"…Shimizu Rin."
The gloomy girl wearing an eye patch wrote her name on the blackboard, then turned around and silently looked at the onlookers below the podium.
"…"
The transfer student girl's exposed left eye showed no emotional fluctuations; in fact, it was full of lifelessness. The dark and cold aura quickly caused the entire classroom to fall silent.
"Cough cough…"
The female teacher lightly coughed twice, helping to explain:
"Shimizu's family has experienced a major change, so everyone should take good care of her from now on… There's still an empty seat at the very back of the classroom, Shimizu can sit there for now."
The eye-patched girl walked down from the podium expressionlessly and headed towards the back of the classroom, where the empty seat happened to be next to Sakiko's desk.
Once the eye-patched girl sat down, the female teacher began the official lesson.
"Stare—"
Kitahara quickly noticed a lingering gaze falling upon him.
Turning his head to look back, he saw the new transfer student, the eye-patched girl, looking at him expressionlessly.
Their eyes met.
The eye-patched girl silently withdrew her gaze and looked down at her desk.
"Strange… Why do I have a subtle sense of familiarity? It's as if I've seen her somewhere before?"
Kitahara was puzzled.
After thinking for a while, Kitahara still couldn't find a clue, so he temporarily put it out of his mind. Too many onlookers had come to see him these past two days; perhaps he had seen her inadvertently. Just a transfer student girl, no need to worry about her at all.
In a flash, it was time for class to end.
As the female teacher left with the click-clack of her high heels, soon some socially confident students came over, wanting to chat with the transfer student and get the latest gossip firsthand.
Unfortunately, facing others' goodwill, the eye-patched girl merely looked at them faintly, showing no intention of speaking in response. The socially confident students who tried to talk to her could only smile awkwardly and leave.
Thus, in just half a day, the new transfer student girl earned the nickname 'Eye-patched Weirdo'.
The day passed quickly.
As the dismissal bell rang, Kitahara picked up his schoolbag and left the classroom.
"Kitahara…"
Shimizu Rin's gaze was dim, falling on Kitahara's back:
"Banishment…"
Kitahara didn't know that an enemy had infiltrated the classroom. After school, he went to the activity room as usual to carry out club activities with Tomori, then rode his scooter home with Hitori.
"The band can perform on stage again tonight?"
Kitahara asked casually.
"Mhm, mhm." Hitori nodded happily, her eyes sparkling, "The short film became popular, Kita-chan is very popular, and many customers come specifically to see us, so the manager said we can perform on stage every day from now on… There are many customers booking tickets, so we finally don't have to pay out of our own pockets anymore."
During performances, fans needed to buy support tickets. If no one bought them, they would have to pay out of their own pockets to subsidize. The little money Hitori painstakingly saved from her part-time job, a small portion was borrowed by Ryo, and the majority was used to subsidize the band's performances.
Kitahara asked curiously: "Since you're all performing on stage, won't it be too busy on-site?"
"Kitahara-kun doesn't need to worry." Hitori explained softly, "The manager has already hired part-timers."
"That's good then." Kitahara smiled, "I'll go support guitarhero-sensei tonight."
"Don't… don't say that name…"
Six o'clock in the afternoon.
The sun was setting.
The evening glow was golden.
Kitahara brought Hana to the shop entrance and saw Ryo still sitting behind the long table at the entrance selling tickets, but there were quite a lot of customers queuing.
After waiting for a while, Kitahara finally reached Ryo.
"So many people."
"So tired."
Kitahara's complaint and Ryo's lament sounded at the same time.
"I remember Hitori said the manager hired new part-timers. Why is Ryo-senpai still responsible for selling tickets?"
Kitahara asked curiously.
"Because selling tickets is easier." Ryo said with conviction, "If I work inside, I have to constantly walk around serving drinks, so of course, I'd choose the easier job."
As expected of Ryo, she's truly super smart!
There were still many customers queuing behind them, so Kitahara and Ryo chatted briefly before he could only take his ticket and enter the shop.
"Seika-nee, good evening."
Kitahara walked into the underground shop and immediately saw Seika sitting behind the bar.
"Hana-chan is here! I specifically bought you a small cake this afternoon."
Seika's eyes lit up, and she quickly opened her arms, hugging Hana, then glared at Kitahara:
"I'll take care of Hana-chan, you can go as far away as you want."
