Ch.47Amusement Park (5)

After the incident on the Ferris wheel, Umi and I just walked through the night streets.

Yeah, sometimes it’s nice to take a stroll with this fresh feeling. Having lived too recklessly until now, even these small events had a special flavor to them.

However, Umi had become a monster who could no longer be satisfied with just that.

After walking for about five minutes, Umi suddenly stopped me.

“Oh! Shota. That bathroom over there looks empty. Let’s go in?”

Whenever Umi spotted a secluded place, she immediately dragged me there.

“…Umi. We could just do it when we get home, you know?”

“Doing it here is different from doing it at home.”

Umi spoke as if stating an obvious principle. So she’s that type. The type who thinks the stomach for meals and the stomach for desserts are different.

“Anyway… shall we go?”

Umi looked up at me with a coquettish expression.

In the end, I had no choice but to follow Umi with her leash firmly around my neck.

——–

After being thoroughly ravished, Umi led me out for another walk.

“Shota. Was it good?”

Umi asked with a flirtatious tone.

“Yeah. It was good.”

That was the truth. Umi and I were… how should I put it? Extremely compatible. It was so good that… I also felt like my lifespan was being shaved away in real-time along with the pleasure.

“Oh!! There!! That place looks deserted too! Let’s go, Shota!”

Before I could make the sensible suggestion that we should exercise some restraint since we might be seen, Umi grabbed me by the neck and headed toward another secluded spot.

——-

Afterward, I was devoured by Umi with tremendous force during our walk.

“Ahh… that was fun.”

Umi’s face was practically glowing.

“………”

I felt like I was going to die from exhaustion. No, this itself wasn’t bad… but the same pattern would repeat once we got home.

Seriously, I’m going to die (physically)!!!!

“Oh my… Shota. What should we do? You look half-dead. I understand that such social places must be quite burdensome for someone with a history of being a hikikomori. I get it.”

Umi embraced me with a maternal smile.

“It’s because of you!!!!”

I immediately protested loudly. This woman… calmly evading responsibility. What an inhumane rationalization!!

“Tsk. But you enjoyed it too, Shota.”

Umi said, puffing her cheeks.

“Well, that’s…”

I had to admit that.

“Then let’s continue when we get home? With Eri too.”

Umi smiled and snuggled against me.

Yeah, this is all my karma.

——–

When night fell, our group reunited.

“Hmph. I finally completed it.”

Sasitsu proudly showed me his stamp sheet. He had really filled all the stamp spaces.

“This guy… he’s seriously crazy! He actually joined little kids’ attractions just to get stamps! Hehehehe.”

Taiga laughed hysterically.

Wait. A high school student playing with five-year-olds? That was true madness.

“If I submit this online, I can randomly receive a prize.”

Sasitsu seemed to have researched that as well.

“Really? What’s the prize?”

I casually continued the conversation.

“I’m not particularly interested, but… apparently it’s a famous console gaming system.”

Sasitsu said expressionlessly. Though he was desperately maintaining his poker face, the corners of his mouth were twitching. This guy really wants it, huh.

“Sure. If you win it, let’s all play Mario Party together.”

I said offhandedly.

“Hmph. I have no interest in childish games… but I suppose we could.”

Sasitsu said, trying to suppress his twitching mouth.

Wow. Still maintaining that cool loner concept? That’s intense. Really intense.

As we were chatting, fireworks suddenly exploded in the sky.

Bang-! Bang-!!!

The fireworks decorating the sky were quite beautiful. We fell silent, watching the spectacle.

While I was absentmindedly gazing at the fireworks, I felt soft touches on both my cheeks.

Smooch-!

Umi kissed my left cheek, and Taiga kissed my right.

Through those kisses, I could clearly feel the weight of their feelings.

‘I’ll make both of them happy somehow.’

I resolved once again.

Yes. And save the world while I’m at it. I sincerely wanted to spend peaceful days with them.

With my resolve, I wrapped my arms around both of them.

And so, the fireworks show came to an end.

——-

After the fireworks ended, it was time for everyone to head back.

“Ahh… today was fun. I’m sad to go back.”

Umi said.

“What? You’re still not satisfied?”

High school girls were beings with endless energy for play. I couldn’t help but feel terrified by Umi’s stamina.

“We didn’t play enough.”

Umi started to grumble.

“That’s true. We could get a hotel room after this… Oh, right. We’re minors.”

Taiga seemed to agree that it was a shame to end the day.

“Well, I can enjoy myself leisurely with Shota when we get home, so it’s fine.”

Umi smiled mischievously and started fondling around my pants.

“Home? Wait. You two… live together?”

Taiga reacted immediately.

“Yeah. What about it? We’re in a semi-cohabitation state.”

Umi said.

Well… I also live with Eri, but there’s no need to mention that right now.

“S-Semi-cohabitation… that’s not fair…!”

Taiga clicked her tongue.

“Fine. Then I’ll live at Shota’s place too.”

Taiga suddenly made this impulsive proposal.

“Huh? You can’t just decide that on your own.”

Umi immediately objected.

“Why are you the one deciding? Shota’s the homeowner. Let Shota decide.”

Taiga turned the arrow toward me.

“…….”

“Answer carefully.”

Taiga raised her spicy-looking fist as she spoke.

“Well, I don’t see why not…”

I said, half-resigned.

