Chapter 500: BCL Chapter 495 Hitori: I’ve decided, I’m going to Todai!
"Huh?!"
"Graveyard theme?!"
Taki even forgot to play ’Soyo’ and couldn’t help but blurt out: "How could there be something so morbid?!"
Kitahara pointed, his expression innocent: "The second theme room in the upper left corner, see for yourself."
"I don’t believe it..." Taki huffed and lifted her small face.
The next second.
The girl’s angry and embarrassed voice abruptly stopped.
There actually was one?
Why is there such a terrible theme!
Taki’s small face showed an expression of disbelief, she took a deep breath, and then squeezed out two words through gritted teeth:
...Pervert!
Just how perverted does one have to be to choose a cemetery theme? Do they really not feel scared at all?
"Alright, it’s indeed a bit hard to describe." Seeing Taki’s strong resistance, Kitahara naturally wouldn’t force the choice, "Then let’s change to another... a train theme?"
"No, change it."
"Prison theme?"
"Keep changing."
"Then how about a cinema theme?"
...
Taki’s breathing paused slightly, and the events that had just happened in the cinema involuntarily flashed through her mind.
Cinema theme... I guess it’s barely acceptable...
Seeing Taki’s small face flush red and her silence, Kitahara naturally understood and decided:
"Then we’ll choose that one."
Watching Kitahara stride towards the stairs leading to the second floor, Taki’s heart suddenly accelerated, she felt parched, her heart almost leaping into her throat, and she stammered in embarrassment:
"Th-that... actually, Onsen Village is quite good..."
Compared to the messy themes, Onsen Village was indeed more reassuring.
Kitahara feigned surprise:
"Didn’t Soyo-san really like novel environments before?"
"I didn’t like it at all!"
Taki turned her small face away in embarrassment.
Kitahara comforted her:
"Don’t be nervous, it’s not the first time, and the cinema theme sounds very proper."
Taki couldn’t help but retort:
"It’s not proper at all!"
Kitahara took Taki’s hand: "Anyway, let’s go to the room and see the situation. If you don’t like it, then we’ll go to Onsen Village."
...
A moment later.
The two arrived at the cinema-themed room.
The environment inside was somewhat like a home theater, dimly lit, which made Taki relax slightly.
"Whew..."
Taki clenched her small fists, took a deep breath, and forced herself to stand firm, not allowing herself to run away.
(Stay steady!)
(Can’t run!)
(Having come this far, I absolutely cannot fail at the last step!)
(I must get my body back today!)
"I-I’ll go take a shower first..."
Taki’s small face was crimson, and she quickly hid in the bathroom, then took out her phone and sent a message to Soyo:
"Soyo-san, get online now!!!"
...
What happened next cannot be elaborated.
After experiencing the longest hour of her life, Taki didn’t know when she lost consciousness. When she woke up again, she found herself back in the familiar room where she had grown up.
"I-I’m back...?"
Looking at the incredibly familiar room, a flicker of excitement crossed Taki’s small face. She quickly propped herself up with her arms, then picked up the phone by her pillow and nervously opened the front camera.
Although the soft black long hair falling over her chest and the incredibly familiar room all told Taki that her body had indeed been swapped back, she still couldn’t be 100% sure. It wasn’t until she saw herself in the phone that Taki finally wept with joy:
"I really got it back... I’m free!"
As for the details like her small face in the phone being flushed, and the tear stains still wet at the corners of her eyes, Taki ignored them all.
"I’ll take a shower first..."
Feeling sticky and sweaty all over, Taki frowned slightly and quickly got out of bed, ready to clean herself thoroughly, inside and out, and embrace a new beginning.
But as soon as she stepped onto the floor, Taki felt her legs incredibly sore and weak, unable to stand steadily, almost kneeling to the ground.
"Ugh..."
Taki quickly braced herself against the wall, steadying her body. The sacrifices she had made just now to get her body back involuntarily flashed through her mind.
(Ahhh! Seal it! Seal it all away, never ever think about it again!)
(And this bracelet, I will absolutely, absolutely, absolutely never wear it again!)
At the same time.
In the hotel.
The brown-haired, blue-eyed Soyo slowly woke up.
"Mm..."
Soyo’s expression was still a bit dazed.
"Soyo-san, you’re awake?"
Kitahara handed her a bottle of mineral water:
"Congratulations, the operation was very successful."