Kitahara sighed silently:
"How nostalgic."
"Hmm?"
Seika cast a questioning look.
Kitahara lowered his voice: "It's been a long time since I saw Seika-sensei, and I feel so nostalgic. If I see Seika-sensei again, I will definitely…"
Seika clenched her fist upon hearing this, glaring menacingly:
"Definitely what?"
"Of course, I'd confess to Seika-sensei." Kitahara said calmly, "Seika-sensei loves excitement so much, she'd surely happily agree, right?"
Seika's pretty face flushed, and she glared back in embarrassment: "Perverted brat, you really want to die, don't you!"
Kitahara took half a step back and held up a finger: "Manager, this is the first time."
Seika: "…"
After a brief chat, Kitahara walked to the bar, asked Hitori for a glass of fruit juice, greeted the busy Nijika and Kita, then took his drink and walked to the counter side.
"What are you doing here?"
Seika was originally happily interacting with Hana, but seeing Kitahara stroll over, she quickly reined in the smile on her face.
"Everyone is too busy, and I'm too bored alone, so I can only come and chat with the manager."
Kitahara explained casually, swirling the drink in his glass.
There was nothing to be done; today, the customers were still numerous, and everyone was too busy to stop. Kitahara, having nothing to do, naturally couldn't interfere with the girls' work.
"If you're bored, play on your phone," Seika scoffed softly when she heard him. "I have important things to do too."
Kitahara retorted:
"Busy kissing, hugging, and lifting girls, are we?"
"I didn't kiss, okay? It was just hugging and lifting," Seika denied guiltily, then suddenly remembered something and asked warily, "You didn't lay a hand on Hana-chan, did you?"
Kitahara looked over speechlessly: "If I were that bad of a person, Seika-nee wouldn't possibly like me, would she?"
"Pervert, don't talk nonsense!"
Seika's pretty face flushed, and she glared at him in shame and anger:
"Who likes you?"
"How could I like an elementary schooler who hasn't even fully grown her hair?"
Kitahara lowered his voice and said:
"Manager, don't lie with your eyes open. You clearly saw everything."
"Pah!"
Seika's pretty face was hot, and she clenched her fists, wanting to hit him.
"Manager, don't act recklessly," Kitahara was not afraid in the slightest. "We're in public right now. If Seika-nee touches me, someone might record a video and post it online... Manager wouldn't want our secret to be known by the general public, right?"
Seika: "..."
So irritating!
This perverted brat is indeed super irritating!
"Let's talk business," Kitahara's expression suddenly turned serious. "Although ordinary people can't access it, I specifically asked the management bureau's exclusive liaison today. The number and frequency of abnormal incidents are rapidly increasing. I've decided to give Seika-nee some self-preservation power."
"Eh?" Seika's eyes widened slightly, and she looked over curiously. "What do you mean?"
"It's simple," Kitahara said softly. "I can share an ability with the Manager, such as an Exorcist physique. After sharing this ability, Seika-nee can temporarily become an Exorcist. Even if she encounters an anomaly alone, she'll have the power to fight."
Seika's eyes lit up slightly, clearly tempted.
She hadn't forgotten the abnormal incident that suddenly occurred in the shop back then. If Kitahara hadn't been there in time, it's hard to imagine how terrifying it would have been... If she had the ability of an Exorcist, she wouldn't be so desperate and helpless, right?
"Seika-nee, let me finish first," Kitahara said slowly. "To share an ability, a prerequisite condition must be met, which is a kiss."
"Huh?!"
Seika immediately snapped back to reality, her eyes filled with shame and anger:
"Perverted brat, so you were trying to take advantage of me?!"
"The truth is, I wasn't," Kitahara's eyes were clear, without the slightest hint of guilt. "Sharing abilities isn't the first time. I've shared with everyone. If Seika-nee doesn't believe me, she can ask Nijika or Hitori."
Seika bit her lower lip upon hearing this. The perverted brat was so calm, it seemed he wasn't lying... So, a kiss was really necessary to share the ability?
(Just a kiss to gain the power of an Exorcist... It seems like a huge profit, no loss?)
Seika couldn't help but be tempted.
However, due to her tsundere nature, agreeing just like that was absolutely impossible.
"Hmph," Seika hummed softly, picked up a small cake, and handed it to Hana. "I'm not interested in exorcism abilities."
