manynovel Page 40
Page 40
Higashino smiled without answering, and bought two chocolate bananas, handing them to her.
"Give it a try, this place is very famous."
Misaki took a big bite, and chocolate sauce got on the corner of her mouth. Higashino subconsciously reached out to wipe it off, but she blushed and dodged away.
"I will do it myself!"
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, but ended up smearing chocolate sauce on the tip of her nose.
“Merry-go-round!”
Shokuhou suddenly pointed ahead and jumped off Higashino's back like a child who had discovered a new continent.
"I want to ride that unicorn!"
The carousel at night is bathed in a dreamy halo. Shokuhou rides on a snow-white unicorn, while Higashino stands outside the fence taking pictures. In the photos, Shokuhou smiles like a carefree child, a stark contrast to her usual haughty queenly image.
"Where to go next?"
After getting off the rocking horse, Misaki looked around with lingering excitement, her cheeks flushed.
Higashino glanced at his watch: "The fireworks will start in twenty minutes."
"Let's go to the haunted house!"
The bee's eyes lit up.
"I heard the haunted house here is really scary! I can't wait to see you, Higashino, trembling with fear."
"Heh, I really hope you won't be the one who gets scared then. Let me tell you, your ability is also forbidden to be used."
A chilling wind blew at the entrance of the haunted house, and eerie sound effects sent shivers down everyone's spine. Shokuhou, however, was as excited as a child preparing a prank. She clung tightly to Higashino's arm, practically pressing her entire body against him.
"I'm not afraid."
She said that, but her fingers were clenching Dongye so tightly that it hurt.
When the first zombie jumped out of the shadows, Shokuhou, unable to use her abilities, reflexively punched the staff member's mask. Although it was harmless, the staff member still cried out "Ah!" and fell to the ground, unable to get up.
Immediately afterwards, a large wave of zombies swarmed in.
"Ah! Run! If we get surrounded, we're doomed!"
Higashino quickly grabbed Shokuhou and ran away.
After running out of the haunted house, the two of them laughed so hard they couldn't stand up straight on the bench. Shokuhou wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"That staff member's performance... hahaha..."
Her laughter was as clear and melodious as a silver bell.
"The fireworks are about to start."
Higashino pointed towards the castle, where tourists were already beginning to gather.
They found a secluded little hillside to sit down. Shokuhou tidied her slightly disheveled hair. As the first firework exploded, Shokuhou unconsciously leaned towards Higashino.
“So beautiful…”
She spoke softly, her voice carrying a gentleness that Higashino had never heard before.
Higashino quietly snapped his fingers. The next firework exploded in the air, freezing into a star shape just like Misaki Shokuhou's eye, slowly rotating and illuminating the entire night sky. The surrounding tourists gasped in amazement.
"you!"
Misaki turned her head in surprise, only to meet Higashino's gentle gaze.
"Like it?"
Higashino asked, his voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the sound of fireworks.
Misaki didn't answer. In the instant the next firework burst open, she suddenly leaned in and gently kissed Higashino's cheek. The kiss was as light as a feather, yet more dazzling than any firework. Higashino could smell the faint scent of shampoo in her hair and feel her rapid breaths brush against his skin.
"This is... a gift of gratitude for the treatment."
Shokuhou blushed as she spoke, her voice almost drowned out by the sound of fireworks. She lowered her head, not daring to look Higashino in the eye.
Higashino stood there, stunned. The lingering warmth on his cheek made his heart race, and it also made him realize that his hard work today had not been in vain.
Misaki had already stood up and was adjusting her skirt with her back to him.
"Send me back."
Her voice returned to its normal tone, but there was a subtle, almost imperceptible change in it.
"If we go back any later, we won't make it in time for the dormitory supervisor's rounds."
Higashino stood up and gently took her hand. The girl's palm was slightly damp, but so warm that he didn't want to let go.
"Okay, let's leave then."
"Then next treatment..."
"The treatment went well today. My suggestion is... to continue next time!"
"it is good."
She responded softly, and with fireworks as witness, they intertwined their fingers.
Chapter 55: The Queen's Weight Crisis Continues
In the Tokiwadai Shokuhou Party's private event room, the members of the Shokuhou Party were holding a tea party as usual.
However, everyone's focus, their queen, Misaki Shokuhou, was unusually absent-minded today.
Yesterday's date had been lingering in her mind ever since she got back, and the last kiss made her feel like she could still taste his flavor on her lips. Just thinking about it made her cheeks involuntarily flush again.
"Your Lady Queen?"
Junko Hokaze's voice, tinged with a hint of inquiry, snapped Misaki back from her brief reverie.
"Ok?"
Misaki Shokuhou immediately composed herself, picked up her teacup, and tried to cover up her momentary lapse in concentration, but she couldn't completely suppress the slight upturn of her lips.
"What is it, Runzi?"
The members of the faction noticed their queen's "abnormality" this morning.
"You seem a little different today."
One of the members spoke cautiously.
"Oh? What's different?"
Misaki Shokuhou raised an eyebrow, her gaze sweeping over the people present.
"Hmm...how should I put it."
Junko Hokaze carefully considered her words, her gaze lingering on Misaki, hesitant, unsure how to describe the Queen at this moment.
