Why is my Isekai in the Slice of Life anime was become a Horror Story?

Chapter 54: The Tsundere Angel Shijo Maki Rejects a Confession

After removing his soaking wet clothes, Takakai used tissues from the supply box to wipe off the water on his body.

Wearing only his four-cornered underwear, Takakai moved his body a bit, stretched, and then jumped in place a few times to warm up before taking a few sips of water.

The soaked clothes, drenched from the curse's power, were now hung on a makeshift line set up in the kitchen, with a fire burning underneath. Takakai used this method to quickly dry his clothes to avoid wearing drenched clothing when the operation resumed in a few hours.

Truthfully, Takakai still felt a bit tense and uneasy.

The mysterious, pitch-black watch on his wrist pointed to the 3 o'clock position. He only had 9 chances left to restart. No, considering Shijo Maki's involvement, he absolutely needed her to retain her memories. That meant his actual restarts were less than five. And based on his current observations, each cycle only allowed one chance to complete the task. Therefore, Takakai had to give it his all to wrap everything up in this cycle.

"Hoo..."

Takakai took several deep breaths, trying to calm his emotions and clear his mind, ensuring he could face the upcoming challenges in the best mental state.

All along, Takakai had thought of himself as just an ordinary person.

Even though he had a very handsome and strong appearance—his physique wasn't exactly supermodel-tier, but still well-defined. Despite being an orphan who had to fend for himself immediately after graduating high school, he managed to stabilize his life through writing and some minor skills. And now, he found himself participating in the deadly game of horror story rules... Well, perhaps he wasn't entirely ordinary.

"Shijo Maki, Shinomiya Kaguya, hmm..."

Two beautiful 2D girls from anime had now become his teammates, working with him, and he had even gotten his first kiss from one of them.

Reflecting on the four days spent in the Shirakawa apartment over three cycles, Takakai couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic.

Unfortunately, at that time, he was on the brink of death and couldn't savor what that kiss felt like.

If possible, he really wanted to try it again.

Wait, why did it feel like he was transforming into one of those soldier-type characters reminiscing about their youth before heading into a final battle and sacrificing themselves?

No way, he couldn't let this become a death flag! He was destined to become the harem king of the 2D world—there was no way he could stop here, absolutely no way!

Thud—

As Takakai's mind wandered due to idleness, he suddenly heard footsteps in the hallway.

"Kai-kun, are you in the room?"

With the sound of the door creaking open, Shijo Maki peeked into the living room, which had been repaired and sealed by Sun Dajun. She spotted Takakai standing there in nothing but his underwear, his back facing her, then turning to glance her way.

"You—you—you—What are you doing? Why aren't you wearing clothes!?"

Shijo Maki was so shocked she nearly slammed the door shut immediately, yelling angrily from the hallway.

"I am wearing clothes. Why are you acting like I'm completely naked?"

Takakai scratched his head, speaking with an innocent tone.

"You call that wearing clothes? I'll sue you for harassment, you pervert!"

Even without seeing Shijo Maki's face, Takakai could easily imagine her flushed, annoyed expression standing outside the door.

"So, if a guy sees a girl not wearing clothes, it's harassment, but if a girl sees a guy not wearing clothes, it's still harassment? That's gender discrimination, isn't it? Seriously, it's so unfair—when will the world treat men better?"

Takakai folded his arms and sighed dramatically. Outside the door, Shijo Maki clenched her fists tightly.

"What nonsense! Saying things like that just shows Kai-kun is an insensitive idiot who doesn't understand girls. Remarks like that just make your score drop. If my impression of you was 100 points, that comment alone knocked off 40 points—now you're barely at 60 points, which isn't even passing, hmph!"

Shijo Maki's voice sounded mildly displeased, her words echoing from the hallway.

She added a "hmph" at the end, radiating that classic tsundere vibe straight out of the 2D world.

