Tobe Kakeru had a plan.
No—he had a mission.
According to him, the first step was simple: get Hayato Hayama to somehow separate Nozomi from the girls.
At least, at the very least, Nozomi needed to be separated from Ebina Hina.
Once that happened, Tobe could heroically swoop in and enter the haunted house with Hina by his side.
( Perfect! )
Right now, TobeKakeru fully understood why there were rumors swirling that Nozomi was some kind of "succubus in human form." It sounded ridiculous, but when you saw him in action... you started to believe it.
Because the reality was cruel:
As long as Nozomi was there, he, Tobe Kakeru, would never have a chance.
It was like trying to outshine the sun with a cheap flashlight. Impossible!
( Maybe... just maybe... ) Tobe thought bitterly. ( Instead of blaming Nozomi, I should reflect on myself a little... )
Maybe—just maybe—it was because of his own shortcomings that the girls weren't interested?
But self-awareness was a fleeting thing for Tobe Kakeru.
Back to reality.
Because Hina had suffered a mild nosebleed earlier, and looked a little dizzy, the group decided to take a break at a cozy dessert shop nearby.
They ordered their favorite sweets, filling the table with colorful cakes, parfaits, and towering sundaes that sparkled under the soft lighting.
As expected, few girls could resist the magic of desserts.
Sweetness had a way of firing up the brain's happiness circuits faster than even love sometimes.
Hina Ebina, after just a few bites of her strawberry parfait, finally seemed to recover her energy. Her cheeks regained their rosy color, and her giggles returned.
However.
Every time her eyes drifted toward Nozomi...
Blush.
It was like an automatic reaction!
Sure, people always joked that she loved imagining "BL plots" and would nosebleed at the drop of a hat.
But that didn't mean she didn't like guys.
Her sexual orientation was completely normal!
In fact, earlier—when she felt Nozomi's warmth so up close—it had been different.
It was scary... but also thrilling.
Exciting.
Nozomi wasn't just handsome; he carried an air of mystery around him, like an untouchable prince from another world. His strong physique gave off an overwhelming sense of safety—something that made any girl's heart flutter, even someone like Ebina who prided herself on being "rational."
And then, there was the cruel law of comparison.
After experiencing Nozomi's masculine presence...
And then glancing over at the flashy, awkward Tobe Kakeru clumsily trying to make jokes...
( Ughh... ) Any normal girl would instinctively know who to pick.
After their dessert break, the group chatted for a while, snapping cheerful photos to commemorate the day.
Hina Ebina, a certified "memory hoarder," had brought along her cute little camera and was busy capturing everything—posing with friends, taking shots of their desserts, snapping the decorations.
Those without cameras just used their phones, filling their albums with selfies and group shots.
Tobe Kakeru, who had originally been full of big dreams for the day, felt his heart turn sour when he noticed something:
Ebina had taken a few solo pictures with Nozomi. Smiling happily.
But she didn't even invite him.
Ouch.
Still, Tobe Kakeru was nothing if not stubborn.
Ebina's actions were obvious to everyone else—she deliberately stayed close to Nozomi and barely spoke to Tobe unless it was during group conversations.
Clearly hinting that he should give up.
But did Tobe Kakeru give up?
Nope.
Love had clearly scrambled his brain cells.
After all, if he really wanted a chance, shouldn't he work hard to become someone worthy of Ebina first? Maybe someone a little more like... Nozomi?
But introspection wasn't exactly Tobe Kakeru's strong suit.
His only hope now rested on Hayato Hayama—the "Reliable Friend" title holder.
The problem?
Hayato might be popular with girls, sure, thanks to his kind heart and carefully crafted "warm guy" image...
But that was because Hayato was genuinely excellent.
And Tobe Kakeru...?
Well, that was debatable.
Meanwhile, Nozomi, sitting casually at the table, naturally noticed Tobe's bitter, envious glances.
But he had zero intention of helping.
Why would he?
Hina had no interest in Tobe. If he stepped in and tried to "assist," it would only damage the good impression Hina had of him.
No way he was going to sabotage himself over something so dumb.
Soon after, the group finished their sweets and made their way toward the next big event: the haunted house exploration.
The girls clung nervously to Nozomi's arms as they approached the creepy entrance.
Miura Yumiko and Shiina Mahiru each latched onto an arm, their bodies pressed close, their sweet perfumes drifting into the air.
Softness on both sides... the ultimate heaven!
This was exactly why haunted houses were considered the ultimate date spot. Fear made girls stick close... and sticking close created the perfect chance to deepen bonds.
Mahiru stayed remarkably composed, her steps steady and unhurried.
After all, she knew Nozomi wasn't just any ordinary guy.
He possessed mysterious powers—powers that could exorcise real evil spirits if needed.
