Chapter 391: Yako the Mob

"What number of visitors are we at now?"

"Almost a hundred, I think. Didn't expect the haunted house to be this popular."

At the entrance to Class 1-B's haunted house, Miko Iino and Kobachi Osaragi greeted guests in black robes.

Though they were part of the Public Morals Committee, whenever they weren't on duty, they helped out in class.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Iino one of the busiest people in the festival—juggling Public Morals Committee work, Festival Committee duties, and helping her class. She barely had any time to enjoy the festival herself.

After helping two boys—who were scared stiff and leaning on each other—to the exit, another pair approached.

"Yo, Iino-san, Osaragi-san. Looks busy."

"...Rinji-kun."

"Thanks for your hard work, Iino-san," Rinji smiled, then noticed her flushed face. "You okay? Your face looks kind of red."

"It's nothing..."

Iino quickly covered her cheeks.

Osaragi pushed up her thick glasses and explained, "Because Rinji-kun's morning performance with Fujiwara-senpai was too amazing, Miko has been admiring you ever since."

"No, Kobachi, that's not—"

"Oh? What kind of admiration?" Rinji asked.

Blushing, Iino fidgeted for a moment before murmuring, "Just… like how I admire Fujiwara-senpai."

"...I've been lumped in with Fujiwara now?"

"Totally normal~"

Beside him, Hayasaka flipped into her gyaru-JK mode and laughed.

"Rinji was fantastic on stage. It's natural to admire someone like that."

"Huh? Hayasaka-senpai?"

Only then did Iino notice Hayasaka.

She knew her name not because they were close, but because Hayasaka was a frequent subject of the Public Morals Committee's attention.

Hayasaka normally pretended to be a friendly gyaru—nails, jewelry, necklaces, all part of her look. Her uniform was never worn properly.

Whenever the committee tried to catch her, she'd vanish behind a building and return looking totally proper.

Nails, necklaces, all gone. Her skirt? Perfect length.

The speed was so fast it felt like she had mastered THE WORLD.

"Hello there, Disciplinary Committee~" Hayasaka waved cheerfully at Iino.

Judging by her expression, she had probably been checked by Iino more than once.

Rinji spoke up, "I want to see how the haunted house turned out, then go in with Hayasaka and take a look."

"No problem... wait, Rinji-kun and Hayasaka-senpai are going in together!?"

Iino was just about to let them in when she suddenly realized something.

"Rinji-kun... I remember you have a girlfriend."

"Yeah."

"From another school, right?"

"Mm."

Hearing Rinji's response, Iino looked at him, then at Hayasaka, and suddenly took two steps back.

"Is this... cheating?"

Rinji: "..."

To be honest, he had a similar feeling when he came out with Hayasaka, but her subtle hints had kept him from thinking too much.

Now that Iino pointed it out, Rinji also felt something was off.

Watching from the side, Hayasaka observed the situation. Seeing that Iino's single comment had rendered Rinji speechless, she cursed the nosy committee member inwardly, then spoke.

"Ah, how strange."

She tapped her chin with a finger and feigned curiosity.

"I'm just out playing at the festival with Rinji. We've known each other for a long time, so it's totally normal to hang out."

"But a boy and a girl alone..."

Iino's voice grew a bit hesitant, while Hayasaka continued:

"I remember Rinji is supposed to patrol with you after the first day, right? That's also one boy and one girl. Would you call that a date?"

"N-no, of course not..."

"Then what's wrong with me going out with Rinji?" Hayasaka smiled. "Disciplinary Committee Member, please keep your thoughts healthy."

"..."

In the end, they had no choice but to let Rinji and Hayasaka into the haunted house.

Watching their retreating backs, Iino sighed.

"Are my thoughts really that unhealthy?"

"A little… but generally still normal, Miko. Don't take it too hard," said Osaragi comfortingly.

'Though as a disciplinary committee member, you're kind of useless,' she added inwardly.

---

Haunted House!

Originally, it referred to old buildings with paranormal stories, but nowadays it's mostly an entertainment setup.

By creating a creepy atmosphere to scare guests and make them break into cold sweat, haunted houses have gained popularity worldwide.

Most visitors are thrill-seekers or courage-testers, though they serve another purpose too—

Dating.

A boy and a girl enter, get startled by the staff dressed as ghosts, and the girl instinctively grabs the boy. This builds a romantic tension and increases emotional dependency.

Of course, there are exceptions.

Like when the girl is too brave or the guy is too scared.

In the first case, the boy can cling to the girl. In the second, you can use it to trigger the suspension bridge effect, so it's not a big deal either.

The real issue arises when one of them is an idiot.

"Hayasaka, look, this forest-themed area is perfect for staff to hide in. It's one of my proud designs, inspired by Vietnam..."

Hayasaka: "..."

Overall, the haunted house had a heavy and oppressive vibe. Hayasaka took the chance to hold onto Rinji's arm.

But Rinji seemed to have something wrong with his head. Ever since they entered, he kept explaining how the haunted house was built, like a real estate agent.

The horror was completely gone.

Hiding behind the 'forest' in a female ghost costume, Onodera heard Rinji's monologue and felt that even if she jumped out to scare them, it would only end in awkwardness.