Looks like he could only wrong himself a bit.
Just treat it as getting bitten by a donut!
"What's with that expression?"
For some reason, the donut lady suddenly felt a bit irritated.
Kamijou Mutsuki didn't answer. Instead, he directly took her hand.
"Ah—!"
Feeling the unfamiliar touch, the girl reacted as if electrocuted and instinctively flung his hand away.
"Y-you… what are you trying to do?"
"Didn't you say we were going on a date?"
Seeing Mana's guarded expression, even Kamijou Mutsuki felt a bit speechless. Honestly, the donut lady was almost too innocent.
"Things like holding hands… are pretty normal, right?"
"I-I know that, of course Mana-chan knows!"
Under his gaze, the donut lady, having realized her reaction, became a bit embarrassed.
"Then… should we just forget it?"
"How could we just forget it?!"
Hearing his words, she instantly felt like he was looking down on her, and puffed up her cheeks.
"It's just holding hands! Do you think Mana-chan would be scared?"
Saying that, she braced herself and grabbed Kamijou Mutsuki's hand.
Then, feeling that unfamiliar sensation, her face couldn't help but heat up.
After all, she had never been this close to a boy before.
So this… is what a boy's hand feels like?
Completely different from Uika's.
No, can't keep wasting time like this—Uika and that blue-haired girl are getting farther away…
Thinking of Sakiko, the girl—who had just been extremely shy—suddenly had a change in expression.
The moment she remembered that Kamijou Mutsuki was the boy Sakiko liked, her embarrassment faded, replaced by a strange sense of excitement.
Hehe, you wanted to steal Mana-chan's partner, didn't you? Now the boy you like is in my hands!
Watching the donut lady suddenly go from shy to oddly cheerful, even Kamijou Mutsuki couldn't understand what was going on in her head.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Sakiko—who was walking with Uika—suddenly trembled slightly.
For some reason, she felt inexplicably annoyed.
"Saki-chan, what's wrong?"
Seeing Sakiko suddenly stop, Uika looked at her with confusion.
"No, it's nothing."
Sakiko gently shook her head, then suddenly seemed to notice something.
"Uika, don't move!"
"Huh?"
Though confused, the girl obediently stood still.
Sakiko stepped forward and picked a small green leaf from her hair.
"Be more careful next time."
But as Uika looked at that leaf, she inexplicably felt a sense of unease.
…Forget it, it's probably just her imagination.
Shaking her head, she didn't think too much about it.
It had to be said, the interaction between the two girls today was far more natural and smooth compared to that previous "date" with Kamijou Mutsuki.
Although Uika had never gone out alone with Sakiko like this before, she often went out with the donut lady.
As for Sakiko, there was even less to say.
Even though she had become cold and withdrawn after leaving CRYCHIC, the former noble young lady Sakiko had never lacked experience in this kind of situation.
After all, this wasn't a date with Kamijou Mutsuki—just going out with her childhood friend. Why would she feel nervous?
However, while Sakiko was fine, Uika's happiness didn't last long.
"I've been to this place with Mutsuki before."
Sakiko looked at a claw machine in the mall, her eyes filled with nostalgia.
"That guy always acts like he doesn't care about himself…"
Back then, Nyamu had even tried to use this as a chance to "assist" Kamijou Mutsuki—but as everyone knew, he was terrible with his hands.
Of course, given his personality, he wouldn't stubbornly keep trying if he couldn't do it.
At the time, he had been ready to just spend money and buy out the entire section directly. In the end, it was Sakiko who stepped in, effortlessly grabbing a few prizes and saving him from wasting money.
Now, seeing the familiar machine again, she instinctively made a move—and, naturally, succeeded every time.
"Do you like this kind, Uika?"
"…I like it."
Taking the small lion plush Sakiko handed her, Uika didn't feel as happy as she should have. Instead, her emotions were complicated.
Even though they were out together, Sakiko had barely gone three sentences without mentioning Kamijou Mutsuki.
When I'm with you, the one I look forward to is his face…
Uika: I feel like I'm living in his shadow the whole time!
She had finally gotten a chance to be alone with Sakiko, away from Kamijou Mutsuki.
But even though he wasn't here, it felt like his presence was everywhere.
Only now did Uika truly realize—her childhood friend had already been completely filled by that man. There was no room left in her heart for anyone else.
Thinking this, the girl suddenly felt a bit relieved.
At least Mana—her partner—hadn't been "captured" by Kamijou Mutsuki.
However, what Uika would never expect was that her partner was currently standing nearby, cheeks puffed up in anger.
That damn blue-haired girl—she had never even gone out and had fun like this with Uika before!
Watching the interaction between the two girls in front of the claw machine, the donut lady practically ground her back teeth to dust, feeling incredibly sour inside.
Of course, this didn't mean she had any romantic feelings toward Uika.
She believed her orientation was perfectly normal—but possessiveness wasn't something that only existed between lovers.
Not to mention, before joining the agency, the donut lady had only ever had Uika as her one true best friend.
So naturally, she found Sakiko quite unpleasant to look at.
After seeing the two of them leave, the donut lady turned to look at Kamijou Mutsuki.
"Let's go over there too!"
All the frustration she suffered from Sakiko—she was going to take it out on Kamijou Mutsuki.
However Sakiko treated her partner, she would treat Kamijou Mutsuki the same—no, even worse!
Thinking this, she directly dragged him over to the claw machines.
It's just claw machines, right?
It's not like she can't do it!
"Demon King, which one do you like? Mana-chan will grab it for you!"
Rolling up her sleeves, the girl looked full of confidence.
Kamijou Mutsuki casually pointed at a small penguin, and the donut lady immediately got to work.
And then…
"…Why is it like this?"
After dozens of attempts, looking at her empty hands, the donut lady's eyes went blank—forming a stark contrast to Sakiko, who had been hitting every time.
In fact, these claw machines usually have a pity system.
In that sense, the donut lady wasn't necessarily weaker than Sakiko—just in the opposite direction.
"Even this stupid machine is bullying me!"
If not for her good upbringing, she would've already kicked the machine on the spot and given it the "Railgun treatment."
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