"(??? 3 ??)? Gulp, gulp, gulp—Haah! Nothing beats an ice-cold beer on a hot day!"
"(??? 3 ??)? Gulp, gulp, gulp—Haah! Cold beer is truly the god of summer!"
Azusa and Shiro chugged their beers like warriors recovering from battle, their nearly heat-stroked bodies now fully rejuvenated.
Nearby, half-naked Kotobuki tossed them some towels. "Man, you guys really went through a lot. We were worried about sales, but you two ended up bringing in a whole crowd."
He glanced at the long line forming at their stall… though, oddly enough, the first customers were all girls.
"Well, well, you can only blame a certain someone's insane charm~"
Azusa waved a hand dismissively. To be honest, she hadn't expected this many people either… Shiro's appeal was terrifying. He was practically on par with some celebrities… Wait. What if this guy was secretly a celebrity too?!
Ever since learning he had worked as a host, Azusa felt like nothing about Shiro could surprise her anymore.
As expected of Japanese high school students, they can do anything.
She suddenly felt an urge to know more about what kind of crazy things this guy had done in high school.
"Heh heh! Of course! Today, I am in full charm mode!"
Shiro puffed out his chest, looking unbelievably smug.
Of course, the girls weren't all head over heels for him or anything. He was just a regular human, not some god. Nobody was falling in love at first sight.
It was more of an instinctive attraction—seeing a hot guy, feeling curious, exchanging contact info, and maybe hitting it off later.
Plus, coming here for some okonomiyaki wasn't a bad excuse either.
Of course, the number of girls drawn purely by Shiro's looks was still relatively small. The real reason the PaB food stall was packed was due to the power of the mob mentality.
Even if the number of girls was small, they were still a group. When a bunch of them suddenly gathered around, others would naturally take notice, get curious, and line up to try it out.
Soon, more and more people saw the line and instinctively thought the food must be delicious, so they joined the queue as well.
And just like that, the crowd kept growing!
Especially since most of the people in line were girls! The guys at Izu University, of course, wouldn't miss this golden opportunity to take action!
Before they knew it, this place had practically turned into some kind of massive social event~
But the real victims here were the three people making okonomiyaki. Iori and the others probably never imagined that one day, they'd be flipping so many pancakes that their spatulas would start creating afterimages!
"You bastard! Hurry up and help us!"
Iori felt like he had completely turned into a machine. Was this the power of a virgin?
"Aiya~ I'd love to help, but my dream of becoming a god of cooking is still in the trash can."
?(???)?
Shiro spread his hands helplessly. Suddenly, he didn't think leaving his cooking dream in the trash was such a bad idea. Maybe he'd go pick it up again after the Izu Spring Festival was over!
"At least help collect money, you bastard!"
Kohei shouted. Since there were only two spots for making okonomiyaki, he had already become nothing more than a ruthless money-collecting machine.
He studied mechanical engineering, so why did he feel more like an accountant?!
"Kohei-kun! Mind your words! Have you ever seen a brand ambassador acting as a cashier? My job is to wait for my cut!"
"There's no profit-sharing in this, dammit!!!" ×2
Iori and Kohei roared in unison. This guy just didn't want to work, right?!
"Then all the more reason for me to take a break! (??ω??)"
...
"Shiro, you're really asking for a beating. You're actually getting cocky from all the praise. Watch out, Iori and Kohei might just steal your championship this time~"
Seeing Shiro's increasingly smug and punchable expression, Azusa felt it was necessary to put some pressure on him!
Otherwise, forget Iori and Kohei—even she was starting to feel the urge to punch him. No wonder those two always bullied Shiro. This guy was just too cheeky!
As for Iori and Kohei participating in the contest…
During a drinking session, thanks to Azusa's persuasion, Chisa had agreed to join the beauty pageant!
But the condition was… Iori and Kohei still had to participate in the competition!
When the two heard the news, they were stuck in an emotional rollercoaster, bouncing between heaven and hell.
But in the end, they accepted their fate. This time, PaB would be sending out three participants! This was an unprecedented number of contestants from the PaB club in the boys category competition!
