Ch.153Chapter 153

Cherry blossom petals, symbols of spring, danced in the fresh breeze, adding beauty to the warm scenery.

The wind that brushed past the cherry blossoms blew against my face, and as I stood there facing it, the refreshing scent of spring entered my lungs, giving me a feeling of purification for my darkened heart.

A familiar scene.

The path made of systematically placed bricks, and cherry trees standing on both sides of that path.

My gaze was naturally drawn to couples and married pairs walking down the street in modern clothes, embracing each other as they walked.

What was I doing again?

Ah, that’s right.

I was on my way home after buying food from the convenience store as usual.

I was on my way home, feeling miserable as I watched those who seemed happy, as usual.

I was on my way home, pretending to be a normal person while hiding my emotions behind a forced smile, as usual.

Living a life cooped up in a room playing games naturally made me conscious of others’ gazes.

Even if I didn’t want to, my instinct made people around me fearful.

I was walking along thinking this when it happened.

“Oppa Gisung!”

From somewhere, a voice that sounded weak yet deliberately loud called out.

Huh?

Until now, my only human relationships were with people who commented on my posts in online communities.

Who on earth would be calling my name in real life?

As I turned around toward the direction of the voice, I felt my breath catch.

There was a girl in a school uniform running toward me.

There was a beautiful girl with pink hair and snow-white skin.

Huh?

Did I have such a young acquaintance?

I had lost all my friends my own age, so how could this be?

My confusion was momentary.

The girl came right up to me and, seemingly out of breath, placed her hands on her knees and exhaled heavily.

“You are…?”

“What? Oppa! Are you pretending not to know me?”

No, who are you?

As I looked at her with a genuinely confused expression, she patted her chest with her hands as if frustrated and said:

“It’s me! Chiyo!”

What is this?

Even the name was extremely unique.

Chiyo?

It sounded like a name Japanese people would have.

Wait.

Maybe not.

Something seemed to flow into my head, and then I was suddenly surprised.

“Ah, aah! Right. Chiyo, hello?”

“What? Were you subtly trying to ignore me just now?! After graduating high school without me!”

“Ah, no. I just didn’t want to acknowledge you in front of so many people.”

Why had I forgotten?

Chiyo.

She was one of the few people who was close to me until I graduated high school.

When others avoided me, calling me an otaku, only this girl approached me without hesitation.

“Am I embarrassing to you?”

“No, I’m embarrassing to you…”

“Hmm. Someone killed your self-esteem again.”

Chiyo said that, and then suddenly grinned and approached me.

I couldn’t tell what she was trying to do, so I just stared blankly at her, but soon regretted staying still.

“Chi-Chiyo?! What are you doing!”

“What do you mean? It’s the ‘raise oppa’s self-esteem’ project.”

Chiyo said that and suddenly linked her arm with mine.

Even though I tried to break free, Chiyo wouldn’t budge with my half-hearted strength, so I had no choice but to give up.

Seeing me relax and stay still, Chiyo whispered in my ear.

“How does it feel to have just become an adult and have your high school junior link arms with you?”

Her tone and actions were extremely lively, but there was something seductive about her expression that made it difficult to face Chiyo properly.

Unable to bear it any longer, I turned my head away, and a soft laugh was heard.

“Ah, he turned his head.”

It was something I had felt since high school.

Chiyo really gave off the vibe of a succubus from manga.

Though she didn’t seem to be aware of it herself.

“N-now let go. People are staring.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“No, don’t say that.”

“Then what about suta?”

Where did she learn such an otherworldly joke?

In that moment, my embarrassment disappeared, and I instinctively gave her a light tap on the head.

Bonk!

“Aaah! An adult hitting a student!”

“Hey, what are you saying…”

“This won’t do!”

Chiyo said that and actually took out her phone and 112…

“Hey, hey! What are you doing!”

“Huh? Should I really report you?”

She was smiling mischievously in a way that seemed like she was joking, but back in high school, she had actually dialed 112 while playing around like this, resulting in the police coming and scolding us.

