My Mental Choices Are Completely Interfering with My School Romantic Comedy - Volume 3 Chapter 4.4:

Volume 3 Chapter 4.4:

As I walked toward the “Kids’ Pool Area” where Chocolat was, I glanced at Kaichou, still following her without resisting.

“…So, what exactly are you plotting today?”

“Ah, plotting? Amakusa-san, I think it’s a bit harsh to say such things to a girl~,” she said casually, placing a hand on her cheek.

I rolled my eyes at her. Responding to her every word would be pointless, so I decided to continue the conversation and ignore her.

“You didn’t just happen to bring Yukihira and Reikadou here, right?”

“Oh no, no, it’s all about the friendship between girls~!”

…Ugh, no matter what I say, it’s like talking to a bamboo curtain.

“Amakusa-san, what’s with that face? You’re surrounded by eight girls in a pool, isn’t that basically a harem situation~?”

“Eh? Eight?”

Let’s see… Chocolat, Yuuouji, Yura-chan, the president, Yukihira, Reikadou, and… well, I guess we could add Utage-sensei too (just kidding). That’s still seven.

“Hehe, there’s a white cat who just won’t admit she’s one of the group~.”

***

(What?!)

Furano suddenly shuddered from a strange chill running down her spine.

(Wh-what was that? I just got a weird shiver…)

The creepy sensation made her uneasy, but soon her mind was filled with another question.

(Where exactly are Amakusa-kun and the president going?)

Right now, she was happily tailing Kanade and Seira.

(Ugh, but still, Amakusa-kun… even though he’s part of the ‘Reject Five,’ it always feels like he’s surrounded by girls…)

Just a moment ago, he was having fun with Yura-chan and Reikadou—at least, that’s how it looked to Furano.

(But, but, it’s not like it matters who Amakusa-kun is with, right…?)

“Haah…”

Unconsciously sighing, Furano continued to watch Seira’s back.

That student council president was an enigma—impossible to figure out. When she suddenly hugged Kanade during their recent confrontation, Furano thought her heart might jump out of her chest.

What exactly is the relationship between those two?

(Ah, I said it doesn’t matter, but… what am I thinking?)

Lost in a fog of emotions, Furano’s attention was suddenly caught by something.

“Ah, it’s ‘Agua-kun’!”

It was a mascot costume shaped like a duck from the Aqua Galaxy, walking cutely while spreading charm. It was incredibly adorable.

“Ah, so cute~.”

Furano, completely entranced, started walking toward Agua-kun.

She spotted Kanade’s back in her peripheral vision. He seemed to be distracted by something Seira said, so his pace wasn’t too fast.

(Just a little bit won’t hurt, right?)

Furano leaned in, starting to nuzzle the mascot.

“Ah, it’s so smooth.”

The sensation reminded her of the “Shirobuta-kun” costume from before. That one was fluffy, but this one had a unique, pleasant texture that sent her cute-sensor into overdrive.

“So happy~.”

Although it might seem odd for a high school girl to nuzzle a mascot costume, Furano was completely lost in her own world, oblivious to the curious stares from those around her.

“Haah~. That was cute~.”

Savoring the feeling, Furano pulled away from Agua-kun.

“Ah, wait?”

Suddenly, Kanade and Seira were gone.

“Wh-where did they go?”

It was no wonder—while to Furano it felt like only a few seconds, she had been nuzzling Agua-kun for over five minutes.

(Amakusa-kun, where did you go…? Huh?)

As she looked around to find Kanade, she noticed people were staring at her.

“Eh? Eh?”

Most of the people nearby were watching her.

(W-why is everyone staring at me?)

Furano, completely unaware of how odd she must look, could only think of question marks in her head.

“U-uh…”

Her face turned bright red, and she quickly ran away from the scene.

***

“White cat? What are you talking about?”

“Ah~ who knows?”

Was this some kind of metaphor? The president’s usual smoke-and-mirrors behavior was nothing new, but this time it felt especially nonsensical. Well, whether it was seven or eight, it didn’t really matter. The issue wasn’t the number.

“Harems, you say, but out of all the girls, isn’t Yawakaze the only normal one?”

The president’s face froze, her smile still in place.

“Did you say something just now~?”

