After breaking up, my ex asked me to win her back

Of course, the ability itself is not wrong: abilities are merely tools, instruments, weapons.

The mistake lies in how they are used.

One should only use abilities when necessary and never let curiosity overpower them in everyday life.

After learning several lessons from relying on mind-reading, Kagura Hikaru had been quietly following this rule until today.

Rules are very important.

They pertain to one's future life, what kind of person one wants to become, what kind of person one will become.

Kagura Hikaru had no ambition to become a politician or a wealthy tycoon, and he certainly did not want to end up like his ancestors. His wish was modest: to live a safe and happy life until his last days.

He would not force Komori Ai to bind herself as he did.

After all, demanding something from others is different from demanding it from oneself.

But this point was very clear.

Kagura Hikaru disliked how Komori Ai easily disregarded a person's dignity, forcing him/her to do something unwillingly, especially if it was for the benefit of others.

This was a trampling of a person's character.

An overstepping of boundaries.

And he strongly disliked people who did such things.

"..."

Apparently sensing the anger hidden under his expressionless face, Komori Ai slowly and cautiously nodded, then turned and ran off, leaving the shopping cart behind.

Had he frightened her?

Only a few seconds had passed when Komori Ai circled back from the front, holding two ice creams she had just taken from the convenience store's fridge and handed one to him.

Kagura Hikaru accepted the ice cream and together with Komori Ai, started eating after tearing off the wrapper.
Your journey continues at empire

In the silent atmosphere, they reached a reconciliation.

They just forgot that one should not open goods that had not yet been purchased in the convenience store.

Under the condemning gaze of the store clerk, Kagura Hikaru awkwardly carried an umbrella he had just purchased, along with two large bags of snacks, and exited the convenience store with Komori Ai and Saijo Mari.

"Pfft, I didn't expect Classmate Kagura to be neglectful too; it's quite surprising," Saijo Mari turned her head away, covering her mouth and snickering.

Kagura Hikaru glanced sideways, stubbornly explaining, "I merely forgot for a moment, a natural human reaction."

A light drizzle fell outside.

Saijo Mari and Kagura Hikaru, each holding a clear and a black umbrella, walked side by side on the street.

Unseen by others, Komori Ai hid under Kagura Hikaru's umbrella, munching on a bag of tomato-flavored chips.

The incident she had initiated led to a not too big, not too small consequence.

Saijo Mari really treated Kagura Hikaru as though he were a psychologist, pouring out her troubles without leaving anything out.

Family conflicts, troubles with classmates, a disobedient younger sister, a boy who had confessed to her the day before, the upcoming menstrual cycle...

It turns out girls have so many worries; Kagura Hikaru was nearly overwhelmed, remembering just a third of it was already doing well.

Saijo Mari didn't seem to expect him to remember; she just talked unabashedly.

This torture continued until their paths diverged at an intersection, and they had to part ways.

"So, Mr. Kagura, see you tomorrow~"

"Um, yes... see you tomorrow."

When did he become 'Mr. Kagura' again?

Kagura Hikaru thought to himself.

They bid each other farewell and headed in different directions.

Halfway through, Kagura Hikaru suddenly remembered that Komori Ai had said that Saijo Mari's state would be lifted by tomorrow morning, which meant that she would maintain this 'blabbermouth state' at least for tonight.

He wondered if it would cause trouble for her family; if so, all he could say was sorry.

After Saijo Mari's departure, the atmosphere gradually quietened down.

Kagura Hikaru walked silently.

In the rain, sharing one umbrella with a fifteen-year-old girl, walking the streets of Tokyo.

This experience was not entirely absent.

But even compared to half a day earlier, when he thought he had encountered a ghost or the Mountain God, even he had to admit how unpredictable life could be.

He looked down at Komori Ai, who was silently munching on chips.

She didn't seem to be harboring any unpleasant feelings, but at the same time, there were no pleasant ones either.

Actually, it seemed like ever since the first time he had met her, Komori Ai had never shown any emotions.

"Do you have a place to stay? I can take you home," Kagura Hikaru said to her.

"No need." Komori Ai stepped under the awning of a bakery, reaching out her hand.

Kagura Hikaru understood and handed her the bag filled with snacks.

He had intended to give her both bags, but Komori Ai only took one and then stared steadily at him.

"What's up?"

"I had a lot of fun today, didn't expect you to actually hang out with me."

"We did have an appointment, after all."

"Brother Kagura, you really are a strange person... in capabilities and otherwise."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing at all~" Komori Ai said with a cute laugh, lifting the hand that held the snack bag, "I'll come find you again next time, goodbye!"

"Wait, there's one more thing."

"?"

"On the night we stayed at the campsite, I saw a figure outside the tent. Was that you?"

"It rained that night, right? Why would I run around outside? I was sleeping until morning."

"Were you, though..."

Kagura Hikaru's face fell.

That was the expression of someone who had encountered a ghost.

Damn!

"Well, this time it's really goodbye."

"Uh... goodbye."

Kagura Hikaru walked a few steps, then turned back, but the girl's figure had already vanished.

He walked on, puzzled, toward the direction of his home.

At that moment, he was completely unaware of the issues surrounding Komori Ai and the fact that she had no choice but to leave, rather than choosing to do so herself.

The next time he saw Komori Ai was much later.

..............

"Men's 60-meter dash, please raise your hand... Women's 60-meter dash, please raise your hand... Men's 1000-meter relay, please raise your hand..."

The next morning, in class 2A, during study period.

The bespectacled female class president stood at the podium, recording the sign-ups for the sports day from the students in her class.

In class 2A there were Kiryu Hina and Ayakoji Chiyoko, but the president was neither of them; it was a girl named Hagawa Reki, who had no connection to elections.

The reason was obvious, as there was only one president's position, and if one didn't win the election, the other would have to be the vice president.

And the one who lost would certainly not be satisfied, leading to a meaningless war.

To prevent their class from becoming a smoke-filled battlefield, they both decided to take a step back and agreed that neither would compete.

If only they could be so aware in the Student Council elections.

"... Men's 3000-meter endurance run, please raise your hand."

Kagura Hikaru raised his right hand.

The female class president glanced at him and wrote down 'Kagura Hikaru' on the list.

That morning, when Kagura Hikaru arrived at school, he discovered that he had been promoted to Vice President of the Disciplinary Committee.

When he got to school, Discipline Committee members bowed collectively to greet him, startling the surrounding students, who wondered if some underworld bigwig had arrived.

Kagura Hikaru was also helpless. Which vice president would have such a grand entrance? Clearly, it was Ayakoji Chiyoko's doing.

She wanted him to sign up for sports day to boost the prestige of the Disciplinary Committee. Kagura Hikaru couldn't refuse, so he let her have her way.

So far, he had signed up for '60-meter three-legged race', 'scavenger race', and 'men's 3000-meter endurance run'.

He thought that was already plenty, but then Ayakoji Chiyoko whispered in his ear like a devil, "Sign me up for swimming too, remember, all of it."

Kagura Hikaru silently rolled his eyes.

Do you think I'm a cow, with endless energy?!