"Shirai-san, can you tell us about your interests?"
"Shirai-san, do you have a boyfriend?"
"Shirai-san, do you have a girlfriend?"
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While Mio Shirai smiled and answered various questions, she cast a pleading look toward Yui Yuigahama in the distance.
She'd still underestimated her own attractiveness, and underestimated her classmates' enthusiasm. As soon as class ended, they'd surrounded her asking this and that, always asking strange questions. Who just asked if she had a girlfriend?
For a moment, Mio Shirai felt as if she'd returned to before her rebirth, when she was being interviewed. However, as someone who'd never been particularly popular, the reporters interviewing her hadn't been as enthusiastic as these classmates.
What was with this inexplicable sense of melancholy?
Sensing Mio Shirai's pleading gaze, Yui Yuigahama took a deep breath, then worked hard to squeeze through the crowd and said to Mio, "Shirai-san just transferred here. Let me show you around."
With that, she directly grabbed Mio Shirai's hand and walked toward the classroom exit.
Finally escaping the fate of being surrounded, Mio Shirai quietly breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled at Yui Yuigahama and said, "Thank you, Yuigahama-san. You've saved me again. I really don't know how to thank you."
"How about offering yourself?" This line was from the System, which Mio Shirai ignored.
"It's not as serious as you're making it sound. They're probably just enthusiastic because you just transferred and they want to know more about you."
"By the way, can I call you by your first name? In exchange, you can just call me Yui." Yui Yuigahama stopped walking and looked at Mio Shirai, her pretty face full of anticipation.
"Yui~"
Hearing Mio Shirai's address, Yui Yuigahama also showed a happy smile. "Let's go, I'll show you around."
Just then, the System's voice suddenly sounded in Mio Shirai's ear: "It's rare to have a beautiful girl accompanying you, so wouldn't it be a waste for the host to remain unmoved?"
"Please have Yui Yuigahama voluntarily hold your hand for no less than three minutes before class starts. Successfully completing the task will reward you with a Yui Yuigahama card set or item reward. Failure will result in drawing from the punishment card set."
"This level of task is definitely simple for the host, so I won't cheer you on this time."
"Actually, let me cheer you on anyway (ง•̀_•́)ง."
"Host, don't you think I'm very considerate? Praise me~"
"Tch."
When did this System become so long-winded?
However, what the System said wasn't wrong—this task seemed quite simple for her. It didn't really feel like the System's style.
It was as if there was some conspiracy.
But Mio Shirai didn't have time to think more, because nearly five minutes of break time had already passed. That meant she had to make Yui Yuigahama hold her hand within two minutes, and couldn't let go for the remaining three minutes, or the task would fail.
Just as Mio Shirai was about to say something, she suddenly thought of something—something very important.
Here in Japan, holding hands seemed to be considered a very intimate act. Even if both people were girls, it could easily create strange misunderstandings. Yui Yuigahama had also let go of her hand right after pulling her out of the classroom, probably taking this into consideration.
She knew the System couldn't possibly give her such an apparently easy task.
If the task target were Mashiro Shiina, this task would indeed have no difficulty. But with it being Yui Yuigahama, that was different.
Noticing that Mio Shirai had suddenly stopped walking and looked conflicted, Yui Yuigahama asked in confusion, "Mio, what's wrong?"
"I... actually have something I want to ask you for help with, but... never mind, it's nothing." Mio Shirai sighed lightly.
"Just say it! As long as I can help, I definitely will."
Mio Shirai's face showed obvious hesitation. After a few seconds, she said in a small voice, "Actually, I've been writing a novel recently—a youth romance type novel. But I've never been in love..." At this point, Mio seemed to notice something and nervously explained, "Don't... don't misunderstand. I'm not asking you to date me. I just want to ask if you could hold my hand. I've never known how to describe the feeling of having my hand held by the protagonist, so I wanted to actually experience it. You're the only person I know here."
"If it makes you uncomfortable, forget it. I'll think of another way when I get home."
Actually, if she'd hesitated a bit longer just now, the effect would have been better, but time didn't allow her to perform like that, so this would have to do.
There were only three and a half minutes left until class started. Her task was about to fail.
After the task started, a countdown had appeared in her field of vision, so Mio Shirai could clearly know the time. She even suspected the System did it intentionally, because as the time decreased, her heart would gradually become more anxious.
"Oh, I see. Sure, I can do that."
Although Mio Shirai said it was just for research material, Yui Yuigahama's heart still felt inexplicably nervous.
Fortunately, to avoid the enthusiastic classmates earlier, she'd directly pulled Mio Shirai to a deserted corner. Holding Mio Shirai's hand here wouldn't have to worry about being seen.
Three seconds before the task failed, Yui Yuigahama took Mio Shirai's hand.
Feeling the warmth of Mio Shirai's palm, Yui Yuigahama felt her face growing hot. Was she blushing?
Thinking this, Yui Yuigahama became even more nervous.
She carefully glanced at Mio Shirai beside her. She could see Mio had her eyes closed, seemingly seriously feeling something. She asked in a small voice, "Mio, how long does this need to continue?"
"Just a bit longer, just a bit more." Yui Yuigahama was nervous, but Mio wasn't much better off. She was afraid Yui Yuigahama would suddenly let go, and then all her previous efforts would be wasted.
But speaking of which, the feeling of having her hand held by Yui Yuigahama was quite nice. From the strength of the handholding, she could feel Yui Yuigahama's inner nervousness.
Three minutes was short, but to the two people in the corner, it felt incredibly long. As the class bell rang, the world stopped at this moment, and the System's voice also sounded in her ear: "Should I say 'as expected of a former professional actress'? Your acting is amazing. Congratulations to the host for completing the task. Yui Yuigahama's affection toward the host has increased by 3 points."
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