Chapter 43

The content of the movie was based on the so-called "Seven Mysteries of School."

It had gained popularity among students, probably because the setting was a familiar place like a school.

As expected, it was scary. Yugen didn't scream, but his body shuddered from the fear.

Every time a ghost or spirit attacked, his heart raced.

However...

"Ah!"

"Yah!"

"Kyaa!"

The cute screams that Airei let out each time, and her tendency to cling to Yugen's arm, made his heart race even more.

Airei, who claimed to dislike scary things, spent the second half of the movie holding Yugen's hand, eyes closed, and trembling.

She probably didn't even watch the last fifteen minutes of the film.

When the movie ended, Yugen called out to Airei.

"Airei."

"Ah! Y-Yugen-san?"

"There's no one else. ...Are you okay?"

"I-I-I'm fine."

Airei, who didn't look fine at all, was taken by Yugen to leave the theater early.

She seemed to have been very scared, as she clung to Yugen's arm even after the lights came on.

"From tomorrow, I won't be able to go to the bathroom at school."

Airei said this with a pale face, her eyes slightly moist.

"If you dislike scary things so much, you should have stopped watching. ...Next time, it's better not to watch horror movies."

When Yugen said this, Airei shook her head from side to side.

"Even though it was scary... it was interesting. ...I don't like scary things, but I don't hate horror movies."

"..."

Yugen seriously thought that this girl might be a bit silly.

However, the motivation to watch horror movies because one likes scary things didn't seem entirely wrong.

"By the way, Airei. ...Can I go hunt pheasants?"

"No! Don't leave me alone now!"

Airei tightly grabbed Yugen's arm and pulled her body closer to his, with tears in her eyes.

It was very hard to leave, but...

"N-No... but, I'm at my limit..."

"Can't you hold it?"

"For how long?"

"Forever..."

Airei, realizing she was making an unreasonable request, looked away while saying this.

However, she showed no signs of letting go of Yugen's arm.

Unable to do anything, Yugen asked Airei a slightly mischievous question.

"Are you okay? ...I think you drank the same amount of juice as I did."

"What? That's..."

When Yugen pointed this out, Airei's legs started to visibly tremble.

It seemed that until now, she had been unaware of her need due to fear.

"Maybe we should accompany each other until the last possible moment?"

"Think about common sense."

"Y-Yeah. That's right. ...Let's head to the bathroom first. I'll make up my mind by then."

Airei said this, and Yugen accompanied her to the location of the bathrooms.

Of course, Airei couldn't enter the men's room, and Yugen couldn't enter the women's room.

So...

"Can we part ways here?"

"Please be quick."

"...I'll try my best."

He didn't ask what she intended to do.

A ghost related to the bathroom had appeared in the horror movie they just watched.

It seemed that Airei didn't have the courage to enter the bathroom alone yet.

Yugen, wanting to help Airei, rushed to the bathroom to finish as quickly as possible.

There, he saw...

"...Hey? Are you Sei?"

He recognized a familiar figure washing his hands.

When Yugen called out, the man opened his eyes in surprise.

"Are you Yugen? ...What a coincidence."

"That's what I was going to say. ...You're not a doppelganger of Sei, are you?"

"Did you watch that movie?"

"Looks like you did too."

It seemed that both Yugen and Sei had watched the same movie, but they hadn't run into each other in the theater due to the different entry and exit times.

"Are you watching a horror movie... with someone?"

Sei asked Yugen.

Yugen hesitated for a moment about how to answer...

Airei was waiting outside the bathroom, fighting with the enemy while waiting for Yugen. It would be obvious that he came with Airei, so there was no point in trying to hide it.

So he was about to honestly say that he came with Airei, but...

(Hold on?)

Suddenly, a brilliant idea came to Yugen's mind.

"Hey, Sei. Are you... with someone too?"

"Don't answer a question with a question."

Sei seemed a bit flustered.

It seemed he had hit the mark.

"A girl?"

"What are you going to do with that information?"

"Nagisa Aika, right? You were with her before."

"Yeah... so? What's your point?"

Sei asked, looking annoyed. Yugen bowed his head.

"Sorry, but I have one favor to ask."

"What is it? Suddenly bowing like that..."

Sei looked confused by Yugen's sudden bow.

Of course, it wasn't unusual for Yugen to ask Sei for something, but this was the first time he had asked so seriously.

"Your companion... whether it's Nagisa or anyone else, as long as it's a girl..."

"O-Oh! To be honest, it's Nagisa. What's the point?"

Yugen grabbed Sei's shoulder.

With a fierce determination, he pleaded with Sei.

"Help my companion... Airei!!"

After that, when Aika joined them, she looked very confused...

But she accompanied Airei to the bathroom.

After Airei was out of danger, when Sei and Aika learned the detailed situation—namely, that Airei couldn't go to the bathroom anymore—they...

Burst out laughing, holding their stomachs.

Incidentally, Yugen was scolded by Airei.

As expected, she couldn't go to the bathroom.

Next time, I plan to delve a bit deeper into Sei and Aika.

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Today's Dere Degree

5% → 4%

Airei is pouting.

It's a temporary drop. It will return if you pet her head.