Chapter 527: Himekoji’s Bold Move
Chapter 527: Himekoji’s Bold Move
“You two…”
“Hmm, together now.”
While Nanami was still hesitating over how to ask the question, Himekoji announced it ahead of time in a flat and relaxed tone.
“Eh?!”
The cold medicine fell to the ground in fright, and the wallet Himekoji gave her dropped too. Nanami still seemed unable to believe it,
“Is… is this true?”
“It’s true.”
“Then… how could she do that?! Didn’t… didn’t we agree?!”
Maybe the shock and sadness inside her weren’t enough just to talk it out, so Nanami angrily stomped her foot, landing right on Himekoji’s wallet.
She paused for a second, then remembered this wallet was her lifeline for the next few weeks. She frowned, bent down reluctantly but carefully to pick it up, and slowly wiped away the little footprints.
As she wiped, her eyes turned red.
She didn’t understand why she had made this choice…
After her honest talk with Mashiro, she moved out of Himekoji’s house with a lot of resolve. Because of that, she suddenly had a huge dorm fee, making her already tight financial situation much worse.
She made no complaints and worked extra hard this month.
But! But!
But Mashiro…
How could she?!
She felt fooled, and also cheated and bullied by both Mashiro and Himekoji working together.
Tears started falling as if they were free. The warmth of the pharmacy felt like only a moment ago, but it was gone just as fast.
“I—I’m going to work!”
Saying that, Nanami blinked hard, trying to choke back the tears, but was that even possible?
She picked a random direction and ran off blindly.
“Hey! Nanami!”
By the time Himekoji reacted, Nanami was already a distant figure. Himekoji smiled bitterly, grabbed the cold medicine off the ground, and started chasing after her.
Luckily he ran faster than her. But just as he was about to catch up, he saw her hop onto a bus that had just stopped. She hopped on, and the driver got ready to close the doors and start.
“Hey! Bus driver! Wait! Wait! Let me on!”
Himekoji kept shouting till he fought his way onto the bus.
Himekoji was so worried about Nanami, who was crying like a fountain, that he forgot to pay the bus fare. Only when the bus driver reminded him did he suddenly remember his wallet was with Nanami, so he had no money at all!
The guy who got on in front of him saw Himekoji’s problem and kindly paid for him.
Himekoji was in a hurry, but not so much that he didn’t have time for thanks. He thanked him a few times right away.
Strangely, this guy had a weird style. He just waved his hand impatiently as if Himekoji was bothering him. His eyes stayed fixed ahead, staring at Nanami as she cried under the handrail, her tears falling softly.
He clicked his tongue with admiration, whispering things like “Crying girls are the prettiest.”
The next second, while Himekoji watched, this guy tidied his clothes and walked towards Nanami with a fancy stride.
“Miss, nice to meet you. I’m Christie Yuki-ko, a director. You might have heard of me?”
The guy, calling himself Christie Yuki-ko, pulled out a business card from his pocket and offered it. But Nanami acted like she didn’t even hear him and didn’t take it. She tried to hold back her sobs, crying with tears and snot—she still had a cold.
The big director Yuki-ko (probably) didn’t care that his card wasn’t taken. In fact, it pumped him up even more. He spoke more and more excitedly,
“Miss, you might not know I’m preparing a new movie. Amazing script, huge cast, tons of money—a blockbuster! But we’re about to start and haven’t found the right lead actress. You might not believe it, but when I saw you board the bus—yes, the very first time! I knew you were the one! Straight up—I want you! I need you! Only you! You’re the leading lady Yuki-ko needs!”
Nanami wept and sobbed but didn’t care about the big director’s nonsense. She hadn’t planned to listen anyway. But he kept chattering nonstop beside her, which was getting annoying.
She just wanted to have a good cry in peace! Why? Why bother her?
So she turned around to politely tell the big director sorry.
But as she turned, her eyes met Himekoji standing behind Yuki-ko. She didn’t know Himekoji had chased her all the way onto the bus. Seeing him now, she was stunned, her head going blank for an instant.
Then she snapped back and quickly lowered her head, so Himekoji wouldn’t see her messy crying face.
But now she was looking down? Why no reaction? Girl! Yuki-ko was sweet-talking her, painting a grand future a thousand times. He said stuff like “You’re a hidden gem; you’ll shine with one break” and “Yes! You’ll be a future movie star.” He used every trick—anyone else would’ve happily taken his card and hugged him.
What’s wrong? She wasn’t like the flashy flirts he fooled before. Too mysterious!
Sadly, his method didn’t work this time. The invincible big director felt beaten for the first time facing Nanami.
At moments like this, he needed another invincible person to show him the ropes!
Himekoji came to his rescue!
He stepped forward, tapped Yuki-ko’s shoulder, and said in a cool style,
“To repay you for the bus fare, I’ll teach you a trick. Watch closely.”
“Huh?”
Before Yuki-ko could process it, Himekoji strode over to Nanami.
Nanami still hung her head, her slim shoulders trembling pitifully.
Seeing this, Himekoji moved extra gently. He slowly reached out, lightly hooked her chin, and lifted her tear-streaked face.
Her sobs stopped briefly. The next second, Nanami’s eyes went wide—
Himekoji gave her a big, public kiss right there in front of everyone!
A forced kiss, that’s what!
Her body went soft, and he caught her with his arm so she didn’t fall.
“Beautiful, let’s go home?”
Himekoji asked in a soft voice, not asking for her opinion—more like expecting her to just nod. It felt stubborn and bossy, but not in a bad way.
As if hypnotized, Nanami nodded all on her own.
The bus stopped at just the right moment. Himekoji took her hand and led her off the bus, drawing amazed looks from everyone as if he were showing off his new wife.
“That actually worked?!”
Christie Yuki-ko, our big director, was dumbstruck. His mouth hung wide open for ages.
Could it be… could it be…
The fabled kiss that solved everything?!
All the slick words were a waste against one simple, strong, useful kiss!
In that moment, Christie Yuki-ko saw the light!
Just then, another sweet-looking girl stepped on the bus. Yuki-ko had an impulse. He dashed over and planted a big kiss—mwah! A master imitation of Himekoji.
Too bad Yuki-ko wasn’t Himekoji, and the girl wasn’t Nanami. So…
“Miss, let’s go home, okay?”
Slap!
The response was a hard smack.
“Pervert!”
Police were called because of this, so the bus got stuck there for half an hour.
Himekoji had no idea he’d helped catch a major lowlife cheat who’d ruined countless girls, all by joking around.
Well, an accident…
For now, he held Nanami’s tiny, warm hand, wondering how to cheer her up.
…
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