"Pants... c-cough!" Chika quickly covered her mouth, gesturing for him to go. "Just head back to the restroom and check by yourself, quickly!"
"If you hadn't all called me out, I'd already be done with my self-exam," Amamiya muttered, turning around to head back to the restroom.
Not long after, Umi, sounding anxious, called out from outside, "Amamiya-kun, have you found the product code yet?"
"No."
"…"
A bit more time passed.
"Did you find it now?" Chika asked in a hushed voice.
"Still nothing." Amamiya's voice echoed from the restroom. "I don't think it's on my legs either."
"How can that be? There's clearly no product code on the upper body," Umi frowned, placing her hand on her hip as she made a quick decision. "I'm going in to help."
Miss Ghost spoke up instinctively, "But... that's the men's restroom."
"That doesn't matter. Finding the product code is more important."
"…"
Umi, never one to hesitate once she made up her mind, sprang into action.
"Mind if I come in?" she asked, pushing her phone light into the bathroom first. Spotting Amamiya still in his shorts, she immediately entered.
When she says she'll go, she means it—this wasn't just talk.
"Umi-chan actually went in…" Chika's eyes widened. "She's really brave."
But the next moment, out of the corner of her eye, Chika noticed someone else quietly approaching the restroom.
"Kaguya-chan?" Chika asked, startled. "What are you doing?"
With a determined expression, Kaguya replied coldly, "I'm going in to help."
Umi's already inside; how could I just stand out here listening to all this? No, absolutely not. I won't fall behind! If someone else is already helping, then I'll be even more helpful. I'll find that code before Umi does!
Seeing Kaguya stride in resolutely, Chika felt compelled to join. She raised her hand. "Then I'll go too. More eyes can only help!"
"…"
Hayasaka, remaining silent, followed with her tablet, monitoring the mall as she moved.
As Kaguya and the others entered, the night outside seemed to darken ominously.
Meanwhile, the other three onlookers exchanged glances. The girl with glasses whispered, "Should we go in too?"
"Um…" the middle schooler hesitated. "But it's the men's restroom…"
"Now isn't the time to be shy." The girl with glasses leaned in, whispering knowingly, "We're just tagging along with them for protection. Even if we can't help, showing support is what matters most. Otherwise, we might get left behind."
"I… I understand." Junior high schooler Kujo nodded quickly. Compared to the dangers in the Midnight Mall, just stepping into the restroom was nothing she couldn't handle.
Starting with Umi, the others followed suit into the restroom.
Amamiya looked at them, expressionless.
"Aren't there a few too many of you in here?"
"It's fine," Chika replied. "More people means more power."
There may not have been any actual "power," but there was certainly a rise in embarrassment!
If this were a scene from an otome game, the story would definitely turn disastrous.
A lone boy walks into the restroom late at night, only to be followed by a determined gyaru and a group of curious girls. His desperate calls for help go unanswered, and by morning, he'd be left as nothing but a drained, exhausted shell of his former self!
"Tsk," Hayasaka pushed her glasses up, her gaze landing on the waistband of Amamiya's shorts. She quietly scoffed.
The color and style seemed familiar—exactly like the ones she'd seen before.
Do boys really not care about the color and style of their underwear?
Umi looked around with her hands behind her back, her curiosity evident.
"So, this is what a men's restroom looks like. My first time seeing it."
"It's no different from the women's restroom," Chika nodded in agreement. "Apart from the fixtures along the wall, everything else is the same."
The junior high girl, Kujo, flushed red and covered her chest as she glanced around the men's restroom, feeling both curious and shy.
Meanwhile, the ever-unpredictable silver-haired girl, Reina, had already wandered over to the urinal, seemingly studying its design.
"Aharen, don't look so close!" The girl with glasses hurriedly pulled her back. "That's unsanitary!"
"…"
Watching the bustling restroom scene, Amamiya sighed, rubbing his forehead.
"Are you all here to help or just to sightsee?"
Kaguya stepped forward, folding her arms.
"Could the product code be on the sole of your foot?"
Amamiya noted her calm expression, though her reddening ears gave her away.
"I checked there already. There's nothing."
"Check again," she insisted.
"…"
Several of the girls gathered around him to continue searching.
"No mark above the thigh."
"Nothing on the sole of the foot either."
"How can there be no mark at all?"
Miss Ghost spoke up from the side, "…Perhaps there's one place left unchecked."
"…"
Hayasaka's gaze shifted downward, stopping at Amamiya's shorts.
The realization dawned on the others.
The air grew heavy with silence.
The girls exchanged glances, but no one spoke. Even Umi, usually so bold, wore an uncharacteristically hesitant expression.
Not good, not good, not good.
Could it really be… in his shorts?
How could anyone even suggest helping with a place like that?
If it were just her and Amamiya, maybe Umi could manage it with a bit of nerve. But with everyone present, it seemed out of the question.
In the quiet moment, one of the girls suddenly raised her hand.
The group turned to her in surprise, including Amamiya.
For a moment, it seemed as if the quiet Aharen, a silver-haired girl, was about to volunteer!
Chika gasped, "Aharen-san, what are you doing?"
"…"
Aharen tilted her small face up, her soft pink lips moving soundlessly.
Someone had stepped forward first!
Kaguya's dark hair trembled slightly as she bit her lip, feeling her heart race. Determined, she raised her own hand as well.
If someone else could volunteer, so could she. She wouldn't let herself be outdone!
"Wait." Amamiya's attention shifted, and he squatted down, leaning toward the silver-haired girl to listen closely.
"Your eyes." Aharen raised her hand to her mouth, her breath warm as she whispered, "I saw something in your eyes before."
"What, in his eyes?" Umi crouched, resting her hands on her knees as she leaned in to listen. "Let me see."
Amamiya stood up, locking eyes with Umi.
The energetic gyaru stood on tiptoes, her gaze intent.
"Stare—"
Their eyes met.
"I see it!" Umi beamed in surprise. "It's definitely in his eyes!"