Stop it...!

ｦ･･ｦ : "Kyah!"

Me : "Ah...!"

...Oh no.
Now I've done it.

I swing at the woman's hand reflectively.

ｦ･･ｦ : "Owwwww..."

ｨ･･ｨ : "Hey, what are you doing!" That was rude!"

Me: "...Sorry."

ｨ･･ｨ : "You raised your hand against a woman, do you think a sorry's going to fix it!?"

Koujaku : "Hey hey hey, wait a second. I'll apologize for him. I'm sorry? Like this."

Koujaku enters between me and the women and tightly clenches the hand of the woman whom I swung at.

ｨ･･ｨ : "But...!"

Koujaku: "Actually, this guy hasn't really gone out with women that much. "

Koujaku: "So when he's around pretty girls like you ladies, he doesn't know what to do, right?"

Koujaku looks at me like he's demanding an agreement.
His eyes tell me to play along.

Koujaku : "Could you have mercy and forgive me"?

ｦ･･ｦ : "Well, if that's the case..."

ｨ･･ｨ : "That's right..."

The women looks at me with eyes full of pity.

It was a little irritating, but, frankly it saved me.

Or like... just now I was saved by Koujaku.

Because he knows the thing I hate the most is having other people touching my hair.

When Koujaku catches my gaze, he smiles.

Koujaku : "What, what's the matter? Admiring my manliness?"

Me : "Shut up, you hippo."

ｦ･･ｦ : "Hey! Why are you calling Koujaku-san a hippo!?"

I convey thanks to Koujaku by flashing a smile as I criticize his joke.

Koujaku returns only a silent wink, saying that he understands.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but it actually gets to me a little...

Me : "Well then, I'm going."

Koujaku : "Right. Be careful. "

I part with Koujaku while waving slightly, and begin to walk again.

The delivery destination was close when I turned left at the road and headed straight.

As I turn a corner, I see a man crouching down by the roadside.

He whispers something, but I don't understand the contents well.

These days, you could see people doing this pretty often.

Sitting down on the ground and looking at the sky, muttering to themselves against the wall like that.

People like this have always existed, but it feels like more of them have been showing up lately.

Well, as long as you stay away from them.

I quickly pass by the whispering man.

In the alley of this neighborhood, the road was smaller than it used to be. No sunshine cam through, so it was very humid.

It had many restaurant; fragrant smells and smoke drifted around constantly.

Me : "I'm feeling kinda hungry now. "

Ren : "If that feeling is neglected, a stomach ache by hyper acidity occur in about one hour."

Me : "What for? Is there something wrong with my stomach?"

Ren: "Yesterday's meal influenced it. There is also a slight influence of sleep deprivation as well."

Me : "Aah, Yoshie-san's..."

If I remember correctly, it was after the time when I was on a delivery to the courier. That cake with a huge amount ow whipped cream...

Me : "...Hm?"

I feel something strange and stop.

It feels like someone was just staring at me...

But I don't see anyone particularly suspicious.

...Must've been my imagination.

Ren : "! Aoba!"

Me : "Eh? ...nh!?"

Suddenly, I feel a sensation similar to losing my footing on a set of stairs.

Everything that reflected in my eyes stopped moving and drifted to my step with a great speed just after that.

Me : "Ow..."

In the confusing situation, a sharp headache runs through my head and I scowl.

Me : "Wh... at...!?"

My thoughts become muddy like turbid water, and my hands and feet turn numb.

After feeling a strange sense that torments my whole body, a view opens out before my eyes.

Me : "...!?"

Me : "What is this place...?"

It's...

It's almost like I've been sucked into a game.

The wire-frame floor emits light and continues on forever.

Me : "Rhyme... That kind of Rhyme!?"

As I continue to look around, the space before me shines pale blue.

The shape of a person begins to form, starting from their feet.

The sight of the person that forms in front of me almost causes me to fall backwards.

Me : "Ren!?"

Ren : "Aoba, are you okay?"

Me : "What, what just happened? And why do you look like that?"

Ren : "It seems that Allmates are reflected in their online mode here."

Me : "Isn't online mode used mainly in Rhyme? I've only seen you in that form on the setting screen. "

Me : "And the announcement earlier said something about Rhyme..."

Ren : "Looks like it. Only, our present location is the same as before coming here."

Ren : "Aoba!"

Me : "Gah!!"

Ren pushes me away and I roll onto the floor while a fierce wind goes over my head.

Me : "What was that...!?"

Ren : "Aoba, this is a public Rhyme field. It seems we were forcibly dragged into Rhyme. "

Me : "What!? Is that even..."

Ren : "Aoba, something's coming. "

A rabbit's head.

...A person wearing rabbit head stands there.

Me : "Does this mean Rhyme started already...?"

ﾐﾉﾊ ﾊﾉﾐ : ". . . ThiS time "

ﾐﾉﾊ ﾊﾉﾐ : " . . . ThiS time, iT is suCH aN hOnor. "

ﾐﾉﾊ ﾊﾉﾐ : " So lEt'S HAvE a FUN GamE ShAll we?"

Ren : " Aoba, it's coming."

Me : "Coming!? What should I..."

Rabbit Referee : "DEATH set!"