Ugh…

“…I mean, the only normal girls are you, Kaichou, and Yawakaze, right?”

“Oh my, oh my, even if you praise me that much, I won’t give you anything~”

…What’s the point of this fake exchange?

“Oh, we’re almost there~”

While I was withdrawing into my thoughts, the president cheerfully announced.

“This is the place…”

When we arrived at the ‘kiddie pool area,’ what greeted us was an entirely peaceful scene.

“Chocolat-nee-chan, next is me!”

“Chocolat-oneechan, me too, me too!”

“Hey, that’s unfair! I’m going first!”

“Alright, alright, it’s your turn, just wait a moment.”

What caught my eye was Chocolat, playing with the kids in a pool where the water was only up to their knees.

The sign clearly read, “For friends younger than ten years old.” Chocolat’s mental age probably seemed to be under ten, but she looked like a high schooler at best.

I called out to the staff member who was watching over the scene without intervening.

“Excuse me. That blonde-haired girl over there, she’s old enough… Is that alright?”

The kind-looking staff member scratched his head and gave a wry smile.

“Well, technically, it’s not allowed, but the kids have gotten so attached to her that…”

Indeed, many children were surrounding Chocolat, begging her to play with them.

“Kaichou, this looks like it’s not going to cause any commotion, don’t you think?”

If they’re just peacefully playing with the kids, there’s no need to interfere. Actually, it might be better not to. Technically, it’s a rule violation, but the staff is kind of turning a blind eye to it.

“Yeah, you’re right~. Then how about we make a rule that says we can search for Yuuouji-san once we can get Chocolat out of that pool?”

“…Isn’t the way you used ‘then’ kind of weird?”

“I’ll accept objections and counterarguments if you manage to defeat me~.”

For some reason, she said something that sounded like it came from a battle manga while lightly pushing my back.

“Okay, go ahead~.”

Sigh…

It’s probably useless to resist (whether physically or mentally, I don’t feel like I could win), so I let the staff know I’d just be stepping in for a moment, then made my way to the poolside.

“Those shiny hair strands look so delicious~.”

Chocolat was hugging a bob-haired girl and burying her face in the girl’s hair… Wait, there’s no way she’s actually going to eat her, right…?

I stepped into the pool, still worried.

“Chocolat.”

“Ah, Kanade-san!”

As soon as Chocolat saw me, she perked up, her tail-hair standing up happily.

“Why did you run off in the middle of a lecture?”

“It smelled so delicious~.”

…That’s not really an answer though.

“Hm?”

I felt a hostile gaze from behind and turned around.

“…What is it, you?”

A boy with spiky hair was glaring at me.

“Chocolat-nee-chan, who’s this?”

“This is Kanade-san, Takashi-kun.”

“Hmm.”

The boy named Takashi stared at me as though he were appraising me.

“So, what’s your relationship with Chocolat-nee-chan?”

“Yep, he’s my most favorite person~.”

With those words from Chocolat, Takashi’s face turned an especially unpleasant shade.

“…We were having fun playing with Chocolat-nee-chan, and then you just barged in. You should try to read the room a little, okay?”

…This guy’s got a foul mouth. I get that he’s attached to Chocolat, but there’s no need to treat me like an enemy.

Well, I don’t have time to be angry at elementary school kids right now.

“Chocolat, get out of the pool for a second.”

Once I get her out on the poolside, I’ll meet the conditions Kaichou laid out. After that, Chocolat can do whatever she wants, play with the kids or whatever.

Just as I placed my hand on Chocolat’s shoulder to lift her up, in that very moment—

“?!”

A shock ran through my lower body, something so intense that I thought the world was ending.

“Ughhhhh!!”

I… Is this a low blow?

“U… ugh…”

I turned around, almost on the verge of tears, and saw the bob-haired girl that Chocolat had been hugging, glaring at me.

“Don’t touch Chocolat-oneechan!”

I get it, she looks up to Chocolat, but to kick me in the guy parts like that out of nowhere?! Seriously?!

Chocolat furrowed her brows and called out to the girl.

“Misaki-chan, it’s not nice to attack from behind.”

“Don’t scold her about that!”

“Okay, I’ll go from the front next time!”

“See, you’re misunderstanding something here!”

