"...Don't space out!"
Hayasaka Ai's gaze sharpened, and she quickly looked behind the two of them.
The strange woman stumbled and got up, her cheeks swollen, blood oozing from the corner of her mouth. She staggered to the door, looking at Natsuki and Hayasaka with an extremely venomous gaze, clearly intending to continue closing the door and locking them out.
Bang!
This time, Hayasaka Ai didn't hesitate at all. She kicked the carriage door open, then pulled Natsuki and quickly entered the carriage.
"Die, die, die, die, die...!"
The strange woman, with disheveled hair, kept muttering "die," and even stretched out her hands, trying to push Natsuki and Hayasaka out of the carriage.
Natsuki didn't understand.
The guy behind her is the killer, why don't you hate him? Why do you have more malice towards me and Hayasaka Ai?
Just now, Hayasaka helped you up, otherwise you would have been caught by the killer. Shouldn't you be full of remorse and apologize now?
Why would you have a hateful expression and still try to push people out?
After thinking it over, Natsuki could only think of one reason.
There are truly people in the world who repay kindness with enmity.
Slap!
A crisp slap sounded once again.
However, this time it wasn't Natsuki who struck, but Hayasaka Ai.
Hayasaka's pretty face was frosty, and she said coldly, "Get out!"
The strange woman covered her cheek, and said in disbelief, "You actually dared to hit me?"
Hayasaka Ai said coldly, "I'm hitting you!"
Nightmares block the memories of guests, but they don't change the player's true nature.
Hayasaka was never the type to endure being hit without fighting back. Just now, being pushed down by this woman and locked out, even a Buddha would be enraged. One slap actually wasn't enough to vent her anger.
The strange woman's gaze grew even more venomous, and she still wanted to go forward and fight, when she suddenly saw the killer on the other side of the carriage stand up again. A look of terror and panic appeared in her eyes, and then she stumbled and turned to run.
Stay and contribute, help subdue the killer?
Sorry.
Completely impossible.
For people who are inherently cold and extremely selfish, such thoughts simply do not exist in their minds.
As long as they can be safe, who cares about the life or death of a friend.
"The door won't hold the killer back for long, let's go quickly."
Hayasaka Ai grabbed Natsuki's arm and said nervously.
After falling into the nightmare, all of Hayasaka Ai's previously acquired professional spy skills were blocked, not to mention her player identity. She was now a completely ordinary girl, and encountering a murderous maniac on the train, of course she would panic.
"It's too late." Natsuki shook his head and said, "That woman has blocked the door again."
"Huh?"
Hayasaka Ai turned her head and saw that the strange woman had already run to another carriage, and then she unhesitatingly blocked the door tightly, not giving Natsuki and her a chance to pass.
"...Damn it!"
Hayasaka Ai clenched her fists in anger, wanting to kick someone.
"Don't mind her. There might be more than one killer on the train. If she runs forward, she might run into other killers." Natsuki, however, didn't care at all. He looked at Hayasaka and said softly, "What should we do now?"
Hayasaka Ai took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, and bit her silver teeth lightly, saying, "We have two people, and that killer only has one. If we go together, we should be able to subdue him."
A hint of admiration flashed in Natsuki's eyes.
Memories can be blocked, but in the face of danger, a person's true nature will not change.
The cute junior Hanamori.
The hot girl at school.
The aloof maid Hasaka.
Perhaps none of them are the real Hayasaka.
But at this moment, after her memories were blocked by the nightmare, what was revealed was Hayasaka Ai's true nature—
Kind-hearted, when someone falls, she will actively help them up, although with some hesitation.
She repays enmity with enmity, and does not repay evil with good. When she was locked out by the woman, she immediately slapped her after entering.
At the same time, she would also stick to her bottom line. Given the black-haired woman's malicious behavior just now, pushing her away would not have been excessive, but Hayasaka only gave her a slap.
Lastly, there was her courage in this very moment.
Most girls encountering a killer would likely be disoriented, losing their ability to think and judge, even having their legs turn to jelly and being unable to run.
But Hayasaka, while maintaining her composure, was even able to muster the courage to fight back… One must remember, she had now forgotten her identity as a player; she was just an ordinary girl.
