Chapter 77: The Second-Year Graduate Student's Huge Failure!
Kenji Hagiwara also observed Ikuya Nekono's disguise, but he observed it much more subtly.
While everyone was still shocked by the answer "disguised version," Kenji Hagiwara put on a very friendly smile, his gaze naturally falling on Ikuya Nekono. With just the right amount of amazement in his voice, he exclaimed, "Nekonono's hands are so skillful! Her disguise technique is amazing, it's like magic, there's absolutely no trace of it!"
His gaze, as soft as a feather, swept over Nekono Ikuya's hand.
This is his habit; observing a person's hands can often reveal a lot of information that their appearance cannot, such as their lifestyle and occupation. Moreover, the joints, textures, and lines of the hands are often more difficult to perfectly fake than the face.
However, Nekono Ikuya's hand was flawless.
His naturally healthy skin tone evenly covered his slender fingers; Nekono Yuuya's knuckles were symmetrical, and his skin texture was clearly defined. His nails were neatly trimmed, and even the direction of the bones in his wrists and the veins on the back of his hands appeared incredibly natural, without any sense of disharmony from the disguise.
Don't they have a disguise?
Oh, Kenji Hagiwara noticed a tiny, almost imperceptible scratch on Ikuya Nekono's ring finger, like a mark left by a piece of paper. This perfectly matched the image of a pampered, bookish young man who spent long hours buried in his books.
This series of observations took only a moment.
The more detailed the information, the more realistic it appears.
When Nekono Ikuya raised his hand, the strength of his fingertips and the angle of his wrist rotation were perfectly integrated with the gentle and reserved temperament he was displaying at that moment, so natural that there was no trace of acting.
They shook hands politely.
...Even the feel of it is flawless.
Nekono Ikumi nodded slightly, her tone gentle and humble: "You flatter me. It's just a personal interest, and practice makes perfect."
...A response that fits the persona, but this is not a level that can be achieved through practice alone.
Kenji Hagiwara realized that he had been tricked by Ikuya Nekono without realizing it, and he then turned his gaze to Ikuya Nekono's face.
...They must have been disguised.
Seeing the humble look on Nekono Ikuya's face, which was also completely in line with her character, Hagiwara Kenji suddenly became so certain.
There was no reason, just a gut feeling.
His gaze lingered on Nekono Ikuya's face for two or three seconds, with just the right amount of curiosity. This duration was neither inappropriate nor impolite for someone curious about their friend's or lover's disguise skills. Kenji Hagiwara was adept at striking the right balance.
It's worth mentioning that, taking advantage of the close-up greetings during the handshake and separation, Kenji Hagiwara didn't observe any flaws in Ikuya Nekono's skin, but instead first observed his warm amber pupils.
Kenji Hagiwara thought his eyesight was pretty good, even from a distance, but subtle changes in the pupils required close inspection.
Kenji Hagiwara's gaze is as light as a feather, yet his observation skills are meticulous.
Like hands, pupils are even harder to perfectly fake than the face.
As Ikuya Nekono responded humbly and gently to Kenji Hagiwara's praise, Nekonono's eyes naturally and politely turned to him.
It was daytime, and there was no need to turn on the lights; the private room was bathed in sunlight. When Nekono Ikuya looked up (Kenji Hagiwara was half a head taller than Nekono Ikuya's chestnut-haired disguise), the soft sunlight shone into his eyes, reflecting a remarkably vivid luster.
A delicate luster flowed in those warm amber eyes, and Kenji Hagiwara saw that Ikuya Nekono's pupils naturally dilated and contracted as the angle of light shifted with his movements.
It's so vibrant, and the emotions it conveys are so genuine that you can't see any subtle barriers caused by wearing colored contact lenses or other contact lenses.
Kenji Hagiwara was secretly alarmed.
This is the pinnacle of technology! It's hard to imagine that this is an effect that disguise can achieve.
If it weren't for the fact that Kenji Hagiwara still remembered a pair of deep, emerald-green eyes, he would never have believed that this was also a disguise.
Incidentally, Kenji Hagiwara didn't smell any special glue or cosmetic materials on Ikuya Nekono; there was only a faint scent of soap and a subtle bookish aroma.
He emphasized: He is not a pervert who intentionally sniffs the scent of his friends or lovers!
Kenji Hagiwara didn't smell it on purpose; it was just that they were a little close when they shook hands, so he naturally smelled the scent on Ikuya Nekono.
Moreover, at first, Kenji Hagiwara's brain did not notice anything amiss, because these scents matched and even reinforced the impression of the chestnut-haired youth's refined and gentle appearance.
And that's why, even though he knew it was just Nekono Ikuya in disguise, Hagiwara Kenji was startled and belatedly used his subconscious to analyze it.
The subconscious has been deceived!
Nekono Ikuya deliberately displayed his scent; it was part of his disguise!
Even the scent has been meticulously crafted; is the sense of smell being subtly hinted at? The deception of other people's brains is evident in every aspect.
...It's a bit scary. Ordinary people, even someone as observant as him, can't see through Nekono Ikuya's disguise.
It's more accurate to say that the more perceptive a person is, the more easily they can be deceived by Nekono Ikuya... How terrifying!
When Kenji Hagiwara realized this, his pupils might have involuntarily contracted, or a hint of something might have appeared in his expression, because he always felt that a smile flashed in Ikumi Nekono's warm amber eyes, and the other person seemed to be smiling smugly.