"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! If they win, I'll drink straight from a water tank!"
Shiro declared confidently! He was at the peak of his self-esteem right now!
After arriving at the festival and seeing that everyone's gazes were still normal, Shiro's ego inflated. Kitahara and Kohei? Just some small fries! The championship was his for sure!
"Ahh~ there's just no dealing with you."
Azusa propped her chin up with her hand. Looks like the Spring Festival really gave Shiro a huge confidence boost.
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a bustling stall in the distance and smirked. That place had quite a crowd too~ And it just so happened to be an old rival!
Since keeping Shiro around wasn't doing any good, why not send him over to cause trouble for someone else~?
"Hey, Shiro, your opponent has appeared~"
Azusa pointed at the stall and said to Shiro, "TINKERBELL—the club known for gathering the most handsome men and beautiful women. And guess what? They're also selling okonomiyaki~"
The moment those words left her mouth, not only Shiro but also the busy Iori and Kohei turned to look.
That stall was indeed packed with attractive guys and girls, but the most infuriating part was that an androgynous-looking guy was currently laughing and flirting while holding a pretty girl's hand!
Was this an okonomiyaki stand? More like a host club! These guys had nothing but pretty faces, no masculinity at all! There was no way they could compare to their club!
"Fresh garbage?"
"Pig's blood, maybe."
Iori and Kohei calmly muttered things that made the customers around them shudder.
Swoosh!
Shiro, who had been lounging around, suddenly stood up.
With a serious expression, he grabbed a shirt and started walking toward TINKERBELL!
"My Brothers and Sisters! The business war has begun! I'll lead the charge!"
(｀ー′)!
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The androgynous-looking man was chatting enthusiastically with two freshmen girls.
Judging by their innocent expressions, he suspected that a single drinking party tonight would be enough to win them over.
Heh, no challenge at all.
Closing his eyes, he reveled in his own attractiveness, the kind that ensured he was never without female admirers. He truly enjoyed the feeling of being adored.
Society was simply unfair, some people had to work their whole lives for what he could easily achieve with his good looks alone. And he was one of the best among them.
Immersed in his own world, the man thought: Perhaps someone like me is what those otakus call a "normie." Ah, there's nothing I can do, I'm just too exceptional. Let those mere mortals bask in my brilliance!
Next, those two girls should be asking for his contact information—
"Wow! This is so delicious! Did you make it?"
"Does that dog really know how to do a backflip? Can you take me to see it?"
The man opened his eyes.
The scene he envisioned where the two girls were supposed to be fawning over him, was nowhere to be found.
The girls who were supposed to be at his side were now surrounding another man.
A bespectacled pretty boy with a slightly damp dress shirt, looking shy and innocent like an inexperienced little puppy!
The moment the man laid eyes on Shiro, he had to admit—he faltered.
He couldn't compete with those eyes…
And it wasn't just the looks, his physique was on another level too!
The damp shirt clung to his abs, making the androgynous man green with envy!
Even worse, the two freshmen girls had already made their move!
"Oh no, you're all wet! Let me help you wipe it off~"
"I think I have some extra clothes. Want to come with me~?"
The girls discreetly swallowed, their eyes gleaming. They had found their prey, this innocent little pup, so fresh and untainted!
Yes!
At this moment, Shiro was playing the role of a sheltered young boy, away from home for the first time; shy, inexperienced, and adorably clueless.
Honestly, acting like a senior would be more effective in charming freshmen girls.
But… Shiro had no intention of overlapping character settings with that androgynous guy!
So, he chose a persona that would naturally close the distance, a fellow freshman.
Compared to an upperclassman with an unknown background, a naive, blushing schoolboy was far more attractive! After all, who didn't want to be in control? (??ω??)
Of course, this strategy also worked because Shiro's looks could absolutely crush that androgynous guy~
"Um… w-we could go to my place instead. I'd love to properly host you two…"
Shiro blushed, looking just like an innocent young boy.
