Don't use Type-Moon references in Oregairu!

Luna sighed, her ruby ​​eyes giving Fujimaru Ritsuka a teasing look: "Being arrested by a police officer for the first time to assist in an investigation, going shopping, buying clothes, playing games, and watching a movie for the first time are all completely new experiences. Being with Officer Fujimaru has been quite an experience. I'm curious to see what it will be like next."

...You bastard.

Fujimaru Ritsuka was a little overwhelmed by those sparkling eyes. In fact, if anyone else couldn't ignore her, they would definitely be mesmerized. He'd held out long enough! ...Right?

Slightly flustered, he didn't choose a movie, but instead silently recommended an emotional art film that he could watch right away to the cinema ticket seller.

The ticket seller looked up, momentarily stunned by Luna's appearance, then quickly looked down and tapped the screen, handing over two tickets in an ambiguous manner: "Sir, although it's not a new film, but rather a film released to fill a weekday slot, the couples who saw it all said it was great."

"She and I aren't a couple... never mind, 'Fifty Shades of Grey'? It looks pretty refreshing. Thanks for the recommendation."

Fujimaru Ritsuka and Luna entered the theater.

Two hours later, Luna walked out of the theater, feeling dizzy: "The dramatic scenes were really amazing! The emotional scenes were really exaggerated! The IMAX screen was awe-inspiring."

Fujimaru Ritsuka walked out stiffly, limping along, and gave a dry laugh: "Actually... it's nothing much! It's just a typical domineering CEO falls in love with me movie. The whipping scene is so-so, it's all clean. And the female lead isn't even that pretty."

Luna pressed on, raising her voice unnaturally: "[That's all? Officer Fujimaru, are you really that knowledgeable?]"

"Of course!"

"Ah...like biting the neck when mating with a lion, does love mean pain? Perhaps this is synchronicity? It can surely be applied next time!"

"Don't use it recklessly!" Fujimaru Ritsuka was a little flustered.

Well, while Mr. Fujimaru is indeed well-informed in some ways, can his online battles with silly netizens over lewd pictures be compared to his offline lewd jokes with pretty girls?

The pathetic inexperienced person has to pretend to be an expert, using every means to turn around the poisoned, blank-slate girl... Hmm?

"That's not right, Luna. I remember you've watched a lot of movies, haven't you?" Fujimaru Ritsuka stared at her suspiciously.

Luna, her face flushed, stuck out her little tongue triumphantly and chuckled, "You've been found out?"

"You rascal!" Fujimaru Ritsuka pointed at her helplessly.

Luna turned away shyly and whistled.

However, she wasn't teasing him as Fujimaru Ritsuka thought.

Luna quietly covered her chest, feeling that her heartbeat still hadn't slowed down.

What's going on? I've seen similar things in B-movies before, so why is my reaction completely different this time?

I get it! It must be because the IMAX screen is big enough! And the surround sound in the theater is excellent enough to completely immerse you in the 3D audiovisual effects, making it impossible to stop watching!

Luna discreetly gasped for breath, trying to calm the blush on her face as quickly as possible.

"What happened to you?"

"Alas!!"

A warm hand gently touched Luna's shoulder. This touch, which she had never paid attention to before, sent shivers through her body like an electric shock.

Luna struggled to maintain her balance, barely managing to avoid falling flat on her backside. Supporting herself on her limp legs, she stammered, "Officer Fujimaru, I was thinking about something! You scared me!"

She tried her best to control herself, but from Fujimaru Ritsuka's perspective, all she saw was Luna with her big, watery eyes, speaking in a sweet and coquettish tone.

Fujimaru Ritsuka fell silent, and Luna also realized how strange her tone was; the two of them remained silent without saying a word.

The atmosphere became subtle.

"Um... how about we stop here for now? It's already 8 o'clock. I'll find you somewhere to get something to eat, and then settle you in. We'll see when your family comes looking for you." At this moment, Fujimaru Ritsuka's memory finally came back on, and he remembered what his original intention was.

But after waiting for most of the day, I still haven't caught any fish.

Oh right, did I make an appointment to meet someone before I got off work? Or two people? Never mind, if I can't remember, it means they weren't important people.

He gave up thinking.

"Family? Yes..." Luna murmured softly, her tone a little reluctant and strange.

"Okay, then we'll..."

"Ta-da!!! Two lucky winners! Congratulations! You are the 1000th couple to visit our clinic today! Here is a grand prize for you."

A movie theater mascot, appearing out of nowhere, jumped out and interrupted their conversation.

It shook its bell with a comical expression, making a jingling sound that attracted a lot of attention.

The two looked at it in confusion, then took the package handed to them—it was a movie theater pass, a preview screening pass for a movie that was going to be released in the future, along with snacks and drinks.

"Hey! This one! It's a preview screening ticket! Great, we've won!" Luna picked up the package ticket, glanced at it, and then happily hugged Fujimaru Ritsuka, jumping and skipping around.

"Is it really necessary to be so happy?" Fujimaru Ritsuka pretended to be helpless as she continued to hug and embrace her, but those who knew the truth understood.

"Of course! I haven't seen this one yet, and there's no original story. It's even getting a preview screening! Let's go see it!" She pointed to the time on the screen with a delighted expression, making Fujimaru Ritsuka's vision go black.

