Imaizumi Keita handed her a tissue and smiled as he looked at her cheeks, which were flushed with a healthy glow from the exercise.
"You look like you're back on your home turf."
"Of course!" Lemon raised her chin proudly.
After a short break, Shioyaki Lemon, whose stamina seemed barely depleted, turned her gaze toward the haunted house.
The haunted house was decorated like a gloomy ancient castle, with a worn, blood-stained sign hanging at the entrance.
Bursts of shrill, mournful screams echoed from within.
"Kin-chan... should we go check out the haunted house?"
Shioyaki Lemon had originally prepared herself, but hearing the screams from inside made her hesitate.
Imaizumi Keita looked at her feigned composure and couldn't help but tease her.
"We don't have to go. You look a bit scared, Lemon."
"W-who said that! I'm not scared!"
Shioyaki Lemon immediately straightened her back and forced herself to say, "I'm not afraid of this kind of make-believe stuff! Let's go, let's go!"
Lemon clearly forgot that this was the kind of time where showing her vulnerability might be better...
Though she spoke toughly about not being scared at all, her hand gripping Imaizumi Keita's wrist tightened subconsciously.
As they stepped into the haunted house, the light dimmed instantly.
A cold draft blew from a corner, carrying a damp, musty smell.
Eerie background music surrounded them, along with sounds of a woman weeping and iron chains dragging.
Shioyaki Lemon, who had been so aggressive just a moment ago, could no longer keep up the act.
Whether she was truly scared or suddenly realized she should pretend to be scared at a time like this...
Either way, she pressed her whole body against Imaizumi Keita, her body trembling slightly as she grabbed his arm.
"Hey, Lemon," Imaizumi Keita teased in a low voice, "didn't you say you weren't scared?"
"I-I'm just... my eyes just haven't adjusted to the dark yet!"
A hanging "corpse" nearby swayed, and a pale hand almost touched her face.
"Aaaaaahhhh—!"
Shioyaki Lemon let out a scream in perfect synchronization, hugging Imaizumi Keita tightly and burying her face in his chest.
Feeling the soft, trembling body in his arms, Imaizumi Keita wrapped his arm around her back while his other hand gently stroked her hair.
"Okay, okay, don't be afraid." Imaizumi Keita comforted Shioyaki Lemon, "I'm here. Hold onto me, I'll take you out."
"Mm..."
The girl in his arms didn't look up; she squeezed Imaizumi Keita a bit tighter and then made a request in a small voice.
"Um... I... I want you to carry me or give me a piggyback ride out of here!"
"Yes, yes, as you wish."
Imaizumi Keita obediently adjusted his posture, easily lifting her in a bridal carry and walking toward the exit of the haunted house.
Having adapted to the darkness inside, the light at the exit felt blinding for a moment.
Imaizumi Keita stood at the exit holding Shioyaki Lemon for half a minute to recover before walking to a bench in the rest area.
He intended to set Lemon down, but her arms around his neck showed no intention of letting go.
Lemon is quite clingy too...
Imaizumi Keita thought to himself; naturally, he wouldn't be the one to suggest the girl move away from his body...
He wasn't so much of a'sigma' that he'd do that.
"Alright, we're out now. You're safe."
Imaizumi Keita reminded Lemon, gently patting her back.
Lemon only gave a muffled "mm" and continued to linger in his arms, breathing in the scent of his chest.
Imaizumi Keita felt a bit helpless and sat down on the bench while still holding her.
Even so, Shioyaki Lemon remained sitting sideways on his lap, her arms wrapped around him, without the slightest intention of separating.
"I say, Lemon-chan," he freed one hand and gently pinched her cheek, which was tight from tension, "if you don't let go, I'm going to have to charge a hugging service fee."
"...No."
Only then did Shioyaki Lemon finally lift her face, but her eyes still didn't leave his.
The tip of her nose was also a bit red; it was clear that acting this way still required a lot of courage.
Lemon didn't know if Anna had actually done such a thing, but judging by the way Kin-chan handled things, she probably hadn't...
"Right now... Kin-chan is mine."
