Free Web NovelChapter 481: BCL Chapter 477: Anon: You guys bought notebooks behind my back!
"Wait--"
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow slightly, quickly finding the blind spot:
"If it’s just ordinary mind-reading, why would the earth-bound spirit float over?"
It should be known that ordinary earth-bound spirits have no consciousness and only mechanically wander in one place. Now that she had suddenly come in front of Hitori, something unexpected had clearly happened.
Hitori clearly hadn’t considered this, her small face full of bewilderment, "I don’t know."
Kitahara Makoto pondered for two seconds, then looked down, "Hitori, lift your head."
"Eh?"
"Look into my eyes and see what exactly your mind-reading is like."
"Oh, oh."
"..."
Hitori quickly looked up upon hearing this. Although she was still a bit confused, she obediently complied.
"Your bangs are covering your eyes," Kitahara Makoto softly instructed.
Hitori had short hair in middle school, but unfortunately, Mrs. Goto became busy with work and no longer had time to take Hitori to the hair salon. Instead, she gave Hitori the money to get a haircut herself.
However, as a super shy girl, Hitori absolutely dared not enter a scary place like a beauty salon. As a result, her hair grew longer and longer, and her bangs gradually covered her eyes.
"Okay..."
Hitori tried her best to tilt her small face upwards, raising her right hand to push her bangs away, revealing her snow-white, smooth forehead.
Their eyes met.
Gazing into Hitori’s sapphire blue eyes, as blue as the sky above, Kitahara Makoto quietly sighed in his heart:
"Her skin is so fair, she’s truly super cute."
As a shadowy creature, Hitori rarely saw the sun, staying indoors all year, so her skin was much fairer than that of ordinary girls.
The next second, Hitori’s smug voice, pleased by the compliment, echoed in Kitahara Makoto’s mind.
"Ehehe~" fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
"Hmm?"
Kitahara Makoto was slightly startled, quickly grasping the blind spot.
(Hitori didn’t speak just now, and neither did I, so it’s not a one-sided reading of thoughts, but mutual hearing of each other’s thoughts?)
The next second, Hitori’s muddled voice sounded in Kitahara Makoto’s mind again:
"Ah, Kitahara-kun, I didn’t even notice until you said something."
Kitahara Makoto became interested:
"Besides being able to hear each other’s thoughts, can we see what the other person is thinking?"
Hitori’s voice was bewildered:
"I don’t know."
"We’ll know if we try," Kitahara Makoto concentrated, not continuing to chat with his thoughts, but recalling in his mind the experience of helping Hitori apply prickly heat powder in the Onsen Village that day.
"N-no! Forget about that quickly!"
Hitori’s mortified voice quickly rang out, and the girl’s fair little face also rapidly flushed at a visible speed.
"Confirmed," Kitahara Makoto understood. "It seems it’s not just mutual hearing of thoughts, but also the ability to directly read images from the other person’s mind."
Unfortunately, before Kitahara Makoto could verify further, Hitori had already lowered her little head in shame, completely unable to continue making eye contact.
"I-I-I’ll go home first..."
Hitori frantically wanted to escape.
However, after turning around and walking two steps, Hitori realized that the female ghost was still following behind her.
"Why..." Hitori immediately became nervous. "Why is Reiko-san following me?"
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow:
"It’s obvious she’s latched onto Hitori."
"N-no!"
Hitori immediately panicked and hurriedly cast a pleading look at Kitahara Makoto:
"I didn’t do anything, so why is Reiko-san latching onto me?"
"It must be related to the ability to hear each other’s thoughts," Kitahara Makoto said, taking out the answer book from his backpack and handing it to Hitori. "When in doubt, the answer book."
"Ah..."
Hitori quickly took the answer book, then hid in the corner to ask for the reason.
Whoosh.
The answer book flipped pages rapidly without wind, and soon, text appeared on the blank pages.
"Only by fulfilling the wish of the bound spirit can they achieve nirvana."
"Fulfill Reiko-san’s wish?"
Hitori blinked her eyes and whispered:
"But I don’t know what Reiko-san’s wish is..."
Kitahara Makoto pondered:
"Hitori just said you heard her thoughts... What did she say?"
"Th-that..." Hitori stammered softly, "I was a little scared just now... I didn’t hear clearly..."
Kitahara Makoto said speechlessly:
"Then listen again."
"Oh..."
Hitori nervously tilted her small face up, looking into the bound spirit’s eyes.
The ability to hear each other’s thoughts requires eye contact; it doesn’t work once eye contact is broken.
