The mont gumi spoke, Haru picked up on the faint nervousness hidden in her voice through his [Perception] skill.
Turning around as he twisted open a bottle cap, he said casually,
"You still have sothing left to buy, right? Perfect we can go together."
It was exactly the answer gumi had been hoping for.
She nodded, almost like she was talking to herself.
"I thought you might turn down."
"I'm out shopping anyway. No reason to refuse," Haru replied.
But as gumi watched him wash his hands, she added softly,
"Valentine's Day just ended. I'm surprised Yukinoshita and Senpai were willing to let you go."
Haru's face didn't change, but inside, he was taken aback.
So… she's already certain about my relationship with Yukino and Utaha?
He rembered Yukino ntioning sothing along those lines before, and Utaha had shown hints of being bothered as well. Yet Yukino had stayed so composed throughout that Haru had assud the girls had already talked it out—or at least had so kind of plan.
Either way, there was no way he could admit to their little "three-player co-op."
So he deliberately shifted his tone, joking:
"What if I suddenly change my mind, go find them, and leave you to shop alone? Would you be mad?"
gumi shook her head.
"No. If you'd rather be with them, that would be normal. I wouldn't be angry… just curious about what you'd all end up doing together."
Her voice was calm, but her eyes told a different story.
"…If you could, please work on keeping your expression under control, Kato."
"Sorry."
She turned her head, rubbed her face to relax her muscles, and when she looked back, she had her usual serene and gentle look again.
Haru couldn't help teasing,
"Was that a manual reset? Your 'face-switching' technique isn't automatic?"
"Manual reset? That's an interesting way to put it. I suppose Yukinoshita and Utaha-senpai are both 'automatic,' which is why they've gotten so much of your attention?"
"…Quick on the uptake, aren't you? Impressive."
"Thank you," gumi replied softly.
She always seed able to find the right words to disarm him.
By the ti Haru finished washing his hands, the driver who had tactfully waited far away by the convenience store entrance finally returned.
For him, the job was simple: handle Haru's transportation, nothing more. The Amamiya family paid him well, and his contract was strict. He knew better than to ddle. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the NovєlFіre
The mont he had sensed things turning even vaguely "intimate" earlier, he'd imdiately found an excuse to step out. And now that Haru had told him he and gumi would shop on their own, the driver readily agreed without hesitation.
But as he watched the two walk away toward the shopping mall, the driver stroked his beard uneasily.
I know way too much about their secrets… what if one day they decide to silence ? Maybe I should head over to the Amamiya house and pledge my loyalty first…
Of course, Haru and gumi had no idea about the man's dramatic inner monologue.
gumi's twisted ankle was already recovering quickly. By the ti they finished their shopping, she barely felt any pain at all.
That only deepened her impression of Haru as soone with almost superhuman abilities.
But she had no intention of exposing his secret.
In fact, she liked it... the feeling of sharing an exclusive secret with him gave her otherwise calm, uneventful life a sharp little thrill.
"Oh, right," Haru said suddenly, "I forgot to ask... you've been working out regularly, haven't you?"
gumi nodded.
"And those obsessed fans of that influencer... the ones who knocked into you earlier. Did they get hurt?"
"They did," gumi confird. "They twisted their ankles too. They were limping when they tried to catch up with their group."
I knew it.
Haru finally pieced it together. He had been so focused on gumi's condition earlier that he hadn't even considered this angle.
Unlike Yukino and Utaha, gumi didn't always train directly with him, but her routine had remained steady. And with his presence acting like a group-wide buff, anyone who trained alongside him improved faster in every way.
I'll have to rember this for later. When I go ho in March, I should drag my parents along for so running and swimming too. Get them healthier while I'm at it.
As the two were about to leave the mall, a lively crowd caught their attention. It seed so sort of promotion was underway.
At first, Haru had no interest. But gumi tilted her head and asked,
"Are those vegetables on discount? I thought I saw a sign."
Instantly, his priorities changed.
Frugality had always been a virtue. And since he was the one in charge of cooking these days, discounted vegetables were as tempting to him as half-priced chips at the corner store.
But when they walked over, they discovered that while vegetables were indeed discounted, that wasn't what had drawn the crowd.
"Couple's Challenge?" gumi read aloud from the bold sign on the floor, her voice calm as ever.
Haru looked inside. Two pairs of couples were already onstage, while an energetic host explained the rules.
It was simple: the guy carried his girlfriend in his arms and squatted down, then stood back up. Whoever managed the most repetitions in sixty seconds would win.
The prize: two 30% off supermarket coupons for the month of February. The details weren't listed you'd only know the real conditions once you claid them.
"Didn't think they'd still be running Valentine's-thed events after the day itself passed," a bystander muttered.
gumi turned to Haru.
"Do you want to join?"
He had been mulling over the coupon when her question caught him off guard.
"…You're the one who wants to, right? Otherwise, why would you ask?"
"I want the coupon. My mom would definitely like that prize," gumi said without hesitation, her reasoning perfectly sound.
Haru chuckled. "Well, I want it too."
gumi's gaze lingered on his face, her voice soft.
"If it's you, you'll win easily, right?"
"You really have that much faith in ?"
"Because Yukinoshita often praises how strong you are."
The sudden ntion of Yukino caught him off guard. And yet, at a mont like this, gumi's answer not only smoothed over what might have beco awkward, it also neatly sidestepped her own potential embarrassnt.
Haru could only sigh inwardly once again. She's really good at handling .
Before long, the current round ended. The winning couple drew plenty of attention... the girlfriend was tall and clearly not light, but the boyfriend was tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular, the kind of man who obviously trained regularly.
"They've done it again! Another victory! We'll now have a two-minute break. If no new challengers step forward, they'll be crowned today's champions and claim the prize!"
The female host was brimming with enthusiasm, sounding more like an announcer from a shōnen manga tournant than a supermarket promoter.
"Why's she so fired up? It's just a coupon, not prize money," one of the spectators muttered.
That comnt drew a wave of laughter and agreent from the crowd.
Sure, chuunibyou antics were practically a cultural trademark, but that didn't an everyone embraced them.
Haru laughed quietly at the banter, then glanced back at gumi.
"So, you're sure you want to do this?"
gumi's tone was as calm as ever.
"I want the coupon."
"…Fair enough."
If she said so, that was that. Haru saw no need to push further.
As the two of them stepped forward to sign up, the host's energy spiked again.
"Unbelievable! Another challenger has appeared such courage! Though this young man doesn't look as strong as the last one, let's still give them a round of applause!"
She began clapping for them herself, the mont teetering awkwardly.
Thankfully, a few mbers of the crowd humored her and joined in.
Leaning closer, Haru muttered to gumi, "If I'd known it'd be this awkward, maybe we shouldn't have joined."
gumi pressed her lips together, expression as composed as ever.
"I want the coupon. Please."
That's your universal excuse, huh?
Haru couldn't help a small laugh, shaking his head.
"Can't you give a different line, at least?"
gumi tilted her head slightly, unfazed.
"Then… I want to win the coupon for my mom."
"…"
~~~~~~~~~~
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