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As expected, Tomori wasn't very interested in acting in a short film; she was only curious about the song Kitahara Makoto had recorded himself.
Anon, on the other hand, showed great enthusiasm, sending many messages in one go.
"What, Kitahara-kun is making a movie?"
"Still missing a female lead?"
"Since Kitahara-kun has asked so sincerely, it's fine if I reluctantly agree."
"Let's be clear first, it can't be a strange movie, okay?"
"Kissing scenes, or scenes with exposed bodies, are all forbidden!"
"When does the movie start shooting?"
"I just found a part-time job at the bookstore; it would be difficult if the times conflicted."
"..."
Kitahara Makoto's lips twitched slightly as he watched the messages pop up one after another on his phone.
She said she was reluctant, but she was clearly impatient!
Kitahara Makoto: "It's a short film, about half an hour long, and it won't be shown in cinemas."
Chihaya Anon: "What? It's just a college student's graduation short film? It sounds like a makeshift production. I might not have time, you know."
Kitahara Makoto: "Then I won't bother Anon. I'll go find someone else to help."
Chihaya Anon: "Wait a minute, I just checked my summer schedule and suddenly found I have time again."
"..."
Anon loves to show off and enjoys being the center of attention. To be precise, she is a bit vain, but it's harmless. After all, most girls, except for social phobics like Bocchi-chan, like to be noticed.
Now that there was an opportunity to be a movie's female lead, Chihaya Anon naturally wouldn't miss it. She would even help as a favor without pay, let alone the generous compensation Miss Shirashi offered.
"Don't get happy too soon," Kitahara Makoto typed his message. "I only have the right to nominate. Come meet Ayane-nee tomorrow; it depends on whether the director agrees to let you be the female lead."
Chihaya Anon was quite confident:
"I'm so cute, there's definitely no problem."
So narcissistic, she definitely doesn't have stage fright worries.
Kitahara Makoto: "Then that's settled. Tomorrow we'll go meet the director, Ayane-nee, and let her decide."
Chihaya Anon: "Okay... Do I need to prepare in advance?"
Kitahara Makoto: "Prepare what?"
Chihaya Anon: "Before a director's interview, they usually ask actors to do an impromptu performance, right?"
Kitahara Makoto: "No need. Anon just said something right."
Chihaya Anon: "Eh, what did I say?"
Kitahara Makoto: "We are indeed a makeshift production."
Chihaya Anon: "..."
After chatting with Anon and sending the recorded song video to Tomori, Kitahara Makoto put away his phone and continued to accompany ghost Senpai for fun.
7:30 PM.
At the Conveyor Belt Sushi restaurant.
Ghost-senpai contentedly clutched her stomach, a blissful expression on her face, and vanished into thin air.
Kitahara Makoto and Sakiko hadn't visited ghost Senpai for the past two days. As compensation, today's playtime was through deep possession, and of course, the possessed object was Soyo.
"My, my stomach is so full..."
Nagasaki Soyo clutched her stomach, pitifully saying:
"Misaki-senpai actually ate so much sushi in one go; she's definitely going to gain weight, right?"
"Don't be afraid, I'm here," Kitahara Makoto said from the side. "You two will never have to worry about your figures gaining weight and losing shape for the rest of your lives."
Nagasaki Soyo glared at him upon hearing this:
"You're just a high school student, yet you talk about 'for the rest of your lives.' It sounds very unreliable."
"I don't like hearing that..."
"That's enough, it's getting late." Togawa Sakiko finished the red tea in her cup, then interrupted their conversation. "I'll go pay the bill first, then go to the bathroom... Kitahara-kun, I'm leaving Soyo to you."
Under normal possession, simply holding hands was enough to eliminate the negative energy on Soyo.
But deep possession was different.
In this situation, a more intimate contact was necessary to eliminate the negative energy left by ghost Senpai.
Kitahara Makoto looked righteous:
"Leave it to me; I guarantee Soyo won't be in danger."
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face flushed slightly:
"The most dangerous person is clearly you!"
"..."
Watching Sakiko leave, Kitahara Makoto imitated Soyo's most common pose, fingers intertwined, propping up his chin:
"Soyo-san, do you choose a kiss or a hug?"
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face flushed, and she lightly bit her lower lip:
"Sorry, I don't want to choose any of them."
