Busujima had joined the Pab club. For Kitahara Iori and Imamura Kohei, this was news as bad as it gets. It meant that besides Chisa, there would be another bastard in the club who looked at them like they were trash!
But struggling was useless. That night, the two had no appetite; they even vomited half the alcohol they drank.
Occasionally, they'd take a mouthful of drink, only to spray it out from their eyes, nose, and mouth simultaneously upon remembering their tragic future. It was a torrential mudslide of waste!
Fortunately, along with the bad news, a piece of good news appeared: the Palau trip was about to begin, so they didn't have to stay in the Pab club!
"Wooo... hmph!"
"Eek! Sniff! Cough cough!"
"I say..."
In front of the train station, disgusted by the two bastards beside him who were covering their mouths and sobbing as if they were facing a life-and-death parting, Yuu forehead veins bulged. "It's not a life-and-death separation. Is all this sentimentality necessary?"
"Well~ while we're moved, crying like that will make people think we're going to die!"
Tokita Shinji shared the sentiment, standing firm with his arms crossed despite the shocked and bewildered looks from passersby. He clearly didn't care about losing face anymore!
When they were running around naked, Iori and Kohei were still wearing clothes. There was simply no comparison!
"Bastard! Whose fault do you think this is!"
Without mercy, Kitahara Iori waved his hand and covered his right eye with the other, his sharp gaze fixed on Yu and the seniors, trying to shame them to death. Unfortunately, it had little effect.
"That girl Busujima is actually staying at the Pab club! Even Aina has only stayed over a few times!!!"
"Exactly! Do you know how uncomfortable it is to sleep wearing underwear!!!"
Imamura Kohei slapped his own buttocks, gritting his teeth while looking pitiful. His trembling voice sounded like a pervert who had suffered a monumental grievance. "Did you hear that! My buttocks are wailing!"
"You're the one slapping them!"
His eyes twitching, Yu watched the two guys who could perform a monkey show on the spot if you just put them on leashes.
Back when he wasn't dating Azusa-senpai, she stayed over at Grand Blue all the time, and Kohei never showed any restraint!
Ultimately, this was discrimination! Discrimination is unacceptable!
"You bastard! You locked your door last night, didn't you! Eh? How strange, why is a normally careless guy so cautious! Yu-kun!"
"Co... coincidence, that's all!"
With Kohei's zombie-like arm around his neck and a finger poking his cheek, Yu turned his head dismissively, using flawed logic to argue.
Why else? Obviously to prevent a night raid from Busujima! What else could it be!
He had to admit he'd miscalculated slightly. Perhaps because of her incredibly stressful high school years, Busujima's ability to adapt to her environment was god-like!
Sleeping at Grand Blue was Azusa-senpai's unique skill; even Aina only dared to stay when few people were around. Yet Busujima showed no hesitation—she was truly terrifying!
"Azusa, you're sure you won't come with us? Mom wouldn't mind an extra person!"
"Hmm..."
Away from the scumbag duo, Kotegawa Nanaka was still trying to drag Azusa into the trip. Taking her boyfriend to meet her parents was making her a bit nervous.
Azusa sat on her suitcase, shaking her head gently. With her right hand supporting her cheek, she refused to fall for it, simply staring at the "steaming" Nanaka with a mischievous grin.
After a long while, once the other party calmed down, she squinted her eyes and smiled. "Say hello to my mother-in-law for me—if she's willing~"
"...Mmh!"
The same tone, but with a different inflection, meant two different things. Kotegawa Nanaka pressed her hands to her heart and panted slightly, finally regaining her cool. "It's okay. It'll be fine!"
"Actually, I have a question!"
Resisting the bullying from Iori and Kohei, Yu noticed the team wasn't fully gathered yet. He raised his hand. "Why isn't Aina here yet? The train is about to leave, isn't it?"
"About that..."
Kotegawa Chisa responded immediately, her brow furrowed. She had wanted to bring this up, but everyone seemed so busy she couldn't get a word in!
She had sent Aina many Line messages, but they were all unread. Surely nothing had happened...
"Everyone! Sorry, I was slightly delayed on the way. Let's go!"