"I feel... lighter? Or... more energetic? Like... a heavy burden has been lifted off my shoulders?"
She described it, but felt her words weren't quite right. Her Majesty the Queen has always been synonymous with elegance, but today, that elegance seemed to have mixed with... something else entirely.
Another member noticed the detail more directly: "Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness, but your uniform skirt today... the waistline seems... a little bit tight?"
She didn't dare say "it squeezed out a little bit of flesh," but the meaning was already quite clear. But that wasn't actually what she wanted to say, yet she couldn't bring herself to say something so honest.
Misaki Shokuhou's body stiffened instantly. She subconsciously lowered her head, her fingers subtly pressing on the waistband of her skirt.
Damn it! She ate a lot of cotton candy and ice cream that Higashino Yu conjured up last night! She felt a little strained when she put on her uniform this morning, but she didn't expect her sharp-eyed subordinates to notice!
A wave of shame and anger surged through me instantly. The tender and romantic feeling I had under the fireworks last night was shattered by the reality of "weight gain".
And that guy lied to me; he clearly said that eating those things wouldn't make me fat!
She forced herself to remain calm and glared at the talkative member: "Mind your own business! I just drank a little too much water this morning. There's nothing wrong with my figure, no need to question it."
"Yes! Your Lady Queen!"
The members immediately fell silent, but their eyes revealed their understanding: the Queen was furious, and it seemed the weight issue was real! This was a huge blow to Misaki Shokuhou, who valued her figure above all else.
Junko Hokaze quickly changed the subject, trying to ease the awkwardness: "Your Majesty, you suddenly left the school yesterday afternoon. Was there some important arrangement? We were all very worried."
Their queen's whereabouts are always transparent, but yesterday she disappeared alone for most of the day, which is unusual, and none of the factions sensed anything amiss. This is too abnormal.
Runzi suspected that the Queen might have secretly used her powers to alter their memories.
Misaki Shokuhou paused, her hand holding the teacup still.
Where did she go? She can't exactly say she was dragged to an amusement park by a jerk of a health care doctor for some kind of "psychological counseling," and then, like a normal high school girl, she rode a roller coaster, screamed, hit the haunted house staff, was carried around, and even... got kissed on the cheek, can she?
Although she didn't really care, she really didn't want to expose herself now.
"Handling some...private matters."
Misaki gave a vague answer. She definitely wouldn't tell everyone about her date with Higashino yesterday, otherwise it might cause some trouble.
"It's just a few minor issues. You don't need to worry about the details."
Just then, the screen of the phone on the table next to me lit up.
Misaki Shokuhou ignored everyone's questioning looks and picked up her phone.
Unlock the screen and open the message.
When she saw the sender's name, the note was still that hateful "infirmary bastard," and Misaki's lips unconsciously curled up.
She quickly opened the message, eagerly anticipating what Higashino would say.
Is this a follow-up to last night? A new "treatment" arrangement? Or... a date invitation?
Completely absorbed in her own world, she gave the unread message a silly grin.
Although she hadn't seen the message from Higashino yet, she was already filled with anticipation.
Perhaps it's because Misaki Shokuhou's smile is too bright, too girlish, and too... love-struck!
Junko Hokkaido watched this scene in astonishment. The Queen was giving a... fangirl-like smile to a mobile phone?!
The scene was so impactful that an unbelievable thought flashed through her mind, and she even muttered to herself involuntarily, "Could it be that Her Majesty the Queen... is in love?"
As soon as she said it, she covered her mouth and looked at her companion in horror.
The others also looked at him with disbelief, as if to say, "Are you crazy?" and shook their heads in unison.
Love? Impossible! Their queen, Misaki Shokuhou, the queen who controls hearts and minds, how could she be bewitched by that man? This is an insult to the queen's abilities!
Runzi quickly banished this terrible thought from her mind. She must be overthinking it; Her Majesty had probably just received news of the release of some super limited edition dessert…
Just then, Misaki Shokuhou, who was lost in her own fantasy, finally clicked on the details of the message, and the smile on her face instantly froze.
The information was concise and clear, yet it felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured over my head:
Dear Shokuhou, your subsequent 'treatment' is temporarily canceled. Something urgent has come up, and I need to travel abroad to handle it.
Going abroad?!
The sweetness and anticipation on Misaki Shokuhou's face vanished instantly, and she fell silent.
The expectant look in his eyes immediately calmed down.
An indescribable sense of immense loss suddenly surged into my heart.
Just yesterday… just yesterday! Under the fireworks… she kissed him first! And today he's leaving the country?! And he's so nonchalant about it?!
"boom!"
There was a muffled sound.
Shokuhou Misaki, expressionless, slammed the phone she had just been treating like a precious treasure onto the ground.
The entire lounge fell into a deathly silence.
The faction members were so frightened that they dared not breathe, and even held their breath.
Her Majesty's sudden outburst of rage was a hundred times more terrifying than her earlier silly grin!
Looking at the pitiful phone on the ground, and then at the Queen's face, which was as black as the bottom of a pot, Junko Hokkaido felt that absurd thought resurface and wouldn't go away.
Your Majesty... there's definitely something wrong with you!
Misaki Shokuhou's chest heaved violently a few times as she forcibly suppressed her displeasure and took a deep breath: