"Tetsuya, are you scared of a scene like this?"
Nowa looked up at Kouki, whose gaze was fixed ahead, and asked curiously.
"I wasn't really scared as a child, and I don't really believe in ghost stories or anything like that, so there's nothing to be afraid of in a scene like this."
"Eh? Is that so?"
Nowa said in surprise, "I thought I'd be able to protect Tetsuya!"
"But, compared to the scary environment, I think Akira-kun and the others who are dressed up as ghosts are more terrifying."
"That's true."
"However, coming out to scare people is also done in groups, right? So Marin will definitely be with Gojo-kun."
"If that's the case, I feel like Marin doesn't have any intention of scaring us at all."
"It seems so."
Kouki nodded, feeling Nowa suddenly hug his arm tightly.
"Nowa, are you scared?"
"I just got timid in this situation."
The two walked along the path for a while, when they suddenly heard the sound of branches trembling nearby, which was exceptionally loud in the silent night.
Nowa's grip on Kouki's arm tightened noticeably, and then she looked towards where the sound came from.
"It must be a bird."
Kouki shined his flashlight around, but didn't find where the sound came from, so he guessed it was a bird on a falling branch.
"Oh, so that's what it was."
Nowa patted her chest, pretending to be scared.
"Nowa, you're not really scared, are you!"
"There's no need to pretend to be scared, we're already boyfriend and girlfriend."
Kouki reminded her.
"It's because of this that Tetsuya will feel more like a man!"
"Tetsuya, why don't you look happy at all!"
Nowa tugged Kouki's arm, "I also want to be a delicate, shy, and cute girl."
"But I already like Nowa the way she is now."
"By the way, Nowa, are you happy coming to the countryside this time?"
"After all, Nowa didn't originally plan to come to the countryside, she's only here because of me."
"Hmm, I'm very happy! What's not to be happy about when hanging out with friends!"
"By the way, isn't Akira-kun going to scare us?"
Nowa looked around, but found no signs of anyone.
"They're not all on dates, are they? We agreed that the rest of us would be responsible for scaring people…"
After speaking, Nowa pulled Kouki towards the finish line, looking completely unafraid.
This is clearly what a gyaru looks like!
The two walked for dozens of meters, and Nowa snapped a branch underfoot. She subconsciously shined her flashlight on the ground, then carelessly lifted her head.
As she looked up, she suddenly saw a bizarre creature appear in front of her. As a girl, she was naturally startled and instinctively cried out.
"Tetsuya!"
"I'm here, I'm here."
Nowa immediately grabbed Kouki's clothes, and Kouki simultaneously took Nowa's hand.
"It's okay, it's okay, this must be Akira-kun."
"Eh? Akira-kun?"
She had just been saying that Akira-kun probably wasn't planning to come out and scare people, and then he scared her after all…
"Hello, Sugaya-san, you really were startled."
Akira lowered the blanket he was holding in front of him to conceal his figure, and smiled at Nowa, "I told Sajuna that Nowa, as a girl, would definitely be scared, but Sajuna didn't believe me."
Sajuna's cheeks couldn't help but flush, as she had just said that Nowa's personality surely wouldn't be scared.
"It was all because he appeared too suddenly, otherwise, I definitely wouldn't have been scared so easily."
The main reason was that she thought they wouldn't come out to scare people anymore, so she let her guard down…
Since Nowa had already been scared, and the finish line wasn't far, Akira walked with Nowa and the others towards the finish line.
"By the way, when Kitagawa-san and Wakana come later, are we still going to scare them?"
Akira replied.
"No, let's not. After all, we specifically put them in the last group."
"That's true. This night atmosphere is very suitable for boys and girls in the ambiguous stage to confess."
Akira replied.
"So, will we just hide and watch them interact then?"
Sajuna asked, raising her face.
"After all, there's no other way. We can only help them this much."
"Exactly, exactly. They both pretty much know each other's feelings, but they've still dragged it out until now…"
After reaching the finish line, Akira and Sajuna walked back to the starting point along the moonlit path, which seemed a bit redundant. Sajuna didn't have any objections, purely enjoying her time with Aki-Kun.