"I-I heard it again..." Hitori was a little nervous. "Reiko-san’s voice sounds very monotonous, repeating one sentence, saying that the game hasn’t been completed, and she wants to know the ending no matter what..."
Kitahara Makoto raised an eyebrow:
"What game is it?"
Hitori blinked her eyes:
"The name seems to be ’Soaked Young Lady Academy’?"
Kitahara Makoto: "..."
Did you mishear?
That name doesn’t sound like a proper game at all!
"The name feels a little off..."
Hitori’s expression was hesitant.
Although she hadn’t played any R-rated games, when surfing the internet, she inevitably saw some related information... In short, a proper game wouldn’t have a name like that.
Kitahara Makoto quietly said:
"Just search for it on your phone."
"Th-that makes sense..."
Hitori quickly took out her phone and started searching.
A moment later.
Seeing Hitori’s rapidly reddening face, Kitahara Makoto knew he hadn’t guessed wrong; it was indeed a very improper game.
Kitahara Makoto glanced at the bound spirit girl floating beside him and said:
"It seems she’ll keep following Hitori until her obsession is fulfilled. So, do you want to buy the game and fulfill the bound spirit’s wish?"
Hearing Kitahara Makoto’s suggestion, the ahoge on top of Hitori’s head immediately trembled in panic, and she stammered softly:
"Th-that... can we find related game videos online and play them for Reiko-san?"
For Hitori, playing an R-rated game with a boy was clearly too embarrassing.
Kitahara Makoto shook his head:
"Sorry, R-rated games are not allowed to have videos spread online."
"That’s true..."
Seeing Hitori’s conflicted expression, Kitahara Makoto ’considerately’ offered a suggestion:
"Actually, there’s another way, which is for me to directly eliminate Reiko-san..."
"N-no!"
Hitori quickly shook her head, nervously hugging Kitahara Makoto’s arm, afraid that Kitahara Makoto would impulsively eliminate the other party.
"Reiko-san isn’t a bad ghost; she even gave me cake and candy when I was little."
Kitahara Makoto patiently coaxed:
"Then what if she keeps following Hitori?"
"Th-that..." Hitori took a deep breath, her eyes quickly firming, and her face flushed as she said, "I’ll play that game to fulfill Reiko-san’s obsession and let Reiko-san achieve nirvana and leave."
Although she was super shy, if it could help the neighbor’s sister achieve nirvana, she wouldn’t back down no matter what.
Kitahara Makoto smiled:
"Shall we go buy the game now?"
"N-now?"
Hitori’s voice was shy and flustered.
The courage in her body had been completely depleted just now, and now she had turned back into a shy and timid shy girl.
Kitahara Makoto said seriously:
"Hitori hasn’t finished writing the lyrics yet, and we still have rehearsals. Time is tight; we can’t just let the bound spirit keep following us, can we?"
"..."
Hitori couldn’t find any words to refute and could only stammer her agreement.
Slap.
Kitahara Makoto patted the bicycle’s back seat:
"Get on and sit tight; we’re going to buy the game."
Hitori obediently agreed and carefully sat on the bicycle’s back seat.
As for going to a store alone to buy an R-rated game, Hitori panicked just thinking about it.
(I can’t do it...)
(Even if the world ended, there’s no way I could do something like that!)
The two rode in silence.
They soon arrived at a chain bookstore. The last time Kitahara Makoto bought R-rated manga with Anon, it was at this chain store, and he had seen many R-rated games there, so he figured they wouldn’t make a wasted trip.
"Welcome."
Two store clerks bowed.
"Ah..."
Hitori’s face was burning, her little head almost touching her chest.
Knowing that she was here to buy an R-rated game this time, Hitori had already started panicking the moment she walked through the door. One could say that ’guilty conscience’ was practically written all over her face.
"Don’t panic," Kitahara Makoto held Hitori’s small hand, his expression normal. "Just leave everything to me."
Kitahara Makoto led Hitori directly to the R-rated section on the second floor.
Hitori lowered her little head in shame, completely oblivious to what was ahead, letting Kitahara Makoto lead her forward. Even if she were led away to be sold, she probably wouldn’t look up.
Thud.
Kitahara Makoto suddenly stopped.
Caught off guard, Hitori’s little head directly bumped into Kitahara Makoto’s back.
"Ugh..."
Hitori clutched her forehead, then meekly lifted her small face.
"We’re on the second floor, in the adult section," Kitahara Makoto said softly. "Now let’s split up and see if we can find that game. If we really can’t find it, then we’ll ask a staff member for help."
