Chapter 172 Kamuro: I Want the Genuine Thing, Too
"Kamuro, I'm telling you, this is a scam shop!
The fortune-telling isn't accurate at all!" Hikigaya tried to dissuade Kamuro Masumi.
"Whether it's accurate or not, I'll judge for myself!" Kamuro Masumi maintained a firm attitude.
"I've already been in there twice. Can we skip it?" Hikigaya couldn't help but palm his forehead. Even without looking, he could feel the boys and girls in line casting extremely weird looks at him!
"Less talk!
I said go, so we're going!" Kamuro Masumi's eyes were cold, and her tone turned unfriendly: "What? You can accompany Ibuki, you can accompany Ichinose, but you won't accompany me?
Am I still your 'Number One' or not!!"
"Shh... don't, don't say it so loud." Hikigaya felt immense cold sweat. Although he knew "Number One" referred to being friends, he had no idea what the other bystanders would think.
He could even faintly hear people behind his back calling him a "scumbag" or saying he was "three-timing."
"You have a guilty conscience." Kamuro leaned her face in close, staring wide-eyed into his eyes.
"Sigh~ fine, I give up..." Hikigaya performed a strategic lean-back.
'People who don't know any better would think you're trying to kiss me!'
"Hmph~" As someone else who disregarded the gossip of others, Kamuro Masumi took his hand and led him grandly into the black tent.
"Welcome, guests... Uh, why again... Ahem, everything is exactly as this old one predicted." The fortune-teller instantly changed her tune.
'Predicted my ass!'
Kamuro Masumi was a straightforward person; as soon as she entered, she took out her phone and paid the points.
"Hikigaya Hachiman. I want to know about his fortune."
"Jie jie jie~"
'This is easy money!'
The fortune-teller repeated the same set of lines she had used before.
"Peach Blossom Calamity...it really is accurate!" Kamuro Masumi stared at him with a sharp gaze.
"No, no, no, this kind of thing is obviously nonsense!" Hikigaya hurriedly denied it.
"I have a divine tool here that can cut through Peach Blossom Calamities. Does this young lady need it?"
The fortune-teller pushed her products hard again. To prevent Hikigaya from interfering, she spoke first: "The person involved is already cursed; he cannot see the calamity upon himself. He needs a 'Fated Maiden' to rescue him..."
'What! This old hag can really spin a tale!'
"Do you take me for a fool?" Kamuro Masumi rolled her eyes heavily.
"Eh?" The fortune-teller was stunned.
"Huh?" Hikigaya looked surprised.
'When did this girl become so smart?'
"Hey! Your expression is very rude!" Kamuro gave him an annoyed glare, then spoke with a serious face: "When it comes to feelings, how could any prop interfere?
I... I want the 'Genuine Thing,' too..."
As if she had said something embarrassing, a suspicious blush appeared on Kamuro's cold face.
"Kamuro..." Hikigaya stared at her blankly.
"Wh-what?
That look in your eyes..." Kamuro Masumi forced herself to stay calm, but her heart was already racing like a trapped deer.
"..." Hikigaya opened his mouth; his throat felt a bit dry.
'Say, is it possible? Does Kamuro like me?'
Although this was the greatest of life's three major delusions, at this moment, Hikigaya had a sense of déjà vu—it felt close to the "Genuine Thing."
Kamuro Masumi didn't speak; she just looked at him quietly, her eyes seemingly filled with some kind of expectation.
"Um, do you want a 'Love Ring'... I can give you a 20% discount." The fortune-teller's sales pitch shattered the ambiguous atmosphere between the two.
Hikigaya: "..."
Kamuro Masumi: "..."
"Let's go, Hikigaya." Kamuro Masumi suddenly stood up and left without looking back.
"You damn old geezer!!" Hikigaya couldn't help but curse at the fortune-teller.
"This old one didn't do it on purpose. Jie jie jie~" The fortune-teller was sinister at heart.
'This stingy dead-fish-eyes refused to pay the divination fee; of course I have to make things difficult for you!'
"Phew~" Stepping out of the black tent, Hikigaya also breathed a sigh of relief, muttering to himself: "Just now was probably just the influence of the atmosphere, a momentary slip of the heart. It hasn't reached the level of the 'Genuine Thing' yet. Otherwise, Kamuro wouldn't have run away."
Hikigaya looked around but couldn't see any sign of Kamuro Masumi. Instead, by a fountain pool, he spotted Sakayanagi Arisu.
"Good afternoon, Hikigaya-kun."
"..." Hikigaya wanted to make a run for it.
"Rest assured, I won't drag you to a fortune-telling." As if guessing his concern, Sakayanagi Arisu stated her position in advance.
"Sakayanagi, when did you get here?" Hikigaya relaxed his guard slightly, walked over, and sat down with a one-person distance between them.
"When Hikigaya-kun first appeared at the mall."
"So, from the very beginning..." Hikigaya felt a headache coming on.
Of all people, this person had to see it!
"Yes, Hikigaya-kun went on dates with three girls in succession: Ibuki, Ichinose, and Kamuro. This is truly interesting~" Sakayanagi Arisu said with a smile.
"Don't talk nonsense... we were just pairing up for a fortune-telling." Hikigaya raised an eyebrow.
"Hikigaya-kun is the one talking nonsense, isn't he?" Sakayanagi Arisu hit the nail on the head: "Do you think those three would just find any random guy to pair up with?"
Hikigaya suddenly fell silent.
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"What do you think I'm trying to say?" Sakayanagi asked back.
"I'm certain the facts aren't what you're imagining," Hikigaya countered.
"My, my~ how do you know what I'm imagining?" Sakayanagi's expression was playful.
"Who knows what you're thinking?" Hikigaya hated people who spoke in riddles!
"Yeesh~ could it be that you like me, Sakayanagi?"
The Self-Destruct Strategy. The Conversation Ender!
"..." Now it was Sakayanagi Arisu's turn to fall silent. After thinking for a long while, she spoke slowly: "I don't know. I've never been in a relationship, so I don't know what it feels like to like someone."
'Hey! Where did this pure, innocent girl come from?' Hikigaya really wanted to complain, but he felt the atmosphere wasn't quite right.
"However, the only thing I can be certain of is that I have a favorable impression of Hikigaya-kun." Sakayanagi Arisu stared at him without blinking.
"...?" Hikigaya found it hard to handle. Was this "Loli Brat" acting? It felt a bit too realistic!!
"Oh my, oh my~ The way Hikigaya-kun looks when his mind is wandering is quite interesting~~" Sakayanagi giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.
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