Seeing this, the two freshmen girls' eyes sparkled even brighter, as if they had just discovered a rare treasure.
A cute, innocent boy in university? What a rare find!
Go! We have to go! My love story is about to begin! (σ≧▽≦)σ
Completely enchanted, the two girls packed up their things, preparing to leave with Shiro—completely forgetting about the androgynous man.
"Wait a minute!"
The man finally snapped out of it.
If he didn't stop them now, the two girls he had his eyes on would just run off with this random little puppy!
That direction was obviously toward PaB! This guy must be a PaB member!!!
They're trying to steal my business! Damn it! Since when did PaB have such high-quality freshmen?! Weren't they all supposed to be a bunch of wild beasts?!
And his gut feeling told him, this guy was no innocent pup. He was a high-level predator. This time, he had met a real opponent!
!
"Uh… w-what is it, senpai?"
Shiro shrank back like a frightened little rabbit, timidly retreating.
Then, as if gathering courage, he stole a glance at the two girls beside him. Their eyes were immediately filled with delight.
He cares about me!
"…"
The androgynous man's mouth twitched.
Why did this scene feel so familiar?
And why did the air suddenly smell like a wolf in sheep's clothing…?
"Uh… junior, why don't you stay here for a while? I have some friends who would love to meet you."
Forcing a smile, the man subtly gestured to a third-year female senior behind him. His companion had been messaging him non-stop, demanding that he keep Shiro here.
He had made up his mind!
He wasn't just going to win the business, he was going to win this guy too!
PaB, huh? Let me teach you what it means to enter and never leave!
Little did he know, the moment Shiro saw that senior, a victorious smirk flashed in his heart.
This is already won.
The two freshmen girls, originally protected by Shiro, instantly had flames in their eyes when the third-year senior appeared.
She's trying to steal my little puppy!
They anxiously looked at Shiro, terrified that he would agree.
"S-sorry… we'll be heading over there instead…"
His pitiful expression made the senior girl standing behind the effeminate man furiously poke him.
'Hold him here, you idiot!!!'
'How did you miss such a rare find?!'
'Hurry up! Use force if you have to! I'll keep up my kind senior act!'
"…"
The androgynous man's eye twitched violently.
What do you mean 'use force'?!
He's just a little better-looking!
But there was no other choice now. He couldn't let his business go to PaB. Judging by the long line at their booth, it was probably because of this guy.
Heh, so even those wild beasts at PaB have learned the value of good looks.
He grabbed Shiro's arm.
"Haha, junior, why don't you stay a bit? We're all very friendly here. Over there, you might run into some, uh… wild animals."
"U-uh… I really shouldn't, senpai…"
Shiro looked conflicted, gently trying to pull his arm back but hesitating, as if afraid of offending his senior.
The androgynous man's eye twitched even harder.
What kind of nonsense plot was this?!
Wasn't this supposed to be a food stall competition?!
What kind of script was this?! This wasn't some CEO romance drama!
What kind of role was this guy playing?!
And why did the air smell even more like a wolf in sheep's clothing?!
"It'll only take a moment, just a moment…"
"Just for a little while—"
BANG!
Shiro lost his balance and fell to the ground. It looked exactly like he had been violently yanked down by the senior!
!!!
The man's brain nearly exploded.
He barely used any strength!
You're 1.8 meters tall! How did you fall from that?!
"Ow… sorry, senior… I was careless. Uhm, can I go get some medicine?"
Shiro mumbled, his head down, looking as if he had suffered some horrible injury.
Enough! ENOUGH!
The effeminate man screamed internally.
It was just a fall! Don't forget which club you're from! You're in PaB! You're supposed to be a beast! What the hell are you doing?!
"Uh, junior—"
The man was about to speak when he suddenly felt an intense chill behind him.
Turning stiffly, he saw the two freshmen girls and his own club senior glaring at him with pure murder in their eyes.
==(●ﾟДﾟ● |||)
Oh.
He finally understood who that whole act was for.
"This is green tea scheming at its finest—AH, NOT THE FACE!"
...