"Then it could be dangerous," Kitahara Makoto continued to maintain his intertwined fingers pose. "Being entangled with negative energy can make one feel cold all over, have leg cramps in the middle of the night, or even experience sleep paralysis."
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face was crimson as she picked up her bag and whispered:
"...Let's go out first."
This was a conveyor belt sushi restaurant, and there were many customers inside. She felt too embarrassed for either a hug or a kiss.
"Can't get up," Kitahara Makoto said, fingers intertwined, propping up his chin. "This pose feels magical; I feel full of wisdom right now."
Nagasaki Soyo lightly bit her teeth and pinched Kitahara Makoto's waist:
"Hurry up and go!"
"..."
Exiting the restaurant.
A heatwave, born from the scorching summer air, blew against them.
Kitahara Makoto openly held Soyo's soft, boneless hand:
"That alley is empty."
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face flushed, and she tried to pull her hand away:
"There are so many people on the Commercial Street..."
"Don't be nervous," Kitahara Makoto said earnestly. "We are openly dating. Soyo acting sneaky will only make people suspect our relationship."
"Pfft~"
Nagasaki Soyo couldn't help but lightly scoff:
"I'm not dating you, okay?"
Kitahara Makoto, holding Soyo's hand, walked towards the alley and said:
"We've kissed, and we've hugged. Soyo, are you not going to take responsibility?"
Nagasaki Soyo lightly hummed:
"Sorry, I don't want to take any responsibility at all."
Kitahara Makoto sighed: "As expected, once a girl gets a boy's body, she'll never cherish it again, will she?"
Nagasaki Soyo: "..."
At the same time.
Across the Commercial Street.
A cute girl with light green long hair and golden eyes walked out of the supermarket. Her exceptionally high Appearance (beauty) made several passing middle school students instinctively slow down and secretly glance at her.
The girl was carrying two large bottles of mango juice, looking straight ahead, with no expression on her pretty face, like a cute but lifeless doll.
Wakaba Mutsumi.
Her father was a popular comedian, her mother a famous actress, and her childhood friend was Togawa Sakiko, a standard celebrity second-generation.
However, the next second.
On the girl's pretty face, which seemed as if it would never show any emotional fluctuations, a hint of surprise suddenly appeared.
"Soyo...?"
Watching the figure holding hands with an unfamiliar boy and walking into the alley, Wakaba Mutsumi's eyes widened slightly, and she silently followed.
"Soyo is holding hands with a boy... Are they dating?"
"Why... did she never tell me?"
The alley wasn't completely dark; there were streetlights, but the light was much dimmer.
"No one's here now," Kitahara Makoto stopped and looked at Soyo. "Do you want a kiss or a hug?"
"..."
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face flushed, and she turned her head away, unwilling to answer.
Unlike Ryo-senpai, Soyo was quite reserved and subtle; she never directly said what she wanted, not even willing to say "hug."
"I see, not speaking means you want all of them, right?"
Kitahara Makoto smiled.
"That's not it at all," Nagasaki Soyo couldn't help but glare at him, turning her pretty face away and saying, "...A hug will do."
"What?" Kitahara Makoto made a gesture of cupping his ear. "Sorry, Soyo-san, a little louder, I didn't hear clearly."
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face stiffened:
"If you can't hear, then forget it."
Kitahara Makoto extended his arms and embraced the girl with astonishing wisdom.
Both of them were wearing short-sleeved shirts.
Skin pressed tightly against skin, and in the quiet alley, they could clearly hear each other's heartbeats.
"Soyo-san, when was the last time I kissed you?"
Kitahara Makoto asked in a low voice, his gaze intense.
"I don't know." Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face flushed, and she averted her gaze. "I've already forgotten about that."
"I suddenly remembered..." Kitahara Makoto said gently. "It was when Soyo and I watched an R-rated movie together."
Recalling the R-rated movie they watched together in the RV that night, Nagasaki Soyo's heart rate suddenly accelerated, and she shyly turned her pretty face away:
"I only saw a glimpse."
"A glimpse still counts as seeing. Later, when we go to Tsukinomori Academy, if Soyo's friends ask about my relationship with you, I'll say we have an intimate relationship from watching an R-rated movie together."
Nagasaki Soyo was both shy and angry, feeling an itch in her teeth, wanting to bite him even with her good temper:
"...Shameless!"