“My Kanade-san is tough, so he won’t be fazed by that much!”

“Of course I will!”

“He could take a hundred kicks, no problem.”

“Why are you making it sound like a storage unit? I’m definitely going to die!”

“Oh, you’re too modest.”

“No, that’s a real scream from the heart!”

This kid’s… totally an idiot, huh? No, I’ve known that for a while, but this really proves it.

“Gah!”

Once again, a shock hit from behind, causing me to collapse to my knees.

Takashi had just delivered a serious kick to my calf… That hurt like hell.

“Tch, I showed some mercy by sparing your manhood. Be grateful.”

“Damn, these little punks…”

The way they talk to older people, and their actions… What kind of upbringing did they have?!

Annoyed, I pulled Chocolat’s hand a little more firmly.

“Let’s go.”

“But…”

I noticed a girl with long black hair staring at us. Unlike the previous two, she gave off a much quieter impression.

“Manami-chan, what’s wrong?”

The girl, whose name turned out to be Manami, just stared at us silently. After a while—

“Fwee…”

“Huh?”

Tears started to well up in her eyes.

“I don’t want… Chocolat-oneechan, don’t gooo…”

She suddenly burst into tears.

“S-Seriously…?”

Caught off guard by the situation, I panicked a little.

Takashi shot me a cold look.

“You’re the worst for making a girl cry!”

“Ugh…”

“Ah, it’s okay, Manami-chan. Don’t cry, it’s okay.”

Chocolat, with her usual grace, comforted Manami-chan.

“You’re in the way.”

“Yeah, go away!”

Takashi and Misaki’s words were unforgiving. Great, I’m basically the villain here now.

“““Go away! Go away!”””

Their hostility toward me spread to the other kids around, and soon the “Go away!” chants were echoing through the area.

“…Sorry.”

I couldn’t do anything, so I dejectedly walked off to the poolside where President Kokubyakuin was waiting.

“Oh, is it okay~?”

“No, it’s not okay… but when a kid starts crying, what else am I supposed to do?”

“Oh my, you’re being awfully nice even though your life’s on the line~”

I swallowed my sarcastic reply about who’s the one making me do this and sat down next to the president, who was sitting cross-legged.

“Amakusa-san, you remember the penalty for failing to complete the mission, right~?”

“…The one where be stuck with absolute choice my whole life, right?”

I can’t forget that, no matter how hard I try.

“That’s right~. That’s why you’re trying so hard, huh? But, from what I can see, I don’t think you’re really feeling the reality of it.”

“Reality…?”

“Yep, so, to help boost your motivation, I’ll show you a special video~”

“A special video?”

“Yes, just a moment~”

With that, the Kaichou tapped my forehead lightly.

“Ah… huh?”

Suddenly, my head started to feel foggy.

“See you soon~”

With her soft voice, my consciousness drifted away.

***

I was walking alone through a certain bustling district.

I glanced at the digital clock on the side of a building. The time it displayed was already late at night.

It was the middle of winter, the kind of cold that gnaws at your bones. At this time of night, when the air is biting, it’s hard to say it’s a kind environment for a body that’s well past seventy.

So, why was I walking through this place at such a time, in such cold?

The answer? Well… it’s just because.

It was really just a matter of wandering around aimlessly without any real purpose. I could have just gone back to my shabby apartment and knocked back some cheap booze, or I could’ve gone into a convenience store and stayed there reading, ignoring the confused looks from the cashier.

In other words, it didn’t really matter. My actions… my life doesn’t have any meaning. No, because no matter what I do, it’ll end up the same.

It’s been decades since that fateful, catastrophic failure. My every action has been bound by that one event—

…

Ah, here it comes.

In the middle of my thoughts, it appeared as it always did—suddenly.

Having long since realized the futility of resisting this event, I didn’t react in an exaggerated manner like I did when I was younger.

Whether I cried, yelled, or even made a sarcastic remark, the fact remained: there were things I had to do.

“…”

Without saying a word, I shrugged off my coat. Then, without hesitation, I peeled off my sweater and pants. Within a minute, I was standing there in nothing but a single pair of momohiki (traditional Japanese leggings).

The momohiki were almost the same color as my skin, so from a distance, it might look like I was completely naked.

