The Heroines All Regretted It

"That boy... the one who brought flowers the other day—is he really coming with his mother?"

Even though Eriri already knew the answer, she couldn't help asking again. She didn't want to accept it.

Yoru's mother, who was so close with her own mom, was coming over as a guest?

"Eriri, I know you don't like strangers, but it's fine."

"And remember to tidy up a bit, just in case you've missed something."

Sayuri placed the watermelon on the counter and casually picked up a fruit knife to slice it.

"I got it already!"

Eriri responded with a bit of annoyance, though she didn't fully show it.

Letting Yoru into her home—it felt like sending a cute little lamb into the jaws of a terrifying T-Rex.

"Dad's not even home..."

Eriri left the dining room with heavy steps.

It was no surprise. Her father was a busy diplomat, often away, leaving just her and her mom to hold down the house.

"Damn it, why did it end up like this?"

Eriri recalled the offer she had made earlier, a faint blush rising on her cheeks.

She had put forth that kind of condition.

Yoru had outright rejected her and even humiliated her, calling her a dumb little bitch.

"I'm not a bitch..."

"Not before, not now, not ever!"

Eriri clenched her teeth, angrily pounding the sofa with her tiny fists.

Since there was still some time, she cleaned up the living room, then sat down hugging her knees, filled with complicated emotions.

...

"We're almost there. This area's pretty spacious, huh?"

Yoru's mother, Megumi, turned the steering wheel and glanced at her son through the rearview mirror.

"Yeah, it's my first time here too."

Yoru chuckled lightly.

As the car turned uphill, Yoru unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Back here again. This really is a luxurious neighborhood..."

"Rich people's homes."

Yoru looked at the familiar scenery. Quiet and private, with barely any pedestrians or cars around.

Tall hedges and flowerbeds lined both sides of the wide road.

A perfect place to walk your dog at midnight.

The car stopped smoothly in front of the iron gate of a walled estate.

"We're here."

Megumi had already seen Sayuri and Eriri standing outside to greet them.

Yoru carried a gift bag and stepped out of the car unhurriedly, his expression calm.

As if it were his first time visiting.

Smile...

"Oh Megumi, you're finally here..."

"And this is... huh? Who's this?"

Sayuri greeted Megumi warmly, then suddenly paused when she noticed Yoru. Her eyes scanned him curiously.

What a handsome young man...

That was the first thought that popped into Sayuri's mind.

"Auntie Sayuri, I'm Yoru... haha..."

"I've been dieting, so maybe that's why you didn't recognize me..."

Yoru laughed awkwardly and quickly glanced at Eriri.

The always-proud young lady was hanging her head, completely avoiding eye contact with him.

"Really? You've changed so much..."

"Looks like you inherited your mother's good looks perfectly."

Sayuri spoke with the air of a young woman. She even looked quite young herself.

"Mom!"

Eriri glared at Sayuri with displeasure.

Even her own mom was like this? What the heck?

'This fat pig, mutt, scumbag pervert foot freak... what's so great about him...'

Grumbling internally, Eriri glanced up at Yoru and gave a dissatisfied snort.

"This is my daughter, Eriri. She's also a student at Shuchiin. Do you two know each other?"

Sayuri thought Eriri was just being shy and introduced her.

"Eriri... no..."

"I don't think Miss Sawamura knows me, but I know her. She's famous in the art club, a real star."

Yoru pretended not to recognize Eriri at all.

In truth, he knew her better than she knew herself.

"N-Nice to meet you. I'm Eriri Sawamura..."

Eriri forced a stiff smile, her eyes blazing with fury.

"Let's head inside. We can rest a bit and then eat."

Sayuri kept a warm smile.

Megumi was also smiling happily.

Anyone with eyes could see both moms were in a great mood.

Yoru followed silently at the back, carrying the gifts.

In the small garden, Sayuri waved at Eriri to stay behind while she and Megumi chatted.

With the sun setting and some golden light still lingering, she started showing off her little garden.

Yoru relaxed a bit and followed behind Eriri into the luxurious villa.

"Nice to meet you, Eriri."

Yoru changed into slippers and casually handed the gift to Eriri while activating his mind-reading ability.

[I want to kill you. Beat you to death. I hate your guts!]

