After confirming the itinerary, the group was led by Miura Yumiko towards a well-known dessert shop in the area.
The sight of one guy walking with four beautiful girls naturally drew attention. Among them, Shiina Mahiru shined the brightest with her ethereal beauty, while Yumiko carried an aura of confidence, exuding a mature charm due to her stylish fashion sense. However, beneath that polished exterior, she had a surprisingly childish side.
Yuigahama Yui followed closely behind, trying to find a topic of conversation. However, the subtle favoritism Nozomi had shown Yumiko earlier had left her feeling slightly down. She opened her mouth several times, only to hesitate and close it again, unable to find the right words.
Meanwhile, Yumiko was feeling a little flustered herself. She could feel Nozomi's gaze on her, which left her with a mix of embarrassment and confusion.
(Why is he looking at me? Mahiru is so gentle and gorgeous... Even Yui or Hime should be more interesting to him than me, right?)
Despite her internal complaints, a light blush appeared on her cheeks. Though the attention unsettled her, she couldn't deny a small sense of pride—after all, it felt like she was being recognized as more attractive than even Shiina Mahiru. A little competition between girls was natural, after all.
Eventually, they arrived at the milk tea shop, and the group found an empty table to settle into. Yumiko discreetly exhaled, already formulating a plan to treat Nozomi quickly and then drag Mahiru and Hime away, giving Yui some alone time with him.
However, little did she know, Yuigahama Yui had also picked up on Nozomi's interest in Yumiko, and she too was considering playing matchmaker between the two.
"Hozu—I mean, Nozomi, what do you want to drink? My treat today!" Yumiko declared, patting her chest proudly.
"Hm, do you have any recommendations? I like sweet things, but as a guy, I sometimes feel embarrassed walking into these places alone to order."
"Pfft, what's there to be embarrassed about? Next time, just have Yui bring it to you. She's the most helpful, right, Yui?" Yumiko said teasingly.
"Ah? Oh! Yes, I don't mind helping if you want!" Yui stammered, her face turning red as she quickly agreed.
Nozomi chuckled. "Then I'll count on you from now on, Yuigahama."
"Y-yeah! Just send me a message anytime, and I'll get it for you!"
Hearing him call her name so casually, Yui's mood brightened instantly, a silly grin spreading across her face.
Meanwhile, Yumiko watched the exchange with mild exasperation. (Seriously, Yui, where's your usual energy? You're acting way too obvious right now!)
"Ahem, Nozomi, if you're looking for a good choice, I recommend the pudding milk tea. It's one of the best desserts they have," Yumiko suggested quickly, trying to shift the conversation.
"Oh? Then I'll try that. I trust Miura's taste. Let's go with pudding milk tea."
"Heh, you definitely won't regret it! But actually, Yui was the one who first introduced me to this place, so you should really be thanking her," Yumiko added with a sly smirk.
"Oh? Then I owe you one, Yuigahama-san. I'll be sure to enjoy it thoroughly."
"N-no, it's nothing, really…" Yui flailed her hands in panic, looking as if she might cry from the attention.
(Yumiko, stop bringing me up! It's obvious he's interested in you!)
Yumiko, realizing her mistake, froze for a second. Now she was the one feeling awkward. (Crap… Now what?)
After a short wait, the drinks and desserts were served. Nozomi took a sip of the pudding milk tea and immediately gave a satisfied nod, raising a thumbs-up.
"As expected of a recommendation from a beautiful girl, this is amazing. I love it."
The moment he said that, both Yumiko and Yui turned red.
Ebina Hime and Shiina Mahiru, who had been quietly observing, exchanged amused glances. Mahiru, who had originally instructed Nozomi to tease Yumiko a little, now felt slightly conflicted.
(This guy is way too smooth… Also, why does it feel like he's teasing not just Yumiko but Yui as well?)
Ebina, on the other hand, simply pushed up her glasses and continued sipping her drink with a knowing smirk. She didn't mind Nozomi showing interest in either Yui or Yumiko. After all, it was better than Hayama keeping Yumiko strung along as a convenient shield despite not having real feelings for her.
As Nozomi enjoyed his dessert, he couldn't help but admire the scene before him. Yumiko's flustered expression, Yui's adorable nervousness, and Mahiru's quiet amusement all made for an entertaining sight.
Then, suddenly—
[Ding! The passive skill "Spirit Eye" has been activated. One charge has been accumulated. Please select a target for the Spirit Eye's special effect.]
The moment the system prompt echoed in his mind, Nozomi's vision changed.
A grotesque figure suddenly appeared behind Shiina Mahiru. It was a twisted, blackened specter, its long, clawed fingers reaching out towards her chest. Another hand was extending toward Yui, Yumiko, and even Ebina Hime.
Nozomi's eyes instantly darkened.
(This thing… actually dares to lay its hands on what's mine? I haven't even touched Yumiko or the others yet!)
His eyes flashed with a sharp glint as he activated the Spirit Eye's special effect, locking onto the sinister entity.
With a resounding bang, an explosion of light erupted from behind Mahiru. The spirit had no time to react before it was instantly obliterated, its wretched form disintegrating into dust within seconds.
Silence fell over the group.
Mahiru blinked, momentarily confused. Yui, Yumiko, and Ebina didn't even realize what had just happened.
Nozomi let out a slow breath, his eyes returning to normal.
