Chapter 538: Successfully Grabbing an Arm
As the "clang clang" sound of the roller coaster coming to a stop echoed, the ride came to a smooth halt.
Iroha's face was slightly pale, but there was a rosy tint to her cheeks, and her eyes still held a trace of excitement. It seemed she was a bit scared but mostly thrilled by the roller coaster.
"Wow, that was so exhilarating, Senpai," she said excitedly as she stepped off the ride.
"Yeah, yeah, it was all right," Hachiman replied dismissively, waving his hand.
"Geez, you always act like this, Senpai," Iroha pouted, clearly a bit annoyed.
"Didn't you feel even a little excitement or fear?"
Excitement? Fear?
Sorry, neither of those applied to him. Excitement was simply about seeking the thrill of the roller coaster's high speed. As for fear, that was just the concern of being flung off due to the ride's velocity.
But Hachiman didn't experience either.
Thanks to his powers of light and darkness, he could form wings on his back, meaning he could fly if needed. So, there was no worry about falling from heights.
And even if he didn't have wings, with his current physique, even a fall wouldn't faze him—he'd just dust himself off and stand up unharmed.
So, excitement or fear? Hachiman truly felt none.
"Fine, then let's try something else!" Iroha declared with a determined look. "Today, I'm going to make you feel excitement or fear, one way or another."
"Oh? Then I'll be waiting to see what you come up with."
Hachiman's curiosity was piqued, and he wondered if she could manage it.
Seeing his reaction, Iroha puffed up her cheeks and took his hand, leading him to the next attraction.
Before long, they stopped in front of something.
Hachiman's lips twitched as he looked at the structure.
It was a dilapidated medieval castle with a rusty iron gate, ivy crawling up the cracked stone walls, and a weathered wooden door that seemed to swallow any who dared to enter.
Yes, they were standing in front of a haunted house.
Hachiman sighed. "A haunted house? Why do you like this kind of thing?"
"Hmph, if we're going for thrills, we have to go all out," Iroha huffed lightly. "Besides, I have to make sure you feel excitement or fear, so of course we're doing this!"
Haunted houses were practically a staple for dating couples, as they often led to plenty of screams—from both guys and girls. Whether the screams were genuine or just for effect was anyone's guess.
Just in front of Hachiman was a couple, with the girl clinging tightly to her boyfriend's arm, whispering, "I'm so scared; you have to protect me."
Though Iroha said she was scared, her face showed no signs of fear; instead, it was filled with excitement and anticipation.
Wait a minute—does she actually plan to do something in the haunted house?
"…"
Soon, as the line moved, it was finally Hachiman and Iroha's turn.
As they entered, the lighting dimmed, and it felt like the temperature dropped a few degrees.
Since the haunted house had a medieval castle theme, they were greeted by a vast, eerie hall just inside the doors. The dark red carpet beneath their feet looked strangely ominous.
In the center of the room was a dining table draped with a tattered white cloth, smeared with what seemed to be dried bloodstains.
The candlesticks on the table were dripping wax as though recently extinguished.
Suddenly, a chill swept through, causing the white curtains to flutter, and the wooden windows to creak and groan.
At that moment, a scream echoed through the room.
"Ahhh~~!"
It was clearly from the couple who had gone in before them.
Hearing the scream, Iroha turned to Hachiman. "So, Senpai, are you scared?"
"Worry about yourself first," Hachiman replied, chuckling as he tapped her on the forehead. "Try not to cry from fright."
"Hey, wait up, Senpai!"
Seeing Hachiman walk off, Iroha hurried to catch up. That scream earlier had actually spooked her a bit.
She crept forward cautiously, fearful that something might suddenly jump out.
In contrast, Hachiman strode ahead unbothered, forcing Iroha to quicken her steps just to keep up.
The haunted house was packed with terrifying details: vampires, zombies, werewolves, and Frankenstein-like creatures—classic Western horror figures, though all obviously played by actors.
Moving quickly, they eventually caught up with the couple ahead of them.
