Kaoru Mitoma might as well have had a question mark floating above his head, but he knew Sakayanagi Arisu's personality well—this girl would absolutely show up uninvited.
'Hey, Mitoma-kun, it's sumr vacation. Must be boring staying alone in the dorm~'
'How about a ga of chess?'
These were Sakayanagi's initial ssages.
Having received no reply, and with the ability to check location information between friends, she quickly discovered Mitoma wasn't in the dorm but at the Keyaki Mall outside.
Though Kaoru couldn't see her expression, he could easily imagine it—with her level of curiosity, she'd never let this slide.
Just as Kaoru stepped out of the fortune-telling room, Ichinose Honami, who'd been waiting there, imdiately approached him.
"How was the fortune-telling experience?"
"Complicated."
"Eh? I thought her accuracy was amazing! She could guess exactly what I was thinking about!"
Seeing Ichinose's cheerful smile, Kaoru wanted to ask what exactly she'd had read, but considering they weren't alone, he held back.
"So, Mako-chan, what did you think?" Ichinose leaned toward Amikura Mako, whispering, "Did she ntion anything about..."
Amikura's face gradually turned red before showing a complicated expression.
She shook her head lightly, "I didn't understand what she was saying. Sothing about giving up early, I think?"
Kaoru secretly sighed in relief—so he wasn't the only one who didn't understand.
That was reassuring.
At that mont, Shiranami Chihiro quietly moved closer to him, her voice barely audible.
"Honami-chan had your fortune told."
Kaoru froze, instinctively wanting to ask more, but she smoothly moved away to join Ichinose and Amikura without another word.
This was strange.
She must have seen him with Ichinose before, yet not only hadn't she said anything, she'd kept completely silent.
And what did that comnt an?
Even if Ichinose had his fortune told, what did that have to do with her?
Why go out of her way to tell him? Did the fortune teller say sothing unfavorable about him?
Kaoru frowned, but before he could think too deeply about it, Ichinose enthusiastically suggested heading to the movie theater.
"Wait, can I use the restroom first?"
"Eh? Sure! We'll wait here. Co back quickly!"
"It might take a while—"
Before he could finish, Kaoru suddenly heard a familiar voice.
"My, my, where are we going, Mitoma-kun?"
Sakayanagi Arisu appeared before the group with an amused smile.
Leaning on her cane, she wore a white beret that neatly held her smooth, short hair in place, with a few strands cascading down to her pale neck.
The thin shirt she wore emphasized her petite fra, while her slightly short pleated skirt revealed slender, milky-white legs.
Surprisingly, she wasn't wearing stockings, leaving her smooth skin completely exposed—her pale thighs even seed to glisten faintly under the light.
Beside her, Masumi Kamuro silently watched Kaoru without a word.
It was also a rare sight to see them in casual clothes, but Masumi Kamuro wore a short-sleeved off-shoulder blouse that revealed a smooth expanse of skin, with a slight curve at her chest.
Paired with slightly tight-fitting jeans, it perfectly accentuated her long, straight legs, making it a rather eye-catching sight.
"Bathroom ergency," Kaoru Mitoma suppressed his surprise.
He had been thinking of how to shake off Sakayanagi, but she had already caught up to him so quickly.
It seed that by the ti she sent the ssage, they were already nearby.
"Is that so? I thought you were trying to avoid ," Sakayanagi Arisu glanced at the fortune-telling booth nearby, then at Ichinose Honami.
"I didn't expect you to be interested in fortune-telling. Did you plan to co here today?"
"No, we just happened to run into Mitoma-kun on the way. Do you want to try fortune-telling too, Sakayanagi-san?" Ichinose Honami replied politely.
"A little. What did you ask about?"
Kaoru averted his gaze.
Her "little interest" was probably directed at the content of their fortune-telling.
"Sorry, that's a secret. But I think this fortune-teller is quite skilled," Ichinose smiled.
"You and Kamuro-san should give it a try. You might gain sothing from it."
"I have no interest in these nonsensical things," Kamuro crossed her arms, her expression slightly displeased.
"By the way, is soone no longer satisfied with just Class A?"
"Ahem, I'll head to the restroom first. You guys chat," Kaoru decided to escape reality.
"Hurry back. Don't make wait too long, or I'll get lonely—thinking about you, always and forever."
As she spoke, Sakayanagi's face took on a sorrowful expression, her lancholic gaze seemingly capable of etching Kaoru into her mory for a lifeti.
Noticing that both Ichinose and Mako Amikura were stunned into silence, Kaoru couldn't help but fall quiet.
This girl was truly dangerous.
"Tch. Normally, you don't even step outside the door, but now you're out shopping with a bunch of pretty girls and ignoring ssages. How cruel," Kamuro fanned the flas as if enjoying the spectacle.
"I do go out to buy things sotis, you know?" Kaoru gave her a deadpan look.
"Going to the convenience store counts as going out?" Kamuro retorted.
Kaoru eyed her suspiciously.
How did she even know about his habits?
"Hey, hey, what's with that look? I was just guessing!" Kamuro, of course, understood what his expression ant and reacted strongly.
"Were you looking for Mitoma-kun?" Mako Amikura hesitantly asked.
From Sakayanagi and Kamuro's reactions, it was clear they weren't interested in fortune-telling—but rather, the person who had gone for it.
"Earlier, you could say so. But now it seems we've interrupted you," Sakayanagi said aningfully, her gaze lingering on Amikura, whose eyes kept darting towards Kaoru.
"Not at all. Actually, we were just about to go watch a movie. If Sakayanagi-san and Kamuro-san are willing, why don't we all go together?" Ichinose smiled warmly, seemingly oblivious to Sakayanagi's implications, extending a natural invitation.
Sakayanagi chuckled. "No, there are too many girls here. I can't let him take advantage for free."
At those words, Kamuro and Ichinose subtly averted their gazes.
They knew that if Kaoru Mitoma wanted to take advantage of the dimly lit cinema, they wouldn't be able to refuse.
"Mitoma-kun," Sakayanagi Arisu called softly.
Kaoru Mitoma turned to her and had no choice but to say.
"I'm already reflecting on it."
"Heh, you'd better be." Sakayanagi Arisu paused, then revealed a gentle smile.
"Though I wasn't expecting this kind of scenario, it seems you've changed a little."
Changed—was she referring to their conversation back then?
Kaoru Mitoma recalled his birthday, when Sakayanagi Arisu had criticized him for being too ascetic, lacking material desires.
Because he never thought he would stay, he had never developed any materialistic cravings or even the desire to enjoy life.
But—
Wouldn't she be angry?
Kaoru Mitoma watched as Sakayanagi Arisu led Kamuro away, her composed steps betraying no emotion, as if she had only co to take a glance.
It was said that chaebol families were quite liberal about personal relationships—so even kept multiple lovers.
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