At this point, doing such a thing in the middle of winter was already proof that I wasn’t in my right mind… but the real action starts here.

“Hey! Look at my bīchiku (nipples) YO!”

From my mouth came an incredibly high-energy rap, full of excitement.

I grabbed my nipples, arching my body as I released my words like an explosion.

“Brand it in your eyes, YO, Bīchiku High Tech Technique!”

The reactions from passersby were all over the place. Young people stared at me, dumbfounded, women turned away quickly, hurrying off, and a few onee-san (older women) stared in fascination.

“YO! YO! YO! You all better grab it too, YO!!”

I ignored my audience and kept grooving to the beat.

…About a minute into my soulful expression, the heavy, aching pain in my head suddenly vanished.

I stopped dead in my tracks, gathered up the clothes I had discarded, and, completely ignoring the strange looks, put them back on as if nothing had happened, before walking away from the scene.

“…Ugh.”

I wasn’t in pain… I wasn’t in pain at all. How many times have I repeated something like this? I’m not about to start feeling pain from something like this. The cold sensation, like something sharp piercing into my heart, must be due to the freezing temperature.

“Hey.”

After walking a bit further, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Hm? Who’s—!?”

It was a police officer.

When I thought about it, considering I was doing that in a place like this, it was only natural, really.

The two worst letters floated up in my mind. At this rate… arrest.

“Tch—!”

In the next instant, like a rabbit fleeing, I bolted.

“Guh!”

But, of course, it wasn’t going to be that easy to escape. The officer, strong as he was, quickly subdued me, and in no time, I was caught.

“Grandpa… why did you do something so stupid?”

“W-Wait, let me go! It’s better than stripping down to nothing, right?!”

“You know, that’s not the issue here. You might think it’s fine, but it’s an inconvenience to everyone else. Do you get it?”

“Ugh…”

The moment I heard those words, tears unconsciously fell from my eyes.

To think… to think that I, someone who hasn’t even lived half my life yet, was mistaken for someone who would go to such extremes to show off. Was I really being caught like this?

“I… I didn’t… I didn’t do it because I wanted to…”

Ha!

***

“Welcome back~!”

When I regained consciousness, there was the smiling face of Kokubyakuin-Kaichou, as always.

“…Kaichou, was that…?”

“Yes, that’s what happens to Amakusa-san if the mission fails~!”

I knew it…

Even though I had suspected it, hearing the truth directly from Kaichou made it feel even heavier. I mean, don’t say “end” like that…

“But don’t worry! This is just one possible outcome. It doesn’t mean it’s definitely going to happen~!”

Kaichou clapped her hands in front of her chest, smiling brightly as she continued.

“Because of your choices, you might lose your job and die starving on the street. Or you could be mistaken for an assassination target, and a sniper might blow your head off. There’s also the possibility of being encased in concrete and dumped in a bay~ Such a lovely future, right?”

“That’s too lovely, I’m crying!”

Kaichou ignored my comment, flashing her usual laid-back smile in response.

“Well, the point is, let’s do our best on the mission~.”

“…Kaichou, during the last mission, you helped me out, and this time, you’re trying to stop me from going to Yuuouji’s place… What exactly do you want to do?”

“Something interesting~.”

“Huh?”

“More accurately, I want to make things interesting~.”

“Eh? What does that mean—?”

“Oh, Chocolat-san is calling for you~!”

Before I could finish my sentence, Kaichou’s gaze shifted towards the pool… Looks like she wasn’t going to give me any more answers.

“Kanade-san~!”

Just as Kaichou said, Chocolat was waving at me from the pool.

There didn’t seem to be any more information to gain here, so I decided to head over there, straightforwardly.

“What’s up, Chocolat?”

When I asked, Chocolat explained that the “little pool area” was only open for a certain amount of time, and soon, everyone’s parents would be coming to pick them up.

“Look, Takashi-kun, don’t you have something to say to Kanade-san?”

Takashi, prompted by Chocolat, appeared in front of me with a sulky expression.

“…I-I’m sorry…”

The words that came out of his mouth were unexpected.