But just then, the couple, chased by a ghostly figure resembling Sadako, ran straight toward Hachiman and Iroha in a panic.
And as luck would have it, the pair accidentally bumped into Iroha, causing her to stumble and fall directly into Hachiman's arms.
Supporting the girl in his arms, Hachiman asked with concern, "Iroha, are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"
Hearing the worry in his voice, Iroha felt a bit happy and shook her head.
"I'm fine, Senpai."
"Good, let's keep going."
Relieved that she was uninjured, Hachiman was about to let go when he suddenly felt Iroha wrap her arms around his entire arm, pulling it close to her.
After doing this, she looked up with an innocent, silly smile. "Ehehe… Senpai, let's keep going like this."
Seeing her clingy expression, Hachiman sighed but didn't stop her, simply letting her hold onto his arm.
"Let's go."
"Mm-hmm!"
…
They continued through the haunted house, encountering several more "monsters" along the way.
But with Hachiman's arm in her grasp, Iroha completely ignored all the spooky surroundings.
Ehehe… With Senpai by my side, I'm not scared at all. So warm, so comfortable…
Because of the holy light within him, combined with his high-level physique, Hachiman's body was always at an ideal temperature. For Iroha, holding his arm was like hugging a warm heater—comforting and cozy.
Slowly, she rested her head on his arm, fully immersed in her own world, moving only as Hachiman led her forward.
Though they encountered plenty of spooky figures along the way, neither of them paid any attention—one didn't care, and the other was too distracted.
The haunted house was fairly large, but no matter how big, they eventually reached the exit.
Hachiman led Iroha out of the haunted house.
Noticing that Iroha was still holding his arm, Hachiman gently tapped her head. "Alright, we're outside now."
Iroha looked around, confused, and only then realized they'd exited. "Huh, we're out already?"
"Of course, we walked through the whole haunted house," Hachiman chuckled.
"Oh, I see… alright then…"
Reluctantly, Iroha released his arm.
Hachiman couldn't help but smile at the sight.
"If you like holding on that much, you can keep doing it."
"Really?"
Iroha's eyes sparkled. "I can keep holding on?"
Given Hachiman's usual attitude, he wasn't a fan of her being so close, so his offer surprised her.
"Of course. Do you think I'd lie to you about something like this?" he said, rolling his eyes and extending his arm again. "So, want to hold it or not? If not, I'm taking it back."
"Yes, yes, I want to hold it!"
With that, Iroha immediately clung to his arm again, as if afraid he might change his mind.
Hugging Hachiman's arm again, Iroha beamed with a bright smile.
"Let's go, Senpai. On to the next ride!"
Hachiman didn't refuse and nodded.
"Sure, let's go."
…
The two continued exploring the amusement park.
They rode the log flume, the swinging pirate ship, the spinning coffee cups, the Ferris wheel…
They tried everything, and throughout it all, Iroha kept holding onto Hachiman's arm, looking completely content. It seemed as though, as long as she could stay close to him, what they did hardly mattered.
Before they knew it, it was almost 5 p.m.
Noticing the time, Hachiman turned to Iroha, who was still clutching his arm. "Alright, time to head back."
"Huh? So early?" Iroha protested reluctantly.
Hachiman rolled his eyes. "Early? It's nearly five. If we wait any longer, it'll be hard to head home. Or are you planning on staying overnight at a hotel with me?"
"Stay… at a hotel…"
Iroha froze, her face turning a shade of pink.
"Staying overnight is too soon; I'm not ready for that yet."
"Exactly, which is why it's time to head back," Hachiman said, tapping her forehead.
With a reluctant nod, Iroha finally agreed. "Alright… fine."
They exited the park and boarded the train heading home, with Iroha getting off a couple of stops before Hachiman.
Standing outside the train, she waved at him. "See you at school on Monday, Senpai!"
"Yeah, see you at school."
As the doors closed, Iroha's face lit up with joy. She pumped her fist in the air, determined.
You've got this, Iroha! You're one step closer to winning over Hachiman-senpai. This is just the beginning of your success.
Keep it up—you're the strongest underclassman!
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