The end of summer slipped away quietly, the weather gradually cooling, though the scorching sun still blazed fiercely.

Kaoru Mitoma had just reached the first floor when he spotted a few familiar figures emerging from the elevator.

"Huh? Isn't that Mitoma-kun?" Honami seemed pleasantly surprised, waving cheerfully at him.

"Good morning," Kaoru greeted back, noticing the girls beside her.

First was Amikura Mako, who noticed Kaoru Mitoma the quickest, yet remained silent, her expression seeming somewhat awkward.

Facing Mitoma, she only offered a polite smile.

Beside her was Shiranami Chihiro, a girl who resembled the girl-next-door type, her gaze shifting between him and Ichinose Honami as if lost in thought.

"Mitoma-kun, are you going out too?" Honami naturally walked up to Kaoru.

She wore a white short-sleeved shirt, the slightly loose fabric effectively concealing her overly striking figure.

The exposed skin of her arms carried a refreshing summer coolness, her snow-like complexion drawing attention.

As a complement, she had simply paired it with a black long skirt, the cinched waist tightly accentuating her slender figure—so delicate it seemed one hand could easily wrap around it.

White soft-soled shoes hid the girl's feet, leaving only a small portion of her calves visible before Kaoru's eyes—smooth and delicate, clearly offering a texture different from stockings.

"Yeah, I was planning to watch a movie," Kaoru Mitoma delivered his pre-prepared line.

The reason the two had met here was, of course, due to a carefully orchestrated scheme.

That said, Mitoma had no idea what Ichinose Honami intended to do.

Calling it a date felt a bit forced, especially since she had brought Amikura Mako and Shiranami Chihiro along—making the situation all the more confusing.

"Eh? We were thinking of watching a movie too!" Ichinose Honami beamed. "Why don't we go together?"

Just as Kaoru was about to nod, Amikura Mako hastily interjected, "Wait a second, Honami-chan! Didn't we agree to go get our fortunes told?"

"Oh no, I almost forgot about that!" Ichinose Honami recalled one of today's objectives and couldn't help but feel troubled.

"Fortune-telling?" Kaoru sounded as if he was hearing the term for the first time.

"You don't know about it, Mitoma-kun?" Honami explained, "There's a fortune-teller who's supposedly incredibly accurate, and they're visiting Keyaki Mall this summer—today, in fact. Everyone's really interested."

"Sounds like fun," Kaoru mused.

Amikura Mako immediately sensed danger—and sure enough, he asked, "Mind if I tag along?"

"Of course! You're more than welcome!" Honami's face lit up with a smile.

The plan was proceeding smoothly!

Amikura Mako glanced at her, then at Kaoru, pressing her lips together as her already sensitive thoughts began to spiral.

"Didn't expect you to be interested in fortune-telling. Shouldn't you be saying something like, 'Fortune-telling is so lame'?"

Almost muttering to herself, Amikura Mako stared fixedly at Kaoru.

"If I were the type to say that, I wouldn't have left the house to watch a movie today," Kaoru replied, his gaze drifting to the girl's calves.

Noticing his gaze, Amikura Mako subtly averted her eyes, then felt a flicker of irritation.

Meanwhile, Honami watched their little exchange, her smile unwavering.

"We're running out of time—let's get going!"

With that, she led the way out of the hall and stood under the scorching sun outside.

Amikura Mako had no choice but to follow and Kaoru Mitoma also moved.

However, as Shiranami Chihiro passed by him, their eyes met.

[Shiranami Chihiro: Envy, Jealousy, Melancholy, Longing...]

[Recommendation: Praise her more, include her, treat her gently, and grope her breasts to effectively reduce the target's jealousy.]

Like a fleeting glance, Shiranami Chihiro quickly averted her eyes.

However, Kaoru Mitoma was a little confused.

Whether it was Shiranami Chihiro's reaction or the prompt from 'Emotion Perception', he could hardly make sense of the situation.

...

"Hey, Mitoma-kun, what do you want to get a fortune reading for?"

As they walked, Ichinose Honami suddenly asked Kaoru Mitoma.

In that instant, Kaoru could sense Amikura Mako perking up her ears.

"The meaning of life?" Kaoru replied uncertainly, though he did indeed have such doubts.

However, this answer sounded somewhat dismissive to Amikura Mako, who couldn't help but purse her lips.

"Mitoma-kun, have you been feeling lost about life lately?" Honami asked curiously.

Kaoru thought for a moment before murmuring, "Sometimes, I wonder if I've done something wrong."

Honami suddenly froze.

She didn't expect that response, and her heartbeat quickened beneath her chest.

"I think as long as you can correct it, it's never too late. If you need help, I'll be there for you."

Their eyes met, and Kaoru couldn't help but smile. "So the fortune teller is right here?"

"Ehehe, I'm more of a counselor for worries," Honami giggled before turning to Amikura Mako. "By the way, Mako-chan, who are you pairing up with later?"

Amikura Mako paused, then replied nonchalantly, "I'm fine with anyone."

"What do you mean by 'pairing up'?" Kaoru asked naturally.

"The fortune teller only accepts consultations in pairs, not individuals," Honami explained. "So we were originally planning to team up."

Wait, weren't there three of you?

As if sensing Kaoru's confusion, Amikura Mako interjected, "Yume-chan will be here soon."

So it seemed Kaoru was the extra one.

"It's fine! Once Yume-chan arrives, I'll pair up with her," Honami said cheerfully. "Mitoma-kun, why don't you team up with Mako-chan first?"

"W-Wait, why me!?" Amikura Mako stammered, her face flushing red.

There was no way she could let Kaoru know what she wanted to consult about!

"Because it just fits, doesn't it?" Honami winked at her.

"Guh…" Amikura Mako roughly understood her meaning—after all, she had discussed this topic with Honami before.

Besides, today's fortune-telling was also related to Kaoru.

But this was just too embarrassing.

She had already declared they were just friends, yet here she was, secretly yearning for him.

What a terrible woman she was.

Amikura Mako could hardly stay calm.

In fact, ever since she first saw Kaoru earlier, she hadn't been calm at all.

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