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(Fake) Girlfriend
Right as Saito intended to leave his home, Akane appeared in front of him with insane momentum. She blocked off his path and glared up at him.
āWh-What do you want? I washed my rice bowl and made sure to separate the trash?ā
Saito grew worried that he mightāve done something to anger Akane without meaning to. He immediately traced back his memories. Since this day would be a long one, heād rather not waste too much time fighting.
āIām not angry about housework. I want to warn you.ā
āThat I should be careful when Iām out and about at nightā¦?ā
āNot that!ā
Saito readied his body for a possible incoming attack, feeling tense at the pressure from Akane. She however simply pulled down her skirt in anxiousness
āW-Wellā¦you know? Playing lovers with Himari is fine and all, but donāt forget that youāre not a real couple. Thatās all I wanted to say.ā
āI canāt even forget something like that. Why would you remind me of thatā¦ā Saito asked, which made Akane blush furiously.
āB-Because youāre an idiot! Youād get all close to Himari, forget the original goal, and then go with the flow toā¦!ā
āGo with the flow to where?ā Saito sought an answer.
āD-Donāt make me say it! You bully!ā Akane staggered backward.
Her face was as red as a tomato, which looked oddly adorable to Saito. Right now, he had the upper hand. Saito decided to go on the offensive.
āYou gotta draw the line or I wonāt do it. How far am I allowed to take it? A hug? A kiss? Or even beyondā¦ā
ā~~~!ā Akane bit her lip.
Saito took a closer look at her face.
āCome on, say it. You brought it up, right?ā
Unable to handle it, Akane pushed Saito away.
āEverythingā¦ā
āHuhā¦?ā
āIāll allowā¦everythingā¦But in returnā¦youāll have to pay and atone with your bodyā¦ā
Death penalty! Death penalty! Death penalty! These messages blinked furiously inside of Akaneās pupils. She wouldnāt forgive Saito if he made Himari cry, as Akane would then burn him to ashes.
āIām heading out!!ā
Maybe he teased her a bit too much, after all. Before Akane could blow up, Saito chose to run away, outside the door. Even if he had the advantage, bullying Akane too much would backfire. She was probably born into this world just to fight with him. Since Saito didnāt want to run into his classmates, he chose to take a detour on the way to school. Unable to take the quickest route was another reason for his recent exhaustion.
He simply wanted to dispel all these rumors and make everything return to normal. And to achieve that, he had to play the role of the boyfriend. Arriving at school, the hallways were filled with students, Himari surrounded by them. Unlike Saito, who only sat in the corner of the room while reading books, Himari was the center of attention. Boys and girls alike crowded around her, all smiles as she smiled back at them. If Himari hadnāt ended up friends with Akane, and if Saito and Akane hadnāt fought from the very start, he probably would have never talked with Himari.
Even today, it felt like they existed in different universes. He tried to pass Himari and her friends when she whispered into his ear.
ā…Saito-kun. We started, remember?ā
Her mutter seemed radiant almost, yet pleasant all the same. Her voice reached deep inside Saitoās brain, giving him shivers. Even her smile may seem the same, but it harbored a certain level of passion. Himari had already switched from being his friend to acting as his lover. It was a baffling acting ability she showed, as a single gaze alone changed everything about her.
āHey, Himari~ What are you whispering about with Saito-kun?ā
The girls snickered.
āNothing at all~ā
āThatās gotta be a lie~ I donāt buy that for one second.ā
āSeriously, itās nothing!ā Himari shrugged with a glimmer of embarrassment.
Giving a proper answer would immediately clear up that question, but since she kept it vague, it only heightened the interest of the other person.
āH-Himari! What did you talk about with Saito?!ā Akane rushed toward them, pulling on Himariās sleeve.
āNothing much!ā
āTell me! Is he threatening you! Silencing you?! I wonāt forgive him if he did anything to you!ā
āC-Calm down, Akane. Iām really fine.ā Himari seemed genuinely bewildered.
Why is she so obstinate now?! ā Saito commented in his mind. Akane was the exact opposite of Himari, always storming in face-first. Saito once again wondered how these two even ended up as friends.
Once lunch break rolled around, Himari approached Saito at his desk.
āSaito-kun, Saito-kun! Should we head to the cafeteria?ā
āDonāt you always eat lunch with Akane?ā
āSure do, but Iād like to eat lunch with you todayā¦Can we?ā
āIām not against it, butā¦ā
Saito swallowed the desire to comment on the fact that Akane was currently glaring at them. She looked close to ripping her workbook apart. The aura emitting from her body was practically screaming āHow dare you steal my best friend from me,ā despite Himari having been the one who brought it up.
āGreat! Then letās go!ā Himari grabbed Saitoās hand and started walking.
She held his hand with such a natural smoothness, but her hand was shaking ever so slightly. Saito looked at this side, seeing Himari flashing a tense smile, showing just how nervous she really is. And who could blame her? She had liked Saito for a while now, and sheās helping out with his best in mind. With this being the case, Saito had to respond to her determination. Sheās doing her hardest to make this fake relationship a success, and yet Saito was hesitant. Thus, he completely ignored all the onlookers and tightly grasped Himariās hand.
āS-Saito-kunā¦?ā Himari seemed bewildered.
ā…Thanks.ā He hoped that he managed to bring across what he felt with these words.
āItās okay.ā Himari blushed ever so slightly, as they made their way to the school cafeteria.
The second they entered inside, the students present were creating noise. Let alone the third-years, even their underclassmen knew Himari very well. With her cheerful personality and charming looks, she always ended up at the center of attention. If this was any serious or prestigious high school, then you wouldnāt see students with blonde hair like hers. Then again, she wasnāt a gal that didnāt take school seriously, and the teachers were fine with her hair, too.
So if Himari came to the school cafeteria not with her good friend Akane, but with a boy like Saito, itād naturally gather curious onlookers. Saito ordered a casual steak bowl whereas Himari went with omurice. Finding an open desk in the middle of the cafeteria, they sat down facing each other. Eating next to the windows may have been a bit more relaxing, but this wasnāt the time to be picky. They had to draw as much attention as possible.
āYou really like omurice, huh?ā
āErr, how do you know?ā
āWhen I spot you eating here, youād always order one.ā
ā…!ā Himariās body shivered.
ā…Did I say something weird?ā
āI was just thinking that you sure watched me a lot.ā
āN-Not on purpose. I simply spotted you, that’s all.ā
āI wonder about that~ā
āItās the truth!ā Saito felt his face growing hot by the second.
Even in their first year, Himari would periodically call out to Saito in the cafeteria, and he simply couldnāt forget what she was eating at the time. Himari saw Saitoās reaction, covered her mouth with one hand, and giggled.
āI know, I know. But you shouldnāt say this sort of stuff to a girl. Sheāll get the wrong idea, you know?ā
āIāll keep that in mind.ā
āMy friends keep bringing that up, too. Saying that you might just have feelings for me.ā
āSeriouslyā¦?ā Saito held his head in despair.
Thinking that girls judged his actions to such an extent when he wasnāt even around was like a wooden spike driven through his heart. He had to clear up that misunderstanding as quickly as possible.
āWho brought that up? Someone from our class?ā
āThatās a secret. I donāt wanna get any more rivals.ā
āRivals? For what?ā
āItās okay if you donāt get it, Saito-kun.ā
āThereāsā¦something I donāt understandā¦?ā Saito bit his lip in shame.
Ever since he was born, he had no problem reading through whatever book or literature he found. And yet, a single statement from a high school student was too much for him to handle, it left him paralyzed.
āIs the omurice here that delicious?ā
āYou could get addicted to it. If I donāt eat it for a while, I suffer from withdrawal symptoms like shaking hands.ā
āAre they adding some dangerous substances in there?ā
āThey do add parsley.ā
āThatās not dangerous, at least.ā
āWanna have a bite?ā Himari scooped up some of the omurice, shoving the spoon towards Saito.
āNo, thatāsā¦ā
āAh, sorry. You probably think itās gross since I already had a bite? Haha, what am I doingā¦Getting all excited.ā Himari tried to hide her feelings by laughing it off, but Saito realized he had inadvertently hurt the girl.
He wanted to set things right, or he wouldnāt be able to live with this guilt.
āI donāt feel that way at all. Itās justā¦an indirect kiss. Just thinking about it makes me tense up.ā
Himari seemed bewildered.
āHuhā¦? Youāreā¦nervous?ā
āOf course. I never dated somebody, so why wouldnāt I be.ā
āOhā¦that makes me happy.ā
āAnd why is that?ā
Himari put her hands on her reddened cheeks, explaining in a bashful manner.
āBecause that means you see me as a girl.ā
āAckā¦ā
She was perfectly on target with that statement, but hearing it from the person in question only inflicted more damage on Saito. And Himari wasnāt done yet, as she looked up at Saito.
āThenā¦should we do it? The indirect kiss.ā
āStop teasing me.ā
āIām not teasing you. Iām seriousā¦I wanna do it with you.ā
āGeezā¦ā Saito felt his bodyās temperature rise even further, as she munched on his steak bowl.
