“So… how about I teach you a thing or two?”
“No, no—don’t waste your study time on me.”
Ayumu Genya hastily declined Yui Asou’s friendly offer, which only deepened her irritation. With a cold snort, she turned and left the classroom first.
Yui was clearly upset, but Ayumu had no intention of comforting her. He simply followed at a steady distance—close enough not to lose her, yet far enough to keep his space.
Yui knew he was trailing her; she’d glanced back several times. Even when their eyes met, Ayumu remained utterly indifferent, leaving her helpless. She deliberately slowed her pace, but the gap barely shifted. There was no way he didn’t notice she was waiting—it was obvious.
*“What’s wrong with this guy?”*
Yui could only scream inwardly at Ayumu’s painfully dense behavior. Pride kept her from stopping to wait, so she trudged home in silent frustration.
Ayumu wasn’t overthinking it. Since Yohei Takagi and Tatsuya Inoue had left early, Yui was safe. Trailing behind let him think undisturbed, avoid unnecessary talk, and prevent her affection from growing—truly killing three birds with one stone.
He pondered how to act against Yohei and Tatsuya. Hoping they’d repent was pointless—a leopard doesn’t change its spots. At minimum, they needed expulsion.
How? He already had a plan. He might even play the villain. The real worry: would forcing them out trigger fiercer retaliation? And worse—would it drag in yakuza connections?
Honestly, Ayumu was trapped. His priority now: confirm whether Yohei and Tatsuya had yakuza ties—and if so, how deep they ran.
…
After school, Hina Mizuno worked two part-time jobs: shelving books at a library, then serving food and drinks at an izakaya. Saitama Sakae High dismissed at 3:15 PM. Hina worked the library from 3:30 to 5:30, then the izakaya from 6:00 to 8:00.
She barely covered her expenses, but felt zero regret. She’d finally escaped *that* home—and would never, ever return.
That day, she shelved returned books as usual. Everything seemed normal… until unexpected visitors shattered her quiet routine.
Passing the reading area, Hina spotted Yohei Takagi and Tatsuya Inoue—each holding a book, seated calmly. Her heart lurched; she nearly emailed Ayumu in panic. But after steadying herself, she chose silence.
*“They aren’t searching for me… maybe it’s coincidence. Besides… what right do I have to ask Genya for help?”*
Clutching a fragile hope that their presence was unrelated, Hina didn’t realize they’d come with purpose.
Just as she turned to avoid them, a burst of loud laughter erupted behind her. Yohei and Tatsuya sat in the library’s main study zone—surrounded by focused readers, yet Hina instantly recognized Yohei’s voice.
The library, meant for quiet study, was now disrupted by their boisterous chatter and mocking laughs. Others frowned in annoyance but stayed silent—intimidated by the two’s delinquent aura.
Hina didn’t intervene. Stepping in would only worsen things, so she watched from the shadows.
Then someone did step forward: her supervisor, the library manager.
“Quiet down. Your noise is disturbing others. Stop immediately—or leave.”
His voice was firm, unwavering. Two choices: comply or go. No hesitation. Pure authority.
But before Hina processed their reply, she realized—their target had been her all along.
“We’re Hina Mizuno’s classmates!” Yohei feigned innocence. “She *invited* us here to hang out like this. Said it’d be totally fine.”
He dumped all blame onto her. The words struck like lightning. Hina froze, knees weak, as if the ground had vanished beneath her.
“Hina. Come out and explain.”
A calm yet commanding voice cut through the room. Not loud—but impossible to ignore.