With Nozomi by her side, there was absolutely nothing to fear.
Yumiko, on the other hand, was a different story.
From the moment they stepped into the dim, eerie haunted house, she clung tightly to Nozomi's arm, trembling like a leaf.
The dimly lit hallways twisted and turned, and every so often, actors dressed as ghouls and spirits would pop out from behind curtains, walls, and trapdoors to startle the guests.
Screams echoed all around them.
It was the perfect setup for a horror-lover's dream—or a scaredy-cat's nightmare.
Meanwhile, in another part of the haunted house…
Tobe Kakeru finally got his wish granted: he was teamed up with Ebina Hina and Hayato Hayama.
( Victory! ) he thought.
But... why drag Hayato along too?
Simple.
Tobe, deep down, was terrified of haunted houses. Ghosts—even fake ones—made his legs weak and his voice crack.
He needed someone reliable to lean on.
Someone like Hayato Hayama, Sobu High School's shining prince.
Hayama Hayato, for his part, was already mentally exhausted.
( Seriously, Tobe? ) he sighed internally. ( You're scared, so you're dragging me down with you? )
Although Hayato didn't possess the same "otherworldly succubus-like charm" as Nozomi, he was undeniably handsome, and half the girls at Sobu High had a crush on him.
And now, here Tobe was, asking him to be a foil?
( Aren't you worried I'll accidentally steal the spotlight instead? ) Hayato thought dryly.
But before Hayato could finish brooding—
"Ahhhhh!! So scaryyyy—!"
Tobe Kakeru's shriek pierced the darkness.
Right after stepping inside, a fake ghost barely touched him, and he bolted like a terrified rabbit.
His sudden scream startled Ebina Hina so badly that she almost dropped her camera.
She turned wide eyes toward Tobe, who was now sprinting full speed into the darkness, leaving her—and Hayato—behind.
Ten thousand mental alpacas stampeded through Ebina's mind.
( I seriously thought about giving this guy one last chance to show a little bravery... to hint at him that I'm not interested, but let him keep some dignity... )
( But THIS?! )
Not only did Tobe not protect her—
He abandoned her!
And for what?
Some fake ghost in a costume?
Pathetic!
Ebina, a high school girl with a nosebleed problem when it came to cute boys, wasn't even scared.
She knew it was all fake.
But Tobe Kakeru?
Gone.
Disappeared into the shadows, screaming like a child.
Could she really imagine dating someone like that?
The answer was immediate: absolutely not.
She shook her head vigorously, banishing even the remote idea from her mind.
( No way. Nope. Negative infinity. )
By the time Ebina and Hayato made it out of the haunted house, they found Tobe crouched at the exit, face pale as paper, being awkwardly comforted by Hayato.
Ebina Hina just stared at him, completely unimpressed.
( Who's supposed to be the girl here? ) she thought mercilessly.
Without a second glance, she turned her back on the pitiful scene.
Instead, she marched right up to Nozomi.
"Hey, Nozomi," she said cheerfully, "Wanna try the haunted house with me?"
Nozomi, feeling the softness of her arm brushing against his again, gave a small chuckle.
As they entered together, Nozomi casually and protectively slid his arm around her slender waist.
Ebina froze for a second, feeling the warmth of his hand.
Her cheeks flushed crimson almost immediately.
"No—Nozomi, isn't this... a little much?" she stammered.
"What's wrong with it?" Nozomi said nonchalantly.
"You can cling to my arm, but I can't hold your waist? Seems unfair, don't you think?"
Ebina bit her lip and lowered her head, too flustered to argue back.
Nozomi's expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious.
"Don't overthink it. I'm doing this to protect you," he said coolly.
His voice lowered, almost like a whisper.
"There really might be something here..."
Just then, Nozomi received a familiar system alert:
[Ding! Evil spirit detected. Spirit Eye special attack charged and ready.]
Ebina blinked, stunned for a second, before her eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Wait—wait, really?! There's an actual evil spirit here?! Are you gonna take it down?!"
Nozomi raised an eyebrow at her excitement.
"Uh... aren't you supposed to be scared?"
"Heh. What's there to be scared of when you're around, Fox?" she said, giving him a mischievous grin. "I'm not the Ministry of Finance—I'm not scared of a little horror! You'll protect me, right?"
Nozomi smirked.
"Of course."
"Then it's settled! Let's go!" Ebina chirped.
Nozomi laughed under his breath.
"Fine... but don't blame me if you get ugly-cry scared later," he teased.
With a subtle squeeze to her waist, he led her deeper into the haunted house, toward the heart of the darkness—the place where resentment and fear festered most strongly.
And just as they approached, Ebina suddenly felt a strange ripple in the air around them—
A cold chill brushed her skin, and the scenery seemed to shift, as if reality itself was warping.
The true test was about to begin.