“My real sister, she has this guy-like personality, and I always wished I had a kinder sister. Chocolat-neesan, since she’s always smiling, she reminded me of my ideal sister… I was getting happy about that, but then you came along, and I felt like you were taking Chocolat-neesan away from me. So, I said weird things and even kicked you…”

“T-Takashi…”

A strange feeling of emotion welled up in my chest. At the same time, I felt embarrassed by my own shallowness, for judging him as a brat just based on his surface-level attitude and behavior.

“You… you’re a good guy, huh.”

“T-That’s not true…”

I patted his head.

“Stop it…!”

“No no, big bro’s really moved here. Don’t be so embarrassed, guh!”

“D-Don’t get carried away, idiot!”

Takashi kicked my leg and, with his face flushed red, ran off.

“Ugh…”

Takashi, you really don’t understand the world… You don’t get the absolute, unchanging truth that there’s no value in a guy being tsundere.

“Come on, Misaki-chan too.”

Chocolat then encouraged Misaki, leading her in front of me.

“I’m sorry for kicking you so hard earlier.”

Misaki bowed her head. Huh, this kid can apologize properly—what a good child.

“From now on, I’ll kick a little lighter.”

“Don’t kick at all, I said!”

“Well, I guess that’s something I can’t do…”

“You can’t do it!? Why not?”

“Because, when I see men wanting something, it kinda makes me feel like ‘hmph’.”

“Yikes, that’s terrifying!”

“But, I know it was wrong, so… I’m sorry again.”

What is this creature… Can I just hug her tightly for a moment?

Well, that might be a bit too much for the scene, so I squatted down and, while patting Misaki’s head, smiled at her.

“Good girl.”

“U…”

In that instant, Misaki’s cheeks turned bright red.

“What’s wrong?”

“N-Nothing…”

Misaki turned her face completely crimson and looked down. What? Was she that embarrassed just from being petted?

After that, Misaki never once looked at me directly, and left with her parents when they came to pick her up.

“Bye-bye, Misaki-chan~!”

Chocolat waved her hand cheerfully at Misaki’s retreating figure.

“You’re surprisingly good with kids, huh?”

“Yes, I love little kids~!”

Well, considering she has the mindset of a child herself…

“Hm?”

My swimsuit was being tugged on, so I turned to look, and there stood a girl with long black hair.

Manami-chan… After I made her cry once, I felt a bit on edge. I can’t let that happen again, so I’ll have to be careful and approach her cautiously.

“U-Um, sorry about earlier…”

I spoke to her in the softest voice I could muster, and Manami-chan shook her head, back and forth.

“I was a little scared earlier, but I’m not scared now.”

Thank goodness. Being disliked by kids is tough, no matter how you look at it.

Manami-chan looked back and forth between me and Chocolat, then muttered softly.

“You two are like… mom and dad.”

“Huh?”

“Because you seem really close.”

“……”

“Well, bye now!”

Manami-chan smiled and ran off to her parents.

“…What a strange kid…”

“She said we’re like a married couple.”

“W-What…?”

Chocolat casually said it without a hint of embarrassment.

“Did you know, Kanade-san? Married couples feed each other by doing ‘ah~n’ during meals.”

“A-Ah, ‘ah~n,’ you say…?”

That scene from a few days ago suddenly resurfaced in my mind.

“Ah, should we try that too next time?”

“W-Who’s gonna do that!?”

“Kanade-san, your face is all red.”

“I-I’m not! It’s just—anyway, let’s get out of here!”

“Okay~!”

Chocolat, wagging her tail, followed me closely.

“Oh, you managed to get Chocolat-san out safely. Good job~”

By the poolside, the president flashed her usual smile, which lacked any sincerity.

“Now you can go meet Yuuouji-san. Oh, she’s in the ‘Zetsu-kyou Coaster Area.’ I’ll look after Chocolat-san, so hurry and go see her~”

She had been a nuisance earlier, and now she was even helping out by providing Yuuouji’s location… Is this part of her idea of entertainment?

“Now, go ahead and make her cry, okay~?”

…With that incredibly suspicious phrase echoing in my ears, I left the spot.

Part 4

The ‘Zetsu-kyou Coaster Area’ was, as the name suggested, an area filled with extreme rides that you could enjoy while still in your swimsuit.

As soon as I arrived, I saw a familiar sight—Furano, slumped by the poolside.