"I have no strength." Soyo’s voice was slightly hoarse, and she whined, "Kitahara-kun, feed me."
Kitahara feigned contemplation:
"There are many ways to feed water, how does Soyo-chan-san want me to feed her?"
Soyo pursed her slightly swollen lips:
"Just the way Kitahara-kun has in his mind."
"I see..."
Kitahara took a sip of mineral water, then lowered his head.
"Mm..."
Soyo, parched, raised her arms and tightly wrapped them around Kitahara’s neck.
A bottle of mineral water was quickly finished.
"Whew..."
Soyo let out a contented sigh, then said with a hint of resentment:
"Kitahara-kun... do you know everything?"
Kitahara asked, feigning ignorance:
"Know what?"
"Of course, it’s about Taki and me switching bodies." Soyo puffed out her cheeks slightly, her tone certain, "Taki’s acting is terrible, she definitely would have given herself away with many small details, but Kitahara-kun never suspected anything, plus the bracelet is Kitahara-kun’s thing... you must have known about Taki and my secret for a long time, right?"
"I did guess." Seeing Soyo reveal everything, Kitahara naturally wouldn’t continue to hide it, "It’s not that Taki’s acting is bad, but that Soyo-chan-san is too cute."
"Eh?"
"Dear Soyo-san is gentle and considerate, takes care of people, and her occasional mischievousness is also super cute, while Taki is stubborn and not cute at all."
"What is this, saying such things to make people happy..."
Soyo complained with her mouth, but the corners of her rosy lips involuntarily curved upwards slightly.
Kitahara said softly:
"Then does Soyo-chan-san still want to hear more?"
Soyo’s voice was sweet:
"Of course I do."
...
After several more compliments, Soyo was finally satisfied, then she became a little worried:
"Taki wouldn’t have guessed that Kitahara-kun has always known the truth, would she?"
"Don’t worry at all." Kitahara was completely unperturbed, "Even if Taki guesses, she’ll just pretend not to know."
Just like Kita and Hitori, do they not suspect at all that Kitahara knows their secret of switching bodies?
Of course they would suspect.
But as long as it’s not spoken, they can pretend to be ostriches and muddle through. If they really dig into it, they’d lose face.
"That’s true..."
Soyo nodded gently, indicating agreement.
If she were to switch identities with Taki, she would also choose to play the ostrich and hide her suspicions in her heart.
Soyo bit her lower lip with her pearly teeth:
"It’s just a pity..."
"A pity about what?"
Kitahara asked curiously.
Soyo’s pretty face was flushed, and she ultimately didn’t have the nerve to mention the baby: "Nothing, my body feels sticky and uncomfortable... Kitahara-kun, hurry and carry me to the bathroom."
After waking up this morning, Soyo secretly used the answer book when Taki wasn’t paying attention, and then asked if she was pregnant with a baby.
The answer left Soyo both relieved and a little disappointed.
There was no baby.
All those symptoms of nausea and vomiting, and the two lines on the test kit, were all just tricks of the Wish Note.
What happened next needs no further explanation.
Kitahara and Soyo showered for a full hour, finally leaving the hotel as dusk fell. The two had dinner together, then went their separate ways home.
The night passed without incident.
The next day.
Kitahara rode his bicycle, arriving punctually at Gotō.
There was no need to send a message to call anyone. As soon as Kitahara parked his bicycle, the door quietly opened a crack, and the pink-haired, antenna-haired girl, full of stealth, quickly slipped out and darted in front of Kitahara.
"Ki-Kitahara-kun, good morning..."
Hitori tilted her small face slightly upwards, greeting him softly, her expression like a dog eagerly awaiting its owner’s return from school.
Kitahara reached out his right hand and rubbed Hitori’s small head.
"Good morning, get in, it’s time for your exam."
"Mhm, mhm."
Hitori quickly nodded and sidled onto the bicycle’s back seat.
The breeze was gentle.
The sun was just right.
Hitori covered her skirt with one hand, while the other held onto Kitahara’s coattail, her cowlick swayed in the wind, and her peach blossom eyes peeked through her bangs at other pedestrians on the road, clearly in a good mood.
As Kitahara cycled, he casually asked, "The content of today’s assessment has already been practiced in the Dream World, so Hitori should be confident, right?"
"Ah..."
Hitori’s mood instantly became tense, and she stammered in a low voice, "S-sorry..."
"What are you apologizing for, Hitori?"
