Misuzu was curious.
What exactly was the relationship between Yuuna and Kouhei?
Kouhei's ability allowed him to strengthen those with whom he shared deep bonds—the stronger the connection, the greater the power they received. Given that, it wasn't strange that he was close to Yuuna. However, their closeness… felt different. It wasn't just camaraderie or the bond of allies. It was sothing intimate. Sothing that made Misuzu suspect they might be lovers.
Not that she minded, of course. If that truly was the case, then she wholeheartedly supported it.
And yet… it wasn't just Yuuna.
That sa invisible thread of connection linked Kouhei to others in the Yuuna Faction—Hina, Nagisa, even Aria. Their bonds with him had deepened, their power growing in tandem. anwhile, Misuzu… remained the sa.
That realization gnawed at her.
Not only was her connection with Kouhei stagnant, but she could feel herself falling behind in strength. While the others soared higher, she was left struggling to keep pace. A hollow sensation twisted in her chest, sothing bitter and suffocating.
"I want to get closer to Okumura-kun."
The words left her lips in a quiet murmur, but the determination in her eyes was fierce. Clenching her fist tightly, she steeled herself.
And then, she noticed it.
Her classmates were staring at her.
An awkward silence stretched in the air as they eyed her clenched fist and resolute expression, their gazes filled with a mixture of amusent and confusion.
Face flushing in embarrassnt, she hastily relaxed her hand and cleared her throat.
***
"Kouhei."
A soft voice called his na. It was laced with patience, yet firm enough to stir him from his half-conscious state.
Hina stood beside his desk, gazing down at him as he lay sprawled out, his head buried in his arms. The golden afternoon light filtered through the windows, casting a glow over her long, silken hair.
"It's lunchti. Let's go," she said.
Kouhei let out a muffled groan before lifting his head, his dark eyes still drowsy. "Ah… sorry, Hina-san," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head. "I actually planned on joining Yuki-san today."
Hina tilted her head to the side. "Misuzu?"
"Yeah," he replied, stretching his arms. "Yuuna-san said I should focus on deepening my bonds with everyone as much as possible. It'll help strengthen them."
That was his power.
Although he was just a mortal human, Kouhei possessed an ability unlike any other—he could amplify the strength of those he shared a bond with. And the closer he beca to them, the greater their power grew.
Given that the Yuuna Faction was currently at war with the Souichiro Faction, Yuuna had urged him to strengthen his ties with as many mbers as possible.
He still rembered her words from their conversation after the last battle—after they had barely survived against a Corrupted One.
"I was reminded of just how hopelessly outclassed we are against the Souichiro Faction."
There had been exhaustion in her voice. A rare, almost vulnerable mont.
"That's why I need you to get closer with the others. I won't force you, but…"
Kouhei had already made up his mind back then.
"No," he had answered firmly. "I've already decided—I'll help the faction as much as I can."
Yuuna had nodded approvingly before adding, "Actually… there's another issue. Misuzu has been having stalker problems. She's working as a model now, and she's been getting a lot of attention. Which, honestly, was expected. But now she's attracting the wrong kind of attention. So creep has been following her. I need you to watch over her. With this, you can also work your way to strengthen your bond with her."
Kouhei had agreed imdiately. There had been no hesitation.
And yet, now that the reality of the situation set in, he found himself at a loss.
How exactly was he supposed to guard soone? He had never been in a situation where he had to act as a bodyguard. Sure, he had played gas with similar scenarios—where the protagonist had to protect a heroine from a stalker—but reality was vastly different from a scripted event.
Would he have to follow her everywhere? Keep an eye on her surroundings? Confront the stalker directly?
He wasn't sure.
Still, he had given his word.
"I'm having lunch with Yuki-san today, so I'm sorry, Hina-san," he said, looking up at her. "I won't be able to join you."
For a mont, Hina simply stared at him.
Then, ever so slightly, her expression shifted—her usual, emotionless expression faltering just a little.
"I see…" she murmured.
"You're not mad, are you, Hina-san?" Kouhei asked hesitantly, his gaze fixed on her.
Hina was always emotionless, her expression never betraying what she felt. But today… sothing was different.
Her face was the sa as always—blank, emotionless. And yet, there was sothing beneath the surface, sothing he couldn't quite place. It was subtle, but it was there. A stiffness in her posture, the faintest twitch at the corner of her lips.
It wasn't irritation, nor was it outright anger, but it was off.