Eriri angrily snatched the gift and glared at Yoru with hatred.

"You brought this on yourself. I've been pretty tolerant already!"

Yoru's expression darkened.

"We're even. You destroyed me too."

"...Tch..."

Eriri recalled painful memories. Her eyes turned moist.

"Once you clear things up, we'll really be even. From now on, we'll go our separate ways."

Yoru stepped aside and sprawled out comfortably on the sofa.

"I understand."

Eriri tucked away her vulnerable side. She didn't want to show weakness in front of Yoru.

Truthfully, her mind was a mess.

She was only barely holding herself together.

After sitting and resting for around ten minutes, Megumi and Sayuri returned, chatting away.

After washing up, it was time to eat.

The Sawamura family's dining room was huge—almost the size of Yoru's entire apartment living room.

Megumi and Sayuri sat across from each other, completely absorbed in their conversation, ignoring their children.

From shoes and clothes to gardening fertilizer and skincare... even complaining about their husbands...

"Ugh... damn bastard..."

Eriri only had eyes for Yoru—not out of love, but sheer hatred.

She picked up a spiny crab, bit into it with her pearly white teeth, and vented her frustration.

Yoru acted as if he didn't notice, calmly eating his dinner.

The happier he looked, the more upset Eriri became.

He picked up a large shrimp, peeled it, popped it into his mouth, and showed a satisfied expression.

Eriri couldn't take it. Under the table, she kicked toward him with her foot clad in a short white sock.

Unfortunately, her leg was too short. She barely grazed him, and it didn't hurt at all.

"This little golden retriever..."

Yoru fought back. He picked up a steamed abalone and, in full view of Eriri, licked it with his tongue.

Eriri was so shocked she almost yelped. Her eyes widened in a mix of surprise and shame, and she hurriedly looked down.

"Heh..."

Yoru chuckled coldly. A flicker of mischief ignited in his heart.

After that, Eriri didn't dare act out anymore.

She numbly chewed through her fancy meal.

Megumi and Sayuri chatted happily, even bringing out wine to drink.

Once the meal ended, Yoru politely excused himself and left the dining room.

"That guy..."

Eriri muttered under her breath. Goosebumps vanished from her smooth, pale skin.

At the same time, she relaxed her tightly pressed thighs.

She had been clenching them the whole time—completely exhausting.

"Mom, Auntie, I'm full too."

Eriri had barely eaten half. She had no appetite at all.

In the living room, Yoru was replying to Gabriel's message.

She had been too hooked on gaming and forgot to pay the utility bills at the convenience store.

She didn't want to go out at night, just wanted to borrow some electricity from Yoru's place.

He'd definitely agree. The door wasn't locked.

Gabriel, holding her laptop and wearing a light one-piece pajama outfit with slippers, rushed over.

"Meow?"

San-san perked up cautiously from the sofa.

"San-san, it's me..."

Gabriel walked over to the small sofa, gently stroked San-san's chubby round head.

"You've gotten even fatter. Round like a ball."

"Humans really love creatures like this..."

Impatiently, Gabriel opened her laptop but quickly realized this spot wasn't ideal.

So?

Why not go to Yoru's bedroom?

After all, the owner said she could use anything freely.

Still holding the laptop, Gabriel turned on the bedroom light and went straight to Yoru's desk.

"What's this?"

A high-end, elegant sketchbook caught her attention.

She looked at it curiously, but thinking it was wrong to peek, decided not to open it. Raiden Shogun was more fun anyway.

Someone at school was organizing a cosplay club, right?

Named Kitagawa...?

Moving aside the study notes and sketchbooks by Eriri that were on the desk, Gabriel placed her laptop and plugged it in.

Thud—

The books Gabriel moved must've not been aligned properly and suddenly slipped off the desk.

Annoyed, she got up and bent over to pick them up.

One of Eriri's sketchbooks, filled with concept art, flipped open...

"Huh? What's this?!"

Gabriel just happened to catch a glimpse of the blush-inducing contents and softly gasped in surprise.

Still bent over, she didn't react with shyness like other girls might, instead examining it more carefully.

A moment later—

Curious like a kitten, Gabriel picked up the luxurious sketchbook and flipped to the next page.

The chair felt uncomfortable, so she sprawled out on Yoru's bed.