He knew this was necessary to regain his calm and casual high school life, but he also realized that playing pretend lovers with Himari for too long would be dangerous. If he even relaxed for a second, he would get swallowed up by Himariās charm. Their lunch finished, with Saito barely even remembering the taste, and the two left the cafeteria behind them. On the way out, he felt the curious gazes of the other students around them, as well as Akaneās glares of killing intent, colliding on his back, but this was necessary to erase the bad rumors floating around at the moment.
āWhatāre we gonna do now?ā Saito asked Himari with a quiet voice.
āGood question~ We finished eating lunch in the cafeteria, so Iād like to flirt around somewhere right until the next classes start.ā
ā…Youād like?ā
āAh, wait, no! I was just thinking that, if weāre acting like a couple, we have to be staying together somewhere!ā Himari bumped one fist onto her chest.
Her eyes were radiating with excitement. It was clear this was her own personal desire. However, what she said made perfect sense, so Saito couldnāt argue against it.
āSo a place where we can be aloneā¦The biology prep room seems like itād be vacant.ā
āToo many specimens watching us!ā
āIsnāt that the best part? Or do you get angry looking at them?ā
āIām not Shisei-chan, so no!ā
āThen thereās no problem.ā
The day Saito took Shisei to the prep room, he was terrified to find out that the number of specimens lessened after they left.
āThere isnāt, butā¦Hmmmā¦ā
Himari still seemed hesitant.
āAre you bad with grotesque stuff like that? I remember you playing horror games with Shise before, though.ā
āIām not necessarily bad with it, I just think that a romantic location would be a bit better. Being watched by eyeballs at every corner would only get me on edge.ā
āI guess soā¦?ā
Saito wasnāt familiar with the desires of a young maiden, but if they couldnāt manage to get a good mood going, itād probably be even harder to convince people that they were dating. Himari offered a proposition.
āWhy not the empty classroom near ours?ā
āWouldnāt the folks from class catch on to us?ā
āThatās the whole point. They have to see us spending time together, or theyād never think that something could be up.ā
āRightā¦ā
The two headed up the stairs. On their way, whenever they ran into other students, theyād greet Himari like she was a queen walking through her castle. Arriving in the hallway of the 4th floor, Saito opened the door to the empty classroom, checking that nobody was inside. He headed inside, with Himari following after him shortly. They kept the door open just enough to let onlookers check the inside. Himari went ahead and hid in the shadows of a desk and chair, with Saito next to her.
āThis feels like weāre doing something forbidden.ā Himari snickered.
āDonāt say that.ā
Becoming aware of this made Saito feel even more uncomfortable.
āSoā¦what should we do to be flirting?ā
āI wonderā¦ā Himari returned a genuine question with a straight face.
āYou brought it up yourself, yet you donāt know?!ā
āI do know! I really do! Thereās just way too many things I wanna do! I doubt Iāll ever get this chance again, so Iām trying to carefully select what I want without regret!ā
Seeing Himari so panicky and flustered, Saito couldnāt hold back his laughter.
āW-Why are you laughing?ā She asked.
āUsually youād be pretty chill, so seeing you be torn between your desires was just too funny.ā
In general, Himari was the one whoād always stop Akaneās rampages, clearing up the mood in class, and acting as their teacher in life. Because she could prioritize other peopleās needs over herself and support everybodyās happiness, she was loved in return. However, the current Himari wasnāt perfect, but rather clumsy in trying to handle her feelings for Saito.
ā…How could I be chill. I really like you, I canāt help it.ā Himari pouted which sent a shock right through Saitoās chest.
āSo what do you want to do? Iāll do whatever youād like.ā
āWhatever?!ā Himari immediately latched on to that word, which had Saito stagger backward.
āAs long as we donāt cross certain linesā¦ā
āThenā¦.Iād like you to carry me.ā
ā…Carry you?ā
Himari was almost the same height as Saito, not to forget her exceptional figure, so he didnāt expect this kind of childish request. For a moment, he wondered if he had misheard. Himari seemed flustered as she poked her index fingers together.
āW-Wellā¦Youād often let Shisei-chan sit on your lap, right? I was always jealous of that. It allowed her to be really close with you, and it seemed like you could spoil her lots like that, soā¦yeah.ā
āI-I seeā¦ā
That being said, things were slightly different when comparing a girl as small as an elementary student, and a grown, well-endowed woman. When carrying Himari, all sorts of places would bump into him or pop out. Himari mustāve seen the hesitation on Saitoās face, becauseā¦
āW-Well, I guess Iām asking for the impossible! With how heavy I am, Iād probably end up crushing you instead! Sorry, just forget about it!ā Himari covered her face in shame.
āNoā¦I donāt mind. You wonāt be hurting me, thatās for sure.ā
āR-Really? Wonāt I break your legs?ā
āYou should have some more faith in a manās muscle strength.ā Saito felt his pride hurt.
āThenā¦donāt mind if I do.ā Himari stood up and faced Saito.
Since she had her skirt as short as always, Saito could glance up to see her thighs, and almost spot what was beyond that holy territory. Following that, Himari sat down on Saitoās lap, directly facing him. What followed was a soft sensation, as her breasts were pressed right onto Saitoās face, smothering him. Himari then asked in a worried manner.
āA-Am I heavyā¦?ā
āNot at all, butā¦ā
The attack power of her chest was enough to inflict serious damage on Saito. He tried to shake his head left and right to escape this trap, but he kept on sinking deeper inside this quicksand of pleasure. The sweet scent of honey melted his brain cells and left him even further defenseless. And if that wasnāt enough, Himari gently whispered.
āThis positionā¦makes it feel like weāre doing something lewd. I wonder whyā¦ā
āNo ideaā¦ā
The scent emitted from Himariās body was enough to rob Saito of his ability to reason. He tried to divert his attention from the girl in front of him, but all his five senses were drawn towards her to the point he could hear her breathing.
āMaybe this is a bit too muchā¦ā Saito attempted to escape when Himari whispered into his ear.
āEveryoneās watchingā¦we have to do this properly.ā
Just as Himari stated, Saito felt gazes coming from the door, as well as the faint voices of their classmates. They tried to keep their voices low but their excitement was unhinged. This, of course, forced the two to play it up to the very end.
āSoā¦what do I do?ā
āMmmā¦ā Himari suddenly twitched with a faint moan.
āW-Whatās wrong?ā
āYour breath tickled meā¦ā
āS-Sorry.ā
āItās okay. It felt good soā¦I donāt mindā¦ā
What exactly did she mean by that? Saito felt like heād be losing something important, so he stopped his thoughts. The stimulus of being this close to Himari was more than enough he had to worry about.
āIf we want to show off even more, thenā¦Iād like a hug, too.ā
āLike thisā¦?ā
āAhā¦ā
When Saito gently embraced Himari, a gentle yet ecstatic breath escaped her lips. Her body shivered with surprise but also pleasure, directly conveyed onto Saitoās arms. The gentle sunlight shining in from the window illuminated her blonde hair even further. This sugary atmosphere melted Saitoās brain. He was worried that the smallest movement would allow him to feel Himariās body even more closely, leaving him absolutely frozen. Her breath tickled him, the throbbing of her body, and her chest being pressed onto himā¦it was too much.
āIs thisā¦enough?ā
āN-Not yet, people are still watching.ā Himari pressed her body against Saitoās chest.
The curious voices of the onlookers had already vanished, but Himari must be able to see them from her position.
āHow long are we supposed to stay like this?ā
āI donāt knowā¦Justā¦just a bit longerā¦ā She begged like a small child, clinging to Saito.
When the two returned to the classroom of class 3-A, their classmates immediately leaped at them.
āHimari-chan, what was that about?!ā
The first person to approach Himari was a girl looking equally as flashy. Since Saito often saw those two together, it didnāt surprise him that they were on good terms.
āErr, wh-what are you talking about?ā Himari played innocent.
āWhat you just did with Houjou-kun! Some girls saw you flirting around with him in the empty classroom! You were practically glued to each other, I demand an explanation!ā
āAh, so you saw usā¦Ahaha, thatās a bit problematicā¦ā Himari seemed truly bothered by this fact.
Once again, she portrayed her excellent acting talent. If Akane had been in this position, they wouldāve been found out ages ago.
āI saw them eating lunch together, too!ā
āWhatās going on?!ā
āIshikura-san?!ā
āExplain yourself!ā
The other classmates were closing in on Himari with no remorse whatsoever. Secret conversations in the hallway, eating lunch together in the cafeteria, a rendezvous in an empty classroom, all these events built up their classmatesā curiosity which now exploded. Witnessing this, Himari glanced at Saito.
āWhat should we do about this? Should we tell them?ā
Even that part was perfectly executed. Adding the āweā into her question only aided in getting her classmates more riled up. The room was in Himariās control, the students dancing in her palm.
āWellā¦I donāt mind.ā
Saito was filled with half admiration but also fear as he nodded along. He once again realized that the individual most dangerous in this class might be Himari after all. Receiving his permission, Himari moved closer to Saito, fidgeting awkwardly.
āT-The thing isā¦Saito-kun and I are going out.ā
āāāHuuuuuuuuuuuuh?!āāā
The classmateās voices roared loudly.