"Thank you for the compliment."
"..."
The summer sun was scorching.
Once out of the air conditioning, sweat immediately broke out on one's body.
In such a sweaty state, Nagasaki Soyo absolutely did not want any physical contact with others, but there were always exceptions, like at this very moment.
Even though she was sweating from the heat, Nagasaki Soyo inexplicably desired more.
She wanted a hug.
She wanted to whisper sweet nothings.
She wanted a kiss…
After understanding Soyo's drifting gaze, Kitahara Makoto simply lowered his head and sealed the girl's rosy, moist lips.
Ten minutes flew by in an instant.
As her phone vibrated, Nagasaki Soyo, who had been shyly responding with her eyes closed, suddenly felt her eyelashes tremble, instantly waking her up. She quickly stepped back half a pace, separating from Kitahara Makoto.
"It, it must be Togawa sending a message…"
Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face was flushed, and she was panting. She wiped away the thread of saliva from the corner of her lips with one hand while quickly pulling out her phone.
"It really is Togawa's message… Let's head out quickly."
"Alright." Kitahara Makoto regretfully wiped the corner of his lips. "Next time, we'll continue."
"There won't be a next time!"
"..."
The two walked out of the alley.
"Hmm?"
Kitahara Makoto paused, raising an eyebrow as he looked around.
"What's wrong?"
Nagasaki Soyo looked over in confusion.
"I feel like someone's watching…" Kitahara Makoto didn't see anything suspicious, so he retracted his gaze. "Let's go, it's almost time for the weight loss business."
A moment later.
At the entrance of the conveyor belt sushi restaurant.
"Sakiko, I'm sorry, we're late."
Nagasaki Soyo lowered her head and apologized.
Togawa Sakiko's gaze fell on Soyo's flushed ear tips. She sighed helplessly, knowing that once Kitahara Makoto and Soyo were left alone, Soyo would definitely be taken advantage of.
"Kitahara-kun, it's getting late." Togawa Sakiko stood on the step above, arms crossed, and said condescendingly, "Let's hurry to the beauty center."
Even with Kitahara Makoto's thick skin, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty at this moment:
"Let's go, we need to hurry."
Nagasaki Soyo coughed twice, too embarrassed to face anyone:
"I, I'm going home first. See you all tomorrow."
"..."
After watching Kitahara Makoto and Sakiko disappear, Nagasaki Soyo quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to turn around and go home, she suddenly saw a girl standing silently behind her, which almost made her jump.
"Ah…"
Nagasaki Soyo clutched her chest, nervously stepping back two paces. After seeing the face of the person behind her, she relaxed. "Mutsumi, why do you walk without making any sound?"
"There are sounds." Wakaba Mutsumi spoke very slowly, completely devoid of emotional fluctuation. "It's just that there are too many pedestrians on the Commercial Street, so my footsteps were covered."
Nagasaki Soyo subtly twitched her lips. Mutsumi was always like this; her speaking speed was always slow, and she was inexplicably straightforward.
"Is Mutsumi out shopping?" Nagasaki Soyo raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, changing the subject. "What did you buy?"
"Mango juice, it's good." Wakaba Mutsumi held up the shopping bag in her hand and said expressionlessly, "Soyo, do you want some?"
Nagasaki Soyo shook her head:
"Thank you, Mutsumi. I just ate conveyor belt sushi, so I can't drink anything right now."
"Mm."
Wakaba Mutsumi's tone was indifferent, and her hands dropped back down.
Silence descended once more.
Nagasaki Soyo had planned to say a few more words and then bid farewell and go home, but then the usually taciturn Mutsumi suddenly spoke:
"Was that boy just now Soyo's boyfriend?"
"Wh-what boy?" Nagasaki Soyo's pretty face quickly flushed, feeling a sense of shame, like being caught red-handed by a friend. "Mutsumi, you didn't mistake someone, did you?"
"Soyo's back, I wouldn't mistake it." Wakaba Mutsumi said expressionlessly, "I just came out of the supermarket and saw Soyo and a boy holding hands and walking into the alley."
"Th-that…" Nagasaki Soyo stammered, feeling extremely guilty. "He's just a normal friend."
Wakaba Mutsumi remained expressionless, a subtle hint of confusion appearing in her eyes:
"Can normal friends hug and kiss too?"
