Monday.
The weekend had quietly slipped into the past, and it was time for school again.
"Good morning, Kitahara-san."
"Good morning, Makoto-kun."
"Kitahara-kun, we've been waiting for you."
"..."
The girls were already gathered in the Astronomy Club room.
"Good morning."
Kitahara responded gently to each of them, then opened his schoolbag and took out the Book of Answers.
"Before we kick off the plan, let's do one last check for any oversights."
"Me, me!" Anon volunteered, raising her right hand; her voice rang out clearly. "Let me do it."
"Here."
Kitahara casually handed the Book of Answers over to her.
They certainly hadn't wasted their opportunities to ask questions yesterday; through a series of inquiries, the "Strategy to Win Over Shimizu-san" had essentially been finalized. Due to her family background, Shimizu-san was starved for affection; the only way to get her to voluntarily agree to let Aoi parasitize her was to appeal to the bonds of friendship.
"By the way, if Shimizu-san actually agrees to let Aoi parasitize her, couldn't we just ask her directly who the mastermind is?"
Kita rested her chin on her right hand, looking puzzled.
"In that case, isn't having Aoi parasitize her a bit redundant?"
Kitahara sat down and pulled out a pack of fruit-flavored gum, handing two pieces to each of the girls.
"Before considering victory, one must consider defeat. The Book of Answers doesn't even dare to write the mastermind's name—using black squares instead—which implies the mastermind is incredibly powerful. That's why the parasitism is still essential; at a critical moment, we could have Shimizu-san launch a surprise betrayal—it might just be the final straw that breaks the camel's back."
Sakiko nodded slightly. "Right now, we only have a rough plan and direction; the specifics of the future remain unclear. In any case, let's focus on achieving our immediate goal first."
As she spoke, Anon had already begun asking a question.
"Question: Did Sakiko succeed in getting close to Shimizu-san?"
The pages of the Book of Answers flipped rapidly, and text soon quietly emerged on the blank page. [Action Failed]
"Huh? It actually failed?"
"What happened?"
"To think someone could actually turn down Togawa-san..."
"..."
The girls' eyes widened in surprise.
Even Kitahara raised his eyebrows slightly, looking over in astonishment.
According to the plan, the person meant to win over Shimizu Rin wasn't Kitahara, but Sakiko.
The reason was simple: Kitahara was a campus celebrity whose every move attracted attention. Suddenly approaching an inconspicuous girl she'd never spoken to before would inevitably make her wary.
In contrast, Sakiko sat next to Shimizu Rin; since both were girls, their interactions would be far less conspicuous.
The plan was sound, yet the book stated the attempt had ended in failure.
"Something must have gone wrong..." Sakiko furrowed her brows slightly. "Let's ask another question to find the cause."
With the "Book of Answers" at hand, the cost of trial and error was effectively zero.
After asking a follow-up question, they quickly uncovered the reason behind the failure.
"...Does Shimizu-san have the ability to see right through people?"
Reading the answer provided by the book, Kitahara and the girls all frowned.
This "ability to see through people" wasn't mind-reading; rather, it was an instinct—almost animalistic—that allowed her to sense whether someone approaching her harbored ulterior motives or genuine goodwill.
Just as everyone was at a loss, Tomori spoke up softly:
"The Sakiko from before could definitely pull it off."
"Huh?"
Anon looked over curiously.
"What are you talking about, Tomori-chan?"
"The poster." Tomori pursed her soft, lips and spoke in a quiet voice. "Let the Sakiko in the poster win over Shimizu-san."
The Sakiko from before she ran away from home—kind, enthusiastic, caring, pure, and beautiful—warmed others like sunshine, a stark contrast to the broken version seen in the second season.
"That sounds like a plan." Kitahara mulled it over for a few seconds; the more he thought about it, the more perfect the idea seemed. "Tomori, ask the Book of Answers."
"Okay."
Tomori nodded gently, took the Book of Answers from Kita, and began to ask her question in a soft voice.
A moment later... Seeing the answer appear on the book, the girls all breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Kita: "It actually works."
Anon: "Tomori-chan is so smart; she recommended the perfect person right away."