Eyes filled with curiosity, she flipped to the first page and began admiring from the start.

Genshin was momentarily forgotten.

...

Eriri came out from the dining area and saw Yoru munching on watermelon while playing on his phone. Instantly furious, she rolled her eyes and went upstairs.

"Eriri, wait."

Yoru spat out a watermelon seed into a tissue.

"What... what do you want?"

Eriri turned back nervously, glancing toward the dining room.

Sayuri and Yoru's mom, Megumi, were chatting happily, already finishing one bottle of wine and opening a second.

"You think this is the right place to talk?"

Yoru tossed the watermelon rind in the trash and grabbed another slice.

"I don't want to talk to you..."

Eriri was barely holding back her anger.

"Come with me."

Yoru got up, still chewing on watermelon.

Hesitating, Eriri reluctantly followed him to the small garden outside.

In the garden, solar-powered lights automatically turned on as evening fell.

"Give me your contact info."

Yoru held a watermelon slice in one hand and pulled out his phone with the other.

"W-Why should I give it to you?!"

Eriri took half a step back in confusion.

Her phone only had contacts of close friends from the art club, plus her little sister Sagiri. Not even Tomoya had her info.

He never asked, and she'd never offer.

"You're stalling. If you don't give it to me, I'll go tell Kasumigaoka Utaha everything. I need to prove the truth somehow, right?"

"I'll have her call or video you."

Yoru spoke calmly.

"Whatever you say... ugh..."

Eriri, knowing she couldn't avoid this, reluctantly gave him her LINE and number in defeat.

"There, that wasn't so hard. So what's the deal between you and Kasumigaoka?"

Yoru saved the info and casually asked.

For a pampered girl like Eriri to piss off Kasumigaoka Utaha that badly—to the point she acted out of spite—it was pretty unusual.

"None of your damn business... jerk... I'll kill you!"

"It has absolutely nothing to do with you!"

Eriri clenched her fists in rage, suddenly burst into tears, and lunged at Yoru.

All he felt from her was overwhelming chaos and rage.

"Hmph."

Yoru had long experienced how soft and flexible Eriri's petite body was.

With a cold snort, he easily caught her small fists in his large palm and pulled her into his arms.

"If you hit me again, I swear, you'll regret it. Think you can get revenge later? Just wait and see."

Yoru warned her coldly.

This dumb bitch brought it on herself.

Why should he feel bad?

"Let me go! Get off!"

Eriri struggled with all her might in his embrace.

Their bodies pressed tightly together.

From afar, it would absolutely look like a couple being intimate.

"Get lost."

Yoru looked down at her tear-streaked face.

She really was pitiful.

But there wasn't a shred of sympathy—only the twisted joy of tormenting this haughty, adorable, fair-skinned half-Japanese tsundere.

He shoved her away without hesitation.

"Cute face, shame about the brain."

"No—actually, you're just a dog bitch."

He added.

"You're the dog! If I'm a dog, I'll bite you and give you rabies!"

Eriri yelled, pounding her chest in frustration.

"Don't go killing yourself, Eriri..."

"If you die, we can't go down together. What about that barking video of yours?"

Yoru lifted his phone.

"I'd never, jerk! Stay away from me!"

"I never want to see you again!"

Eriri's eyes were ablaze. She stomped her foot hard.

"You think I want to be near you?"

Yoru scoffed.

"Screw you!"

She stormed off.

Yoru didn't stop her. This dumb bitch... heh.

After strolling around outside for a while, Yoru finally headed back.

It was a little after 8 p.m.

His mom, Megumi, tipsy and poor with alcohol, was helped out by Sayuri, who was also a little drunk.

"Yoru-kun, help Auntie out. I'm pretty drunk too."

Sayuri called out.

No need for her to say anything—Yoru stood up and came over.

"How are you supposed to get home this drunk?"

Yoru held his mom's arm.

"Sleep... sleep... ugh..."

Megumi barely raised her head, but her stomach churned before she could finish a word.

"Help your mom to the bathroom."

"The car's out of commission. There's still plenty of guest rooms. Stay the night and look after her."

Sayuri looked at Yoru.

"I can stay, but will it be a bother?"

Yoru helped Megumi toward the restroom.

