Strange Game - Anime Mashup

"Ahem, Lin, please help me treat my wound," Tachibana Hina said, breaking the ambiguous silence.

Lin Ye snapped out of his thoughts, grabbed the iodine, and dipped a cotton swab into it. Carefully, he began treating the abrasions on her feet.

While iodine itself didn't sting, the touch of the cotton swab on the wound still triggered sharp pain, eliciting a slight wince from Hina. It wasn't pleasant, but it was far better than the relentless ache she had endured earlier.

A few minutes later, the wounds on both feet were cleaned and treated. Lin Ye followed up by covering the deeper abrasions with Band-Aids.

"Teacher, for the next couple of days, try to avoid getting your wounds wet," Lin Ye advised as he finished.

"I know. I am a teacher, after all. I know such common sense," Hina replied with a slight pout.

Lin Ye grinned mischievously. "But who was it screaming just now?"

Hina's cheeks reddened as she glared at him, her teeth clenched in embarrassment. "That's different! Boys are naturally braver than girls. Still, you were so calm in the face of that monster, Lin. Have you… experienced this before?"

She was genuinely curious. While it was normal for men to have more courage, Lin Ye's composure under such terrifying circumstances had been extraordinary.

Lin Ye paused before answering. "I saw a dead body yesterday," he said, his voice calm yet tinged with an undertone of unease.

Hina's eyes widened in realization.

"I was scared, really," Lin Ye admitted. "But I'm a man. If I had panicked or acted timidly, wouldn't my teacher have been even more nervous? Staying calm was the only way to think clearly and find a way out."

Hina felt a pang of guilt upon hearing his words.

He had remained composed for her sake.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Lin Ye shrugged, brushing off the gratitude. "You're my teacher. There's no need to thank me."

Hina hesitated, a thought forming in her mind. She glanced at him, then quickly averted her gaze.

"How about I…" She trailed off, unsure.

"Come on, teacher, don't keep me in suspense," Lin Ye said, tilting his head in curiosity.

She bit her lip, pondering for a moment. Her earlier discovery of the condom in his pocket added weight to her idea—it might actually work.

"If you don't want to say it, that's fine too," Lin Ye said, feigning disinterest.

Hina took a deep breath. "How about I introduce a girlfriend for you?"

Lin Ye blinked in surprise. "This… doesn't feel right."

But his gaze lingered on the beautiful teacher in front of him, her long chestnut hair framing her delicate face.

"I'm just asking if you want one," Hina pressed, her tone firm, as if daring him to refuse.

Lin Ye scratched his head. "Teacher, no, no. We're teacher and student. It wouldn't be appropriate. Even though you might feel grateful and even fond of me after what just happened, we can't cross that line. We're teacher and student. I really can't… though, if you insist, I might consider—"

Tachibana Hina: ???

She froze, then slowly typed a mental question mark as her face turned crimson.

"It's not me!" she stammered, waving her hands frantically. "I'm not introducing myself as your girlfriend! I'm your teacher! How could I do that?"

Lin Ye feigned shock. "Oh? It's not you, Teacher Tachibana?"

He struggled to keep a straight face, thoroughly enjoying the chance to tease her.

"Of course not me!" she exclaimed, flustered.

"Ah, then it's Teacher Hiratsuka? That wouldn't work either. She's too… mature. It wouldn't feel right."

Hina's mouth twitched, glaring at him.

She understood now—Lin Ye was deliberately teasing her. When facing danger, he was all seriousness, but in these moments, he was playful and cheeky.

"Well, if you're interested, I could still introduce you," she said, trying to regain control of the conversation.

"No, no," Lin Ye said with mock fear.

"Ha! Lin Ye, who dares to face monsters, is scared of a female teacher?"

"Teacher Hiratsuka isn't an ordinary teacher," Lin Ye said with mock. "Though I'm not sure why, every time I hear her name, my heart trembles."

Hina couldn't hold back anymore and burst out laughing.

"All jokes aside, I was thinking of introducing you to a girl your age," she said.

Lin Ye's eyes lit up with exaggerated excitement. "Thank you, teacher, for setting me up with Yukinoshita! I'll make the most of the opportunity!"

Hina sighed, exasperated. "It's not Yukinoshita. I'm thinking of introducing you to my sister."

"Sister?" Lin Ye's curiosity was piqued.

"Yes," Hina replied with a nod. "She's currently in Tokyo handling her transfer paperwork but will be moving to Sobu High School soon."

Lin Ye grinned. "Do you regret telling me about her now? If you beg me, I might let you introduce me to your sister again. But I warn you—I won't just chase her. I'll make her fall for me so hard that she'll be the one chasing me!"

Hina froze, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.

Her sister was a beautiful and charming girl—there was no way she'd stoop to chasing after anyone!

"Calm down, Hina," she told herself. "He's just teasing you again."

"Student Lin, it's good to have confidence in yourself, but don't be overconfident. From childhood to now, I've seen plenty of boys have crushes on my sister, but she has never chases anyone," Hina remarked with a hint of pride.

Lin Ye lowered his gaze, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I understand, Teacher. You think I'm not attractive enough, and honestly, you're probably right. I'm just an international student, far from home and missing pieces of my past. There's not much charm in that."

Before she could react, Lin Ye's expression shifted into one of exaggerated self-pity.