āWhat was that?!ā
āI thought Houjou-kun and Akane-chan were living together?!ā
āMaybe they broke up already?!ā
āIs he two-timing?!ā
āHoujouā¦Iāll kill you!ā
āHeās the devil! Kill him! Right now!ā
āSomebody bring a red pepper we can put up his ass!ā
The girls were bewildered, and the boys were riddled with bloodlust. The classroom slowly changed into a ritual site, the classmates ready to burn Saito at stake, when Himari stepped between them.
āSorry, but all of this chaos is actually my fault. I was just joking when I said that Saito-kun and Akane are living together.ā
āJokingā¦?ā The girls all seemed confused.
āWeāve been dating for a while now, but when I saw Saito-kun and Akane getting along like that, the jealousy got the better of me. I said that as a joke and in the heat of the moment.ā Himari gently embraced her own shoulders to emphasize her weakness. āI shouldāve cleared it up sooner, but then this whole thing just sorta blew up, so I didnāt know what to do. Since Saito-kun is going to inherit the Houjou Group, I didnāt want to cause him trouble by announcing our relationship, soā¦Iām sorry, everyone.ā Himari deeply lowered her head, explaining the basis for the rumors. She perfectly acted out her role that even Saito thought she was speaking the truth. However, in reality, they were all being played by Himari.
āYou donāt have to apologize, Himari-chan!ā
āWeāre the ones who are sorry, okay?ā
āIām glad you and Houjou-kun finally got together!ā
āCongrats!ā
āDonāt you dare make her cry, Houjou!ā
Receiving blessings and words of support, Himari seemingly successfully managed to overwrite the rumors of Akane and Saito living together. Himari looked at Saito with dampened eyes, smiling with a bit of relief mixed into it.
āThank godā¦Now we donāt have to lie anymore. We can be open about our relationship, right?ā
ā…Yeah.ā
Saito couldnāt help but admire what he had witnessed. From the movement of her body to her expressions and tone, everything worked perfectly into controlling the minds of their classmates. Himariās acting talent greatly surpassed anything Saito would have imagined to see. Not even the skilled PR employees of the Houjou Group could pull off such a feat.
āThanks for all the support, everyone!ā Himari looked around, and her classmates nodded in unison.
āSaaaaito-kun~ā
The fifth period ended, and right as Saito stuffed his textbooks into his student bag, Himari clung to him from behind. Her slender arms wrapped around his chest, as her cheek rubbed against his neck.
āHeyā¦donāt do that out of the blue.ā
āWhy? I think a girlfriendās got the right to hug her boyfriend, no?ā
āThatās true, but we areā¦ā Saito wanted to argue that they were simply pretending, but Himari whispered.
ā…Donāt let down your guard.ā
ā…!ā
Saito observed their surroundings, seeing that several classmates were stealing glances at them. Himari seemingly managed to convince most of her friends, but some people were still dubious. Himari tried her hardest to erase those rumors, so a careless word from Saito could ruin it all. He had to pour all his focus into playing along.
āDoing thisā¦in front of people is a bitā¦ā
āEverybody knows weāre dating, so whatās the problem? If anything, I wanna brag about it.ā
āBragā¦ā
Feeling the strength in Himariās arms, Saito realized that she was serious, and not only because people were watching.
āYou can be pretty possessive, huh?ā
āOf course. Iām not handing you over to anybody.ā
Her grip grew even stronger. Feeling that he became Himariās possession made Saitoās chest flutter. Himari was generally pretty open-minded towards everything and everyone, but she was oddly passionate when it came to love, it seemed.
āLetās head to the next classroom, yeah?ā
āOkay.ā
Saito stood up when Himari clung to his arm.
āI canāt walk like this.ā
āNo problem~ā
āItās a big problem for me.ā
āEmbarrassed because my boobs are hitting you?ā She asked with a teasing tone.
āIf youāre aware then stop it!ā
āThis is also a special right as your girlfriend.ā
āAnd how many special rights are there?ā
ā108, methinks.ā
āLike the 108 defilements in Buddhism?!ā
With a bit of banter back and forth, the two walked down the hallway. Himari seemingly enjoyed Saitoās reactions as sheād cling to him even stronger. She was clearly much closer than your average buddy at school, which is why they gathered a lot of attention from the other students walking down the hallways. Even the girls from other classes called out to them.
āHimari, so youāre actually dating Houjou-kun?ā
āThatās right. Weāre super lovey-dovey.ā
āI can tell by looking! Iām so jealous.ā
āYou better be~ā
The girls were chatting energetically. Saito should have been part of this conversation, and yet the girls treated him like an accessory. This must be how a boyfriend feels when his girlfriend runs into a friend on a date.
āHow far did you two go already? Did you kiss?ā
āErmā¦how far did we, Saito-kunā¦?ā Himari asked as she looked up at him.
Saito wanted to throw in a rebuttal but held himself back.
āWeā¦havenāt, yet.ā
āNot yet? I feel bad for you, Himari.ā
āI wouldnāt mind doing it soonā¦you know, Saito-kun?ā
āI bet~ā Saito just commented with a monotone response.
His face mustāve been deadpan beyond belief.
āThen do her a favor, Houjou-kun~ā
āEventuallyā¦ā
āWhy not right here?ā
āWhat kind of torture are you proposing?!ā Saito felt the urge to run away before heād get forced into anything weird.
Is dating genuinely supposed to be this exhausting? Since Saito never had anything to do with romance before, he just wanted to get back to reading. The two were finally freed from the girls, already running late for their next class. They ran down the hallway while gasping for air.
āSorry that I ended up late, Saito-kun!ā
āDonāt talk while running or youāll bite your tongue!ā
āAh, right! Hold on!ā Himari clung to Saitoās arm and stopped.
Saito could barely stop, which had them almost fall over.
āWeāll be late at this rate.ā
āThatās fine. Letās be a few minutes late.ā
āWhy would weā¦ā
āJust trust me~ā
Himari must have her own thoughts about this. When it came to controlling the opinions of others, Saito guessed itād be best to leave it to her. With that decided, the two spent some extra time near the stairs. The bell quickly rang with most of the students disappearing from the hallways, as only the two of them were left near the window. Himari ran her fingers through her long hair, looking at Saito with a somewhat bashful expression. The sun illuminated her back, creating something of an angelic shine.
ā…Say, why donāt we just skip classes altogether?ā Himari flashed a grin as she asked.
āWere you always the type to skip classes?ā
She may look like a gal, but she had quite a diligent personality despite that.
āI normally wouldnāt. But I figured itād be fun if I had you wish me. So letās do it?ā Himari sat down on the windowsill next to Saito.
Her skirt fluttered ever so slightly because of the breeze.
āAnd what would we do, then?ā
āLet me thinkā¦We could take a random train to leave this country and never come back?ā Himari spoke of a wild adventure.
ā…Are you that stressed out?ā
āNot at all. Going to the Antarctic would be nice, right? Nobody knows us, and we wouldnāt run into anybody. We could build a home away from the penguins and seals to live in isolation for the next 100 years.ā
āSomethingās up with you, right?ā Saito grew genuinely worried for Himari.
She might just be suffering from her worries and troubles he wasnāt aware of.
āThen how about taking a stroll through town?ā
āWe can do that once classes are over, right?ā
āYouāll do that with me?ā Himariās eyes lit up.
āErrā¦ā
āA genuine couple would definitely go home together, right? And so that the others have absolute faith in us dating, we need to be lovey-dovey even outside of school.ā
āThat might be true, butā¦ā
Himari wrapped both her hands around Saitoās, speaking with passion overflowing from her voice.
āThen letās go on a date after school, no? It can be a pretend date! Iāll pay for everything, and we can do whatever youād like! Iāll even carry your stuff!ā
Seeing how earnest she was about her invitation, Saito had trouble flat-out rejecting her. The guilt of having previously rejected her still lingered in his chest, and he didnāt want to hurt her any further. Looking at her as a single human being, Saito was quite fond of her, after all.
ā…Got it. If itāll help us pretend.ā
āYay~! Youāre so kind, Saito-kun!ā
āWhaā¦ā
Himari leaped into Saitoās arms, leaving him bewildered and uncertain about how to react. Pushing her away wouldāve been rude, but something hindered him from returning the hug.
āAnyway, we gotta go. If weāre too late, itāll negatively impact your grades.ā
āI knew it, youāre so kind. Youāre worried about me, right?ā
āOf course. If your grades drop any further, youāll be in deep trouble.ā
Himari pouted.
āHm? Whatās that supposed to mean?ā
āExactly what I said.ā
āWelp, itāll be fine! Youāll help raise my grades ten-fold, so Iām not worried at all, Teacher!ā
āWhen did I become your teacher?ā
Their footsteps resounded through the otherwise quiet school building as they headed down the stairs. And yet, Himari seemed to be having fun, almost stepping down the stairs in rhythm. The second they entered the chemistry classroom, a roar of noise exploded from their classmates.
āTheyāre late!ā
āWhat were they doing up to now?!ā
āDo you really have to ask?ā
āCurse you, Houjouā¦ā
āSo lovey-dovey!ā
They were showered with gazes of excitement and welcomed with cheers.
āKeep it quiet, weāre in the middle of class.ā The teacher scolded them, but the chattering wouldnāt stop.
