Chapter 003: The Blond Youth
Ever since being dragged into this supernatural game, Ai Hoshino's nerves had been on edge. Paranoia gripped her, and aside from Lin Ye, who gave her a sense of security, everything else felt immensely dangerous.
This was a place where one wrong move could lead to encountering something horrific and potentially losing her life.
Moments ago, she and Lin Ye had wandered the streets for ages without seeing a single soul. Now, they were inside the eerie Romantic Love Hotel, having just finished reading the rules, and already footsteps could be heard from the entrance. There was definitely something wrong with this situation.
With a swish, Ai Hoshino moved to Lin Ye's other side, clinging tightly to him. Her hands gripped his shirt hem desperately, and her bright, fear-filled eyes avoided the doorway yet couldn't resist the urge to glance in that direction.
Lin Ye shared a similar sentiment. His instincts screamed that the source of the footsteps wasn't friendly.
The likelihood of it being something supernatural was high.
He raised his eyes, ready to activate his abilities at a moment's notice.
Two figures emerged into the lobby, one slightly ahead of the other.
The first was a middle-aged man dressed in a black suit. He had a slightly balding head and a small belly, embodying the stereotypical greasy middle-aged appearance.
Following closely was a young woman with shoulder-length black hair. She wore a beige long dress and a black ladies' hat. She looked about twenty, exuding the air of someone just starting their adult life and retaining a hint of youthful innocence.
The middle-aged man's eyes lit up upon seeing Lin Ye and Ai Hoshino, and he walked toward them quickly.
"Finally, other people! Do you know what's going on here? Why did Tokyo suddenly get so foggy? No matter how much we walked, this was the only hotel we could find"
"Stop right there," Lin Ye interrupted with a stern command.
"What kind of attitude is that, kid?"
In an instant, Lin Ye's expression turned sharp, his tall and strong posture exuding an imposing aura.
Although he wasn't a trained fighter, his youth, height, and the confidence stemming from his time-stopping ability were enough to intimidate.
The middle-aged man's excitement froze as a chill ran down his spine, causing him to halt.
Meanwhile, the black-haired woman beside him momentarily showed a flicker of interest in her eyes as she studied Lin Ye.
"Hey, handsome, do you know what's going on here?"
Ding-dong...
"Welcome."
The hotel's mechanical voice echoed once more as a young man and woman stepped inside, shoulder to shoulder.
"So there are people in the hotel! I was so scared it'd be completely deserted and creepy!" the young man said, his previously nervous tone now tinged with relief. His comfort seemed to put the girl beside him at ease as well.
The young man had dyed blond hair and appeared to be around 16 or 17 years old. He wore a black and gray short-sleeve shirt and beige sweatpants.
Beside him was a girl with chestnut-colored twin-tails. She was dressed in a green patterned off-shoulder top and brown shorts, exuding a pure and cute charm. However, her bright eyes reflected faint unease.
Their arrival shifted the focus of the room.
"What's going on, what's going on..."
Suddenly, the blond-haired boy froze, his expression turning to shock. Raising his hand, he pointed
"You! You're Ai Hoshino! It's Ai-chan!"
Ai Hoshino was stunned as the blond youth dashed toward her. Lin Ye, however, immediately stepped in front of her, blocking the boy's path.
"Ah, sorry, sorry! I got too excited seeing Ai-chan. I'm a fan! I even went to a B Komachi concert in Sakakino City once."
"Half a year ago, in Sakakino City?"
Ai Hoshino recalled that event.
"Mm-hmm, it's been six months. Back then, my friend and I went to Ai-chan's concert together it was absolutely amazing. I never expected to meet you here, Ai-chan!"
At that moment, the young man seemed to remember something and immediately added,
"Ah, sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Taisuke Zenaga, a student from Sakaki Academy, and a loyal fan of both B-Komachi and Ai-chan. Hehe."
"Hello, Zenaga-san,"
However, Hoshino Ai noticed a change in Lin Ye's expression.
Could it be he didn't like her talking to other men? Or did he sense something strange and dangerous about this guy?
Unconsciously, Hoshino Ai began to observe and think more closely.
Meanwhile, Lin Ye's thoughts drifted to a particular work a series called School Days.
The school name and setting matched. Could this really just be a coincidence?
"She's…" Lin Ye asked.
"She's my classmate, Hikari Kuroda. We go to the same school, Sakaki Academy. We ran into each other at the mall earlier, and on the way back, we stumbled into the mist. Eventually… we found this hotel here,"
Lin Ye's suspicions solidified.
It's really like School Days. If Kotoha exists here, then surely so does Kotonoha, right?
"Which mall were you at?"
Faced with Lin Ye's probing, Taisuke Zenaga seemed a little uncomfortable but didn't refuse to answer.
"The mall three kilometers from Sakaki Academy."
Sakaki City.
Lin Ye exchanged a glance with Hoshino Ai.
This was definitely a bizarre event. People from different places had entered the mist in a short time and ended up here. It had to mean they were chosen by the "Eerie Game."
"Hey, hey! No matter what's going on here, I'm the elder here! You kids better stop ignoring me and tell me what's going on! Why can't we get out? Why is there a hotel here?"
Suddenly, the middle-aged man grew furious. Being disregarded by a group of young students wounded his sense of authority.
"Quiet,"
"You…"
Swish!
In an instant,
The middle-aged man saw the young man's figure flash before his eyes. A sharp pain struck his abdomen, and he let out a hoarse cry of agony.
"I don't really like violence, but I think the best way to calm you down right now is with my fist,"
Lin Ye's calm words silenced everyone present.
"I'll only say this once: unless I'm mistaken, we've been chosen to enter the 'Eerie Game.'"
The middle-aged man looked utterly baffled, but the woman with shoulder-length black hair suddenly turned pale, her expression growing increasingly uneasy.
"No, no way! How could we…?"
The brunette with twin tails, Hikari Kuroda, looked just as terrified.
"This is just an urban legend, isn't it? It's not real!"
But now, faced with the bizarre reality before them, they began to accept it, even if only partially.
"What is this 'Eerie Game'? What does it mean?"
Soon,
With Hoshino Ai's explanation and Kuroda's additional details, the others had a rough understanding of what the "Eerie Game" was.
The balding middle-aged man couldn't maintain his composure, his legs trembling.
Blond-haired Taisuke fared no better.
Lin Ye kept observing the reactions of the four.
Was one of them an embodiment of the eerie phenomenon? Or could it be… all four were?
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