∠( ᐛ 」∠)_ Today, Little Shiro was truly a wolf pretending to be a sheep~
------------
T/N:
Sometimes looks or money is not the only way for you to land a girl. If you just know your way with words and can make her laugh like no others, or provide comfort and while showing that your someone she can rely on, you'll land yourself a pretty decent girl.
Just be fast with it or take your time, it all depends on the personality and the mood of the girl. Can't have her think you look like a toe nail, that'll get you in the friend zone if you ain't fast enough. That said, other girls prefer a slow build-up of connection. Really, it all boils up to how good can you read her personality and mood.
And if you really got rejected, so what? That's not a big deal, it ain't gonna kill you. Brush it off and try it again to another chick.
.....................
"Hmm~?"
At the PaB stall, Shiro was humming a tune while writing and drawing on a wooden board with a relaxed expression.
He was in a fantastic mood.
His "wolf in sheeps clothing" act had not only successfully lured away customers from the other stall but also helped him collect quite a few girls' contacts~
A highly successful battle strategy!
"Pfft—Hahahahahaha!!!"
Azusa, standing beside him, was still laughing uncontrollably after witnessing everything firsthand.
She had to admit, Shiro had an insane talent for acting. Who wouldn't be confused after watching that performance? (??ω??)
The president of TINKERBELL was probably wishing for death right about now.
'So this is how a high-level hunter operates! Kohei, I think I've learned something!'
'Kitahara... honestly, unless you've got the looks, I wouldn't recommend trying it.'
The idiot duo exchanged glances. They, too, had witnessed everything just now. What could they say… this scumbag must have come from a family that sells sheeps!!!
"Shiro, what are you writing now~?"
Azusa, having laughed enough, leaned over to see what Shiro was up to, as he had been scribbling on the wooden board for quite some time.
At that moment, Shiro had just finished writing. He handed the board to her and proudly tilted his head, saying, "Of course, I'm preparing for the business war!"
"Pfft~"
Azusa took the board and burst into laughter again. Yep, letting Shiro out into the world to cause havoc was absolutely the right decision!
Ignoring the woman who was now laughing so hard she was twitching, Shiro grabbed his wooden board and walked toward the TINKERBELL stall.
Never underestimate a stall war, it's business warfare!
...
Kudou felt like he should've checked his horoscope before leaving the house today. It was supposed to be a completely normal day, so why did he run into someone so shameless?!
Was PaB shifting from a macho club to a green tea act now?
Kudou, the president of TINKERBELL and the unfortunate, effeminate-looking man who got punched earlier…
He had just returned from the infirmary, sporting a massive black eye. Fortunately, he hadn't planned on participating in the contest this year. Otherwise, it would take layers of foundation to cover this up!
Thinking back to what had happened, he could only accept his misfortune. That guy was just too skilled, definitely a high-level hunter!
Damn it, why was such a normie in PaB?
He had no choice but to give up. The only thing he regretted was the two cute juniors he had been talking to earlier. He could only hope that guy wouldn't come back!
Originally, Kudou had expected to return to a bustling stall packed with customers.
However...
There wasn't a single person there!!!
And why was that guy sitting with the girls from his club at the stall?!
Kudou's face darkened as he walked back to his booth. He didn't even need to ask to know that this was all that bastard's doing!
"President..."
The people at the stall sighed in relief when they saw Kudou return, then hesitated before awkwardly pointing at the wooden board in Shiro's hands.
Kudou, confused, looked over. Because of the angle, he even had to move around a bit to see it properly.
And then, what he saw was enough to give him a brain aneurysm!
"Host Club Okonomiyaki! Overpriced, terrible taste, and no service! Of course, if you want a close-up view of handsome guys, feel free to come in—just know that they're all zeros and ones~ Everyone here is a sister! If you're like-minded, feel free to join! Welcome to the new world!!! ∠( ? 」∠)_"
After seeing the board, Kudou finally understood why there were no customers.
Who the hell would come after reading that?!
Why didn't his own club members stop him?!
Where were they?!
