[18] The Liars Lie Together

[18] The Liars Lie Together

Chapter 18: The Liars Lie Together

—

"Aqua!"

I somehow managed to reach the filming range in time. The Game Center was filled with fewer people than usual. It looked like the production team rented the place, which must have cost a lot. The men behind the screen gave me disapproving looks, shaking their heads due to me being late, while the actors welcomed me with open arms.

Mem-Cho ran and high-fived me, and I returned it easily. We have kept in contact for the last week, and the memes and reels we shared with one another brought back some good old memories from my first life when I too was an internet person. She has good taste in memes, and she was even bold enough to send a minor like me a few dirty memes too.

"Good to see you again, Mem."

"Same."

Then, I greeted the others. I was careful to not spend any extra words for Yuki Sumi, trying to slowly sign that I wasn't interested. I had to make sure that was clear, both in person and in front of the camera.

Soon, the shoot began. There were no rules as to what we could do, so we began to roam the entire place. I was with Mem-Cho, I allowed her to take me anywhere she deemed good.

After a few minutes of playing both new and old games in the arcade, Mem began to gossip.

"Look, the last episode caused such a scene amongst the audience." She said when we stopped for cold drinks near a vending machine as she showed me her phone.

It was the comment section of our episode on Twitter. Why Twitter? Oh and, did Elon Musk change the name back to Twitter from X? Or did that never happen in this timeline?

===

[Commented by GwenStacy'sFeetLicker:

This is incredible! The girls are so fucking cute. Mem-Cho is adorable as usual, but Yuki-chan is also cute. I am curious to see the other two girls, especially Mai-sama on the screen more. Though ugh, the boys aren't that good imo.]

[Replied by BrutalUwUKnight:

Case on point with the girls. But I think the guys did a good job too. That Aquamarine guy, in particular, stole the show. He's just so handsome. And I am a straight guy.]

[Replied by Jason34:

Wtf, what's wrong with you guys' names?]

[Replied by YoursMisaki:

I think you're just jealous when you talk about the guys. With a name like that, I won't be surprised if you feel insecure. Ugh, guys only come to see the girls, don't they? So gross, get a life.]

[Replied by FallenShrineMaiden:

@YoursMisaki agreed, guys are always so mad and perverted. Smh, but they melt like cotton whenever a real girl approaches them a bit suggestively. Anyway, forget about this topic. I ship Aqua and Mem-Cho, they have a good chemistry, but he also had a more interesting interaction with Yuki. The way she confessed out loud! Ugh, I wish the camera caught their conversation from the get-go.]

After that little fight was postponed, all the replies below, and the other comments too, talked about shipping. As it was the first episode, not all characters were developed well. It was Aqua and the two girls whom he interacted with that were receiving the limelight.

===

I laughed at the entire text wall. What the heck is this?

"The internet hasn't changed a bit since the last time I saw it." I couldn't help but find the stupid comment section nostalgic. In my first life, I died in the year 2020s. It's 2033 in this world, yet the internet is ever the same.

"Why do you sound old?"

"Huh?" I looked at Mem-Cho. "Oh, haven't I told you yet? I am immortal. But don't tell anyone."

Mem-Cho was about to laugh before she stopped and looked at me in shock. There were no cameras around so she asked in a loud voice. "...Wait, for real?!"

That was supposed to be an inside joke for me. However, I forgot she knew I was a supernatural being, and as she didn't know exactly what I was, she was open to ideas.

"No, no, I'm joking." I shook my head, watching her face deflate. "You, on the other hand, should be pretty much immortal though. Devils live for tens of thousands of years, as a half-devil you should be close."

"Oh..." she suddenly stopped. That was a piece of information she didn't know, and now she suddenly felt... free. "Are you serious? I was always scared that I'd turn 30 and lose my charm."

"Yeah. I mean, isn't it obvious? You are running around telling people you're a high schooler, and they don't question you since you do look so young. You will continue to look this young for a long time."

Mem-Cho grinned. "Hey, grab some more drinks, it's my treat!"

