บท 102: I Just Want a Single Ending [102]
Kamigawa Saku took a moment to appreciate Nagasaki Soyo's kindness, but then hesitated, unsure how to answer the question of what he liked.
Truthfully, there wasn't anything in particular he was deeply fond of.
Just because he pursued a "single life" ending didn't mean he loved the idea of being single; he was simply drawn to the freedom it promised.
Money?
Honestly, he wasn't especially fond of it.
With the number of followers he had on Instagram and the inheritance from his parents, he was set to live comfortably for the rest of his life.
Unless… it was a huge sum of money.
So, what should he answer?
Under the expectant gazes of everyone around him, Kamigawa eventually responded with conviction, "I like happiness, freedom, and fulfillment."
Happiness was obvious—who didn't want to be happy?
Freedom corresponded to the endless wealth promised by the single-life ending.
Only with enough money could you do whatever you wanted without violating the law or having to worry about making ends meet.
That was the condition for true freedom.
Plus, saying he loved freedom sounded much better than just saying he liked money; it had a certain elegance to it.
Lastly, fulfillment—he yearned for that most of all.
But what did true fulfillment even mean?
He didn't know yet, but he hoped the single-life ending would give him an answer.
When Kamigawa finished his answer, silence followed.
"When it's my turn, I'll answer the same way," Yamada Ryo nodded approvingly.
It was a cool response and fit her personality perfectly.
Nijika Ijichi muttered, "Just give a real answer, would you?"
"Shouldn't it be something like pandas?" Chihaya Anon asked, somewhat exasperated.
She'd been hoping to get to know him better by hearing about his favorite things, so this vague answer left her at a loss.
"I honestly thought Kamigawa-senpai would say he liked shopping at fashion boutiques," Ikuyo Kita chimed in, mentally labeling him based on his Instagram posts.
"Sorry, but I just don't have any specific likes like that. This was the best I could answer," Kamigawa said, genuinely.
"I don't dislike fashion stores, but I wouldn't say I'm especially into them."
"Not even stars?" Takamatsu Tomori caught on to a slight inconsistency.
"I'm definitely interested in stars—they're a hobby of mine. But compared to what I mentioned, I'm not sure if stars count as something I genuinely like, so I didn't include them."
Interest wasn't the same as genuine affection. It was a simple enough idea.
"Got it."
Takamatsu accepted his answer.
The word "stars" did feel a bit out of place with the other three concepts he'd listed.
"Seems like Kamigawa-kun's quite the romantic," Nagasaki Soyo concluded.
Although she didn't get any immediately useful information, it was still worth learning about this side of his personality.
Kamigawa corrected her, "No, romance and I don't really go together. I just like doing as I please."
He wasn't one for romance, nor did he understand it.
If a label didn't suit him, he wasn't about to accept it.
"Got it."
Nagasaki Soyo noted his words, adding to her understanding of him.
Meanwhile, Gotoh Hitori quietly sipped her drink, unable to join the conversation.
Events like this were too bright and lively for her, making her feel out of place as a shadowy character.
But being part of it at all was already touching for her.
Even if she couldn't participate much, she didn't mind.
"Alright, let's move on to the next round."
Seeing that everyone seemed ready to keep talking, Kamigawa started shuffling the cards.
"Sounds good."
---
After another round…
"Looks like Bocchi-chan lost this time."
With the Joker card in Gotoh Hitori's hand, Nijika Ijichi announced the result.
And, unfortunately, the winner this time was Yamada Ryo.
"…"
Gotoh hadn't expected things to turn around so fast.
Just a moment ago, she'd been lamenting her lack of involvement, but now she was suddenly the center of attention.
Yamada Ryo leaned in conspiratorially, "Pick dare, Bocchi-chan. It's way too boring if we just keep picking truth."
"Let her decide on her own. Don't interfere," Nijika gently pulled Yamada away.
"Th-then… dare, I guess," Gotoh stammered, ultimately taking her advice.
Simple dares, like squats or downing a drink in one go, were things she could manage if she put her mind to it.
"Hehehe…"
A mischievous grin crept across Yamada's face.
"This feels like it could get interesting," Chihaya muttered, sensing potential trouble.
"Bocchi, take off one item of clothing."
Without giving her a chance to back out, Yamada stated the dare with complete confidence.
"Uh… okay."
Gotoh instinctively agreed and reached to remove her jacket.
Removing just one item of clothing wasn't difficult, and it didn't require much effort either.
"W-wait, what kind of dare is that, Bocchi-chan? Don't you think it's a bit much?" Nijika tried to stop her.
So far, everyone else's dares had been simple and harmless, so where did this dare to undress even come from?
Kamigawa was still right there!
"I'm wearing another shirt underneath."
Gotoh unzipped her tracksuit top, revealing a black T-shirt beneath.
"No, that's not the point," Nijika countered. "It's just that undressing as a dare feels a bit… inappropriate."
Bringing up undressing once might be fine, but if everyone started suggesting weird dares like that, where would it lead?
She didn't even want to imagine it.
"Don't worry, I'll only ask it once," Yamada reassured her. She knew where to draw the line.
"And I won't ask for anything like that either," Kamigawa added, understanding the boundaries.
If he asked something like that, it'd definitely ruin his standing with them.
"Alright, as long as it's just this once, it should be fine."
Nijika checked the shirt Gotoh wore underneath and, finding nothing amiss, didn't stop her further.
So, Gotoh slipped off her pink track jacket, setting it on the couch.
"Bocchi, straighten your back."
Yamada gave another command.
Gotoh instinctively followed.
Stare—
Fixating on Gotoh's impressive chest, Chihaya felt a sting of betrayal.
She'd always thought they were on par in most areas, save for Gotoh's superior guitar skills.
With enough time, Chihaya had figured she'd eventually catch up.
But now, it seemed that the gap between them wasn't just in guitar skills.
Because, as it turned out, Gotoh Hitori had been hiding a pair of giant assets all along!
---
so... turns out the weapon master can die. webnovel blocked it again for copyright stuff, so i'm not reposting it. don't wanna risk losing my other translations too.
but don't worry, the weapon master's alive and well on patreon. thinking about setting up a scribble hub for stories like this—because some battles can't be won on webnovel.
thanks for sticking with me. you're the real MVPs.
If you notice anything that feels off, just let me know—I don't mind fixing things up.
Oh, and don't forget to sit up, grab some water, and take it easy while you're here. No rush, right?
If you're into this, consider checking out [patreon.com/WiseTL].
Your support helps me keep going, and I'm grateful for every bit of it.
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