"Anon just said... watch the book together tonight?"
Kitahara looked over in surprise.
"Eh..." Anon raised a hand to cover her lips, then spoke the standard refusal, "I'm sorry, even though Kitahara-kun saved me today, and my favorability indeed increased significantly, my favorability hasn't reached its maximum yet, so watching the book together is not allowed, okay?"
Kitahara: "..."
No, I heard it clearly just now, you clearly said 'watch the book together'!
"That was a hallucination." As if hearing Kitahara's thoughts, Anon sighed, feigning helplessness with her hands behind her back, "Kitahara-kun, your head is full of lewd thoughts right now, girls will dislike you for that."
You're saying all the good and bad things, aren't you!
Kitahara turned his head away speechlessly:
"Since there's nothing, I'll continue watching TV."
"Poke poke—"
The quiet poking sensation came from his waist again.
Anon leaned over, close to Kitahara's ear, and whispered:
"Kitahara-kun, don't go to bed so early tonight, there's a special reward, okay?"
Kitahara: "..."
Are you trying to cause trouble?
You'd better have a special reward tonight, otherwise, I'll definitely let you know what 'asking for trouble' means!
Next was onsen time.
While soaking in the onsen, Kitahara mentioned his newly acquired ability, State Expert, and at the same time warned everyone to be careful and think twice when sharing this ability.
At the same time, Anon stepped forward to speak from experience, pitifully recounting today's fire incident to help everyone raise their vigilance.
After the onsen, the girls successively went home.
"Kitahara-kun, goodbye~"
Anon waved goodbye, her steps light and graceful, leaving without hesitation.
Kitahara: "..."
She really left without hesitation. This Anon's behavior tonight was too strange.
11:30 PM.
Just as Kitahara was about to fall asleep, his phone suddenly vibrated softly.
He glanced at it and saw a message pop up on the screen:
"Kitahara-kun, come downstairs, there's a surprise~"
"..."
Kitahara quietly got up, left his room, and walked down the stairs. He then saw a pink-haired girl in pajamas sitting on the sofa, who was Anon.
"What's the surprise Anon mentioned?"
Kitahara stepped over and sat down beside the pink-haired girl:
"If you can't surprise me, then you're in for it tonight."
"Hm~"
Anon hummed softly and took out a manga from behind her back:
"It's this."
Kitahara's gaze fell on the cover, and he slightly twitched the corner of his mouth:
"You actually brought it over?"
The girl on the cover looked quite familiar; it was indeed the book he had chosen with Anon at the bookstore that day.
Calling a boy to watch a book together in the middle of the night, do you really not know how to write the word 'danger'!
Anon raised her delicate chin:
"I always keep my word."
"No..." Kitahara looked over cautiously, "I smell a conspiracy."
"There's no such thing!"
Anon's smile stiffened, her small fangs gleaming with anger, and she tilted her head to look over:
"If Kitahara-kun doesn't want to watch, then forget it?"
Kitahara said seriously:
"I'm sorry, I really want to watch."
"..."
He didn't know what Anon was up to, but it didn't hinder Kitahara's interest in watching the book. Fearing that turning on the light would disturb others, they went directly to the Onsen Village.
What happened next goes without saying.
Anon actually kept her promise and was honest, not playing mischievous tricks. She watched the entire manga with Kitahara.
The air quietly settled.
Only Kitahara and Anon's Onsen Village was exceptionally quiet, allowing them to clearly hear each other's breathing and heartbeats.
"Kitahara-kun, why is your heartbeat speeding up?"
Anon's pretty face was flushed, and she extended a slender finger, gently poking Kitahara.
Kitahara took a light breath:
"Don't move around, your foot isn't better yet, so don't mess around."
"It doesn't hurt anymore..." Anon's pretty face was flushed, and she suddenly looked up, whispering, "Scumbag-kun, do you remember the question you asked this afternoon?"
Kitahara paused slightly: "What question?"
"The life-saving grace..." Anon pursed her pink, moist lips and whispered, "Of course, it's to pledge oneself."
Kitahara took a deep breath:
"Be honest at a time like this, otherwise, I really won't be able to hold back."
"If you can't hold back, then don't..." Anon's pretty face was burning, "I'm someone who knows how to repay kindness."
Kitahara helplessly extended his right hand and gently pinched Anon's pretty face:
"That kind of thing should come from Anon's affection, not from repaying a favor..."