Lemon declared in a small voice, "So, it's only right that you provide me with your services."
"Yes, yes, yes, I'm yours, I'm yours."
Imaizumi Keita nodded, going along with her smoothly.
A syrupy-sweet atmosphere fermented bit by bit in the silence.
The laughter and chatter of the tourists passing by turned into background noise.
Shioyaki Lemon's gaze slowly shifted down from his eyes and landed on his lips.
She leaned forward, the arms wrapped around his neck tightening slightly, pulling the distance between them closer.
Imaizumi Keita lowered his head slightly in response to her movement.
The tips of their noses were already touching, and just as they were about to taste each other's lips...
*Vibrate...*
With a slight vibration, the light of a phone screen lit up inside Imaizumi Keita's pocket.
Imaizumi Keita's movements came to a subconscious halt.
"What's wrong?"
Shioyaki Lemon asked instinctively, not understanding why Kin-chan hadn't followed through with the kiss.
"Wait, it looks like a message came in..."
Imaizumi Keita shook his head, not intending to look at it, wanting to continue what they were doing.
Shioyaki Lemon clearly didn't think that much of it and said generously, "Then reply to the message first. What if it's something urgent?"
Imaizumi Keita looked into Lemon's eyes and had no choice but to take out his phone to check the message he'd received.
Lemon also leaned against Imaizumi Keita, her gaze falling on his phone screen.
It was a LINE message from Yanami Anna.
[Yanami Anna: Keita, when are we going on a date? Are you free this weekend?]
Shioyaki Lemon immediately regretted letting Imaizumi Keita check his messages...
Not only was she in a bad mood now, but it felt like the atmosphere for a kiss was almost gone.
Imaizumi Keita didn't react to Shioyaki Lemon watching, his fingers quickly tapping on the screen to reply to the message.
[Imaizumi Keita: I might have something going on this weekend, let's see about next week.]
After sending the message, he put the phone back into his pocket.
"Alright."
The same gentle smile as before appeared on Imaizumi Keita's face as he tried to continue the unfinished intimacy, "Shall we continue?"
However, his outstretched hand was gently blocked by Shioyaki Lemon.
"..."
Shioyaki Lemon didn't speak; she just silently got off his lap and sat in the seat next to him.
"Lemon?"
Imaizumi Keita noticed the change in her mood.
"...It's nothing."
Shioyaki Lemon shook her head, her previously heated mind cooling down significantly.
She had clearly envisioned this kind of scene in her mind...
But... why did it still feel uncomfortable in her heart?
That feeling of having grasped the happiness of the entire world just now now felt as bland as plain water.
"Do you... usually reply to her messages like this at any time?"
Shioyaki Lemon didn't know what she was asking either; she just found a random topic to talk about.
"Yeah," Imaizumi Keita hadn't figured out Lemon's mood yet, but he still replied honestly, "I reply when I see them. She's the same."
"Is that so..."
So that's how it was.
Shioyaki Lemon thought silently to herself.
This was the "daily routine."
The "time alone" she had fought for was, for Anna, a "daily routine" that could be easily intruded upon with a single message.
"What are you thinking about?"
Imaizumi Keita's voice pulled her thoughts back.
He shifted his position, leaned close to her, and said seriously, "Lemon, if you have any difficulties or requests, you can tell me. I'll agree to them as much as possible."
"I'm thinking..." Shioyaki Lemon turned her head to look at him, "Kin-chan, you really are a terrible guy."
"Hmm..."
Imaizumi Keita nodded, suddenly understanding Lemon's meaning, "I really am a very greedy person..."
"Even though you already have Anna, you still come to provoke me."
Lemon's tone didn't carry much complaint, "And you handle it with such ease."
"Uh..."
Imaizumi Keita sensed the frankness in Lemon's tone and asked, "Lemon, has your thinking changed about something?"
"Kin-chan..."
Shioyaki Lemon nodded, looking at Imaizumi Keita with a face full of expectation, "If I want to break our previous agreement and not be your girlfriend in secret..."
"If I want to enjoy the rights of a girlfriend in front of everyone just like Anna, what would you think..."
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Rexlent
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"