Kaguya-sama Wants My Surrender!

"Juju-sama, why don't you come to my house to change your clothes first?" Umi suggested. "Your school bag is still at my place."

Sajuna nodded politely. "Thanks for the trouble."

Amamiya was busy texting Miko to let her know he was safe when he suddenly felt someone watching him. He turned and spotted a familiar figure peeking from behind a bus stop sign not far away. The girl was quietly observing them.

When she noticed his gaze, she quickly ducked behind a pillar.

Amamiya put his phone away and waved toward her.

"Come over."

Umi and Sajuna, curious about his actions, turned to look. They saw a tall girl with long black hair hesitantly stepping out from behind the pillar.

She was strikingly beautiful, with her waist-length hair flowing like a dark cascade.

"Komi-san?" Sajuna's eyes lit up as she quickly waddled over on her short legs. "What are you doing here?"

"There's only one explanation." Amamiya cupped his chin dramatically. "You've been following—"

"…"

Komi frantically shook her head, denying the accusation.

"Come on, that's ridiculous," Umi chimed in. "With Komi-san's personality, there's no way she'd follow someone."

After spending nearly two days together in the dungeon, everyone was well-acquainted with Komi's character. 

A quiet girl who spoke sparingly, valuing her words like precious gems. 

She was undeniably gorgeous, but it was a pity she rarely spoke. 

At least, Umi thought so—she had yet to hear a single word from Komi. If it were her, she'd find it unbearable. 

Finally, Sajuna pieced together the truth. "Wait… Could it be that Komi-san was at the cinema too?"

Komi-san nodded quickly, affirming the guess.

"Oh, right!" Umi smacked her forehead in realization. "Everyone who got dragged into the dungeon had movie tickets. That must include Komi-san too."

That was exactly it.

Komi had received a ticket and, like the others, ended up at the cinema. By sheer coincidence, she had chosen the same cinema and theater as Amamiya and his friends. 

After the movie ended, she noticed them leaving together but was too shy to approach and say hello. 

Since she also needed to take the train home, she trailed behind from a distance until Amamiya finally noticed her. 

"By the way, Komi-san, do you have any evil spirits at your house?" Sajuna suddenly remembered a promise and whispered, "If you do, Amamiya can copy-paste an ability to repel them for you."

Komi looked hesitant. 

"That settles it," Sajuna declared confidently. She looked up at Amamiya. "Amamiya, you should apply an evil spirit repellent for Komi-san." 

Amamiya nodded and turned to Komi, extending his hand. 

"Komi-san, give me your hand."

"…"

Komi's pale face flushed crimson in an instant, her eyes darting nervously. 

The tram station was bustling with people coming and going. Having Amamiya hold her hand in public was far too embarrassing! 

"Haaah, I'm starving," Umi groaned, clutching her stomach. "Why don't we find a restaurant and eat while copying the skill?

Sajuna's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Umi's got a point. I'm hungry too. Komi-san, how about joining us?" 

The black-haired girl hesitated before pulling out a pen and notebook. She scribbled a quick response: 

"If I go back too late, my mom will worry." 

"Don't sweat it; it's not even seven yet," Sajuna assured her, hands on her hips. "We'll finish dinner quickly. You can head home right after. Let's go!" 

Komi was clearly not good at refusing others, and after a moment's hesitation, she gave a small nod and agreed.

"Amamiya-kun, what do you want to eat?"

Umi turned her head and asked as they walked along.

After a brief pause, Amamiya suggested,

"There's a restaurant nearby that serves volcanic beef rice bowls. I've been there once, and it's pretty good."

"Komi-san, have you ever had a volcanic beef rice bowl?" Umi asked, turning to him.

Komi-san shook his head.

"What about you, JuJu-sama?"

"I've heard of it, but I've never tried it."

"Then it's decided! We're having volcanic beef rice bowls!" Umi declared with a clenched fist. "Amamiya-kun, lead the way!"

"…"

The four of them left the tram station and made their way to the nearby commercial street.

The city lights were coming on.

Neon signs flickered and glowed.

The commercial street was lively and bustling with people. Compared to the eerie quietness of the ghost town, this place was full of life and energy—a reminder of the human world's vibrancy.

"We're here. This is the restaurant," Amamiya said, pointing at a shop ahead. The neon sign at the entrance flashed brightly, displaying the day's recommended menu. "It's on the first basement floor. Just head downstairs."

Leading the way, Amamiya descended the stairs and quickly entered the restaurant.

"Welcome!"

A staff member greeted them with a polite bow and a smile, then guided the group to a corner booth just large enough to fit four people.

"I'll sit with JuJu-sama," Umi announced, sliding into the seat and patting the cushion beside her. "JuJu-sama, sit here next to me."

Sajuna nodded and sat down. "Komi-san, you can sit with Amamiya."

Komi-san froze at the not-so-subtle suggestion. Her face flushed as she nervously glanced at Amamiya.

"Sit on the inside," Amamiya said, gesturing.

Obediently, Komi slid into the seat with a red face, sitting rigidly upright. Her posture was so stiff, she looked more like a soldier preparing for battle than someone about to enjoy a meal.

"What would you like to order?"

The waiter handed them the menu and recommended the specials.

"Volcanic beef rice bowl," Amamiya ordered.

"A dessert," Sajuna added.

"And a fruit drink," Umi added the final request.