Remembering that scene, I had no choice but to withdraw my outstretched arm to stop her, fearing it might happen again.

Seeing this, she let out an artificially evil laugh, then grabbed my arm and started dragging me somewhere.

“Wh-what is it?!”

“If you don’t want to be reported, behave yourself, oppa.”

She said that and pointed somewhere.

“So come along with me for a bit.”

#

And so, the place Chiyo took me to.

It was a clothing store near the street.

And it was a women’s clothing store.

Huh?

Why am I here?

I looked at the culprit who had dragged me here with an expression of sudden realization.

After threatening me with 112, she brought me here.

Meanwhile, she was happily smiling and looking around at various clothes.

Every time she found clothes she liked, it seemed like horns were sprouting from her head, but they disappeared quickly, so I must have been imagining it.

As I stood there blankly watching Chiyo walk around, I could see the store owner glancing at me.

Feeling awkward, I casually greeted her, and suddenly she approached me with a business smile and started talking.

“Is that your boyfriend?”

“Wh-what?!”

Me, a boyfriend?

That’s impossible.

Compared to Chiyo, I’m far inferior.

But the store clerk tilted her head curiously and said:

“Oh, I guess not. I’m sorry! You two just looked so good together that I couldn’t help but…”

“M-me?”

“Ahaha, yes. Anyone would think you’re a couple if a handsome man and a beautiful woman enter the store together.”

Feeling strange about the clerk’s words, I looked in the mirror and was slightly surprised.

Huh?

Since when did I have white hair and blue eyes?

I used to look a bit uglier and chubbier…

“Oppa! How does this look on me?!”

While I was helplessly swayed by the clerk’s words, Chiyo’s voice came from far away.

No, she should choose clothes by herself, why am I…

I’m completely clueless about women’s clothes.

Thinking this, I looked at the clothes Chiyo was holding up.

Boom.

Instantly, I felt blood rushing to my face, and my cheeks grew hot.

It was sleepwear.

But it was more like lingerie, fluttering and looking extremely sexy.

“Hmph.”

Unlike me who was flustered, the clerk looked at it and barely held back her laughter, glancing at me.

“It seems like she’s very enthusiastic, isn’t she?”

Sigh.

What is she really doing today?!

#

In the end, the clothes we bought were more ordinary than expected.

A hoodie, jeans, and a skirt that would be appropriate for her age?

Fortunately, she didn’t purchase that sleepwear she had held up.

But because she had held it up, I couldn’t help but imagine Chiyo wearing it, which still made my face feel hot.

“Ah, oppa! You’re thinking weird thoughts again.”

“Wh-what weird thoughts?”

“Your face is red?”

As Chiyo pointed at my face saying that, I quickly covered it with my hands.

Seeing this, Chiyo laughed hysterically for some reason, and after catching her breath, she grabbed my wrist.

She removed my hands and brought her face close to mine, making me feel breathless for a moment.

She was truly beautiful.

The succubus in the game I used to play had exactly that appearance.

I think the succubus’s name was Neutrice, or something like that.

Huh, something feels familiar.

“Hehe, your embarrassed face is hilarious.”

Saying that, she pulled away with a satisfied expression, and I let out a sigh.

My heart was beating wildly.

It was probably because I had seen Chiyo’s beautiful face from such a close distance.

Why is she doing this to me instead of some other decent guy?

The reflection I saw in the mirror looked strange, but men always look more handsome in mirrors anyway.

Unaware of my thoughts, Chiyo ran ahead and beckoned to me.

“Oppa! Hurry up! Why are you so slow!”

Chiyo shouted with a bright smile.

“Let’s go to a karaoke place now! Hearing that song in the clothing store made me really want to go!”

Watching Chiyo run ahead while humming the song from the clothing store, my earlier awkward feelings disappeared, and I couldn’t help but smile.

Despite her appearance, Chiyo was still the cheerful girl she had always been.

She was like a savior who brightened my otherwise gloomy high school life.

Thinking this, I followed behind her.