Chapter 044: Kitagawa Marin?

After saying goodbye to Hoshino Ai, Lin Ye headed back to the train station and took the train to Akihabara.

He had already informed his teacher that he would return to Chiba in the afternoon, estimating his arrival at school around 3:00 PM.

Akihabara was a place he had always wanted to visit in his previous life, but his busy work schedule had prevented him from doing so.

Now that he was in Tokyo in this new life and unable to see Mai, he decided to check out Akihabara instead.

Half an hour later, Lin Ye exited the station.

Standing at the JR Akihabara Station, he looked up at the green station sign and took out his phone to capture the moment with a photo.

"So this is Akihabara!"

"Where's the spot where the maids hang out?"

Looking around and unsure where to go, Lin Ye decided to stroll around aimlessly, following the flow of the crowd.

Soon, he spotted young girls in cute uniforms standing on either side of the street.

Most wore maid outfits predominantly black-and-white maid dresses while others wore red-and-white or pink-and-white variations.

The youthful energy they radiated was captivating.

Scenes like this, he thought, were things he'd never see in his previous life outside of anime conventions.

"Big brother, big brother, come to our maid café!"

A cheerful maid standing nearby waved to him with a radiant smile, gently beckoning him over.

Lin Ye smiled back politely and declined.

He continued wandering for over half an hour before finally selecting a maid café to enter.

LunchtimeHe ordered an omurice, and just like in anime scenes featuring maid cafés, he experienced the "moe" atmosphere of Akihabara maids.

"Moé, moé…"

"Master, please enjoy your meal. We hope you have a wonderful lunch!"

...

Suddenly, Lin Ye recalled a work called Akiba Maid War.

"Probably won't happen here!"

"After all, that involves guns, bombs, and dangerous weapons," he chuckled to himself, continuing his meal.

With this visit, Lin Ye felt he had fulfilled a small wish from his previous life.

After paying the bill and leaving the maid café, he set out for the Akihabara Station to take the train back to Chiba.

However, at the station entrance, he encountered a crowd.

Curious, he stepped closer and saw a stunning young girl in an elaborate black Gothic Lolita dress standing at the center of the crowd. She struck poses and smiled, confidently showcasing her charm to the surrounding photographers.

"She's gorgeous!"

"Amazing cosplay perfectly captures Kuroe Shizuku. She's exactly how I imagined Kuroe Shizuku would look."

"Marin-chan's cosplay is flawless. My friend loves her! He's going to be so jealous when I send him these pictures since he didn't come with me today."

...

Hearing the excited chatter, Lin Ye felt a sense of familiarity.

Something clicked in his mind.

He felt like he was just one step away from remembering it clearly.

At the center of the crowd, the girl adjusted her outfit and walked over to a photographer to check the photos.

"What do you think?"

"Hmm, pretty good."

From this distance, Lin Ye caught sight of golden strands peeking out from under her wig.

"Kitagawa Marin."

In that moment, as the name slipped from his lips, the girl froze briefly. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, eventually landing on Lin Ye.

No recognition.

But he knew her name could he be a classmate she wasn't familiar with?

Kitagawa Marin just wanted to leave as soon as possible.

Seeing her startled reaction and scrutinizing gaze, Lin Ye figured he had probably guessed right.

The heroine of My Dress-Up Darling: a blonde gyaru who loved cosplay but was surprisingly innocent. Such a character could never exist in the real world of his previous life, yet seemed entirely plausible in the realm of fiction.

"Taking time off to shoot in Akihabara only to run into a classmate from the same school," Kitagawa Marin muttered a few complaints before ending the photoshoot early.

"When I get back to school, I'll look him up."

Before leaving, she fixed her gaze on Lin Ye's face for several seconds, memorizing his features to ensure she wouldn't confuse him with someone else.

At least he didn't seem inclined to strike up a conversation, which put her mind at ease.

Lin Ye watched her for a moment, then nodded in acknowledgment to the still-cautious Marin before heading off.

It was about time.

He needed to catch the train to Chiba.

After transferring to the Chiba-bound train at Tokyo Station, Lin Ye checked the timetable on the map. Setting an alarm to avoid missing his stop, he closed his eyes to rest.

But after about half an hour, the train came to a halt and didn't resume for an extended period.

"What's going on?"

Looking around, Lin Ye couldn't find any clues.

A few minutes later, the train's intercom came on.

"There has been a fire incident at Chiba Station. The Chiba Fire Department is currently conducting rescue operations. The train service is temporarily suspended."

The waiting felt endless.

Lin Ye passed the time scrolling through his phone.

Most of the other passengers did the same playing games, listening to music, or, occasionally, venting frustration at the train company. Overall, though, they remained calm and composed.

Finally, after more than two hours,

The announcement came: the incident had been resolved, and the train was cleared to proceed.

The train slowly began to pick up speed again.

"I was supposed to arrive before 3:00 PM, and now making it by 5:00 PM feels like a stretch."

Fortunately, he had already sent a message about the fire incident at Chiba Station and the resulting delays, so his teacher wouldn't worry.

After disembarking at Chiba Station,

Lin Ye caught a faint scent of burnt debris lingering in the air.

"It doesn't seem too serious."

Following the flow of the crowd, he left the station.

Next up, he was heading to Chiba Municipal Sobu High School.

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