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Looking at the cute girl who suddenly appeared before him, like an exquisite doll, Kitahara Makoto's face couldn't help but show a subtle expression.
If he wasn't mistaken, the girl in front of him should be Wakaba Mutsumi, right?
Although this was their first meeting in reality, Kitahara Makoto had met her in Sakiko's dream.
But what did she mean by asking "how much do you cost per day" right off the bat?
He didn't understand at all.
Kitahara Makoto said softly:
"Excuse me, have you mistaken me for someone else?"
"No mistake," Wakaba Mutsumi said expressionlessly, "It's you."
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow slightly:
"You know me?"
Wakaba Mutsumi's tone was indifferent:
"Last night on Commercial Street, I saw you and Soyo holding hands and walking into an alley, then kissing and hugging."
Kitahara Makoto: "…"
No wonder he felt like he was being watched at the time; it was her observing in the dark, wasn't it?
Asking him how much he cost, did she want to use money to make him leave Soyo?
But their relationship wasn't that good, was it?
Before Kitahara Makoto could speak, Wakaba Mutsumi held up the small purse in her hand, her voice pleasant but without the slightest emotional fluctuation:
"I have money."
"Wait," Kitahara Makoto couldn't help but interject, "Please, what exactly do you want to say?"
Wakaba Mutsumi, expressionless, uttered shocking, audacious words in her pleasant voice:
"I want you to spend a day with me."
Kitahara Makoto: "…"
Ever since his charm value had grown higher and higher, he often encountered girls trying to pick him up, ranging from middle schoolers to rich old women. But he had never encountered such direct and blunt advances before!
"Excuse me, what is your name, miss?"
Kitahara Makoto asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Wakaba Mutsumi."
"Very good, Wakaba, nice to meet you. But my day is very precious…"
The girl, like an exquisite doll, opened her purse, revealing a stack of Fukuzawa Yukichi bills inside.
"It's all for you."
"It's not about the money…"
Kitahara Makoto waved his hand, refusing.
A hint of imperceptible confusion flashed in Wakaba Mutsumi's eyes:
"I can add more money."
He wasn't a host at a nightclub; no matter how much more money she offered, he wouldn't grovel to her!
Wakaba Mutsumi continued:
"My parents gave me a lot of pocket money and New Year's money. I've saved it all in my bank account, about one thousand ten thousand yen. It's all for you."
Good heavens, so this was the so-called high school rich girl!
If Kita and Bocchi-chan heard this, they would be so envious they'd cry!
Kitahara Makoto was tempted.
Indeed, dignity was worthless in the face of money.
If you thought your knees were stiff, it was because the other party hadn't offered enough yet.
Just then, a cool breeze blew in from the window, and the Fukuzawa Yukichi bills in the girl's purse were directly blown away by the wind.
Kitahara Makoto, with quick eyes and hands, swiftly caught several Fukuzawa Yukichi bills in mid-air.
"Here, hold onto your purse."
"Thank you."
Wakaba Mutsumi thanked him softly, reaching out to take the money.
The moment their fingertips touched, Kitahara Makoto's brow suddenly furrowed slightly.
So cold.
Mutsumi's fingers were so cold.
After being an 'exorcist' for so long, Kitahara Makoto could already distinguish between ordinary body coolness and a chilling, ominous aura.
The coldness transmitted from Wakaba Mutsumi's fingertips undoubtedly belonged to the latter.
Just then, the girl's surprised voice suddenly sounded behind them:
"Makoto-kun… and Mutsumi?"
Kitahara Makoto turned to look and saw Takamatsu Tomori walking from the direction of the bathroom, her already large eyes now even wider.
"Tomori, you're out," Kitahara Makoto took the initiative, quickly explaining, "This is my first time meeting this Wakaba. I was just waiting for you, and she suddenly walked over and said she wanted to pay me to spend a day with her."
Takamatsu Tomori stepped forward, asking in confusion:
"Mutsumi, why do you want Makoto-kun to accompany you?"
Wakaba Mutsumi covered her chest with her right hand, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes:
"Because… I want to know what happiness feels like."
"Eh?"
Takamatsu Tomori's eyes widened, as if lightning had struck in her mind, and her memory was pulled back to that gloomy, rainy day that once seemed never-ending.
Sakiko, who had been missing for some time, suddenly appeared, completely drenched, and unilaterally announced her withdrawal from the Kessoku Band.
Everyone erupted in argument.
Then came Mutsumi's words:
"I've never found playing in a Kessoku Band fun…"
Heavy memories surged like a tide. Thankfully, Kitahara Makoto had already transformed into sunshine, dispelling the gloom that enveloped Tomori. Otherwise, a gravity field would surely have unfolded on the spot, leaving everyone breathless.
Kitahara Makoto grasped Tomori's right hand and gently reminded her:
"What Wakaba just said was a bit strange."
Takamatsu Tomori snapped back to attention and quickly understood the problem in Wakaba Mutsumi's words.
"Mutsumi…" Takamatsu Tomori took half a step forward, saying in disbelief, "You've never been happy?"
Wakaba Mutsumi's expression was unmoving:
"No."
Those simple two words, however, left Takamatsu Tomori with an expression of disbelief.
"How can that be…"
After the Kessoku Band fell apart that rainy night, she had never contacted Wakaba Mutsumi again. In truth, even when they were in the Kessoku Band, their relationship wasn't particularly close, as both had quiet personalities and rarely had one-on-one conversations.
Adding to that what she just said… could it be that not only the Kessoku Band, but other things in her life also failed to make Mutsumi happy, to the point that Mutsumi didn't even know what happiness felt like?