According to her backstory, Taiga lived alone in a semi-basement studio. Being an orphan, she had no family. After leaving the orphanage, she became the leader of a biker gang and lived as a delinquent.

When it was just a game setting, I didn’t feel much, but… seeing her in person made me feel sorry for her.

‘I see… she wants to feel the warmth of a house full of people…’

I felt a sense of sympathy.

“Alright. Let’s live together.”

In the end, I had no choice but to extend a friendly hand to Taiga.

“Yes!!! Then I’ll move in right away!!”

Taiga exclaimed, jumping up and down.

“R-Right away? What about your belongings…?”

Umi seemed to want to delay the arrival of her competitor as much as possible.

“Ah, forget it. I’ll bring them bit by bit later. I don’t have much anyway.”

Taiga casually brushed off Umi’s stalling tactics.

Now… I’ll be living with three people who are eyeing me hungrily. Somehow… my future looked uncertain.

“……..”

Sasitsu, my only same-sex friend. Won’t you comfort me? I looked at Sasitsu with that kind of expression.

“Hmm….”

However, Sasitsu was just staring at the prize entry form. He was truly walking his own path.

——–

Anyway, the amusement park party was coming to an end.

“Ahh!! I’m still not satisfied!! I wanted to make more memories with Shota while that Eri girl wasn’t around!”

Umi cried with a sad face.

“Let’s just go home. We’ve enjoyed everything there is to enjoy.”

I said.

“I’ve collected all the stamps. I have no more interest in the amusement park.”

Sasitsu said.

Sasitsu… if he had been born in Korea and played games like WoW, he definitely would have scored over 10,000 achievement points. I didn’t expect him to be this obsessed with collecting stamps.

“I’m a bit sad to leave too…”

Taiga also looked at the amusement park scenery with somewhat mixed feelings.

That’s when it happened.

“Please pay attention to our non-profit organization, ‘People Looking for Giraffes’!! Everyone!!!”

My eyes involuntarily rolled at the madman’s shout.

A group of people dressed in giraffe costumes and masks were holding a parade. Normally, such parades wouldn’t be held at amusement parks, but it seemed the PLFG had paid separately to conduct this parade.

People imitating giraffes were walking on all fours.

I realized once again that there are many crazy people in this world.

“Hee-hing! Hee-hing!!”

The un-giraffe-like cries were just the cherry on top.

“Only giraffes can save this amusement park!!”

“Let’s raise our city’s prestige with giraffes!!!”

“Giraaaaffes!!!!”

“Giraffe ichiban!!!!!”

With their insane slogans, it was a perfect scene of madness.

“Daddy, who are those people?”

“Shh. Don’t pay attention to them.”

Avoiding crazy people was the best strategy. People unanimously turned away from the PLFG members and went on their way.

“……….”

Seeing that scene of madness, even Umi, the amusement demon, seemed to have lost her enthusiasm.

“…Shall we just go home?”

Umi said in a deflated tone.

“Y-Yeah.”

Taiga also nodded.

And so, we took a bus back to the city. Finally, I could go home. Thank you!! Giraffe Man!!! A hero who prevented one madness with an even greater madness.

———

At that time, Eri was visiting her family home and talking with a man.

It was Nishikawa Shotaro, Eri’s older brother.

“Brother. Brother. Have you read my boyfriend’s novel?”

Eri spoke to her brother, who was an editor, in a pleading tone.

“It’s already broken through paid serialization and has high views!! Isn’t it a gem? A gem?”

Eri was trying to make a deal with Shotaro, who was an editor at a publishing company.

Her goal was simple: to help Shota succeed.

‘Now… Shota and I are practically husband and wife, right?’

As a wife, there was only one thing to do: support her husband’s dreams with all her might.

“Well… I read it.”

Shotaro sighed as he spoke. He had read it semi-forcibly because Eri kept recommending it.

“By the way, Eri, I’m surprised you have a boyfriend…”

Shotaro found that unexpected.

Even in his eyes, Eri was quite an attractive woman who received confessions all the time. Because of this, Eri had unusually high standards. She got along well with everyone but maintained a solid wall when it came to romantic relationships.

And suddenly, she had fallen head over heels for a boyfriend. From Shotaro’s perspective, he was curious about the story.

“We can talk about that later! What do you think of my boyfriend’s work? Can’t you use your authority to get him a good spot somewhere? You’re the PD of this site!”

Eri seemed curious about that point.

“…You said he’s a first-year high school student, right?”

Shotaro opened his mouth.

“Yes!”

Eri looked at Shotaro with anticipation.

“If this is his first work… his talent is overwhelming.”

Shotaro had to admit that.

It showed the kind of skill that could be called professional. There was none of the typical first-work brain-dead flow or sudden developments.

Honestly, it wasn’t at the level of a masterpiece, but it seemed to pursue the extreme of mediocrity. The ability to skillfully touch on elements that readers would like was definitely a talent.

If he could consistently produce such solid works, Shotaro was confident he would become a valuable author for the platform. A consistent journeyman is better than an erratic genius. That was Shotaro’s principle.

“Really?!! Is our Shota going to make it big?!!”

Eri’s eyes sparkled.

“I’d like to set up a meeting soon to have a chat. Can you give me your boyfriend’s contact information? Shota, was it?”

Shotaro said to Eri.

“Brother!! Thank you!!”

Eri immediately gave him Shota’s number.

‘Shota… I should properly reward you later?’

Such naughty thoughts crossed Eri’s mind.