Why is it me again…?

Umemiya Hiro changed back into her everyday clothes and returned to the main hall humming a song.

As soon as she reached the courtyard, she saw her junior holding two omamori, lost in deep thought.

‘Hmm? Why does she look troubled?’

Thinking this, Umemiya Hiro lowered her footsteps and quietly walked behind her junior.

“Should I give ‘Career’ to Senior, or give ‘Love’ to Senior…”

“What are you saying? If you must give one, I’d prefer you give me ‘Love’, you know?”

The voice suddenly ringing from behind startled Kazakami Ritsu so much she shivered.

Turning her head to look at the senior who had changed back into everyday clothes, Kazakami Ritsu’s face felt somewhat hot as she handed over the pink omamori in her hand.

“In that case, I’ll give ‘Love’ to you, Senior. With this omamori, I hope my next role will be the female lead of a hit work.”

Umemiya Hiro took the omamori, glancing at the big word “Love” on the back.

‘Hmm… gave Love to me, huh?’

After murmuring in her heart, Umemiya Hiro gently put away the omamori.

“Let’s go, continue the date… ah, continue the pre-audition training.”

“Hey, Senior, did you say something just now…”

“Okay, let’s find a place to eat first!”

“Hey! Don’t change the subject on me!”

Although Kazakami Ritsu raised an objection, she was still suppressed by Umemiya Hiro using her identity as a senior.

After taking a few photos, the two bade farewell to the shrine maiden and left Shibuya Garden.

Walking onto the bustling streets of Shibuya, the midday sun shining on their bodies made them feel a bit hot and bothered.

For some reason, Kazakami Ritsu felt that her senior seemed to be in a very good mood right now.

‘Yeah, especially that smile; it looks quite goofy.’

“What are you looking at me for? What do you want to eat? My treat today.”

Umemiya Hiro seemed to sense her junior’s gaze, turning her head sideways and asking with a smile.

Hearing the senior say it was her treat, Kazakami Ritsu also began to think about what to eat this time.

As long as it wasn’t a maid cafe, there shouldn’t be any problem.

When passing a small square, Umemiya Hiro became interested in a small stall not far away.

A bald uncle sat on a small folding stool, with a huge picnic mat spread out in front of him.

Dozens of small black boxes were placed on the picnic mat, and there was a big sign next to it.

“Snack Blind Box… Kazakami, let’s go try that!”

After seeing the content on the sign clearly, Umemiya Hiro stopped walking without hesitation.

Kazakami Ritsu followed her gaze and couldn’t help raising an eyebrow.

‘Hah? Snack Blind Box? What the hell is this?’

The two walked to the small stall. The bald uncle scanned the two and revealed a brilliant smile.

“Welcome! Do you two want to try our Snack Blind Boxes? There are snacks of various flavors inside!”

Saying this, the uncle took out two paper lists and handed them to them.

“If you eat a specific flavor, you can also get some special rewards.”

Kazakami Ritsu looked down at the list in her hand. The so-called rewards were actually just small items like keychains and pendants.

However, why were the so-called specific flavors outrageous tastes like chili sauce and wasabi sauce?

Did people here not know she had a constitution where her stomach would protest if she ate spicy food?

Just as Kazakami Ritsu fell into deep thought, Umemiya Hiro beside her had already paid with great interest.

“Let’s take four first. Kazakami, which two do you choose?”

“Eh, eh? Do I have to too?”

Kazakami Ritsu, who originally wanted to stay out of it, widened her eyes. She really hadn’t thought she would draw fire onto herself.

Seeing that Kazakami Ritsu seemed a bit reluctant, Umemiya Hiro leaned close to her face and lowered her voice.

“Of course. We two are going to dedicate our lives to Young Master Ul together in the future…”

‘Hiss… You scoundrel! This is kidnapping, right! Workplace bullying!’

Kazakami Ritsu pursed her lips and randomly picked two small boxes from the edge of the picnic mat.

Umemiya Hiro nodded with satisfaction and also bent down to choose two small boxes whose purely black exteriors concealed their contents.

“No matter what flavor it is, please try your best to finish eating it, you two.”

After both had chosen their blind boxes, an expectant expression appeared on the boss’s face.

‘Unexpectedly, someone managed to pick two different flavors of special blind boxes in one go…’

“Then, let’s see whose luck is better!”

“But Senior, are you sure eating those two flavors counts as good luck?”

After chatting idly for a sentence, Kazakami Ritsu and Umemiya Hiro slowly opened the blind boxes in their hands together.

Looking at the snow-white daifuku in the first blind box, Kazakami Ritsu breathed a slight sigh of relief.

‘If it’s daifuku, it should be fine, right?’

Thinking this, Kazakami Ritsu slowly took out the daifuku and stuffed it into her mouth.

‘Eh, what a pity…’

Umemiya Hiro glanced at the octopus sausage in her blind box and looked at Kazakami Ritsu with some disappointment.

But then she saw that Kazakami Ritsu’s originally fair neck was now dyed with a touch of crimson.

To be precise, it spread all the way from her cheeks to her neck.

Not only that, at this moment, a watery sheen faintly appeared in those crystalline eyes.

‘Ah… looks like Junior got hit.’

“Congratulations! Please use this!”

The boss, who could no longer control his smile on the side, picked up a packet of bagged milk and handed it over.

Only after drinking the milk did Kazakami Ritsu expressionlessly wipe away the tears produced by the spiciness with her fingertip.

‘Damn it all, who taught you to put chili sauce inside sweet daifuku?’

‘Are you really humans? Is this something humans can do?’

Seeing her junior trying to tough it out made Umemiya Hiro feel both heartache and amusement.

“Kazakami, are you okay…”

“I’m fine. What could happen to me?”

Her tone sounded without any fluctuation. If not for her hand holding the packaging box still trembling slightly, it would really look like she was fine.

‘Pfft, this guy’s tough act is too…’

Suppressing the smile in her heart, Umemiya Hiro opened another blind box first.

“Let me go first this time… Eh, it’s also daifuku.”

After seeing the contents of the box clearly, Umemiya Hiro perked up.

Not only her, but even Kazakami Ritsu revealed an expectant expression at this moment.

‘Very good, this way I won’t be the only one getting hurt!’

Thinking this, Kazakami Ritsu opened the second blind box.

Inside the blind box before her eyes, a triangular rice ball with a piece of seaweed stuck to it lay quietly.

‘Phew… looks more normal than the daifuku just now.’

The two picked up the food in the second blind box together, exchanged a glance, and put them into their mouths.

In the next instant, Kazakami Ritsu slowly closed her eyes due to the pungent spicy taste shooting straight to the top of her skull.

First chili sauce daifuku, now wasabi rice ball, you guys…

The follow-up words could no longer be conveyed; the thread named reason had completely snapped.