Date a Live:This is not the date I wanted! Chapter 255 255: Complicated Maiden's Heart

Yatogami Tohka walked down the hallway with sowhat hurried steps.

Although not as exaggerated as Yutsuki, she was equally unused to wearing high heels and a ball gown, and had almost tripped several tis along the way. But even so, she had no intention of stopping to rest.

Just ten minutes ago, no one expected that right in the middle of a date, Shido would carry Yutsuki and leave the banquet hall.

Concluding for the ti being that Shido hadn't left the underground facility, everyone split up and began searching for them inside the facility.

"Shido... Yutsuki... where did you go?"

Tohka searched for the two of them along the way, her expression carrying a mix of unease and confusion.

Worrying if the two had encountered so danger—such an emotion naturally existed. But for so reason, the instant she saw Shido carry Yutsuki, an unprecedented feeling welled up in Tohka's heart.

Why did Shido leave? Why did Shido take Yutsuki? Why wasn't I the one in Shido's arms?

Various questions surged into her mind along with this feeling. Her chest felt as if it were being tightly squeezed, incredibly suffocating and uncomfortable. But more than that, she felt a strong disgust towards herself for harboring such emotions.

She had felt this exact sa feeling when she heard Origami say she liked Shido.

(What is wrong with ? Now is not the ti to be dwelling on this. Finding Shido quickly is the most important thing.)

Shaking her head vigorously to toss the distracting thoughts aside, Tohka gathered herself and resud searching for Shido.

—But... one thing... is for sure...

"Eh? Is this voice...?"

Accidentally hearing a voice coming from the lounge ahead, Tohka stopped in her tracks.

"Is Yutsuki... in there? Then is Shido there too?"

Normally, Tohka would have definitely run in energetically to say hello. But right now, as if fearing sothing, she took off her noisy high heels, concealed her presence, and carefully peeked in through the window on the door.

—Ryougi Yutsuki... is...

(Wha—)

For an instant, Tohka forgot to breathe.

Because of the moonlight, Tohka could only barely make out the silhouettes of Shido and Yutsuki.

The two embracing each other, their lips pressed closely together.

Seeing this scene before her, only one word surfaced in Tohka's mind.

—Kiss.

That's right, a kiss. To save Shido, it was a step every Spirit had to take with him. And it was precisely to earn the chance to kiss Shido that everyone was working so hard to woo him.

(...Kiss... Shido and Yutsuki... are kissing...)

Cold sweat unhelpfully broke out on her forehead, and her limbs trembled uncontrollably. Tohka even felt like she would collapse weakly to the ground in the next mont.

Actually, no matter who it was, as long as Shido kissed a Spirit, he would be one step closer to being saved. This was undoubtedly a good thing. In fact, Tohka had long prepared herself ntally for Shido kissing soone other than her.

However, this was just her own assumption.

When she actually saw this scene, Tohka's mind went completely blank. As if her body was about to detach from the world, the sounds and her vision gradually blurred.

—Well then~ my stage ends here. Exit, exit~ Shido, if you dare bully Tohka later, I'll teach you a lesson!

"—!"

Suddenly snapping back to reality, seeing Yutsuki walking towards her, Tohka hurriedly ran to the corner of the corridor and hid. (Huh? Why am I hiding?)

Thump—! Thump—! Thump—!

It's... this feeling again. Clutching her chest, Tohka muttered in agony.

"It hurts..."

_____________________

"—!"

Suddenly kissed by Yutsuki, Shido was startled at first, then a hint of joy involuntarily appeared in his eyes.

"—?"

However, Shido quickly seed to notice a sense of incongruity, and his gaze turned from joy to confusion.

"..."

Imdiately after, seemingly understanding the truth behind this incongruity, Shido looked at the beauty in his arms with only deep resentnt left in his eyes.

After a long while, their lips parted.

"—Phew."

Slowly exhaling, Yutsuki opened her eyes and showed Shido a slightly apologetic bitter smile.

"Sorry Shido, it didn't turn out like you expected."

"..."

Shido didn't speak. Or rather, he couldn't speak.

Because at this mont, his mouth had been tightly sealed shut by a wide piece of tape. Even if he tried to speak, he could only let out aningless muffled sounds.

As for whose masterpiece the tape on his mouth was, Shido didn't even need to guess.

"Hey, hey, could you not look at with such a dissatisfied gaze? You were the one who said it yourself, the magic is only truly broken at midnight, right?"

Putting the roll of tape back into her skirt, Yutsuki slowly took a few steps back, leaving Shido's embrace, with a wicked smile on her face.

"Besides... if we just jumped the gun like this... it would be very unfair to the others, wouldn't it?"

After muttering softly, Yutsuki looked up at Shido.

"Well then~ my stage ends here. Exit, exit~ Shido, if you dare bully Tohka later, I'll teach you a lesson!"

Having said that, Yutsuki winked playfully, turned around, and left with a series of quick, small steps.

He couldn't even bring himself to be angry.

Watching Yutsuki leave, Shido slumped his shoulders weakly.

"...Seriously, so unfair."

Tearing off the tape from his mouth and looking at the bright red lip print stamped on it, Shido sighed with a bitter smile.

_____________________

Walking barefoot down the quiet corridor, Yutsuki didn't even realize her pace was constantly quickening.