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow:
"Wakaba, why do you think I can make you experience happiness?"
"Because Soyo was very happy last night," Wakaba Mutsumi said indifferently, "Just now, I was standing on the second floor and saw that Tomori was also very happy. Soyo and Tomori are both very happy, so perhaps you have the ability to make people happy?"
"So, I want to rent you for a day to experience what happiness feels like."
"Wait." Kitahara Makoto said, surprised, "What do you mean by renting?"
Wakaba Mutsumi said expressionlessly:
"Soyo told me last night that you're a rental boyfriend, specializing in providing emotional value to people."
Good heavens, no wonder you immediately asked for the price; it turns out you misunderstood my identity!
Kitahara Makoto had already roughly guessed what happened last night.
Without a doubt, the person secretly observing was Mutsumi in front of him. After he and Sakiko left, she must have talked with Soyo. Under pressure, Soyo didn't want to expose the secret of joining the harem, so she arranged a rental boyfriend identity for him…
Takamatsu Tomori looked up and said:
"Makoto-kun is not a rental boyfriend."
"Hmm?" Wakaba Mutsumi's gaze shifted downwards, a hint of confusion flashing in her beautiful eyes. "He was kissing and hugging Soyo last night, and today he's holding hands with Tomori… If he's not a rental boyfriend, then what's their relationship?"
"…"
Takamatsu Tomori stopped speaking.
Although she was a radio-wave type, she wasn't completely ignorant of social conventions.
(I can't tell Mutsumi the truth.)
(The fact that Makoto-kun has a harem in the real world, ordinary people probably can't understand this kind of feeling, right?)
(Not even Mutsumi…)
Seeing Tomori remain silent, Kitahara Makoto took a deep breath and said:
"Actually, Tomori, Soyo, and I…"
"It, it really is a rental boyfriend relationship!"
Takamatsu Tomori quickly stood on her tiptoes, covering Kitahara Makoto's mouth, signaling with her eyes not to speak carelessly.
"How much does it cost to rent you for a day?"
Wakaba Mutsumi was silent for a few seconds, then looked up at Kitahara Makoto.
Kitahara Makoto truly didn't know how much a rental boyfriend charged, so he casually threw out a number:
"Two hundred thousand yen, I guess."
"Here."
Wakaba Mutsumi decisively took out two Fukuzawa Yukichi bills and handed them over.
Kitahara Makoto shook his head and said:
"I'm sorry, I still have a date with Tomori today, so I don't have time."
"It's fine." Wakaba Mutsumi's expression remained unchanged. "Consider it an advance payment."
The little rich girl was indeed wealthy and generous.
She paid the full amount upfront, completely unafraid of someone running off.
"Just a moment."
Kitahara Makoto turned around, pulled Tomori to a corner, and whispered:
"Wakaba is a former member of Tomori's Kessoku Band, right?"
Takamatsu Tomori pursed her beautiful lips: "…That's right."
"She has a problem."
"Eh?"
"There's a presence of cursed aura on her…"
Kitahara Makoto quietly explained the situation from earlier.
"A curse?" Takamatsu Tomori's eyes widened, her small face showing worry. "Will Mutsumi be in danger?"
"She should be safe for now." Kitahara Makoto gently reassured her. "Don't worry, I have the answer book in my backpack. We can confirm the situation through the answer book."
Takamatsu Tomori quickly said:
"Then I'll trouble Makoto-kun."
Kitahara Makoto took out the answer book and handed it to Takamatsu Tomori:
"Tomori, you ask. I've already used my question opportunity this morning."
"Okay."
Takamatsu Tomori gently nodded, quickly took the answer book, and began to ask.
Rustle, rustle.
The answer book flipped pages rapidly, as if by itself.
Before long, a line of text quietly appeared on the page:
[Cursed Body]
"There really is a curse." Takamatsu Tomori bit her lower lip anxiously. "Makoto-kun, what do we do now?"
Kitahara Makoto shook his head and said:
"What the curse is, where its source is, it's all unknown. We can only wait until tomorrow to ask the answer book… Being cursed has probably not been for just a day or two, so you shouldn't have to worry about your friend's safety in the short term."
Takamatsu Tomori took a deep breath, her gaze quickly becoming firm, and whispered:
"Makoto-kun, please be Mutsumi's rental boyfriend."
"Hmm?"
"Better safe than sorry. I don't want Mutsumi to be in danger no matter what." Takamatsu Tomori's expression was incredibly serious. "Please be Mutsumi's rental boyfriend and protect Mutsumi closely until tomorrow."
Kitahara Makoto's mouth twitched slightly:
"Then what about our date? We agreed to buy hats and visit the aquarium, didn't we?"
Takamatsu Tomori's small face flushed slightly:
"All three of us can go together."
"…"
At Takamatsu Tomori's request, Kitahara Makoto naturally chose to agree.
The two left the corner and returned to Wakaba Mutsumi's side.
Mutsumi-toujin quietly looked out the window, as if she hadn't even moved her posture.
"Mutsumi, I've already discussed it with Makoto-kun." Takamatsu Tomori said softly, "For the next twenty-four hours, let Makoto-kun be your rental boyfriend."
Wakaba Mutsumi said expressionlessly:
"I'm not in a hurry…"
"In any case, it's settled." Takamatsu Tomori said quickly, "Shall the three of us go on a date now?"
"A date?"
"Mutsumi wants to know what happiness feels like, so come on a date with us."
"…"
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones=1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr | 16 novels being updated, I can't read all comments