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Neither in his previous life nor in this one had Asakura ever taken a photo booth picture. He was usually busy with his studies and magic research, so such things never crossed his mind. Thus, when he entered the booth, he felt like an old man, finding everything fresh and new.
"I see, so this is how it's structured inside…"
That being said, a photo booth machine wasn't particularly interesting; it was just a simple semi-enclosed space, an instrument somewhat similar to a touchscreen computer, and a camera above the instrument.
Taking pictures was somewhat similar to taking a selfie with a phone; you could preview yourself in the camera on the screen, and there were many optional items on the side.
"You can choose frames and filters before shooting."
Gokou Ruri explained to Asakura while operating the screen.
However, from her unpracticed movements, it was evident that she was probably just reciting what she had just learned from Kirino or Kitagawa Marin.
Suddenly, Kitagawa Marin accidentally tapped a preset, and immediately, a border designed with red and white roses and various heart patterns appeared on the screen, even the image was covered with a pink filter.
Asakura even felt like he was having a 'wow oh' auditory hallucination.
Even an old-fashioned person like him, who could discuss various fossil anime memes with Hiratsuka Shizuka, could tell at a glance that Gokou Ruri had probably accidentally triggered a couple-themed preset.
The reason Asakura was sure it was an accidental touch and not Kuroneko-shi having ulterior motives was because when he looked at the girl, he saw her eyes wide open, her pupils trembling as she stared at the screen, looking deeply shocked, not only her entire little face turned crimson, but even the roots of her ears were red, making Asakura worry that the child might suddenly faint from excessive shame…
"Alright, this is a bit too extreme for us."
So Asakura patted the girl's shoulder, took over the monitor's operation from her, and changed the border and various patterns to the more easily accepted Pokemon collaboration style.
Gokou Ruri stared blankly at the Rillaboom pattern that inexplicably appeared between them.
"Annoying."
She suddenly puffed out her cheeks, and as if in a fit of pique, while Asakura was still choosing other patterns, she deleted the grass ape that was full of aesthetic strength.
"Is that so? I think it's quite cute. Then let's change it to this."
Asakura added an Agumon to the picture indifferently.
Gokou Ruri looked at the Agumon surrounded by a circle of Pokemon with complicated feelings, somehow always having the illusion that it was trembling.
So she mustered her courage, hugged Asakura's arm, who was still hesitating and picking between Serperior and Arboc, and forcibly pulled him to the center of the camera frame.
"Let's take a picture first!"
"Eh? I haven't chosen yet, wait, wait a minute…"
Asakura could only hastily squeeze out a smile.
The moment the flash lit up, the girl's warm temperature, the subtle bulge that conveyed a softness that might even defeat Yukinoshita Yukino, the faint yet rustic scent of shower gel, and the girl's unique milky gentle aura all rushed into Asakura's brain.
Even without deliberately trying to perceive it, his reaction speed, far exceeding that of ordinary people, allowed him to deeply engrave everything into his mind in just a brief moment.
He looked at the screen, which already showed the picture just taken, and couldn't help but frown at his stiff expression, as if he had a toothache.
But then he saw the girl in the picture.
Gokou Ruri's long black hair cascaded like a dark waterfall, each strand seemingly reflecting a moonlit sheen under the flash.
Her eyes were half-open, and because it was a close-up shot, even her long eyelashes were faithfully reproduced; her burgundy eyes held a faint glow, seemingly misted over due to nervousness.
The girl's cherry lips were also tightly pursed due to nervousness, looking slightly serious, but the blush on her face had not yet faded, and the faint peach hue made her tear mole look slightly more charming.
Asakura turned his head to look at Gokou Ruri.
The girl seemed not to have realized that the picture had been taken yet; her hands were still firmly wrapped around Asakura's arm, her fingertips turning white from excessive force, her eyes tightly closed, and her long eyelashes were trembling slightly.
Asakura, both annoyed and amused, gently tapped the girl's forehead, and only then did Gokou Ruri release her hands as if waking from a dream.
The girl was flustered and somewhat at a loss, like a kitten caught red-handed doing something bad, not even knowing where to put her hands.
She looked at the screen, but found that the picture on the screen was not as beautiful as she had initially imagined; although their bodies were indeed close together, their expressions were too strange and their movements too stiff, completely lacking any hint of romance.
The girl's eyes dimmed.
"Alright, it's just a photo, no need to be so nervous. Look, our expressions in the picture are all too strange."
Asakura keenly noticed that the girl's mood seemed to have suddenly dropped, so he unhesitatingly put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in front of him.
Although the distance between them was now much greater than when the girl was hugging his arm, by using visual perspective, it made the girl in the shot look as if she was embraced in his arms: "Although those big-head stickers are also interesting, I think it would be better if we relaxed a bit and took them with a mindset of enjoying the fun more."
The girl was initially startled by Asakura's abrupt action, but after being comforted by him and feeling the warmth from Asakura's palm, she unexpectedly found that her previously anxious mood had also calmed down.
So she nodded, her expression no longer stiff, becoming softer: "Mm."
"Okay, then say it with me~"
Asakura set the camera to retake in 5 seconds, then made a somewhat outdated 'Yay~' gesture: "Mozzarella Semisoft Washed-Rind Cheese."
"Mozza… too long!"
Gokou Ruri retorted: "The point is just the 'Cheese' at the end, right!"
Just then, the flash on the sticker machine flickered and went out, capturing the scene of the girl complaining about Asakura clearly and completely.
Even though she didn't deliberately pose or make an expression, the girl in the picture looked incredibly natural with a smile, and combined with Asakura's mischievous grin after successfully pulling a prank, the composition was unexpectedly harmonious.
If one were to look closely, it would not be difficult to find that the girl's gaze towards the boy beside her was incredibly bright, shining like stars.
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