"Then I'll go meet tomorrow's examiner first, okay~"
"No problem!"
"Leave dinner to us!"
Tomorrow, Shiro and the others would be taking the diving license exam. Unlike the written test, Nanaka and the others wouldn't be invigilating. A designated examiner would be in charge of supervising the practical part.
Since the examiner was reportedly a newcomer, Nanaka decided to go meet them in advance and explain the details of tomorrow's test.
Shiro wasn't particularly concerned. After all, there was no way he'd run into one of his former py (probably meaning "partners" or "flings").
His high school wasn't even near the ocean—otherwise, there's no way he wouldn't already know how to dive.
There was even a time when Shiro had learned how to dig tunnels. That school was absolutely absurd. At one point, he even suspected he had wandered into the world of Class 3-E…
Back to the present—bored, Shiro decided to go tease that idiot Kitahara. That guy had been mumbling something to himself for a while now.
As he got closer, Shiro clearly heard words like "dinner" and "fainting." Was this a new movie?
He quickened his pace, getting curious about what this idiot was watching. Judging from the plot, it must be one of those new works from a teacher or director.
"Then let's just poison them outright!"
"…"
Shiro, who had just gotten close, froze in place after hearing something shocking.
Did he… just overhear Kitahara's assassination plan?
And as for the target of that assassination—there's no need to even think about it!
(???)
"You idiot! What kind of evil stuff are you plotting now?"
"Kamishiro?! You bastard! Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop on people?!"
Iori looked flustered.
What's more awkward than having your intended target overhear your plan to silence them?! No wait, he had definitely said it in a low voice just now. Maybe that guy didn't catch it clearly.
"Well, it's still better than you trying to poison us!"
{{(°△°; "}}!
So the scumbag did hear it!
"Poison?! Ahaha… no way, you're overthinking it. I was talking about… a story! Yeah, a really interesting plot I came up with. I was going to tell it to you later. Who knows, maybe it'll work as inspiration for your novel! Weren't you worried about writer's block?"
Iori tried to bluff his way out.
What else could he do? His whole plan to poison Shiro and the others was simply to stop them from finding out that he was likely going to fail the diving license exam!
Now that his only ally, Nanaka-nee, had left, this was the perfect time to act!
If those three found out…
He already had a mental image: they would absolutely laugh at him!
"Aww, well, it's you. Nothing you can do about it."
"Yeah, I only barely passed, but Iori… well, you know."
"Looks like they really should design a special difficulty setting just for idiots. Otherwise, Kitahara, you might never be able to dive into the deep sea in your whole life~"
He absolutely didn't want to be laughed at over this!
Iori's eyes were bloodshot—he seriously had the urge to silence them for real!
This was like someone reading aloud his cringe-filled middle school "chuunibyou" history back in high school. A death sentence!
"Well, I was thinking about a story, but…"
Shiro tilted his head.
His hot editor only gave him one month, and he couldn't remember much of any isekai storylines anymore. Maybe he should risk it and try writing a slice-of-life series instead?
He glanced at Iori with disdain. "But are you sure you've got a good story?"
"Of course! I was thinking of a monster story. Like, based on gourds, and then—"
"And then going to rescue Grandpa, right?"
"How did you know?!"
Iori stared at Shiro in shock.
That was from a pirated DVD he had just bought a few days ago! That shop owner even told him it was by Master Mikami!
Turns out it was an anime all along! But it was pretty cool—he really wanted invisibility powers too!
(???)
Shiro didn't even know how to respond. Huluwa (Calabash Brothers) was something he'd never forget in several lifetimes, okay?
"Alright, enough nonsense. Just tell me honestly what you're really planning. I'm not trying to die just from eating dinner."
(;?＿?)
"There's… there's really nothing! I'm just brainstorming plots! I've been thinking of picking up a side gig. After all, I still owe you money."
"Then why are you so nervous?"
"I'm nervous?"
Iori looked surprised.
He always thought his acting skills were Oscar-worthy. As a kid, someone even invited him to be a child star once!
Granted, it was for a comparison chart promoting brain-enhancing supplements… and he was the before image… but still, that counts as a child star!
If only his dad hadn't cruelly refused back then, maybe he'd be living a different life now!
"Uh… how should I put this—if all the suspects in Detective Conan acted like you, the show wouldn't exist."
(′｀;)?
"Who's Conan?"
"..."
Now it was Shiro's turn to fall silent. Is this guy even Japanese?
This world does have Conan! And it's insanely popular! Even a death god elementary school kid like him is a household name, and this guy doesn't know?!
"Let's just get back to the previous topic…"
He gave up. He forgot that this guy was basically anime-immune. If he watched anything, it was probably just that Thunderfire Sword show or something.
Looking at Iori, whose expression was panicked and clearly unnatural, Shiro decided to go in for the kill!
"Hey!"
"We need to get ready for dinner!"
"Shiro! Iori! Hurry up! We're going grocery shopping!"
Their senpai's voices called from the distance. It was already four in the afternoon—if they didn't get ingredients soon, they'd be going hungry tonight.
"Ahaha… Kamishiro! Did you hear that? They're calling us. Let's go!"
Without waiting for a reply, he dashed off toward the seniors like a beast was chasing him.
"Hey… wait up!"
Shiro's hand froze mid-air. That idiot definitely had something to hide—there's no way he'd run like that otherwise!
No way!
I have to follow him!
Even if shopping with an idiot at the market is borderline torture… for the sake of my survival today, it's absolutely necessary!
Should I tell Kouhei and the others?
Tch, I just need to make sure I'm safe. Maybe even prepare a bit of antidote. That way, once Kouhei and the others get poisoned, I can sell it to them for a nice profit!
Wait!
If I get poisoned too, then take the antidote… not only do I make a quick buck, but I also get to teach Iori a lesson while I'm at it!
As these thoughts ran through his head, Shiro's lips curled into a sinister grin.
Jie jie jie!