"Well... even though I practiced in the Dream World, I still don’t have much confidence. Maybe I’ll suddenly get a stomachache in the middle of it, or a bug will fly into my eye..."
Hey, hey, you’re a classic worrier! Why aren’t you worrying about a meteorite suddenly falling from the sky?
Kitahara said sternly, "I’m giving Hitori a task."
"Huh?"
"You must pass today’s exam."
"Th-that..."
"If one of those low-probability events you mentioned happens, then fine. But if it doesn’t, and you still fail the exam..."
Kitahara slightly drew out his words, and after seeing Hitori perk up her ears and listen intently, he continued, "Then we’ll just have to go to the onsen and have a mixed-gender bath alone, and I’ll have to give you a thorough lesson."
"N-no way!"
Recalling what happened during their previous two mixed-gender onsen baths, Hitori’s small face instantly flushed at a visible speed, and her cowlick on top of her head swayed in panic.
"I-I-I... I’ll definitely pass the exam!"
"..."
Chatting all the way, the two soon arrived at the driving school.
Kitahara parked his bicycle, bought two ice creams and handed them to Hitori, then settled Hitori in a corner.
"Don’t run off. I’m going to handle the exam registration."
"Okay..."
Hitori held the ice cream with both hands, watching Kitahara leave with the eager gaze of a primary school student seeing their parents off on a long trip.
A moment later.
Kitahara walked back and sat down beside Hitori.
"It’s done. The exam is scheduled for 9:30. You can go directly to the exam later."
Hitori naturally had no objections to Kitahara’s arrangements; she just had to do whatever he told her and be obedient. At this moment, she held up the ice cream with both hands and offered it to Kitahara, saying softly, "The ice cream is melting, Kitahara-kun, eat it quickly..."
Kitahara tilted his head and looked over.
"With the exam approaching, eating too many cold things isn’t good. You might get a stomachache."
"Eh?"
Hitori blinked, looking over blankly.
Kitahara reached out his right hand, took the half-eaten ice cream from Hitori, and said with a righteous expression, "So, we can just share one ice cream, to avoid getting a stomachache during the exam later."
"..."
Hitori’s small face quickly flushed, and she shyly lowered her head to look at her toes.
(I’m not a child, I won’t get a stomachache!)
(Kitahara-kun is clearly... clearly just trying to tease me...)
Kitahara took a bite of the ice cream and smiled.
"It really tastes super good."
The cowlick on Hitori’s head trembled shyly. She resisted the urge to run away in embarrassment and stammered in a low voice, "W-what about the other ice cream?"
"That’s simple," Kitahara whispered. "We can take it to the Onsen Village first. There’s a refrigerator in the Onsen Village anyway. Hitori, do you want to...?"
"N-no!"
Hitori’s small head shook rapidly like a rattle drum.
Once she entered the Onsen Village, it would be very difficult to get out easily.
"Alright."
Seeing that he couldn’t trick Hitori, Kitahara simply unwrapped the other ice cream and then swallowed it in two bites.
"Ah..." Hitori’s eyes widened, and she couldn’t help but whisper, "W-what about the stomachache you said I’d get?"
"That’s Hitori’s stomach that would hurt," Kitahara said calmly. "My body is strong, so I don’t need to worry at all."
Hitori: "..."
After they finished their ice cream and waited a bit longer, the exam officially began.
There’s nothing much to say about the process. After practicing for so long in the Dream World, Hitori was very nervous at first, but once she got started, her muscle memory quickly took over her body, and she successfully passed the exam.
As for Kitahara, there’s even less to say; he easily scored a perfect mark.
"Kitahara-kun, I passed the exam!"
Hitori ran to Kitahara with small steps, lifted her small face, her voice excited, practically screaming, ’Praise me quickly!’
Kitahara naturally didn’t hold back his praise and said warmly, "Hitori is indeed super amazing, you aced it, easily passing."
"Eh heh~"
Hearing the praise she wanted, Hitori, as expected, showed a smug little expression, and even the cowlick on her head swayed happily.
For others, passing the scooter exam was a trivial matter, but for Hitori, it held particularly significant meaning.
Although Kitahara provided a lot of help in the middle, that wasn’t cheating. In the end, she still successfully obtained her driver’s license through her own efforts and practice.
So... if she continues like this, letting Kitahara-kun motivate her to study hard, maybe she really can get into Todai?
