He came closer to my ears again.
"The best part is that you can do anything you want once you join us."
"Really?"
Would not that really be the answer to a lot of my issues? For example, I could explore my surroundings and learn new things without having to live with that strange family.
I was about to accept his offer when I sensed someone with familiar aura approaching me.
Rika approached me, grabbed my arm, and began to shove me back.
"We will be late for the movie, Izumi."
I glanced at her face, which was filled with concern.
"But—"
"We have to go, sorry."
I began moving with her because it appeared that she knew more about those people in white than I did. I noticed Rika walking at a slightly faster pace.
"Young man, join us and worship our Lord, who can truly make your dreams come a reality."
The middle-aged man shouted.
I turned my head in his direction and noticed that those humans in white were smiling strangely at both me and Rika.
Moving away from them, we headed back to our group.
"Dude, why were you talking with those weirdos?"
"..."
Since Rika and these three human faces gave me the impression that members of that sect were shunned by the general public, I refrained from speaking.
"Are you stupid, Izumi? Didn't Mom and Dad warn us to stay away from cult members? Every normal person is aware that they should avoid cult members."
I looked up at Rika, who was standing beside me, and saw that she was wearing a gloomy expression.
"Sorry, I forgot about that."
"He really forgot something, even a child knows not to forget, lol."
I turned to face the womanizer guy, who was laughing, and the two girls next to him were giving me a disbelieving look.
"Hey, since the movie is about to start, how about we go to the theater?"
Tsurumi said, seemingly attempting to dispel the strange atmosphere.
We set off in the direction of the theater, which Tsurumi estimated to be a minute or two away from our current location.
Rika and I were walking behind Nishida and the other two girls. I made the decision to maintain a certain amount of space between us so that I could observe them, but I did not understand why Rika was going at my speed.
"So, what was it that you and Rika were discussing?"
"She was perplexed and asked why I invited a womanizer like you, to which I replied that I didn't. That guy just followed us around like a dog."
Tsurumi responded to Nishida's question.
"Well, it's because of my blessing."
"Yeah, the stalker's blessing"
"Well, if only that were true, but as you see, my blessing is luck. I was just taking a leisurely stroll when I noticed Tsurumi and you together, and even though neither of you wanted me to join you, I am still here."
Luck as a blessing? How does that even work?
There are many aspects of human blessing that I don't understand. Unlike being possessed by a demon or an angel, human blessings are entirely different. Humans claim that blessings are bestowed by God, but is that really the case? Not even she understood the concept of blessings.
"Maybe it's because of your shamelessness."
"Izumi didn't you promised that you wouldn't cause anymore trouble."
I heard a soft, low voice coming from my left.
Granted, I want to learn more about your world and people, so I won't cause any problems, but I don't think I remember saying anything to her—wait, maybe it was back when I didn't understand their language.
"Sorry, I really forgot to keep my distance from them."
I apologized because I am grateful she intervened and stopped me from causing more problems for myself.
"Next time, stay away from them. Also, as I approached you, I noticed that man was whispering something in your ears."
Should I tell her? Well, it appears that she is more knowledgeable about them.
"They said that joining their sect would change my life or something."
"They make false promises that some people fall for, and that is how they recruit people to join them."
So they were lying. It seems absurd that a demon would be seduced by something so obvious, but then again what if there were a blessed being who could actually change the age of humans?
"They also promised to make me a man."
"...man?"
"So, do you have any idea how they would have made me a man?"
"A-are you messing with me?"
I looked at her and saw a flustered expression on her face, as if she was uncomfortable with what I asked.
"No"
Just as I denied her accusation, she punched me in the stomach again, but with such light force that it did not hurt, and then joined Tsurumi and the others.
"Tsurumi, what movie are we watching?"
"Oh, Kaena, have you finished talking?"
"Yeah"
"What were you guys talking about, Rika?"
"I don't want pigs like him to address me by my first name, so Tsurumi, tell this womanizer to stop talking to me."
"Scary"
Their useless conversation continued, and the girls ganged up on Nishida, badmouthing him in the worst way possible, but for some reason, that guy appeared to be enjoying it.
I did not bring my wallet with money, so when we got to the theater, Rika got us both movie tickets and some popcorn.
My eyes went to the movie poster, which showed a woman clutching a cucumber with a face.
"What's the move name, Tsurumi?"
" it's 'Cucumber in love'."
"..."
I had no idea that cucumbers could speak.
We moved towards our seats and sat. Nishida was seated on the right side, behind Tsurumi, followed by Rika, and I was positioned in between Rika and Myoga (the girl who detested me for some reason).
"Don't even think about bending over on my side."
"Ok"
For what reason would I even tilt toward you?
As I turned to face the other chairs, I saw that most of them were occupied. Tsurumi claimed that the film was a psychological tragedy that was also very well-liked.
Once the film began, I recalled that I had visited a theater twice before, the first time being with Ruji—wait, was that Ruhi? Yes, Ruhi took me to one of these movie theaters where we saw the film "In love with a Psychic," which I thought was okay.
"Kyaa!"
"Rick, what happened?"
"I-I was licking the cucumber, it began to speak and asked to be licked a little bit on the lower side."
"Are you high? How could a cucumber speak? Moreover, why were you yelling like a female?"
"No, really, it just started talking—"
"Wait, you mentioned that you were licking a cucumber."
"..."
"..."
"Nah, bro, I am leaving."
"Wait, there is a reason!"
"Then explain to me why?"
"..."
"..."
"Haha"
When I turned around, I saw that others were laughing, but I could not figure out what was funny about it.
"What's so funny about that?"
Myoga, who was seated to my right, spoke up. I turned to face her, and she looked bored.
I assumed I was the only one who could not laugh at it.
She noticed my eyes focusing on her.
"What?"
"I, too, didn't find it laughable."
"Hmm"
With that, she turned back to the movie.
In the narrative, the main character has the ability to communicate with objects for unknown reasons. These objects inform him about events that will occur soon, and he teams up with a cucumber to protect himself from these events.
Near the end of the film, it was revealed that the main character had been in an accident that caused him to experience hallucinations and hear voices from objects around him. However, this was only because he was a psychic, and the accident had activated his power.
In the epilogue, after slipping on a banana peel on the way, the main character sits on the cucumber and crushes it.
"That was good."
"Yeah, way better than the recent Karvel films."
I noticed a strange woman sitting by herself on the seat next to us while we were in a cake shop. For some reason, she was talking to herself while wearing clothing that covered her neck.
How difficult is it for humans to notice that? She is being taken over by a demon.