Wait…
He saw them, his third-year female clubmate was practically hanging onto Shiro!
Was… was that drool at the corner of her mouth?!
Image, your image!
Can you not look like such a thirsty woman?!
Kudou walked over, his face as dark as a storm cloud.
Shiro, who had been joking around with the upperclassman, suddenly felt a shadow looming over him. He looked up and saw Kudou's sour expression.
A bright and sunny smile immediately bloomed on his face.
"Ah! Senpai, you're alright~"
!!!
That smile made Kudou's head throb instantly!
Junior, you're 1.8 meters tall! Do you not realize how off-putting this is?!
And why was the girl next to him still falling for this act?!
Kudou shot a look at his club members. Instantly, several people rushed out from the stall and dragged their fellow female member away!
"No! Don't separate us! Shiro!"
"Senpai!"
"..."
For some reason, Kudou felt like he had just done something terrible!
He then leaned in toward Shiro, "Junior, isn't this a bit underhanded?"
"Mm… which part exactly?"
!!!
Oh, so you know what you're doing!
Now that there was no one around, you didn't even bother pretending anymore, huh?!
"Come on, senpai, don't look so scary. I'm just socializing normally~"
Shiro waved his hand, looking completely innocent as if the stall's lack of business had nothing to do with him.
What a shameless person!
Kudou was shaking with anger as he pointed at the wooden board.
"Then what the hell is this?!"
"Oh, just something I wrote for fun. Don't mind it!"
"What do you mean 'for fun'?! This is blatant defamation!"
"Eh? But senpai, you don't even call yourselves 'Host Club Okonomiyaki,' do you?"
"..."
Kudou fell silent.
So he was playing word games now, huh?!
There were only two stalls selling Okonomiyaki, and their stall clearly fit the description better!
"Then, junior, could you move aside? You're blocking business…"
"In that case, I'll have one Okonomiyaki."
"..."
Oh, so now you're pretending to be a customer?!
Clearly, you don't have a single ounce of that 'Japanese politeness' in you!
"Junior! If you insist on doing this, we can just put up a sign for 'Beast Okonomiyaki' too! That way, neither of us will make money!"
Kudou felt like he was going insane.
Why?!
Why had fate sent this menace into his life?!
"Hmm..."
Shiro thought about it. That did make sense… if they put up a sign for 'Beast Okonomiyaki,' it would hurt their business too.
Maybe he should just rename his own stall 'Beast Okonomiyaki' and turn it into a gimmick?
Nah…
That wouldn't make PaB famous!
He glanced at the dejected Kudou and suddenly had a new idea—then, without a word, he ran off!
!!!
"Someone! Destroy that damned wooden board!!!"
Kudou was so fired up that, if he had fireworks, he would've set them off in celebration!
It wasn't easy, this wasn't easy at all!
All he wanted was to make a little money for his club's activities!
The TINKERBELL guys all jumped out, eager to burn that cursed board.
"Fire! Use fire!"
"Alcohol! Add some alcohol! Burn it!"
As the flames rose, Kudou swore he could already see their stall returning to its former bustling glory…
…
(′?`)
"Can someone tell me why there are still no customers…?"
Looking at the empty stall, Kudou felt like he was about to die.
"Um… President, it might be because of that guy…"
A club member awkwardly pointed toward Shiro, who was standing right in front of their stall.
Shiro had a bright, beaming smile as he held up a brand-new wooden sign!
"If you eat at this stall, you'll be targeted by beasts! If you don't believe it, you can try! But what happens next is not my responsibility! (??ω??)"
The board even had two enlarged photos of their upperclassmen with exaggerated giant-like features.
At that moment, no one dared to approach TB's stall…
(′?`)
!!!
Kudou… collapsed!
...................................
???~
Shiro hummed a tune as he walked freely down the central path, occasionally handing out his contact info to girls who approached him.
This kind of life…
This was what a school festival should be like!!!
Shiro was completely immersed in this lifestyle. Luckily, he didn't know how to make okonomiyaki, so he didn't have to stay stuck at the stall!