“Ah, Amakusa-kun… huhhh…”

Furano, who looked up at me, had tears in her eyes.

“What… what happened?”

Furano pointed ahead.

“Well, the rides here are split into levels: Level 1, Level 2, Level 3…”

In front of us, there were three roller coasters that slithered like snakes.

“I rode the Level 1 one, and I ended up losing my back…”

That wasn’t because Furano was particularly timid, either. Even now, screams were echoing from all the coasters, regardless of level.

“That sounds like a rough time… By the way, where’s Yuuouji?”

“Ah, well, she was having a great time on the Level 2 coaster, so she should be back soon—”

“Fuhahahaha!”

In the middle of Furano’s sentence, a water spout shot up, and someone jumped out of the water.

“Yoo-hoo!”

Like an acrobat, Yuuouji landed elegantly by the poolside.

“Couldn’t you have come up a little more… normally…?”

“Oh, Amacchi’s here.”

After smiling at me, Yuuouji turned her gaze toward Furano.

“Furanocchi, have you recovered yet?”

“W-Well, not really…”

With a wry smile, Furano shook her head.

Now, I found Yuuouji, but what should I do? I can’t think of a way to make her cry here… The secret weapon is really a last resort…

“Well then, Amacchi, let’s ride together.”

“Huh?”

Just as I was thinking, Yuuouji’s voice reached me.

“You know, I just rode the Level 2 coaster, and it was sooo much fun! Let’s ride the Level 3 one together next!”

“…Nah, I’m good.”

“Huh, why?”

“…I’ve outgrown those kinds of rides. Those are just kiddie rides, right? I’m not interested.”

“Amacchi, could it be… are you scared?”

“…N-No way!”

Honestly, I am scared.

Being terrified of heights, I’m even bad with Ferris wheels, so extreme roller coasters? I just can’t understand why they even exist in this world.

If I went on a twisted ride like the Level 3, I wouldn’t just scream—there’d probably be a page filled with “Gyaaaaaaaaaaa!!!” like something out of a light novel.

“Oh-ho…”

Yuuouji’s face twisted in a lecherous grin… Now that I think about it, half-hearted lies don’t work on this girl.

“Heh-heh, then you can ride, right?”

T-This girl… I mean, I’m still a guy, so even if it’s blatantly obvious, I don’t want to say anything scary in front of a girl (well, sort of a girl). With some reluctance, I had no choice but to nod.

“Okay, then let’s go!”

“Hey, wait, hold on──”

Yuuouji, with a gleeful expression, dragged me along without a moment’s hesitation.

And so, I was forcibly dragged to the roller coaster ride. But there was one more pressing issue.

“Wait, Yuuouji, you’re too close, let go, I can walk on my own!”

“Huh? Amacchi, are you saying you want to escape?”

“I’m not escaping, I’m just saying get off me for a sec!”

“Eh? I don’t really get it, but if you insist, here.”

At that moment, Yuuouji finally let me go… I had thought it before, but this girl really is too defenseless when it comes to the opposite sex. She should at least be more aware that she’s a sixteen-year-old girl.

While I was thinking about this, Yuuouji flashed a mischievous smile, looking like a little kid.

“Heh-heh, I’m looking forward to seeing Amacchi’s crying face.”

A crying face, huh… I would be the one wanting to see that, though… Oh, wait. Since she brought it up, now’s a good time to ask. Since Yuuouji was the one to bring it up, it wouldn’t seem unnatural.

“I don’t cry over roller coasters… but when was the last time you cried, Yuuouji?”

There’s a condition to this: she has to cry today, right here at the pool. I might not be able to do something similar immediately, but if I learn where her emotional weak spots are, I could come up with a strategy outside of my secret weapon.

“Me? Hmm, I haven’t cried in years.”

“Eh?”

That was unexpected. I hadn’t been able to imagine Yuuouji crying, considering how she rarely shows negative emotions… but years? That seems way too long.

“Actually, I used to be a real crybaby when I was little. It didn’t stop even when I was in elementary school. One day, my mom told me, ‘Ouka, a girl’s tears aren’t something you should sell cheap. Save them for when you’re happy in front of the person you love.'”