"So girls' impressions are really that volatile, huh? But as for me, my impression of Maki-san is very high—probably around 30,000 points or so."

Takakai sighed inwardly at Shijo Maki's personality and deliberately stretched out his words. Unsurprisingly, he heard the sound of stomping feet in the hallway moments later.

"Wh-who would want 30,000 points from a commoner like you? I'm the eldest daughter of the Shijo family, a person destined to stand at the top. Thirty thousand points? Hmph, even if you could increase your impression score by 80 points, it'd only be passable. There's no way I'd give you a higher score than that."

Just by her voice, Takakai could picture the girl outside the door stomping her feet and muttering to herself.

Takakai couldn't deny it—even though many claimed tsundere personalities would become annoying over time, a charming, genuine tsundere with a distinct character, unlike the unnecessary filler in some harem stories, was the ultimate kind—the kind that never lost its appeal.

Creak—

While Takakai was still immersed in Shijo Maki's tsundere tirade, the girl outside the door gently opened it again, peeked inside, and saw Takakai standing there, facing her, arms crossed, his muscular frame clad only in underwear.

"Why haven't you put a shirt on yet…"

She immediately cried out again, hastily shutting the door.

"It's not that I don't want to. My clothes are all soaked, and I have no other choice."

Takakai sighed, sounding a bit helpless.

"They're all wet? What happened? Ah... Is that curse still acting up? Are you okay? Why didn't you say so earlier? I almost thought you had some weird fetish…"

Realizing the situation wasn't as she had thought, Shijo Maki promptly reopened the door and stepped inside, her worried expression plain to see.

It was only then that she noticed the large and small burn marks on Takakai's body. Though not as severe as before, they were still alarming. Without hesitation, she turned to search the supply box in the room, retrieved iodine disinfectant and bandages, and quickly approached Takakai.

"Turn around and sit down."

The seriousness in her expression was overwhelming.

Takakai said nothing, obediently turning around and sitting down, allowing Shijo Maki to treat and bandage his wounds.

The room fell silent.

Shijo Maki, with focused precision, disinfected Takakai's injuries and wrapped them carefully.

Meanwhile, Takakai closed his eyes, standing still and quietly feeling the sensation of her fingers and the cotton pads against his skin.

"Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

Finally, Shijo Maki couldn't hold back, her soft question breaking the silence.

"Saying it would only make you all worry, right? Besides, this time it's not too serious. But you and Shinomiya-san… you're starting to sense it now, aren't you?"

Takakai chuckled softly before his tone turned serious.

"…Yeah. This… even though it's not entirely clear yet, I've felt something."

Shijo Maki nodded slightly, not denying it.

After exploring Room 304, drawing attention to it, and piecing together clues from their investigation, Shijo Maki and Shinomiya Kaguya now had a clearer understanding of the core eerie phenomena in the Shirakawa apartments. They were starting to draw the same kind of attention that Takakai had been receiving.

Though nothing tangible had appeared yet, Shijo Maki could vaguely feel something watching her.

Because of this, the actions planned for the third day carried as much danger and risk for Maki and Kaguya as they did for Takakai.

"No, that's not the point. Stop trying to mislead me."

Immediately, Maki raised her hand and lightly patted Takakai's back.

"If you're injured, just say so earlier. Since there's nothing urgent right now, I can totally help disinfect and bandage you."

"The next battle is the crucial one. We all need to be in our best condition."

"Don't keep things to yourself anymore. Why can't you just tell me if something happens? Or… do you think I'm not trustworthy?"

The slight unhappiness and concern in her voice warmed Takakai's heart.

"If you keep caring about me like this, I might just confess to you, Maki-san."

Takakai chuckled, joking as he turned to face Shijo Maki directly.

"Wh-what? Confessing after just a few days together? That's something only shallow guys do."

Shijo Maki's face turned red at his words, but her fiery demeanor remained unchanged as she quickly shot back.

