? Kyoto sells souvenirs called ‘Boyfriend’?”
“Huh? N-no! That’s…!”
The worst possible words had been seen by the worst possible person.
Hikigaya’s face turned bright red instantly. She stuffed the list hurriedly back into her pocket, flailing her hands in panic, trying to explain.
But the more frantic she got, the less she could say.
Her usually sharp tongue, so skilled at twisting the truth and spinning ridiculous tales smoothly, seemed to fail her now. She just stammered, unable to form a word.
Pfft… Seeing Hikigaya like this was definitely a first. Himekoji was about to tease her when—
Ding!
[Option Triggered!]
[Please Choose—]
[A: Sell yourself to Hikigaya Hachiman for ten thousand yen!]
[B: Sell yourself to Hikigaya Komachi for fifty thousand yen!]
…
…