I really don't want to have a girlfriend.

The intense afternoon sun distorted the towering Ferris wheel in the distance into the shape of a mirage. Occasionally, mist would fall from the eaves to cool off the visitors. Every time you passed by an open shop, you could feel the relief from the air conditioning, making you linger and reluctant to leave.

"Although most of the items sold here are from high-end boutiques, there are also video game sections like SEGA and virtual reality game experience centers... Boys should like these, right?"

After explaining to Yuu Tenkuji based on the information she had looked up in her notebook, Chizuru Mizuhara let out a breath, tugged at her thin collar, and wiped the sweat dripping from her smooth chin.

She shielded her eyes from the sun with one hand, glanced up at the sky, and sighed with some relief, "To be honest, it's a good thing you didn't choose to go hiking or visit historical sites, otherwise this weather would definitely cause heatstroke... Thank you, Yu-kun."

Mizuhara Chizuru turned around and grinned, giving off a very girlfriend-like vibe.

Tenkuji Yu glanced at her, pulled down the brim of his hat, and suddenly said, "Wait for me."

"Huh?"

Before she could react, Mizuhara Chizuru watched him jog into the convenience store next door, and a short while later, he came out with an unopened folding umbrella.

"The hat only covers so little part of the sun, yet it's two or three times more expensive than an umbrella..." Yuu Tenkuji complained casually as he handed her the umbrella.

"Look, although it's just a cheap item I picked out randomly, it should be enough to shield me from the sun."

He flicked the brim of his hat and smiled easily: "Even with sunscreen, being exposed to direct sunlight can still be very uncomfortable."

"Ah... thank you."

Somewhat bewildered, Chizuru Mizuhara took the umbrella and gave him a subtle look.

Tenkuuji Yu asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just think...you're so thoughtful."

"To this extent?" Yuu Tenkuji frowned in disbelief. "My sister doesn't like the sun. When we used to go out together, I would hold an umbrella for her if she wasn't wearing a hat... I thought that was normal."

"It's not that it's abnormal, how should I put it..." While pondering how to explain it to him, Mizuhara Chizuru opened the umbrella.

"Girls are very attracted to this kind of unconscious gentleness. If you act like this when dealing with customers, then you have nothing to ask me for advice."

“Unconscious gentleness…” Tenkuji Yu stroked his chin and nodded thoughtfully. “I just didn’t want a beauty like Mizuhara-san to get dizzy from the sun, so I went to the convenience store next door to buy an umbrella… Even if this umbrella is cheap, would Mizuhara-san still be tempted by it?”

"Uh... well, that's about right."

Her face inexplicably flushed slightly. She suddenly grabbed Tenkuji Yu's hand and stood beside him, letting the shadow under the umbrella cover the two of them.

"Come on, let's stick together." She smiled, tilting her head, like a wind chime ringing in the summer.

“I was wearing a hat…”

Hey!

She tiptoed, reached out and took off his hat, deliberately hiding it behind her back.

Then, she leaned forward, raised her crescent-shaped eyes to look at him, and smiled playfully.

"See, it's gone now!"

"..."

Tenkuji Yu stood there stunned, then stroked his chin and nodded thoughtfully.

"So that's how it is. In a relationship, the one who takes the initiative wins... So-called love is just a war?"

Mizuhara Chizuru looked speechless: "What strange truth have you come up with...?"

"Well..." Ignoring her complaints, Tenkuji Yu suddenly pulled her arm, causing her to instinctively lean towards him, and snatched the umbrella away.

Before she could even utter a scream, her voice was cut off by his gentle tone.

"I'm taller, so let me hold the umbrella. You can just focus on walking."

Looking down, Tenkuji Yu smiled at her and said, "Also, don't stand so far away, you'll get sunburned."

"..."

Is this acting?

Mizuhara Chizuru's lips twitched slightly as she forced a smile and thanked him, her heart filled with complex emotions.

That's strange, he should have paid for the date...

In this situation, is he looking for a rented girlfriend or an actress to act with?

I've already paid the money, can't I at least enjoy my girlfriend's services?!

△

There's a reason why Mizuhara Chizuru became the number one rented girlfriend.

Her black hair was smooth and beautiful, like noble tassels shimmering in the sun, and a crescent-shaped braid was tied on the side, highlighting her cute girlish charm.

She has fair skin and a tall figure; she has a full bust and a slender waist.