Kindness, steadfastness, calmness, rationality, courage, independence… She was indeed a treasure.
"Hey, what are you still grinning foolishly about?"
Hayasaka Ai frowned, looking over, and said angrily, "That killer is already charging over; the door won't hold much longer!"
"Don't worry," Natsuki reined in his smile, "Do you know what American Iai is?"
"Huh?" Hayasaka Ai was startled, "What's that?"
"I'll show you now."
Natsuki spoke while drawing a fire axe.
"Eh? Eh? Eh?" Hayasaka Ai's eyes widened in disbelief, "Where did you get that axe from?"
"I'll explain it to you later." Natsuki looked at the killer who was already banging on the door, and said calmly, "Let's deal with that killer first."
Hayasaka Ai bit her lip and reached out, saying, "Do you have any other weapons? Give me one."
"…"
Hide behind a boy and wait for protection?
Sorry.
Hayasaka's nature preferred fighting side-by-side.
"Here."
Natsuki took out a bucket of popcorn and handed it to Hayasaka.
"Eh, popcorn?" Hayasaka Ai was so angry she almost dropped it, "How can this be a weapon?!"
"So you can just eat it while you watch."
Natsuki reached out and stroked Hayasaka's head, conveniently planting a mushroom, then opened the door, holding the axe, and directly confronted the train killer.
And then… the battle ended.
'Nightmare Service' clients were all ordinary people. The killer on the train looked fierce, but was actually very weak.
"I'm back."
Natsuki pushed the door open and returned to the carriage where Hayasaka was.
"This… this is already won?"
Looking at the headless figure that had fallen to the ground, Hayasaka Ai's eyes widened in disbelief.
She had just been very worried, thinking that Natsuki was being arrogant and underestimating the enemy, and would definitely suffer, but he easily dealt with the killer, not even giving her a chance to shout 'Be careful,' so… was she the clown after all?
Hayasaka Ai shook her head, chasing the strange emotions out of her mind, then suddenly became nervous and quickly looked at Natsuki, worriedly saying, "Oh, right, you were injured in the stomach just now… Eh, where's the wound?"
"Ah…" Natsuki clutched his stomach, a pained expression on his face, "I actually suffered internal injuries."
Thump!
Hayasaka Ai gritted her teeth, angrily lifted her right foot, and kicked Natsuki's calf.
"Liar!"
"You weren't injured at all, were you?!"
"And what internal injuries?!"
Discovering she had been deceived, Hayasaka Ai was quite angry and couldn't help but grind her teeth: "If you weren't injured, why were you spitting blood just now?!"
Natsuki spoke nonsense with a straight face:
"You can spit blood even without injury. In medicine, there's a very special condition called stress-induced hemoptysis…"
"…"
Hayasaka Ai was expressionless, lifted her right leg, and continued to kick him.
For some reason, Hayasaka Ai was certain that even if she kicked a few more times, the boy in front of her would not get angry or scold her.
"I'm sorry, stop kicking." Natsuki quickly raised his hands in surrender, "The red stuff on my mouth was actually ketchup. I mainly wanted you to worry about me."
Hayasaka Ai took a deep breath and couldn't help but say, "…Are you an idiot?!"
Facing such a dangerous killer, he still had the nerve to put ketchup on his mouth?
Even if it was to look cool, he shouldn't do something so stupid!
Idiot!
Idiot, idiot, idiot!
"Sit down and rest for a bit." Natsuki pulled Hayasaka to a clean seat and sat down, casually asking, "Have you seen Biohazard?"
Hayasaka Ai nodded gently and said, "I have."
"The axe just now, and the popcorn now, and the killer on the train, are all troublesome to explain, so I won't explain them for now." Natsuki picked up a piece of popcorn, threw it into his mouth, "Your current state is similar to the protagonist Alice, but you haven't lost your memory; instead, you've been implanted with false memories. After a while, you'll naturally wake up."
The mushroom had just been planted and needed some time to mature.
If an immature mushroom were detonated directly, the sin would probably not be enough to dispel the fear.
Hayasaka Ai frowned, looking over, and whispered, "Impossible, how could my memories be false?"