"Not at all. You're just a kid, and we have plenty of space."

"I'll arrange a driver for tomorrow morning. You and Eriri can go to Shuchiin together."

Sayuri smiled carefreely.

Inside the bathroom, Yoru supported his mother as she threw up for quite a while.

Feeling a little better and more clear-headed, his mom sat on the toilet to rest.

"Mom, you drank too much."

Yoru muttered.

"I'm just happy..."

Megumi squinted at her son.

A son who was healthy and had grown into a handsome man made her so happy she drank too much.

A little later, Sayuri, also tipsy, brought two cups of tea to help sober up.

She drank one herself and gave the other to Megumi.

Together, they helped her into the guest room to sleep.

Yoru then took the initiative to help Sayuri clean up the mess in the dining room.

Although it looked like scraps, there was actually a lot of food left.

These were luxury ingredients that most ordinary families couldn't afford to eat even once a year.

"Thank you, Yoru-kun."

Sayuri packed up the kitchen waste.

"No problem, Aunt Sayuri. Where's your husband?"

Yoru asked casually.

"Him? He's always busy with work and rarely comes home."

Sayuri answered without hesitation.

After all, this boy—her best friend's son—was handsome, polite, thoughtful... What bad intentions could he possibly have?

Talking about her husband, Sayuri sighed softly under the influence of alcohol.

"Yoru-kun, how's Eriri usually like at school?"

True to a mother's nature, Sayuri soon asked about Eriri.

"Well… this is actually our first time meeting, so I don't really know her."

Yoru gave an awkward smile, playing it off well.

"And at school? How is my Eriri there?"

Sayuri continued asking.

"I'm not too sure. She's cute and popular, I guess."

Yoru felt awkward. He didn't want to continue this topic.

"Then, Yoru-kun, what do you think of Eriri?"

Sayuri suddenly looked up and asked.

"Huh? What do I think?"

Yoru continued cleaning the plates.

"I mean, how do you feel about her? I don't object to Eriri dating, you know. And you're very handsome."

Sayuri raised an eyebrow at him.

"Huh? That…"

Yoru almost lost control of his expression.

Was this for real?

Sayuri just chuckled, assuming Yoru was embarrassed, and dropped the topic.

After finishing up in the kitchen, Sayuri arranged a guest room for Yoru on the first floor.

It was still early.

Sayuri knocked on Eriri's door upstairs and whispered, "Eriri? Are you asleep?"

"No."

Eriri's voice came from inside.

"Yoru's mom got drunk and is staying here for the night. Yoru will be staying too. I'll have a driver take you both to school in the morning."

"Don't forget—there's a guest in the house."

Sayuri reminded her.

Inside the bedroom, Eriri sat up abruptly from her soft bed, hugging her head.

That jerk Yoru was staying over for the night?!

How could that happen?

Already on the verge of a breakdown, Eriri stared at the wall.

She felt like smashing her head against it.

And that bastard Yoru even...

"Hmph."

Eriri whimpered miserably, lacking the energy or mood to curse him out.

She got out of bed, walked over, and locked her door to make sure Yoru wouldn't try anything during the night.

Click—

The lock snapped into place. A tear slid down her cheek as she stiffly walked back to bed.

Tomorrow was the last day.

What should she do?

Was this fate?

...

In the guest room.

It was still early, and Yoru wasn't used to the situation.

Leaning against a pillow, he scrolled on his phone out of boredom.

He casually messaged Sakurajima Mai to ask how she was doing.

How was her recovery going?

There was no reply yet, so Yoru checked the news instead.

By ten o'clock, he started yawning.

He was used to sleeping and waking up early.

He left the guest room and quickly took a shower in the first-floor bathroom.

This luxury villa obviously had more than one bathroom and shower.

Just then, Mai replied.

She said everything was fine, but her body was very weak, she had no energy, and she still coughed occasionally.

After saying goodnight, Yoru got dressed and came out.

Humming softly, he went to the kitchen, opened the fridge like he lived there, and grabbed a bottle of water.

"Hmph…"

A few seconds later, Eriri let out a disgruntled noise behind him.

"Good night, Eriri-san."

Yoru gave her a warm smile.

"You... Get lost!"

