When Hikari really arrived, really started playing games with the three of them, the three gyaru finally realized they had made a huge mistake.
Turns out, even though the three of them had improved during this time, Hikari's improvement was even greater.
So, very simply, they admitted defeat again, completely crushed under Hikari's overwhelming gaming skills.
Seeing the faintly fearful look in their eyes, Hikari smiled, just about to open his mouth to reassure them.
But Reina spoke up, "Not for now, but tonight we're still continuing!"
Yukina echoed, "Yeah! If we don't play till we drop with Hikari-kun on Saturday, that's just a total waste!"
Ruri went even further, "Hikari-kun, Ruri wants to be wrung out like a rag, don't go easy on me~"
Well then, so they weren't actually scared, just temporarily retreating. Hikari laughed and shook his head, knowing there was no need to comfort them at all.
After giving them some Pure Love Brand Nutrient that greatly boosted stamina recovery, the three gyaru also trembled as they slowly got up from the floor.
"We want to go downstairs to buy some new toys," said Reina.
"And some new pretty clothes," said Yukina.
"Tonight Ruri wants to have another round with Hikari-kun~", said Ruri.
The three, planning to rest for a bit, decided to go down and buy some new stuff and some food, and asked Hikari if he wanted to come along.
Hikari thought about it, then shook his head, "You guys go. I'm too lazy, I'll just stay home and rest."
"Then we'll go eat something to recover strength first. Whatever Hikari-kun wants to eat, we'll bring it back for you~", the three gyaru said.
"Okay."
After the three gyaru left, Hikari picked up his phone on the sofa and replied to a few messages.
Then he went alone into the large bath unique to Ruri's room and soaked for a while.
Once his body and mind relaxed, Hikari felt a bit hungry, and also a little thirsty.
Suddenly craving some "Coca Cola," he opened the fridge and found there was none, no other drinks either.
Probably because Ruri didn't live here that often, so there wasn't much food or drink stocked.
Putting on clothes, Hikari decided to go down to the supermarket to buy some.
By the time he left, night had already fallen. Walking down the corridor, he instinctively turned to glance at the apartment next door, where Risa lived.
The door was shut, it seemed Risa wasn't home either.
Hikari took out his phone, replying to a message from Natsuha while heading downstairs.
[Natsuha: "Hikari-kun, my mom already came over to my rental place tonight. She says she wants to meet you tomorrow…"]
[Hikari replied: "Okay, I'll come to your place tomorrow morning."]
[Natsuha: "Hikari-kun, I told my mom you're a really good person, so don't be too nervous when you meet her~"]
[Hikari replied: "I'm not nervous. But it's better if you relax too."]<
Seeing her message, Hikari smiled.
He didn't know whether Natsuha was just scared her mom would find out she secretly rented an apartment and ended up "growing up early" with a male high schooler, or if she was treating this meeting as introducing him to her parent.
Anyway, Natsuha was always pretty tense about it, bringing it up many times already, but Hikari himself felt fine.
Still, he humored her, going over their "story" together for a while. Thinking about going to Harmony Apartments tomorrow to meet her mom, Hikari naturally remembered Yukino, who lived next door to Natsuha.
And also Yukino's oni-tribe best friend, Kiriryuin Kaede, who still hadn't left.
Ever since that unexpected incident last time, when he and Kiriryuin Kaede had linked once, their relationship had gradually become a little strange.
Originally, every time Kiriryuin Kaede saw him, she gave him nothing but nasty looks. But after that, she wasn't as harsh anymore.
Though most of the time she still acted outwardly disgusted, she would secretly glance at him now and then, sometimes even start conversations, though usually about weird things, like how many people lived in his house were his girlfriends, her gaze strange too. In short, she was just plain odd.
And though Hikari hadn't thought much of her before, he still wanted to pry more useful information about the yokai world out of her.
Not to mention, whether it was the large amount of oni power he gained when he linked with her, or the oni-tribe techniques she taught him to strengthen his abilities, both were very useful. So he maintained this faintly ambiguous, strange relationship with her.
This trip to Harmony Apartments, he could also push her to return the eyeball ring.
Last time, after accidentally being pushed down by Kiriryuin Kaede, he had gotten more intel and extended the time she could borrow the ring.
And since that kind of accident had already happened once, this time she'd probably be a lot more careful while studying the ring, so it shouldn't happen again.
Still, by using that event as leverage, Hikari had ways to extract even more intel or other things he wanted.
Thinking messy thoughts, chatting with Natsuha, Hikari's feet carried him toward the supermarket.
———
[Outside the Supermarket]
Risa, shopping done, walked expressionless out of the automatic doors, holding a cup of oden.
But just a few steps out, a middle-aged man with a faint smell of alcohol quickly came out of the supermarket too, hurrying after her.
The man not only seemed a little drunk, but his head was bald, thinning on top, almost Mediterranean.
The tap tap tap of footsteps came from behind. Risa clearly noticed him, but her expression stayed calm, her face blank.
Then the man with the alcohol smell suddenly quickened his steps, moving toward her.
Facing the man behind her, who looked like some pervert, Risa didn't speed up.
"Risa-chan, wait for me! I'll walk you home," the staggering man said loudly as he came up beside her.
"Mr. Fumishi, please don't call me by my name directly. It causes me trouble," Risa glanced at Fumishi Yoshitsugu, her tone displeased.
"Ah… sorry, Miss Hamazaki. I got too tipsy earlier, mistook you for Miss Kaori. She told me it was fine to call her by her name, so I slipped. Really sorry, Miss Hamazaki," Fumishi Yoshitsugu waved off the alcohol smell, smiling apologetically, trying to explain like a gentleman.
"I see…", Risa brushed him off casually, her face still cold.
