The weekend.
For students, it was the most anticipated day of the week.
For the current Gao Hai, it was a day no different from any other.
And for the player squad formed by him and the three young girls, it was a day suitable for doing some team building.
"Yahoo, next up is that, right? That hot spring hotel, right? I've already booked the rooms, you know! Let's go together tonight!"
At 4:00 PM on Friday, after school let out, Gao Hai and the others gathered in an empty classroom. Immediately, Chika Fujiwara, who had long been unable to wait, jumped out and waved her small hand excitedly as she spoke, her eyes sparkling with the colors of anticipation.
A hot spring hotel trip.
This was a team-building project Chika had proposed at the very beginning when the Red Nut Gray Hole mission ended, and one that all squad members had accepted.
Today, that is, checking in on Friday night, staying the entire day Saturday, and then checking out Sunday morning. That was roughly the itinerary. There was a commercial street near the hotel, and the hotel itself had an esports room; it could be said that there was a certain degree of selectivity regarding entertainment.
Well, although the only form of entertainment Gao Hai himself had in mind was "lewd things".
"The car is already prepared. We can head over directly in a bit."
Sitting to the side, Kaguya Shinomiya spoke with a smile. After the massive trouble of the Shinomiya family had been resolved, this young girl now had no worries holding her back whatsoever. Her entire mental outlook had undergone a considerable change; the original cold and sharp temperament was almost nonexistent in the current Kaguya.
Next, inside the hot spring hotel, she had to find a way to display her charm as a woman.
Kaguya pondered the advice Ai Hayasaka had previously provided her in her mind.
[Mr. Gao Hai is a person with very strong desires, and he is extremely proactive and aggressive. As long as you make him realize your charm as a woman, you will definitely be able to make him fall for you. Therefore, appropriately displaying Miss Kaguya's figure will certainly achieve very good results.]
A day ago, Hayasaka, having completed her investigation and personality simulation of Gao Hai himself, had given Kaguya this reply. To be honest, when she first heard this answer, Kaguya was more or less somewhat embarrassed. But since she had already decided to take a step forward, she naturally wouldn't choose to give up when the moment arrived, so she began to prepare actively.
"I will go with Great-aunt and... Fujiwara-san. But for Hai-kun, it's better to cover it up, right? At least before arriving at the hot spring hotel, it's better for Hai-kun to travel separately from us. This will also make it easier to avoid some trouble."
Maki frowned, speaking after a moment of hesitation and thought, her gaze drifting intentionally or unintentionally toward Chika Fujiwara beside her.
She absolutely would not hand Hai-kun over.
During this hot spring hotel trip, she wanted Hai-kun to be glued to her side 24/7. No matter what, she wouldn't yield time to this annoying ribbon-wearing fatty. She didn't care about all that; anyway, she just wanted to monopolize Hai-kun with all her might!
"Eh, Little Maki can just call me by my name, you know? Everyone is a good partner who has fought side by side, don't be so formal."
Grinning, Chika leaned in closer, reaching out as if she wanted to hug Maki.
Of course, it was impossible for Chika not to see the raging fighting spirit revealed in Maki's eyes just now. It was just, how to put it... it was like seeing a scene of a little kitten or puppy trying to be fierce—completely lacking any threat and instead being strangely cute.
"What Little Maki... don't call me by that kind of address! Call me Shijo-san, you fellow... Wu?! Don't hug me! I don't want to get along with a fellow like you! Wu ah ah, I hate it, don't do this..."
Maki rose up in angry resistance, but the actual effect was obviously not too good. Amidst her struggles, Chika held Maki just like holding a disobedient little kitten, and even ceaselessly reached out to stroke the other party's head, making Maki grind her teeth in anger yet leaving her helpless.
"..."
Meanwhile, Gao Hai, who was still sitting in his seat maintaining silence, was currently admiring the scene of Chika wantonly ravaging Maki, as well as continuing to fantasize about what kind of beautiful stories would happen next in the hot spring hotel.
As for the specific images in his brain, those belonged to the parts that could not be described in detail.
Very quickly, Kaguya and the other two went ahead one step, taking a car to head to the hot spring hotel. Gao Hai, on the other hand, was a bit later, taking another car to go to the hotel.
Kaguya herself sat in the front passenger seat. Although Maki herself was not very willing, she still had no choice but to sit in the back row with Chika. At this moment, she had scooted all the way to the edge of the seat; looking at her appearance, she didn't want to be close to Chika at all.
Thus, Chika herself scooted directly over, almost sticking together with Maki.
"Wu ah, what exactly do you want to do?"
Maki, feeling extremely uncomfortable with Chika's overly enthusiastic attitude, let out a quiet shriek.
