Chapter 799

Chapter 799: Chapter 799

The moment Kaoru heard Arisu’s name, his feelings became rather complicated. Of all the people involved, he had never expected that white-haired little schemer to be the one who proposed a game this shameless.

"We originally planned some outdoor activities too, you know, but the upperclassmen rejected my special athletics event. Absolutely unforgivable!"

Ichika puffed out her cheeks in genuine disappointment.

"In my version, Senpai would’ve had to distract everyone while they raced toward the finish line, and anybody who lost concentration would be eliminated. Doesn’t that sound way more exciting than ordinary sports?"

From the gleam in her eyes, Kaoru could tell that "distract" was doing an enormous amount of work in that explanation.

Apparently, Ichika had imagined an obstacle race designed almost entirely around embarrassing the participants, forcing them to endure Kaoru’s teasing without losing composure until they reached the finish. The moment someone gave in, panicked, or stopped moving, she would lose.

Ichika had clearly been looking forward to watching everyone embarrass themselves.

Unfortunately for her, almost nobody supported the proposal.

Kikyō had apparently been the sole exception.

Kaoru was not even surprised.

He had noticed long ago that Ichika might actually be more dangerous than Kikyō when it came to this kind of thing. She possessed an almost academic curiosity toward anything scandalous and seemed entirely immune to the embarrassment that normally stopped people from saying whatever crossed their minds.

Kikyō had taken a considerable amount of time before becoming this shameless.

Ichika had apparently arrived that way from the factory.

’As expected of the White Room’s elite education,’ Kaoru thought dryly.

Still, if everyone had gone through the trouble of arranging the game, Kaoru had no objection to playing along. Judging by the covered cameras, locked building, handwritten rules, and Ichika’s suspiciously enthusiastic attitude, they had prepared for this just as thoroughly as they had for the King’s Game.

"Fine. I’ll play."

Kaoru looked at the booklet in her hands.

"But how does this actually work?"

"Hmm-hmm. That’s exactly what your private guide is here for!"

Ichika immediately brightened.

"Every school year prepared a different attraction for Senpai. First, the first-years have arranged a treasure hunt on this floor!"

"A treasure hunt?"

"Exactly. Somewhere on this floor is a secret treasure prepared by the first-years. If Senpai manages to find it, you’ll receive an additional reward."

That sounded surprisingly normal.

At least, it would have sounded normal if Ichika had not already introduced something called Flirt Points.

Kaoru therefore asked the question he had been avoiding.

"So how exactly do I spend these Flirt Points?"

For the first time since the game began, Ichika looked faintly embarrassed.

She glanced away, then peeked back toward Kaoru as though judging his reaction.

"The points are basically a way to measure how far Senpai pushes an interaction. Small things cost one point, more embarrassing requests cost two, and anything especially romantic costs three."

Kaoru stared at her.

"That explanation became suspiciously vague."

"It’s because Senpai doesn’t need the detailed version yet!"

Ichika immediately protested.

"The game matters more than the accounting system!"

Kaoru suspected the original rules were significantly less innocent than what she had just summarized, but since everyone involved had apparently agreed on them beforehand, there was little point interrogating the guide before he had even reached the first attraction.

"Fine. Then the treasure hunt starts now?"

Kaoru was about to move when Ichika hurriedly caught his arm.

"Wait, wait! Senpai can’t start like this!"

Kaoru looked at her in confusion.

Before he could ask what she meant, Ichika wrapped both arms around his and pressed herself close without the slightest hesitation.

Then she rose onto her toes and kissed him.

The move came so suddenly that Kaoru barely had time to react. By the time he did, Ichika had already turned what should have been a quick kiss into something warmer and far more deliberate, clearly taking advantage of the fact that they were alone inside a locked building.

She had improved since their first kiss.

That realization alone was mildly dangerous.

When Ichika finally pulled back, her cheeks were faintly flushed, but the smugness in her eyes had not diminished at all.

"There."

She smiled.

"Now Senpai looks a little more like someone attending our private festival."

Kaoru stared at her.

"That was part of the rules?"

"Guide privilege."

"That sounds made up."

"It became a rule five seconds ago."

Of course it had.

Ichika leaned even closer and studied his face with exaggerated concentration.

