How To Survive A Cute Ghost Yandere
Chapter 9: my darling tries to force me into something I don’t want

Chapter 9: Chapter 9: my darling tries to force me into something I don’t want

More than once, Eiros had thought it through.

Why not just try reporting Erness for attempting to kill him?

Well, Erness would surely just say, "Do you have any proof?" with that sweet, innocent face of hers, and at that point, most people around them would side with her without a second thought.

That was exactly why he’d tossed that idea aside entirely. Unlike the real Eiros, who’d always come across as careless and reckless, Erness was different.

The girl always presented herself as friendly and easy to approach, no matter where she went, which made her popular enough that anyone who adored her wouldn’t take that accusation well at all—it would just make things far harder for Eiros in the end.

That was why he had a second idea worth trying instead. What if he just tried breaking up with her?

That way, even if Erness could still approach him, she’d no longer have any excuse to get any closer, or act overly intimate.

He couldn’t stand the idea of spending every waking moment glued to Erness’s side.

Eiros might catch some hate for it, but who cared?

He didn’t want to die again.

So, here he was...

"Can we break up?" Eiros said, his face tense, his back damp with sweat.

The cafeteria’s atmosphere was luxurious and grand. Soft classical music drifted through the air, pleasant to listen to. The cafeteria also enforced a rule against speaking too loudly, leaving nothing but a low murmur of background noise.

Sitting at one of the tables, Eiros glanced at Erness beside him. The question he’d just thrown out didn’t seem to shock the girl at all—if anything, she just kept enjoying the sweet cake she’d ordered.

Taking small bites, savoring it with genuine pleasure.

"Why? Is my darling already tired of me? Because I didn’t give you what you wanted back then?"

Erness dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. Then her captivating gaze slid over to Eiros, a faint smile on her lips.

"That’s not it, is it?"

The cafeteria was vast and bustling, packed with students from every different class. In a setting like this, whatever Erness and Eiros said to each other would just blend into the background noise, impossible to pick out.

Eiros could hear his own heart pounding so loud it was almost deafening. His body was still somewhat stiff, but unlike before, he felt a little steadier now that he had a clearer grasp on his situation.

A forced smile crept onto his face.

"How could I... I just feel like—"

"Stop right there, okay?"

Eiros clamped his mouth shut in a panic as Erness cut him off mid-sentence. He also felt a small tug at the sleeve of his academy uniform.

Of course, that was Erness’s doing—she was staring straight at him now. Her expression was still just as captivating, her act still flawless, still every bit the cute, beloved girl she always played.

Even so, the words that came out of her mouth sounded entirely different.

"I love you so much, darling. I really don’t want you to push me to a point of despair where I end up doing something I’d rather not do at all."

A smile as beautiful as a crescent moon, her cheeks faintly flushed, and Eiros’s own breathing suddenly sounding ragged and uneven.

"I don’t want there to ever be a situation where ’my darling tries to force me into something I don’t want,’ hehe... You don’t want that to happen either, right?"

Once again, there was a stark difference between Eiros and Erness.

If Erness genuinely decided to say something like that, even without any real proof at all, she’d somehow manage to prove it regardless.

Especially considering the fact that the real Eiros actually had tried something exactly like that, luring Erness into that warehouse.

Eiros’s smile froze on his face as he lowered his head.

He’d lost this one.

"...I know."

He could hear Erness giggling softly beside him. He could just imagine how wonderful the real Eiros’s life must have been, dating a girl like her, before he went and ruined it all himself.

Such a shame, really.

"So, how about we go on a date now? We’ve still got some time before the next class starts!"

"Anywhere as long as it’s not somewhere empty."

"Why? Doesn’t my darling want to be alone with me? Especially since this time, I was going to give you a little of what you wanted."

Hearing that, Eiros couldn’t stop a shiver from running through him.

"...Let’s save that for another time."

Why did a girl who looked like this have to be such a sadistic ghost underneath it all?

Eiros kept that question tucked away in his mind.

***

The afternoon air felt fairly warm as the sun hung directly overhead in a bright, clear blue sky.

Birdsong rang out sweetly here and there. The sound of a fountain echoed somewhere in the distance, along with a few geese waddling along the edge of a lake as clear as crystal.

A breeze drifted through, refreshingly cool in the middle of the hot afternoon, which was exactly why so many students felt comfortable heading outside to relax in the gardens.

