Why is my journey to the world of anime a strange tale of rules?

The other person was clearly a stranger he had only known for four days.

As a result, I'm now stuck in his house, using his bathroom, as if something very unhealthy is about to happen.

No, it won't.

Shouldn't that kind of thing usually happen after marriage?

And wait a minute, their relationship has only just reached the first kiss... no, not even the first kiss yet, because the first kiss has been reverted. At the end of the day, nothing has happened between us, we're still just friends, right?

Standing under the showerhead, Maki felt her mind becoming increasingly chaotic and unable to think clearly.

Just then, a sound came from outside the bathroom.

"Makoto, I've left a clean towel outside the bathroom."

"Huh?! Oh, oh, I understand, thank you..."

As soon as Gao Hai's calm voice rang out, Zhen Fei instinctively cried out in surprise, instinctively covering her chest with her hands and shrinking back. After recovering, she whispered to Gao Hai outside the bathroom.

"I have a dryer at home. Should I take your wet clothes to dry now, or can you come out and get them yourself in a bit?"

Gao Hai's voice outside the door was normal; he simply asked again.

"I... I can do it myself."

Maki felt her heart beating faster and faster, but she tried her best to remain calm as she talked with Takahashi.

"Alright then, I've left my clothes here. You can make do with these for a bit."

You can hear Gao Hai's footsteps gradually moving away, followed by the sounds of doors opening and closing.

"……Thanks."

Zhenfei didn't mutter a word until the other person left, and then she couldn't help but cover her cheeks and squat down on the ground.

What's wrong with me?

The girl couldn't help but ask herself this question.

Was it because of that nightmarish experience at the Shirakawa Apartment?

I feel like I'm not even myself anymore.

My emotions became increasingly chaotic at this moment.

The moisture from the rain had long been washed away by the hot water.

Maki turned off the shower, opened the bathroom door, picked up the towel Gao Hai had placed at the door, dried herself off, and then carefully walked out of the bathroom. She even looked around first to make sure that Gao Hai wasn't hiding in the small room outside the bathroom to spy on her.

No, he's not the kind of person who would spy on others, so why am I suspecting him like this?

Shaking her head, Maki turned her gaze to the wet clothes she had folded and placed on one side of the room. Hmm, they didn't look like they had been touched.

Next, she looked at Gao Hai's clothes, which were placed on the platform next to the bathroom door.

These are that guy's clothes...

Reach out and pick it up.

For Zhenfei, who was only about 1.5 meters tall, this shirt was obviously too big. She put it on, buttoned it up, and found that she couldn't even stick her hands out of the sleeves. The hem of the shirt also covered most of her thighs. It could be said that as long as she wore this shirt, she basically didn't have to worry about anything like being exposed.

I always feel a strange sense of security when I wear these clothes, but I don't understand it.

Maki reached out and picked up her wet clothes again, opened the door and walked into the hallway, heading towards the living room.

The two-story building was quiet at the moment. The girl knew that only Gao Hai lived in this house, which was a bit too big for him. Thinking of his mysterious background, the early death of his parents, and his isolated life away from society, Maki couldn't help but feel even more curious. She couldn't understand why such a brave and extraordinary guy in the Shirakawa Apartment would choose to be so decadent and withdrawn in real life.

With such talent, you could easily have a better life if you wanted to, right?

Or is it that the hustle and bustle of this world doesn't hold any appeal for you?

A jumble of thoughts rose and fell in the girl's heart.

She had already walked to the end of the corridor and saw Gao Hai sitting in the living room, deep in thought.

"Haijun, I'm done washing. Where's the dryer?"

Zhenfei peeked out from the doorway and asked Gao Hai inside the room.

"Oh, you're all washed up. Let me take you there."

Upon hearing this voice, Gao Hai seemed to wake from a dream, raised his head, stood up, and walked to Zhenfei.

The girl subconsciously took a step back, holding her clothes with one hand and tugging slightly at the hem with the other, immediately becoming somewhat nervous.

However, the situation she had anticipated—being bullied by Gao Hai with malicious intent—did not occur. He simply walked past her expressionlessly, leading her to the room where the dryer was located.

He didn't even say anything joking; he just quietly led the way.

what?

None of the teasing and bullying she had feared happened. While feeling slightly relieved, Maki also felt a little unhappy.

He was taking advantage of her and flirting with her in one trick after another before, but now that the atmosphere is really off, he's quiet. Is he trying to play some kind of hard-to-get trick on me?

That's just too awful!

Feeling slighted, Princess Zhenfei became unhappy.

