"Maybe I'm remembering it wrong."
Shirai Mio was still making one last-ditch attempt. She truly had not expected Yukinoshita Haruno to use a trick like that to trap her.
Looking at Shirai Mio's slightly nervous expression, Yukinoshita Haruno could now be certain that Mio was hiding something from her, and that whatever she was hiding was very likely connected to Mio being unable to act of her own free will.
Whatever she needed Haruno's help with, it definitely wasn't just holding hands.
The hand-holding sounded more like something Mio had deliberately said after realizing Haruno had noticed something was wrong.
If this were something that required Haruno's cooperation, Shirai Mio would definitely have told her without hesitation. Since Mio had chosen to hide it instead, that meant she could complete whatever it was even without Haruno cooperating.
Or perhaps things would become troublesome if Haruno knew what it was?
Then what exactly did Shirai Mio need to do this time?
Feeling Yukinoshita Haruno's increasingly curious gaze, Shirai Mio blinked and tried to change the subject. "Um, Senpai, let's try some of the Street Food around here."
Yukinoshita Haruno leaned toward Shirai Mio's ear and whispered, "You're changing the subject, kouhai~"
"No, I'm not. I didn't." Shirai Mio waved her hands repeatedly.
"Can you tell me what you actually need to do this time?"
"It really is just holding hands." Her first chance to refuse was already gone, and midnight was still a very, very long way away.
"Just tell me a little. Just a tiny bit, please~" Yukinoshita Haruno had absolutely no shame and started acting cute right in front of Shirai Mio.
She had to admit that although Yukinoshita Haruno usually looked like a gentle older-sister type, she was actually quite cute when she acted spoiled.
No, that was not what Shirai Mio needed to be thinking about right now. Whether Yukinoshita Haruno was cute was irrelevant. The real question was how to survive this crisis.
"R-really." Her second chance to refuse disappeared at that very moment.
With only one refusal left, Shirai Mio was already tempted to use the [Giveaway Card].
But after hesitating, she managed to restrain herself. Then, sounding as though she had simply given up, she said, "Senpai, stop shaking my hand. I'll tell you, okay?"
"Really?"
"Before midnight tonight, I can't refuse any request you make."
Given Yukinoshita Haruno's suspicious personality and Shirai Mio's own acting ability, Mio was sure Haruno would doubt whether that statement was true.
Then Mio could come up with something a little more embarrassing, and Yukinoshita Haruno would probably believe that instead.
While Shirai Mio was working out her plan in her head, Yukinoshita Haruno showed a look of sudden understanding and said, "So that's how it is. I understand now. Don't worry, I definitely won't casually make any strange requests."
"Huh!?"
Shirai Mio blinked blankly. Wait, this wasn't right. What happened to being suspicious? Why was Yukinoshita Haruno not doubting her at all now?
Seeing Shirai Mio's confused expression, Yukinoshita Haruno smiled with obvious delight. As far as she was concerned, what exactly Shirai Mio needed to accomplish did not matter. What mattered was whether it sounded fun for Haruno.
And this thing Shirai Mio had just described sounded very interesting.
Even if it were fake, Haruno could still take advantage of the opportunity to thoroughly tease her dishonest little kouhai.
"Kouhai, can you kiss me?"
"Didn't you just say you wouldn't make any strange requests?" Shirai Mio looked at Yukinoshita Haruno resentfully.
"As far as I'm concerned, kissing doesn't count as a strange request~" Yukinoshita Haruno said with complete seriousness.
With only one refusal left, Shirai Mio let out a long sigh. She carefully looked around. In a place like this, avoiding attention was basically impossible, so to prevent unnecessary trouble, Shirai Mio pulled Yukinoshita Haruno into an empty corner and kissed her on the cheek.
"There. Happy now? Can you smell the Stinky Tofu?" Shirai Mio asked mischievously.
"I can. I'm already starting to regret it."
Yukinoshita Haruno had not expected Shirai Mio to actually kiss her. Could this mission really be one where Mio was unable to refuse her requests?
If so, that would be very interesting.
She still did not fully believe it, because the whole thing seemed a little absurd to her. But since Shirai Mio was willing to cooperate, Yukinoshita Haruno certainly had no intention of holding back.
The two returned to the food street and continued strolling.
Yukinoshita Haruno did not hold back either. She kept looking for chances to make requests that skirted the very edge of what Shirai Mio would refuse.
That forced Shirai Mio to marvel yet again at how formidable this bad woman was. Haruno always knew exactly how far she could push before Mio would refuse, leaving Mio without any opportunity to use the [Giveaway Card].
To put it more plainly, Shirai Mio simply did not dislike being teased this way all that much.
If this had happened right after she first Transmigrated here, she probably would have preferred failing the mission rather than compromising.
Thinking of that, Shirai Mio suddenly sighed. Just when had she become like this?
Was it because of the conquest rating? Or had she simply grown accustomed to the feeling of interacting with Yukinoshita Haruno this way?
Shirai Mio herself was not entirely sure.
······
Eight in the evening.
After spending the whole day wandering around, the two returned to the Hotel.
Shirai Mio had only just sat down when Yukinoshita Haruno spoke up. "Kouhai, let's take a bath together in a little while~"
"As long as Senpai promises not to get handsy, I don't have a problem with that." Shirai Mio had not forgotten what happened yesterday. If she did not set the condition in advance, this bad woman Yukinoshita Haruno would definitely start causing trouble again.
The mission required her to agree to Yukinoshita Haruno's requests, but it never said she could not attach conditions of her own.
"No problem." Yukinoshita Haruno nodded without the slightest hesitation, almost as though she had already expected Shirai Mio to say that.
Haruno's decisiveness gave Shirai Mio an ominous feeling. But they had already made it this far. If she could just hold on a little longer, the mission would be complete.
How could she possibly give up here?
After resting for a while, the two entered the Bathroom together.
Not long afterward, Shirai Mio's shocked cry came from inside the Bathroom. "Didn't you promise not to get handsy!?"
"I didn't use my hands. I used my mouth." Yukinoshita Haruno replied with complete self-assurance.
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