Chapter 416: Lucoa's Return!
Ryohei: "(☆´∀｀ )ﾉ*:.. .:Good Morning:...:*"
December 31st, the last day of the year.
After Ryohei woke up, he first sent a LINE message to Yurine.
Yesterday, he pondered properly and found that the reason Makoto (from School Days) had such an ending was purely because he acted like a scumbag but also wanted to maintain a persona of being devoted.
If he had been a thorough scumbag, the final ending wouldn't have been like that.
Ryohei realized a truth from this—
Absolutely cannot be ruthless after pulling out, or refuse to acknowledge people after pulling up pants, especially towards Yurine; he must be extremely caring.
So—
After receiving her reply, Ryohei edited a message:
Ryohei: "Seems there is a custom of eating soba noodles today?"
The other party is typing...
[Yurine]: "Mn, that's right."
[Yurine]: "Eating soba noodles on New Year's Eve signifies cutting off bad luck and praying for health and longevity. The long noodles symbolize longevity, and being easy to bite off represents leaving bad things in the old year."
The local explaining to the foreigner.
The corners of Ryohei's lips curled up slightly, his fingers tapping gently on the screen:
Ryohei: "I plan to buy some buckwheat flour from Nagano Prefecture and make homemade soba noodles. Want me to prepare some for you guys?"
[Yurine]: "A bit tempted... but forget it! (・・.)ゞ."
[Yurine]: "My family is very busy these few days; recruited a few temporary shrine maidens, and relatives came to help. Have to prepare their share tonight; it's too troublesome for you."
Ryohei: "Treating me like a stranger, aren't you?"
Ryohei: "I'm quite free today; will drag Jashin-chan and the others to help later... How many portions do you need?"
Ryohei was currying favor with her—
Hoping that if things blew up in the future, Yurine would go easy on him seeing that he thought of her in everything, at least not dismembering him.
He didn't have Jashin-chan's immortal body!
Being killed really meant death!
[Yurine]: "Then... let me ask Mom?"
After a while, Yurine sent a message—
[Yurine]: "Probably need about fifteen portions. (◜◔.◔◝)."
Ryohei: "(๑•ㅂ•) ok♡."
Ryohei: "I will deliver it to you before 3 PM."
[Yurine]: "Then sorry to trouble you guys! （´▽`) ."
[Yurine]: "Ah, right! After twelve o'clock tonight, want to come to my family's shrine for Hatsumode?"
Hatsumode is one of the most important traditional customs of the Japanese New Year, referring to visiting a shrine or temple to pray for blessings during the New Year period, signifying bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new spring.
"Mmm..."
Ryohei felt a bit stuck looking at this message from Yurine.
If he went, Lucoa and the others would most likely follow.
Bringing them along felt a bit ominous.
Not bringing them, he felt a bit sorry himself.
As if feeling his hesitation across the screen, Yurine added a message:
[Yurine]: "Bring Jashin-chan, Lucoa, and the others along. (○ ｀ｰ´)○☆)ﾟoﾟ/"
Ryohei: "Okay, I'll ask them later; they should go..."
Ryohei cooperated by adding a kaomoji of being beaten—"(￣ε(#￣)."
"..."
Shinjuku, Hanazono Inari Shrine.
In the kitchen—
Yurine looked at Ryohei's message, the corners of her lips curling up slightly, her slender white fingers tapping briskly on the phone screen:
[Yurine]: "Then that's it... I have to eat and work!"
Ryohei: "Mn, pay attention to rest, don't overwork."
Feeling the care from the other side across the phone, Yurine couldn't help but feel a bit happy.
Feeling good, she wanted to take a photo in return.
She opened the camera—
Raised it, adjusted the angle, took a photo of herself wearing the red and white miko outfit, and sent it.
Her mother, who was busy in front of the stove, suddenly heard a click, looked up at Yurine, and revealed an "auntie smile" (knowing smile).
Making Yurine embarrassed.
She hurriedly turned her body, looking down at Ryohei's reply—
Ryohei: "Whose girlfriend is so beautiful! Love it, love it! (¯ ³¯)♡."
Smooth talker!
Yurine's pink lips curled up slightly, pressing the side button happily to turn off the screen...
On the other side—
Seeing Yurine stop replying, Ryohei also put down his phone.
He shoveled a mouthful of omurice made by Jashin-chan, chewed a few times, and swallowed.
He looked up at Jashin-chan and Minos, instructing: "Jashin-chan will accompany me out for purchasing later. Minos will stay at home for now; Yusa and Medusa will come over later."
That's right, Medusa was also coming to celebrate the New Year with them!
"OK!"
Minos, with her cheeks puffed, made an OK gesture and agreed readily.
Jashin-chan also nodded.
Having frequented Pachinko parlors and racecourses these past few days, she was also a bit tired of it, planning to count down to the New Year with everyone today.
"Speaking of which, don't know when Lucoa and Pekola will return..."
Ryohei thought of his lover number one and lover number two.
They said they would return before the New Year, but today was already the last day.
If one of the two sisters were here, going out for purchasing later would be much more convenient—Ryohei had more than one place to go today!
"Mmm..."
Minos and Jashin-chan seemed to see something, opening their mouths slightly, then closing them again.
Just then, a gentle and charming older sister voice rang close to Ryohei's ear.
"Ara—! Did Ryohei-kun miss us? Truly makes one happy!"
At the same moment, a pair of hands gently covered his eyes:
"Guess who I am? There's a reward for guessing right!"
"Do I even need to guess?"
Ryohei couldn't help laughing, saying without hesitation: "It's Lucoa!"
"Wrong, you guessed wrong."
"Mn? Real or fake? Why don't I believe it!"
He raised his hands, trying to pry open the hands covering his eyes, but couldn't.
"I'll let you go if you guess right."
Lucoa's playful voice rang in his ear.
"Did I really guess wrong?"
Ryohei suddenly wasn't so confident.
Could it be Pekola deliberately imitating Lucoa's voice?
But this scent didn't smell like it!
He had already smelled the elegant fragrance on Lucoa...
Anyway, there were only two choices—
Since she said he guessed wrong, Ryohei changed his answer:
"Could it be Pekola?"
"Wrong."
Although saying so, the hands let go.
Ryohei turned his head, and what caught his eye off guard was world-class fullness!
Because the distance was too close, a certain contour looked truly somewhat shocking, causing him to hold his breath unconsciously for a moment.
Looking up—
Ryohei saw a familiar smiling face.
"This time you really guessed wrong."
Lucoa raised her hand to cover her mouth and chuckled lightly.
"You really have the nerve to say that!"
Ryohei roasted speechlessly, but a smile rippled on his face.
"Welcome home."
Lucoa was slightly startled, a gentler smile appearing on her face.
"I'm back."
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