Boom— Rumble—
Amidst the deafening roar, the rollercoaster reached the peak of its track before plunging nearly vertically downward.
Young men and women screamed at the top of their lungs, securely strapped in as they enjoyed this thrill that mimicked the brink of death yet remained perfectly safe.
For ordinary people, riding a rollercoaster and experiencing such extreme excitement was already pushing the limits of what many could handle.
Due to the intense stimulation of rollercoasters, there were even cases where riders fainted or, in extreme cases, died during the ride. Thus, this attraction itself carried significant risks.
Of course, that depended entirely on who was riding it.
Rumble—
As the coaster sped through a 360-degree loop, passengers were tossed about, their screams rising again while those prone to motion sickness already looked queasy.
"..."
Shinomiya Kaguya sat perfectly composed, as calm as if she were lounging in her family's garden.
Her hair fluttered wildly with the motion, but she simply reached up and tucked it back neatly.
"There's a juice stand over there. Want to grab something after this?"
Beside her, Takakai yawned, clearly already bored.
Rumble—
The coaster roared through another sharp turn, eliciting another round of screams.
"Mmm, sure. Oh, Takakai-san, I see a fried chicken place too. Maybe we could have lunch there?"
Kaguya turned her head slightly at his words, nodding before spotting something below and lightly tugging on Takakai's sleeve.
"Fried chicken's fine—just not paired with watermelon. Sounds good."
Takakai tossed out the casual remark before yawning again, his gaze drifting to where Hayasaka was observing them from the plaza below.
When Kaguya wasn't looking, he waved at Hayasaka, letting her know she'd been spotted—again.
Soon after, the rollercoaster slowed to a stop at the station, and Kaguya—her expression subtly disappointed—stepped off alongside Takakai.
Another failed plan.
Originally, Kaguya had intended to use the rollercoaster's thrills to feign a bit of girlish fear, hoping to stir Takakai's protective instincts and deepen their connection.
But once actually on the ride, the only phrase that came to mind was:
"That's it?"
There was no sense of excitement at all.
Whether it was the violent shaking or the dizzying loops, none of it felt remotely thrilling.
Thanks to her enhanced physical abilities from blessings and Twilight-tier buffs, Kaguya might as well have been sitting on solid ground. Takakai, meanwhile, had yawned repeatedly, clearly finding the whole experience dull.
A miscalculation. A huge miscalculation.
She had mechanically followed dating advice without considering whether it even applied to them. Rides like this held no meaning for players like them—no emotional impact whatsoever.
Which meant her plans for the haunted house and drop tower were equally doomed.
What now? What do I do?!
Kaguya felt her brain overheating.
Somehow, this felt harder than deciphering dungeon rules or surviving supernatural horrors.
Then—
Her hand was taken again.
"Let's check out that juice stand."
Takakai's voice was casual as he led her forward.
Juice Stand - 11:52 AM
"Orange juice okay?"
"Y-Yes!"
Her left hand still held firmly, Kaguya could only nod, her cheeks flushing.
Time for a counterattack!
She took a sip, then lightly tapped Takakai's arm with feigned innocence.
"Takakai-san, want to try mine?"
"Sure. Here, try this too."
Without missing a beat, Takakai swapped their cups.
...No reaction at all?!
She stared, stunned, as he drank from where her lips had just been—completely unfazed.
How is he this unshakable?!
Then, as if reading her mind—
"By the way..." He smirked. "Does this count as an indirect kiss?"
Direct hit!
Kaguya's mind blanked, her face burning so hot she nearly dropped her cup.
Fried Chicken Stall - 12:30 PM
Round Two: The Bite-Sharing Gambit.
"Not bad."
Takakai took a bite from the wrap she'd already nibbled on—utterly unbothered.
Kaguya, however, froze when faced with his half-eaten chicken sandwich.
...Retreat!
Crowded Plaza - 1:15 PM
Tactic: "Accidental" closeness in crowds.
"Whoops—!"
She "tripped" directly into his chest.
"Easy there."
His hands steadied her, their warmth searing through her blouse.
Mental faculties: CRITICAL ERROR.
Post-Attempt Recap - 3:00 PM
Rock Climbing Fake Fall → Caught mid-air → System Shock
Log Flume "Splash Protection" → Hand-shielded → Core Meltdown
Mutual Snack Feeding → Reciprocated → Tactical Withdrawal
Final Score:
Takakai: ∞ Composure
Kaguya: 0 Dignity Remaining
Hayasaka's Surveillance Post - 3:30 PM
"Gods... She used to becompetent."*
The maid facepalmed, collapsing onto her rooftop perch.
Somehow, romance had reduced her razor-sharp mistress to a blushing, malfunctioning mess—while Takakai remained as unflappable as ever.
With a sigh, she began packing up her binoculars—only to freeze as a shadow fell over her.
"M-Master?!"
Takakai, who had excused himself to "use the restroom," now stood over her with a grin.
"Caught you~"
His hand descended—
Headpat Initiated.