I Saved the First Victim of the Horror Game (The Idol in My Class), and She Became the Ultimate Sweet Heroine Who Smiles Only at Me - 16

Chapter 16: Mio Murase’s Affection Level (2★ Limit Break)

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“Murase-san, absolutely do not go near that torii, okay!”

“Okay.”

Murase-san readily did as I said. Huh? Last time, she said something about being called “Air-chan” at this point.

“We shouldn’t separate even a millimeter… right?”

Murase-san gently leaned her body against mine.

I don’t think I’ve said that part yet…

“Ueno-kun, hey.”

“Y-Yeah?”

“Don’t push yourself too hard, okay?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t want you getting hurt, Ueno-kun.”

“I don’t want you getting hurt either, Murase-san…”

“Then I won’t go near that torii.”

With her usual expressionless—no, extremely serious—face, Murase-san said that. She was completely different from the beginning; she listened so easily now.

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Do you want to regroup with everyone?

＞【Yes】

＞【No】

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While we were talking, the first choice appeared. S-Seriously? Compared to how things escalated last time, this was progressing unbelievably calmly.

Hmm…

Considering what happened before, it had to be [No]! No contest! If I regrouped with them, it would be a nonstop parade of horror events. Without hesitation, I pointed my finger at [No].

Beep, beep, beep.

The usual alarm signaling midnight rang out from Murase-san’s pocket. And next, a tree was supposed to fall right where Murase-san was standing.

“Murase-san, come over here!”

“Okay.”

As soon as I told her, Murase-san softly leapt into my chest. By the third time, I finally had enough composure to notice how close we were. Were we always this glued together?

“……”

Silence spread through the darkness… The tree should have fallen by now…

“……”

“……”

We stayed like that, holding each other and staring into empty space for several minutes. No matter how long we waited, the tree didn’t fall!

“…Ueno-kun, this is starting to get embarrassing.”

“Ah, sorry.”

We pulled our bodies apart just a little. 

N-Nothing happened…? W-What’s going on this time?

“Ueno-kun, hey.”

“W-What is it?”

“Thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me all of a sudden!?”

“I just felt like saying it.”

The fact that nothing was happening was almost scarier! Especially after everything that had been trying so hard to kill Murase-san!

“I keep having you protect me, don’t I?”

“Huh? We basically just met, right?”

“Ahaha, that’s true. But it doesn’t feel like that. It feels like this has already happened three or four times.”

“……”

Nothing was happening around us, but Murase-san was definitely different… Maybe she remembered what happened last time and the time before that.

“Hey, do you remember when I said we should walk to school together?”

“Hmm…”

I asked clearly, filled with hope but it didn’t seem like she truly remembered.

“Will you go with me?”

“I said before that we’d definitely go together…”

“Ahaha, then I’m looking forward to the second semester.”

Murase-san smiled softly at me. She really was completely different this time.

“Murase-san, let’s hide somewhere safe.”

“Yeah, let’s.”

We held hands and moved away from the torii. I tried not to look toward where everyone’s tents were set up. Nothing good ever happened when I ran into Yamamoto. And Sato-kun, who looked the most normal of all, was actually the most dangerous. And seriously, where did Nanase-san even go at that time!?

“Ueno-kun, do you not like holding hands with me?”

“Why would you think that?”

“You look like you’re thinking really hard.”

Crap. It showed on my face.

But I couldn’t help thinking about the last time. I was pretty sure choosing [Yes] was the correct route… but the events triggered way too fast. Did I mess something up? Still, all I’d really done last time was stop Murase-san from going through the torii…

“It’s not that I don’t like it. If anything, the opposite.”

I hurriedly denied it. I needed to calm down before thinking things through. There was no point in making Murase-san worry.

“Th-The opposite…? So not only do you not dislike it… you’re happy?”

Even in the darkness, I could see Murase-san’s face flush bright red.

I-It’s so healing…

It felt like the hellish scene of Sato-kun chasing us with a hatchet had been a lie.

“Y-You could say that…”

“I see…”

Murase-san looked down and squeezed our joined hands even tighter.

“When I’m with you, Ueno-kun, I just feel so happy.”

“What does that mean!?”

“I don’t really understand it myself. Maybe it’s because you’ve been paying so much attention to me?”

“So much?”

We’d only known each other for about ten minutes this time. She was saying strange things. Strange, but I understood what she meant. She must have been lonely for a long time. I tightened my grip on her hand just a little and looked straight at her.

“I’ll absolutely protect you, Murase-san. No matter how many times it takes.”

“Okay.”

Our eyes met. And just like that, Murase-san’s face moved closer—

Chu.

For just an instant—a faint, dry touch, like a feather brushing against me.

“!?!!?”

Murase-san’s lips had unmistakably touched my cheek…

“Murase-san!?”

“I just did it without thinking…”

“You just casually kiss someone on the cheek!?”

“I-I said it just happened! I’ve never even blown a kiss at work because I was too embarrassed…”

When she pulled away, Murase-san froze as if time had stopped. Her pale cheeks rapidly turned red like a ripening apple.

“I-I’m such an idiot…”

Murase-san covered her face with both hands and crouched down.

Whaaaat!? See, there’s absolutely, definitely, no doubt about it— that his time’s Murase-san is acting weird! There’s no way a girl that reserved would do something like that!

And on top of that, that was the first time in my life a girl had kissed me! As I stood there alone, panicking and listening to the thunderous pounding of my heart…

Rustle.

A sound came from the bushes behind us.

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