Tomori: "...It has nothing to do with me. Sakiko is just incredibly kind—she has a way of healing others."
Kitahara spoke with a hint of regret: "It's a shame I didn't get to see Sakiko back in her junior high days. I would've loved to experience what it's like to be won over by 'Succubus Sakiko'."
Poke
A faint blush colored Sakiko's lovely face; she couldn't help but give Kitahara a playful poke in the waist, shooting him a reproachful look with her bright eyes:
"Sorry I'm not as cute now as I used to be."
After settling on the best candidate, Kitahara briefly discussed the details of the upcoming conversation with the girls, then took out the band poster and put it up on the wall.
As soon as it was hung, the girls in the poster seemed to "come to life," peering curiously out at the room.
"Sakiko, could you come out for a moment?"
Kitahara called out softly.
"Sure thing."
The "Sakiko" climbed out of the poster, her bright eyes scanning the surroundings with curiosity.
The junior high version of Sakiko had clear, luminous eyes—untainted by any impurity—perfectly described by the phrase "clear yet foolish."
"Um, there's something I'd like to ask of you..."
Sakiko gave a small cough, walked over to her junior-high self, and quietly asked her to attend school in her place for a few days.
That's right.
Rin Shimizu had the ability to see right through people's hearts; if anyone approached her with ulterior motives, she would spot it immediately. The best approach was to have no agenda at all—to reach out with nothing but pure, genuine kindness.
So, after summoning "Sakiko," Sakiko told her only two things.
First, that she had a special matter to attend to and needed her to go to school for a few days in her stead.
Second, that the girl sitting next to her had a tragic background, and she hoped she would look after her.
Now, everything depended on Sakiko's ability to improvise.
As for the issue of the band-member version of the girl having limited time to operate in the real world—caused primarily by her soul power being too weak—Hana could easily resolve it.
"There's just one last thing..."
Kitahara turned his head, fixing an intense gaze on Sakiko:
"We can't have two Sakikos at the same school, so why don't you go hide out in the Onsen Dimension for a while?"
"I absolutely do not want to go to the Onsen Dimension."
Sakiko's lovely face flushed slightly as she shook her head in a quick refusal.
With a ten-to-one time dilation—meaning ten days would pass in the Onsen Dimension for every single day in the real world—staying there alone would be excruciatingly boring.
Besides... if she really went there, Kitahara-kun would surely drop by now and then to tease or take advantage of her, wouldn't he?
She'd end up completely broken before long!
"Have Hana take me home; I'll just read books there."
Sakiko lifted a hand to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, ultimately choosing to stay far away and out of sight.
Of course, before leaving, she made sure to shoo Kitahara out of the club room so she could swap outfits with Sakiko.
A short while later.
Sakiko stepped out of the club room, her hands clasped over her lower abdomen and her pretty face blushing.
"Milady Sakiko?"
Kitahara looked over with a smile.
There wasn't much difference between the Sakiko of her junior high days and the current Sakiko—save for some slight physical maturation—so now that she was wearing the high school uniform, anyone unfamiliar with them wouldn't be able to tell the two apart.
Sakiko lowered her head, blushing, and spoke shyly:
"Don't call me 'Milady'—just Sakiko is fine."
The boy before her was her future boyfriend, and having seen so many embarrassing scenes during the earlier memory-sharing session, Sakiko felt bashful whenever she spoke to Kitahara.
"Then I'll keep calling you Sakiko." Kitahara nodded gently. "Let's go back to the classroom."
"..."
The two returned to the classroom, walking one after the other.
Sakiko was a bit nervous at first; after all, she was an "impostor" and didn't share the other Sakiko's memories, so there was a real risk of giving herself away during conversations with others.
But before long, Sakiko realized she had been worrying over nothing. This school is a place where social circles are everything; if you fail to join a clique right after enrolling, you might not make a single friend throughout your three years of high school. When Sakiko first transferred here, she was aloof and unapproachable—cold as ice—so now she has absolutely no friends in the classroom, and no one even speaks to her.
"Phew..."
Sakiko held a book up in front of her face, leaving only her eyes visible; she secretly observed the others while allowing herself to relax a little.
