Tokyo's Most Affectionate - Chapter 39

Seizing this Opportunity

The unexpected physical contact took both individuals by surprise.

However, Ninomiya didn’t pay much attention to it, considering it an accident.

“Runa!”

Nevertheless, this journey was still quite lengthy. If Ninomiya couldn’t tell that it wasn’t an accident but a deliberately created event by the third time, then something would be amiss.

“What’s wrong?”

Feigning innocence, Itsuragi played dumb and asked.

Seeing her indifferent attitude, Ninomiya opened her mouth, intending to say something to her. However, after looking at Kurosawa next to her, she decided against it.

She couldn’t just tell Kurosawa that Itsuragi had intentionally teased her, causing forced physical contact, right?

Some things, if exposed, would be awkward. She wasn’t someone lacking in perception.

Instead, to avoid such situations from happening again, she reached for the seatbelt and fastened it.

“Why did you fasten your seatbelt?” This action was naturally noticed by Itsuragi.

“Kurosawa, you should fasten your seatbelt too.”

Ninomiya didn’t want to explain; she just looked at Kurosawa beside her.

There are two types of inertia in sharp turns, and, of course, two directions.

Although so far, Kurosawa had always firmly held onto the handrail during sharp turns, not leaning towards her.

But sitting comfortably in the car and inexplicably resisting this force was simply inviting trouble.

“He dares!” Itsuragi’s attitude was quite domineering.

“Why wouldn’t he dare?”

Seeing her assertive attitude, Ninomiya felt speechless.

“Kurosawa, are you going to listen to me or to her?”

Itsuragi stepped on the brake, slowing down the car, then turned slightly to look at Kurosawa, questioning him.

This question left Ninomiya baffled.

Someone who didn’t know the situation might think that Itsuragi and Kurosawa had some kind of relationship, like siblings or something. However, she was well aware that these two had absolutely no connection before today. They hadn’t even met, let alone be considered friends.

Kurosawa felt a bit nervous and didn’t immediately respond to this questioning.

This pause prompted Ninomiya to look at him as well.

Suddenly, a multiple-choice question was presented to Kurosawa, whom to choose.

“I’ll listen to Miss Ninomiya.”

In the midst of their intense gaze, Kurosawa moved, pulling up the seatbelt and fastening it.

“Kurosawa, I really misjudged you!”

Seeing his choice, Itsuragi snorted, complaining without good humor, and continued driving with a sulky expression.

“Fastening the seatbelt is safer; her driving is too dangerous.”

As the choice concluded, Ninomiya felt a sense of victory being chosen and expressed satisfaction, saying so.

“Indeed.” Kurosawa nodded in agreement, glancing at the front seat.

Due to the seating arrangement, they were sitting in an alternating pattern, and Kurosawa was seated behind the driver’s seat.

From Ninomiya’s perspective, there was a blind spot, especially in the gap near the car door.

In Kurosawa’s view, he could see Itsuragi giving him a thumbs-up gesture.

Obviously, from the slight physical contact caused by the rapid acceleration during the sharp turn to this multiple-choice question initiated by her, everything was orchestrated by Itsuragi.

With this assistance, why worry about not dominating the world!

Realizing how helpful she had been, Kurosawa couldn’t help but sigh internally.

The recent minor contact, at most, slightly improved his relationship with Ninomiya.

Even so, Itsuragi’s determination to help had been demonstrated through her actions.

Fastening their seatbelts, the rest of the journey proceeded without any unexpected incidents.

Even though Itsuragi continued to accelerate into every sharp turn, there was no further physical contact between the two.

However, with each bend, Ninomiya’s mood improved a bit.

Because her choices were right, and Kurosawa also listened to her and chose her over Itsuragi.

As experience and time passed, she increasingly felt clever and enjoyed the feeling of making the right choices.

……

At 10 o’clock in the morning, a sedan entered the parking lot.

Immediately, a group of one man and two women walked out and headed straight to the ticket booth.

They only had two tickets, but there were three people, so they needed to buy an additional one.

“I’ll buy it.”

Out of gratitude to Itsuragi, upon seeing her take out her bag, Kurosawa volunteered to step forward, directly handing over a ten thousand yen bill.

“Do you have a lot of money?”

However, before the ticket clerk could take it, Ninomiya grabbed his hand and pulled it back.

“I’m ok, I guess…”

Kurosawa thought for a moment. Although he had six million yen in savings, it wasn’t really that much.

“You’re still a student with not much money. Save it. Let the adults take care of today’s expenses; you don’t need to worry about it.”

Taking the banknote from his hand and putting it into his pocket, Ninomiya spoke.

“At 20, he’s already an adult who can drink.”

Itsuragi, who was taking the money slowly and waiting for their performance, immediately disagreed upon hearing this statement.

“With such a high salary, are you short of money for one ticket?”

Noticing her subtle actions, Ninomiya felt somewhat speechless.

“I’m not short of this money, but I’m short of a handsome guy to buy the ticket for me.”

Itsuragi, holding her bag, swayed her body slightly, acting in a coquettish and playful manner.

“I’ll buy it for you.”

Upon hearing this, Ninomiya glanced at her, directly reached for the bag at her waist, and pulled out a banknote.

“Are you trying to eat alone? Just let him buy the ticket for you!”

However, as she was about to give the money, Itsuragi held her wrist and leaned in close to whisper.

“Eating alone? He didn’t buy a ticket for me.”

“He has two tickets, and one of them isn’t it for you?”

“That’s the ticket he bought for his ex-girlfriend. He didn’t want to waste that ticket, so he let me use it.” Ninomiya glanced at her and said calmly.

After speaking, she forcibly broke free from Itsuragi’s hand and went to pay for the ticket.

During the interval when she went to pay for the ticket, Itsuragi turned around to look at Kurosawa.

Itsuragi, with brisk steps, grabbed Kurosawa’s arm and left the line to buy tickets.

“What’s the situation with your ex-girlfriend?” Pulling away, Itusragi stared at Kurosawa, asking him to give her an explanation.

“That’s just an excuse I came up with. It’s fake.” Kurosawa felt a bit guilty.

At that time, he was just going with the flow and came up with the most successful invitation method he could think of.

“Your excuse is so lame!!”

“If I didn’t say that I didn’t want to waste these two tickets, and that if she didn’t go, I would have to find someone else to go, then there would be no chance of her coming.”

“Indeed, but what’s the situation with your ex-girlfriend? Can’t you just say that someone gave you the ticket?”

“That would remind her, and she would ask me to give it to someone else.”

“In the future, even if I beat you to death, you can’t mention anything about your ex-girlfriend, got it?”

“I got it.”

“And in the future, don’t say things like ‘If you don’t go, I can only find someone else.’ Do you hear me?” Itsuragi was very annoyed.

She deliberately took her time paying, just to firmly insist that Ninomiya was eating alone and to further apply mental suggestion.

As a result, the mention of an ex-girlfriend to Ninomiya completely confused her.

“I understand.” Kurosawa could also sense the uncomfortable feeling from her words just now.

There was no doubt that Ninomiya had a peculiar attitude toward that ticket.

Just listening to it on the side was uncomfortable, let alone for the people involved.

“Hurry up and think of a remedy, or else being bothered by your ex-girlfriend today will ruin the date.”

“I’ve already figured it out.” Kurosawa’s mind quickly shifted.