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Kitahara Makoto took a deep breath: "I'm busy, still out. I'll probably be home around nine."
Ijichi Nijika: "Kitahara-kun, you're coming back so late, did you prepare food for Hana?"
Kitahara Makoto: "...Hana isn't human, it shouldn't matter if she doesn't eat."
Ijichi Nijika: "How can it not matter! Children need companionship the most!"
Kitahara Makoto: "My deepest apologies."
Ijichi Nijika sent an angry huffing emoji with hands on her hips: "I bought Hana some snacks. Kitahara-kun, take them back when you have time. Also, Hana doesn't even have a change of clothes. If you're free tomorrow, shall we buy her some clothes?"
The two of them didn't attend the same academy, so if they wanted to meet, they would have to arrange a specific time. However, Kitahara Makoto was going to the amusement park with Tsundere Young Miss tomorrow and didn't have time to buy clothes.
Kitahara Makoto pondered for a moment, then said:
"I probably won't have time tomorrow… How about this, I left the spare key under the flower bed at the entrance. Hitori-chan lives near my house. Nijika-senpai, why don't you and Hitori-chan go see Hana now?"
Ijichi Nijika: "...What an irresponsible father!"
"..."
When adventuring in the Otherworld, perhaps because she first saw Kitahara Makoto and Nijika when she transformed, the Beast Eared Girl stubbornly called Nijika 'Mom' and only referred to others as Good person.
If it were other girls, like Ryo, they certainly wouldn't care about such a cheap daughter.
But Ijichi Nijika was different. As Shimokitazawa's great angel, she had a strong sense of responsibility and usually enjoyed taking care of others. Now, suddenly having an extra daughter, even without any blood relation, she still couldn't just leave her be.
So, Nijika hesitated for a while, but ultimately agreed and went to Kitahara Makoto's house with Bocchi-chan to visit Hana first.
Kitahara Makoto put away his phone and continued shopping with Togawa.
Time quietly passed.
In the blink of an eye, it was half past eight in the evening.
"Senpai, that's enough for today," Kitahara Makoto reminded ghost Senpai, "Let's continue tomorrow."
"Alright then, Kitahara-sama must not break his promise tomorrow…"
Ghost Senpai reluctantly floated out of Sakiko's body, her figure flickering as she was summoned back to Tsukinomori Academy by the limitations of the earthbound spirit.
Kitahara Makoto turned around and extended his right hand to Togawa: "Togawa Sakiko, give me your hand."
"...It's troublesome."
Togawa Sakiko's pretty face flushed slightly, and she extended her soft hand to Kitahara Makoto.
There was no other way.
After being possessed by ghost Senpai, Kitahara Makoto had to help replenish her energy by using Yang energy to dispel Yin energy, otherwise, she would constantly feel chest tightness, shortness of breath, and fatigue all over her body.
Kitahara Makoto held Togawa's soft hand, his expression unchanged:
"There's a bench ahead, shall we go sit down and rest for a bit?"
"Okay."
Togawa Sakiko softly agreed.
She didn't know why, but after being broken down by ghost Senpai in the music room, Togawa Sakiko clearly felt her heart rate accelerating, the thumping heartbeat exceptionally clear.
(How strange…)
(My heart never sped up when we held hands before…)
(Why is it like this now?)
"Togawa Sakiko?" Kitahara Makoto called softly.
"Eh?" Togawa Sakiko snapped back to reality, her eyes slightly evasive. "What did Kitahara-kun just say?"
Kitahara Makoto said softly:
"I said, should I give you the key chain now?"
"No need." Togawa Sakiko raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, then quickly shook her head. "Let's talk about it tomorrow… Anyway, we'll be together tomorrow too."
"..."
At the same time.
In the night.
A Tsundere Young Miss hid behind a tree, watching Kitahara Makoto and Sakiko holding hands on the bench, almost grinding her teeth to dust.
"It's confirmed…"
"There's no doubt this time…"
Nagasaki Soyo clenched her fists, her last shred of hope finally shattered.
In fact, in these past few days, she often doubted whether she had misunderstood, thinking that Togawa and Kitahara Makoto were not in a relationship, and everything was just her imagination. She even specifically sent messages to Togawa Sakiko, trying to subtly inquire about the situation, but Togawa Sakiko always read them and didn't reply.
Until today, while shopping with a friend, she accidentally saw Kitahara Makoto and Sakiko, then followed them all the way, finally seeing them sit down and chat hand in hand.
At this moment, Nagasaki Soyo had no more doubts.
Togawa was so self-respecting and self-loving; she would never hold hands with any other boy except her official boyfriend!
So the truth was exactly as she had guessed, there was no misunderstanding at all…
"Damn it!!"
Nagasaki Soyo gritted her teeth and clenched her fists, looking at the two on the bench, she made up her mind: "When we go to the amusement park tomorrow, I must expose that man's true colors!"
"If she doesn't want to get an abortion, then Togawa-chan and I will raise it together!"
"..."
Replenishing energy finished.
Kitahara Makoto and Togawa walked to the Train Station, waved goodbye, and went home.
The journey was silent.
Kitahara Makoto returned home and was surprised to find the house completely dark, without a single light. Pushing the door open, not only was Nijika-senpai gone, but even the Beast Eared Girl Hana was nowhere to be seen.
"I'm home, where are you, Senpai?"
Kitahara Makoto took out his phone and sent a message to Ijichi Nijika.
Ijichi Nijika: "Ah, I forgot to message Kitahara-kun just now. Bocchi-chan and I are out buying clothes with Hana. We'll be back soon."
Kitahara Makoto: "Be careful."
Closing Nijika-senpai's chat window, Kitahara Makoto slid his finger across the screen and quickly found Sakurajima Mai's avatar.
Sakurajima Mai hadn't sent any messages since she left in the morning.
"Should I send a message to ask how she's doing?"
Kitahara Makoto hesitated for two seconds, then put down his phone.
Since he had decided to rewrite the future of the cleaver, not contacting her was the best option.
"Huh?"
Kitahara Makoto was about to pour himself some water when, passing by the Toilet, he suddenly saw something emitting a faint glow inside the room.
"Is it the washing machine?" Kitahara Makoto walked into the Toilet in surprise, looking down at his own drum washing machine. "Can this thing be optimized too?"
Placing his hand on the drum washing machine, a line of text quickly appeared before Kitahara Makoto's eyes:
[You have obtained an optimizable item. Would you like to optimize it now?]
"Optimize."
Kitahara Makoto decisively gave the command.
There was no one else in the house, so naturally, he didn't have to worry about attracting attention.
A small piano keychain, after optimization, could grant absolute pitch. This large drum washing machine, after successful optimization, must be even more amazing, right?
Although Kitahara Makoto couldn't think of what kind of traits a washing machine could produce, it didn't stop him from being full of anticipation.
A moment later.
"Optimization complete."
Kitahara Makoto exhaled tiredly.
Perhaps the larger the item, the more energy it required for optimization. Kitahara Makoto now felt much more tired than in the afternoon, even feeling a little dizzy.
"It seems I need to be more careful in the future and not optimize indiscriminately…"
Composing himself, Kitahara Makoto looked expectantly at the successfully optimized washing machine, and then the anticipation on his face instantly froze.
[Item: Drum Washing Machine]
[Current Status: Optimized]
[New Trait: Female Trap. The washing machine will automatically suck in female humans and get them stuck inside.]
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