"Right, there’s going to be combat training soon against some low-level monsters. But since my darling’s in the Other class, you probably won’t have to fight them at all."

Erness walked ahead of him. Her steps looked so cheerful as she pressed one hand against her hip, giving her a posture that made her look almost like a little penguin. In her other hand, she held a drink in a clear container—something between a bottle and a cup, made practical with a straw.

"Same goes for me. Since my Stigmata is a support-type, I don’t think I’ll be joining that battle either."

"A support-type?"

Erness nodded, glancing back over her shoulder. Her pace slowed slightly as she waited for Eiros to catch up. But instead of walking closer, Eiros stopped, keeping a gap of three steps between them.

"That’s right. Does that surprise you?"

Of course it did—how was Eiros supposed to imagine that a ghost who looked this terrifying was actually a support-type?

He blinked a few times, not noticing that Erness had already closed the distance between them and wrapped herself around his arm, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"...!"

"I’m a support-type who just happens to be able to open a gate."

Erness giggled, ignoring how rigid Eiros had gone.

By then, they’d reached a spot with an enormous tree. Its thick canopy blocked out the sunlight, making the area feel wonderfully cool and comfortable.

Behind them, the geese paddled around the lake. As it happened, only a handful of students were visible in that particular spot—not exactly deserted, but quiet enough.

"You’re sweating again, is the weather really that hot?"

Erness held out her drink, showing him the bottle with the straw she’d just been using.

"Want some?" the girl offered, her smile making her look like an adorable little angel.

Eiros pressed his lips together and shook his head.

"...No thanks."

That answer made Erness pout. Her gaze sharpened on Eiros for a moment, then swept around the area. Her eyes landed on a wooden bench.

A particular smile crossed her face—one Eiros failed to notice at all.

"Let’s go rest over there for a bit."

Pointing toward the wooden bench with her finger, Eiros felt Erness tug him along and followed obediently—after all, it wasn’t the kind of spot where she could kill him quietly.

So it should be fine. Probably.

Once he sat down on the bench, Eiros watched Erness stand in front of him. They were so close now that the sweet, wintry scent of her body drifted over clearly.

Their eyes met.

"Finally. It was pretty hard earlier since you’re so much taller than me."

Hearing that, Eiros tilted his head slightly.

"What do you mean?"

But instead of answering, Erness took a long sip from her bottle, and with her pupils curving into perfect crescents, she leaned her face in toward Eiros.

"...?"

Eiros knew Erness wouldn’t try anything dangerous in a place like this, so he didn’t move. But the closer she got, the more uneasy he felt.

And just as that unease reached its absolute limit, he tried to do something. But what could he possibly do if he was already too late?

"...!"

Erness kissed him—openly, right there!

Their lips pressed together. Eiros’s eyes went wide, trembling, as both of Erness’s hands wrapped around his neck.

Her lips felt so small, delicate, and soft. That sensation alone was enough to catch him off guard, right as Erness’s tongue suddenly pushed forward, forcing his lips slightly apart.

Their tongues met.

"Mmph..!"

Eiros let out a startled sound.

But Erness wouldn’t let him pull away. Both her hands held him firmly in place, making sure he couldn’t escape the kiss.

A few students watched, but there was nothing any of them could really do about it—dating was common enough at the academy, and so were kisses.

Back with Eiros, he could feel a liquid rushing past his lips, slowly making its way down his throat.

It tasted sweet, like strawberries. It reminded him of the drink Erness had bought earlier.

Then, after nearly a minute and a half, Erness finally pulled her lips away, breathless, her face flushed deep red.

A shy smile formed on her face.

"That’s all for now, okay? If you want more, we can do it some other time. Just call me over to... your room."

That shy smile widened just slightly as a particular dark swirl flickered through her pale white pupils.

Eiros, having just been kissed out of nowhere, found it hard to control his own expression. His face froze, even flushing a little, as his ragged breathing gave him away.

He glanced at Erness for a moment, then turned his face away.

He bit down on his lip.

Eiros was a hundred percent certain that he could get used to being on the receiving end of that woman’s affection, and enjoy every second of it.

He could still feel just how sweet that kiss had been, how romantic Erness had seemed, and how badly he wanted more of it.

If only he didn’t know how terrifying Erness truly was. If only she weren’t actually trying to kill him...

’Damn it.’

That thought scared him more than anything else ever could. The fact that he was starting to believe Erness’s love might actually be sincere.

***