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Chapter 161 ~ Smartphone

The sole department store and shopping mall within Tooya City was located near the center of the suburban city. 

It was the largest building of the entire city at four stories high and a basement floor underground. 

For a department store, the four stories high building with an additional floor for the basement level was considerably small compared to other department stores in Japan. But when compared to other buildings, the building stood out as the largest building that existed within the city. 

Many visited the department store daily.

Although the shopping district would be the more popular choice to go buy groceries, cheap, yet delicious, street foods, and simple things, the department store offered more choices of restaurants, cafes, branded shops, stores, as well as a play area at the roof, making it a more popular choice for a family outing or an outing with friends. 

And given it was the weekend, the mall was fairly filled with visitors. 

Yuuji, Yuna, and Nina attracted the attention of many visitors as they walked around the mall. In addition to Sena being there as well, herself a beautiful young girl on par with even Yuna and Nina, many turned their heads and made multiple glances at them, in awe of their appearance. 

However, having been accustomed to such attention, the four ignored the eyes and enjoyed themselves. 

Filled with excitement and curious wonder, Yuna led the group while dragging Sena by the hands. Nina followed closely after her twin sister, while Yuuji followed them from behind, watching over them. 

Although they had an objective, which was to buy Sena a new phone, they decided to explore the mall first and try to find things that would interest them. 

Yuna and Nina originally asked Sena to be their guide and introduce them to the interestings there would be in the mall. Perhaps her favorite spots to hangout or a favorite store she’d often visit for her wardrobe. 

Unfortunately… Sena was also unfamiliar with the place. 

Although she lived in the city, she had almost never gone to the mall… Because she never had the reason to.

Whenever she’d like to buy something, she would simply tell her father what she wanted, and it would arrive at her doorstep the next morning. 

For food, her household had a group of dedicated chefs that would cook all her meals and snacks. 

For a family outing, she’d usually go abroad with her father. 

For an outing with friends… Well, she never had any friends, so she didn’t have anyone to go hangout with in the mall…

‘That’s… so sad…’

Yuuji couldn't help but look at Sena pitifully when she told them this. 

Her lips was curled into a depreciating smile, and her eyes were dull and empty. And Yuuji swore he could see tears beginning to pool around the corner of her eyes. 

She looked… so defeated. 

But fortunately, Yuna and Nina quickly cheered her up. 

“D-Don’t worry! We can explore it together now!!!”

“T-That’s right…!”

Their friendship and encouraging words brought light back into Sena’s eyes, and she began nodding with tears of joy now wetting her eyes. 

Since then, they stopped bringing up anything that might remind Sena of the fact that she had been friendless ever since they left her…

As would any teenage girls, the three instinctively made their way to the fashion area of the mall and began visiting the stores there. 

After spending their time choosing leisurely, the three tried on most of the clothes that gained their attention. And as the sole male, as well as their… main target of interest, Yuuji had no choice but to accept the role of a judge and tell them his opinion on their outfits. 

“Yuu-kun~!!! How’s this~?”

“Yuuji, what do you think?”

“H-Hey, s-stop staring so much! J-Just tell me what you really think…! H-Hurry up!”

Yuuji sweated heavily as all three girls narrowed their eyes at him, waiting for his compliments. Of course, Yuuji only had praises for them. After all, they were all objectively beautiful. However, he couldn’t simply tell them they’re beautiful. 

So, his mind began working at high speeds, finding and weaving the words that would best describe his genuine impression of them. And thanks to his enhanced thought processing speed, he was able to satisfy them, earning him three sets of beautiful smiles from the three beauties. 

Unfortunately, however, this would not be the last time he’d do it this afternoon, as they went on several more rounds of shopping around the mall, before they decided to find a phone store.

“Welcome-!!!”

“Ah, hello~ My friend would like to buy a phone~ Can you please give us your recommendation~?”

The store staff, a young, beautiful woman in her early twenties with her jet-black hair tied into a neat bun, looked at the group that just entered her store with widened eyes. 