"Student Lin, no, I didn't mean it like that!" Hina protested in a panic. "You're very outstanding! What you did to protect me was incredibly brave. You're manly, and I'm sure girls find you very charming. Really!"

She hurriedly reached out and held Lin Ye's hand in reassurance.

"Really?" Lin Ye asked, tilting his head with a skeptical expression.

"Really," she affirmed, nodding quickly. "What I meant earlier was that in matters of love, boys should take the initiative. If you wait for my sister to chase you… well, to be honest, I just don't think it's likely going to work."

"And what if it happens?"

"If that day comes, I'll introduce you to Yukinoshita Yukino. If she didn't agrees, I'll introduce you to someone else," Hina said with a teasing smirk.

"How about… Teacher, you introduce yourself!" Lin Ye quipped with a grin.

"You!" Hina pouted, crossing her arms. "Don't tease the teacher like that, or I'll get angry."

"Oh, I see," Lin Ye replied, feigning defeat.

"Anyway, let's end this conversation here," Hina said, brushing it off. "I gave you the chance, and you didn't take it. Don't come crying to me when you meet my sister."

Lin Ye chuckled and shook his head. "No regrets, Teacher."

In his mind, he recalled Tachibana Rui's personality from her original "setting" — a girl with a quirky disposition.

"By the way, Teacher, about the strange game…"

"Strange Game? What?" Haruna tilted her head, puzzled.

Lin Ye's suspicions were confirmed. Tachibana Hina hadn't been invited to the "strange game." If she had, she would've mentioned it or forgotten strange things outright.

"Didn't I tell you? I just bought a new game, Splatoon, and I'm looking for someone to play with," Lin Ye lied smoothly.

"Oh, I see!" Hina nodded. "Alright, I'll play with you."

She hesitated for a moment but decided to agree. If she refused, she might hurt Lin Ye's feelings. She knew he must be lonely, being so far from home.

"Thanks, Teacher."

Just then, the sound of a ringing phone broke the silence.

Hina picked up her pink cellphone and glanced at the caller ID: Hiratsuka-senpai.

"Hiratsuka-senpai, it's me," Hina said as she answered.

"How's that kid doing?" Hiratsuka Shizuka's voice was light, but there was curiosity in her tone.

"No problems at all," Hina replied. "Lin Ye's doing really well. He could be an excellent student."

"Oh?" Hiratsuka drew out the word with interest. "Maybe he's just putting on a good show in front of a beautiful teacher like you! Kids these days are sneaky like that."

"No, no, Lin Ye isn't pretending," Hina said earnestly. "He's genuinely doing his best. You'll see for yourself when you meet him tomorrow."

"Alright, I'll take your word for it," Hiratsuka said, though a hint of skepticism lingered.

"Thank you for today, Hina. I'll treat you to barbecue as thanks next time."

"No, no, really, there's no need, Senpai!" Hina stammered, flustered by the offer.

In her panic, she accidentally nudged her injured foot against the hard floor, letting out a small cry of pain.

"Hm?" Hiratsuka's voice immediately turned concerned.

"I-I just stubbed my toe!" Hina said quickly, trying to play it off.

"Oh, I see. For a moment, I thought you were whispering sweet nothings to your boyfriend," Hiratsuka teased, her tone playful.

Hina froze. Then, realizing Hiratsuka's implication, she flushed bright red. "No way! I'm single, Senpai. I don't have a boyfriend!"

"Haha, well, my advice? Find one soon. The longer you wait, the harder it gets," Hiratsuka said knowingly.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they ended the call.

Turning to Lin Ye, Hina noticed his curious gaze.

"Teacher, why don't you sleep here tonight?" Lin Ye suggested casually.

"This…" Hina hesitated.

"It's no problem for me to walk you back to your apartment, but it's already ten o'clock. It'll take a while to get there," Lin Ye pointed out.

Given her condition, walking wasn't an option unless he carried her. Hina bit her lip, weighing her options.

"I suppose it's fine," she muttered reluctantly.

"Don't worry, Teacher. You can sleep here, and I'll find a hotel nearby," Lin Ye offered.

"Ah!" Hina exclaimed in surprise.

"You didn't think I was planning to stay here with you, did you?" Lin Ye teased.

"Of course not!" Hina protested, her face heating up.

"For my reputation, I can't stay in the same room as my teacher overnight," Lin Ye declared dramatically. "What if Mai hears about this? She'll be furious."

Hina: ???

It sounded as though he was implying Sakurajima Mai was his girlfriend.

"Sure, Lin. Keep working hard. I can't wait to hear all about your relationship with Sakurajima Mai someday," Hina said with a wry smile.

Ultimately, Hina decided to stay in Lin Ye's apartment for the night. At her insistence, Lin Ye slept on the floor.

Her reasoning? "When you and Sakurajima Mai are dating, I'll tell her about tonight and make sure she breaks up with you."

As the lights dimmed, the room grew quiet, with only the faint light outside casting a tranquil glow.

Meanwhile, three streets away, flashing red and blue lights from the Chiba Police Station cordoned off the area where the mysterious "Fire creature" had been sighted.

Several men in black suits worked swiftly, operating devices that emitted rhythmic beeping sounds. To outsiders, they were police personnel from the Chiba Headquarters. In reality, they belonged to Section 6 of the Japan Public Security Commission's Anti-Demon Special Operations Department.