Knowing her mom was drunk and asleep, Eriri was much bolder.

"It's kind of weird, isn't it? Me staying over at your house—and your mom invited me, too."

Yoru studied Eriri's face, mainly her eyes. Had she cried again?

"Don't get any ideas, got it?"

Eriri narrowed her eyes and pouted.

"Your mom even asked me what I think of you and said she supports me dating you."

Yoru said as he shut the fridge.

Click—

"What?! You bastard, what are you talking about?"

"Don't even think about it! I'd rather be a dog than date you!"

Eriri sneered with a look of contempt.

Still...

She didn't dare act superior around Yoru anymore. She couldn't look down on him or roll her eyes.

Because she had already shown him her most humiliating side. She had no face left in front of him.

"I don't like bed-wetting Eriri, either."

Yoru chuckled, shook the water bottle in his hand, and walked back to his room.

"Damn it! Damn it all!"

Eriri trembled with fear and shame, pressing her soft thighs together at his words.

Back in the room, Yoru gradually drifted off to sleep.

...

The next day, Friday.

At 6:45 AM, Yoru's body clock woke him up right on time.

"This really feels a bit strange."

Still half-asleep, Yoru sat up, dazed for a moment.

He took a sip of water and stepped out.

No breakfast.

His mom, Megumi, had drunk way too much. Sayuri was drunk too, though she was doing a little better.

In the early morning, people with hangovers usually don't wake up easily.

The guest room had disposable toiletries, so Yoru freshened up and headed to the kitchen.

He started preparing breakfast for four.

This wasn't his first time using this kitchen or fridge.

Yoru moved smoothly, pulling out a loaf of bread—plain toast.

A row of eggs, half a pack of bacon.

He found butter, some instant salad...

Washed the fruit...

Still groggy, Eriri came downstairs in her Shuchiin Academy uniform after freshening up.

Following her routine, and seemingly forgetting someone else was home, she sleepily walked to the dining area and sat down for breakfast.

She looked at the breakfast on the table, divided into four portions, and felt a bit confused, unable to make sense of it right away.

"Ha..."

Looking dazed and cute, Eriri yawned, picked up her knife and fork, and began eating.

The toast had been lightly fried in butter and bacon grease by Yoru, with just a drizzle of condensed milk.

A pasteurized egg, safe for raw consumption, had been cooked to a soft-boiled state, leaving a runny yolk, then placed atop the toast.

Eriri pierced the egg with her fork, letting the yolk mix with the condensed milk and the rich, oil-soaked bread.

She absentmindedly cut a piece and popped it into her mouth.

"Mmm... so good!"

"Did Mom make breakfast this morning? It's way too delicious…"

Awakened by the sweet flavors in her mouth, Eriri perked up and felt her mood improve.

The edges of the toast had been intentionally crisped, giving it a wonderful aroma and crunchy texture, making each bite even better.

She quickly ate another piece, sending it down to her empty stomach, her face lit with happiness at the taste.

She hadn't eaten enough the night before.

"Huh? Morning, Eriri."

Yoru came out of the bathroom, looking calm as he greeted her.

"You... Ki..."

"Kitakami?!"

Her brain finally rebooted, and she cried out in surprise.

"How's the taste?"

Yoru sat across from her, naturally picking up his own knife and fork.

"You made this breakfast?"

Eriri stared at him in astonishment. The face she saw was just too perfect.

"You made it while sleepwalking."

Yoru forked up a piece of bacon and put it into his mouth, chewing.

With high-quality ingredients and simple cooking, it tasted great.

"Gross. Tastes awful. Disgusting. What a waste of food!"

Eriri immediately pulled a face and threw down her utensils in disgust.

"Let me ask you one last time. Are you going to go to Kasumigaoka Utaha and clear things up, or should I drag you there, or just go myself?"

"Don't run away from this!"

Though her scolding lacked bite, Yoru didn't bother responding to the little blonde—barking dogs don't bite.

"I'll go with you…"

When Yoru suddenly brought that up, it was like Eriri's soul had been yanked out by a reaper.

"Hmm."

Yoru cut a piece of toast and ate it, savoring the flavor.

"Not bad…"

"Terrible! Wasting our family's ingredients!"

Eriri seemed determined to argue with him about everything.