"It's just a friendly greeting. After all, right now, Little Maki and I can be said to be people on the same united front in a certain sense."
Chika blinked her blue pupils, speaking in a low voice to Maki, her demeanor actually appearing somewhat solemn.
"United front?"
Maki froze for a moment, not quite understanding what Chika was saying.
"That's right. We both like Ah Hai, don't we? So in terms of stance, the two of us are aligned."
Chika blinked again, the smile curving the corners of her mouth actually revealing a hint of mysterious meaning.
"Wh... What united front? Shouldn't this make us competitors?"
Although she had roughly understood what Chika was saying, Maki still remained stubborn, obviously not planning to admit such a thing.
"For normal boyfriends and girlfriends, that is the case. But as players, we cannot view the problem like that, you know. Ah Hai's abilities and personality dictate that he will attract more and more girls. Right now, the only person Little Maki needs to guard against is me. But what about later? There will definitely be a third, a fourth, or even a fifth person, you know. Is focusing your energy on infighting right now really an appropriate thing to do?"
Between her words, the teasing look on Chika's face became increasingly rich.
Maki couldn't help but fall silent under these words from the other party, unable to speak any words of rebuttal. Because she knew the situation Chika spoke of was the truth—a truth she had been trying hard not to imagine these past few days, but one that was very likely to happen.
But even so, that doesn't mean I'm in the same camp as you! You thieving cat, clearly you were the first third party to pop up!
Feeling somewhat aggrieved, Maki struggled, wanting to push away Chika who was already completely squeezed together with her.
Then, her movements solidified amidst the next sentence Chika spoke while leaning into her ear, her entire person falling completely into a stiffness.
"I am serious, you know."
Chika blinked at Maki, covering her mouth and laughing lightly.
"You... too shameless... such a thing, how can such a thing be allowed..."
The trembling girl wanted very much to say some words criticizing the other party, but in the end, she couldn't say anything at all. After shivering out a few sentences, she fell silent once again, sinking into withdrawal.
As for Chika herself, after finishing those words, she shifted her attention with great interest, picking up a small booklet she had placed to the side and beginning to continue researching a Monopoly game she had designed earlier.
No matter what, the girl named Chika Fujiwara was, by nature, always a young girl who loved to play and have fun. Previously, it was only the threat of the Sacrificial Game itself and the urgency of handling team relationships that forced the girl to suppress her nature. Now that she finally had time to relax properly, she naturally wouldn't let this opportunity pass.
Mhm, mhm, this time there are fully three people to play with me. I can boldly try out all kinds of games with peace of mind.
First off, let's try this Monopoly I just designed recently, and then we can also try those things we haven't attempted before...
The high-spirited Chika, the restless Maki, and the seemingly calm Kaguya—they fell silent together just like that, remaining silent during the journey to their destination.
And Gao Hai himself, well, he was currently grinding stamina in a mobile game in his car.
After a drive of about several dozen minutes, the group passed through the urban area and arrived at the place where the hot spring hotel was located, near the suburbs.
Kaguya, Maki, and Chika separately received the keys for rooms 101, 102, and 103. As for Gao Hai, the key he received was for Room 204.
"I somehow feel this room number holds some kind of malice toward me."
Gao Hai, who had received the key, almost immediately recalled those few days spent in Shirakawa Apartments and couldn't help but roast it.
"Indeed. How about contacting the hotel front desk to change rooms?"
Maki nodded at the side, expressing great understanding for Gao Hai's unhappiness, and tried suggesting this.
"No, that's not necessary. I'm not so fragile that I can't even endure a room number."
Gao Hai shook his head slightly, carrying his luggage as he walked toward the second floor.
Not far away, seeing that Gao Hai didn't request a room change, Kaguya secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
[Utilizing an important location from shared memories with the male party, and triggering the other party's recollection through certain means, can also strengthen the other party's impression of you to a certain extent. It is a good method for increasing the capture probability.]
This was one of the key points Ai Hayasaka had proposed to Kaguya. Therefore, Kaguya had secretly tampered with Gao Hai's room number, arranging for him to have Room 204.
Back at Shirakawa Apartments, he had shared a room with her, waking up together in Room 204.
Although this room number might very likely make Gao Hai recall some not-so-good past events, presumably, it would also make him recall the time the two of them spent together, right? Through this method, invisibly enhancing his impression of her, combined with some other capture methods, she would definitely be able to make Gao-kun fall for her!
Kaguya Shinomiya, at this moment, was admiring herself for her meticulous thinking.
The night colors of the horizon had already covered the sky bit by bit.
And the four people, with their various thoughts, stepped forward just like that, entering the hotel ahead.
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