From walking to speed walking, from speed walking to jogging, and finally from jogging to an all out sprint.

"————!!!!!!!!"

Even the Yamai sisters would be dumbfounded if they saw it. Yutsuki seed to turn into an arrow, tearing through the corridor with the sound of breaking wind. She turned a corner and dashed into the restroom.

"—!!"

After hesitating for 0.5 seconds in front of the red and blue door signs, Yutsuki quickly walked into the won's restroom. After making sure no one was around, she entered a stall, locked the door, and took a deep breath.

"Go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die go die! Ryougi Yutsuki! You pervert, why don't you just die already ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

While cursing herself, she banged her head hard against the wall. Yutsuki's face was as red as a boiled lobster.

What was that! What was that?! Putting on the act of a pure little girl, what do you an 'to , Shido is Shido'!? What do you an 'I won't say these feelings are eternal'!? What do you an 'but there is one thing I can say with certainty'!? Ryougi Yutsuki, aren't you embarrassed saying so many cheesy lines!?

Especially the last one—

'Ryougi Yutsuki right now—is in love with you.'

"Which shoujo manga character are you!?"

Yutsuki roared in humiliation and anger. She slamd her head hard into the wall, leaving a deep dent. Subsequently, a bottomless wave of negative emotion spread from Yutsuki.

"Ah... I want to turn to ash and disappear from this world."

After muttering in self-loathing, Yutsuki drooped her head, walked out, and splashed water on her face at the sink.

"Phew..."

Cold tap water dripped down her cheeks. Yutsuki looked at herself in the mirror, her emotions calming down slightly.

"Well, it couldn't... be helped, right?"

She comforted herself with a bitter smile.

Yes, it couldn't be helped.

Her earpiece was taken by Shido. She couldn't clearly rember what state Shido's heart rate was in, nor could she get advice from Reine on how to woo him. In that situation where she was completely flying blind, making Shido's heart throb was incredibly difficult.

So, left with no choice, she had to use the most extre thod—a confession, followed by a kiss.

Although it's a bit weird to say it herself, when such a cute girl makes a passionate, deeply affectionate confession and offers a kiss right there on the spot, there isn't a boy alive whose heart wouldn't throb.

Actually kissing him would be breaking the rules, so Yutsuki deliberately created a fake kiss that looked very close to the real thing, even though it would be exposed quickly. But as long as Shido's heart rate hit the maximum value for even a split second, it would be her victory.

However, a confession plus a kiss or whatever... You only understand after doing it—it's so embarrassing you could dieeeeeeeeeeeee!

(But... I almost, really went through with it.)

Feeling her wildly beating heart, Yutsuki couldn't help but blush profusely, thinking back with lingering fear.

Honestly, if she had let Shido finish his sentence back then, she probably really wouldn't have been able to control herself. The consequences would be unimaginable.

"Forget it, since I decided to do this to save Shido, I shouldn't overthink it."

I did this to save soone. It was unavoidable. There was no other choice.

Only by constantly telling herself this could Yutsuki gradually co to terms with it and calm down.

"Speaking of which, I should contact Reine and the others."

After all, she had no way of determining if Shido's heart actually throbbed. Although Yutsuki felt that going to such lengths should definitely have moved him, just to be safe, she needed to confirm with Reine.

Lifting her ball gown and taking her phone out of the shorts she wore underneath, Yutsuki dialed Reine's private number.

[Yutsuki... what's the situation?]

"No problem. We've resolved things on this end. Shido should be getting ready to head back to the banquet hall to wait for Tohka. By the way, Reine, let ask you sothing."

[...What is it?]

Feeling her cheeks still a bit hot, Yutsuki inhaled and asked sowhat stutteringly,

"U-Um—Shido, during our date, did his h-heart throb? Honestly, without notifications from your side, I-I'm not entirely sure..."

[Mhm... what are you talking about, Yutsuki?]

Reine's puzzled voice ca from the other end of the line.

[Ever since Shin... t up with you... right after you tripped... his heart rate has been at its absolute peak...]

"..."

______________________

"Yutsuki... are you in there?"

Following the noise to the restroom door, Tohka asked uneasily.

Although it was her turn to date Shido next, for so reason, that inexplicable emotion kept entangling her chest, causing a dull ache.

If she went to date Shido like this... let alone making Shido's heart throb, she would probably want to run away the mont she saw him.

I probably did sothing terrible. Tohka thought to herself.

Peeping is very rude. No one wants to be secretly observed while on a date. If it were Tohka herself, she wouldn't want anyone secretly watching her kiss Shido either.

It was probably because she knew this that she felt bound by guilt and self-bla after seeing Shido and Yutsuki kiss.

(Then at the very least, I must apologize to Yutsuki first.)

"Yutsuki...?"

Hearing no sound from inside the restroom, Tohka tilted her head in confusion.

Walking into the restroom worriedly, a scene far beyond her expectations entered Tohka's eyes—

A burst faucet.

Tap water constantly overflowing.

And, Yutsuki, completely motionless like a floating corpse, with her entire head subrged in the sink.

Tohka's face instantly turned ghastly pale.

"Oh no! Soone! Soone co quickly! Yutsuki is! Yutsuki is—drowning in the restroom sink!!!!!!!!!"