Sato: "..."
Maybe… he really had scared them too much.
Sato glanced at the two girls in front of him and realized their expressions were completely different.
Yukinoshita Yukino wore a cold, expressionless face. Her icy gaze felt like the freezing wind of midwinter slicing across his skin, sharp and cutting like blades of ice.
As for Hirasawa Ui, her expression was very calm but somehow even more frightening.
There was no light in her eyes. Her hollow stare was fixed directly on Sato, as if… she had been completely broken.
"Ui?"
Sato called out cautiously, feeling uneasy.
Ui looked like she had mentally snapped. Could she have actually gone into a "darkened" state?
She didn't have that kind of attribute… right?
"Senpai… why are you still alive…?"
A faint, eerie voice came from the girl's lips, like a vengeful spirit crawling up from hell to claim a life.
Sato: "..."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "..."
It's over. She really broke.
Sato panicked internally and looked toward Yukinoshita Yukino for help.
Yukinoshita's mental resilience was clearly stronger; she had already recovered. But when she met his pleading gaze, her reaction was extremely cold. She snorted and moved her lips slightly.
"You're on your own."
And honestly, even she was still shaken.
She had no idea how to comfort Ui, her mind was completely scrambled.
That earlier scene had genuinely startled her. Even now, recalling it brought a mix of embarrassment, irritation, and shame.
She had actually been fooled so easily.
No, Wait!
Yukinoshita Yukino suddenly narrowed her eyes, focusing on something important.
What had made her believe it so completely was that pool of red liquid on the ground emitting a bloody smell.
What exactly was that?
Meanwhile, Sato was still struggling.
Ui's hollow stare made his skin crawl. This was no longer the usual Ui. She was definitely in full "darkened mode," right?!
What now?
His thoughts raced. And then, suddenly, inspiration struck.
If that's the case, then he could only fight poison with poison!
He stepped forward, stopping right in front of her.
Ui frowned slightly, looking up at him in confusion.
Whoosh!
Sato suddenly pulled her into a hug.
In that instant, he felt her body stiffen completely. Then, heat rapidly surged through her soft frame.
Yukinoshita Yukino's eyes widened beside them, her mouth slightly open in shock.
What is he doing?!
Hugging her right in front of me? Isn't that way too bold?!
Ui's expression froze for a moment.
Then, like melting ice, the coldness on her face disappeared. Color rushed into her cheeks, and her empty eyes regained their soft, deer-like clarity, now filled with flustered embarrassment.
"Se… senpai…"
Her trembling, soft voice carried endless shyness. She could clearly feel the warmth coming from his body, her face burning red in response.
"Better now?"
Sato suddenly let go and looked at her.
Ui stared at him with misty eyes. That haze seemed to be the remnants of her earlier "frozen" state. As soon as he let go, she let out a small breath of relief and an almost imperceptible trace of disappointment flickered in her heart.
Sato didn't notice at all. Instead, he looked pleasantly surprised.
It actually worked!
"Go on a date with her, make her embarrassed, and seal the deal."
For some reason, that sentence flashed through his mind. He hadn't had time for the first half, so he just executed the second part and it actually worked.
So… embarrassment was the key?
"Sorry!"
Sato suddenly clasped his hands together and bowed apologetically to the two girls.
"I really scared you."
Ui and Yukinoshita remained silent, still calming their emotions.
After all, this was a test of courage. Getting scared was expected but this had definitely gone too far.
"Senpai, that kind of scare is just too much!"
Ui said somewhat resentfully. She had truly been terrified earlier.
Yukinoshita Yukino took a breath, then gave Sato a cold stare.
"As expected, Nohara-kun's taste in mischief is difficult to understand."
"Haha, maybe that's just the Nohara family trait."
Sato laughed awkwardly.
Then Yukinoshita shifted her gaze to the red stain on the ground.
"Then what exactly is this?"
Sato glanced at it.
"Fake blood. I found it earlier today."
He pointed toward the cliff edge of the stone plaza.
Yukinoshita walked over and inspected it, quickly finding multiple bags labeled "fake blood."
"…Was this from a film crew? Why would it be left here?"
Sato twitched slightly.
You actually figured that out?
If he had known, he wouldn't have bothered so much.
He sighed internally, facepalming.
His brain really did short-circuit this time… why did he go to such lengths just to scare people? Wouldn't it have been easier to just jump out normally?
"Eh? Sato, why are you here?! I was terrified the whole way up!"
"And seriously, what are you doing instead of being a proper ghost? This isn't scary at all!"
Ritsu arrived with Hikigaya Komachi, rambling loudly as soon as she saw him.
Yukinoshita Yukino and Hirasawa Ui looked at her with strange expressions.
Sometimes, ignorance really is bliss.