Masked Girl, Campus Urban Legend

"I'm truly, deeply sorry for causing you trouble. I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart."

Other than getting down on his knees in a full dogeza, Kamigami Haruo did everything possible to express his apology.

After all, no matter how hard Horikita Suzune scrubbed, the turtle drawn so blatantly on her face would not come off.

Shiranami Chihiro and Ichinose Honami watched from the side in horror. It was genuinely too cruel.

If Kamigami Haruo had not possessed such a sturdy body, he would have needed to spend at least three days in a hospital bed.

Compass Thrust, knife-hand strikes, elbow strikes, knee strikes, wrestling—none of them had been left out.

The gathering ended hastily, and the three of them scrambled back to their rooms.

"How terrifying." ×3

All three of them sighed in the elevator.

The next day.

Horikita Suzune appeared at her seat wearing a mask.

However, there was always a faint killing intent in her eyes.

Horikita Suzune was truly determined to maintain her perfect attendance record.

Ayanokōji looked at the unapproachable Horikita Suzune beside him and spoke to her.

"Good morning, Horikita."

"..."

After receiving no reply, Ayanokōji scratched his head and turned back around.

He felt like he would lose his life if he continued talking.

The other students sensed the atmosphere as well. The normally noisy classroom quieted down somewhat, though the Idiot Trio continued chatting among themselves.

At the same time, the students in the class were all whispering to one another.

Ike Kanji and Yamauchi Haruki were especially outrageous. They went from wondering why Horikita Suzune was wearing a mask, to whether she was sick, to feeling that Horikita was about to murder someone.

After they saw Kamigami Haruo get stabbed with a compass by Horikita Suzune, the rumor evolved into Horikita constantly asking people whether she was pretty, then brutally stabbing them through the cheek with a compass and killing them after receiving an answer.

Horikita Suzune had become quite the celebrity in class this time.

It made Kamigami Haruo feel like he was sitting on pins and needles all day.

After class, Kamigami Haruo cautiously walked over to Horikita Suzune and said fearfully,

"Horikita, you go back first. I'll buy makeup remover for you."

Because it had been too late the previous night, all the stores that sold makeup remover had already closed, and the shops had not opened yet that morning.

"Okay."

Horikita Suzune gave him a look that said just you wait, then turned around and left.

After buying a small bottle of makeup remover and some makeup-removing cotton pads, Kamigami Haruo hurried back to the dormitory.

Room 1201.

Ding-dong, ding-dong.

The door opened shortly afterward.

Only half a masked face and one hand appeared, and her eyes were as sharp as those of a serial killer.

"Aren't you going to invite me in? At least let me have a cup of tea."

"No need."

As Horikita Suzune spoke, she took the bag and prepared to close the door, but Kamigami Haruo reached out and held it open.

"This is half my home too. Why can't I come home?"

Kamigami Haruo said as he pushed the door open.

Horikita Suzune had already guessed what he intended to do the moment she heard that, so she took a step back and made room for him.

"Don't shut yourself away, Horikita."

After entering, Kamigami Haruo habitually teased her. He had clearly forgotten the pain as soon as the wound healed.

"Your death is imminent."

After threatening Kamigami Haruo, Horikita Suzune stepped into the bathroom, intending to wipe her face clean in front of the mirror.

While no one was watching, Kamigami Haruo began casually looking around the beautiful girl's room.

He had never gotten a proper look before because of a certain brother-obsessed girl.

The desk was the main point of interest. Everywhere else seemed to be neat, and nothing but neat.

First was the bookshelf. Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment stood there, along with Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls, Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, and so on...

Aside from a few familiar books, the rest were all books he could not understand.

Those familiar books were, unsurprisingly, copies of My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected, which were used to mock Horikita Suzune.

"She can't seriously be this hung up on it, can she?"

After muttering that, Kamigami Haruo continued exploring the girl's secrets.

At the same time, as he moved his arm back, his elbow accidentally bumped into the pencil case on the desk.

Clang.

Kamigami Haruo turned toward the pencil case, which made a sound unlike that of an ordinary pencil case and also seemed unusually heavy.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

Was it this heavy because she planned to beat someone to death with it?

"Who are you planning to beat to death with this...?"

Kamigami Haruo voiced his question in confusion.

"It was prepared for you."

The sudden voice startled the guilty Kamigami Haruo. He stiffly turned around and looked at Horikita Suzune, who was leaning one shoulder against the bathroom doorframe.

"You're too naive, Horikita. This can't break through my defenses."

Though he said that, both hands hidden behind his back reached toward the pencil case, intending to use Kamuro Masumi's skill and swipe it while no one was looking.

However, due to a clumsy attempt, the pencil case fell onto the floor.

Kamigami Haruo gave Horikita Suzune an awkward yet polite smile and prepared to bend down and pick it up.

It would have been fine if he had not bent down, but the moment he did, his jaw dropped.

One, two, three, four, five, and so many more...

Compasses.

"Tell me, Horikita, are you planning to imitate Little Li's Flying Dagger and make it Little Suzune's Flying Compass?"

"As tools to help Kamigami calm down, it is necessary to keep them ready for emergencies."

As she said that, Horikita Suzune wore the terrifying expression of a beast tamer holding a whip before a savage beast.

"I surrender."

Kamigami Haruo raised both hands in surrender. If this continued, he felt like he would turn into some weirdo chained by a dog leash and forced to crawl along the road at night.

"Surrendering is not something that can be settled so simply with words. For the next three years, prepare yourself to be my laborer."

Horikita Suzune crossed her arms and, without considering Kamigami Haruo's feelings, casually decided the fate of his next three years.

"Sigh, you're already my cook. What can I say?"

"Still, for your growth, I'll only help when I think it's necessary. Is that okay?"

After Kamigami Haruo finished speaking, the room fell silent.

Only after a while did the black-haired girl across from him give a slight nod in agreement.

"Fine. Then our contract is established."

"Now that you've agreed, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and cook for me."

Kamigami Haruo immediately transformed into a scumbag head of household. He lay on his side on the floor with one hand supporting his head, ordering his long-suffering wife to cook. Yet he never expected that what stood before him was not a long-suffering wife, but Bai Qi, the god of slaughter.

"Fool!"

A while later, Kamigami Haruo was rubbing his backside as he timidly chopped vegetables with a kitchen knife.

Beside him stood Horikita Suzune, her hair tied into a ponytail and wearing an apron for convenience while cooking. With that air of a virtuous wife and mother, and the way she scooped up a little soup with a spoon to taste it, he felt like his heart was about to bloom.

"Let's eat." ×2

One sat properly while the other knelt in seiza, saying it as they faced each other before quietly beginning their meal.

"Let's go work out together later."

Kamigami Haruo suddenly said this while enjoying the delicious food halfway through the meal.

"Mm."

The person across from him replied.