>23< Zaimokuza Nagahiro

Chapter 23: Zaimokuza Nagahiro

The day after the summer camp ended, Zaimokuza found himself mired in boredom. Although he had teamed up with Koneko and Kirino for some online gaming the previous night, the monotony lingered.

Suddenly, Zaimokuza had a stroke of inspiration: he remembered Pandora, who was still stuck in the realm between life and immortality.

Surely, she must be feeling bored. He had promised to visit her more often. With this in mind, he decided to buy some games, films, snacks, and even contemplated bringing a computer and a phone.

A large generator would also be necessary since Wi-Fi and electricity likely weren't available there. Luckily, he could download movies directly onto the computer.

Once he had sorted out his plan, Zaimokuza quickly freshened up, grabbed his wallet, and headed out to Akihabara, the mecca for otaku.

"Wow, it's really hot today," he muttered, feeling the sun's rays on his face as he walked down the street.

As he strolled, he passed by the shrine he had visited before and paused to consider his previous wish there.

He decided to make a small offering, figuring it had provided some psychological comfort, even if it may not have actually helped during his godslaying ordeal. Having made up his mind, Zaimokuza climbed the steps leading to the shrine.

Upon reaching the entrance, he was greeted by the sound of rhythmic clapping accompanying a dance.

In front of him were nine beautiful girls, the members of μ's. Even in the summer heat, they hadn't paused their practice.

Some were taking a break in the shade, while Eli Ayase clapped in time, helping to correct Honoka and the others' dance moves.

Although it had been less than a week since their last encounter, Zaimokuza's appearance had undergone a drastic change.

The group noticed Zaimokuza approaching the shrine and, despite him being a stranger to them, they nodded amicably in greeting.

Zaimokuza chuckled and said, "Oh, good morning, μ's! I see you're all working hard."

The girls looked at him curiously.

"And you are...?" Honoka asked, tilting her head in confusion.

"Ah, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Zaimokuza Nagahiro, Yoshiteru's older brother," he said, letting his playful side take over as he spun a mischievous tale.

"So, you're Yoshiteru's brother? Nice to meet you. I'm Kosaka Honoka, pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Yes, Yoshiteru has told me all about you. I know all nine members of μ's."

"Really? What does he say about us?" Honoka asked eagerly.

"Um, he describes you all as a group of lovely, cute girls," Zaimokuza replied, trying not to sweat at Honoka's question.

"Oh, is that how kohai-kun sees us?" Nozomi Tojo said, giving Zaimokuza a knowing look that made him sweat even more.

"Isn't it odd that such a handsome brother could belong to that chubby guy?" Nico Yazawa commented incredulously, recalling the teasing about her height from before.

A vein popped on Zaimokuza's forehead; it was clear Nico still bore a grudge for being called short.

Hanayo and Rin sneaked glances at Zaimokuza, their cheeks turning slightly red.

"Well, what brings Zaimokuza Yoshiteru to the shrine today?" A familiar, teasing voice chimed in from behind. Zaimokuza stiffened and turned to see Akeno Himejima approaching gracefully in her miko outfit.

She addressed him by his full name, clearly revealing that she had seen through his ruse.

Honoka was surprised and asked, "Akeno-senpai, isn't he Yoshiteru's brother? Why did you call him by his name?"

Akeno wore an amused smile, covering her mouth as she giggled softly.

Zaimokuza's mouth twitched in resignation, and Nozomi Tojo stepped forward, pointing at him, "This guy is actually Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, not his brother."

The girls exchanged bewildered glances, their collective voices forming an incredulous "Eh! No way!"

...

"I can't believe Yoshiteru-kun would joke like that," Kotori Minami puffed her cheeks in a show of mock displeasure.

"Yeah, Yoshiteru-kun has really learned to be mischievous," Honoka added playfully.

"So, how did you transform so much in such a short time, Zaimokuza-kun?" Umi Sonoda asked curiously.

After giving him a collective side-eye, the girls turned their curious gazes on Zaimokuza, who felt a bit awkward. Apparently, girls were often interested in fitness and appearance.

Zaimokuza glanced at Akeno for assistance, but she simply met his gaze with a charming, silent smile, offering no help.

Feeling the pressure of their expectant stares, Zaimokuza mumbled, "Well, I guess it's because I didn't exercise much before. I might just be someone who loses weight easily when I start moving around."

"Wow, that's so enviable," Hanayo Koizumi sighed, clearly longing for that kind of metabolism since her love for food made managing her weight a challenge, which is important for her idol aspirations.

"It's unbelievable. Losing that much in less than a week isn't scientific," Maki Nishikino murmured, skeptically.

"Putting that aside, how about a little something for tricking us, Yoshiteru-kun?" Honoka pivoted back to the original topic of his prank.

Zaimokuza felt a sweat drop form; who knew a spur-of-the-moment joke would backfire so quickly? His gaze briefly, and somewhat accusingly, fell on Akeno, who returned it with a teasingly amused smile.

Zaimokuza rolled his eyes at her.

"Seeing you all look so tired, how about I treat you to some drinks?" he suggested to the group.

The others nodded in agreement. Zaimokuza then pulled Akeno along to the vending machine to buy some beverages.

"Oh my, Zaimokuza-kun, dragging me out without asking for the girls' consent won't make you very popular," Akeno teased as they walked.

Zaimokuza chuckled and replied, "Do you dislike me doing that, Akeno-senpai? You can just call me by my first name." He pulled her hand playfully and squeezed it gently.

Akeno was taken aback by his action, surprised that the shy boy from before would make such a move, yet she didn't feel averse to it.

After they purchased the drinks and returned to the shrine, they distributed the beverages to everyone and casually chatted. Zaimokuza learned that the girls were starting intense training for the upcoming Love Live competition.

Afterward, Zaimokuza approached the shrine's donation box. He dropped in a large bill, thinking it would be good to offer a bit of money in case the shrine had a deity.

Given his identity as a godslayer, he wanted to settle matters with any potential divine encounters.

Satisfied with his offering, he promised the μ's girls that they could call on him for help if they faced difficulties, and waved goodbye as he left the shrine, heading toward the train station.