Chapter 17 Two Drama Queens Thinking about what they were going to do tonight, she/he…
At 6:50 p.m., the setting sun was like blood.
In front of Central Station, the crowd gradually thinned out. Risa stood alone at the tram entrance and exit, the cold light from her phone screen reflecting on her face like a pool of deep blue water, making her face appear as delicate as porcelain.
"Looks like I'm late."
A clear, gentle voice came from behind, and Risa's eyelashes trembled.
She turned around, her gaze unexpectedly meeting his.
Yukimura Seiichi stood a meter away, maintaining perfect social distancing.
He changed into casual clothes, casually rolling up the cuffs of his white shirt to reveal a section of his well-defined wrist, and his dark trousers made his legs look long and straight.
He was like a renowned sword sheathed in its sheath, elegant and composed, yet subtly exuding a sharp and oppressive aura.
"No, it's because I arrived too early." Risa's lips curved into a standard business smile, but her eyes remained calm and indifferent. "I didn't expect that the Child of God would be so... punctual."
"I have to take my date with Matsuno seriously."
Yukimura stepped forward, leaned slightly forward, and a subtle glint appeared in his eyes.
His eyelashes were long, and when they fell, they looked like a fine spider web, silently wrapping around her with a subtle aggression that made her pause for a moment, but she quickly came to her senses.
"A date?" Risa raised an eyebrow, her smile not reaching her eyes. "I thought... this would be a 'reckoning'."
The air seemed to freeze for a moment.
"Define it however you like." Yukimura narrowed his eyes, a radiant smile blooming on his cheek, as if amused by her provocation.
He then asked her, "Have you decided where you want to go?"
Risa pulled two tickets out of her bag, flicked them lightly with her fingertips, and the papers made a crisp sound.
"If we're going to have fun, let's do something exciting."
Yukimura lowered his eyes and saw the words "Dome Amusement Park Haunted House Special Offer" on the ticket. His eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.
"...A haunted house?"
"What?" Risa tilted her head, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "The legendary Child of God, you're not afraid of ghosts, are you?"
Yukimura lifted his eyelids to look at her, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"I'm just worried... how will I comfort Matsuno-kun if he gets scared and cries?"
Risa's eyes darkened.
"I'm returning it to you exactly as it was, Yukimura-kun."
After saying that, she turned and walked towards the tram entrance gate.
-
Half an hour later, the two stood at the entrance of the haunted house.
In the dim light, the haunted house sign flickered with a scarlet glow, like some kind of silent provocation.
Risa glanced at the boy beside her. He still had that calm smile on his lips, but his hand, hanging by his side, was unconsciously rubbing his fingertips.
(Ha... he's just putting on a brave face.)
(You can only pretend to be this calm now.)
Just thinking about what was about to happen made Risa want to laugh. The curve of her lips was harder to control than an AK.
This haunted house, touted as "the scariest in Kanagawa," was one she carefully selected after spending an entire afternoon choosing it.
Tourist reviews were dominated by keywords such as "scared to the point of weakness" and "lifelong psychological trauma," and even professional horror movie actors broke down in fear during their experience videos.
According to the official guidebook, this "Child of God" has almost no weaknesses. Whether facing the risk of paralysis on the operating table or encountering a strong opponent in the national tournament, he always believes that he is the absolute strongest.
but--
The tighter the mask is stretched, the more spectacular it will be when it shatters.
Experiences shared by a frequent guest on horror variety shows...
Those top celebrities who always seem so at ease in front of the camera, didn't they all eventually reveal their true colors when suddenly terrified in a haunted house? Screaming and clinging to staff members, or bursting into tears...
Tonight, she will personally capture the ugly side of this "son of God" beneath his perfect facade, letting him know what the wickedness of humanity truly is.
Pushing open the mottled iron door, a cold wind carrying the damp smell of mildew rushed in, and faint screams and clanging metal could be heard coming from deep within.
“If you’re scared, it’s not too late to back out now.” Risa deliberately slowed her speech, a blatant provocation on her lips. “After all, it wouldn’t sound good if word got out that the Son of God was so scared his legs went weak.”
The haunted house was dimly lit, with only a few pale green emergency lights providing illumination. She couldn't see his expression clearly, but she could vaguely sense that his gaze was constantly fixed on her face.
"It's really touching that Matsuno-kun cares about me so much." He leaned forward, his warm breath brushing against her ear. "But... shouldn't you be the one worried?"
(This guy...is he really not afraid?)
Just as she was wondering to herself, a pale hand suddenly reached out from the crack in the wall!
"ah--!"
A scream pierced the eerie corridor of the haunted house.
But Risa's scream did not stem from fear of the "ghost hand," but rather from a sudden warm touch on her neck.
She turned her head cautiously and saw a dark blue hue resting on her neck, with a few long strands of hair falling to her chest.
call--
I am so surprised.
Oh, it's a person.
The usually composed and elegant young man was now using her as a pillow, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his forehead resting against her shoulder and neck, trembling slightly. His warm breath seeped through the thin fabric, making her skin tingle.
(Is he really... scared?)
Risa blinked, feeling the arms tighten around her waist and her heart pounding against her back.
The boy's crisp minty scent mingled with the damp, musty smell of the haunted house, creating a strange, ambiguous atmosphere. She hesitated, then raised her hand, her fingertips gently landing on the furry head on her shoulder.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid..." The voice was deliberately soft, as if soothing a frightened little animal.
With her left hand gently stroking his hair, she secretly took out her phone with her right hand and turned on the front camera in the dim light.
In the video, the usually aloof and reserved "Child of God" is now burying his face in her neck with his eyes closed. His long eyelashes cast dappled shadows on his pale cheeks, and his pale pink lips are unconsciously pursed.
