Shortly after, Yuigahama finished at the restroom and returned to her seat.
She glanced at Yuu and Masuzu. She didn't say anything. After pulling out her chair and sitting down, she enthusiastically suggested:
"It seems boring to just eat. How about we play a game?"
"There are cats here, and you still feel bored?"
While petting a British Shorthair cat that had approached her feet, Yukino stared at her with an incredulous look. Sighing, she said, "Yuigahama-san, this is a cat café, not a game café or a meeting room."
"Hm, true enough."
After being called out like that, the others also seemed uninterested. Yuigahama could only abandon her idea.
She had actually wanted to play a game to improve everyone's relationships and liven up the atmosphere...
But now, it seemed everyone was already fairly comfortable—except for Masuzu, who remained a bit awkward.
Yuigahama, quietly observing, breathed a sigh of relief.
Accompanied by soothing background music, harmless cats wandered around. Their cute appearances calmed people's nerves. Occasionally, they proudly approached, flicking their tails, making people unconsciously smile in relaxation.
Only Masuzu remained awkward.
No cat wanted to approach her. They avoided or ignored her, creating a cat-free vacuum zone around her.
"Hehe, maybe I should call and have them send a pack of dogs to play with them."
Masuzu smiled darkly. Her entire body radiated an aura that made the surrounding cats retreat even further.
Though the cats, painstakingly gathered, were frightened, Yukino couldn't blame anything. She could only sigh sympathetically.
"No need to pity me. I just don't like small animals... Unless it can control sand and likes chewing gum."
Masuzu said indifferently, returning her focus to the spaghetti in front of her.
Yet, Yuu sensed a hint of jealousy and loss from her. Clearly, being avoided by cats had hurt her.
The girl looked so strong, but in truth, she was easily wounded.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
After eating, a satisfied Yukino led everyone out of the Cat Café. They prepared to head to the next location.
The mountaintop and amusement park had already been visited. Remaining were the shopping street and scenic area. There was also a flower field still blooming in autumn nearby. It was impossible to visit everything before leaving, so they had to choose.
In the end, considering the overcast sky and the likelihood of heavy rain, everyone decided to spend the remaining time at the covered shopping street rather than do what they "should" do during a picnic at the scenic area. Yukino had some complaints, but she'd promised Yumiko earlier, so she couldn't take her words back.
"Even if the forecast says no rain, you should still prepare for rain," Yukino said in a lecturing tone, since they'd be acting together. "Isn't it common sense to carry an umbrella whenever you go out, if there's space in your bag?"
Among the six present, only she was always prepared, and Yuu, who had a cheating tool, carried an umbrella. Thus, she spoke with great confidence, leaving no room for others to argue.
Yumiko pouted. Clearly, she disliked her condescending attitude. "Why bother carrying one? Besides, we won't get soaked when getting into the car. Or we could just buy an umbrella or raincoat at the convenience store."
Yukino's eyes narrowed. She immediately argued back: "That's handling after; this is prevention before."
Facing that cold gaze, Yumiko sneered angrily: "Ha, who knows what will happen before? Of course, we should think of ways to deal with it after."
"What if there's no time to deal with it after? Will your life just be endlessly fixing mistakes?"
"It's just rain—why talk about life? How weird!"
"Alright, alright, don't fight." Yuigahama held onto Yumiko. Ordinary Girl held onto Yukino. The two, in perfect sync, began mediating. "Let's talk about this again if it actually rains. For now, let's happily go shopping, okay?"
"Hmph!" The Fire Queen turned her face away, too lazy to argue further.
"Tch." The Ice Queen brushed her hair, as if wasting time on boring things.
As for the couple, they watched the drama from the side. Masuzu initially wanted to buy popcorn to add to the fun, but Yuu stopped her. She tried to bite his finger again, but her head was held and controlled. So she sulked instead.
After the small argument subsided, just before everyone chose a store to enter, Yuigahama suddenly said:
"By the way, later, if possible, how about we look for the Happy Little Jizo?"
"What's that?"
She held up a small brochure she'd gotten somewhere. Yuigahama opened it and showed it to everyone: "Look, it says here—In Kiyomizu Scenic Area, there's an urban legend called the Happy Little Jizo. It doesn't actually exist, yet it's said to be everywhere."
"Contradictory. Did the scriptwriter even think about what they were saying?" Yukino reflexively looked for errors, but no one paid attention.
Yuigahama continued reading from the brochure: "It only appears before those who yearn for happiness. Maybe in the corner of a convenience store, or in the middle of bushes—so long as you offer a small offering after seeing it, you'll achieve your wish and gain the happiness you long for!"
Yuu: "So cliché."
Masuzu: "I prefer the urban legend of the Slit-Mouthed Woman. Cutting a few people's mouths with a krak krak sound must feel so relieving... Hehehe."
Yukino: "In the end, is this promotional method actually effective? I don't think it boosts sales here. And the script needs rewriting."
Ordinary Girl: "Really? I actually find it quite romantic..."
Yumiko: "Give up. Their romance meter is zero. Don't compare them to yourself."
"It's just an extra activity." After seeing the varied reactions, Yuigahama scratched her cheek. She put the brochure away. "It's fine if we don't find it. But if we actually do, wouldn't that mean we're very lucky? It'd be a small happiness in life!"
Since it was optional, not many cared after she said it. They soon forgot about it.
This time, it was Yumiko's turn to lead. She confidently walked into this clothing store and quickly found a counter of a brand that wasn't expensive but had good quality.
Then, Yukino's nightmare began.