Chapter 397

"!"

Her cheeks flushed, her white rabbit fur trembled, and she instinctively pulled her little feet back.

"... I already said! Stop using those weird expressions."

"Oh, the special place I was referring to was the coffee shop. What are you talking about?"

"..."

Her face darkened, and she pouted and snorted again, "Hmm!"

"I was wrong, I apologize..."

"Why? You seem really happy!"

"That might just be a hallucination you're having after a medical episode... Waaah~"

"..."

Welcome back next time!

After lunch, the two left the cafe and walked side by side down the street.

Because he was unfamiliar with the terrain of Fujisawa, he followed closely behind her.

"I see!"

He suddenly clapped his hands, attracting the attention of those around him.

"What's wrong?"

Although she knew he probably wouldn't have anything useful to say, Sakurajima Mai still asked.

"The only downside to being invisible is that you can't eat whatever you want anytime, anywhere, right?"

"... Probably, this is also a very troublesome place."

Sakurajima Mai resisted the urge to stomp on someone and nodded in agreement with her bunny ears.

"Especially since there's a bakery I really like, I get really upset if I can't get their cream bread."

"Just slip in, then pack the bread yourself..."

Himemiya Chihaya makes the suggestion.

"I already said that won't work, right?"

"Stubborn. What's wrong with paying properly?"

"I always felt that this would lead to a deviation in how one handles things and in one's personality, so it won't work."

"That's not impossible, if you get used to it..."

"..."

Before they knew it, the two had walked through the pedestrian street, boarded the tram, crossed the tram tracks... and finally arrived near a luxury apartment building.

Sakurajima Mai stopped, turned around, crossed her Hands, and stood on tiptoe, looking at him suspiciously. "How long are you planning to stay with me?"

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

He feigned ignorance and avoided her blue-violet eyes.

"You're still asking what's wrong... I'm already home, shouldn't you be leaving now?"

"Really? Then I'll reluctantly come over for a visit..."

"You don't have to force yourself! Besides, I can't let you in anyway... after all, you live alone."

"Can I ask you a question, Mai?"

"What?"

How would you feel if a woman dressed as a sexy Bunny Girl told you, "I live alone"?

"Does it make you want to call the police?"

"That's so true. I suddenly remembered I still have things to do. Let's stop here for today, and then--"

He extended his fair, jade-like hand and beckoned to her.

"Hmm~ Hmm~"

Sakurajima Mai's eyes darted between his head and palm, puzzled. "Huh? What?"

"Contact information! Now that I know about this, I need to be able to contact you if I have any intelligence or ideas later, right?"

"Hey... eh..."

"Don't look at me with such distrust. I won't use it for anything strange, and even if I did..."

Even if it were actually done?

"You're only losing a phone number, and you don't have many friends anyway, so it doesn't really make a difference, right?"

"Mmm!"

Sakurajima Mai blushed, feeling a little embarrassed by his touch.

"Cell phone!"

"Please."

He presented the phone to her with Hands.

After pressing the buttons on his phone repeatedly, she slapped it into his hand, then turned and swung gracefully toward the apartment door not far away.

"Goodbye!"

"These days, just leaving a phone number is so outdated!"

He turned up the volume slightly so that she could just hear it.

Sakurajima Mai's wagging rabbit tail paused for a moment, then quickly continued forward.

Once her figure had completely disappeared into the building, he took out his unlocked phone and sent a message to the contact "Sakurajima Mai".

[I'm Himemiya Chihaya, nice to meet you from now on, Ciallo~(∠?ω)⌒☆]

He waited confidently for a response on his phone, and soon he received a reply.

[Sakurajima Mai: A silly symbol with no clear meaning, just like you]

Good grief, one sentence insulted him on two points, and he retorted without backing down:

[Himemiya Chihaya: It's because you have no sense of humor that you have no friends!]

[Sakurajima Mai: If understanding humor means becoming like this, I'd rather be alone forever]

[Himemiya Chihaya: A woman who won't listen to reason... But at least I know I can not only see you, but also receive your messages, which is good news.]

[Sakurajima Mai:...]

Perhaps unsure whether he was serious or joking, she stopped sending him new text messages.

[Himemiya Chihaya: If you really run out of food, just tell me. I can still support you for free for a while. I'm going back now, Kana~]

Without waiting to see if she would reply, he put his phone in his pocket and turned to leave.