Nagasaki Soyo: "..."
So you saw everything?
Kitahara-kun just said someone was watching, could it be you, Mutsumi!
"That…" Nagasaki Soyo's mind raced, and she quickly found an excuse. "He's just a rental boyfriend!"
"Rental boyfriend?"
Wakaba Mutsumi tilted her head almost imperceptibly.
"That's right, he's a rental boyfriend." Nagasaki Soyo took a deep breath and quickly said, "Recently, I've read a lot of shojo manga and wanted to experience the feeling of love, but I didn't want to go through the trouble of building a relationship with someone, so I chose a rental boyfriend to experience the taste of love… That's it!"
She couldn't tell Mutsumi about having a harem; that kind of thing was simply too shocking, even Mutsumi wouldn't be able to accept it, right?
"A rental boyfriend means there's no actual relationship." Nagasaki Soyo quickly added, "After today, we'll be strangers."
"Although I don't understand, it sounds very impressive." Wakaba Mutsumi was silent for two seconds. "Soyo has become an amazing adult."
Nagasaki Soyo: "..."
I'm sorry, I haven't become an amazing adult, I've just become a despicable adult who loves to lie.
"The girl who just left was Sakiko, right?"
Wakaba Mutsumi spoke again.
"Ah… that's right."
Nagasaki Soyo admitted it.
Mutsumi had the ability to recognize people by their backs, so denying it was useless.
Wakaba Mutsumi's tone was indifferent, showing no emotional fluctuations whatsoever:
"Soyo and Sakiko have reconciled?"
"...More or less."
Nagasaki Soyo responded vaguely.
It was too troublesome to explain.
If she were to explain, she'd have to talk about evil spirits, ghost stories, the Otherworld… It was best not to let Mutsumi know about these things, to avoid putting her in danger.
Wakaba Mutsumi tilted her head and said:
"That boy left with Sakiko, is he also Sakiko's rental boyfriend?"
Nagasaki Soyo couldn't help but cough twice:
"They probably just happened to be going the same way, Mutsumi don't overthink it… It's so hot outside, I'm going home first. Goodbye, Mutsumi."
"..."
At the same time.
On the train.
It was already 8 PM, and the train to Shibuya Station was still packed.
Kitahara Makoto stood in a corner, extending a finger to subtly hook Togawa's finger.
Whoosh—
Togawa Sakiko quickly pulled her hand back, her pretty face taut as she said:
"Don't touch me, you smell of Soyo."
Kitahara Makoto feigned surprise:
"Togawa dislikes Soyo?"
Togawa Sakiko crossed her arms over her chest, biting her teeth lightly as she said:
"The person I dislike is clearly you!"
Kitahara Makoto shamelessly said:
"I hugged Soyo to protect her from Ghost-senpai's negative energy, and Togawa already approved."
"I did approve." Togawa Sakiko slightly lifted her delicate chin. "But that doesn't mean I won't be disgusted."
"..."
Chatting all the way, the train stopped and started, quietly arriving at Shibuya Station.
Kitahara Makoto and Togawa Sakiko got off the train and headed to the beauty center.
There's no need to elaborate on the weight loss business. Togawa was responsible for interacting with clients and scheduling appointments, while Kitahara Makoto quietly handled the weight loss, and insect feasted happily, eating and drinking.
After several weight loss sessions, their reputation had spread, and more clients came for weight loss and body sculpting, even celebrities who could only be seen on television.
They were busy until 10:30 PM, finally seeing off the last wealthy madam.
"Phew…"
Kitahara Makoto exhaled lightly, looked at Togawa Sakiko, and softly said:
"Togawa, you worked hard."
The weight loss part was mainly left to insect, and Togawa was responsible for greeting and seeing off clients, and recording various data. She truly didn't rest for a single minute. To be honest, Kitahara Makoto was the most relaxed.
Togawa Sakiko raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, gently shaking her head:
"Compared to the hardships of being a customer service representative, this is much easier."
"It's already past ten, and I'm a bit worried about Togawa going back alone." Kitahara Makoto said softly, "Shall I see Togawa home?"
Togawa Sakiko nodded gently, not refusing.
She was indeed a bit tired after being busy for so long. When people are tired, they subconsciously want to rely on others… In short, the weak Sakiko was back.
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