"Tsk, did they already got suspicious?"
Hayasaka could easily sense the secretive glances aimed at her, but her face remained impassive, betraying no acknowledgment of them.
Last night's actions were done entirely in disguise. As long as she didn't confess, it would remain mere suspicion.
And why wouldn't she admit to it?
As a spy, it's completely normal to have multiple backup identities, right? A good spy never reveals their true self.
Amamiya headed over to the refrigerator and asked Kaguya, "What would you like to drink?"
"...A small soda," Kaguya blurted out.
The memory of the soda she had at the zoo still lingered fresh in her mind. She hadn't forgotten it.
"Eh?" Chika tilted her head, surprised. "Why would Kaguya-chan want soda?"
"We went to the zoo a few days ago and bumped into Shinomiya-san," Umi explained, placing her hand on her hip. "I remember she was drinking soda with alcohol in it. Oh, and that was when we got the notification about triggering the large-scale dungeon event, 'Zoo Tales'..."
"Ah, right," Chika nodded. "I need to go to the zoo myself to get qualified for that event. Without me around, Amamiya-kun probably couldn't handle it on his own."
"…"
As the two girls whispered to each other, Amamiya interjected, "We don't have soda at home, but there's something similar."
He pulled out a can of Coca-Cola and held it up to Kaguya. "Ever tried this?"
Kaguya stayed silent.
"So, you haven't," Amamiya said, handing her the Coke. "A life without Coca-Cola is an incomplete life."
"It's not 'that' dramatic," Kaguya muttered.
She glanced up at him, her lips forming a slight pout as she took the can. The game they were involved in was undoubtedly dangerous. There was no certainty they'd make it through, and anything could happen before tomorrow.
Because of this uncertainty, Kaguya wanted to experience new things she hadn't before.
Amamiya stood beside her, instructing, "Hook your finger under the tab and pull it up."
"I'm not a child!" Kaguya puffed her cheeks slightly.
Sure, she'd never drunk Coke before, but she wasn't clueless. She had seen others drink it and didn't need step-by-step instructions.
"Not a child?" Amamiya's gaze slid downward, landing on the expanse of Kaguya's chest.
Slowly, Kaguya tilted her head, a dark mist forming in her wine-red eyes. A sweet yet dangerous smile curled at her lips. "Where are you looking?"
"My deepest apologies, my lady. I was wrong."
"Hump."
Kaguya pulled the tab and opened the can. She raised her face and took a sip of the ice-cold cola, feeling countless tiny bubbles burst across her taste buds. The sensation was thrilling and entirely new.
'Ah, I see.'
No wonder Coca-Cola was the world's best-selling drink—it certainly had something special.
"How does it taste?" Amamiya asked with a smile.
Kaguya turned her head slightly, avoiding his gaze, and replied softly, "...It's good."
"…"
After a brief exchange, Kaguya glanced at Hayasaka, who stood silently beside her, and said in a calm tone, "Hayasaka, go to the convenience store and pick up a few things."
"Yes, Miss," Hayasaka replied with a slight bow, understanding the underlying message.
Clearly, there was something going on that they didn't want her to know—most likely something related to the game.
Once Hayasaka left, the group immediately shifted their focus to the matter at hand.
"Now that Chika is back, it's time to deal with the evil spirit," Kaguya began. "We can't keep putting it off."
"Agreed," Umi added, crossing her arms. "Golden Week only comes once a year. I was planning on going out, but now I'm stuck here. What a waste."
"And there are only three Golden Weeks during high school."
You're thinking too far ahead! If we're unlucky and get caught up in this horror game, who knows if we'll even see next year's Golden Week!
Amamiya's expression turned serious. "The problem now is that the evil spirit is being cautious. It hasn't attacked yet."
It had already been three days since they started "living together". During that time, they'd only encountered the Grim Reaper evil spirit once—the burnt corner of its black robe served as proof. Since then, the Reaper had not made another appearance.
Maybe it had given up on Umi.
Or perhaps it was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike like a venomous snake.
They still didn't know whether the danger had truly passed.
"I have an idea," Chika said, raising her hand.
"What's your plan?"
"It's simple." Chika raised her chin confidently. "Let Umi-chan go out alone as bait, and we'll secretly follow…"
"So, it's basically a stalking tactic," Amamiya interrupted.
"It's 'not' stalking!" Chika's voice rose defensively. "It's a bait strategy, okay?"
The plan was to use Umi as bait to lure the Grim Reaper out, while Amamiya and Chika waited in hiding, ready to ambush the evil spirit.
"Bait strategy…" Kaguya frowned slightly, absentmindedly stroking the Coke can in her hands. "There are too many unknowns."
They didn't fully understand how the Grim Reaper attacked. What if it could kill in one strike?
If the bait was taken out in one blow, defeating the spirit afterward would be pointless.
"It's fine. I'll stay at Amamiya-kun's place for now," Umi said nonchalantly, stretching her arms. "The blind box said anything is possible, right? Maybe I'll unlock a super powerful ability later and crush that annoying evil spirit."
Kaguya's lips parted slightly.
'Absolutely not.'
What's the difference between a girl staying at a boy's house and practically living together?
No, they needed to deal with this evil spirit as quickly as possible and send Umi back to her own home.
"Speaking of which, we haven't opened today's blind box yet," Chika suddenly exclaimed, slapping her forehead. "Let's open it together—maybe we'll get a powerful skill or item."
"Let's flip a coin first," Umi said, turning toward Amamiya. "If it lands on heads, we'll open the blind box. If it's tails, then we won't bother."
"Here."
Amamiya pulled out the fateful coin.
"A coin?" Kaguya tilted her head in confusion.
"This is an item we got from the hide-and-seek game last night," Umi explained, holding it up. "Want to give it a try, Shinomiya-san?"
"I see." Kaguya glanced at the silver coin's properties and then shook her head slightly. "You two can toss it."
She wasn't interested in a game of chance where luck decided everything and she had no control.
"Wait a second," Umi's eyes lit up suddenly. "Amamiya-kun hasn't tossed the coin yet. Now it's your turn."
Amamiya looked at the coin with a complicated expression. "You really want me to toss it?"
"Exactly!" Chika chimed in cheerfully. "Umi-chan and I can't be the only ones suffering."
"Fine, I'll toss it."
Amamiya took the silver coin, and a prompt quietly appeared before him:
[Your fortune has been charged. It's time to prove your protagonist's bloodline!]