The Gal Game Heroines Who Were Supposed to Die Somehow Learned My Secret ～By the Way, Where Did My [Diary] Go?～ - EX 2: Book Release Celebration - Reine Kitagawa

EX 2: Book Release Celebration – Reine Kitagawa

The rainy season was in full swing, with downpours continuing day after day.

But today, for the first time in a while, the sky was completely clear.

The weather forecast even promised sunshine all day, which instantly lifted my mood.

[At the usual bookstore.]

I glanced at the short message from Reine again.

Classes had ended at noon today, but since I had to submit a report, I was a little delayed.

Reine, who had also finished her lecture around the same time, had gone ahead to the bookstore.

The Four Beauties’ overprotectiveness had eased up a bit, and I was finally starting to have more time to myself.

Whether it was working part-time, hanging out with friends, or diving into hobbies, everyone was spending more time on their own things.

Thank god…

About thirty minutes late, I headed to the bookstore where Reine was a regular.

With her striking silver hair, she would stand out, so it shouldn’t take long to find her.

“Ah, there she is… but what is she doing?”

Reine was staring intently at the upper shelf of a bookcase.

At first, I wasn’t sure what she was doing, but then she started stretching her hand out and hopping slightly.

She glanced around, checking her surroundings—

And just then, her eyes met mine.

Flustered, she quickly looked down and walked over to me, her cheeks tinged with embarrassment.

“Um… I-I can’t reach it. Could you… get it for me?”

The sheer impact of those words—her shy expression, the hesitation in her voice—was too much.

I instinctively covered my face with both hands.

“Satoshi?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Reine peered at me curiously, but I quickly shook off the moment and reached up with my left hand to grab the book she had been trying to reach.

“Thank you.”

“It’s not even that high for me, so don’t worry about it.”

She took the book from me and gently placed it in her shopping basket.

Seeing that, I naturally took the basket from her.

Reine blinked in surprise as she looked up at me.

“Is that everything?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Alright, I’ll go pay for it.”

“You don’t have to go that far. Just the thought is enough to make me happy.”

She smiled warmly, appreciating the gesture.

But honestly, it wasn’t some noble act of kindness.

“I saw you in an adorably embarrassing moment earlier, so I’m covering the cost as my way of making amends.”

“My… embarrassing…?”

Looks like she finally realized it.

Basically, I was just repaying her for making my heart explode earlier.

“Idiot…”

Seriously, how many times is she planning to kill me with her cuteness…?

◇

Right next to our university was a surprisingly large aquarium for being in the middle of the city.

Apparently, just treating her to a book wasn’t enough to make up for it, so she had dragged me here, half against my will.

Going on a date alone like this was technically a violation of the Four Beauties’ Agreement.

Not that I thought we’d actually get caught.

…But somehow, without fail, they always found out within a few days.

My girlfriends’ detective skills were off the charts.

I glanced over at Reine.

Today, she was wearing a white frilled blouse and a long black skirt.

Her outfit was simple, but the high-end watch on her wrist gave her an air of elegance that made her look like a refined, sophisticated woman.

“It’s been forever since I last went to an aquarium. What about you, Reine?”

“Same here. I think the last time was a school field trip back in elementary school.”

That meant, counting my past life, it had been nearly thirty years since I last visited one.

As we walked, Reine linked her arm with mine, our fingers intertwined.

Her usually flawless skin was tinged with a faint pink, making it obvious she was feeling a little shy.

The moment we stepped inside, the lights dimmed, and we found ourselves walking through the deep, dark sea of night.

“Wow… it’s beautiful.”

Reine gently placed her hand against the glass of a massive aquarium.

The bluish-white glow from the water reflected in her eyes, making them shimmer faintly.

“Yeah… it’s like something out of a dream.”

Inside the tank, fish swayed and drifted gracefully

We moved from one exhibit to the next, pausing every now and then to read the descriptions, nodding in understanding before moving on.

Reine, on the other hand, stopped in front of each and every tank, pressing her face slightly closer to the glass.

Every time, her eyes sparkled with pure excitement.

“You look like a little kid…”

I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her, the youngest in our group, completely absorbed in the exhibits.

Then, our eyes met.

“Something wrong?”

“No, just… seeing you having fun makes me happy too.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Reine let out a soft chuckle, then, seemingly satisfied with the exhibit in front of her, wrapped her arm around mine and tugged me forward.

The next tank featured a massive octopus.

“Looks delicious…”

“…What kind of reaction is that?”

Reine gave me an exasperated look.

Yeah, I guess that was a bit thoughtless. I should’ve at least pretended to appreciate the marine life first.

But then, she suddenly started glancing back and forth between me and the octopus, as if deep in thought.

“You know… male octopuses are incredibly devoted gentlemen.”

“Oh? How so?”

