Chapter 470: Asuna’s New Year’s Wish

Chapter 470: Chapter 470: Asuna’s New Year’s Wish

Chapter 470: Asuna’s New Year’s Wish

If it had been Eriri or Shijo Maki, they probably would have released Asagiri immediately out of sheer embarrassment.

Kasumigaoka Utaha was different.

Although she rarely behaved as shamelessly as Iwanaga Kotoko, beneath her mature and composed appearance was a surprisingly aggressive personality, not unlike Sakurakawa Rikka.

"What’s wrong, my dear producer?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha made no attempt to move away.

Instead, she wrapped her arms around Asagiri’s neck and looked at him with a mischievous smile.

"Don’t tell me you dislike having me this close."

Her dark red eyes gleamed provocatively.

"Or perhaps Utsunomiya-san is only impressive when talking, while in reality you’re so pure and innocent that a simple hug from a girl leaves you completely helpless... Hmm?"

Before she could finish, Asagiri abruptly tightened his arms around her.

"Ah..."

Caught completely off guard, Kasumigaoka Utaha let out a small gasp.

Her cheeks instantly turned red.

"Kasumigaoka."

Seeing her composure crack so easily, Asagiri smiled.

"So you’re the one who’s only good at talking."

"You act aggressive, but you’re unexpectedly easy to embarrass."

"Hmph."

Kasumigaoka Utaha narrowed her eyes.

Naturally, her pride would never allow her to admit defeat so easily.

She leaned closer and kissed him.

It was impulsive, bold, and far more direct than anything she would normally dare to do.

Several seconds later, she finally pulled away.

Her breathing had become slightly uneven, and a faint blush still covered her face.

"I’ve changed my mind."

"Hm?"

"I don’t want the payment for writing the game anymore."

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked straight into his eyes.

"I want you to compensate me another way."

Asagiri raised an eyebrow.

"You really don’t want the money?"

"Even if we only count the current net profit, your ten percent share comes to several million yen."

"And that doesn’t include future revenue."

"You’re giving all of that up?"

"Yes."

Kasumigaoka Utaha answered without hesitation.

Her family was not exceptionally wealthy compared with girls like Iwanaga Kotoko or Kaguya Shinomiya, but they had never struggled financially either.

Several million yen was undeniably a tremendous amount for a high school student.

But compared with what she actually wanted...

It suddenly felt unimportant.

"I want you to come to a bookstore with me."

She tucked a strand of long black hair behind her ear.

"Then afterward, I want us to spend the evening together."

Her smile softened.

"In other words..."

"I want to buy one whole day of my boyfriend’s time."

"Oh?"

Asagiri chuckled.

"So now I need to add ’Kasumigaoka Utaha’s rental boyfriend’ to my list of titles?"

He nodded approvingly.

"Several million yen for a single day with me."

"Miss Kasumigaoka is surprisingly generous."

"Generous?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha smiled.

"That depends entirely on who I’m spending it on."

She finally stepped back.

"To purchase an entire day belonging to Shadow, the strongest Player, for only a few million yen?"

"That sounds like an incredible bargain to me."

Asagiri nodded.

Then he glanced toward the sky.

"But it’s still lunchtime."

"We have classes this afternoon."

"We’ll skip them."

Kasumigaoka Utaha immediately took his hand.

Her eyes showed obvious anticipation.

"Come on."

"Take me on a date."

...

That evening, at Asagiri’s home.

"You bought quite a lot today."

Kasumigaoka Utaha sat lazily on the living room sofa.

Several bags of newly purchased books rested nearby.

Asagiri, however, said nothing.

He had taken out his phone and seemed to be busy with something.

Utaha watched him for several seconds before frowning.

Then she leaned closer.

"My dear boyfriend..."

Her voice became deliberately soft.

"We walked around all day."

"I’m exhausted."

She rested lightly against him.

"Couldn’t you at least pay a little more attention to me?"

"Huh?"

Asagiri looked at her.

The sound wasn’t one of embarrassment.

If anything, it sounded like a warning that he was about to retaliate.

Kasumigaoka Utaha immediately sensed danger.

Asagiri smiled.

"You’re surprisingly bold today."

Her confident expression stiffened slightly.

Then Asagiri added,

"And that line just now..."

"Wasn’t it taken almost word for word from the eroge script we wrote?"

Kasumigaoka Utaha froze.

Her face slowly reddened.

She had been caught.

For some reason, she could remain sharp and composed around almost anyone else.

Even among the Players, she had always appeared calmer than Shijo Maki and Eriri.

