Chapter 41: The Drowning One

Chapter 41: The Drowning One

Forced to become the public boyfriend of the entire academy's female student body for some incomprehensible reason…

At the moment, Sakurai Saki was still bewildered.

∘ ∘ ∘ (っ º - º ς) ?

He slowly wheeled his bicycle out the school gate, still not having recovered.

Even though he was an esper with supernatural powers, Sakurai Saki had extremely little romantic experience — or to put it plainly, he was ridiculously pure. Just a bit of teasing from a girl was enough to make him blush and send his heart pounding. Outwardly, it might not have shown, but internally he was a complete mess.

Sakurai: (💢,,>﹏<,,) b-baka!

The reason Sakurai Saki often took the initiative to strike first was simply because his defense stat was pathetically low!

Last time, when Fujiwara Chika counterattacked, he nearly couldn't recover.

"I already told you I like you!! You idiot Sakurai-kun!" The ghost girl clinging to Sakurai Saki's ear mumbled while rubbing her cheek against him.

…Why hasn't she passed on yet? Sakurai Saki wondered.

He intended to be clear:

"Just so you know, I can only see you for one day. Even if I agree to date you, it's just for today."

Besides, a ghost girlfriend you can't even touch — seriously, what guy would be okay with that?

"I can touch you now though." Yakumo Shiro said as she gently blew into Sakurai Saki's ear.

"Haa~"

( ˶˘ ³˘(⋆❛ ہ ❛⋆)!♡

Freezing cold.

Sakurai Saki was flustered from her teasing.

"So even if Sakurai-kun pins me down and goes 'icha-icha', it's totally fine~!" The girl continued to spout lines dripping with hardcore masochist vibes.

ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

Icha-icha!? Are you serious!?

Even if he could touch her, wasn't this basically just masturbating into thin air?

Because, even if he pinned her to a wall…

Stop, stop! Sakurai Saki! Are you seriously considering that possibility!?

She's a ghost! Even if she has white hair and looks super cute, she's still a ghost!

Is banging a ghost illegal? Seems like… there's no law against it.

( •᷄ᴗ•́)

Sakurai Saki suddenly realized.

He might be losing control a bit.

Because he couldn't deactivate his supernatural power today, his desire was becoming hard to restrain.

If Sakurai Saki's desire were measured on a [100] scale, right now he was only [30] points away from turning into a slave of lust.

Once he lost control, he'd either charge into a yakuza hideout at midnight wielding a knife, or go looking for some 'prostitutes', with no other alternatives. Because he had channeled all of his desire into two categories: [sexual urges] and [destructive impulse].

This kind of setup only exists in R18 stories!

But even if he lost control, Sakurai Saki didn't want to give up his first time to a ghost — that would be too humiliating.

"I'm also a virgin~ so Sakurai-kun really hit the jackpot~!" Yakumo Shiro spun in a circle in front of Sakurai Saki.

(˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵)

The short school uniform skirt she wore swayed lightly with her spin.

Sakurai Saki caught a glimpse of panties with an adorable bear pattern.

ʕ´•ᴥ•`ʔ

"Stop objectifying women so casually!" Sakurai Saki scolded.

With that, he got on his bike and rode off.

Just earlier, something happened that left Sakurai Saki speechless — he ran into the Nakano quintuplets right in front of the school building.

And then… they comforted him.

That's right! They comforted him!!!

Based on what exactly?!

Sakurai Saki had originally planned to try tutoring again today, but now he was mad all over again.

I'll go when I'm done being pissed off!

(◣_◢)┌∩┐

...

...

After buying some food, Sakurai Saki returned to the front of his house.

"This is Sakurai-kun's home?" The ghost girl reached out and touched the door of the apartment.

Ghosts can't enter a house without the owner's permission.

That was something Yakumo Shiro and Sakurai Saki had just been chatting about earlier.

"Not even guardian spirits are allowed in?"

Yakumo Shiro asked curiously, "Guardian spirits? You mean that thing behind everyone's back?"

"That's not a guardian spirit! That's just a soul resonance — that's why they gather together. Ghosts can absorb soul energy that leaks from humans, which lets them stay in the human world longer."

Sakurai Saki used facial recognition to unlock the apartment door.

"Are there really ghosts who don't want to pass on?"

He always thought ghosts were beings that wanted to move on, but couldn't.

But according to what the girl just said...

What the hell is that 'Outer God' living on top of Fujiwara Chika's head!!

Was that tentacled thing really a ghost?

"Ghosts don't disappear immediately even if they refuse reincarnation, so a lot of them just choose to lie low. Many people who were exploited while alive choose to rest after death. Besides, ghosts can't harm humans, so it's fine." Yakumo Shiro patiently explained.

Why did that sound strangely tragic?

Only after death could one finally get some peace from the hands of the capitalists.

Normal office worker: (╥ ω ╥)

————

There was a noise at the door.

Nakano Nino, who had been lying limp on the floor all day, suddenly sprang up and ran to the entrance.

Sakurai Saki pushed the door open—and saw her.

He asked, "Why are you still here?"

"Welcome home," Nakano Nino greeted joyfully, her face filled with happiness.

ʚ(*´꒳`*)ɞ .｡✧･ﾟ:* ~♡

She could still greet him?

Seeing her beaming expression, Sakurai Saki frowned.

Was this person really still not getting the situation?

"Didn't I tell you to go home?" Sakurai Saki said, annoyed.

He had clearly told her this morning to go back already. Why couldn't this girl just listen?

Hearing that, Nakano Nino's body trembled slightly, and she didn't dare speak.

Seeing her remain silent, Sakurai Saki shoved her aside and bent down to change his shoes.

"Don't tell me you've got nowhere to go. That excuse was enough the first time."

That push sent Nino staggering, nearly falling over.

But she didn't dare say much.

"Don't... don't kick me out... I'm begging you…"

(இ﹏இ`｡)

Hearing the choked-up tremble in her voice only made Sakurai Saki more irritated.

What is this girl made of, water or something? Always crying.

At the moment, Sakurai Saki was struggling to control his desires, which was also making his temper worse. If it were any other time, he'd probably be a bit gentler.

"Stop crying!" Sakurai Saki ordered.

Nakano Nino tried to hold back the tears that were about to fall.

She leaned against the wall next to the entrance, head lowered.

Sakurai Saki sighed inwardly, carrying the groceries into the living room. After checking that nothing had gone missing, he began to trust Nino a little more—at the very least, she wasn't a thief.

He took off his uniform and placed his school bag on the shelf, glancing at the bread on the dining table.

"You haven't had lunch?"

He asked Nakano Nino, who was following behind like a pitiful wife being neglected by an abusive husband.

NIno: ૮(˶╥︿╥)ა

"Umu…" Nakano Nino didn't explain that she couldn't touch objects by herself.

If he found out, he'd definitely be afraid.

Nino didn't want to be kicked out.

That line of thinking was understandable. Because to Nakano Nino, Sakurai Saki was the only one who could see her. In this situation, if even Sakurai Saki stopped caring about her, she'd be no different from someone already dead.

And the experience of death—Nino had already gone through it just yesterday.

Precisely because she had, she was terrified.

Being unseen, feeling like the world had discarded you—that feeling was even scarier than jumping off the school rooftop.

"I'll go make some rice first. If you're hungry, eat some bread to tide yourself over," Sakurai Saki said, then carried the groceries into the kitchen.

His sudden gentleness made Nakano Nino's heart race.

'What's going on? He was just yelling at me a second ago…'