Rental Boyfriend

May 23, Thursday

It was already after school, and most students were rushing off to study sessions, even Shinsuke and Xiao Mako.

That left me alone in the classroom, zoning out.

The midterm exam was tomorrow, but the test papers still hadn't been sent out. Were they planning to release them tonight?

"Gojo-kun, do you have a moment?"

My train of thought was interrupted by someone calling out from behind me.

I turned around and saw a female classmate looking at me.

Mori Nening?

She seemed to be part of Karuizawa's group. I was rooting for Karuizawa and Kiyotaka-kun, so I hadn't interfered with their development.

Right now, Karuizawa was still Hirata's fake girlfriend, just like in the original story.

So shouldn't she be at a study session?

"I remember you're Mori Nening from our class, right?

What's up?"

I hesitated for a moment, but still said her name.

Seeing that I remembered her name, Mori Nening got a little excited. Her nervousness eased, and her worried expression turned into a smile.

Instead of answering, she slowly walked over to me, her face flushed red. She seemed to want to say something but couldn't get the words out.

Even though she'd thought about it for a long time, standing in front of her crush still made her embarrassed.

Seeing her like this, I was a bit surprised.

This setup... it's not a confession, is it?

But I'd never really talked to her before, and she barely appeared in the original story. Besides, it might not be a confession—maybe she just needed help. Probably.

"Um... Gojo-kun, you're dating two girls right now, aren't you?"

After hesitating for a long time, Mori Nening finally spoke.

But what kind of question was that?

The fact that I was dating two girls was common knowledge in Class D, and even other classes knew a bit about it.

Though I was a little puzzled, I still answered with a smile.

"That's right. Is there a problem?"

Hearing me admit it directly, Mori Nening got even more worked up. She kept rubbing her hands together, her gaze darting between the floor and me.

As if she'd made up her mind, she bent forward, bowed, and extended her right hand while saying, "Please!... Please, Gojo-kun!... Please go out with me!"

She stammered at first, but in the end, she shouted it out loud.

Girl, are you serious?

Sensing my silence, Mori Nening immediately straightened up, waving her hands frantically in front of her chest as she hurriedly explained.

"No!... It's not what you think, Gojo-kun!

Just one day is fine! I only need to date for one day!

I want to try what it feels like to be in love!"

???

"Huh?"

Hearing her explanation, I was even more confused.

Was this some new kind of pickup line?

"Could you explain that a little more clearly?

My brain's having a hard time keeping up."

"Ah!... Okay, just give me a moment to compose myself."

Flustered, Mori Nening realized she might have been too hasty and hadn't explained things clearly.

"Hoo, hoo!~"

She pressed her left hand over her heart, took a few deep breaths, and calmed down a bit.

Only then did she carefully start explaining the reason.

"Actually, it's like this.

I've never been in a relationship before, but based on what my friends have told me and my own observations, I really want to experience what it feels like to fall in love.

Gojo-kun has plenty of experience and two beautiful girlfriends, so you probably wouldn't get involved in a romantic situation like this, right?"

Just after saying that, she suddenly remembered something and added, "Besides, I won't waste your time for nothing, Gojo-kun. I can pay you points!"

His confusion shifted to shock—he hadn't expected her to be thinking along these lines.

But it didn't seem entirely genuine. If that was all there was to it, there was no reason to be so hesitant. It felt almost like a lie.

Still, 'This looks like fun!'

"Sure, let's do it today. I've got time anyway."

With that, he grabbed her hand and set off toward the amusement park.

"Huh?! Right now?"

Suddenly pulled along by the hand, Mori Nening was a little startled. She hadn't expected it to go so smoothly, or for him to be ready to jump into it so quickly.

"Of course. Tomorrow's the midterm exam, and my girlfriends said I'd be a distraction while they're studying, so I'm stuck entertaining myself."

"Even so, this kind of feels like sneaking around."

Feeling the warmth of his large hand and thinking about their current situation, Mori Nening's face flushed even redder.

But Gojo Satoru didn't seem bothered at all. Instead, he stopped walking, turned around to face her directly, and smirked as he asked, "So, does it feel exciting?"

Caught under his gaze and hit with that question, even her ears couldn't escape—they were dyed red too.

She turned her face away and murmured softly, "Yeah..."

Inside the amusement park, Most of the people there were second- or third-year students. The first-years were mostly holed up studying for tomorrow's exam.

It was probably a case of information lag. The older students generally knew they could cheat using past exam papers, but very few of the new students were aware of that trick.

"Where should we go first?"

Looking at all the rides, Mori Nening wasn't sure where to start. Usually, she came with friends, but this time she was here with her "boyfriend."

Even though there were plenty of attractions she liked, she still wanted to hear his opinion.

"How about the haunted house?"

"Huh?! Starting with that?"

She thought they'd ease into things, but he was heading straight for one of the classic spots.

"Are you scared?"

Seeing her strong reaction, Gojo Satoru teased her with a grin.

"It's normal for girls to be scared of that, isn't it?"

Mori Nening pouted a little. What normal girl wouldn't be afraid of a haunted house?

"Perfect. If you weren't scared, it wouldn't be any fun."

With that, he grabbed her hand again and started walking.

Mori Nening was a bit speechless. Was this guy always this weird even with his "girlfriends"?

Walking through the dim corridor, probably because she was scared, Mori Nening was now clutching Gojo Satoru's arm with both hands.

Breathing in his scent and feeling this close contact, she started to get lost in the moment.

Would it be so bad to hold onto him like this all day?

Bang!

A ghost face popped out from the wall.

"Ah!"

She had only been holding his arm, but the sudden scare made her cling directly to Gojo Satoru.

'Naughty girl.'

Even though she'd jumped onto him out of fear, the corner of her mouth seemed to curl up slightly, and her hands weren't exactly staying still.

But he wasn't losing out either, so there was no need to call her out.

His right hand stroked her head, his left hand supported her back, and he whispered softly to comfort her.

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't be scared, it's just a little prop."

But Mori Nening remained unmoved, directly burying her head in the other's embrace.

"No way! I'm still scared after all!"