Literally Beating Each Other into Shape

Haruno smiled as well; she wasn't worried about anything, and besides, she and Shuya had kissed several times in the music video they had just filmed.

Mai and Hyakka exchanged a glance.

Mai said, "True dear..."

Hyakka, hands on her hips, said, "A real kiss is impossible."

Part of their answer was in consideration of their fans. Even though most people enjoyed their pairing with Shuya, a significant number of fans were still unhappy to see them in close contact with men.

It's none of our business if we can't see it in private, but if they were to actually kiss on screen, many otaku would definitely have a mental breakdown. Given Mai's fame, some otaku might even commit suicide.

The above considerations played a part, but their main concern was that they didn't want Shuya to take advantage of them before establishing a relationship.

They are not just any ordinary girls.

"If you want to kiss someone, kiss your girlfriend over there."

Mai smiled and said to Shuya.

Hyakka and Mai stood on the same side: "+1"

"Hahaha!"

The scholar-officials laughed with delight.

"Haha, Shu-chan's been disliked! Hey, how are you feeling now?"

Haruno also laughed out loud, hooking her arm around Shuya's neck and poking his face with her finger.

"Haruno- chan..."

The Little Senior Sister smiled wryly, not knowing how to offer any advice.

Motoko was also secretly laughing to herself, gleefully watching Shuya and thinking: You've finally met your match!

Shuya remained unmoved by the mockery, keeping his composure unchanged.

"Then let's use a camera trick."

He simply said to the director.

There's not much more to say after that.

As dusk fell, Shuya, Mai, and Hyakka finished filming their last scenes in Fujisawa, including a staged kiss.

"Today's photoshoot is officially over. Thank you all for your hard work! We'll continue tomorrow."

The director addressed everyone, and the crowd gave a sparse round of applause.

Tomorrow is Saturday, and the director hopes we can finish everything quickly tomorrow, then see if there are any scenes that need reshooting, and if so, try to finish filming by Sunday.

But that's a story for another time; there's no need to bring it up now.

Maeda Saori and the samurai went ahead.

Mai invited Shuya and Hyakka to her house for dinner, so they didn't all go together.

After parting ways with the literati, Shuya and the others went to the supermarket to buy groceries, and then walked together in a lively atmosphere to Mai's apartment.

They hadn't made any plans together, but they all intentionally or unintentionally ignored Shuya, and were just chatting like any other girls.

Shuya didn't mind, so he just followed behind.

When Xiu arrived near Mai's apartment, Shuya spotted someone he knew.

He stopped and said to them, "You guys go up first. I saw someone I know, so I'll go say hello."

"Good."

"OK."

Mai and the others responded and followed Shuya's gaze to see a boy.

They casually looked away and walked into the apartment.

Shuya then walked towards the apartment next door:

"Brother Azusagawa, it's been a long time."

"Oh, hello."

Azusagawa was carrying a bag from the convenience store, clearly having just returned from shopping.

He was about to return to his apartment when Shuya called him back.

Azusagawa had seen Shuya and the others before, but he felt they weren't familiar with each other, so he didn't plan to come up and say hello.

Section 482, Chapter 447: Literally meaning "to become one with one"

Azusagawa felt that the group wasn't familiar with each other, but when Shuya called out to her, she didn't ignore him and stopped to talk to Shuya.

Shuya's first words immediately put him on guard. "What's wrong with your sister lately?"

Azusagawa: "..."

His eyes instantly turned serious. "My sister isn't doing well, thank you for your concern."

Shuya felt there was something wrong with what he said, but he didn't say anything.

He asked, "Have you experienced any Puberty Syndrome lately?"

"Does gender swap count? Shushu-chan's dance moves are so cute."

Azusagawa blurted out some witty remarks.

Shuya: "..."

He had an urge to kill someone to cover it up.

Don't tell anyone about that.

Shuya looked at Azusagawa lovingly.

But he was clearly very confident and not afraid. "It's too late. I talked to Futaba when I did the gender swap, and she still has her memories."

Shuya: "... There's no one else besides her, right?"

"That's all."

Azusagawa answered honestly.

