The book is already complete on my Patreon. Only the extra chapters are remaining.
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The ever-elegant, poised, eloquent, and cunning Kasumigaoka Utaha had, at this moment, transformed into nothing more than a trembling quail. From the moment she had been dragged along, she hadn't dared to lift her head even once.
She was, after all, someone who romanticized things, someone who enjoyed indulging in grand, dramatic fantasies. But never—not even in her most far-fetched daydreams—had she imagined she would be forced into a spontaneous love hotel trip like this.
It wasn't some cliché situation like needing to take shelter from the rain, nor was it an innocent excuse like wanting to use a private bath. No, this was pure, unfiltered desire. A bold and shameless declaration of intent.
—Damn it.
Of course, maybe things weren't as extreme as they seemed. Maybe her Kohai-kun was just messing with her, trying to see how flustered she'd get. Perhaps when they actually reached the room, he'd stop and call it quits, leaving her red-faced and fuming.
Even if he didn't stop, at most, he'd… do… something, but surely not everything, right?
That's right. He was Natsukawa Kanade. He wasn't some ravenous beast. He wouldn't suddenly jump on her like a starving animal… probably.
She wanted to believe that.
She repeated it over and over in her mind, desperately trying to hypnotize herself into staying calm. Even if—hypothetically—he ended up, say, handling matters himself right in front of her, she would remain composed. She wouldn't waver. She definitely would not be swayed by the sight of—
Gah!
She shook her head violently, driving out those dangerous thoughts. What the hell am I even thinking?!
And yet, despite all that, a part of her had already started considering the next step.
After all, wouldn't it be better to just take advantage of this situation and officially start dating?
Of course, it had to be him who confessed first. That way, she'd have the upper hand. She could even reward him a little afterward…
And wouldn't that be the perfect opportunity to rub it in Eriri's smug little face?
Yes, that golden-haired gremlin needed to see this—her Kohai-kun, utterly devoted to her, his one and only senpai. Maybe she'd even share a few… exclusive pictures, just to truly crush Eriri's hopes and dreams.
Hah. That loser wouldn't stand a chance.
In fact, the more she thought about it, the more acceptable this development seemed. Sure, the whole "get on the bus first, buy the ticket later" approach was a little devious, but sometimes, shortcuts were necessary. She could just let Kohai-kun make up for any regrets later.
Yes. This was fine. Everything was going perfectly.
Until—
Why the hell is it so noisy?
Her ears twitched. Even the worst love hotel wouldn't have this bad of a soundproofing issue, right?
And yet, amidst the muffled voices, she distinctly caught phrases like—
"Ahh, so close! Almost got it!" "Whoa, I finally won this gacha pull!" "Now, witness my ultimate move—SON GOKU SATSU!!"
"...?"
A very, very bad feeling crept up her spine.
Bracing herself, she finally lifted her head—
—And immediately felt like dying.
Right in front of her, a row of brand-new claw machines stood proudly, their flashing lights attracting couples and groups of friends, all eagerly testing their luck. Not far from them, gachapon machines were lined up neatly, surrounded by excited customers desperately twisting the knobs, some gasping in joy, others groaning in frustration.
Further in, a retro arcade section was packed with people, players locked in intense battles while spectators cheered behind them, their voices filling the air with an electric energy.
"YA??DA??ZE??! One-credit clear!!" a nearby player shouted, throwing his fist into the air as his friends erupted in applause.
Kasumigaoka Utaha stood frozen in place.
Her mind, which had been racing ahead to a very different kind of scenario, suddenly crashed.
Meanwhile—
Natsukawa Kanade was beaming.
"I've been wanting to check out this arcade for a while now," he said, practically vibrating with excitement. "It's a new place, but they've got a full lineup of old-school games. I heard the owner is a hardcore arcade fan. He made a fortune in business, then came back to his hometown only to find that all the classic arcades were gone. So, he personally funded a batch of brand-new, high-quality machines and built this place. To make it more appealing to modern crowds, he even set up a section with super-easy-to-win claw machines and gacha stations. Thanks to that, this place is always packed."