In addition, her long, straight, and taut legs under her short skirt—her figure is not perfect, but it best conforms to the public's aesthetic standards.

Not only is she stunningly beautiful, but she also possesses a quiet, dignified, and composed demeanor, yet occasionally reveals the charming liveliness of a young girl. She seems to perfectly embody every man's fantasy about the word "girlfriend," making her a walking, talking attraction.

You can often hear exclamations like "So beautiful!", "Is she a model?", and "Being her boyfriend must be so wonderful!"

For the man standing beside her, it was indeed a bittersweet experience—he feared being envied to the point of being beaten to death, but his vanity was satisfied like never before.

Perhaps this is what she has maintained all along through her acting skills.

and so.

Even without a second, perfect performance, Yuu Tenkuji would never lose to her!

"Look, that doll is so cute! Yu-kun, wait for me, I want to try it out!"

"Okay, I'll go get you the coins. You can stay here and see how to use the clip."

"No need, I have some on me! Watch me now!"

The girl gave a happy, coquettish smile.

The boy gave a helpless yet indulgent smile.

The two looked at each other like a loving couple, then silently turned their attention to the claw machine.

The girl tried to grab the machine two or three times without success. She leaned over the machine, looking around with a troubled expression on her face.

"This is so difficult... Yu-kun, do you want to give it a try?"

"Okay."

"You'll get a reward if you catch it!"

"It got caught in my hand."

"So fast?!... Cough, it's nothing."

The girl, holding a seal doll, hesitated for a couple of seconds before standing on tiptoe and pressing the seal's head against the boy's face.

"Here comes the reward!"

Her face flushed slightly as she chuckled, a mix of playfulness and shyness.

The boy gently rubbed the seal's head, his smile radiant, and said to the girl, word by word:

"Thank you, I'm very happy!"

"..." The girl's eyebrows twitched twice, and she smiled just as happily.

A male passerby watching the couple's interaction felt his initial jealousy gradually dissipate, and after standing there for a long time, he finally sighed, clutching his chest.

"This is true love... We, the FFF group, don't burn true love."

He waved his hand, and a large group of people dressed in black robes with bright red "F"s on their heads suddenly appeared behind him, holding crosses and torches, and followed him out of the arcade.

Then, the security guards quickly caught up with them, pinned them all to the ground, tied them up, and took them away.

"Our holy war... will never end!" the man roared, his voice filled with the sound of blood and tears.

"Ok?"

Mizuhara Chizuru turned her head in confusion, frowning as she asked Tenkuji Yu:

Did you hear anything?

"No, what's wrong?"

"Hmm, it's nothing." She shook her head, then her eyes lit up when she saw a vending machine nearby. She said, "Wait for me!" and jogged over.

Soon, Mizuhara Chizuru returned with a bottle of sports drink and handed it to him triumphantly.

"Come on! Are you thirsty? I reacted faster this time."

Tenkuji Yu was somewhat surprised, but then smiled and accepted it.

"Thank you, I am indeed thirsty."

The next moment, he also took out a sports drink from his bag.

"However, I'm still faster."

Mizuhara Chizuru: "..."

A lot of question marks appeared above her head.

"Mizuhara-san, it's such a hot day, yet you skipped the cold brew coffee at Starbucks and ordered a hot coffee instead... Why is that?"

As if the soundtrack to Detective Conan were playing beside him, his eyes narrowed sharply, a calm smile played on his lips, and he shook the room-temperature sports drink in his hand, explaining unhurriedly:

"Furthermore, the decisive evidence is that you were clearly thirsty too, but you only bought me a drink from the vending machine and didn't even buy yourself a can of ice water."

"Based on the above, I can almost conclude that you, Mizuhara-san, are not feeling well today and shouldn't drink anything cold, right?"

"So when I bought the umbrella, I also bought a sports drink and put it in my bag, so I can take it out when I really need it."

With a smile, Tenkuji gently placed a room-temperature sports drink into her hand.

"Is this a good enough boyfriend?"

"..."

Mizuhara Chizuru fell silent.

She glanced at Tenkuji Yu, who was showing a slight smugness, then looked at the sports drink in her hand. She twitched her lips twice, but ultimately couldn't force herself to smile.

Like a defeated person in a war, she squatted down as if giving up, covered her face, and let out a deep sigh.

"This is the first time I've ever felt that dating is so tiring... You win."