Life should be free and unrestrained. As for the dream of becoming a cooking god… yeah, that belongs in the trash can~
Seeing that TB's okonomiyaki stall had closed down, Shiro promptly discarded his wooden board and decided to explore.
Since they had shut down, there was no reason for him to stick around—what if the upperclassmen caught him and made him do manual labor?!
Better to go have fun!
At the TB club stall, Kudou watched Shiro disappear into the distance, and a flicker of hope reignited in his eyes!
Could he finally reopen his business?!
"Forget it, President. At this point, everyone knows that eating at our stall will get them targeted by beasts…"
A club member sighed and patted Kudou on the shoulder before handing him a phone.
The academy's forum was currently flooded with posts about funny incidents at the school festival. At the top was:
"The Okonomiyaki That Will Get You Targeted by Beasts!"
"..."
Kudou silently turned off the screen, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Guys!!! We're drinking tonight!!!"
"I absolutely did NOT want to run into you two…"
(?′ω`? )
At that moment, Shiro was firmly locked in place by two towering figures, completely unable to escape.
"Hey! Shiro, you were really enjoying yourself just now, huh?!"
"How many girls did you even add to your contacts, you bastard?!"
Iori and Kouhei had a tight grip on Shiro!
They had just come out for a break when they spotted Shiro basking in the attention of girls, looking like he had not a single worry in the world.
The moment they saw him, their minds went blank. They had only one thought: this bastard needs to be beaten up!
Why was this guy casually chatting with girls while they were swamped with work?! Their hands were sore from flipping okonomiyaki all day!
Why did this bastard just stand there watching when they were drowning in calculations?!
(?′ω`? )
Shiro gave up struggling. If he had known, he would have taken a different route!
"Calm down. What I did was actually useful, okay? I fought a very intense business war! Without me, we wouldn't have had so many customers!"
BAM! BAM!!!
"So it's all because of you that we were this busy?!"
"How the hell is that a business war?!"
"You bastards! Don't underestimate a street vendor war! That was a textbook example of business warfare!!!"
"..."
After some playful brawling, the three of them decided to forget about the whole thing. At the very least… they were finally free! They could finally enjoy the school festival!
"By the way, why are you both out here? Shouldn't at least one of you be at the stall?"
Shiro looked at them in confusion. According to their plan, one person should have stayed behind.
!
The moment he said that, Iori's face stiffened.
Kouhei also looked confused. "Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. Why did Azusa-senpai suddenly switch shifts with me?"
Under their scrutinizing gazes, Iori averted his eyes awkwardly. "Uh… yeah… why indeed…"
(′｀;)?×2
Shiro and Kouhei stared at him suspiciously. They definitely felt like they were missing something.
The truth lay in what happened earlier when Azusa and Iori were taking a break.
Because Iori was a fellow 'man of culture,' Azusa was thrilled to have found someone to talk to. She clung to Iori, endlessly bombarding him with questions about what kind of men he liked…
She even shared her three personal targets. Aside from Nanaka, the other two names made Iori seriously consider dumping them into Tokyo Bay.
So… among the people he knew, that left only two potential targets for her.
Iori turned to Kouhei with a deeply guilty look. "Uh… I feel like I did something really bad to you…"
"You bastard!!! What the hell did you drag me into?!"
Kouhei was dumbfounded! He swore, his biggest regret in university was getting involved with these two idiots!
(′｀;)?
Meanwhile, Shiro continued to look at them in confusion.
Why did it feel like… there was some sort of philosophical aura between these two?
As they walked, the three of them happened to pass by TB's okonomiyaki stall. At this moment, the TB members were drinking, as if venting their frustrations!
For some reason, though, most of them were focused on the girl drinking in the center. Was it because she drank so boldly?
But with that level of alcohol tolerance… she'd only rank fifth among the newbies in PaB.
"You're so adorable, Aina-chan!"
"I think I'm getting a little drunk too!"
"You're amazing!"
"..."
The TB members kept praising this girl named Aina as if they were worshipping some kind of celebrity.