"It's a good thing I met Kitahara-kun. Otherwise, my life here would have been incredibly tough, wouldn't it?"
At that thought, Sakiko's gaze involuntarily drifted toward Kitahara.
Memories they had once shared came flooding back into her mind.
Leaving aside the kissing and hugging, there were also scenes of them tending to each other's needs—memories that made her blush furiously with embarrassment.
Sakiko hurriedly shook her head to banish the chaotic images, her cheeks burning hot.
"I actually agreed to do things like that... It's so lewd..."
Just then, a petite girl wearing an eye patch quietly entered through the back door—it was Shimizu Rin.
This girl with the eye patch was like an invisible person; no one greeted her, and no one's gaze lingered on her.
Shimizu Rin walked through the crowd with an expressionless face, silently reached her desk, put down her bag, and sat down quietly, just as she always did.
She had expected another uneventful day at school, sitting in silence until the final bell, but after she sat down, a bright, pleasant voice suddenly reached her ears:
"Good morning, Shimizu-san."
"..."
Shimizu Rin silently turned her head to look at Sakiko, who had spoken.
Their eyes met.
"Good morning."
Shimizu Rin hesitated for a moment before replying in a low voice.
(It feels so warm...)
Shimizu Rin murmured inwardly; a tiny ripple stirred the surface of her heart—a heart that had long been as still as a stagnant pool.
Her instinct for reading the room, honed since childhood, allowed her to easily see through people; she could discern the true nature of even the most calculating adults. Yet, in this moment, she could detect not a trace of impurity in Sakiko's eyes. Those eyes were clear and pure, bright and warm—the kind that made one instinctively want to draw closer.
The first period was P.E. in the gymnasium.
"You need to stretch properly before class starts." With a radiant, warm smile, Sakiko extended her right hand toward Shimizu Rin. "Shimizu-san, shall we be partners?"
"I..."
The third period was a cooking class.
"Rin-chan, come help wash the potatoes; let's cook together."
"...Okay."
Before long, it was lunchtime.
Sakiko took out the bento box Kitahara had prepared in advance, stood up, and walked over to Shimizu Rin. With a sweet voice and an inviting gesture, she asked:
"Rin-chan, shall we eat our lunch together?"
"Okay."
"..."
Watching the two girls leave together, Kitahara couldn't help but marvel inwardly:
"Succubus Sakiko—truly terrifying."
Sakiko knew nothing of the strategic plan; she only knew that Shimizu Rin had a tragic background and felt an instinctive urge to offer help and warmth. Her kindness was utterly pure—naturally, no one could refuse it.
No wonder girls like the cunning Soyo and the sensitive Tomori had all been captivated by Sakiko... Sakiko in "kindness mode" was a total succubus—she could win over anyone, regardless of gender!
"Gather at the club room, then we'll eat together."
Kitahara took out his phone and sent messages to the girls.
After receiving their replies, he left the classroom. He made a quick stop at the restroom, had Hana bring the Pandora's Box over from the amusement park, and then headed to the club room.
The mastermind behind the scenes was about to surface, and a sense of urgency was quietly setting in. Kitahara planned to charge Pandora's Box to the maximum level as soon as possible to see if he could get a great item out of it; he couldn't afford to waste even his lunch break.
The journey there was silent.
By the time he arrived at the club room, Anon, Tomori, Kita, and Hitori were all already there. "Kitahara-kun, how are things going?" Anon looked over curiously, lowering her voice. "Sakiko didn't get found out, did she?"
Kitahara silently gave a thumbs-up:
"She's already started calling her 'Rin-chan'."
"Whoa, that's amazing." Kita's eyes widened in surprise. "Is Sakiko-san really that popular?"
Kitahara looked at Tomori: "Tomori should be the one to speak on this."
Tomori's face flushed slightly as she whispered:
"Sakiko is kind and gentle; she was super
popular back then, too."
"Anyway, enough talk." Kitahara extended his right hand toward Hitori beside him. "Let's head to the onsen resort first, then have lunch."
"..."
The girls joined hands; the light warped slightly, and their figures vanished in an instant.
Inside the onsen resort...