The preview screening will begin in 15 minutes.

Fujimaru Ritsuka hesitated for a moment, but seeing the childlike joy on her face, she reluctantly agreed: "Alright, let's go then."

"Great!"

Luna pulled Fujimaru Ritsuka to the front desk to collect a snack set, and then happily entered the screening room.

Just a few minutes into the movie, Fujimaru Ritsuka thought to herself, "Oh no!"

He finally understood why the cinema was giving away these rare preview tickets; it was clear from the very beginning that this wasn't a blockbuster.

On the contrary, this stream-of-consciousness opening highlights its essence as an art film, and a rather hardcore European art film at that, the kind specifically designed for awards.

No wonder the huge screening room wasn't full at all; everyone was sitting sparsely, and there were only the two of them in Fujimaru Ritsuka's row.

There are excellent movies like this, but this one is clearly not that great.

With long stretches of nonsensical dialogue, an obscure story, and crammed with technically impressive long takes, this film is one that even Fujimaru Ritsuka would find difficult to digest.

Wouldn't Luna be completely bewildered...?

She watched it very attentively and intently.

It wasn't the perfunctory kind of movie watching I used to do; it was the kind of immersive experience I had when I first saw the big screen.

Instead, I felt completely immersed in the movie.

Is it really that good-looking?

Fujimaru Ritsuka shifted her attention to the movie with some skepticism, and then, as she watched, she suddenly understood Luna's feelings.

It's the atmosphere.

Although the story is difficult to understand at first glance, and the dialogue is so obscure that only viewers specializing in literature and philosophy can understand it, the film's color palette, the actors' facial expressions and physical interactions, and the atmosphere conveyed by the story have all captured the hearts of viewers who are on the right wavelength.

In the spacious screening room, all was quiet. Everyone selectively watched the film, dissecting it into pieces, choosing the parts they liked, and then reshaping them into their own ideal image.

Tick, tick.

He keenly heard the sound of liquid falling and glanced over out of the corner of his eye.

The soft light from the screen shone on Luna's flawless face. Her expression was as focused as a pilgrim monk, creating an almost divine atmosphere. But the tears that kept flowing down her face revealed the fragility of human nature.

Fujimaru Ritsuka didn't make any move, not even offering a tissue.

He felt that everything he did was ruining the girl's rare experience, so he continued watching the movie.

He tried to understand and grasp the reason why Luna was moved, but unfortunately, he couldn't feel any emotion in the scene at all.

Those were just two supporting characters, fighting from their own perspectives.

Then, he felt a weight on his shoulder; Luna was resting her head on him.

Tears soaked his clothes. He only stiffened for a moment before relaxing and letting her continue to lean on him.

Without asking any questions, the two simply watched the story continue in silence.

At this moment, Luna whispered, as if afraid of disturbing the characters in the movie, "Isn't it sad? Playing their respective roles, wearing masks, submitting to society, family, and organizations, fighting with each other. And all for their own benefit, how pathetic, how pitiful."

Fujimaru Ritsuka did not respond.

He thought, maybe she was right, right from a certain perspective. Freedom has always been freedom under constraints. Even the pursuit of freedom of the heart is just a concept instilled by the outside world.

But Fujimaru Ritsuka doesn't agree with her, at least not now.

The story continues abruptly, full of twists and turns, with plot changes as erratic as a psychotic mania, resulting in one reversal after another.

Finally, the two of them, sitting in the movie theater, watched the characters die, and then sat in the afterlife, which had become the movie theater, to reflect on their lives, freeing themselves from the life they had been shaped into the shapers.

Then the curtain fell.

Fujimaru Ritsuka let out a sigh, and then at the same time heard Luna sigh.

He felt a lightness on his shoulder; Luna had left him.

Touching her swollen eyes, she apologized sheepishly, "I'm sorry, I lost my composure. I was crying so much I couldn't sit up straight, but I still wanted to keep watching. I've soaked your clothes."

You rascal, you've soaked half of my clothes!

That's what Fujimaru Ritsuka wanted to say.

But he paused. The strange, neurotic, yet peculiar movie he had just watched had also affected him, making it impossible for him to calmly say anything nonsensical to the girl wiping away her tears.

He simply waved his hand, trying to calm himself down: "Okay, stop crying. I have some tissues here, here you go."

"Ok!"

He pulled Luna up, letting her wipe away her tears, and rambled on, "Let's get this sorted out. Speaking of which, the heroine in the movie is also named Luna, which is really interesting. Okay, come with me to the front desk to get your clothes, and then we'll go get something nice to eat."

"Let's go, Luna."

"Well, it's time to go."

The warmth in my palm has vanished.

157. Merlin must die!

Fujimaru Ritsuka stopped and looked back.

By this time, everyone in front of him had left, and the screening room was empty, leaving him alone in the aisle leading to the door. He turned around and, in the dim light, saw only a set of clothes left on the floor.

A white top, a black short skirt, tall boots standing up, and stockings hanging on them.

Ah, it's like a scene from a science fiction horror movie, where people suddenly turn into ashes or a quantum state, leaving only their still-warm clothes.

Fujimaru Ritsuka sadly picked up the clothes. Only a faint, unknown fragrance reminded her that a girl had indeed once existed here.