However… to Shiro, this looked more like a comedian's performance act.
"There are people like you everywhere, huh?"
"That's probably their club's designated clown."
Shiro and Kouhei both turned to look at Iori. They had to admit, he and that girl gave off the same kind of vibe. Both were clearly born to be entertainers, right?
"I'd appreciate it if you two didn't talk about me like that!"
Iori retorted. From his perspective, these two were just as much clowns as he was.
The three of them continued walking, clearly unwilling to waste any more time at TB's stall.
"Wait a minute!!!"
But, as fate would have it, someone didn't want to let them leave so easily.
The girl named Aina called out to them, then beamed at them with a dazzling smile!
That expression…
Shiro felt like he had just seen a demon!
If he were to judge purely by her facial features, Aina should have been a delicate, refined beauty, the kind with a demure charm. However…
Right now, this so-called delicate beauty had caked on makeup so thick it could rival a clown's!
The last time Shiro saw something like this was in a viral video where a 7-year-old girl tried to copy an influencer's makeup tutorial!
Did this girl not know how to do makeup at all?!
?━=(??? ????)
The three of them slowly grew more and more horrified. No matter how they looked at it, getting involved with this girl would only spell trouble!
"Ehehehehe~"
Aina giggled and leaned in toward Kouhei, sizing him up from head to toe.
Truthfully, her original target was Shiro, but… too many of the club's senior girls already had their eyes on him. If she got too close, she might get torn apart!
"Hey, you—do you have some free time?"
Aina struck up a conversation. Seeing that she wasn't talking to them, Shiro and Iori immediately relaxed and looked at Kouhei with teasing smiles.
"You free?"
"Makeup Corpse Beast."
Kouhei's voice was calm, but his words were ice-cold, instantly startling Ai!
However, she didn't give up and exaggeratedly twisted her body, saying, "I'm looking for someone to drink with me. You…"
But…
"That thing is a Makeup Corpse Beast."
"Oh, I see…"
"So that's what it's called."
The three of them weren't even listening…
"Are you guys even paying attention?! What I'm asking is, do you want to grab a drink with me?"
That line, at least, they heard clearly. Both Shiro and Iori turned to Kouhei.
"So, you going?"
"A complete and utter Makeup Corpse Beast!"
"..."
Kouhei responded perfectly with his words and expression, though it was a bit brutal.
Shiro even took a moment of silence for the girl. To be rejected this hard… she must be—
"Can you stop calling me that?! This kind of makeup is super common among university students!"
She's definitely insane!!!
Shiro was dumbfounded. Forget university students—even middle-aged ladies wouldn't do their makeup like that!
She could literally apply for a job at a circus right now!
At that moment, the three of them exchanged glances.
'This place is dangerous. What do you two think?'
'Run?'
'Run!'
Miss "Makeup Corpse Beast" turned her head with a proud expression.
"Could it be… you're feeling nervous because a girl invited you—"
"Where did they go?!!"
...........................….
"Haah~ So, ignoring her is really fine?"
Shiro asked absentmindedly while scooping goldfish from the water.
"She did look kinda pitiful."
"Spare me. That type of girl is impossible for me to deal with!"
Kouhei scooped up a goldfish as he spoke. Romance in the real world meant nothing to him.
"Well, that's true. That girl might just be another idiot like Kitahara."
Shiro handed his caught goldfish to the stall owner. This shop let people trade goldfish for prize marbles, just like in Magical Girl Lalako.
"Who are you calling an idiot, you piece of trash?!"
"You seriously have no self-awareness, Kitahara."
Kouhei also handed over his goldfish. The Lalako marbles here were really nice!
"Damn it! Of all people, I don't want to be insulted by you two!"
...
"Ahh~ What a peaceful moment~"
After finishing the goldfish scooping, the three of them played with their prizes as they made their way back.
They'd been out for quite a while, so it was probably time to take over the shift and let the others rest.
"Since the seniors aren't around."
"Honestly, it's nice to have a laid-back day like this once in a while."
"Wait, isn't this kind of life supposed to be normal for us?"