Natsuki retorted, "What are your parents' names?"
Hayasaka Ai hesitated for two seconds: "It seems to be…"
"Don't say it," Natsuki said, "Do you need to hesitate and think to say your parents' names?"
"…"
Hayasaka Ai's lips slightly parted, speechless, feeling utterly lost.
"Could it be… truly false memories?"
"Don't think too much for now." Natsuki picked up a piece of popcorn and held it to Hayasaka's mouth, "Just wait a moment, and you'll remember."
Hayasaka Ai subconsciously parted her lips and ate the popcorn from Natsuki's fingertips, only realizing it belatedly.
Wait…!
Was her action just now too practiced?
She was clearly just a stranger, so why did she so naturally eat food from his hand?
This boy clearly knew her, and seemed to know many things… What was her relationship with him?
Swallowing the popcorn in her mouth, Hayasaka Ai shifted her gaze to Natsuki, subtly probing, "Why did you step forward just now?"
Natsuki picked up another piece of popcorn and held it to Hayasaka's mouth, saying gently, "Because I fell in love with you at first sight."
Crunch.
Hayasaka Ai crossed her arms, subconsciously bit the popcorn offered to her, her pretty face slightly flushed, and glared at him in embarrassment:
"…Tell the truth! And don't feed me things, I can eat by myself!"
"I'm not lying." Natsuki looked into Hayasaka's eyes and said softly, "Love at first sight is the truth. We are actually in a relationship. If you don't believe me, look into my eyes."
Their eyes met.
"…Hmph."
After a few seconds, a blush rose on Hayasaka Ai's pretty face. She felt her heart race, as if a little deer was bumping around inside her, and she involuntarily averted her gaze.
(This boy's eyes… they seem to be glowing…)
Hayasaka Ai suddenly remembered a saying:
When people see something they like, their eyes truly glow.
During their gaze just now, Hayasaka Ai clearly saw the light in the boy's eyes.
(Could it be that this boy isn't lying, and truly likes me?)
(And… we're already in a relationship?)
Hayasaka Ai subconsciously chose to believe him.
It took her several seconds to recall her parents' appearance and names, which indeed made the authenticity of her memories questionable.
While pondering, Hayasaka Ai suddenly felt someone approaching her, and quickly leaned back, cautiously saying, "What are you doing?"
Natsuki said, "You have popcorn crumbs on the corner of your mouth. I was going to lick them off for you."
Hayasaka Ai's eyes widened: "Lick, lick them off?"
Natsuki said righteously, "We're in an official relationship, so it's perfectly normal for me to lick them off for you, isn't it?"
"It's not normal at all!" Hayasaka Ai gritted her teeth, her eyes wary, "I don't know if what you're saying is true or false. Who knows if you're a liar? Anyway, don't come near me for now."
Natsuki looked at Hayasaka and suddenly smiled.
"What are you smiling about?"
Hayasaka Ai's eyes became even more wary, ready to get up and run at any moment.
In the previous nightmares, Chika was a newlywed, and the senpai was an old couple with a daughter; both were legitimate married relationships. Even if Natsuki did something excessive to them, there would be no objections.
But Hayasaka was different.
In Hayasaka's current perception, she and Natsuki were just strangers sharing a train, and today was even their first meeting. Even if he spoke sweetly about being in a relationship, Hayasaka Ai certainly wouldn't believe it easily.
A girl traveling alone should certainly maintain her self-respect.
Unless she found her so-called 'true memories,' he shouldn't even think about messing around!
Natsuki smiled and said, "Since you don't remember anything now, taking advantage of you seems even more enjoyable."
Does taking advantage of make you happier?
That hobby is too awful!
Would she really be in a relationship with such an awful boy?
Hayasaka Ai's eyes widened at his words, and she couldn't help but retort, "Are you a pervert?"
"Yes," Natsuki admitted frankly, "I am indeed very perverted."
Hayasaka Ai: "…Lewd!"
Natsuki continued to smile: "You often call me lewd."
Hayasaka Ai: "…"
How could there be such a shameless man in the world?
So, our relationship was fake, right?
Snap.
Natsuki gently slapped his thigh: "No, I can't hold back anymore. I have to take advantage of you properly before you fully wake up... Are you going to sit on me yourself, or should I carry you?"
