If there's one thing that attracts girls the most, fortune-telling is definitely in the top three!
How did Hikigaya know this so well?
Because of his little sister, Komachi. She was obsessed with fortune-telling. For a while, the first thing she did every morning was check her horoscope on her phone to see if she had any luck in love that day.
This kind of thing was a classic trope in shoujo manga.
But for someone like Hikigaya, who believed in "absolute logic," horoscopes and fortune-telling were nothing more than vague statements that people twisted to fit their own situations, making them feel like the predictions were spot on. It was just a psychological trick.
If someone used fortune-telling as a guide for their actions, Hikigaya would scoff at them. But if they treated it as a way to relax and de-stress, he wouldn't be against it.
That being said, he was still curious about this so-called fortune-teller. After all, the same old school routine suddenly having something new was a bit exciting.
But that curiosity wasn't enough to motivate him to go to Keyaki Mall on his own, squeezing through crowds of couples and groups of girls just to see some fortune-teller. That would be way too embarrassing.
Just then, his phone vibrated. When he checked, he was surprised—it was Ichinose?
[Ichinose: Hikigaya-kun, are you free?]
Hikigaya waited a bit before replying: [No.]
Ichinose was a troublesome person, and with all the headaches from the student council, he had no time to deal with her problems.
"Good afternoon, Hikigaya-kun."
Suddenly, a pink-haired girl sat down across from him with a bright smile.
"Uh… Ichinose?"
Hikigaya's face stiffened. "You were here the whole time?"
Even he wasn't dense enough to miss it—Ichinose must have seen him just now and sent him a message on purpose. That meant she had been watching his every move?
The thought made Hikigaya want to run away immediately. This was way too embarrassing!
Ichinose seemed to notice his awkwardness and couldn't help but cover her mouth, laughing softly.
"Uh, so… Ichinose, what did you want to talk to me about?"
Ichinose smiled. "Well, I heard there's a fortune teller at the Keyaki Mall Shopping Center. Everyone in my class has been saying they're really accurate, so… Hikigaya-kun, will you go with me?"
"Oh, I see… Wait a second!"
Hikigaya suddenly realized something was off. "Why are you asking me? With your influence in class, you could find someone to go with in no time."
"Hikigaya-kun isn't an outsider…"
Ichinose mumbled under her breath, then continued, "It's because I don't want my classmates to know, so I thought of asking someone from another class. And the first person I thought of was you, Hikigaya-kun."
"What kind of logic is that?!"
Hikigaya complained. "Also, if your classmates find out, I doubt I'll live to see tomorrow. And I know Shiranami won't let me off the hook."
"Huh? Hikigaya-kun, are you close with Chihiro-chan?"
For a moment, Hikigaya thought Ichinose's smile twitched slightly. Must've been his imagination.
"Not at all. But you are."
Hikigaya shook his head. "Every time she sees me, she looks like she's staring at her worst enemy."
"Uh…"
Ichinose fiddled with her fingers awkwardly. She more or less understood why Shiranami was so hostile toward Hikigaya. After all, she was well aware of Shiranami's feelings…
"Anyway, let's not cause any misunderstandings."
"Misunderstandings? Hikigaya-kun, what kind of misunderstanding are you thinking about?"
Ichinose suddenly gave him a sly smile.
"…"
Hikigaya had no idea how to respond. No matter what he said, it felt like he was walking into a trap.
"Hikigaya-kun, are you really going to turn down a girl's invitation?"
Ichinose looked at him sincerely. "I just wanted to find someone trustworthy outside my class, and you were the only one I thought of. So, will you do me this favor?"
Hikigaya frowned slightly. Something about her wording felt strange—why would she specifically need a trustworthy non-classmate?
In the end, he still nodded in agreement.
The two of them arrived at Keyaki Mall Shopping Center, where Hikigaya immediately noticed that the place was much more crowded than usual.
Sure, it was summer break, but this was still way too many people.
"Just like others said, it's packed. Maybe this fortune teller is as amazing as the rumors say?"
Hearing Ichinose's words, Hikigaya couldn't help but comment, "Ichinose, I don't want to burst your bubble, but this is probably just a marketing event to attract customers."
"Huh? You think so?"
Ichinose shook her head. "Hikigaya-kun, you should always see things for yourself. What you said makes sense, but that doesn't prove the fortune telling is fake."
Hikigaya didn't argue any further.
When they reached the fortune-telling area, both of them froze at the sight of the ridiculously long line.
And at that moment, Hikigaya finally understood why Ichinose had chosen him specifically. If she really didn't want her classmates to know, she could have just come alone. There was no need to drag someone else along.
There were so many students coming for fortune-telling that, to save time and space, they had to line up in pairs. Most of the students in line were either friends or couples. That meant if you came alone, you had to pair up with a stranger.
Wait… something felt off.
Couples?
Hikigaya suddenly realized that, aside from two girls, most of the pairs in line were a boy and a girl—and they all looked like couples!
He instinctively glanced at Ichinose beside him, only to meet her gaze at the same time. Their eyes locked, and in that instant, they both understood what the other was thinking. The air between them became awkward and strangely tense.
"Uh… maybe we should just go back?"
Hikigaya tried to sound calm, keeping a straight face as he spoke. He had already started to turn around when, in the next second, a soft and warm hand gently grabbed his wrist.
"D-Don't go, okay?"
Ichinose lowered her head, her cheeks flushed red.
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