āI see, thatās what Himari was aiming forā¦
In just five minutes, the impression of the two dating grew even stronger. It was masterfully done, once more. Saito apologized for being late and sat down in his seat. Right as he opened up his textbook, he felt a shiver running down his spine. Looking at his side, he spotted Akane glaring at him. She emitted evident killing intent, which overwhelmed Saito with its peer pressure. In her hand, Akane had a pen she had snapped in half. Saito felt terrified, thinking he might just get killed as soon as he got home that day.
The second the bell rang, Akane realized that neither Saito nor Himari were present. She wondered what they were up to, sending Himari messages here and there. However, no responses came. Himari wouldnāt even read the messages. Once the two rushed into the classroom, Akane could see Himariās flushed cheeks. She had never seen such an expression on Himari. Her hair was in disarray. She simply clung to Saitoās arm like she was a cat.
āSeriouslyā¦what were they doing?
To Akane, it felt as if the two had left her behind, heading somewhere else without her. She felt terrified, like she was about to fall off her chair, so she clung to the corners of her desk. She didnāt know why her heart felt this restless. She knew they were just acting, and yetā¦When she saw the two smiling at each other again and again during class, it felt like a small needle was driven right through her chest. When classes ended and she saw Himari fixing Saitoās crooked tie, she felt the urge to break between the twoā¦But, she couldnāt.
If she did that, itād lead to their classmates doubting their relationship again. Himari was doing her hardest to ease up the situation for them, so sheād ruin all of that. Akane couldnāt afford to approach Saito in any way. Even their daily fights that had continued for the past three years were now on hold. Right as the group around Himari weakened, Akane saw her chance to approach her friend.
āSoā¦Himari? Arenāt you going a bit too far?ā
āWhat do you mean?ā Himari sounded confused.
Akane fumbled over her explanation, struggling to speak up.
āA-About Saito. You donāt have to go all out, right? You look likeā¦a couple who only got eyes for each other.ā
āWe do?ā Himariās voice harbored excitement.
āWhy do you sound so happy?!ā
āI mean, becoming such a couple with Saito is like a dream come true! So we look like thatā¦? Hehe, Iām so happy.ā Himari grinned in joy.
Seeing her friend happy made Akane happy, tooā¦or so it should have been. Yet for some reason, Akane couldnāt be happy. She simply embraced her textbook close to her chest, as if to protect her heart.
āAnyway, I donāt think you should be acting so clingy with him.ā
āThatās the whole point. Itāll get rid of the rumors faster. At least more than doing it half-baked.ā
āButā¦butā¦ā
Since Himari was speaking solely with reason, Akane had no room to argue. Why was she even trying to stop them from acting as a couple in the first place? If their plan of acting lovers was currently working out, there should be no reason to stop it. As Akane was bewildered about her own feelings, Himari was once again surrounded by classmates, not allowing Akane to speak another word, who could only waltz away in defeat.
After classes had ended, Himari didnāt waste much time leaving the classroom with Saito. They had their arms linked like a true couple, showing off immediately.
āAre they heading out on a dateā¦?
Akane was left behind, preparing to head home as her chest was filled with hazy and gloomy feelings. As of late, she and Saito couldnāt head out shopping together, all the focus was on Himari.
āHold on, that makes it sound like I want to head somewhere with Saito! Thatās not it at all!
Akane violently shook her head when Maho came rushing into the classroom.
āOnee-chan! Your adorable little sister is here to pick you up! Letās head home together!ā
āYes, letās.ā Akane felt as if she was being healed by her younger sister acting this energetic.
She felt like she finally had a place she belonged to. At least a million times more than when she was around Saito. Maho took Akaneās hand, and they left through the front entrance.
āI just saw Onii-chan and Himarin walking down the hallway! They seem really close like theyāre an actual couple!ā
āTheyāre just acting, nothing more!ā Akane stomped on the ground in anger.
āYou think so? Himarin always had the hots for Onii-chan, so I wouldnāt be surprised if theyāre dating for real. Onii-chan seemed happy, too.ā
āItās fake! All fake! Just acting!ā
āWhy are you so pissed?ā
āIām not pissed at all!ā
She clearly was. Even to the point, she herself was aware of it. She didnāt mean to act like this in front of her own sister, but she couldnāt stop herself. Her emotions were all over the place. Akane always had the tendency to be explosive when it came to her own emotions, but this grew exceptionally bad when Saito was involved. As soon as he was around, she naturally grew agitated, and when he treated her kindly, she became happy to no end. It was like an endless stream of confusing emotions. No matter what, the two were always on bad terms. Thatās exactly why her emotions were in such disarray even now.
āOnee-chan, maybe you should let out some pent-up stress?ā Maho spoke with a worried tone as she glanced at Akaneās face, which pulled her back to reality.
āIām fine, really.ā
āAre you really? Iām worried you might go around punching random strangers.ā
āIām not some hooligan!ā
āItās okay, Iāll do my best to erase and destroy any evidence that could be used in a court of law and lie during my testimony to ensure your safety!ā
āI wonāt do anything that would require you to do such a thing! Also, you canāt do that, youāll get sued for perjury!ā
Akane felt hurt that her sister saw her in such a light.
āLetās head to a game center! We can shoot up some zombies to get rid of all the bad juju!ā
āI donāt want any zombies!ā
āOkay, then off we go on our date!ā
Akane couldnāt say no to her sister, who simply pulled her along. Akane disliked such a grotesque and vile game, but it was a lot better than simply waiting at home for hours for no end. This is why she agreed to tag along. They moved away from their usual route from school to enter the shopping district, which was crowded with students as always. As they ran the risk of being spotted by their classmates, Akane and Saito had never come here before. She did frequent this street with Himari, usually on their way home, but that also stopped as of late. Akane was always plagued by housework, and Himari had found a part-time job, so their schedules never matched enough. Akane and Maho walked down the bristling street while holding hands when Maho spoke up.
āNow that I think about it, you went to this party a long time ago, right?ā
āA partyā¦?ā
āYou know, when you were about to graduate from primary school. Grandma took you to that party, yeah? I wanted to go myself, but I wasnāt feeling up for it. The party was held at that separate residence, owned by that friend of Grandmaāsā¦ā
ā…!ā Akane froze up.
She had never gone to any party before, but when speaking of one at a residence, there could only be one. It was a luxurious and separate residence owned by the Houjou Group and looked like the royal palace of the royal family. The attendees all wore expensive attires, enjoying food that Akane had never seen before. The one getting the most attention during that time was the son of Emperor Tenryuu, the acting prince and successor of the groupāSaito.
āYou were in such a great mood when you got back from that party, right?ā
āWas Iā¦?ā
āYep. Youād be all restless, spacing out, fidgeting around, and totally different from usual. What was that about?ā
āThatāsā¦ā
Akane tried to remember what exactly happened back then when she felt her body growing hot. The returning memories, the scorching shame that filled her, paired with frustrationā¦It felt as if she had opened up Pandoraās box, so Akane frantically slammed the box shut again.
āNothing!ā
āHuh? Thatās not true, is it~ Also, the first time you met Onii-chan wasnāt in high school, but during that party, right?ā Maho took a close look at Akaneās face.
āI donāt know! And I donāt want to remember!ā
āSo something happened?ā
āNothing at all! Not at that party!ā
āSo after that party?ā
Akane crossed her arms and looked away.
āNothing happened! Weāre done talking about this! And if you donāt drop it, Iāll make you eat rice porridge!ā
āHow could you threaten me like that, Onee-chan?!ā
āAnd to make it extra healthy, itāll be only water and rice!ā
āNo! At least give me a hamburger with lots of juicy sauce!ā Maho was starting to tear up.
Akane started to feel slightly guilty, but this was the only method she could think of to stop this endless questioning.
āOkay, fine! You donāt need to tell me then! Iāll just assume that you both fell in love with each other and then got separated.ā
āSeriously, nothing happenedā¦ā Akane bit her lip.
After that party, up to their entrance exams for high school, Akane had not seen Saito.
āThatās why Iā¦
Akane was engulfed in the same feelings she had during their entrance ceremony, so she slapped her hands on her cheeks to forget about it. As of late, something was wrong with her. Even today, her mind was always somewhere elseā¦and it’s been like this for a while now. Especially so after she heard Saito and Maho talk in the hospital.
The two stepped inside the game center. Normally, Akane would play the crane games with Himari, take pictures at the photo booth, or play rhythm games, but Maho immediately walked to the back with the more serious games.
āLetās play this shooter, Onee-chan!ā
She stopped in front of a sign that said āGun Battle Crisis.ā The large screen in front of them showed movie-like action scenes, with two guns offered to the player.
āI did say no to zombies, right?!ā Akane covered her eyes.
āThis doesnāt have any zombies! Youāre fighting either human soldiers or robots!ā
āR-Reallyā¦?ā
āYep, yep! No need to be scared!ā
āI-I-Iām not scared at all!ā
Akane slowly moved her hands off her eyes and looked at the game itself. She spotted no zombies anywhere so far. Neither were any zombies part of the footage playing on the screen, either. Akane looked it up online, but the official site mentioned no zombies, too. Seeing all this preparatory work had Maho sigh.
āYou donāt have to be this thorough, you know?ā
āJ-Just making sure!ā Akane put her phone back into her student bag.
