Chapter 171 Ichinose Followed by Kamuro
"Hey! Why are you in such a hurry to leave?
That was a magic tool that could help you eliminate your 'Peach Blossom Calamity'!
Or rather... are you actually enjoying yourself in the midst of it?"
Ibuki Mio's eyes sharpened as she stared at him with suspicion.
"Ibuki, has your brain gone bad?
Selling you that cheap little bracelet for twenty thousand points is no different from highway robbery!!"
Hikigaya's mouth twitched as he unleashed a barrage of complaints.
"It's only twenty thousand. If it can help you solve a bunch of trouble, isn't that a great deal?" Ibuki Mio argued righteously.
"No, you actually take it seriously?"
Hikigaya expressed his disbelief: "Besides, where exactly is this 'Peach Blossom Calamity' I'm supposedly having?"
"Hikigaya-kun, now it's my turn!"
Just as they emerged from the black tent, Ichinose Honami came up and grabbed his hand, as if afraid he would run away.
"See! Look at that!"
Ibuki Mio widened her eyes and curled her lip.
"Ahem~
This is just to make a pair! Just to make a pair!"
Hikigaya looked around guiltily and noticed the men and women in line staring at him with inconceivable expressions.
Yet, Ichinose Honami completely ignored them. In front of everyone, she held his hand and walked straight into the black tent.
'This girl is usually so good at reading the atmosphere; why has she suddenly become so indifferent to the gossip of others?
Or rather, has Ichinose Honami's 'normie power' reached a level where she can simply disregard the gaze of those around her?'
"Welcome, guests... Huh?!"
The fortune-teller's expression visibly froze for a moment upon seeing Hikigaya again.
"Hehe~ This old one told you so, God Hachiman is cursed with Peach Blossoms!"
"What 'Cursed with Peach Blossoms'?"
Ichinose Honami widened her eyes, casting an inquiring gaze.
"Don't worry about it; it's just some mystical-sounding nonsense," Hikigaya hurriedly changed the subject. "Ichinose, you should look into your own affairs first."
"Oh, oh~ Well then, I'll ask about my... my romantic fate!"
As Ichinose Honami said this, a flush of crimson rose to her cheeks, and she stole a secret glance at Hikigaya.
"What are you looking at me for?
Don't worry, I'm not a big mouth; I won't tell anyone what happens here," Hikigaya explained.
"That's not the issue..." Ichinose Honami gave a sheepish smile, her eyes flickering uncertainly.
"I see~"
A sharp glint flashed in the fortune-teller's eyes, as if she had already seen through everything.
"Name."
"Ichinose Honami."
The hands began rubbing the crystal ball again.
'If you can manage to produce a Rasengan, I'll be impressed.' Hikigaya watched with a side-eye.
"Miss Ichinose, your romantic fate line is very clear."
"Furthermore, that person has already appeared," the fortune-teller said mysteriously.
"...Eh?" Ichinose Honami's expression became tense.
"Far away in the horizon, yet right before your eyes... Jie jie jie~"
The fortune-teller looked at Ichinose Honami meaningfully.
Ichinose Honami lowered her head shyly, her thoughts unknown.
"Are you trying to say it's me?
Honestly, no matter how much you flatter me, I'm not paying!"
Hikigaya assumed it was just a scripted tactic used to fool him.
"You misunderstand. This old one tells fortunes only to help people find their way, not for money."
'Talk is cheap; this is clearly playing hard to get!'
"The Great Fortune-teller is such a good person!"
Ichinose Honami nodded solemnly, then proactively took out her phone to transfer points and pay.
'The honest person is being played like a fiddle!'
Sure enough, once the points arrived, the fortune-teller began an endless explanation. She said that although Ichinose's fated person had appeared, that person was naturally cursed with Peach Blossom Calamities, and winning over the heart's desire would not be easy...
"Then... what should I do to win?"
Ichinose Honami's eyes were burning; she clearly believed the fortune-teller's words.
"This old one has a marriage charm obtained from a temple. As long as you wear it, you can..."
'Here we go again!
After all that talk, it's just to push merchandise!'
"Let's go, Ichinose!"
Hikigaya directly pulled her up and turned to leave.
"Wait, wait~ That marriage charm..."
Ichinose Honami looked back longingly, reaching out her hand.
"That thing looks like a souvenir you'd find at a tourist attraction—worthless junk," Hikigaya complained dismissively.
"But... I just want it!" Ichinose Honami pursed her lips, looking at him expectantly.
"I don't want you to be scammed."
"What if... I'm doing it willingly?"
"Huh? Ichinose, has your head also been filled with water?"
"Hikigaya-kun, you're a big idiot!"
Ichinose Honami suddenly puffed out her cheeks, looking very angry.
"Why are you angry..." Hikigaya could not understand at all.
"Hmph~ Think about it yourself."
"Sorry, I'd rather not."
Just as the two were staring each other down, a crisp female voice interrupted them.
"Honami-chan!"
"Didn't... didn't you say you weren't interested in fortune-telling?"
Shiranami Chihiro happened to pass by, looking at her with a face full of jealousy.
"Ah, this..." Ichinose Honami's expression froze, and her gaze became frantic.
"Oh ho!"
Hikigaya looked on with schadenfreude: "Dear Honami-chan~ Didn't you say you weren't interested in fortune-telling?"
'Not interested and yet you dragged me over here; isn't that just looking for trouble?'
"You... how can you call her Honami...!!" Shiranami Chihiro was instantly shocked.
'Isn't this a joke? If you can call her that, why can't I?
Speaking of which, Ichinose-san, your smile is a bit exaggerated!'
"Ehehehehe~" Ichinose Honami giggled, swaying her head.
"Ugh~ Honami-chan has gone stupid!"
Shiranami Chihiro grabbed her shoulders and shook her a few times, trying to snap her back to her senses.
"Shiranami-san, you're right.
This girl was almost brainwashed by someone!"
Hikigaya was referring to the fortune-teller's rhetoric.
"..."
Shiranami Chihiro suddenly stared at him with full alert, then without a word, she pulled the still-dazed Ichinose Honami and ran away quickly!
"That girl... she couldn't have misunderstood something, right?"
Hikigaya laughed in spite of himself. Just as he was preparing to leave, a familiar, cold voice came from behind him.
"Hikigaya, you look quite busy."
"Kamuro..."
Hikigaya turned around to find Kamuro Masumi.
"What? Are you interested in fortune-telling too?"
"Baka, how is that possible?"
Kamuro Masumi's answer gave Hikigaya a slight sigh of relief. However, in the next second, his expression froze.
"While I'm not interested in my own fortune, I'm very curious to know about yours!"
The corner of Kamuro Masumi's mouth curled up as she stepped forward and firmly grabbed his arm.
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