"I-I understand..."
Hitori agreed, her face flushed, and nervously looked around. When she saw that no one was around, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
But as her gaze fell upon the bookshelves, seeing the covers of the comics that made people blush, the warmth on her small face quickly rose again.
(I-I really went up to the second floor... Everything around me is restricted...)
(What if I run into friends or classmates in the bookstore?)
(No! Social death is so scary! Absolutely not!)
(Ah, I forgot, I don’t have any friends, and my classmates definitely won’t recognize me, ah ha ha ha...)
"Don’t space out," Kitahara Makoto extended his right hand and gently pinched Hitori’s cheek. "Hurry up and find the game."
"S-Sorry!" Hitori exited her little brain theater and quickly bowed in apology. "I’ll look for it right away!"
"..."
A moment later.
Kitahara Makoto was still rummaging through the bookshelves when he suddenly felt someone gently tug at his sleeve.
He turned his head to look behind him and saw Hitori’s face flushed, holding a game disc in both hands, her voice like a mosquito’s hum:
"I found it..."
Kitahara Makoto picked up the game. The cover showed several beautiful girls of various forms, and the title was indeed "Soaked Young Lady Academy."
"Hitori, that’s impressive."
Kitahara Makoto naturally wouldn’t be stingy with praise.
Hitori: "..."
(Although I love hearing Kitahara-kun’s praise, I don’t want to be praised for this kind of thing!)
"Let’s go, let’s go back and play the game."
He took Hitori’s small hand and led Hitori downstairs.
When they reached the cashier, Hitori kept her head down, completely hiding in Kitahara Makoto’s shadow, not daring to look up at anyone. She could only hear Kitahara Makoto’s calm voice interacting with the cashier.
(Kitahara-kun is so amazing. The staff can definitely see what game he bought, but he’s not embarrassed at all. Is it because they’re strangers?)
(I wonder if Kitahara-kun would still be so calm if he ran into someone he knew...)
The next second.
A girl’s clear shout suddenly rang out.
"Eh, Kitahara and Hitori? What are you two doing at the bookstore?"
(Eh eh eh?!)
The antenna on top of Hitori’s head trembled in panic, and she completely freaked out.
(I-I actually ran into someone I know! Don’t let me socially die!)
"A-Anon-chan..."
Hitori nervously lifted her small face, looking at the pink-haired girl who walked in through the door, wanting to greet her, but she couldn’t make a sound.
"Anon, good afternoon." Kitahara Makoto’s expression was composed as he raised his hand to greet her, then said, "Hitori, you go outside first."
He had just watched a certain type of book with Anon not long ago, so being caught was no big deal.
"Mhm, mhm."
Hitori, like a death row inmate who had received a pardon, quickly lowered her head and frantically fled the bookstore.
"Hitori seems so flustered." Chihaya Anon’s eyes shifted as she stepped closer, lowering her voice.
"Kitahara-kun, you didn’t bring Hitori here to buy bad comics, did you?"
This Anon glanced at the cashier while she spoke.
Unfortunately, the cashier had excellent professional ethics and had already quickly wrapped the game in a black plastic bag.
Kitahara Makoto said as if nothing had happened:
"What do you mean by bad comics?"
Chihaya Anon’s eyes showed disdain: "Scumbag-kun knows perfectly well."
"I remember now." Kitahara Makoto’s face showed a look of realization. "It’s the adult ones I watched with Anon..."
"Don’t be so loud!"
Chihaya Anon quickly reached out and covered Kitahara Makoto’s mouth.
"People will hear and I’ll socially die!"
Kitahara Makoto’s gaze was scrutinizing:
"Anon, you came to the bookstore wearing a mask, looking sneaky. Are you here to buy adult books?"
"I’m not being sneaky at all! I just have a bit of a cold and don’t feel well!" Chihaya Anon’s pretty face quickly flushed, and she glared at him in embarrassment. "Besides, I’m not interested in those kinds of comics!"
Kitahara Makoto slowly said:
"Liars have to swallow a thousand needles."
Chihaya Anon: "..."
So annoying!
Scumbag-kun is super annoying!
"Anon, you came at a good time. I just saw a few adult books with nice art styles, but unfortunately, Hitori was with me, so I couldn’t buy them." Kitahara Makoto lowered his voice. "Since Anon is here, let’s go up and buy them. Anon can take them home first, and then we can look at them together."
Chihaya Anon: "..."
You got caught on a date, and not only do you not apologize, but you even ask me to buy adult books?
Scumbag-kun is truly shameless!