"Idiot scumbag!"
Anon suddenly opened her mouth and bit Kitahara's shoulder.
"It's too late to say such things now. Why didn't you say that when you first tricked me into watching the book?"
"Ouch, ouch, ouch."
Kitahara pretended to cry out in pain:
"At that time, I openly invited Anon, how can that be considered trickery?"
"Pfft~"
Anon scoffed lightly, glaring at him with disdain:
"If it were anyone else, daring to make such a frivolous invitation to me, I would have already blacklisted and deleted them, and never speak another word to them again!"
Anon suddenly raised her arms and wrapped them around Kitahara's neck, her eyes shimmering:
"When I was hiding alone in the private room at that time, I finally understood the meaning of that sentence... You never know whether tomorrow or an accident will come first."
"If Kitahara-kun had been one minute later, I would never have seen you again."
"At that time, besides fear, there were so, so many regrets..."
"I want to go skiing in Hokkaido in winter with Kitahara-kun."
"I want to go swimming by the sea in the southern country with Kitahara-kun."
"I want to taste all kinds of delicious food with Kitahara-kun."
"And also..."
At this point, Anon's voice paused slightly, a blush quietly rising on her face. However, as a girl with the courage to challenge gravity, Anon was never a shy or timid person. Meeting Kitahara's gaze, she said softly with a flushed pretty face:
"And I want to experience the things in the book with Kitahara-kun..."
Kitahara: "..."
As expected of a social butterfly!
Hitori would never be able to say such things, even if you beat her!
"It turns out that accidents can indeed happen every day. It turns out that if you don't do the things you want to do in time, you really won't have another chance..."
Anon said, puffing out her cheeks, and bit Kitahara's shoulder again, her tone resentful:
"So scumbag-kun is indeed an idiot; that kind of thing isn't for repaying a favor!"
Kitahara deliberately showed a troubled expression:
"But I remember Anon saying that we can only go all the way after we're truly dating. I'm just a fake identity right now, I haven't been officially promoted..."
Bang!
Anon reached out and pushed Kitahara directly onto the sofa, her hands braced against his chest. She looked down at him, her pretty face flushed, and said in a strong tone, "Scumbag-kun is too verbose. You have to agree today, whether you want to or not... Lie still and let me do it!"
Kitahara: "..."
A night without words.
The next day.
Looking at Anon in his arms, her eyes still wet with tears, still sleeping soundly, Kitahara sighed helplessly.
"So weak."
This Anon seemed very strong, and indeed, last night she was the one who initiated the reverse-push, but her combat power was too weak. If Ryo's combat power was five points, then Anon's combat power was only one point, pitifully weak. The battle had just begun, and she immediately cried and waved a white flag in surrender!
"Hmm..."
Anon's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she groggily opened her eyes.
Their eyes met.
Anon's fair face quickly began to redden, clearly recalling what had happened last night.
"Anon-chan, good morning."
Kitahara greeted her.
"Scumbag-kun, good morning~"
Anon subconsciously replied.
Kitahara raised an eyebrow slightly:
"What did Anon just call me?"
"Eh?" Anon looked up, "...Scumbag-kun?"
Kitahara rolled over, looking down from above:
"In the future, you can secretly call me scumbag, I won't argue with you. But once we're out this door, in front of your friends, you must call me boyfriend."
"No way~"
Anon snorted softly, saying haughtily:
"Boyfriend is a super special title. Kitahara-kun's favorability hasn't reached full yet, so no way I'm calling you that."
"Not full yet, huh?"
Kitahara smiled:
"Then it can be filled up now."
"Eh, eh, what is scumbag-kun going to do?"
Seeing Kitahara's 'murderous intent' in his eyes, Anon immediately panicked.
"I, I haven't recovered yet..."
"I shared my ability with you last night, your stamina is 100% recovered now."
"Sorry, I was wrong... Sob... I surrender..."
"It's too late to surrender now."
"I, I, I... I'll call you boyfriend from now on..."
"..."
Facts proved that a battle-scum is a battle-scum. Besides crying and waving a white flag in surrender, Anon had no other capabilities.
"Scumbag-kun~ Our secret is not allowed to be told to anyone!"
Anon cried out a warning, and seeing Kitahara raise an eyebrow, she quickly fled in a hurry.
