2 Chapters Today!!
Noticing Ren’s exhausted state, Utaha Kasumigaoka threw out a teasing comment.
The rest of the Service Club was used to her banter—so no one thought much of it.
She teased people like this all the time.
But only Utaha and Ren actually knew the hidden meaning behind her words.
“I’d love to say yes, but no.” Ren let out a wide yawn and waved a hand at her.
“Hmm?” Utaha tilted her head.
“I ran into an urban legend on my way home yesterday.
It took up a lot of my time.” He had no reason to hide it, so he just told them the truth.
“An urban legend?”
His casual comment got everyone’s attention.
Yukino, Eriri, and Megumi all turned to look at him at the same time.
Ren quickly explained what happened at Kisaragi Station, but he left out any mention of Yumiko Miura.
“I see,” Yukino murmured.
“We spent all day searching and found nothing, but you just ran into one on your way home?” Eriri sighed, clearly disappointed they missed it.
“No wonder you look so tired.” Now his exhaustion made sense to them.
While they were talking, Megumi Kato quietly stood up.
She took off her cardigan sweater, folded it neatly, and placed it on the desk right in front of Ren.
“If you sleep on this, it should be a little more comfortable,” she said.
That was just like Megumi.
She always noticed the little things that everyone else missed.
The other three girls, who had just been caught up in the Kisaragi Station story, stared at her in dumb silence.
Ren didn’t hesitate.
He rested his head on the makeshift pillow and sighed.
“That actually feels great.
Thanks, Megumi.”
“You’re welcome.” Megumi shook her head a little.
Seeing him comfortable made her eyes light up with happiness.
She walked back to her seat, ignored the stares from the other girls, took out her book, and started reading as if nothing had happened.
Utaha started tapping her foot again.
‘Dammit.
Why didn’t I think of that?’
This quiet girl was a tough rival.
Yukino reacted the least.
She glanced at Megumi, then looked back at her own book.
But she didn’t turn a single page.
Her mind was clearly elsewhere.
“Trying to track down urban legends based on campus rumors is too slow.
Why don’t we advertise?
If any student runs into a paranormal problem, they can come to the Service Club for help.”
Before anyone could answer, she elaborated.
“If it is just a normal issue, we can solve it ourselves.
But if it involves a real urban legend, we will charge a fee.
After all, we can’t expect our Kouhai to risk his life for free, right?”
Utaha knew Ren lived alone and had money problems.
Giving him cash straight out might hurt his pride.
But letting him earn it himself was the perfect solution.
She turned to him, waiting for his answer…
“Works for me,” Ren said.
He had no reason to say no.
Hunting evil spirits made him stronger, and earning some money was a nice bonus.
As the club president, Yukino gave her approval as well.
“I have no objections.”
She had created the Service Club to help people.
Solving their paranormal problems technically fell right into that category.
“Leave the posters to me!” Eriri raised her hand with excitement.
She finally had a chance to show off her skills.
If she didn’t contribute something soon, she was going to feel like a piece of background furniture.
“Tch.
Just promise you won’t draw anything perverted on it,” Utaha teased.
Eriri was the best artist in the club, but her secret identity as a doujinshi artist made her a massive liability.
“I WOULD NEVER DO THAT!” Eriri shot up from her chair and glared at Utaha, furious that she was bringing that up again.
“What are you talking about, you overgrown cow?”
“Am I making it up?”
Utaha smirked.
Teasing Eriri had basically become her favorite hobby.
“Eri Kashiwagi-sensei?”
“AHHHHHHH!
I TOLD YOU NEVER TO CALL ME THAT!”
Eri Kashiwagi was her pen name.
It was famous in the doujinshi community, but hearing someone say it out loud made Eriri want to die of embarrassment.
“OVERGROWN COW!”
“LOSING BLONDE!”
“FLAT CHEST!”
They were at it again…
Everyone else in the room just ignored them.
By now, they were all used to it.
“I’m home!”
After school, Eriri burst through the front door, called out her greeting, and ran straight to her bedroom.
She grabbed her drawing tablet.
“Just wait, you overgrown cow.
I am going to draw a poster so amazing it will blow your mind!”
She wasn’t going to let Utaha make fun of her artistic skills.
Besides…
“If Ren…”
Just thinking about how great the poster would look made her heart race.
Ren would definitely be impressed when he saw it.
‘Eriri, your art is so beautiful!
You are amazing!’
‘Oh, it wasn’t that big of a deal.
I just did it for the club!’
‘You are incredible, Eriri.
Your art is gorgeous, and you are so cute!’
‘S-Stop it!’
The entire scenario played out perfectly in her imagination.
“Hehehehehe.”
Imagining Ren looking deeply into her eyes, praising her art, and calling her cute made Eriri giggle uncontrollably.
Meanwhile, right outside her bedroom door.
“…” Sayuri Sawamura froze, her hand hovering over the doorknob.
She listened to the strange, almost manic giggling coming from inside the room.
Concern crept over her.
Was Eriri turning into some kind of weirdo?
She only wanted her daughter to be happy, but happiness meant little if Eriri was falling apart.
“I am actually starting to get worried…” Sayuri muttered to herself, slowly pulling her hand back from the door.
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