"You made that sound pretty convincing," Yuki Suou said with a grin, looking at him. "To recite such a long speech so smoothly without really looking at your script, not even stuttering once... Don't tell me you were so afraid of holding me back that you stayed up last night memorizing it until you knew it by heart?"
Of course, that wasn't the case.
Fumiya Jin was a master of memory. For things like a speech script, one look was all it took to etch it into his mind. Why would he need to specifically memorize it?
However, since it involved his superpower, he naturally wouldn't go around telling people about it.
So he gave a perfunctory reply: "It's just a few hundred words. Memorizing it is no big deal."
"Hah, I don't believe you. Just memorizing it might not be hard, but to do it to your level... it definitely wasn't easy," Yuki Suou said, clasping her hands behind her back. With a spring in her step that radiated a hint of triumph, she walked up to Fumiya Jin, then... stood on her tiptoes, brought her mouth to his ear, and whispered, "Zako Fumiya-san, you care so much about my affairs but refuse to admit it. What a tsundere dummy... Zako, zako~~"
After saying her piece, she laughed. Without waiting for Fumiya Jin's response, she took her script and walked briskly onto the stage to give her own speech.
Fumiya Jin watched her happy back, feeling a little amused himself.
Is this what they call 'self-conquest'?
Who's the real zako here?
Fumiya Jin let out a soft chuckle and shook his head.
Then he turned his head and looked at Ayano Kimishima, who was still standing there.
He could feel that Ayano Kimishima had been secretly watching him the whole time.
But the moment he actually looked at her, she immediately turned her head away, pretending she hadn't been looking.
Fumiya Jin started walking and came to her side.
The girl subconsciously took half a step back.
But Fumiya Jin immediately followed, closing the distance and wrapping his arms around her.
"Huh?"
Ayano Kimishima was stunned.
She never expected Fumiya Jin to be so bold in a place like this.
Although they were standing in the shadows of the backstage entrance, with all the spotlights on the stage, which made their spot particularly dark and hard to notice for people in the auditorium, that didn't mean no one would come backstage.
Besides, Yuki Suou was just walking towards the center of the stage. Even though her back was to them, she was less than ten meters away in a straight line... If she turned around, she might be able to see what was happening here.
How could he dare to do this under these circumstances...
"L-Let go of me..."
"I won't let go, unless you obediently come with me somewhere," Fumiya Jin said, his arms around her slender waist.
Her cheeks instantly grew hot. She bit her lip and said, "Wasn't... yesterday enough? You... you..."
"Eh?"
Ayano Kimishima was slightly startled.
Due to her extensive experience reading humiliation doujinshi, she immediately imagined some R-rated developments.
"Are you going, or not?" Fumiya Jin didn't bother explaining further and asked directly.
Ayano Kimishima stiffened slightly.
From the sound of it, if she didn't agree, Fumiya Jin wouldn't let go, and he might even do something to her right here...
What if Lady Yuki turned around and saw them? Wouldn't she be shocked and lose her composure?
She might even interrupt her speech and run over, which would definitely diminish the impact of her campaign.
No, that can't happen!
"I... I'll go with you..."
Only then did Fumiya Jin release her. He then took her hand and led her through the backstage area of the auditorium.
Following the backstage path, they went all the way out of the auditorium building and arrived under a large tree behind it.
There was no one around for the time being, but it wasn't an enclosed space. Someone could pass by at any moment.
Ayano Kimishima glanced at the surroundings, and her face went pale. "A-A place like this... We'll be... discovered!"
Fumiya Jin found her words rather amusing...
He walked over to the tree, bent down, and picked up a plastic insulated container he had hidden behind it beforehand.
Then he turned back, walked over to Ayano Kimishima, opened the container, and handed it to her.
Ayano Kimishima was extremely nervous, thinking he had brought out something lewd... like a pink bag of balloons or something...
But when she looked down, she saw a small insulated container in his hands.
Steaming hot...
Red bean rice?
"Want some?" Fumiya Jin said.
"Huh?" Ayano Kimishima was baffled. "Why..."
"Consider it a celebration for your coming-of-age ceremony," Fumiya Jin explained. "People need a bit of ceremony in their lives."
Ayano Kimishima understood instantly, and a visible blush crept onto her cheeks.
She bit her lip and looked at Fumiya Jin plaintively. "Is this something worth celebrating?"
Fumiya Jin nodded decisively. "I think so."
Ayano Kimishima rolled her eyes, not even bothering to argue with him, just staring at him with a resentful gaze.
Faced with her resentful glare, Fumiya Jin thought for a moment... then lowered his head, held the container in one hand, picked up the spoon with the other, scooped up some red bean rice, and brought it to the girl's lips.
"Humor me?"
Ayano Kimishima stared daggers at him.
After a long moment...
...she opened her mouth and bit down on the spoon.
She bit down hard. Although she ate the rice properly, it was as if she wanted to crush that spoon.
Watching this, Fumiya Jin felt a pang in his own teeth.
He probably wouldn't dare let her eat like that again.
"Easy there, don't break your teeth," Fumiya Jin advised, pulling the spoon back, then he scooped another spoonful and offered it to her. "One more bite."
"Hmph."
Ayano Kimishima snorted.
But she obediently opened her mouth again...
Evening, 5:30 PM.
The door to Fumiya Jin's house opened.
Fumiya Jin stepped into the genkan first, with Yuki Suou close behind.
"Pardon the intrusion," Yuki Suou said politely.
Then she remembered, since Fumiya Jin lived alone, "Oh, right, since you live by yourself, I guess I don't need to be so formal..."
"Not anymore. I have a houseguest now," Fumiya Jin said.
"Huh?" Yuki Suou was slightly taken aback. "A relative?"
"No, it's that beautiful girl we met in the instance last time. Her name is Shiina Mashiro." Next, Fumiya Jin gave Yuki Suou a rough summary of how Shiina Mashiro had sought him out.
Yuki Suou listened, her surprise growing with every word.
After he finished, she still wore a look of utter astonishment.
"I can sort of understand the rest of it. After all, the threat of the Samsara Game is mind-boggling enough for a normal person to completely alter their life's trajectory and plans..." Yuki Suou said with a strange expression.
"But... a beautiful girl is just living in your house now? Is that right? Are you sure she moved in voluntarily and wasn't... forcibly kept here after you took a liking to her?"
"Of course not. If I were that kind of person, my house would be overflowing by now," Fumiya Jin said with a completely frank expression. "You think I don't get many love letters at school?"
"Uhh..."
Yuki Suou had to admit, the guy had a point.
If he were truly that desperate, given the wild enthusiasm of the girls at school...
...even if he took on seven a day, he wouldn't be able to get through them all.
"So... how many days has she been here? Has... anything happened between you two?" Yuki Suou asked, giving him a mischievous glance.
___
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