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"Juju, let's go to my house to change clothes first?" Kitagawa Marin said, "Your backpack is still at my house."
Juju-sama nodded: "Thank you."
Amamiya Natsuki was sending messages to Miko to report he was safe, when he suddenly felt someone secretly staring at him. He turned his head and saw a familiar figure hiding behind a nearby bus stop sign, quietly peeking over.
Noticing his gaze, she suddenly hid back behind the pillar.
Amamiya Natsuki put away his phone and waved:
"Come here."
Kitagawa Marin and Juju heard the sound and looked over curiously, then saw a black-haired girl slowly emerge from behind the pillar, hesitatingly.
Tall and beautiful.
And a waterfall of beautiful hair that reached her waist, it was indeed an acquaintance.
"Komi-san?"
Juju-sama's eyes lit up, and she took small steps to greet her, "Why are you here too?"
"There is only one truth." Amamiya Natsuki propped his chin, "You were actually following…"
"…"
Komi quickly shook her head.
"How could it be anything but a coincidence?" Kitagawa Marin retorted, "With Komi-san's personality, she wouldn't follow anyone."
Having spent nearly two days together in the dungeon, Komi's personality was already well-known.
A silent girl who used words sparingly.
Beautiful, yes, but unfortunately couldn't speak.
At least so far, Kitagawa Marin hadn't heard Komi say a single word. If it were her, she would have been uncomfortably stifled long ago.
In the end, Juju-sama guessed the truth: "Um… Was Komi-san also in the cinema just now?"
Komi quickly nodded.
"Ah, that's right." Kitagawa Marin slapped her forehead, "Everyone was chosen for the dungeon because they got movie tickets by chance. Komi-san must be the same."
This was indeed the case.
This Komi got a movie ticket and had to come to the cinema, coincidentally choosing the same cinema and even the same screening room as Amamiya Natsuki and the others.
Just now, when the movie ended, she saw Amamiya Natsuki and his group come out, but she was too embarrassed to go over and say hello.
Because she also had to take the train home, Komi could only follow far behind alone, until she was discovered by Amamiya Natsuki.
"Oh, by the way, Komi-san, do you have any evil spirits at your house?"
Juju-sama remembered what she had promised before and whispered, "If you do, then let Natsuki-kun stick an Evil Spirit Banishing on you."
Komi hesitated.
"Then you have it," Juju said, tilting her head. "Natsuki, go ahead and paste Evil Spirit Banishing on Komi."
Amamiya Natsuki nodded in agreement, then turned to Komi Shoko and extended his hand, saying,
"Komi, give me your hand."
"…"
The black-haired girl's pretty face rapidly flushed crimson at a visible speed, her eyes nervously darting around.
The Train Station was bustling with people coming and going; letting Amamiya Natsuki hold her hand in public was too embarrassing to even think about!
"Oh, I'm so hungry," Kitagawa Marin said, covering her stomach with her right hand, understandingly. "How about we find a restaurant and paste the skill while we eat?"
Juju blinked and quickly said,
"Marin is right, I'm hungry too. Komi, want to come along?"
The black-haired girl hesitantly shook her head, took out a pen, and wrote in her notebook: "If I go back too late, my mom will worry."
"Don't worry, it's not even 7 PM yet," Juju said, placing her right hand on her hip. "We'll finish eating quickly, and then you can go home. Let's go."
This Komi clearly wasn't good at refusing others, so she could only agree in the end.
"Natsuki, what do you want to eat?"
Kitagawa Marin asked, tilting her head as she walked.
Amamiya Natsuki pondered for a moment, then suggested,
"There's a Volcano Beef Rice Bowl restaurant nearby. I ate there once before, and the taste was quite good."
"Komi, have you ever had Volcano Beef Rice Bowl?" Kitagawa Marin turned and asked.
Komi shook her head.
"What about Juju?"
"I've heard of it, but never eaten it."
"It's decided, we're having Volcano Beef Rice Bowl!" Kitagawa Marin clenched her small fist. "Natsuki, lead the way!"
"…"
The four temporarily left the Train Station and walked towards the nearby Commercial Street.
The streetlights were just coming on.
Neon lights flickered.
The Commercial Street was bustling with people, exceptionally lively. Compared to the always gloomy Haunted Town, here one could truly feel the breath of human life.
"We're here, it's this one," Amamiya Natsuki pointed to a restaurant ahead. The neon sign at the entrance flickered, displaying today's recommended menu. "It's on the first basement floor. Just go down."
Amamiya Natsuki led the way down the stairs and quickly entered the restaurant.
"Welcome."
A staff member bowed and called out with a polite smile, then led Amamiya Natsuki and the three others to a booth in the corner, just large enough for four.
"Juju and I will sit together," Kitagawa Marin sat down inside and patted the sofa cushion beside her. "Juju, sit next to me."
Juju agreed and sat down. "Komi, you and Natsuki sit together."
Faced with such an obvious hint, the temperature on Komi's face rose again, and she nervously looked at Amamiya Natsuki.
"Sit inside," Amamiya Natsuki pointed.
Komi obediently agreed, blushing as she sat down inside. However, she sat ramrod straight, like a soldier about to go to battle, not a customer coming to eat.
"What would you like, esteemed guests?"
The waiter handed over the menu, also recommending today's special dishes.