(One down… but how many more are lurking out there?)
(I wanted to write something that Batman would say here but couldn't come up with anything good.)
"Huh!?"
Shiina Mahiru felt an inexplicable chill crawl up her spine. She shivered slightly, a subconscious reaction, and instinctively turned around. Her golden-brown eyes met a pair of wide, startled ones.
It was a girl—a beautiful one, with sleek black hair and dressed in the uniform of a nearby high school. She stood frozen in place, her expression a mix of disbelief and dread.
Hozuki Nozomi's sharp gaze followed Mahiru's line of sight, immediately locking onto the girl's stunned face.
Ah. So that's how it is.
He had been wondering why such a malicious spirit would suddenly appear out of nowhere. Turns out, the source that had attracted it had just shown up.
"What's wrong?" Miura Yumiko asked, noticing Mahiru's momentary distraction.
"Ah, it's nothing," Mahiru replied with a small smile. "I think I just caught a chill from the wind."
Nozomi, without a word, shrugged off his jacket and draped it over Mahiru's shoulders.
Mahiru's cheeks flushed instantly. "N-Nozomi, I'm fine, really—"
"Just wear it," he said, his voice calm but firm, leaving no room for argument.
Mahiru's heart skipped a beat. For some reason, the warmth of the jacket and the weight of his words made her relent without further protest.
Yumiko and Yuigahama Yui, who had been watching from the side, felt their moods shift. A strange, inexplicable emotion bubbled up within them.
Wait… don't tell me…
So he's interested in Mahiru?
Mahiru herself, though flustered, was also conflicted. Wasn't the whole point of today to help Nozomi tease Yumiko? But now, this gesture of concern… wasn't it sending mixed signals?
Nozomi, however, was unfazed.
Sure, he was interested in Yumiko and Yui, but that didn't mean he'd ignore Mahiru's well-being. He had never been the type to step on one person's feelings just to gain favor with another. And besides, he never planned to hide his nature.
Deception would only cause greater damage in the end.
Unlike the two girls lost in their thoughts, Ebina Hime was struggling with something else entirely. She rubbed her eyes furiously, adjusting her glasses, her body trembling slightly.
Did… did she just see what she thought she saw?
That grotesque, groping abomination—it was reaching for Mahiru and Yumiko, and then—
Poof! Gone. Wiped out in an instant, as if some unseen force had obliterated it.
She gulped, her mind racing.
What the hell just happened? Was she hallucinating? Or… was Nozomi not as simple as he seemed?
"…Hey, Yumiko, Mahiru, Yui… did any of you notice something strange just now?" she asked hesitantly.
"Huh?" Yumiko blinked. "What do you mean 'strange'?"
Yui tilted her head. "I didn't see anything weird."
Mahiru simply shook her head, looking just as confused as the others.
Ebina's gaze shifted to Nozomi, her expression sharp. "What about you, Nozomi?"
Nozomi merely gave her a lazy smile and shrugged. "Strange? I think you're just staring at me too much, Ebina. If you wanted an excuse to admire my face, you could've just said so."
Ebina instantly turned red. "W-What kind of narcissist nonsense—!?"
She huffed and looked away, but her mind was still in turmoil.
Something's up with him. I just know it.
As the tension settled, the black-haired girl from earlier hesitantly approached their table.
"U-Um… hello," she said, her voice a bit shaky. "I'm Yotsuya Miko. Nice to meet you. Please… teach me."
Mahiru and Yumiko exchanged confused glances. "Nozomi, do you know her?"
"Ah," Nozomi scratched his cheek. "Sort of. I happened to run into her once when she was being harassed by some punks. Helped her out, that's all."
Yotsuya's eyes widened in relief. That was a perfect cover story. She obviously couldn't say that she saw ghosts and that Nozomi had saved her from one.
Bowing deeply, she spoke in a sincere tone, "Thank you so much for that day, Nozomi-san. Um… if it's okay, could I get your contact info? There's something important I'd like to discuss."
Mahiru's brows furrowed slightly. Important?
Miura Yumiko's lips curled into an amused smirk. "Oh? Didn't think you were the type to attract damsels in distress, Nozomi. Are you secretly a hero or something?"
Nozomi chuckled, waving her off. "Just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Miko clutched her phone, hopeful. "So… can I?"
Nozomi nodded. "Sure."
Mahiru narrowed her eyes.
Wait. He just… gave her his number?
Is he interested in her, too!?
Yotsuya quickly saved the contact and straightened up. "Thank you! And sorry for interrupting your time together."
"Oh, it's no problem," Yumiko said with a grin. "Actually, we were just talking about how Nozomi seems to have a habit of running into cute girls who need saving."
Yui giggled. "It's true! What a coincidence, right?"
Ebina adjusted her glasses. "Why don't you sit with us? I'm curious about your story."
Miko paled slightly. "Ah… no, no, my friend is waiting for me. I just wanted to say thanks! I'll reach out to Nozomi-san later. See you!"
With a quick bow, she hurried out of the shop.
As she left, Yumiko leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Nozomi, you've got quite the charm, huh? Beautiful girls just keep showing up around you."
Nozomi smirked. "It's not like I go looking for them. It's just fate, I suppose."
Mahiru, still feeling the warmth of his jacket, frowned slightly. Just what was this guy up to?
And more importantly—
Was Yotsuya going to be another name on his growing list of interests?