"Even if it's only been a few days, we've faced life and death together and overcome countless challenges. The depth of our connection is something most couples don't achieve in a year. So, when it comes to emotional depth, I'd say we've known each other for at least a year already."

The smile on Takakai's face grew more pronounced, his words becoming bolder.

Somehow, he seemed to increasingly understand the boundaries when interacting with Maki. And Maki, in turn, was gradually getting used to Takakai's personality. The two of them had reached a point where they no longer needed the formalities of mere acquaintances.

"This line is awful, no better than a lousy guy trying to hit on someone," Shijo Maki immediately said with a look of disdain.

"Ouch, do you really have to think that? You'll hurt my feelings," Takakai responded, exaggerating his expression slightly.

"Such a lame excuse… Hmph, let's save it for after we get out of here. For now, focus on the present. If you and I can leave this apartment safely, then maybe… I might actually consider listening to your rude requests. Alright, I've finished bandaging you. It's time for me to leave now."

Shijo Maki pouted as she spoke, her cheeks flushing red under the dim light, making her look even more endearing.

Takakai couldn't help but zone out for a moment. Compared to the terrifying horror story unfolding around him, her innocent reaction had a far stronger impact on him.

So when Shijo Maki stood up, preparing to leave, Takakai reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"W-What are you doing?"

Shijo Maki asked in alarm, caught off guard by Takakai's actions.

"I don't want to wait for something like 'after we get out.' Situations where we say 'we'll talk later' always face endless obstacles. So, let's talk here and now."

Takakai took a deep breath and gently pulled Shijo Maki back, guiding her to sit facing him.

"Talk about what? Now's not the time for this…"

Shijo Maki's face turned an even deeper shade of red. Her voice softened, and though she tried to pull her hand free, it seemed she 'lacked the strength' to break away from Takakai's grip.

"To me, you're very important, Shijo Maki. From the first round, when you saved my life, to the second round, when you supported me, and now, seeing you still remember our old memories and experiences together. Someone like you is incredibly special to me. That's why I want you to hear what I have to say."

Takakai's expression grew more serious than ever before.

"T-That's not… Kai-kun, you…"

Maki's face flushed like a ripe tomato, her voice trembling as she gradually avoided meeting Takakai's gaze. Her heartbeat quickened.

Sitting across from her, Takakai's face held a sincerity she had never seen before.

Despite often joking about becoming a harem king in some anime-like world, Takakai had to admit that during their time in this cursed place, Shijo Maki's actions had left a profound mark on his heart.

If she were willing to trust him here, to choose him, Takahashi Takakai thought he could spend his life with this girl.

At least in this moment, he was genuinely considering it. To him, a girl like her was worth protecting for a lifetime.

That's why he wanted to tell her, even if they failed in the end and couldn't leave the Shirakawa apartment, he wanted her to know his feelings. He wanted her to hear the words he had been holding onto…

Bang—

Before he could finish, Shijo Maki suddenly pulled her hand away, stood up hastily, and bolted toward the door.

"I… I'm going to check with Oba-sama to see if she's ready. K-Kai-kun, you… you should rest well, okay? That's all!"

With that rushed sentence, she darted out, and the door closed behind her.

Ahh…

Did she really just run away like that?

Takakai sat there in a daze for a long while. Finally, he let out a sigh, withdrawing the hand that had been holding hers.

"Was I too hasty after all? But I really didn't want to end up in a situation like this…"

He sighed again, lying down on the floor and closing his eyes to get some brief rest.

--------------------------------------------

If you like this story, please leave me a comment, review, collection and power stones if you can, that really help me a lot

If you're looking for good fanfics, try reading my other books, you won't be disappointed, promise.

If you want to read 40 advanced chapters and support me to have more motivation to continue as a translator, here is my p.a.t.r.e.o.n pa treon.com/curse_heian_chef

Thanks you, Have a nice day (｡◕‿‿◕｡)