Maho generally was a kind girl with no bad intentions, but she had the tendency to play pranks on Akane when she felt like it. Hence, Akane could not afford to let down her guard for even a moment. Akane inserted enough money for the two of them to play a round and grabbed a gun. It was simplified but felt and acted like a genuine gun. Perfect for Akaneās current mood. Maho helped explain the controls.
āYou keep the gun in your dominant hand, putting the finger here on the trigger. If you want to change your weapon, you press this button, and reloading is this button.ā
ā…Does this have actual bullets?ā
āIf it had, then youād be killing people left and right with stray bullets!ā
āI guess soā¦I wouldāve taken Saito here, otherwiseā¦ā
āDonāt say stuff thatāll be used as evidence in court! And why would you want to use real bullets on him, anyway?! Did you two fight?!ā
āIām not going to shoot him, just gonna tickle him with some bulletsā¦I have this insatiable urge to test out this baby on him.ā
āScary! Your honest feelings are terrifying, Onee-chan!ā
While they were talking back and forth, the scene stopped playing and the game began. Akane didnāt watch a second of it so she had no clue about the story, but all she had to do was decimate the enemies coming at her. Hostile soldiers showed up, with Akane and Maho pointing their guns at them. Each time bullet shots resounded, cracks showed up in the screen. Whenever they fought back, the soldiers started hiding in the shadows, attacking once Akane ran out of bullets.
āAhhh, this is so frustrating! Keep it quiet, already!ā
The soldiers attacking started to look like Saito. Akane poured all her pent-up stress into the bullets, relentlessly firing at the enemy. When she envisioned Saito dodging those bullets, her aim became a lot more accurate. Slowly but steadily, the enemy soldiers had their heads blown off. When Akane picked up the boxes looking like weapons, she received a buff on her bullets. Akane marched through the battlefield riddled with screams, as she picked up enemies from left to right. When she regained her senses, the screen said āStage Clear! High Score!ā in bold text. Following that were loud cheers from all around. Akane hadnāt even realized that she was gathering attention from the other visitors.
āWow, wow! We got a high score, Onee-chan!ā The third-best in the entire country! Were you actually a gamer in secret?!ā
āI never played this game before.ā
āThen how were you so good at it?!ā
āI just thought of the enemies as Saito, and then my body moved on its ownā¦Telling me to kill them as quickly as possible.ā
āWhy do you hate Onii-chan so much?!ā
āIām glad weāre not living in America. I wouldāve bought a gun by nowā¦ā
āOh boy, I am just as glad! I feel bad for Onii-chan! He wouldāve died a hundred times over.ā
Since the game had concluded, Akane quickly escaped from there. Maho apparently planned on taking the national record, but Akane wanted to avoid any unnecessary attention. There was already a ruckus at school, so she was more than exhausted.
āHey, letās play this together! Or actually, play it for me!ā Maho clung to Akaneās arm, pointing at what looked like a boxing arcade game.
A red sandbag dangled down a box-like machine, with gloves available nearby.
āMahoā¦do you think Iām some kind of hitman? Thereās no way I can do this!ā
āOf course, you can! Just think of that red bag as Onii-chan and whack him a good one!ā
āSaito isā¦the sandbagā¦ā Akane suddenly was filled with a rush of motivation.
She put on the glove, staring down at the sandbag. The sandbag suddenly looked like it grew a head, Saitās face grinning at Akane as if he was ridiculing her, saying something like āKeke, you canāt ever beat me.ā
āJust you watchā¦Iāll smash in that arrogant face of yoursā¦ā
āFace?! Where do you see a face?! Youāre not talking about mine, right?!ā Maho grew genuinely worried.
Akane took a deep breath, pulled back her arm, and rammed it right into the sandbag with all her might. WHAPOW, an explosive sound rang out, together with celebrative music from the machine, as a mechanical voice said āHigh Score!ā Out of joy, Maho leaped at Akane.
āHoly smokes, Onee-chan! You got the second highest score!ā
āSeems like I can crush Saitoās face just fine.ā
āOnii-chanās face doesnāt matter right now! But youāre amazing, itās the power of rage fueling you! Letās aim for the highest score!ā
āYouāre rightā¦I need more power to utterly obliterate Saitoā¦ā Akane nodded in satisfaction.
Saito walked through the shopping district when he happened to glance inside a particular game center. If it was just any normal game center, he didnāt have to be this terrified. However, what truly sent shivers down his spine was Akane absolutely demolishing a punching machine with all her might. The audience watched this in astonishment, with Maho jumping up and down in joy. And then, Akane screamed āSaito, you dummy!ā from the top of her lungs. Saito watched all of this unfold.
For a split second, Saito felt like he saw himself as that sandbag. And without a doubt, Akane was doing the exact same in her mind.
āWhatās wrong, Saito-kun?ā Himari looked at Saitoās face as she stopped next to him.
āL-Letās go over there, maybe.ā He grabbed her hand and took her away from the vicinity of the game center.
āTh-This is the first timeā¦you ever held my hand, rightā¦?ā Himari blushed.
It was adorable as all hell, but Saito didnāt do it out of any romantic intention. He simply felt the instinct urging him to run away. If Akane saw the two going on a date through the business district right nowāeven if it was just pretendingāshe would most likely smash Saitoās head in. Thatās how much anger was built up inside of her at this moment.
The business district was bristling with fellow students wearing the same uniforms as Saito and Himari, ranging from normal friends to openly-displaying couples. Just as Himari had stated previously, if they showed off as a couple on a date, itād make it even more apparent that they are dating.
āSo, what should we do?ā Saito spoke up.
āYouāre asking a girl that?ā
āIāve got absolutely no experience with this sort of stuff, and I figured youād know a thing or two.ā
āDonāt make me sound like some easy girl! Todayāsā¦the first time Iām on a date with a boyā¦ā Himari seemed slightly perturbed by Saitoās comment, pouting openly.
She may look like a gal on the outside, but she was exceptionally pure. If she had black hair and wore her uniform properly, Saito wouldnāt even see her as a gal.
āSorry, this might be your first date, but itās still only a pretend date.ā
Himari frantically waved her hands.
āI-Itās okay! Just being able to go home with the Saito-kun I love is more than enough for me, really!ā
That insert made Saito feel even more guilty. Even if this was a fake date, he wanted her to enjoy herself. This was his duty, and what she deserved.
āWhere do you want to go, Himari?ā
āIām fine with wherever you want to go, Saito-kun.ā
āBut I want to know what youād like to do.ā
Himari put her index finger on her lips, thinking.
āHmm, thenā¦a hotel, maybe?ā
āOn our first date?!ā
āAhaha, I guess Iām jumping the gun a bitā¦But, I would be fine with that, you know?ā Her eyes, brimming with passion, looked at Saito.
Was she just testing for his reaction, or was she being genuine? Himariās body, and her slender waist, were pushed against Saito. He felt the saliva building deep inside his mouth. His heart was racing painfully fast, not even allowing him to gulp.
ā…I canāt do that.ā
āWhy? Youāve got a girl with you whoās willing to listen to whatever request you may have. You can even cast me aside once youāre done with me, too.ā
āI donāt want to hurt you. If weād end up doing that, itād be once weāre dating for real.ā
āSaito-kunā¦ā Himariās eyes lit up, as a faint snicker escaped her lips and her shoulders relaxed. āYouāre such a dummy. If youād act more self-absorbed and self-indulgent, you could finally make me hate you. If you treasure me this much, Iāll only fall in love with you more.ā
āSorry.ā
āDonāt apologize. Iām really happy.ā Himari clung to Saitoās arm. āJust take me wherever youād like. I want to know more about you.ā
āGotcha.ā
If she wished for it, then Saito had to oblige. He decided to bring her to a bookstore in a back alley where heād always buy the newest releases on the way home. It was a small store with manga magazines stocked on the shelves and books aimed at children on display. Hand-written assignments hung on the outside glass window, creating a feeling of familiarity. The assortment wasnāt anything special either, but their selection was quite refined, often hitting Saitoās taste. The faint scent of ink around, and the unfriendly owner created a calm and pleasant atmosphere. Himari looked around several times and took a deep breath.
āThisā¦place has a great atmosphere.ā
āOh, you can tell?ā
āYeah. Itās pretty plain, but thatās whatās good about it. Like weāre in a different world from the outside.ā
Saito nodded strongly.
āThatās right. It doesnāt stand out much, which keeps out all the weird customers. It makes me feel like I stepped into an ancient library, and with no folks causing a ruckus, I can take my time looking for new books. Looking up books online is one thing, but going through them with your own hands immediately gives you this sense of familiarity. Taking in everything about a book with all your senses is the best part of reading a book.ā
Himari let out a snicker.
āI donāt think Iāve ever seen you talk this passionately about something.ā
āI wasnāt planning on doing soā¦ā Saito suddenly felt embarrassed.
Since he had found a kindred spirit in Himari who understood his feelings, he just started blurting out what he had been thinking all this time.
āThe usual calm and collected Saito-kun is pretty cool, too. But I like it when youāre passionate about something. So tell me more about you?ā
ā…Yeah.ā
She wasnāt making fun of him by any means, but that only left Saito even more restless. He found himself unable to directly look into Himariās eyes, which felt like they had seen right through him.
