Lucky Charm Souvenir (2)

Lucky Charm Souvenir (2)

When knowledge is accumulated only through rumors and information without direct experience, the accumulated knowledge tends to be significantly distorted.

As a result, Delia had a very misguided understanding of the concept of ‘romance,’ which she had never experienced even once.

This was strongly influenced by the ‘books’ she read as a child and the ‘magic books providing romance information.’

[30 Ways to Enchant the Man You Like]

[How to Decisively Win Over Your Crush When You’re Just Getting to Know Each Other]

[100 Dating Tips]

Books and magic books filled with nothing but provocative and nonsensical information, regardless of their truthfulness.

Anyone who has ever dated or even had a close friendship with someone of the opposite sex would immediately recognize these as false.

However, Delia, having been sickly as a child and confined to her home, grew up unaware of such facts.

‘The fact that she gave me something like this.’

She must have thought she was really doing it for my sake.

As I was holding my head, thinking that this was the first time in my life I had received such an item.

Delia, looking somewhat embarrassed yet proud, says to me.

“D-Do you like it?!”

It seems she’s at least aware that this is somewhat embarrassing.

Her ears turning bright red as she spoke, she hurriedly addressed me.

Seeing Delia like this, I inwardly sighed, not knowing what to say.

‘… I thought she was at least better than Rumi since she hadn’t done anything weird until now.’

Thinking that her actions were even worse than Rumi’s, I spoke.

“There’s no way I could li-“

Just as I was about to say I didn’t like it.

Seeing Delia on the verge of tears, I felt my resolve weaken and unconsciously answered that I liked it.

“… No, it’s actually quite nice. Thank you.”

A response completely unlike Deren.

After giving such an answer, I sighed, thinking that lately I’ve been acting in ways that are very unlike Deren far too often.

Delia seemed to like my answer.

“R-Really? That’s good then!”

As I was watching Delia humming happily, wondering if this was the right thing to do.

Delia continues with a chuckle.

“Since I shaved it all off this time, it feels kind of empty but also soft, so it’s a strange feeling.”

“… Is that so.”

“Yeah, yeah. I wouldn’t recommend it, but it might not be bad to try it once. After all, the hair grows back, so you can grow it out later…”

Not knowing how to respond, I kept my mouth shut from the middle of her speech.

Delia, seemingly unable to contain her embarrassment any longer, starts to giggle and then follows my lead by closing her mouth.

As I’m sighing and wondering how to handle this situation.

“Sorry, but can I take Delia for a moment?”

I see a girl who appears to be Delia’s friend asking for my permission with an awkward expression.

Thinking that she should ask the person in question for permission rather than me, I nod.

The moment she sees my response, she grabs Delia and hurriedly takes her to the hallway.

* * * * *

Delia, who usually doesn’t talk to friends when she’s with Deren.

She’s tilting her head in confusion as this friend suddenly speaks to her and even takes her out to the hallway.

The moment they step into the hallway, her friend starts scolding her in a low voice.

“… Hey, you crazy girl! Why did you give that to him!”

Crazy girl…

Thinking that’s too harsh no matter what, I make a hurt expression.

A friend started to comment on what had happened earlier.

“In all my life, I’ve never seen someone give something like that. If I were Deren, I’d be not just disgusted, but completely turned off.”

Considering that this friend doesn’t usually say such things.

It seems that my earlier actions were seriously wrong, more than just a little mistake.

As I realized this fact, feeling dizzy in my head and frozen in place, my friend sighed and said.

“I should have noticed when you were reading those weird romance magazines on your magic book recently… I can’t believe you’d actually do something like that. Oh, really.”

Then, as if frustrated, they beat their chest while looking at me.

They let out a long sigh and said to me.

“Next time, instead of looking at those things, just ask me… No, even if you saw those things, how could you give something like that to the guy you like?”

I should be the one feeling embarrassed and ashamed.

Why is my friend more embarrassed than I am?

In this situation, I blurted out words mixed with sincerity and excuses, feeling suddenly emotional.

“But, but if I don’t do something like this, Deren won’t pay any attention to me.”

“… What?”

