86 You Call This a Bystander?

As Eriri braced herself for the impact, she suddenly felt a hand gently supporting her from behind.

"Are you okay?"

The voice, as clear and cold as the wind on an icy plain, rushed into Eriri's ears, cooling down her overheated brain.

But the voice was so close that the breath hitting her face made her cheeks flush with warmth.

Tentatively opening her eyes, Eriri saw exactly what she had imagined.

Just twenty centimeters above her face was a handsome face, one she could never draw herself, looking down at her with a worried expression.

This will be the protagonist for my next story, she thought, gazing at his gentle, water-like eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Seeing the girl in his arms dressed in blue overalls, large black-framed glasses, with golden hair that seemed like a work of art, and porcelain-like skin, Kyousuke couldn't help but feel concerned.

Was she stunned from the collision?

"Oh, oh, I'm fine," Eriri replied, snapping out of her dazed state as she regained control of her body.

She placed one hand on the arm that was around her back and, with an effort, tried to stand.

"Ouch!"

Before she could fully stabilize herself, a sharp pain shot through her left ankle, causing her to stumble again.

Fortunately, the person still had his hand around her, keeping her from falling.

"My foot, I think I twisted it. Can you help me up?"

Blushing, Eriri looked up at him, speaking in a soft, almost shy voice.

Looking into her beautiful blue eyes and hearing her delicate voice, Kyousuke found it hard to say no.

There was also one other significant reason: the glowing marker above her head.

[How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend · Sawamura Spencer Eriri (Protagonist)]

"Would you like me to help you to that café over there?" Kyousuke asked, applying a bit more pressure to his arm to help steady her.

He pointed to a nearby café with a manga theme.

"Yes, if you don't mind," Eriri replied, quickly nodding.

She gripped his strong arm as she tried to walk.

"Ah!"

As soon as her left foot touched the ground, Eriri winced in pain again.

"It hurts."

Tears welled up in her blue eyes as she looked up at the man helping her.

"Ugh."

With a deep sigh, Kyousuke bent down, his right hand reaching under her legs, and with a firm push from his waist, he lifted her entirely off the ground.

"Eh? What are you doing?"

Eriri had expected him to just offer a little more support, but she hadn't imagined that he would suddenly pick her up.

Her eyes, already filled with tears, overflowed as she let out a small shriek.

The sight of her crying and helpless, combined with the suddenness of the action, made her appear like a damsel about to be swept into an alley.

"Do you want to keep standing here for everyone to watch?" Kyousuke asked, holding her securely, unfazed by her struggles.

He lifted his chin toward the crowd that had gathered around.

"Ah, let's go, let's go!"

Eriri quickly looked around, then buried her face in his chest, trying to hide from the eyes of the onlookers.

The café he had chosen was the busiest in the area, and they had been standing at the door long enough that a crowd had gathered behind them.

The onlookers, mostly otaku, were momentarily taken aback by their striking appearances, retreating to observe the real-life anime scene unfolding before them.

Kyousuke had quickly realized that the girl in his arms was desperately trying to conceal her identity.

Despite her stunning beauty, she was wearing baggy overalls, large black glasses, and had hidden her golden hair under a wide beret.

But now, with the hat fallen to the ground, her golden locks were impossible to ignore.

It was no surprise that the eyes of the surrounding otaku were now gleaming with interest.

Because of all this, Kyousuke had decided to act quickly and carry her into the café.

Without further delay, he carried her inside, crouching down by the fallen beret to pick it up.

"Pick up your hat," he said, keeping her securely in his arms as he bent down.

Despite holding a young girl in his arms, his breathing remained steady, a sign of his well-trained physique.

No matter the posture, he could handle it effortlessly.

Eriri still hadn't lifted her face from his chest.

The subtle scent of his cologne, combined with the warmth of his embrace, made her head spin.

How could she possibly reveal her face now?

What if someone recognized her for coming to Akihabara alone?

She extended a small hand, groping around the ground.

"..."

Kyousuke gave a silent sigh as he adjusted his arm to help her find the hat.

With a quick flick of her hand, Eriri snatched the hat and immediately pulled it back to her chest, determined to avoid any further exposure.

Standing up, Kyousuke walked further into the café, carrying her carefully.

Inside the café, it seemed to still be the peak shopping time for otaku, so there were hardly any customers inside.

He chose a corner table, bending over carefully to place Eriri onto the sofa.

"Are you okay?"

As he began to straighten up, he noticed that she hadn't removed her face from his chest yet.

She was still gripping the hat in one hand while holding onto his T-shirt with the other.

"Are we safe?" Eriri's voice came from his chest, muffled but still clear, with a faint hint of a soft, melodic tone.

"Yes, we're in the café now. There's only me and you here," Kyousuke replied patiently, though he couldn't help but feel a bit pained at how tightly she was clutching his T-shirt.

Hearing his reassurance, Eriri finally loosened her grip, slowly lifting her head.

She quickly glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention to her before she hastily shoved her golden hair back into the beret.

Seeing her treat her beautiful golden locks so roughly, Kyousuke felt a pang of regret.

Such beautiful hair... It deserved to be styled into twin tails!

After a moment, he pulled his gaze away, sitting down at the table across from her and calling for a waiter.

"I'll have an iced cola," he ordered.

Once the drink was ordered, he looked across the table at Eriri, who had already managed to conceal most of her face with her beret.

"What would you like to drink?"

"I'll have an iced cola too," Eriri replied without hesitation, naming her favorite drink.

After a short wait, the drinks arrived.

"You like cola? You've got good taste," Kyousuke said, taking a sip of his own.

"Yeah, cola is the best drink in the world," he added, feeling satisfied with his choice.

Although it might be unfair to Sakura, he would sneak cola when she wasn't around.

"Right? Right? Cola is the best! Tomoya still—" Eriri, excited by the unexpected agreement, started to talk about her childhood friend who always argued against cola.

But as soon as she started, she stopped.

How long had it been since they last argued about the superiority of cola?

She lowered her head, taking a small sip of her own cola.