I Came to a World Where the Concept of Chastity is Reversed, so I Tried to Change my Job to a Playboy, but the Interference is Intense. Please Help me. - Chapter 23: I Took a Trip to the Supermarket☆

Chapter 23: I Took a Trip to the Supermarket☆

After playing a bit with the mother and child I met in the park, I retraced my steps and went home. 

My bento had cooled down despite being heated earlier… Well, it’s still delicious cold, so it’s fine…

Alright, I’ve eaten my bento… but I don’t feel like getting back to that printout just yet. Speaking of which, I’m cooking dinner tonight. Let’s check what we have in the fridge.

I headed to the kitchen and opened the fridge.

“Hmm… what should I do… We have pork, so maybe ginger pork? I’ll make a salad as a side dish… but where’s the ginger paste?”

I looked in the likely spots… but it wasn’t there…

“Hmm… I could ask Mom to get it on her way back… but I guess I’ll go buy it myself.”

I grabbed my wallet, phone, and eco-bag again and headed out… Wait, remember what happened earlier.

I got all those warnings just by walking to the convenience store, so I should probably take some precautions. But how…?

……

Cross-dressing… is too much… Should I just wear a wig?

I went to my room and put on a wig.

How do I look?

I went to the bathroom to check in the mirror.

“Hmm… This just makes me look like a blonde guy…”

This doesn’t really hide that I’m a guy… it’s a hassle, so forget it!

I tossed the wig onto the living room table and went outside.

Now, the nearest supermarket is… ‘Yaasuiyo’… what a straightforward name, but it feels like a friendly, down-to-earth place. (T/N: Literally means cheap.)

Alright, let’s go!

―――Here we are, supermarket ‘Yaasuiyo’!

I looked around on my way here, but there were no issues. Despite it being a weekday, there were people around, but none noticed I was a guy. Turns out it’s not so hard to blend in.

I also checked for any other men but didn’t see any.

I took a shopping basket at the entrance and started at the vegetable section. Price-wise… it does seem cheaper than usual! Based on my old world’s standards, anyway.

While picking vegetables for the salad, I overheard women chatting nearby.

“Did you hear? Apparently, there was a guy walking outside earlier.”

“Really!? That’s rare! They usually travel by car.”

“And he was alone, too!!”

“Seriously!?”

“Seriously! It’s dangerous for him to be walking alone. I should protect him!”

“You just want to squeeze him dry, don’t you?”

“So what! That’s the price of protection!”

“Please don’t do anything weird if you find him, okay? I don’t want to end up on the morning news saying, ‘I knew this would happen someday.'”

“I’m kidding! But I’d love to touch a man too~”

“Same here~”

Are they talking about me…? That rumor spread fast. This must be the women’s gossip network… 

And what does “squeeze him dry” even mean? Though, I wouldn’t mind it, I should still have the right to choose, shouldn’t I…?

…I should finish shopping before more rumors spread.

I grabbed vegetables for the salad, picked up some ginger paste… and maybe I’ll get some dessert too.

I stopped by the sweets section and put two packs of two-cheap cakes into the basket.

I lined up at the register to pay… and felt like I was being watched.

“Welcome!”

The cashier scanned my items… Am I imagining it, or are people starting to stare…?

“That’ll be 995 yen… Um, are you a man?”

What should I do, they found out…? No, wait, not yet! It’s not over!

I shook my head silently and placed a 1000 yen bill on the counter.

“I see… Here’s your change. Please come again.”

I took my shopping basket, packed the items into my eco-bag, and was about to leave when I was called out to.

“Excuse me, you there?”

I stopped and turned around.

There was an unfamiliar woman standing there.

“You’re a man, right…?”

Damn it! I shouldn’t have stopped! This is a trap!

“Ch-chigauyo (N-no I’m not)?”

“No, that’s not convincing at all?”

Seems my falsetto didn’t fool her.

“Um, I know it’s forward of me, but it’s dangerous for a man to be alone. Shall I walk you home?”

“N-no! I’m fine. I’ll hurry back!”

“I see… Take care, then.”

“Thank you! Goodbye!”

I hurriedly left the store. Finally, I managed to escape… 

“Excuse me! You there, the man!” 

…or not.

“Um! You’re a man, right!? Could I shake your hand if it’s okay!?”

Think about where I am. I’m outside the store.

Naturally, people are around, and their eyes are on us.

If I think about the flow of events so far, what will happen if I shake hands here?

The answer is clear. More people will gather.

So, the only answer for me now is:

【Of all strategies, retreat is best】

I ran.

I’m confident in my stamina.

I ran without looking back.

…And stopped when I was exhausted.

“Huff, huff, huff… this is tough…”

Feels like I haven’t sprinted in a while.

“Huff, huff, huff… I’m thirsty… Where am I…?”

I ran without thinking, so I didn’t check my surroundings…

Oh well, I can just use my phone to get back to the supermarket…

“Is there anywhere I can get a drink…?”

Looking around calmly, I saw a torii gate beside me. It looked like the entrance to a shrine.

Shrines often have vending machines. Let’s check it out.

I passed through the torii gate and stepped into the shrine grounds.

It’s winter. There are trees around, are they cherry blossoms?

If so, it might be beautiful once spring hits.

As I walked towards the shrine’s main hall, I spotted a vending machine in the distance.

I bought a drink and quenched my thirst.

“Ah… I’m alive again…”

I hadn’t been to a shrine in years.

Since I’m here, I might as well draw a fortune slip.

I went to the omikuji stall, put in 100 yen, and drew a slip.

My fortune is…

“Bad luck…”

Seems I have no luck…

What does it say?

“Dangerous to go out alone, good luck if you’re with someone.”

Isn’t it too late to say that now?

What else… “Good in studies, new love but with obstacles, multiple marriage proposals expected…”

Obstacles in love, huh… What else…

“Reflect on family… Am I going to get scolded?”

For a bad luck fortune, it’s not that bad, is it?

Well, it’s just a fortune slip. I’ll take it as a rough guideline.

I tied the fortune slip to the designated spot and decided to pray.

I went to the shrine’s main hall, closed my eyes, and performed two bows, two claps, and one bow.

“Please let good things happen from now on…”

“Haha☆ I hope good things happen for you☆”

I heard a voice and opened my eyes, lifting my head. I was back in that white space.

“Did you come back so soon because you wanted to squeeze them that badly☆”

My reunion with the goddess was sooner than I expected.