"Sure." I went to retrieve some more cans as I spoke. "Though try not to get attached to mortals too much. It'll hurt... a lot when they all leave but you remain."

Mem-Cho paused. Her happy smile from a moment ago vanished. "I don't want that."

"Haha," I laughed dryly. It was funny.

She just nodded. "It's evening."

"Ah right, my bad." I apologized. "The aura around you makes everything a bit hazy, so I mistook it. Are you doing this on purpose?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said and rolled the ball that went to the side and missed the entire game.

Damn, she's trash.

"The camera is avoiding you. The normal people don't even want to come and talk to you. Your existence has faded slightly. It's odd." I told her, watching her turn to me fully and stare at me. "What? I am curious about what's wrong with you, and if you need help I might just help you out."

"I don't need help," she said and turned away. She was a pretty cold person. "I like my peace, and hate it when someone interrupts it. Go hit on someone else."

"Pretty crazy that someone so peace-loving is here at a dating show. Wanna play a small bet? The one who scores the most buys the other person a drink."

"No." She said and rolled another ball, this one hit straight on all the pins. Damn, was that a threat?

"How heartless of you." I smiled.

A camera caught our little exchange; my presence made the crew turn their cameras at us, it seems. So I guess her aura can be suppressed even without me trying to.

I didn't see any reason to pursue her too much today. I would love to have a bunny Yokai in my still-unnamed Sect, but it can wait a while.

I left her be and approached Akane. Sen was just leaving and we confronted each other on the way, exchanging a few friendly words as I approached the girl next.

"Hey, Kurokawa-san. Got a minute?" I said as she turned to me, smiling.

"Aqua-kun! What's with using my family name, when you call everyone else by their first name?" She said naturally. We talked a bit before the shooting began, but it was just a greeting.

I took out two mango jelly bars from my pocket and handed one over to her. She was a bit surprised as she accepted it.

"You don't want me to? Sure thing."

"Uh, yes, thanks. I saw you talk with Mai Senpai, is she alright? I've known her for a long time since we're both actresses, but... recently she feels off."

My goal was to make her feel natural, uncaring that cameras were around. While she was a god in theaters, a reality drama environment was just not for her, so I had to take the lead. It's good that we had a mutual topic about Mai, so I began to talk to her about it.

Soon, we were laughing and bowling balls. She was doing great while I was trying to hit, failing. It was a bit annoying since I wasn't used to this and didn't want to use my powers while playing against her.

She giggled. "How can you be this bad? Come, give me your hand."

She walked to my side and grabbed my forearm as I took the ball, then she gently led my arm forward and I released the ball. The ball rolled and rolled and finally hit the bowling pins.

We both cheered, but my cheer was for two reasons. While Akane cheered because of the game, and I have to admit I felt satisfied with that too, there was something else that made me happy.

When she touched me, I used a deep scan of her. It was odd how she seemed to be the only girl of the four who was normal. So I just did that to make sure. After all, Shoko had a secret Sacred Gear that I didn't know before I scanned her soul. The result of this scan had me pleasantly surprised.

No, she didn't have a sacred gear sealed in her, but it was something equally shocking. It explained her super high intelligence, I would say.

===

Item: The Book of Thoth

Type: Divine Book

Description: A mythical book containing the knowledge of the Egyptian God Thoth, who's the Egyptian God of Moon, Writing, and Knowledge. Grants passive wisdom and intelligence to who is in possession of it, though only by reading this can one acquire divine secrets.

– This is the true book, not a copy, residing within the soul of Akane Kurokawa, whose ancestors have scavenged it from an evil Egyptian Mage, and sealed it within their own souls; thereafter, the first child born in the Kurokawa line always inherits this book in their souls. When the book is extracted, it can only be manually passed on.

===

Hm. A divine book.

I can't seem to awaken it as easily as I did with Shoko, I need to spend months before I can do it. Not that it's an issue. I like Akane.

If everything goes well, I think we'll spend a long time together.

**

**

**

If you want to read the next 20+ chapters right away, visit my Patreon.

Link: /Master4thWall