Kitahara set up Pandora's Box, while Anon opened her backpack, took out a poster, and stuck it to the wall. Then, she had the band members bring out the dishes they had prepared the day before.
Time within the poster was frozen; the dishes and rice, once taken out, were still piping hot.
"Ooh, it's Mapo Tofu!"
Anon wiped the corner of her mouth, her eyes sparkling:
"Time to eat!"
Kitahara sat at the table, took the chopsticks Kita handed him, and said:
"Let's dig in."
Only after Kitahara started eating did the girls begin their meal; unanimously, they all chose the Mapo Tofu.
"Seriously? Is Mapo Tofu really that good?"
Kitahara was somewhat speechless.
Japanese people are quite peculiar; everyone from the elderly to the young loves Mapo Tofu. Of course, the Japanese version has been adapted—it's less spicy and leans towards a sweeter flavor profile. Personally, Kitahara didn't care for it, but since the girls loved it so much, it was a staple whenever he cooked. Kita: "Because the Mapo Tofu is just so delicious!"
Kotoh: "It really is tasty."
Anon: "It's simply irresistible."
Hitori: "Mhm."
"..."
They enjoyed a happy lunch—fueling up their bodies and their spirits at the same time.
"I'm so stuffed~" Anon said, clutching her belly in satisfaction. "Shall we go soak in the onsen for a bit?"
The lunch break was only fifty minutes long—barely enough time to eat, chat, and use the restroom—so students from Hidoshima had absolutely no habit of taking midday naps.
Fortunately, the onsen resort operated on a time dilation of ten-to-one compared to the real world, so there was plenty of time for either a soak or a nap.
"Haa..."
A short while later.
The girls stepped into the onsen bath, letting out a collective sigh of contentment.
Given the chance, people from Hidoshima would happily bathe 365 days a year; naturally, they never grew tired of the more luxurious experience of a onsen.
Kitahara sat in his usual spot and closed his eyes to rest. Before long, however, he felt a sudden, slight chill on his chest.
He opened his eyes and looked around, only to see Anon holding a small water gun.
"Oops, sorry! My aim slipped."
Anon stuck out the tip of her tongue, covering her chest with one hand.
"You aren't mad, are you, Kitahara-kun?"
"Of course not."
Kitahara closed his eyes and went back to resting.
But a moment later, he felt that slight chill on his body again.
Oh, I see. So that's how you want to play?
Teasing me over and over again—you really don't know the meaning of the word "regret," do you?
Snap.
Kitahara lightly snapped his fingers, decisively activated his Domain, and stood right up.
Splash.
Water went flying everywhere.
However, within the confines of the Domain, no sound or light could escape, so the girls remained completely unaware of Kitahara's movements.
"Strange... where did Kitahara-kun go? He vanished in the blink of an eye."
Anon's eyes widened as she gazed at the empty onsen bath; a sudden, ominous premonition washed over her.
The very next moment.
Kitahara's figure materialized out of thin air right in front of Anon.
"Ah..."
Anon let out a soft gasp and instinctively turned her head away.
"Everyone's here soaking in the onsen, so how did—huh? Did Zako-kun activate his Domain?"
"Correct."
Kitahara reached out and scooped up the mischievous pink-haired girl in his arms.
"Ngh..."
As their skin pressed intimately together, the searing heat made Anon shiver as if she'd been shocked; a deep blush instantly flushed her lovely face, and without a second thought, she dropped to her knees in a lightning-fast apology:
"I'm sorry! I was wrong—please forgive me!"
It had to be said: Anon knew how to pick her battles; she never let a stubborn need to save face cause her unnecessary suffering when an apology was called for.
"Too late," Kitahara said, his gaze burning with intensity. "Only repentance etched into the body truly lasts."
"N-no, wait..." Anon's face burned with embarrassment as she nervously braced her hands against his chest. "Everyone else is still right there."
"The Domain is active; no one can see what we're doing."
"B-but I can still see everyone else..."
Kitahara nibbled on Anon's ear.
"Being able to see them while they can't see you—that actually turns you on, doesn't it, Anon?"
Anon tried to deny it, turning her face away.
"I-it doesn't turn me on at all... Ah!"
"..."