āWhat kind of books do you like, Saito-kun?ā
āIām not particular with genres. Sometimes I just go in order of a bookshelf.ā
āSeriously!? Thatās amazing!ā
āItās pretty inefficient, though, and itās heavy on my budget so I stopped doing that.ā
Saito may be the one to inherit the Houjou Group, but his parents were average citizens. He may receive enough money to survive from them, but that wasnāt enough to just buy random books.
āIād like to read a favorite book of yours. Got anything?ā
āHmmmā¦I donāt know what to recommend to someone whose head will explode if she reads a bookā¦ā
āMy head will be fine! And Iāll read whatever you recommend to me!ā
āThen Iāll buy a book for you as thanks for everything.ā
Himariās eyes opened wide in shock.
āSeriously?! Iāll definitely read it! Over and over until I can recite it by heart! Hell yeah, a present from Saito-kun!ā Himari seemed overjoyed, as Saito took her along through the store.
With Himari this motivated, Saito sought to choose a book thatād help her in some way. For her future, more than anything. With that thought in mind, Saito grabbed a compendium of laws from the bookshelf.ā
āErrā¦whatās this? A brick?ā Himari shuddered at the thick lump in front of her.
āItās a compendium of all the laws of Japan. Itās got the constitution, civil law, criminal law, and commercial law written down here. Itāll help you a lot.ā
āI donāt want to become a lawyer, you know?!ā
āI know lawyers who probably got their license from the black market with how they object to their own questions, so Iām sure you could do it too if you set your mind on it. Youād at least be a lot nicer to the witnesses on the stand. And also, knowing about the law is important even if you donāt want to become a lawyer. The ones who know the system know the way to victory. If you donāt know anything, youāll end up in court fighting some crazy ex of yours who accuses you of committing domestic violence.ā
āI didnāt know society was such a scary place! Iāll never graduate for the rest of my life!ā
āWell, if you keep going at this rateā¦yāknow.ā
āOuch?! My attendance is absolutely perfect, at least!ā Himari emphasized, but Saito ignored her and headed for the cash register.
A book of this size bit heavily into Saitoās wallet, but it was a token of gratitude, so Saito dealt with it.
āW-Wait a second! Iād like something else as thanks, actually!ā
āSo youā¦donāt like law literature? Iām a pretty big fan, you knowā¦ā Saito seemed dejected.
āI donāt know if I will like it or not, but thereās no way I can remember all of that! And Iād feel bad just letting this thing get dusty in some drawer!ā Himari shivered in fear.
Forcing someone to learn something always had the opposite effect, and Saito knew that.
āGot it. Think of what youād like and tell me, okay?ā
āIt doesnāt have to be anything physical, either. For exampleā¦I could have you do 5000 push-ups, or dig a hole for me that youāll visit every single day.ā
āDo you want me to die?ā
Because thatās what this sounded like.
āThat was just an example! I wanna know how far I can go!ā
ā…Well, for the most part, Iāll let you do whatever.ā
Saito knew that Himari wouldnāt ask for anything ridiculous. Unlike Akane, whoād get Saito exiled from earth, and Maho whoād ask for his chastity, Himari was a safe bet. After the two of them walked around inside the store a bit, they eventually stepped outside. Since a new release Saito was waiting for came out, he also bought that on the side. They continued to walk down the shopping district when a sweet scent drifted toward them. Himari spotted a crepe store with a colorful billboard, which had a large row of students waiting in front of it.
āSaito-kun, do you like crepes?ā
āIf it doesnāt have too much cream. I sometimes eat crepe with Shise.ā
āI never had crepes that weren’t sweet. Letās feed each other, yeah?ā
āLike weāre a coupleā¦ā
āWe are a couple, right?ā Himari gave Saito a wink, who had no counterargument.
The two lined up after the other students and ordered the crepes. Saito chose one with tuna and cheese as more of an afternoon snack, whereas Himari went with a banana chocolate caramel custard maron vanilla triple ice, which honestly sounded like a chant to cast some magic spell. As the name suggested, the crepe was packed to the brim, about to collapse. Saito was worried just watching the crepe wobble. Yet Himari seemed calm as ever, just munching on it.
āMhm, delicious! The crepe from this place is the best!ā
āSo there are differences between stores?ā
āOf course! Come on, have a bite.ā
āMnom.ā
Himari suddenly pushed the crepe towards Saitoās mouth, who reflexively took a bite.
āSweet.
It was a lot sweeter than any sort of candy or crepe Saito had tasted up to this point. This sweetness melted away inside of his body, making him feel dizzy.
āThatās an indirect kiss for me!ā
āWasnāt I the one who got itā¦?ā
Saitoās blood rushed to his head. This one couldnāt be avoided, so it didnāt countāis what heād like to tell himself, but he realized he took a bite from the exact place Himari had. A feeling of shame and embarrassment filled his body as if he had directly licked Himariās lips. Himari on her end just smiled to herself.
āIāve always dreamed of this.ā
āOf what?ā
āGoing on a date after school with the person I love, doing some light shopping, eating delicious food, and just spending time together. I had always wanted to experience something like this since I was in elementary school.ā
āArenāt you quite the romantic?ā
āIām not, this much is normal!ā
āI, for one, never thought about this.ā
Let alone in elementary school, Saito never thought about this topic until now in high school. All he ever cared about were books, and he decided to not get involved with people who could provide him with substantial knowledge. And yet, here he was, going on a pretend date with the most popular girl at school.
ā…Iām having some doubts here, but weāre just pretending to be on a date, right?ā
āHm? Yep. What about it?ā
āI feel like weāre doing pretty much what would be normal for a genuine date. Whatās the difference between a real date and a pretend date?ā
āAhā¦ā Himari froze up.
āOi, whatās that āOops, I got found outā impression of yours?!ā
āI wasnāt found out just yet!ā
āThe heck does that mean?!ā
Himari panicked.
āE-Erm, okay! If this was an actual date, then youād be dead by now!ā
āI didnāt know that a date was a battle to the death.ā
Saito had assumed a date to be a more peaceful activity. That being said, Himari must be a lot more experienced than him, so she would know.
āOn an actual date, we wouldāve kissed by now! Since weāre just pretending, we left it at an indirect kiss! And youāll survive!ā
āI betterā¦ā
Saito couldnāt follow what exactly Himari was talking about, but he guessed what she was trying to say. Basically, since this was a pretend date, Himari held back for his sake.
āAnyway, let me take a bite from your crepe!ā Himari most likely wanted to change the topic, just frantically munching at Saitoās crepe. ā~~~?! S-S-So spicy!ā Her head turned as red as a tomato.
āItās not that spicy. This is just a āBursting Hellfire Chili Pepper Tsuna Cheese Crepeā, as you can see.ā
āThat name alone sounds spicy!ā
āItās perfectly normal. They even have one thatās 50 times as spicy if youād like. Just gotta check their hidden menu.ā
āWhy does a crepe stall need a hidden menu?! Water! I need water!ā Himari started running.
She frantically looked for a vending machine but to no avail. She started shaking while biting on her lip, soon reaching her limit.
āOver here!ā Saito remembered a nearby park and ran.
Himari reached the water fountain, pushed her body forward, and took a good sip. The water completely splashed into her face as a result, leaving her drenched, but she completely ignored that. Once she managed to survive through the spicy hell, she sunk down onto a bench.
āLord, that was spicyā¦I thought my tongue would burn offā¦ā
āYouāre exaggerating. It was still on the softer level, so you canāt break at this level.ā
āWho am I fighting?! Iām not heading off to some fast-eating contest!ā
āIn the event that you accidentally buy spicy ramen ten times and have to live off that for a week, youāll thank me,ā Saito spoke like he had experienced this before.
āIā¦seeā¦?ā Himari seemed bewildered, not realizing that her hair and uniform were drenched.
Her wet blouse stuck to her well-endowed chest, involuntarily showing her underwear. Her skirt suffered a similar fate, revealing water droplets on her thighs that sparkled beneath the sun.
āI think you should head home for today, youāll catch a cold.ā
āIām fine, I can still keep going!ā
āDonāt force yourself, you hear me.ā
āIām not! Iām on a date with Saito-kun, so I donāt wanna go home!ā
She bawled like a little child, which was another first for Saito. Usually, sheād keep a mature air to herself, which is why he couldnāt say no.
āHere.ā Saito took off his blazer and put it on Himariās shoulder.
āWhaā¦ā
āYou canāt walk around like this. Iāll send you off, so letās go home?ā
āO-Okayā¦ā Himari blushed as she held onto Saitoās blazer.
Himariās home was inside a 7-floor flat, located on the third floor. They passed by the vacant caretakerās room, stepping inside the small elevator. The inside was packed with reminders for garbage collection day or other information on suspicious people that had appeared in the area. The box slowly moved up the floors, as Saito didnāt know where to look. Himari was wearing Saitoās blazer, but he could still see her drenched blazer, leaving him troubled. Usually, Himari was brimming with joy and energy, and yet she was now like a meek little child.