But whenever she tried to take the initiative against Asagiri...

He somehow turned everything back on her.

It was frustrating.

And strangely exciting.

At that moment, Kasumigaoka Utaha’s phone chimed.

She looked down.

A bank notification.

Incoming transfer.

"Eh?"

Utaha stared at the amount.

Then she frowned and looked toward Asagiri.

"Didn’t we agree?"

"I said I didn’t want my share."

"And you already spent the whole day with me."

"You still don’t understand, Miss Kasumigaoka."

Asagiri interrupted her.

His expression became more serious.

"You don’t need to spend money to make me stay with you."

Kasumigaoka Utaha fell silent.

Asagiri continued,

"If you want me to accompany you..."

"Just ask."

"I’ll come."

"Asagiri..."

The teasing disappeared from Utaha’s expression.

Something warmer replaced it.

She pressed her lips together.

Then, unable to resist, she leaned forward and kissed him again.

This time, there was no competition.

No verbal duel.

No attempt to prove who could embarrass the other first.

Only affection.

When they finally separated, Kasumigaoka Utaha rested against him, still visibly flustered despite her usual confidence.

Asagiri smiled.

"So?"

"Still planning to use your royalties to rent me?"

Utaha gave him a small glare.

"Shut up."

But she did not move away.

The rest of the evening passed quietly between them, with the books they had bought left forgotten beside the sofa.

...

Several days later.

At a shrine in Tokyo.

"Woohoo!"

Iwanaga Kotoko threw one hand into the air.

"New Year’s shrine visit!"

Yuuki Asuna, dressed in a kimono with her flaxen hair elegantly tied up, covered her mouth and laughed.

"I honestly thought you wouldn’t come."

"Why?"

Kotoko looked genuinely confused.

Asagiri, walking beside them, answered on Asuna’s behalf.

"Because you’re always saying that, as the God of Wisdom, you need to maintain your dignity."

"You said visiting a shrine where no god exists is pointless."

"And visiting one where an actual god does exist would be even worse because it would lower your own divine status."

"Did I really say that?"

Iwanaga Kotoko blinked.

Then she immediately linked her arm with Asagiri’s.

A sweet smile appeared on her face.

"Well, it doesn’t matter."

"I’m not here to worship any gods."

"I’m here to go on a New Year’s date with my boyfriend."

"Kotoko."

Kato Megumi quietly removed Kotoko’s arm from Asagiri’s.

"Did you forget what we agreed on?"

"No physical contact with Asagiri while we’re walking."

"Hmph."

Iwanaga Kotoko pouted.

"That rule makes absolutely no sense."

"There’s nothing we can do."

Kato Megumi glanced around.

Ahead of them walked Kaguya Shinomiya, Fujiwara Chika, and Hayasaka Ai.

Behind them were Shijo Maki, Eriri, and Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Nearby were Yuuki Asuna, Yamauchi Sakura, Iwanaga Kotoko, and herself.

Finally, Megumi looked toward Asagiri.

A faint smile appeared on her lips.

"There are too many people."

"If everyone wants to hold hands with him, he simply doesn’t have enough hands."

Her normally flat tone carried a surprisingly subtle trace of jealousy.

"Even if we include both of his legs, he can only satisfy four people at once."

Asagiri immediately became serious.

"That’s easy to solve."

Everyone looked at him.

"My regeneration lets me regrow limbs almost instantly."

He nodded solemnly.

"So I’ll just cut off my arms and distribute one to each of you."

"No one leaves empty handed."

"Everyone gets a New Year’s souvenir."

Yuuki Asuna stared at him.

Then she laughed helplessly.

"That’s way too horrifying."

"Imagine visiting a shrine on New Year’s while carrying one of your severed arms."

"That’s not romantic."

"That’s the beginning of a horror movie."

"You don’t want one?"

Asagiri waved dismissively.

"Fine."

"Although I never actually cut them off, you should still appreciate the depth of my affection."

"Just pretend I already did."

"Go away."

Yuuki Asuna gently pushed his shoulder.

A faint blush colored her cheeks.

Then her expression softened.

"Just stay alive."

Asagiri looked at her.

Asuna lowered her voice.

"Don’t get hurt again."

"And don’t take responsibility for saving the world anymore."

She smiled.

"Just stay with us."

"We can argue over stupid things."

"Laugh every day."

"Go to school."

"Eat together."

"Live peacefully."

Her eyes became warm.

"An ordinary, normal life."

Yuuki Asuna gently looked toward him.

"That’s my New Year’s wish."

....

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