He hailed a taxi on the main road, returned to where he had parked, unlocked the car, and got into the driver's seat.

After closing the car door, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly opened his unusually cold and quiet crimson eyes.

His usually bright red pupils, which seemed to leap with warm flames, were now completely still, as if they were encased in amber.

Now, after parting ways with Sakurajima Mai, he has returned to his original self.

The shock of the bizarre and surreal scenes had not yet completely subsided.

All future plans and considerations need to be recalculated.

For the first time in his life, he felt that he wasn't as perfect as he had imagined, and the image of him as the freest person in the world began to crack.

All the knowledge I've acquired so far seems somewhat inadequate in the face of this situation.

Of course, what really worried him wasn't Sakurajima Mai and Adolescence Syndrome.

Even though Adolescence Syndrome is such a mysterious and inexplicable phenomenon that it can even cause changes in the timeline and the world's timeline, it doesn't have any direct destructive power, so it's not enough to terrify him or leave him unable to cope.

The truly critical issue is that he's not so foolish as to believe that in this world teeming with "experts," there's only this one unusual event.

What if other strange things suddenly happen? How would he, with his frail body that's merely standing at the pinnacle of humanity, possibly cope with it...?

Some idiots with Chūnibyō might be happy to encounter such a thing, glad that they also have the opportunity to step into this extraordinary world, but he has no such thoughts at all.

He was already a beneficiary of the existing system, destined to live a life of comfort, Talent, and at the top... He didn't need anything extra to make up for himself.

Even though many wealthy people crave immortality, he doesn't really want it; he just wants to live a peaceful life.

This is really troublesome... He frowned, then slowly drove towards Tokyo.

He had originally planned to stop by Kawasaki on his way back, but now he had no intention of doing so.

He had no intention of continuing his clandestine development until he obtained more accurate intelligence.

While controlling the car's speed, he continued to simulate his brainstorming in his mind.

Chapter 404: Hugging the White Hair loli and acting cute.

After hurriedly returning to Aoyama, he did not go back to his apartment, but went directly back to the Sakura Mansion.

Without even taking his luggage, he got out of the car and headed straight for the mansion gate. Amidst the greetings of the maids, he first went to the living room.

As soon as he stepped inside the building, he felt a strange sense of security.

Whew~ That's the feeling. Although he knew he was deceiving himself, this fortress-like sense of isolation still calmed his somewhat frightened heart.

If he could, he would like to stay home and not go out, just like he did for the past ten years or so...

The outside world is too scary! Monsters are everywhere! He wants to stay in his room, hide in his bed and under the covers, and become a shut-in who just wants to eat and wait to die!

Playing games, reading books, sewing clothes, playing musical instruments... that's fine too. No need for special entertainment.

Ah, this kind of thinking—could it be that Gotou Hitori usually thinks like this?

I'm sorry, Bocchi-chan, I misunderstood you before.

If you want to stay at home in the future and your parents can no longer afford it, then I will provide you with financial support!

"Oh dear, Mother and Father, what are you still doing here? Haven't you gone back to America?"

He was a little surprised to see the two familiar figures on the sofa as he walked into the living room.

Today is the last day of the Golden Week, and he thought they should have already started their journey back.

After all, they are different from me. As leaders who manage many corporate studios, they are usually very busy.

The fact that the mother and father could spare two or three days to come and see her and Ashiri already shows how deep their love is.

"Ha?"

X 2.

The Sakurakoji couple, who were just preparing to welcome him back, both rolled their eyes in astonishment upon hearing his words.

What's this child saying as soon as he got back? Is he complaining that we're in his way and wanting to get rid of us quickly?

This is truly an outrageous display of filial piety!

"Well, it's probably for the best that we didn't go back. The outside world is going crazy. Why don't you all stay here with me and hide in the mansion from now on? Let's sell the properties over there if we can."

Sakurakoji Talent offered his advice with a pained expression.

"Did you go on a trip and ruin your brain? What are you talking about?"

Sakurakoji Luna stared at his manic behavior, still unaware that something was wrong.

Her son's erratic behavior hadn't been a recent development, and she was already used to it.

I just don't know what caused this this time.

"You guys... never mind."

He walked over and sat down next to them, squeezing past Okura Yusei and making him stumble, then fell sideways onto Sakurakoji Luna's lap for a lap pillow, while the maid standing beside him smiled and prepared tea for him.

What about the Ashiri?