"..."
Hayasaka Ai immediately got up and fled.
She knew very well that she wouldn't be a match for the boy in front of her, and even suspected whether Natsuki was human, given the exaggerated speed and strength he had displayed earlier.
"Accio."
Natsuki stretched out his right hand and grabbed towards Hayasaka.
Hayasaka Ai felt a strange force sweep over her body, and she involuntarily flew backward, quickly landing in the boy's embrace.
Steady.
Don't panic.
The most important thing now is to stay calm!
Hayasaka Ai sat in Natsuki's arms, her body slightly tense, rapidly thinking of a countermeasure.
Resisting with force would be asking for trouble, there was no chance of winning. If that's the case, she could only outsmart him…
Hayasaka Ai bit her lip with her pearly teeth, quickly showing a pitiful expression, and said in a wronged voice:
"You just said we were dating. Is this how you usually treat me?"
"Of course not." Natsuki embraced the girl in his arms. "Usually, you're the one taking advantage of me from above. Today, I finally have a chance, so of course, I have to be on top."
"What's 'on top' and 'bottom'…"
Hayasaka Ai frowned slightly, always feeling that Natsuki's words had a hidden meaning and were vulgar.
"When you like someone, you wouldn't make her afraid or sad, would you?" Hayasaka Ai tried to play the emotional card, her eyes pleading, her voice timid. "I'm very scared right now… Can you let me go?"
Natsuki decisively said:
"No."
"Huh?" Hearing such a blunt answer, Hayasaka Ai immediately became furious, almost losing her composure. She bit him with an 'awu' sound, her eyes filled with grievance, "You really don't truly like me, do you?"
"Whether I like you or not, you can definitely feel it." Natsuki smiled. "With your personality, if you truly thought I was lying to you and just wanted to take advantage of you, you wouldn't be acting so wronged right now. Instead, you'd be feigning compliance, waiting for me to lower my guard, then striking my vital points and seizing the opportunity to escape."
Hayasaka Ai: "..."
He actually hit the mark. He understands me too well!
Exactly.
Although she was now roughly held in Natsuki's arms, Hayasaka Ai found that she couldn't feel any dislike in her heart, no matter what.
No dislike.
She couldn't dislike him at all.
Perhaps she and this boy truly were in a relationship… But even so, she wouldn't let him succeed easily!
The wronged expression on Hayasaka Ai's face quickly disappeared. She gritted her teeth and began to use threats:
"If you dare to take advantage of me, believe it or not, I'll cry for you to see?"
Natsuki said indifferently:
"When you usually take advantage of me, you often cry, so that won't scare me."
As is well known, people not only cry when they are sad and in pain, but there is also an idiom called 'crying tears of joy.' It is not surprising that Hayasaka often cries.
"Huh?" Hayasaka Ai raised her delicate eyebrows, feeling very uneasy. "I used to cry often? What did you do to me, you guy?"
"Of course, it's something that can't be said. You'll know when you experience it yourself."
Natsuki spoke while leaning closer.
"Wait, wait a minute…"
Hayasaka Ai still wanted to struggle, but unfortunately, Natsuki didn't give her another chance and directly blocked her lips.
A moment later.
Natsuki temporarily released Hayasaka, leaning close to her ear and whispering:
"Memories can lie, but the body can't. Haven't you noticed how skilled you were at kissing just now?"
Hayasaka Ai's pretty face was flushed like fire, she was panting, feeling dizzy, and had lost most of her strength to think. Hearing this, she stubbornly retorted:
"No, no… You're talking nonsense…"
And if we're talking about skill, aren't you the one who's more skilled!
She had never imagined that kissing could make someone dizzy and unable to extricate themselves… This boy was overly skilled!
"I'm talking nonsense?" Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly, reminding her, "Look for yourself, what is your right hand doing?"
"Eh?"
Hayasaka Ai was startled, she managed to prop herself up, and her gaze fell downwards.
Eh? Eh? Eh?!
W-why did her right hand unconsciously slip into the boy's clothes?
And so skillfully, without her even realizing it… Had it gone in many times before, becoming a habit?