Yuuouji’s mom is the former top idol, Ouka Hibiki. Recently, she’s also been active as a news commentator, giving off an image of being smart and intellectual…

“And then she continued, ‘When I get insulted by your father or get slapped with just the right force, I get excited and tears come out.'”

“She’s just a total masochist!”

That’s right, apparently her private life is a mess. This isn’t even a “gap,” it’s next-level…

“I didn’t understand what she meant at the time, but I could tell she was serious. So, I thought, ‘Ah, I see.’ It’s like… conditioning? Probably unconscious, but after that, I can’t really remember ever crying.”

What the heck… I was hoping to get a hint, but instead, I just heard something very not helpful. If it’s psychological and she can’t be made to cry, my options are severely limited.

Well, at least her behavior won’t affect the use of that thing… that’s a small comfort.

“What are you thinking about, Amacchi? Hurry up and let’s go!”

“Wait… stop sticking so close to me!”

After some awkward attempts to get away, we finally arrived at the roller coaster station, level 3.

“Alright, you’re securely fastened.”

The staff member smiled and checked the bar’s lock.

“Th-This is… really safe, right?”

I asked, my voice trembling, and the staff member nodded cheerfully.

“Yes, fainting and incontinence are common, but of course, there are no accidents, so you’re safe.”

Wait a second—how is that supposed to make me feel safe…?

“Could you say that a little differently?”

The staff member thought for a moment before opening her mouth, as if she had come up with something.

“Don’t worry~”

“That’s not what I meant! Why are you saying it like some comedy show?!”

What is up with this staff member…

“Hahaha, Amacchi, even if you have an accident, it’s fine since you’re wearing a swimsuit.”

Yuuouji, sitting to my right, said cheerfully.

“I’m not a kid, I won’t wet myself…”

Though I said that, I guess there’s a small chance I might end up wetting myself a little…

“Yeah, I’m not the one who’ll clean it up, so don’t worry~”

“Shut up! Why are you so amused by this?!”

Seriously, what is going on with this staff member…

Thanks to all these weird taunts about fainting and accidents, the calmness I had built up started to waver. And why the heck are we in the front row…?

“Yuuouji, I don’t feel too well, so I’m getting off──Ugh.”

The final desperate attempt was in vain, and without mercy, the roller coaster began its departure.

…Well, it looks like it’s just an uphill climb at first, so I can mentally prepare myself for it now…

“Uoooooh!?”

D-Did it suddenly accelerate!?

The coaster, behaving in an utterly impossible way, rapidly climbed to the peak of the rails…

“Wait, wait, hold on──”

Sudden freefall.

“GYAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!”

This is insane, it’s insane, it’s insane! What is this, why is the course so twisty and winding, hiiii!! Just when I thought we were going down, we’re going back up, and now we’re going down again… I can’t tell which way is up anymore──

“Ahhahahahaha!!”

Why is this idiot next to me laughing? Are you out of your mind!? Aaah, it’s twisting now, no, no, this is bad, this is really bad!!

“Hiiiii!!” “Uwaaah!!” “Let me off!!”

See? I knew it! Everyone else is screaming too, right? Hey, Yuuouji, why don’t you scream like a girl for once and show a little bit of fear──

“Nooohoooo! This is soooo fun!!!”

What the hell is this? Are you an alien or something!? Wait, hold on, I feel like it’s accelerating again! No, it’s definitely accelerating──

“Uhiyaaaaaaaaa!!”

I’m in a panic, thrashing around, but since my body is strapped in so tight, I can only move my hands! I can’t stand this anymore, help, somebody, help me!!

“GYAAAAAAAAAHHH!!”

No, no, no! This is impossible! I can’t take it anymore, I’m about to pass out──

At that moment, my right hand grabbed something soft.

“…Hmm?”

I snapped out of it, feeling the softness──

“Kyaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

A scream so loud it drowned out all my thoughts came from beside me──

And then, the coaster dropped again.

“GYAAAAAAAAAHHH!!”

My consciousness went black.

“Sakun… Amakusa-kun”

“Hmm…”

I opened my eyes.

“…Where am I?”

Furano was looking down at me with a worried expression.

“Well…?”

I sat up and recognized that we were at the poolside.