"That's alright."

Shuya wiped away a bead of cold sweat and asked, "So you realized there was a problem back then? Why didn't you talk to me about it? Maybe things would have been easier if we had worked together?"

... Although Azusagawa wanted to help with Motoko's situation, it was useless.

"Huh? Our relationship isn't that good, is it?"

Azusagawa tilted her head and said, "Back then, I tried to find the reason at school, but I couldn't find anything and it turned back. So you solved it?"

Azusagawa was also completely confused about the previous incident.

He was speechless at how she could suddenly turn into a girl and then suddenly turn back into a boy, constantly switching between the two genders.

Only now does he realize that the problem isn't with his immediate surroundings.

Shuya asked, puzzled, "Why is that? You, my Little Senior Sister, and I all noticed something was wrong, but the others didn't?"

How would I know?

Azusagawa shrugged; he was about to ask the reason.

He said, "If you ask Futaba, you should get some conclusions, right?"

"When in doubt, quantum mechanics?"

Shuya replied.

Azusagawa laughed.

Having said that, Shuya didn't waste any more of his time.

"That's settled then. I'm leaving."

"OK."

The two said goodbye.

Shuya went into the apartment next door, and Azusagawa went home.

Shuya arrived at Mai's house and used his Power of Will to open the door and go inside.

The place was bustling with activity. Mai and Haruno were cooking in the kitchen, while their Little Senior Sister, Hyakka and Motoko, were helping out (making things worse).

Even in the literal sense, they became one.

Shuya entered, he saw Motoko accidentally spill most of a bottle of soy sauce into the wok where Haruno was stir-frying vegetables.

While Hyakka was stirring the eggs nearby, she accidentally slipped and spilled a bowl of egg mixture onto Mai's head and clothes.

Just then, Little Senior Sister nearby opened a bag of salt. As she turned around, she slipped and fell, sending the bag of salt flying high into the air and scattering it all over them.

"Motoko!"

"Hyakka Sauce!"

Haruno grabbed Motoko and shook her, while Mai kneaded Hyakka's dough vigorously.

The Little Senior Sister, with tears in her eyes, knelt on the ground, feeling wronged and bewildered. She stared at the sauces and condiments that she had carelessly swept away and spilled on the ground, questioning the meaning of life.

The kitchen instantly turned into hell.

Shuya: "..."

"Oh, what are you doing?"

He asked from afar, having absolutely no desire to enter that hellish kitchen.

It's got salt, sugar, soy sauce, and stuff like that; it looks sticky.

"Should I have my men deliver some takeout?"

Shuya's proposal was unanimously approved.

Mai and the others took turns taking a bath, and their clothes also needed to be washed.

Seeing this, Shuya ordered his men to bring over some new clothes while they were sending over food.

Mai's hair and top were sticky from the egg wash, and Little Senior Sister entire body was covered in various sauce colors, so she was among the first to take a bath.

Everyone else should clean the kitchen first.

Haruno took the trash bag and used her Power of Will to pick up the broken bottles and jars on the ground. Then Hyakka came over to mop the floor, while Motoko wiped the counter and cabinets with a rag.

"Motoko- chan and Hyakka -chan, you two need to practice your cooking skills."

Shuya mocked mercilessly.

"It's so noisy."

Hyakka glared at him fiercely.

"All right."

Shuya slipped away, leaving them to handle the kitchen matters themselves.

A while later, his men came to deliver the clothes; the food would have to wait a bit longer.

Shuya asked Motoko to take her Little Senior Sister's clothes into the bathroom, and soon Mai and her Little Senior Sister came out.

Next, Haruno, Motoko, and Hyakka went in separately. After everyone had finished cleaning up, the food was served.

Everyone finished their meal in silence.

What happened in the kitchen just now was so awkward that they didn't feel like talking anymore.

That was an unusual outburst for Mai, and coupled with her exhaustion from a long day, she was even less inclined to speak.

It was quite late after we finished eating.

Mai invited them to stay overnight, and they all agreed.

After deciding to stay, they tacitly ignored Shuya and all crowded into Mai's room to whisper among themselves.