"Hmm... but Senpai still looks way too calm. This is supposed to be a festival built specifically around tempting you, remember? If you wander around looking like you’re attending a student council inspection, everyone’s hard work will go to waste."

"So your job is to get me into character?"

"Exactly!"

She sounded extremely proud of herself.

Kaoru narrowed his eyes.

"And what happens if your ’warming up’ gets out of control?"

Ichika’s grin became positively wicked.

"Then I suppose your adorable private guide will have to take responsibility."

"You absolutely rehearsed that line."

"Maybe~"

She poked his cheek.

"Besides, Senpai keeps pretending he’s some incredibly disciplined person, but everyone already knows better."

"You’re trying very hard to make me regret agreeing to this."

"Wrong. I’m trying very hard to make Senpai enjoy it."

Ichika slipped behind him, then popped up on his other side with the same inexhaustible energy she displayed whenever she found something genuinely entertaining.

"Today, Senpai is the customer. No Student Council president responsibilities, no class politics, no White Room nonsense, and definitely no worrying about everyone else before yourself. You’re supposed to walk around, enjoy the attractions, and let everyone compete over who can make you happiest."

Kaoru paused.

That explanation was unexpectedly sincere.

It also made the absurd premise slightly easier to understand.

"So the points are basically votes?"

"Something like that. Every time Senpai accepts someone’s special service, she earns points. Whoever collects the most gets the cultural-festival date."

"And I have unlimited points."

"Yes."

"So there’s technically no competition because I can just spend unlimited points on everyone."

Ichika went silent.

Kaoru looked at her.

Ichika looked back at him.

"Senpai."

"What?"

"You’re not supposed to attack the game design."

"I’m pointing out a structural flaw."

"It’s a romance event, not an economics simulator!"

Kaoru laughed despite himself.

Ichika immediately looked pleased.

"There. That’s better."

"What is?"

"Senpai finally stopped making that annoying serious face."

She smiled brightly and tugged at his sleeve.

"Come on. Treasure hunt."

Before Kaoru could start walking, however, Ichika suddenly stopped again.

Then she looked at him.

Her expression shifted into exaggerated innocence.

"Although..."

Kaoru immediately became wary.

"What now?"

"Since I’m your guide, I should probably demonstrate how the point system works properly."

"No."

"I haven’t even said anything!"

"I know you."

"That’s discriminatory."

"That’s experience."

Ichika puffed out her cheeks, then suddenly leaned forward again.

"One point."

She kissed his cheek.

"Two points."

Another kiss landed near the corner of his mouth.

"Three points—"

Kaoru caught her by the shoulders before she could continue.

Ichika blinked.

"Senpai?"

"You’re having too much fun."

"I’m providing excellent customer service."

"You’re abusing your position."

"Doesn’t that sound familiar?"

Kaoru had no answer to that.

Ichika’s smile widened.

Then she deliberately relaxed in his hands instead of backing away.

"So what now?"

Her voice became softer, though the mischievous spark in her eyes remained.

"Senpai can either let go and continue the treasure hunt like a responsible upperclassman... or admit that I successfully tempted you."

Kaoru looked at her for several seconds.

"You understand that challenging me like that is a terrible idea, right?"

"Yes."

"Especially when we’re alone."

"Yes."

"And you’re still doing it."

"Obviously."

Ichika looked positively delighted.

Kaoru sighed.

Then he kissed her.

This time he was the one who initiated it, and Ichika’s victorious expression disappeared almost immediately. She had clearly expected to provoke him, perhaps to make him hesitate or retreat, but once Kaoru actually accepted the challenge, she quickly discovered that being mischievous was much easier when she controlled the pace herself.

Even so, she refused to back down.

Her hands caught lightly at his shirt, and she responded with enough stubborn enthusiasm that Kaoru could almost hear Kikyō’s influence in every second of it.

When they finally separated, Ichika needed a moment before recovering her usual smug expression.

"Senpai is surprisingly competitive."

"You started it."

"I was merely performing my duties as a guide."

"You’re an unbelievably suspicious guide."

"And yet Senpai keeps using the service."

Kaoru could not argue with that either.

Ichika lightly touched her lips, then looked away for the briefest moment.

That tiny hesitation was enough for Kaoru to notice something important.

She was still inexperienced.