The bell rang and the doors of the elevator opened, which allowed Saito to sigh in relief. Several lock systems were hanging on the walls of this hallway, with childrenās toys scattered here and there. Finally, Himari came to a halt in front of the door plate that said āIshikura.ā She rummaged through her student bag, taking out a key with several key chains on it.
āAnyway, Iām gonnaā¦ā Saito reached out his hand, waiting to receive his blazer from Himari.
She however had other plans, as she took his hand.
ā…Wonāt you come in for a bit?ā
It didnāt take much from Saito for him to realize how nervous she was. Her hand that grabbed him was visibly shaking.
āI canātā¦ā
āYour blazer ended up drenched because of me! I donāt want you to catch a cold. So I could make some tea for you! Itās delicious Darjeeling tea I got from the owner of the cafĆ© I work at!ā
Saito found himself unable to immediately reject Himariās offer. He had always been weak when it came to her, and she was helping him out immensely during this case, too. She was basically dragged into the whole situation with the Houjou Group.
ā…Got it. If itās for a bit, I guess.ā
āGreat!ā Himari pulled Saito inside like she was dancing in joy.
Saito had expected a typically girly room with pink colors and plush toys, but that was way off. The room was colored in a blatant white, giving it a more relaxed tone, and equipped with a large drawer. A glass table stood on the rug in the center. The inside was clean and tidy, not showing a sign of dirt in any corner. On top of her student desk stood a bottle of perfume, together with picture frames. One showed Himari and Akane, with the other being a picture of Saito alone.
āThis isā¦ā
Saito spotted the picture, which had Himari panic.
āA-Ah, sorry! I wasnāt taking that in secret! I just bought this picture during our field trip! It must be gross to have this picture around! Iāll give it back to you!ā
āYou donāt have to.ā
Saito genuinely felt embarrassed, but thatās all.
āA-Are you sure?ā
āYou paid for it, so you have the right to put it up.ā
āThen can I ask for additional pictures that I can put up in my room?!ā
āThatā¦Iād rather not.ā
āIāll pay for them! I got my part-time job money, so I can pay 100k for a picture!ā
āThey arenāt that expensive!ā
Saito didnāt know why she would treasure a single picture this much. If anything, Saito hated remembering things about the past, but there was nothing he could do with his memory. Thatās why he at least didnāt buy any pictures from the field trip. And since his parents never cared much about preserving the growth he had gone through, there also arenāt any pictures of him at their home.
āI’ll change really quickly, so just wait here.ā
Himari stepped out onto the hallway, leaving Saito alone in a girlās room. He didnāt know where to sit, so he just stood around like a dog showering in the rain, as he looked around the room some more. On the bookshelf of the study desk, he spotted womenās magazines, books about hairstyles, nail art, and other specialist books. āThe mechanisms of lust and desire,ā āstudies of mass psychology,ā āprocess of emotional guidance,ā and so on. Many books about psychology for some reason. And they also seemed fairly worn down.
āShe wasā¦reading all this stuff? Is she actually pretty clever?
Saito grabbed a random book. Flipping the pages, he saw several parts of text underlined, with added small notes written in feminine handwriting. She wasnāt just reading that, she was properly studying it. She wasnāt particularly skilled at studying for school subjects, but she could be passionate about things she cared about.
āSorry for the wait!ā
Himari returned to the room, so Saito quickly put the book back. She carried a tray with a teapot on it in one hand, showing off her waitressing skillsā¦which in itself was fine, but Saito was rather baffled by Himariās attire. She wore knitted clothes with revealing shoulders and a long sweater that reached down to her waist, which barely didnāt cover her thighs. Below that was a Schrƶdingerās level question if she was wearing short pants or a skirt.
āOi, youāre not wearing anything below that sweater!ā
āHuh?! Wait, Iām wearing underwear!ā
āNot that! I donāt see you wearing a shirt or pants!ā
āAh, that? No worries, this sweater was designed that way. Itās like a one-piece dress.ā Himari laughed in a cute way and put down the two cups on the table.
Since she put her knees down on the floor, her thighs were in plain sight once again, troubling Saito with where to look.
āIām more than worriedā¦ā
āDid I get your heart racing?ā
ā…A bit.ā
āYay~!ā Himariās ears turned faintly red, as she poured some tea into a cup.
A pleasant smell filled the room, giving warmth and comfort.
āDonāt just stand around. Have a seat! Over here, over here~ā Himari pulled on Saitoās arm, having him sit down on the corner of the bed.
Saito hesitated too long and found himself abiding by her motion. He had a feeling like sitting next to a girl on said girlās bed would be more than just a bed, but moving away now would hurt Himariās feelings. Seeing no way out of this, Saito went to pick up his cup and took a sip. A pleasant taste filled his mouth, sinking deep down his throat.
āThis is pretty good.ā
āRight? They usually donāt sell these tea leaves in normal stores.ā
Himari also tried some of the tea, letting out a satisfied sigh. She stretched out her long, white legs and put her hands on her bed. Following that, she opened up her messenger app and showed Saito her screen.
āTake a look, this is our classās group chat.ā
āWe had that? Iām not part of that, you know.ā
āNeither is Akane. Said she couldnāt be bothered.ā
āAnd I wasnāt even askedā¦ā
āYou didnāt seem interested in the first place.ā
āI guess so, butā¦ā
Saito still felt hurt that nobody even bothered to ask him. Even more so when he saw Shisei being part of the chat, sending random emotes.
āMore importantly, look at this. Everyoneās talking about us.ā Himari swiped her finger along the screen, showing more messages.
āIshikura-san and Houjou-san seemed really close, huh!ā
āI saw them walking through the business district a few hours ago!ā
āSeriously? Are they on a date?ā
āThey were flirting like crazy.ā
āHimariii, tell us!ā
āDummy, sheās busy right now!ā
āAhā¦ā
āI figured~ā
āHoly smokes~ā
ā¦So on and so forth. All rumors about Saito and Akane were forgotten, as their classmates were hungry for more Himari x Saito material. Saito was filled with admiration.
āThatās crazyā¦your plan worked out perfectly.ā
āAhaha, that was just a fluke, really.ā
āI highly doubt that. On that bookshelf over there, I can see so many books about psychology. Were you studying up on this?ā
āAhā¦I guess.ā
āYouāre really good at controlling people, huh?ā
āGoodā¦Well, I had to get good at it or I wouldnāt be able to survive.ā
āWhat do you mean?ā
Himari wrapped her long sleeves around the teacup, gazing down at the water surface.
āI told you how I was bullied back in elementary school, right?ā
āYeah.ā
Since she looked flashy with blonde hair, she always attracted negative attention. The common consensus is to exile anything other than yourself, after all.
āThanks to Akaneās help, the bullying eventually stopped, but it rekindled when our classes changed. Akane ended up hated because she stepped for me, so I figured I couldnāt let things continue. I don’t want to trouble Akane any more than necessary, either.ā She spoke with a determined tone.
Unlike Akane, Himari was a kindhearted girl, but she had the will when she needed it.
āThatās why I learned a lot. So that nobody would dare to attack us. So that everybody would like me. And for that, I had to control their hearts.ā
ā…I see.ā
The reason Akane managed to keep her place in class despite her severe personality is probably because of Himariās assistance. No student had the courage to go against the friend of the schoolās most popular girl. Himari looked at Saito with a bit of worry in her eyes.
ā…I bet a girl like me isnāt cute at all.ā
āNo, I respect what youāve done for your friend.ā
The Houjou Family never hesitated to choose whatever method to obtain their goals. Compared to Tenryuuās acts in the past, Himariās efforts rather looked cute to Saito, and her motive was simple, too. However, there was one thing bothering him.
āI am a bit scaredā¦that you might use those techniques on me.ā
Himariās eyes opened wide in shock.
āI wouldnāt use them on people I care about! That wouldnāt be fair! Obtaining something through these means wouldnāt make me happy at all!ā
āI guess so.ā
However, going out with somebody meant using these techniques to some sort of degree, at least. Saito made sure to cook Akaneās favorite food, got her a present, and is generally working hard so that they could get along. When it came to tampering with someoneās heart to a small degree, Saito wasnāt any different from Himari.
āAnyway, you really helped me out a lot. Without you, we wouldāve been stuck in this mess forever. Sorry that you had to go through this.ā Saito lowered his head towards Himari.
āItās okay, I gained a lot from this, too.ā
āYou did?ā
āAfter all, I couldnāt ever hope to do something like this before. You have never come to my home before. Even playing pretend loversā¦it started with a lie, butā¦it doesnāt have to end that way, right?ā
The bed creaked. Himari put one hand on the bed, pushing her body towards Saito. A sweet fragrance drifted up from her bare shoulders.
āIām marriedā¦ā
āYou are, but itās like a forced marriage, right? Because of your family. Or, do you actually have feelings for Akane?ā
āIā¦donāt.ā
He shouldnāt have. He had seen Akaneās adorable expressions from time to time, but she gave him far too much trouble. With her looks, Saito couldnāt be faulted for almost falling victim to them. However, with Akane being the human equivalent of a violent dragon, there was no way Saito could fall in love with someone like that. After a brief silence, Himari placed her hand on Saitoās lap, bringing her face closer.
āThenā¦I have a chance, right? Iām totally fineā¦as your mistress, you know?ā She whispered passionately.