“Look, even though Rumi is underrated, just in terms of looks, she’s insanely pretty and has huge breasts, and Senior Sien is just perfect in every way and also has big breasts…”

“Do you realize you’re repeating the phrase ‘big breasts’?”

“Anyway… with two big-breasted girls openly showing skinship next to him, what on earth can I do to stand out more between those two? There’s nothing else but this.”

At those words, my friend, seemingly at a loss for words, just stared at me silently.

Then, letting out a sigh, they said.

“If that’s the case, you should have tried a different method… that was a bit…”

Still feeling a bit upset at being told it wouldn’t work, it popped out without even realizing.

“Then what is there?”

“Um… well.”

As if the friend also had nothing else to say, she crossed her arms and fell into thought then soon spoke in a small voice.

“Well first, you’re pretty.”

“… Isn’t that the same for the other two?”

“T-then… thinking oppositely, maybe Deren unexpectedly likes small breasts? I saw somewhere that there are people who like small breasts too.”

“… Then he wouldn’t have gotten engaged to Senior Sien. Moreover, seeing how he recently seduced Senior Espin who has even bigger breasts than those two… seems like Deren really likes breasts.”

“……”

Though the friend tried to find something appealable to Deren while thinking with closed eyes as if having a headache.

Eventually unable to find anything it seems, she spoke with a bitter smile.

“… I was wrong.”

“……”

A conclusion leaving only wounds.

While thinking this really makes me want to cry at such a conclusion, sneakily made an excuse.

“They said it works there…”

The friend just smiled and patted her shoulder.

While thinking all these situations were just embarrassing and shameful to the point of being unable to lift my face.

The friend spoke while letting out a sigh as if having a good idea.

“Since it’s come to this, let’s push all the way.”

“… All the way?”

“Anything is difficult only the first time, it gets easier from the next time. So how about trying to push more aggressively using what you gave this time as a starting point?”

“… How do you do it more aggressively?”

“I’m not sure about that. But how about trying to push your body closer?”

I’m not sure.

Realizing there’s no other way, I was pondering.

My friend seemed to notice something and pointed to her own buttocks while speaking.

“Come to think of it, your butt seems prettier than the other girls’.”

“… My butt?”

“Yeah. You might not know, but in magic book terms, it’s like… a ‘smooth delivery’ type? I think guys would like that kind of butt.”

At those words, I sneakily glanced down at my buttocks.

To be honest, my hips are a bit wider than others… but I wondered if guys would really like something like this.

‘I’m not sure… but if Deren likes it.’

Deciding to try anything, I nodded.

After deciding that, I thought about how to appeal, but nothing else came to mind, so I asked my friend.

“… But how do I appeal with my butt? I can’t just shove my butt at Deren.”

At those words, my friend thought for a moment, then silently looked down at her own buttocks.

Then, lightly slapping her own buttocks, she said.

“… Maybe let him spank it?”

“What?”

After saying that, my friend seemed to realize her mistake and added ‘Just kidding’, but.

Even to me, no other good method came to mind besides that.

I nodded, deciding to do so.

‘If it’s this, maybe…’

I felt a bit relieved thinking that I might have found an excellent means of competition for myself as well.

* * * * *

I sighed, recalling Delia’s retreating figure.

I never thought she would give me something like this.

While I was wondering where on earth I should put this, I saw Delia returning once again.

‘What kind of conversation did they have?’

Why is she coming back with such a flushed face?

I was about to take out what I had received earlier from my pocket, thinking it would be better to return it.

Delia approaches hurriedly, trying to shout something at me.

“Deren!”

Wondering what’s going on, I nodded, and Delia opened her mouth wide as if to say something.

But then she quickly closed it, shaking her head.

With an awkward smile, she said.

“… It’s nothing.”

Thinking about why she reacted that way, I just shrugged it off.

Delia, rubbing her reddened cheeks with the back of her hand, speaks to me.

“Um… it’s a different topic, but I heard a strange rumor recently.”

“What kind of strange rumor?”

“They say there are lots of black cats appearing around this area.”

A black cat would probably mean a seed of negativity.

Upon hearing this, I sensed that seeds of negativity were being born one by one, and felt the need to prepare for it.