"Volcano Beef Rice Bowl."
"One dessert."
"And a glass of fruit juice."
"…"
Having finished ordering, the waiter left.
Kitagawa Marin took out her phone and started tapping, not even lifting her head. "Natsuki, you can paste the skill now."
Amamiya Natsuki looked at Komi: "Give me your hand."
Komi sat rigidly, her hands clasped into fists on her lap. Her body remained still, but her neck slowly turned, her eyes pleading.
"You mean, not in the restaurant?"
Amamiya Natsuki tried to interpret the girl's thoughts.
Komi nodded quickly.
Amamiya Natsuki said decisively,
"I refuse."
Komi: "…"
"After dinner, we still need to bathe and rest. You don't want to go back too late and make your aunt worry, do you?"
Amamiya Natsuki spoke while extending his hand and grasping the black-haired girl's right hand, which was resting on her lap.
Komi's body instantly stiffened. She lowered her head to look at the table, steam rapidly rising from the top of her head, and she didn't lift her head again.
It wasn't until the waiter brought cold drinks that the black-haired girl nervously looked up.
"Eh?"
Seeing Komi's face, red to the point of explosion, the waiter paused slightly, then her gaze shifted downwards, glancing at the seat, and a knowing smile appeared on her face.
She... she found out!
Komi panicked, her head almost dropping to her chest.
"Here," Amamiya Natsuki said helplessly, handing over the drink. "Have a cold drink to cool down."
"…"
Komi weakly nodded, but her body seemed to be frozen, still not moving.
Fortunately, not long after, 'Evil Spirit Banishing' was pasted. After Amamiya Natsuki released her hand, Komi finally breathed a sigh of relief, holding the cold drink with both hands to cool herself down.
"Finished?"
Kitagawa Marin looked over and began explaining the precautions for Evil Spirit Banishing to Komi.
A moment later.
Four portions of Volcano Beef Rice Bowl were served.
"Looks good," Juju's eyes lit up.
The dish was piled up like a volcano, surrounded by beef, with a tempting soft-boiled egg trembling on top, jiggling like liquid, paired with white yogurt salad, looking quite appealing.
Komi's eyes also flashed with curiosity and anticipation.
"Let's eat."
Without further ado, the four quickly began to eat.
Juju gave it a perfect score, while Kitagawa Marin's evaluation was slightly lower.
"The taste is indeed good, but compared to Natsuki's Dark Cuisine, it always feels like something is missing," Kitagawa Marin looked at the boy sitting opposite her. "Natsuki, what do you say?"
Amamiya Natsuki stopped his chopsticks, looked at Marin, and said faintly,
"You've asked the wrong person."
"Eh?"
"Think carefully," Amamiya Natsuki's voice grew lower and lower. "While I was working hard, running around in the inn, did I ever eat a single bite of food?"
Kitagawa Marin: "…"
After dinner.
The four paid the bill and prepared to leave the restaurant.
On the way upstairs, they happened to encounter a boy and two girls walking down.
Amamiya Natsuki casually looked over and noticed that the two girls looked exactly alike, only their hairstyles were different. One girl had star hair clips in her sideburns and an antenna-like cowlick on top of her head, while the other girl wore black tights identical to Komi's, with bangs covering her eyes. They were clearly twins.
The boy opposite them seemed to sense something and looked his way.
At this moment, a prompt suddenly appeared before Amamiya Natsuki's eyes.
"Danger Danger Danger Danger Danger—"
The two parties quickly passed each other.
"Natsuki, walk faster," Kitagawa Marin called out.
Amamiya Natsuki composed himself: "Coming."
They arrived at the Train Station.
"Komi, goodbye."
Juju waved.
Komi bowed slightly and boarded the Train.
Amamiya Natsuki had planned to go straight home, but Marin pulled him back, whispering that she had a really fun game for him to take home and play on the weekend, saying he'd definitely love it.
"Is the game you're talking about decent?" Amamiya Natsuki glanced at her.
Kitagawa Marin put her right hand on her hip and said, "Of course it's decent."
"Then I'm not playing," Amamiya Natsuki shook his head. "I'm under so much pressure, I don't want to play a game that's too decent."
Kitagawa Marin coughed twice and whispered,
"Alright, actually, it's not that decent…"
"Then I definitely can't play it," Amamiya Natsuki said sternly. "I'm a minor."
Kitagawa Marin's cheeks puffed out, and she grabbed Amamiya Natsuki's arm. "Let's go, quickly!"
"…"
The journey was silent.
The three arrived at Marin's house.
It was exactly 8 PM.
"It's getting hotter and hotter. Just walking a bit makes me sweat all over," Kitagawa Marin said, fanning herself with her hand, then looked at the pink-haired girl. "Juju, why don't you take a bath first and then change?"
Juju thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
She was sticky with sweat now, and putting on clothes would be super uncomfortable.
"Thank you."
"No problem," Kitagawa Marin waved her hand. "I'll go get you a new towel."
Amamiya Natsuki sat on the sofa and looked at Juju.
Juju happened to look back.
Their eyes met.
Amamiya Natsuki's gaze shifted downwards, looking at the floor in front of him…
Juju's face quickly flushed crimson. She put her hands behind her back, covering her skirt, and glared at him indignantly: "Where are you looking?!"
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