They’re… They’re all so beautiful…! And the young man… she coudln’t even begin to describe how handsome he was…!

Are they idols? Or are they actors? Was there supposed to be a drama shooting in the mall she hadn’t heard about?!

“Y-Yes! R-Right away! P-Please, come and take a look!!!”

She quickly bowed her head, and led the dazzling group inside, all the while trying to not glance too much at them. 

Sena looked around the store for a while, trying to find a model similar to the one Yuuji owned. But no matter how much she looked, she couldn’t find it… 

So in the end, she decided to buy the one similar to Yuna and Nina’s. 

They paid promptly and bought the card and the phone number as well, and Sena decided to use it immediately. Her eyes sparkling in excitement as she fiddled around with the first ever phone she ever had. 

“Hehe~ Congratulations, Sena-chan~ Now, let’s exchange contacts so we can talk a bunch~!”

“Y-Yes!!!”

“Mm, here is my contact. Ah, do you need my help entering it?”

“I-I’ll try it myself first…! Uhm… I can add it with this… phone-looking one right…?”

She struggled for a bit, but with Yuna and Nina’s help, she was soon able to add them both into her contacts. 

Her eyes shined brightly as she stared at her contact list…

‘I have two… Two contacts… Two friends…!’

Finally… One of her dreams had finally come true…! 

Then, she turned towards Yuuji, her lips slightly pursed in nervousness.

“H-Hey! G-Give me your contact too!”

Her cheeks blushed redly, but she put up a tough front and lifted her chin up as she shoved her new phone towards Yuuji. 

And seeing her acting like this, Yuuji couldn’t help but smile teasingly at her.

“Oh~? You want my contact too?”

“D-D-Don’t misunderstand! I-It’s not like I-I want it or anything… B-But, I-I might as well have it too as back up if I can’t contact Yuna and Nina…!”

Sena doubled down on her tsundere acting, but Yuna, Nina, and Yuuji easily saw through it and couldn’t help but look at her with doting eyes. It’s like seeing a small animal trying to be tough even though it’s being extremely shy. 

“Hmm~ I wonder if I should give it to you or not if you don’t really want mine…” 

Yuuji tapped his chin and faked his hesitancy to give her his contact. He didn’t even try to act, but Sena showed a genuine reaction of shock and fear, afraid she won't’ be able to get his contact now after seeing his reaction. 

“Heh, I’m kidding. Here you go~”

“G-Geez! W-Why did you have to say that…! Y-You should’ve just given it to me!”

“Ahahaha! It’s because you’re just so easy to tease!”

Sena glared and pouted “angrily” at Yuuji, but she still carefully copied Yuuji’s contact into her phone before naming it “Idiot Yuu-kun”. 

And after exchanging their contacts, the four continued to explore the mall for a bit. 

They got matching phone straps in the shape of butterflies with colored “jewels” as its wings. 

Yuna got a pink one. Nina got a light blue one. Sena got a yellow one, while Yuuji got a black one. 

And they all immediately used it on their phone, before going around to find some snacks for the afternoon. 

As they were walking around, Yuuji noticed a gaze in his periphery that attracted his attention…

When he turned to look, he saw a young man around his age with an interesting appearance, looking at him with widened eyes. 

He had blonde hair with brown tips and a pair of menacing eyes that made him look like he was perpetually glaring, even if he wasn’t. 

And holding his hand was a small, cute, blonde-haired girl, dressed in a peculiar gothic lolita fashion while hugging a bunny plushie in her arms. 

They were… quite the particular looking pair… 

Yuuji nodded at him with a small smile, causing him to snap out of his daze. He quickly nodded back and began walking away with his, presumably, little sister. 

“Hm? Yuu-kun, what’s wrong?”

Yuna asked, tilting her head as she looked at him in confusion.

“It’s nothing.”

Yuuji shook his head dismissively. 

And just as the girls returned their attention to their search for some snacks, Yuuji received a notification from his group chat. 

Suzuki Satoru: “Everyone…. Yggdrasil is shutting down in a few days…”