“I’m glad… the staff carried you here, but you didn’t wake up for a while, so I got really worried.”

Ah, that’s right… I passed out from the sheer terror of that demon roller coaster.

“Wait, where’s Yuuouji?”

I stood up and looked around.

“Well, over there…”

Yuuouji was crouched a bit away, looking like she was lost in her own world.

“Wh-What’s going on with her?”

“Yeah… she kind of went into her own little world, and even when I called to her, she didn’t react.”

That certainly doesn’t seem normal… I wonder if something happened while I was unconscious.

I slowly approached her.

“Uu… What do I do, what do I do… After having my panties seen twice and getting touched in such a place…”

She mumbled something that sounded like a curse, but I couldn’t make it out clearly.

“Yuuouji.”

“I-I guess I’ll just have to become his bride…”

…No good, it looks like she’s not hearing anything.

“Hey, Yuuouji.”

I gently tapped her shoulder.

“Eh?”

Finally, she reacted and turned around──

“……………………………………………………KYAAAAAAAHHH!”

After a long silence, Yuuouji suddenly pulled back, scooting away in a panic, still sitting.

“Y-You… No, not that, Amacchi… I mean, you!”

…What? What do you mean by “you”? And seriously, she’s freaking out way too much. Her face is bright red, did she suddenly get a fever or something?

“Are you okay?”

I approached and reached out my hand.

“Th-That right hand of yours!”

Yuuouji reacted so sensitively, she practically jumped. What’s going on? My right hand is just a normal hand, it doesn’t have any special powers to cancel out abilities or smack girls after giving them a lecture.

“Amacchi.. You don’t remember?”

“Remember what?”

Did I do something with my right hand when we were on the roller coaster? Back then, my mind was completely scrambled from fear, and all I can remember is screaming my lungs out.

“I-So you don’t remember… Well, I guess… that means it’s safe.”

The redness slowly faded from Yuuouji’s face.

“Okay… okay… If that’s the case, then I won’t worry about it.”

She slapped her own cheek a couple of times, and her face returned to mostly its usual self. So it wasn’t a physical issue, maybe it was more of a mental thing?

“I don’t really get it, but anyway, let’s stand up, come on.”

“Ah, yeah, thanks.”

Yuuouji grabbed my hand that I offered.

“?!”

In that instant, I felt an electric shock run through my body.

W-What was that sensation!?

Yuuouji’s palm, softened just perfectly by the water, felt as soft as a newborn’s, like it could melt away in my hand.

What is this… it feels so nice, like seriously, it feels amazing. That fluffy, soft sensation wasn’t ordinary—it felt so pleasant that, if I could, I’d want to hold it forever.

“Amacchi, what’s wrong?”

Yuuouji, already standing, looked at me in confusion, noticing I hadn’t let go of her hand.

“N-Nothing, nothing’s wrong.”

I snapped back to reality and quickly let go of her hand.

But the memory of that sensation didn’t leave my mind. It would be a waste to let it end like this. Well, of course, I’m not going to say anything here in this situation, but if the opportunity arises, I’d like to hold it again──

“Mm?”

Suddenly, the same sensation that struck me earlier with Utage-sensei hit me again.

In other words, the thought I had just now… slipped out of my mouth. No way, I didn’t think it would happen again so soon.

There was no resistance. It was as if my mouth wasn’t even my own. It just moved on its own.

“Yuuouji, your hand was so soft and felt so good, can I touch it again?”

Ugh… I can’t believe I said something so perverted.

But, at least it was Yuuouji—the one person who could probably laugh off my weirdness and tell me “It’s fine” in a casual way──

“?!”

However, in stark contrast to my expectations, Yuuouji’s reaction was nothing short of dramatic.

“N-N-N-N-NO!”

Her face turned scarlet in an instant, and she quickly backed away with lightning speed.

“Huh?”

“I knew it! You remembered!!”

“Ah, hey, Yuuouji!”

Before I could stop her, Yuuouji ran off at full speed, leaving me in the dust.

I was left standing there, utterly confused.

I mean, what just happened? When I first grabbed her hand, she didn’t seem to mind at all, right? Sure, maybe my phrasing was a little off, but this reaction is completely abnormal.

“Women’s hearts… are a mystery.”