"…"

After taking their order, the waiter left.

Umi pulled out her phone and began fiddling with it. Without lifting her head, she said, "Amamiya-kun, go ahead and paste your skills."

Amamiya turned to Komi and said, "Give me your hand."

Komi sat frozen, fists clenched on her thighs. Her neck stiffened as she slowly turned to face him, her eyes pleading.

"Not here in the restaurant?" Amamiya asked, trying to decipher her thoughts.

Komi nodded quickly.

Amamiya, however, replied decisively, "I refuse."

Komi: "…"

"After dinner, you need to rest. You don't want to get home too late and worry your mother, right?"

As he spoke, Amamiya reached out and gently took the hand she'd placed on her thigh.

Komi froze instantly. Her gaze dropped to the table, and metaphorical steam seemed to rise from her head as she stayed motionless, her face flushed bright red.

It wasn't until the waiter brought over their drinks that Komi finally looked up, still clearly nervous.

"Huh?"

The waiter, noticing Komi's overly flushed face, paused for a moment. Then, spotting the situation, he gave a knowing smile before walking away.

They've noticed!

Komi panicked, her head dropping even lower, almost to her chest.

"Here." Amamiya handed her the cold drink with a sigh. "Cool down with this."

"…"

Komi nodded weakly but remained frozen, unable to move, as if she'd been turned to stone.

Fortunately, after a short while, the skill got successfully copied. Once Amamiya released her hand, Komi finally let out a sigh of relief, holding the cold drink with both hands to cool herself down. 

"Is it over?" 

Umi glanced over and began explaining to Komi the key points to remember when repelling evil spirits. 

A moment later, four servings of volcanic beef rice bowls were served. 

"It looks amazing!" Sajuna's eyes sparkled with excitement. 

The dish resembled a miniature volcano, with beef arranged around its sides and a perfectly soft-boiled egg perched on top, its trembling, liquid-like texture adding to its appeal. Accompanied by a yogurt salad on the side, it was an enticing sight. 

Komi also looked at the dish with curiosity and a hint of anticipation. 

"Let's eat!" 

Without wasting any time, the four of them began their meal. 

Sajuna was thoroughly impressed and gave the dish a perfect score. In contrast, Umi's review was a bit more reserved. 

"It's really delicious, but compared to Amamiya-kun's... experimental cooking, it feels like something is missing," Umi remarked, looking at the boy sitting across from her. "What do you think, Amamiya-kun?" 

Amamiya put down his chopsticks, glanced at Umi, and said flatly, "You're asking the wrong person." 

"Huh?" 

"Think about it." Amamiya's voice dropped lower. "I worked tirelessly at the hotel, running back and forth all day. Have I even had a single bite to eat?" 

Umi was speechless: "..." 

After finishing their meal, the four of them paid the bill and left the restaurant. 

As they were heading upstairs, they passed a boy and two girls walking down. 

Amamiya glanced over casually and noticed that the two girls looked almost identical except for their hairstyles. One had a star-shaped hairpin clipped to her temple and a stray strand of hair sticking up, while the other wore black tights similar to Komi's and had side bangs covering her eyes. They were unmistakably twins. 

The boy walking with them seemed to notice something and briefly locked eyes with Amamiya. 

At that moment, a warning suddenly appeared in front of Amamiya's eyes: 

"Danger, danger, danger, danger—" 

The two groups passed each other quickly. 

"Amamiya-kun, hurry up!" Umi called. 

"Coming," Amamiya replied, snapping out of his thoughts. 

When they arrived at the tram stop, Sajuna waved her hand and said, "Goodbye, Komi-san." 

Komi bowed slightly before boarding the train. 

Amamiya had initially planned to head straight home, but Umi stopped him. Whispering conspiratorially, she told him about a fun game she wanted him to try over the weekend, assuring him that he would love it. 

"Is this game you're talking about... serious?" Amamiya asked with a skeptical glance. 

Umi placed her hand on her hip and confidently replied, "Of course it's serious." 

"Then I'm not playing," Amamiya said, shaking his head. "Life's stressful enough; I don't want to play a serious game." 

Umi coughed awkwardly and muttered, "Well... it's not that serious." 

"You'd better not be suggesting something inappropriate," Amamiya said seriously. "I'm a minor." 

Umi pouted, her cheeks puffing up as she grabbed Amamiya's arm. "Let's just go already!" 

"…" 

The walk was quiet after that. 

The three of them arrived at Umi's house at exactly eight in the evening. 

"The weather's getting hotter and hotter. I'm sweating just from that short walk," Umi complained, fanning herself with her hands. Turning to the pink-haired girl, she said, "JuJu-sama, why don't you take a shower before changing clothes?" 

Sajuna considered the idea and nodded in agreement. Her clothes were damp and sticky with sweat, and it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. 

"Sorry for the trouble," Sajuna said. 

"It's no trouble at all!" Umi waved her hand dismissively. "I'll grab you a fresh towel." 

Meanwhile, Amamiya sat on the sofa, his gaze unintentionally drifting toward Sajuna. 

As if on cue, Sajuna turned and their eyes met. 

Caught off guard, Amamiya quickly lowered his gaze to the floor in front of him. 

Sajuna's face turned crimson in an instant. She quickly placed her hands behind her back, gripping the hem of her skirt defensively. With a flustered glare, she exclaimed, "Where are you looking?!"