What she didn't know was that Gao Hai, walking ahead of her, had a calm face that was twitching slightly.

Namo Ratna Trayaya...

A passionate young man is trying to calm himself by playing the Great Compassion Mantra in his mind.

calm.

Must be calm.

You're the man who achieved an S-rank perfect clear on your very first game.

Moreover, he is a man who possesses a mysterious cheat code: a black watch that clearly holds a great secret.

In other words, you're treated like the male protagonist in a novel, how could you lose your composure at a time like this?

Calm down, calm down quickly!

Princess Zhenfei is the kind of girl who is very timid; we can't lay a hand on her at this time!

Although her legs are indeed very white.

Although her little feet looked so white and tender that I really wanted to rub them.

Although her calves were smooth, they looked incredibly soft to the touch.

Although she looked particularly good in my shirt.

Moreover, the fact that you can see a bit of skin color through the gaps in the shirt buttons is quite perfect.

Her thighs were faintly visible beneath the hem of her shirt; though not much was visible, it only fueled the imagination.

Combined with her shy, rosy complexion, she looked even more delicious.

Then, thinking about it carefully, she's not wearing anything else besides this shirt, is she? That means she's truly in a state of nakedness!

Wow, isn't this amazing?

Wow, what are we waiting for?

If you don't do anything, can you even call yourself a man? A beautiful girl like this is right in front of you, and she even followed you home! Even if she's a bit reserved due to her tsundere personality, this situation is definitely interesting, right? Who would believe a girl you're not even close to would go to a guy's house to shower and wear his clothes? So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and take action! If you don't act now, can you even call yourself a man?!

"hiss--"

Gao Hai took a deep breath, then suddenly stopped, leaning against the wall and banging his head against it twice.

"what are you doing?"

Consort Zhen, who had not expected his actions, was startled and instinctively took a step back and asked.

"I'm mired in the struggle between my ego, id, and superego, stuck between the dilemma of being a beast and being worse than a beast. I feel like a bystander standing at a fork in the railway tracks with a toilet plunger, and suddenly I'm going to use that plunger to decide which track a train will run over and kill someone on..."

Gao Hai, still facing the wall, murmured to himself, his voice carrying a hint of profound mystery.

"No, even if you use such a serious tone, I still can't understand what you're trying to say."

After standing there stunned for a while, Zhenfei whispered to Gao Hai.

"What I mean is, the dryer is in this room. You should know how to use it, right? I have something to take care of. It's still raining outside, so you can stay on the first floor for a while. If you need anything, just come upstairs to find me..."

Although he claimed to be seeking Maki's opinion, Gao Hai kept his forehead against the wall and walked past Maki like a crab. Maki could even hear the clear sound of Gao Hai's forehead rubbing against the wall the whole way, so clearly that she suspected he was using his head as a rag to wipe the wall.

"Ah, okay..."

By the time she answered, Gao Hai had already walked directly to the stairs and then went upstairs with his back to Zhenfei.

What's going on here?

He was all over me when we were on our date... no, when we were shopping, he even touched me inappropriately. So why is he so reserved now that we're alone together?

Princess Zhenfei frowned in thought, then lowered her head to look at her front armor, which had only a small curve.

Could it be... because I changed my clothes, he's starting to think I'm too short and small?!

Once such thoughts arise, they are difficult to eradicate.

Downstairs, Zhenfei clutched her chest, looking devastated, while upstairs, Gao Hai muttered incantations to himself against the wall, looking utterly hopeless.

The gloomy downpour outside the window showed no signs of stopping.

It looks like this rain is going to continue for a while.

Interlude 1-08: Sometimes, an unclear attitude can lead to situations like this.

slam-la-

The rain showed no signs of stopping.

Under the cover of rain, in the stairwell of the residential building directly opposite Gao Hai's house, under a waterproof blanket used for disguise, a girl with long blonde hair was holding a pair of binoculars, staring expressionlessly at the second floor of the opposite building, looking at Gao Hai who was kneeling on the ground with his back bent.

"How is the situation now?"

Kaguya Shinomiya's highly recognizable, aloof voice rang out from the headphones worn by the blonde girl.

"Ms. Shijo stayed on the first floor, while Takami went upstairs to the second floor, and the two separated for the time being. Ms. Shijo is now heading to the laundry room, presumably to use the dryer to dry her wet clothes. Takami stayed on the second floor; he went into the bedroom, and then he was... well, he was spacing out."

The blonde girl was reporting the situation in a serious tone, but her voice suddenly paused for a moment before she continued.