Kitahara sighed, feigning regret:
"Since Seika-nee isn't interested, then forget it."
Seika: "..."
Why don't you try persuading me a little more! Ending it after just two attempts, it's so frustratingly incomplete!
Unbeknownst to them, the performance officially began.
Kessoku Band, which was originally just a supporting act, had now become a popular band. After they took the stage, there were many audience members, and cheers and applause rose and fell. The most popular songs were the micro-film's theme song and Hitori's self-written "Rats' Song."
After the performance, Kitahara followed them to the backstage dressing room.
"Everyone worked hard~!"
Nijika clasped her hands into fists above her head, her voice clear, and her smile bright and dazzling:
"Tonight's performance was a huge success!"
"It was a bit tiring," Kita's voice was excited, and there were fine beads of sweat on her forehead. As the band's lead singer and also playing guitar with Hitori, it was naturally quite exhausting. "But it feels so happy that so many people liked the performance!"
"Kitahara, my shoulders are so sore."
Ryo tilted her head and looked at Kitahara.
"Coming."
Kitahara stepped behind Ryo and began to provide massage and shoulder rubs.
Ryo continued:
"I'm thirsty, I want something to drink."
Kitahara silently picked up a drink and handed it over.
"Ah..."
Ryo's lips parted slightly, indicating she wanted to be fed.
Kitahara had no choice but to silently feed Ryo the drink.
"Regarding the competition invitation, does everyone want to participate?"
Ryo asked leisurely while drinking.
"Of course we'll participate," Nijika put her hands on her hips, her voice clear. "It would be a pity to miss such a good opportunity."
"That's right, Nijika-senpai is right," Kita cast a vote of approval, her red twin pigtails gently swaying behind her. "While everyone has time now, of course we should sign up. Even if we don't win in the end, as long as we all work hard together, it will definitely be a beautiful memory worth cherishing."
"To enter the competition, we must write new songs," Ryo's eyes shifted, looking at Hitori in the corner. "Hitori, I'm counting on you for the lyrics."
"Ah..."
Hitori wanted to refuse, writing lyrics was actually very hard work, but due to her personality, she never knew how to refuse others:
"I-I understand..."
(If I'm writing lyrics... I'll have to ask Kitahara-kun for help again, won't I?)
"And the School Festival!" Kita enthusiastically invited, "Will Nijika-senpai and Ryo-senpai come to play then?"
"Of course, we'll go then," Nijika naturally agreed without hesitation. "I haven't been to Kita and Hitori-chan's school to play yet."
Ryo said slowly:
"Actually, we've been there."
"Eh?" Kita tilted her head in confusion. "When was that?"
"It was at night..."
Before Ryo could finish her sentence, Nijika quickly covered her mouth, her pretty face flushed crimson with shame as she cried out:
"Ryo, don't talk nonsense!"
Kitahara silently took a sip of his drink, responding in his heart:
"That's right, it was me."
Kitahara had, of course, unlocked the new map [Campus at Night] not only with Anon, but also with Ryo and Nijika.
After chatting for a while,
The girls decided to celebrate properly when they went to the onsen tonight, and then left the dressing room together to continue being busy in the shop.
Kitahara, meanwhile, returned to the counter:
"Seika-nee, give me Hana-chan, we're going back."
Seika's tone was clearly reluctant: "Going back so soon today?"
Kitahara's answer was straightforward: "Going back to play games."
Today's daily quest four was to team up with others to play "twin shadow wonderland." Besides that, there were no other restrictions, so he planned to go back now and complete the quest with Mutsumi.
"Alright then..."
Seika reluctantly handed over Hana.
Kitahara took Hana: "I'm heading back first. When I play games, I'll be wearing headphones and completely immersed, so I won't see calls or messages. If there's another abnormal incident, Seika-nee can only pray for herself."
Seika: "...Perverted brat! Don't jinx it!"
Watching Kitahara leave with Hana, Seika's pretty face showed a hint of hesitation. The abnormal incident that had occurred in the shop earlier resurfaced in her mind. If Kitahara hadn't appeared in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable...
"Damn it!"
Seika's eyes quickly hardened. She took a deep breath, her face flushed, and stood up from the counter:
"It's better to rely on yourself than on others. It's just a kiss... It's not like we haven't kissed before!"
"Nijika, I'm sorry... This is really only this one time!"