"Eh? I'm not… really…"
Even she seed confused.
This odd sensation simring in her chest—was this what people called anger?
It was new to her, unfamiliar. And yet, it pulsed, undeniable.
"But maybe I am…" she murmured, eyes narrowing slightly. "I can't really understand it myself. Maybe it's because… you're having lunch with soone else instead of , Kouhei."
She paused, her fingers subtly tightening around the hem of her skirt.
"I an, you did tell yesterday that we'd go together, right? We haven't had lunch together at all lately."
Her voice wasn't accusing, nor was it sulking. It was simply… honest. And for so reason, that made Kouhei's guilt hit even harder.
"I'm really sorry," he said, bowing his head slightly.
He ant it.
Hina had never been the type to dwell on things like this. For her to feel this way—sothing that wasn't just the usual calm neutrality—ant that what he did was wrong.
She studied him for a mont before letting out a small sigh. Then, suddenly—
"I'll forgive you," she said, lips curling into a teasing smirk.
And just like that, the flicker of emotion vanished.
Her expression returned to its usual composed state, as if the mont had never happened.
"But," she added, tilting her head slightly, "you have to make it up to ."
Kouhei swallowed. "Make it up to you…?"
"Take on a date next weekend," she said smoothly. "Just like you did with Aria."
The second those words left her lips—
The entire classroom froze.
A tangible shift rippled through the room.
Ears perked up. Conversations died mid-sentence.
A charged silence settled in the air, thick with unspoken curiosity. It was as if every single person had been waiting for sothing interesting to happen, and now that it had, they weren't about to let it slip by unnoticed.
Kouhei felt the weight of their stares pressing down on him.
"O-Okay," he managed to mutter, his voice stiff with awkwardness.
Hina's smile deepened.
But this ti, it wasn't her usual playful, teasing smirk. It was sothing softer.
A real, genuine smile. The kind of smile that made Kouhei's heart stutter just a little.
Before he could fully process it, movent at the doorway caught his attention.
A tall figure stepped into view, her presence effortlessly commanding.
The girl's golden-blonde hair cascaded in silky waves down to her hips, its sheer length alone enough to make her stand out. But what truly set her apart was the striking gradient at the ends—fading into a srizing shade of ocean blue, shimring subtly under the classroom lights.
She leaned against the doorfra with a confident ease, her sharp eyes scanning the room before locking onto him.
Then, with a bright, almost playful smile—
"Okumura-kun! I'm here!"
The voice rang through the room, clear and unmistakable.
Yuki Misuzu.
Instantly, the air in the classroom shifted.
Every pair of eyes turned to the doorway.
Then—slowly, almost comically—they all turned back to Kouhei.
The weight of their collective gazes was heavy.
A hushed murmur spread through the room like wildfire, whispers buzzing beneath the surface.
"Why is Yuki-senpai coming to our classroom just to see Okumura?"
That single thought echoed in the minds of every student present.
Confusion rippled through the room like a sudden gust of wind. Whispers spread, hushed yet urgent, as eyes darted between Kouhei and the tall, elegant figure standing at the doorway.
Ever since Kouhei and Hina had started growing closer, it felt as if all of the most beautiful girls on campus had inexplicably begun gravitating toward him.
First, there was Nagisa, who had developed an undeniable bond with him. Then, there was the graceful and charismatic Student Council President, Sarushima Yuuna, whose presence alone was enough to command admiration. On top of that, he had so kind of connection with Kozue from the class next door.
And now, standing at the classroom doorway in all her dazzling glory, was yet another campus beauty—Yuki Misuzu.
It didn't make sense.
Misuzu was not just admired—she was known.
A model whose face had graced magazine covers, and lately, rumors suggested she was stepping into the world of acting as well. She was a striking presence, both on campus and beyond.
Her long, flowing golden-blonde hair, strikingly unique with its ocean-blue tips, set her apart from everyone else. Her tall, statuesque figure was perfectly proportioned, every movent effortlessly exuding grace. And with her sharp, refined beauty—elegant yet captivating—it was no wonder that the entertainnt industry had already taken notice of her.
She was the kind of woman who naturally drew attention wherever she went.
And yet…
She was close to Okumura Kouhei.
A guy who, since the very first year, had been nothing more than a quiet, loner otaku.
It was baffling.
It was absurd.
And to everyone watching, it was completely incomprehensible.
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