Tonight, Risa had gone to a mixer party, invited by some coworkers from the unit she'd just joined.
She hadn't wanted to go, but the one who invited her was a female senior who often looked out for her at work.
To save face for her senior, she agreed.
But she never planned to look for a partner there, so she didn't interact with anyone, just ate by herself, sipping only a little wine.
Even though she was beautiful and had a great figure, and almost all the men at the party were drawn to her, most of them, seeing her demeanor, left her alone and went to find other people.
Except this man, Fumishi Yoshitsugu, who seemed to have set his sights on her.
At the mixer he wouldn't stop talking to her.
Even when she only answered politely, he kept insisting on chatting, like he couldn't read the mood at all.
Feeling uncomfortable, she left early with an excuse. But this guy followed her out, saying he couldn't let a woman go home alone at night, so he'd walk her.
Seriously…
"So annoying…", Risa looked at the man beside her, who stayed half a step behind like a gentleman, yet kept sneaking l*stful glances at her long legs. She was irritated, just wanting to get home fast.
"Miss Hamazaki, how's work going since you just joined the company?", Fumishi asked politely.
"Not bad. I'm getting used to things," Risa replied perfunctorily.
"I see. Your department's work is tricky. I used to work there too before transferring. I know a lot of your seniors, want me to ask them to take care of you?", He smiled warmly, overly attentive.
But Risa could already hear the clatter of his abacus in her mind.
Not knowing if he was dumb or just not bothering to hide his greed, she answered bluntly, "No need, Mr. Fumishi. I can handle my work."
"I see, but Miss Hamazaki, don't misunderstand, I'm just warmhearted, I like looking after juniors, really out of goodwill…", He seemed bothered by her cold tone, smiling in explanation.
Normally, by office etiquette, Risa should have smiled, apologized, said she didn't mean it that way, thanked him, maybe even promised to repay his kindness.
But instead, she rolled her eyes and ignored him, walking straight ahead.
Seeing her rude, arrogant, and impolite behavior, his face darkened, eyes flashing with displeasure.
He didn't want to keep wasting time pretending. He would take the initiative, attack directly, the "w*man," no, the "prey," he had chosen tonight.
Fumishi Yoshitsugu quickly walked up to her again, keeping pace, even half a step ahead now.
Raising his hand slightly, flashing the diamond-studded watch on his wrist, he asked bluntly, "Miss Hamazaki, you don't have a boyfriend right now, you're single, aren't you?"
"Yes," Risa looked at him, holding back her disgust.
A worthless watch worth only about a million yen, and he thought it was impressive? She wasn't some gullible girl. She'd grown up knowing Ruri, a little rich girl.
Even though other people's money had nothing to do with her, just by personality and exposure, she was completely unmoved by his show-off act.
She often saw girls like Ruri, from families that owned multiple apartment complexes like Kurumiban Apartments, and never once did Ruri brag about it. But here was this guy pretending to be rich.
Risa found it laughable and disgusting.
But her stifled smile looked to him like she was tempted, like the gold-diggers he'd seduced before.
So he kept smiling, "Miss Hamazaki, as far as I know, you just graduated, this is your first job, and you're still renting in Tokyo, right? Must be tight financially for a young person."
Hearing this, Risa already knew what he was about to say, and didn't want to hear it.
But before she could cut him off, Fumishi Yoshitsugu blurted out, "Miss Hamazaki, I'll be direct. The moment I saw you at the mixer, it was love at first sight."
"So… I want to date you. Will you be my girlfriend?"
"I've worked many years, my family runs a company, I have money. I don't usually flaunt it, I prefer showing my character so people respect me naturally."
"But you're so beautiful, Miss Hamazaki. I can't help even sharing things I think shallow and embarrassing, just for a scrap of your attention. That's enough for me."
"So, Miss Hamazaki, will you be my girlfriend?"
He put on his most gentlemanly, heartfelt look, confessing.
He was proud of the lines he'd just made up, sure they would win her over. But when he lifted his head, Risa was already several meters ahead, silent.
Ignoring embarrassment, he rushed forward to block her path, face flushed, asking, "Miss Hamazaki, I said, I just confessed, did you hear me?"
His patience was wearing thin.
Risa couldn't be bothered. She just glanced at him and said lazily while sidestepping, "I heard."
"What do you think? Will you be my girlfriend?", he pressed.
"No," Risa's reply was sharp and clean.
"Why?", he exclaimed, disbelieving.
"You're too ugly," Risa said it seriously.
"What?", He froze.
"What, what?" Risa looked puzzled.
"Ugly… you actually called me ugly?", He stared at her, shocked anyone could say something so cruel to his face.
Risa set her purse on the ground, studied him for a moment, then nodded, "Sorry, just calling you ugly wasn't accurate."
He sighed in relief, "Right, I knew I couldn't be ugly—"
"Just saying ugly is too soft. More accurately, you're not only ugly, you're repulsively ugly, to the point of making people sick."
"Not just bald with a big shiny Mediterranean dome, but wrinkled, bad skin, hideous features, eyes so tiny they look like moles. Nose isn't a nose, mouth isn't a mouth. Short, fat, with a gross beer belly. You're not even as tall as my chest."
"Tell me, who would want trash like you? Be your girlfriend for what, your stink, your age?"
"With your size and that disgusting gut, I bet you're useless in bed too. From head to toe, you're nothing but worthless garbage. And you dare flirt with me? Dare to ask me to be your girlfriend?"
"You think you deserve it? Go take out your short little worm and piss on a mirror to see for yourself, why don't you?"
Holding it in all this time, Risa unleashed like a machine gun, spitting insult after insult.
With every word, Fumishi's face darkened further, his beady eyes widening until they were half the size of normal eyes.
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