Risa suppressed a laugh and pressed the shutter button several times before finally putting her phone away, satisfied.
“Mr. NPC,” she said with a bright smile to the ghostly hand hovering in mid-air, her tone brimming with undisguised delight, “Could you please move aside? My handsome young man seems to have been frightened by you.”
The pale, ghostly hand froze in mid-air for two seconds before reluctantly retreating back into the crack in the wall.
"Okay, it's alright now," Risa comforted the boy nestled in the crook of her neck. "You can open your eyes now, Yukimura-kun~"
As the terrifying sound effects faded into the distance, Risa felt the arms around her waist relax slightly.
She turned and looked up, meeting his slowly opening eyes—
In the dim light of the emergency lamp, the boy's fair cheeks were flushed, and his earlier fragile expression was gradually replaced by embarrassment. His lowered eyelashes trembled slightly, and when he saw that the two of them were almost nose to nose, his amethyst-like pupils widened slightly.
Risa saw his Adam's apple bob, and in the warmth of their breaths, she could clearly see the cunning reflection in his eyes.
(So... this is what the Child of God looks like when he's flustered.)
(So cute~ I really want to take a picture of him! And then enslave him, torment him...)
This wicked thought attacked Risa's mind, and she silently reached for her phone in her skirt pocket. But as her fingertips touched the edge of the phone, she was brought back to reality by reason and quietly withdrew her hand.
(No, no! If he finds out now, all our efforts will be in vain.)
As the ancients said:
As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn.
And she, the actress who had just become famous in her previous life, has always been someone who values a slow and steady approach.
Risa concealed the mischievousness in her eyes and feigned concern: "Yukimura-kun, are you really afraid of ghosts?"
The boy quickly distanced himself, his voice slightly hoarse: "...No."
"So what if you're afraid? It's not shameful." Risa tiptoed, deliberately moving a little closer to him, scrutinizing his taut jawline in the flickering light. "I just never imagined that our omnipotent Child of God would have such an adorable weakness~"
“Matsuno Risa!” He turned his face away, his voice unusually laced with gritted teeth.
"I'm here~" Risa smiled, her eyes crinkling like a little fox.
Yukimura: "..."
A shrill scream suddenly came from the depths of the haunted house, and the boy, who had been trying to remain calm, instantly straightened his back.
Risa covered her mouth and chuckled, then turned and walked forward, deliberately stomping on the dry bones on the ground. Behind her, she heard Yukimura's hurried footsteps; he was practically walking right up to her back.
As the rotting "zombie" sprang from the coffin, Risa was pulled into an embrace once more—
"Don't move." Yukimura's hoarse voice sounded close to my ear, "...Just walk out like this."
Risa suppressed a laugh, "Okay~"
"Since Yukimura-kun has asked me so earnestly, I will naturally not refuse."
She took out her phone and, this time openly and brazenly, took several pictures of his stiff profile.
"You...!" The boy's face turned red with anger after he discovered it.
Risa blinked innocently, "I told you, going on a date with me comes at a price. It's dangerous, you know~"
Before he could respond, Risa grabbed his wrist, which was draped around her waist, and pulled him forward, saying, "Let's keep exploring! There's something even more exciting ahead!"
"..."
Twenty minutes later, the two finally emerged from the haunted house.
Yukimura had regained his usual composure and was now leaning lazily against a Roman column, simply turning his face away from her.
Risa, brandishing her spoils, leaned closer to him to negotiate: "Yukimura-kun, how about we make a deal?"
"What transaction?"
"If you agree to three conditions, I will make these unpleasant photos disappear and never see the light of day again."
"...Tell me about it."
"First, we're even about the time I pinched your face, so stop bringing it up."
"Secondly, keep an eye on those gossipy kids in the tennis club; they're not allowed to pry into my affairs."
"third,……"
Risa's voice stopped abruptly.
After a pause, he continued, "...I haven't thought of anything yet, I'll talk about it later."
Yukimura straightened up, his eyes narrowing slightly: "Is this the price you were talking about?"
"What do you think? Isn't it a great deal?" Risa looked directly into his beautiful eyes, determined to win him over.
Yukimura: "Sure, no problem."
Risa: "...?"
Did you agree so readily? I hope there won't be any trouble.
As she was pondering, the light before her suddenly dimmed. A tall, slender figure loomed over her, carrying a faint scent of mint.
The boy nodded, meeting her gaze. The embarrassment in his eyes had vanished, replaced by a chilling, dark glint.
Like a cheetah poised to pounce under the moonlight, or a predator that has spotted its prey and walked right into its trap.
Risa's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively took a half step back: "Why... are you so close?"
The night breeze swept across his slightly disheveled hair, creating a small gust of air between the two of them.
"Before granting your request—"
He deliberately dragged out the last syllable, "I also have a condition."
"What?"
“A fun date like today,” he lowered his voice, his smile deepening, “will happen once a week from now on.”
Risa's pupils contracted slightly: "???"
"Have you forgotten," she said, shaking her phone as she tried to appear calm, "that I'm the one with the chips?"
Yukimura chuckled softly, his long, slender fingers gently tapping her phone screen.
“How about…” his eyes darkened slightly, “take a closer look at the ‘masterpiece’ you photographed?”
Risa frowned and lowered her head. The moment the photo album loaded, her pupils suddenly contracted.
A note from the author:
----------------------
The next chapter connects to this one and will be updated at midnight on Saturday. (If I finish writing it =v=)
The update will still be at 7 PM on Sunday. That's all~
Finally, as usual, thank you all for your likes, comments, and support! Seeing your anticipation made writing until midnight worthwhile [heart emoji].
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