"Aina, you need a sense of time when going out—"
With a whoosh, long hair spread out. Looking at the beautiful woman with long golden hair covering her mouth and panting, Yu was struck with awe, doubting if something was wrong with his ears.
But just now... that was definitely Aina's voice from behind!
But what was this monster in a floor-length dress? What kind of yokai had come out to impersonate Aina? Was it looking to test how strong the disinfecting power of alcohol was?!
"Hiss... I advise you to reveal your true form! The power of Spirytus is not to be trifled with. You wouldn't want your family to wait for a dinner you'll never attend!"
"Hurry up and give Aina... no! Give the 'Makeup Corpse' back!"
"You two, can't it just be that I changed my image?"
Her fully-made-up face was being pulled into a strange shape by the crucifixes and garlic being thrust at her. A cross-vein popped on her forehead as Aina's painstakingly maintained gentle expression distorted.
Veins bulged on her hands as she grabbed Yu and Iori's wrists with a snap. She tilted her head and stared at Yu with terrifying, squinted eyes, whispering playfully: "Is the difference that obvious? Ahahaha~"
"It really is Aina, and not in her Makeup Corpse form!"
"Looks like she took out the pigtail wig. By the way, do wigs have this many uses?"
Imamura Kohei calmly took off Aina's wig to reveal her original hair color. Even so, he remained puzzled, feeling that an even bigger change had occurred in Aina!
It was just that because there were too many changes, it was buried and impossible to see for a moment!
"Honestly, get serious, all of you!"
With a red face, she quickly snatched her wig back from Kohei. Aina grumbled and put it on properly, then made a peace sign by her eye and threw a wink~☆!
"What's wrong with a girl dressing up! Let's go quickly! Also, Busujima isn't coming, right? Right!?"
"Bleh... the lethal power of forced cuteness is too high!"
"The thought that this thing is the 'Makeup Corpse' makes my stomach churn!"
"You bastards!!!"
Amidst Aina's angry shouting, Miyazawa Yuu—who was crouching in the corner pretending to vomit—had eyes that were incredibly clear. All the exaggerated disgust was just an act, and the purpose...
"Iori, did something happen when Aina went to your house? I feel like she has a strong sense of competition!"
"Not much, she just kind of barged into Kohei's changing room or something..."
Hearing Iori sound increasingly lack-of-confidence, and combining that with Aina's excessive concern regarding Busujima, a bolt of lightning struck Yuu brain. Everything made sense.
Although she hadn't officially established a relationship with Kohei, Aina clearly had feelings for him that transcended friendship!
In Galgame terms, her affection level was maxed out, but since no relationship was established, the romance and marriage flags couldn't be triggered.
And Busujima's "handsome-man hunting" had given Aina a sense of crisis. That was why she was dressed so flashily today!
In short...
"My mistake!"
"Are you just now realizing your mistake? Hurry up and jump into Tokyo Bay with a rock to practice diving!"
"Stop the infighting! The key now is how to help Aina regain her confidence, you idiot!"
"Hey~"
Carrying a massive luggage bag, Kotegawa Nanaka leaned in behind Yu and reminded him softly: "Move it, or we'll miss the train!"
"Yes! We understand!"
Trading glances and confirming the goal of helping Aina regain her confidence, Yu barely managed a carefree pose as he picked up his luggage and followed them into the station.
That cursed Kohei had already run far ahead with Aina, showing no intention of waiting for them—how heartless!
"Be careful! Don't drink on the way, or you'll be denied boarding by the plane!"
"Do the seniors need any souvenirs? Postcards or something?"
"No, no, no! Just bringing back alcohol is enough!"
Giving a thumbs-up, Hamaoka Azusa fixed her gaze on Nanaka and Yu, smiling. "May everything go smoothly. Don't play so hard you forget about your senpai!"
"...Understood. I'll video call tonight."
Detecting a slight aura of loneliness, Yu turned back. Hamaoka Azusa had already followed the seniors onto the train, leaving only her shapely backside for him to remember.
Sorting through his thoughts amidst the tangled emotional lines, one thing was clear: the pressure of meeting the parents was imminent!