Akira and Sajuna walked hand in hand from the starting point to the finish line. Along the way, apart from Nowa and Kouki cautiously coming out to scare people, there were basically no special situations.
Soon it was Marin and Wakana's turn. The two stood at the starting point, looking conflicted.
"Gojo-kun, let's go."
Marin shyly lowered her head, told Wakana, then slowly reached out and hugged Wakana's arm.
"I, I'm a little afraid of the dark. Can I hold Gojo-kun?"
"Yes, you can, Kitagawa-san."
"Thank you, Gojo-kun."
Marin gathered her hair, looked up at Wakana's profile, and followed him into the woods.
"We didn't really scare the first two groups just now, and I wonder if they'll choose to scare us…"
Wakana looked around, thinking about the plot of people scaring people.
"It's all my fault for being afraid of the dark, that's why I couldn't really…"
"It's not Kitagawa-san's fault, it's okay not to scare people…"
Wakana instinctively comforted Marin, then smiled at her. Marin's mood suddenly relaxed.
"Gojo-kun doesn't seem to be afraid of the dark at all, and he doesn't look like he's facing a great enemy."
"Because there's nothing to be afraid of in the first place, most of it is psychological."
Wakana looked up at the moon. The bright moonlight, filtered through the thick leaves, only sprinkled sparsely on the ground. "When I was learning to make Hina dolls in the past, I often worked until late at night, so I'm not as scared when I see the moon."
Marin looked at Wakana's gentle face and felt her heart pound. For a moment, she felt the arm and chest she was holding against Gojo-kun also start to warm up.
"Gojo-kun, were you lonely before?"
Marin asked.
"Hmm, speaking of which, I was indeed very lonely. I did everything quietly by myself. Although I didn't think much of it before, after interacting with Akira-kun and Kitagawa-san, I realized that I actually really like being with everyone…"
Marin listened to Wakana, smiling as he talked about recent events, and felt as if there was a smile in his eyes. She couldn't help but tentatively ask him.
"Gojo-kun, how do you see me?"
"Hmm."
Wakana was uncharacteristically silent, looking down at the ground. After a moment of silence, he finally gave his answer under Marin's conflicted and hopeful gaze.
"Spending time with Kitagawa-san has been very happy."
"I really enjoy the time we spend working on cosplay for new characters together, Kitagawa-san."
"I'm also very happy discussing things we're interested in with Kitagawa-san."
"I've always hoped that these days wouldn't end, and I look forward to seeing Kitagawa-san every day."
"I really like the happy expression on Kitagawa-san's face when she talks about her favorite characters."
"I also like Kitagawa-san's enthusiastic attitude towards the things she loves."
"Her constant smile and her initiative to befriend an introverted person like me have made me like her even more in my heart."
"Even though I felt that Kitagawa-san wasn't from the same world as me, every time I spend time with Kitagawa-san, I can't suppress the affection in my heart."
"Every time I think of Kitagawa-san, I can't help but want to confess my feelings to Kitagawa-san, but I've always hesitated in my heart."
"But I should just say it directly!"
"Kitagawa-san, I like you."
Marin released her arms from Wakana's arm, took a step back, covered her face with both hands, tears in her eyes.
Kitagawa-san should like me, right? What kind of reaction is this!
"I like Gojo-kun too."
Marin lowered her hands from her face, her lips and expression full of smiles, her eyes brimming with happiness that was almost overflowing.
"I like Gojo-kun's serious way of making clothes, I like Gojo-kun's serious way of treating jokes, I like Gojo-kun's reliable way, his smiling way…"
"Everything, I like it all."
"So…"
"So…"
"Gojo-kun."
"Kitagawa-san."
"Let's date."
"Let's date."
The two looked at each other, both reading the answer they wanted in each other's eyes, and agreed in unison.
"Okay."
"Okay."
Marin's face bloomed with a smile, like the brilliant fireworks in summer, and like dazzling sunlight, making Wakana's head start to spin.
So, he really could have a girlfriend like Kitagawa-san.
Wakana's chaotic thoughts surged in his heart, finally merging and swirling, like honey stored in a honey pot, so sweet it was hard to stir.
Wakana opened his mouth, wanting to say something proactively, when he saw Marin, also with a radiant smile, gently say to him.
"I love you the most, Gojo-kun!"