His eyes gleamed as he took in the atmosphere. The flashing screens, the chorus of game sounds, the collective energy of gamers locked in fierce combat—
This was paradise.
"And just as I thought—this environment really brings out the true arcade spirit."
Kasumigaoka Utaha, meanwhile, stood completely still.
She was so sure she had been walking straight into an entirely different kind of experience.
Her mind had been filled with all sorts of wild delusions, her heart pounding at the thought of what might happen next, only to suddenly find herself…
…at a damn arcade.
"—"
Utaha Kasumigaoka was at a complete and utter loss for words.
Meanwhile, in Kanade's eyes, his Senpai appeared to be in deep contemplation, as though she was utterly moved by what she was seeing.
Yes. That had to be it.
Surely, she too was feeling the power of arcade gaming.
…Right?
In reality, however, an ominous low-pressure aura was practically radiating from Utaha Kasumigaoka, dark and oppressive. Her legs trembled slightly, as if barely holding back an urge to stomp on something—or someone. Her eyes, shrouded in an unreadable haze, flickered dangerously as she muttered incomprehensible phrases under her breath:
"Hehe... I knew it... As expected... Hehe... Unforgivable... Hehe..."
Layer upon layer, her anger built up, bubbling and simmering until—
Boom!
Something inside her finally snapped.
She turned her deadly gaze toward the clueless fool beside her—Natsukawa Kanade, who was currently busy counting a hefty pile of game coins, his mind already buzzing with excitement over what to play first.
With an eerie calmness, she whispered:
"As expected of you, Scumbag-kun. Your methods of toying with pure-hearted girls are always so... unexpected."
"Eh? Eh? Eh??" Kanade flinched, looking genuinely confused. "Wait, what?! What did I do this time?"
Why had her way of addressing him suddenly escalated to something so aggressive?!
"Bringing a girl to this kind of place is terrible! Absolutely terrible!" she declared, her voice rising slightly.
"Haah?! But didn't you literally say I could take you anywhere?" Kanade shot back, feeling a little wronged. "You agreed! And now you're blaming me?! That's way too unreasonable!"
"How was I supposed to know you'd bring me here?! I thought we were going somewhere... somewhere more..."*
Her words trailed off.
A deep, almost imperceptible blush tinged her cheeks.
Yes, she had agreed to accompany him anywhere. That much was true. But how was she supposed to know he would bring her to an arcade?! After all that internal preparation, after working herself up thinking she was about to be thrown into the battlefield of adulthood—!
This—this was just—!
Kanade squinted at her, sensing something odd in her reaction.
"…Wait. Go where?" he asked, puzzled.
Utaha froze.
Her lips pressed together in a tight line.
There was no way she could tell him the truth now. Absolutely not.
She had already imagined so many things in her head—dangerous, scandalous, completely R-18 thoughts—only to be hit with the reality that they were in a completely wholesome, all-ages environment.
If she confessed what she had been thinking, wouldn't that make her the dirty-minded one?!
—No. No way in hell.
She had her pride.
And so, without answering, she simply glared at him, then swiftly turned away.
Her grief needed an outlet.
"Tch... I'm going to play the claw machine," she announced expressionlessly.
Kanade blinked. "Hah? Claw machine? But I wanna play a few rounds first—"
"Claw machine."
Her voice was flat. Unyielding.
Kanade fell silent.
In the end, he knew better than to push his luck.
"…Fine," he sighed in defeat.
Sometimes, it was best to pick your battles.
Besides, they could always come back to the arcade section later.
As he cast a wistful glance toward the nearby fighting game stations, his fingers itched with anticipation. A group of elementary school kids stood huddled around a machine, their faces lighting up with excitement as they battled fiercely. He really wanted to join in, but…
If he even suggested splitting up—
"Senpai, you go play the claw machine while I—"
—Yeah. No. That was a death wish.
He could already picture the sheer level of verbal abuse he'd receive.
And so, like a defeated warrior, he followed after his sulking Senpai, letting go of his dreams of gaming supremacy—at least for now.