“Well, once they find a mate, they only ever love one partner. After mating, they die right after. As a woman, I think that’s quite an honor. It’s like being told, ‘I love you so much, I’d die for you.’“

“…Damn. Maybe I need to rethink my opinion of octopuses.”

Respect, man.

“On the other hand… that means the one in front of us has no experience with a woman yet.”

“Oi, you—!”

I suddenly felt bad for the poor guy.

If he graduates, he dies. If he survives, he gets mocked for being a virgin.

Talk about hard mode for life.

“Someone I know happens to have four girls who love him. Unlike an octopus, no matter how many women he cycles through, he doesn’t die~.”

“Can we not say things like that…?”

Even though there weren’t many people around, if anyone overheard, it would sound really bad.

“When exactly do you think I will become number one?”

“Please, have mercy…”

Her teasing smirk held a hint of seriousness, making it impossible for me to argue.

All I could do was raise the white flag in surrender.

◇

“Whoa…”

Honestly, what I really wanted to see was the big fish.

I mean, I’m a guy—of course I’d be excited about that, right?

With that thought, I walked ahead… and suddenly, a massive tank came into view.

Sharks, stingrays, and vibrantly colored fish swam gracefully in the deep blue water.

I stopped in my tracks, mesmerized.

It was breathtaking—like a perfect slice of the ocean had been placed right in front of me.

“Whoa! That tank is amazing!”

“So aesthetic! Let’s take a pic!”

…Can you shut up for a second?

Just as I was getting lost in the moment, loud voices broke the immersion.

I turned to see a group of couples taking selfies with the aquarium as their backdrop.

Can’t you guys just appreciate the fish for once?

As I silently grumbled, I suddenly felt a light tug on my sleeve.

Reine was fumbling with a selfie stick, trying to set it up properly.

“L-Let’s take one together.”

“Eh? Oh, yeah.”

“Is something wrong?”

“…Nothing.”

After all the complaining I did about the couples earlier, I couldn’t exactly agree so easily.

But… when in Rome, right?

If this place was a den of lovebirds, then I guess we had no choice but to blend in.

Reine leaned in closer, making sure we both fit in the frame.

At this point, there was barely any space left between us.

“C-Cheese.”

“Uh… Cheese.”

Her hesitant cue threw off my timing, and we ended up messing up the shot.

We had to retake it again and again, snapping multiple photos before finally getting a good one.

“Finally… we got it.”

Reine pulled away and immediately checked the picture.

I leaned in to look as well—

Her snow-white skin had turned a soft shade of pink.

…Not that I was doing any better.

“Shall we move on?”

“Yeah.”

Fingers entwined, we walked to the next exhibit.

As we passed the entrance we had come through earlier, I suddenly made eye contact with another guy about our age.

His gaze practically screamed—

“Dude. Just look at the fish.”

◇

“Today was really fun.”

“Yeah… Honestly, I didn’t expect to enjoy it this much.”

Coming here alone probably wouldn’t have been half as entertaining.

But being with someone I liked turned just fun into ridiculously fun.

Maybe Reine felt the same, because she tightened her grip on my hand, intertwining our fingers even more.

Then, small raindrops began to fall.

“Rain…?”

The moment she muttered that, it turned into a full-on downpour.

“Seriously…?”

The forecast had promised clear skies all day, so neither of us had brought an umbrella.

I quickly scanned the area and spotted a bus stop with a roof.

Grabbing Reine’s hand, I pulled her along as we ran for cover.

The streets were empty, and we both sighed in relief as we settled onto the bench, catching our breath.

“So much for staying dry…”

I checked the timetable.

The next bus wouldn’t arrive for another ten minutes.

“…They said it wouldn’t rain today…”

Reine, now completely soaked, sat under the shelter, glaring at the rainclouds above with frustration.

Droplets trickled down her cheek, and her damp silver hair clung tightly to her skin.

Her rain-soaked clothes had become slightly transparent, faintly outlining the curve of her shoulders.

I really didn’t like the idea of anyone else seeing her like this.

Acting on impulse, I pulled her close.

Her eyes widened in surprise—

But then, she simply smiled softly.

“Fufu, you’re such a possessive boyfriend.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Not at all. If you weren’t, you’d never be able to keep me.”

Reine, drenched from the rain, had an almost intoxicating allure about her.

Her damp hair, the glistening droplets on her skin—there was something dangerously mesmerizing about the way she looked right now.

“I love you.”

Her quiet words melted into the sound of the rain.

Then, before I could react, her lips gently brushed against mine.

“You’re a wicked woman…”

I let out a small laugh, meeting her gaze.

“I am. But just for now, no matter how bad I am… the rain will keep us hidden.”

“…Can’t argue with that.”

Once again, her lips met mine.

The sound of the rain echoed around us, isolating this moment from the rest of the world.

For these few fleeting minutes—until the rain stopped—this was our secret place.

━━━

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