Her confidence made it easy to forget, especially because Ichika could talk about embarrassing subjects with almost no restraint whatsoever, but there was a significant difference between joking about something and actually experiencing it.

Kaoru had nearly allowed her attitude to make him forget that.

"You okay?"

Ichika immediately turned back.

"Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?"

"That answer came too quickly."

"Senpai has been spending too much time with me. You’re starting to copy my tricks."

She smiled, but Kaoru kept watching her.

Ichika eventually sighed.

"I’m fine."

This time, her voice was more genuine.

"I wanted to do it."

Then her grin returned.

"Although Senpai was definitely rougher than the tutorial version."

"There was a tutorial version?"

"Kikyō-senpai gave me advice."

Kaoru’s face immediately went blank.

"I knew it."

Ichika burst out laughing.

"She told me Senpai likes it when girls don’t just sit there doing nothing, so I should pay attention to your reactions instead of blindly following whatever I read."

"What exactly have the two of you been discussing?"

"Girl talk."

"That is not girl talk."

"It is when Kikyō-senpai and I do it."

That was probably true, which only made the situation worse.

Kaoru rubbed his temple.

"So that’s why the two of you suddenly became best friends."

"Best friends might be too early, but Kikyō-senpai is amazing."

Ichika’s eyes sparkled.

"She knows so many weird things."

"That isn’t praise."

"It absolutely is."

Kaoru made a mental note to have a very serious conversation with Kikyō later.

Then again, judging by Kikyō’s personality, telling her to stop would probably only make her more enthusiastic.

Ichika suddenly tugged his sleeve again.

"Senpai."

"What now?"

"Don’t worry so much."

The teasing had faded slightly from her voice.

"I really did volunteer for today. Nobody forced me, and nobody told me I had to do anything I didn’t want to."

Kaoru looked at her.

"I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

He paused before adding, "That doesn’t mean I get to assume you’re comfortable with everything just because you joke about it."

Ichika stared at him for a moment.

Then her expression became strangely amused.

"Oh no."

"What?"

"You’re doing the yasashii protagonist thing again."

"I’m being normal."

"That’s exactly what a yasashii protagonist would say."

She clasped both hands dramatically against her chest.

"Dangerous, dangerous. If Senpai keeps this up, I might really enter the route where I become hopelessly attached to you."

"You’ve been threatening me with that route for months."

"And Senpai keeps progressing through it!"

Kaoru rolled his eyes.

"Can we finally start the treasure hunt?"

Ichika immediately brightened.

"Yes!"

Then she held up one finger.

"But first, today’s first transaction has officially been recorded."

Kaoru frowned.

"How many points?"

Ichika tilted her head, pretending to calculate.

"Hmm... let’s call it three."

"For kissing?"

"For making your guide lose her composure."

"That sounds like you’re awarding yourself bonus points."

"Exactly."

"You’re cheating."

"I’m the guide. I interpret the rules."

Kaoru stared at her shameless smile and finally understood that arguing would accomplish absolutely nothing.

"Fine. Three points."

"Yes!"

Ichika triumphantly scribbled something into her booklet.

Then, seemingly satisfied, she clasped her hands behind her back and began walking backward down the corridor while facing Kaoru.

"Now then, esteemed guest, welcome to the first attraction of your private cultural festival."

Her twin tails bounced with every step as her smile widened.

"Somewhere on this floor is a treasure prepared especially for Senpai. You’re free to search anywhere that isn’t marked off-limits, and every room contains either a clue, a challenge, or someone waiting to interfere with you."

"Interfere?"

"You’ll understand when you meet them."

"That sounds ominous."

"It’s supposed to."

Ichika turned around and skipped forward before glancing back over her shoulder.

"Oh, and one more thing."

Kaoru already knew he was not going to like it.

"What?"

"If Senpai gets distracted by a girl and forgets about the treasure hunt, that also counts as losing."

Kaoru looked at the locked classrooms stretching down the hallway.

"So basically, everyone on this floor is trying to make me lose."

Ichika’s grin became dazzling.

"Now Senpai understands the game."

Kaoru suddenly suspected the treasure itself was completely irrelevant.

The real attraction was him trying to survive an entire building full of girls who had collectively decided that embarrassing him counted as cultural enrichment.

And judging by the way Ichika was happily leading him toward the first classroom, she intended to enjoy every second of it.