During lunch, Anon naturally didn't come. Kita, as Anon's good friend, even sent a message specifically asking about Anon's situation. Besides that, there was nothing else.
Time flew by, and it was afternoon.
Kitahara and Sakiko went together to the Togawa family's manor villa to begin today's 'Return to Youth' business.
The first client was Sakiko's grandfather. The final result was quite good; Sakiko's grandfather's physical vitality significantly improved, and half of his white hair turned black. Kitahara, on the other hand, received a reward of 50 million yen. Both parties got what they wanted and were very happy.
In the evening.
Kitahara took Hana with him to Shimokitazawa to support the re-opened shop.
Arriving at the shop's entrance, Ryo was, as usual, selling tickets at the door. Looking at the customers lining up to buy tickets, Kitahara couldn't help but be surprised.
"Ryo-senpai, aren't there too many customers?"
Lining up to Ryo, Kitahara asked curiously.
"There are indeed so many customers. My throat is dry from saying 'Welcome' so much..."
Ryo looked up, her face full of the fatigue of a worker:
"So tired. Tonight, I must ask the manager to give me more wages."
Kitahara: "..."
After a brief chat with Ryo, Kitahara quickly understood the whole story.
It turned out that when the anomaly occurred that day, customers fled in a rush, and someone, in their panic, dropped their phone, which happened to capture the scene of Seika stepping forward for the customers. Naturally, she won the favor of countless passersby.
Coupled with the curiosity about the anomalous existence, many people who saw the video decided to come and check it out. So, not only did the number of customers not decrease, but it increased exceptionally.
"Ryo-senpai, I'm going in first."
There were still many customers lining up behind, so Kitahara could only chat briefly before taking his ticket and entering the shop.
As soon as he entered the shop, a noisy scene immediately greeted his eyes.
"There are indeed a lot of people..."
Kitahara sighed, then led Hana towards the counter, preparing to 'deposit' Hana with Seika.
"Perverted brat, what are you doing here?"
Seika noticed Kitahara's presence immediately, a hint of shame and panic flashing in her eyes. She glared at him, putting on a brave front.
"Here."
Kitahara picked up Hana, handed Hana into Seika's arms, and then held up one finger.
"Why are you suddenly holding up your finger?"
Seika looked over, puzzled.
Kitahara lowered his voice and said:
"It's simple, it means 'first time'."
"Eh?"
Seika blinked, and quickly understood what he meant, immediately feeling both shy and annoyed:
"Perverted brat, you really want to die, don't you!"
Kitahara showed no anger, only said slowly:
"This is the second time. Seika-nee, if you say it one more time, I'm going to kiss you."
"Damn it!"
Seika gritted her teeth in anger:
"You're actually threatening me?"
Kitahara's expression was innocent:
"This is a reminder, not a threat."
Seika glared at him in shame and anger, lowering her voice:
"I'm Nijika's older sister, you brat, don't go too far!"
Kitahara smiled:
"As the old saying goes, a leopard cannot change its spots. The manager is Seika-sensei grown up, so... the manager is actually just like Seika-sensei, doesn't she also find it very exciting?"
Seika clenched her fist in shame and annoyance:
"You brat really want a beating, don't you!"
"..."
After a brief chat with Seika, Kitahara walked up to the bar and asked Hitori for a drink.
"Kitahara-kun, good evening..."
Hitori greeted him softly.
"Please give me a glass of Guitar Hero-sensei's chewed alcohol."
"S-sorry..."
Hitori lowered her head and apologized softly:
"There's no such drink..."
Kitahara keenly noticed that Hitori was a bit distracted at the moment, and stopped joking:
"Give me a glass of iced grape juice."
"Okay..."
Hitori agreed and began to get busy.
"Are you tired because there are too many customers?"
Kitahara asked softly.
"Not tired..." Hitori quickly shook her head, "The shop only opened at five o'clock, so I'm not tired yet..."
Kitahara raised an eyebrow and said:
"Then why does Hitori look like she's about to cry?"
"..."
Hitori bit her lower lip at his words, looking up pitifully, her voice forlorn:
"Um... I looked at my phone this morning, and then..."
"And then?"
"And then the meteorological agency said there's a typhoon coming, and it's likely to rain all day tomorrow, so we can't go on our trip..."
"I see." Kitahara smiled, "Hitori, are you so disappointed because you can't go on your date tomorrow?"