Her eyes were filled with lust and desire, entrapping Saito. He could feel his heart beating painfully fast. Realizing that she was serious and that she would accept him at any moment, Saitoās body started burning.
āDonāt sell yourself short.ā Saito tried to stop her, but Himari wouldnāt listen.
āIām not. If I can get you, Iām fine doing it in any way possible.ā
āEven as a mistress?ā
āThereās a girl who managed to even one-up me in that.ā
āHuhā¦?ā
āAhā¦ā
Saito narrowed his eyes when Himari covered her mouth.
āWho are you talking about?ā
āS-Sorry, forget about it.ā
āYou know I canāt forget about it. What are you on about?ā
āIām really sorry. That was my fault. I know nobody will be happy even if I complain about this.ā Himari grew silent.
Even if Saito questioned her further, getting information would be difficult. Saito sighed in resignation.
āIāll act like I didnāt hear about it.ā
āYeahā¦ā Himari lowered her head.
In order to get rid of this awkward atmosphere, Himari spoke up with an energetic voice.
āOh yeah! Saito-kun, arenāt you hungry? Letās eat dinner together. I may not be as good as Akane, but Iām fairly good at cooking.ā
āI canāt stay here for dinner, you know?ā
āTotally. Both Dad andā¦herā¦arenāt coming home today.ā
āAre they out on a trip?ā
She called her not her mother, which Saito got hung up on.
āNot a trip. When Iām hereā¦they both donāt come home.ā Himari put her fists together on her lap.
She was different from the usual popular girl at school, showing a weaker side of hers. Piercing solitude emitted from Himari.
ā…Weāre the same.ā
āHuh?ā
āBoth my parents hate me, too. They never came home, or did they come to watch me during my sports festival or during the parent-teacher day. Itās funny, right?ā
ā…I donāt think it is.ā Himari sighed.
āYeah, itās not funny at all.
āButā¦Iām happy to know that Iām not alone.ā Himari smiled.
Even though there was nothing to gain if they were kindred spirits, just sharing the same pain was some kind of saving grace for her. Realizing that, if he stayed in this sweet but oppressive atmosphere anymore, he might do something irreversible.
āI gotta go home now.ā
āYou canāt.ā Himari clung to Saitoās waist.
The distance between the two melted, as their heat turned into one. Her arms would not let him go, no matter what.
āHeyā¦ā
āJust a bitā¦longer, please? Iām so lonelyā¦ā
Saito couldnāt brush away the weeping Himari.
Even late at night, Saito showed no signs of coming home. Akane saw the two of them leaving the classroom together, so their date must be going on, still. What were they doing right now, and where? Maybe they were even staying over the night somewhere? Just thinking about that, Akane was feeling restless and she couldnāt focus on her studies. After working through one page of her questions, she realized that she was working on something outside of the scope of the exams an hour later.
āI canātā¦And itās all Saitoās faultā¦ā
Should she call Himari to ask for Saitoās location right now? But if Himari happened to give an immediate response, itād only hurt Akane more. Maybe she wouldnāt catch on to Saito coming home because she was sitting in her study room. This glimmer of hope inspired Akane to grab her reference book to the first floor and wait there. She sat down on the sofa in the living room and tried to work through her homework, but it was to no avail.
She turned on the TV, but no interesting show was on. She followed that by trying to heal herself by watching cat videos online, but that also had no effect. After what felt like endless agonizing solitude, she heard the front door opening.
āSaito!
Akane reflexively shot up, only to sit back down and fix her posture. If she rushed to the entrance to greet him, itād make it seem as if she was waiting for his return. Like a puppy waiting for its owner to come home. She couldnāt stand being humiliated like that. Instead, she stayed seated on the sofa, pretending to read through her reference book. Finally, Saito stepped into the living room, still wearing his student uniform. There were wrinkles visible in his blazer, and he seemed overall exhausted.
āIām home.ā
ā……ā
Saito awkwardly greeted Akane, who offered no response.
āWhatās wrong?ā
āNothing at all. Dinnerās on the table, so eat up and head to bed.ā
āDinnerā¦ā Saito winced as he saw the cup of ramen on the table. āDidnāt you say that cup ramen is bad for the body? Even when we had that fight, youād cook meals for me.ā
āI donāt care! You like it, right? Then just eat it and ruin your body!ā
āWhy are you so angry?ā
āIām not angry!ā Akane formed fists on her lap as she roared.
She really wasnāt angry. She knew that this fake dating plan was necessary to get their lives back to normality, and Saito was most likely working hard towards that. Saito wasnāt to be blamed. She shouldnāt reproach him. What he did with Himari, where he stayed with her, it all had nothing to do with Akane. Or so it should have been, but she could not hold back her curiosity. Her thoughts and feelings were in complete disarray, she was out of control.
āWere youā¦with Himari this entire time?ā
āY-Yeah. After taking a stroll through town, we stopped by her place.ā
āH-Her placeā¦What about her parents?ā
āWerenāt home today.ā
ā…!ā
Akane could look Saito in the face anymore, so she chose to run away. She rushed up the stairs and stormed into her own study room. Pushing her back against the closed door, she took a deep breath. Her heartbeat was starting to feel painful, as she could feel it in her ears. Just what were these feelings she had? She had no idea. Why was this black lump located in her heart bothering her so much? It drove her insane. And at that moment, she received an incoming phone call from Himari.
āHelloā¦ā
āAkane, did Saito-kun get home safely?ā
Himariās voice was as energetic and cheerful as always. Or rather, she sounded a lot more excited than usual.
ā…Yes.ā
*Good! He already ate dinner with me, so you donāt have to worry about that.ā
āI never was. Didnāt make anything, either.ā
āPerfect, then. Listen to this, Akane, when I said he could join me for a bath, he was so embarrassed!ā
āI donāt wanna hear that!ā Akane roared.
Himari, naturally, didnāt know how to react to that.
āA-Akane? Whatās got you so riled up? Youāll make me go deaf if you scream like that.ā
āS-Sorryā¦ā Akaneās shoulders tensed up.
Himari isnāt to be blamed for this. All she tried to do was help Saito and Akane in their time of need, driven by nothing but goodwill.
āUm, Himariā¦being pretend lovers must be a lot of burden on you, right? You can stop if itās too muchā¦ā
āI donāt feel bothered at all. Even if itās not real, Iām fine having this kind of relationship with Saito-kun.ā
āButā¦the rumors are mostly goneā¦ā
āItās not enough. We have to do more.ā
āHow long do you plan on keeping this goingā¦?ā
āFor the rest of our lives, maybe?ā Himari laughed.
āFor the rest of their livesā¦
Did she mean it as a fake couple, or as a genuine one? Out of the blue, the tone of Himariās voice dropped drastically.
ā…Do you not want this? Saito-kun and I ending up in this sort of relationship? If youāre feeling jealous, then Iāll stop.ā
āI-Iām not jealous! I donāt have any feelings for that guy!ā Akane felt heat rushing to her nape and further up.
āThen itās totally A-okay! You and Saito-kun can live together as before, and Iām allowed to be as lovey-dovey as I want with him! Everyoneās happy, and we have no problem, right?ā
āYeahā¦no problem at allā¦ā
So she said, but this restless sensation in her chest didnāt subside no matter what she told herself.
NGL, I am rooting for himari
Akane behaviour like a brat
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Thank you very much for the translation.
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Ngl akane childish behaviour kinda piss me off. Saito better be off with himarin.
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The plot is gaining new revs, damn it, it is a very interesting novel. I look forward to the new chapter, according to my guessings. This volume will probably be the last. Thanks for the translation
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Nah bro, trust me this plot line is related to the Youtube Manga Version. Already have an idea what’s gonna be the next Volume’s plot
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What YouTube manga? How I can find it?
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She might not be using psychology on Saito but what about Akane?
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Damn akane is so easily hated itās not even funny. Anyway Himarin for the W ( even tho itās 100% gonna be akane)
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ālawyers who probably got their license from the black market with how they object to their own questionsā.
Seems familiar. A guy who’s lawyer of an artist heresaying and objecting to his own questions… Anyone else? Can’t seem to remember
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Jesus Christ, Akane is being unlikeable for dramas but I can’t take it – this is way too retarded, it seems like she took two step forward back in vol.3 but then three steps back in vol.4 and 5. Goddamn it author-san, I know you can do it without making it contrived.
As usual, thanks Batts.
Aces, out.
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it’s obvious that himari is destined to lose but she really deserved to win here.
also, it seems that himari is not what she is on surface.
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Ugh, not sure what the author is trying to do. Now we have harem, NTR, drama… Saito is cruel for going along with Himari, but of course the author wants to push the drama.. Akame has been a side character since volume 3
Thanks for such a fast translation!
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Mientras no se haga que Akane se vuelva mĆ”s o estĆ” con sus sentimientos bien podrĆa ganar Himari pero se que esto solo ara que ellos al final se vuelvan mĆ”s unidos Akane y saito son muy listos pero en esto Himaria pare que los manipula me preguntĆ³ cĆ³mo le ara Akane para resolver sus sentimientos ahora
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thank you so much for the translation!
the Chinese translation has not finished yet, so what i can do is to translate the English translation into Chinese via Google…
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Himari is better than Akane anyway
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