Hagihara Kenji:…
This series of observations ended with a brief handshake and a short exchange of two sentences between Ikuya Nekono and Kenji Hagiwara.
Their exchange was so rapid that the others barely realized the round was over.
Nekono Ikuya and Hagiwara Kenji naturally let go of their hands, which had been clasped for a moment, and separated. With that, Hagiwara Kenji's observation was mostly complete.
...Well, the results were zero.
Although there were still some flaws, such as facial features and skin color, that he hadn't had time to look for carefully, Kenji Hagiwara already had a vague premonition.
—He probably can't see the flaws.
Oh dear, that little cat is really something else. It looks like the second-year graduate student is going to fail.
tentatively raising the white flag.jpg
Then Nekono Ikuya went to talk to Date Wataru and Natalie.
Kenji Hagiwara's gaze swept over the area like a dragonfly skimming the water, noticing the delicate and continuous skin texture at the junction of the forehead and sideburns of the Nekono Ikuya when she listened to Date Wataru's words, and the natural transition between the earlobe and jawline when she turned her head to respond to Natalie's greeting.
When Nekono Ikuya smiles, subtle lines appear at the corners of his eyes, and the movement of his cheek muscles is perfectly natural. The way the muscles move when he smiles, the natural flow of his eyes, the slight tilt of his head, and the subtle fluctuations in his tone of voice…
Whether viewed up close or from afar, statically or dynamically, it is flawless.
Is that really the case?
Impressive, impressive.
Kenji Hagiwara chuckled. He had to admit that Ikuya Nekono's disguise skills were extremely high. From appearance and temperament to movements and micro-expressions, she was completely transformed, making it indistinguishable from a real person.
They only have one thing in common: they both like Kofuyu.
No wonder Kofuya is so obsessed; it's like dating countless ideal types at the same time, but at the core it's always the same: excitement!
The ultimate sense of novelty and belonging coexist, it's both a playboy and a pure love story, it's too good to pass up!
Kenji Hagiwara whistled silently.
He sincerely praised him in his heart, then decisively conceded defeat. He winked at Nekono Ikuya, who understood and smiled.
So before he even sat down, Kenji Hagiwara announced his departure without anyone knowing.
Kenji Hagiwara suffers a crushing defeat! Kenji Hagiwara VS Ikuya Nekono, Ikuya Nekono wins!
A second-year graduate student jubilantly raises a white flag.jpg
Kenji Hagiwara warmly greeted Nekono Ikuya and the others, inviting them to sit down. He naturally took over the conversation, discussing interesting stories from the police academy and Tokyo's delicacies, enlivening the atmosphere of the private room with his witty remarks, just like any gathering he attended.
Then he saw Jinpei, who, despite not finding a flaw, was also persistent in his search.
Matsuda Jinpei stared at Nekono Ikuya's face for a while, then, for some reason, looked down at Nekono Ikuya's feet, puzzled. Matsuda Jinpei was stunned.
Matsuda Jinpei: Lost in thought...
He was lost in thought for quite a while, and everyone vaguely noticed. Rei Furuya noticed it too.
Matsuda Jinpei: He's just spacing out.
Rei Furuya: You keep provoking me.
While staring blankly at someone else's boyfriend, Furuya was still a little jealous, even though she knew that Matsuda Jinpei was probably trying to figure out the disguise and the change in height.
Rei Furuya started emitting black smoke.
He wasn't targeting Nekono Ikuya, so he looked at Matsuda Jinpei with a longing gaze.
The other party involved, Ikuya Nekono, seemed quite calm, while Kenji Hagiwara felt that he was secretly enjoying the show.
Since someone whose hobby is disguise, Kenji Hagiwara guessed that they must be someone with a lively yet mischievous personality. He was right.
In crucial moments, we still have to rely on Kenji-chan. As expected, Jinpei can't do without Kenji-chan. Kind-hearted Kenji Hagiwara gently kicked Jinpei Matsuda.
The beast has been unleashed; stay alert!
Matsuda Jinpei and Furuya Rei made eye contact.
"Ha." Morofushi Kagemitsu looked at this scene and laughed helplessly. Here we go again.
He was certain that if anyone else had done this, even a stranger, Zero wouldn't have reacted this way, as long as they meant no harm.
It's probably because Zero and Matsuda don't click. Why are their personalities so incompatible? It's not that they're completely incompatible; they acknowledge each other as friends, but they inadvertently end up in a competitive dynamic.
Morofushi Kagemitsu shook his head with amusement, then turned his gaze to Nekono Ikuya and said admiringly, "Ikuya, this look suits you very well today too."
One compliment a day, done.
Nekono Ikuya looked at Morofushi Kagemitsu, his smile becoming more genuine. It wasn't that his previous smiles weren't genuine, but now he wasn't deliberately maintaining his disguised persona; beneath the refined, scholarly exterior, Nekono Ikuya's true spirit was revealed.
Childhood friends are still different after all, Kenji Hagiwara thought, while keenly sensing that perhaps it was time to reveal the disguise.
Nekono Ikuya smiled at Morofushi Kagemitsu: "I referenced you when I was designing the character and styling, you know?"
Morobuchi Kagemitsu's smile deepened: "My honor?" A kind of intimacy between them, typical of childhood friends, was also evident.
Kenji Hagiwara: ...Childhood friends are different, no wonder he misunderstood at first!
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