"..."
Shiro's words brought the conversation to an abrupt end.
This… was a tragic story.
From the moment they set foot into PaB, peaceful days like this no longer belonged to them!
BAM!
Suddenly, they felt a terrifying force surge behind them!
"Oh? If it isn't our rookie trio."
"You guys came at just the right time!"
"..."
The three of them fell silent, covering their faces.
Just how bad was their luck? They had just mentioned how there were no seniors around only for two of them to pop up out of nowhere!
And what did they mean by "right time"?!
"Why?!"
"Don't tell me… the drinking party has already started?"
"Isn't it still the school festival?"
Looking at the three of them, Tokita and Kotobuki smiled with satisfaction.
Very good. It seemed the trio had successfully integrated into the club. The fact that their first thought was about a drinking party was commendable!
But this wasn't about the drinking party.
"No, no. It's something else."
"The Male Category event is coming up soon, and it'd be troublesome if you guys got wasted before that."
"What the hell is that?"
Shiro asked, utterly baffled.
Forgive him, but when it came to these two seniors, his mind could only associate them with drinking parties…
"Well, you see, there's a social gathering with another club tonight."
"You guys are the only freshmen, but you still have to go and introduce yourselves."
!!!
Hearing this, Iori instantly perked up.
"A social gathering?! That means… girls?!"
He hadn't forgotten about the legendary joint party with Oumi Women's University that the seniors had mentioned during the room incident.
Speaking of which…
Why the hell hadn't that joint party happened yet?!
Kouhei was equally shocked.
He never expected that a club would actually be willing to socialize with PaB!
Only Shiro felt something was off.
If this involved girls, these two seniors wouldn't be looking so excited.
Women weren't enough to move them!
There was definitely something shady going on!
"Hahaha, just take a look for yourself."
Hearing Iori's words, Tokita pointed next to them.
Coincidentally, their stall was right there.
The three rookies turned their heads—
And saw three towering men, just as muscular as their two seniors, standing behind the teppan grill, grinning at them!
The stall's name?
"Rugby Club's Delicious Okonomiyaki!"
The moment he saw their smiles, Shiro suddenly felt like maybe the Makeup Corpse Beast wasn't so bad after all.
Iori, on the other hand, was so overwhelmed that he looked up toward the sky and let out silent tears.
This place…
There was no way a single girl had ever stepped foot here!!!
Shiro swallowed hard and muttered,
"Wait, weren't TB and us the only ones selling okonomiyaki? Why do they have a stall too?"
He clearly remembered Azusa telling him there were only supposed to be two stalls.
!!!
Kouhei stared at Shiro in shock.
How could this guy still be worrying about such trivial things when they were on the brink of doom?!
Shouldn't they be thinking about how to escape right now?!
"Ah, about that... it's actually kind of weird. For some reason, no one ever buys their okonomiyaki, so when Azusa did the calculations, she didn't include them."
"Yeah, it's really strange. But they still set up a stall every year—very persistent. Oh, and they're also really good at drinking."
The two seniors explained, also puzzled by the lack of customers.
"..."
Shiro silently glanced at the stall again.
The same three muscular men were staring at him.
And their grins looked even more menacing.
He… had a pretty good idea why no one was buying their okonomiyaki.
If they could still make sales despite that, then their food must be insanely good!
"By the way, another club is joining the gathering too~"
"A little hint—it starts with 'Karate' and ends with 'Do'. Sounds exciting, right?"
The two seniors continued, their words sending chills down the trio's spines, despite the 37-degree heat.
"If you're gonna be that obvious, just say it outright!"
"Not even letting us hold onto a sliver of hope, huh?!"
"Are you sure you're going to drink and not attend some kind of macho-fest?!"
The three couldn't take it anymore. They bolted toward their own stall!
If they didn't run now, they'd be dragged into the brotherhood event!
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The two seniors didn't give them a chance.
Lifting all three onto their shoulders, they carried them straight into the abyss of despair!
"Let's go, everyone!"
"You can't just skip the welcome toast!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" ×3