Fujiwara Ai walked to the shoe locker, changed his shoes, and was just about to open his umbrella and step into the rain curtain when the System’s notification sounded again.
[Detected that the task has not been fully completed.]
“Tsk.”
Fujiwara Ai clicked his tongue inwardly.
He stopped and glanced back.
Yotsuya Miko was standing under the eaves at the entrance of the teaching building, looking worriedly at the pouring rain outside.
Although that Malevolent Spirit had fled, more distorted black shadows were vaguely flickering within the rain curtain.
Fujiwara Ai sighed, turned, and walked back.
Seeing Fujiwara Ai return, a trace of panic flashed in Yotsuya Miko’s eyes: “Fu… Fujiwara-san?”
Fujiwara Ai did not speak.
A few seconds later, he handed over the long black umbrella he was holding.
“Take it.”
Short and concise.
Yotsuya Miko was stunned: “Eh? But… if you give it to me, Fujiwara-san, what about you?”
Fujiwara Ai directly placed the umbrella handle into Yotsuya Miko’s hand.
When his fingertips brushed the back of the girl’s cool hand, both of them subtly flinched.
It was a strange sensation.
The girl’s skin was delicate but cold, while the young man’s fingers were long and warm.
“You need it more than I do.”
Fujiwara Ai’s voice was exceptionally clear amid the sound of the rain, yet it carried a cold indifference that kept people at a distance.
“Ah… wait…”
Yotsuya Miko subconsciously reached out, but the figure had already swiftly disappeared around the nearby corner.
The black umbrella handle tightly held in her hand still carried the young man’s body heat, becoming the only source of warmth on this cold, rainy day.
Yotsuya Miko stood dumbfounded.
The nauseating, sewer-sludge stench around her seemed to have faded.
The distorted black shadows seemed wary of the lingering scent on the umbrella and dared not approach.
It was like…
some kind of talisman…
On the other side, Fujiwara Ai returned to his apartment.
“System, settle the task.”
[Ding! Task “Helping Hand in the Rain” completed.]
[Reward Issued: Charm +1 (Injecting…), Random Life Skill Book x1.]
As the System notification faded, Fujiwara Ai felt a faint but continuous warm current surge from his heart.
It wasn’t the instant marrow cleansing described in novels, but a very slow, nourishing sensation.
[Hint: The increase in Charm value will slowly modify the host’s skin texture and micro-expression management within 48 hours. Please wait patiently.]
Fujiwara Ai looked in the mirror.
He looked no different than before, just slightly messy from the rain.
“Looks like it’s not an instant facelift cheat,” he chuckled self-deprecatingly.
Then, he activated the Random Skill Book.
[Congratulations, host, you have acquired the skill: God-Tier Cooking (Home Cooking)]
[Source: Food Wars World]
[Description: Although you cannot create dishes that make people explode their clothes and glow, every home-cooked meal you make will possess the magic to capture people’s stomachs.]
Fujiwara Ai gave it a simple test, making scrambled eggs with scallions using the leftover eggs in the refrigerator.
The taste was indeed good, far better than takeout.
The next morning.
When Fujiwara Ai woke up, he felt his body was slightly lighter than usual.
He walked to the mirror and examined himself closely.
No drastic change had occurred.
His slightly dull complexion had brightened just a bit, making him look less “depressed.” His dark circles had faded slightly, making his dead fish eyes appear a little more energetic.
If he was a “gloomy passerby” yesterday, today he had probably evolved into a “relatively clean gloomy passerby.”
Charm Value: 71.
The change was subtle, impossible to notice without close observation.
“Not bad. At least I didn’t turn into a sissy.”
Changing into the black stand-collar uniform of Sobu High School, Fujiwara Ai slung his bag on his back and left.
Arriving at school, he walked into class 2-f.
Everything was normal; no one paid him special attention.
After all, a Charm value of 71 was not enough to cause a stir.
However, as he passed Yotsuya Miko’s seat, the girl, who had been keeping her head down, suddenly stood up.
“Um… Fujiwara-san!”
Yotsuya Miko looked much better today.
She nervously clutched the umbrella and handed it over with both hands, her cheeks slightly flushed.
“Th-this, here you go! Thank you so much for yesterday!”
Fujiwara Ai stopped and tilted his head to look at her.
Yotsuya Miko felt her heart skip a beat.
She didn’t know if it was her imagination, but Fujiwara-san today looked…
slightly more appealing?
And when he was close, the faint scent of laundry detergent instinctively gave her a comfortable feeling called “safety.”
“Mhm.”
Fujiwara Ai reached out and took the umbrella.
Their fingertips touched again.
Yotsuya Miko retracted her hand as if shocked, her earlobes turning red.
Just then.
[Ding! Emergency Side Task Triggered!]
[Task Name: Invisible Prank]
[Description: A Earthbound spirit is lurking in the aisle, preparing to trip Yotsuya Miko.]
Fujiwara Ai’s eyes narrowed.
In his vision, a small ghost consisting only of an upper body was lying on the floor, its tongue stretched out across Yotsuya Miko’s path.
The shy Yotsuya Miko was about to sit down, completely unaware of what was at her feet.
“Ah!”
Yotsuya Miko stumbled, lost her balance, and was about to hit the corner of the nearby desk.
In the nick of time, a hand reached out steadily.
Fujiwara Ai stepped forward, his left hand accurately wrapping around Yotsuya Miko’s waist, his right hand bracing against the desk.
(Both are adults)
“Thump.”
The girl’s soft body crashed into his embrace.
Time seemed to stand still.
Yotsuya Miko opened her eyes, still shaken, and saw the clean white collar of the young man’s shirt and the clear line of his collarbone.
They were extremely close—so close that she could smell the cool, clean scent of Fujiwara Ai.
In her shock, this scent wrapped around her like a sedative.
The warmth radiating from his hand on her waist was astonishingly hot.
Fujiwara Ai looked down at the girl in his arms.
Although his expression remained indifferent, his arm held her securely.
The Earthbound spirit, sensing some kind of suppression the moment Fujiwara Ai approached, shrieked and dissipated.
“Be careful.”
Fujiwara Ai’s voice sounded above Yotsuya Miko’s head, deep and calm.
The airflow brushed past her ear, causing a tingle.
Yotsuya Miko’s mind went blank.
Was this…
Fujiwara-san’s embrace?
There was none of that chilling fear; instead…
it was warm, making her almost want to…
stay nestled here forever?
“S-sorry!”
Realizing what happened, Yotsuya Miko’s face was beet red.
She scrambled out of his embrace and plopped down onto her chair, burying her head in her arms like an ostrich.
Fujiwara Ai withdrew his hand, his fingertips seemingly retaining the astonishing soft feel of the girl’s waist.
He stood up casually, ignored the envious, jealous, and hateful stares of the surrounding boys, and calmly walked back to his own seat.
[Ding! Task completed.]
[Yotsuya Miko Affection +10 (Current Affection: 25 Slightly Dependent Acquaintance).]
[Reward: Charm +1 (Stacking, effect will manifest tomorrow morning).]
Fujiwara Ai sat in his seat, resting his chin on one hand, and looked out the window again.
He looked steady as an old dog on the surface, but internally he was complaining wildly:
‘Can we have fewer of these socially embarrassing scenes in the future?
My poker face is about to break!’
Meanwhile, in the front row, Yotsuya Miko, with her head still bowed, secretly lifted her gaze slightly, peeking at the figure looking out the window.
Her heart was still pounding uncontrollably.