Not satisfied with just tossing aside her utensils, she dumped her breakfast straight into the trash.

She picked up a strawberry, shoved it into her mouth, and bit down hard.

As if it were Yoru's most precious part, not a fruit.

But clearly, it was a tasty strawberry.

"What a bitch…"

Yoru quietly continued eating, glancing at the girl in front of him who seemed to want him to get hit by a truck, fall from a building, or choke to death.

Strangely…

He'd spent the night at Eriri's house, and now they were eating a hostile breakfast together.

Even stranger, Eriri's mom actually supported him pursuing Eriri.

Unbelievable.

He really had to thank her for those two lucky breaks...

"No way I'd do that. Who'd wear a maid outfit with dog ears and a tail just to act cute for him…"

"In a dog costume, no less…"

"Stupid fat pig!"

Eriri kept eating strawberries to fill her stomach, thinking of the nightmare she'd had.

She had actually done that?

Flirting with that disgusting, perverted, fat pig Yoru?

He rejected her and kicked her away, and she ended up crying heartbreakingly. The dream had felt way too real!

Impossible. Absolutely impossible.

"I'd rather turn into a dog than do something like that. Hmph…"

She forced herself not to think about that nightmare.

After breakfast, Yoru rested a bit.

Then the driver arranged by Sayuri arrived.

Eriri usually didn't use a driver for her commute.

Her diplomat father's request was for her to stay grounded and not live too differently from others.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have attended ordinary public schools for elementary and middle school to experience a normal life.

It was all to avoid her becoming a spoiled rich girl...

"A Benz S."

Yoru muttered quietly after getting in.

"Don't touch me. Stay away!"

Eriri placed her school bag between them like a wall, clinging to the side by the window, then shut her eyes to feign sleep.

"We can go."

Yoru told the driver.

The ride was peaceful and uneventful.

Yoru didn't look at Eriri even once.

But Eriri kept sneaking glances at the demon beside her.

The luxury sedan slowly entered a residential neighborhood and stopped in front of the apartment building Yoru rented.

"Please wait a few minutes."

Yoru politely said to the driver and rushed off to change clothes.

On the stairs, he happened to run into Nanami, who had come down early to take out the trash.

In Japan, trash must be sorted and disposed of at specific times.

"Morning, Yoru. Did you head out already?"

Nanami greeted him in good spirits.

"Morning. Looks like you had a good rest, Nanami."

Yoru smiled.

"Um…"

"So... can I go back to work tomorrow or the day after?"

The girl was clearly flustered, trying hard to hold it in as she asked.

The boy in front of her had a face like a god, and he was smiling at her. Who could handle that?

"Why are you asking me something like that?"

"Haha... of course you can..."

Yoru laughed exaggeratedly and nodded.

"You're the one who asked for it…"

Nanami pouted unhappily.

"Then what if I asked you to be my girlfriend—would you say yes?"

"I meant... if something happens in the future that might hurt you or bring you trouble, then tell me…"

Yoru joked, since Nanami seemed to be in a good mood.

After saying that, he waved and left in a hurry.

He couldn't just keep chatting and make the driver wait.

After Yoru left, Nanami covered her mouth and turned into a steaming kettle.

Her fair neck and cute face turned visibly red.

"Yo… Yoru…"

"Did he mean that?"

"No no no… he's so good-looking, and I'm just a normal girl—and broke too…"

"He must've been teasing me…"

Nanami's emotions were on a rollercoaster.

One second she was on top of the world, and the next, plummeting down.

The rumors at school had affected her more than she admitted.

She never did compensated dating. She wasn't that kind of girl.

But it was true she was poor and desperate for money.

A girl who came alone from Osaka with no support, doing everything on her own.

And she was attending Shuchiin, an elite private school for the upper class of Japan.

The class divide was clear both openly and in secret...

The way those upper-class kids saw the world was fundamentally different from regular people.

If equality and hard work really led to wealth, then every laborer on earth would be rich.

"Sigh…"

Nanami's mood sank as she stepped out of the building.

She immediately noticed the black Benz S parked out front.

"Was that the car he came back in?"

Nanami was like any girl from a modest family who didn't understand cars.

She couldn't tell how much the car cost, but she could recognize the logo—her eyes weren't blind.

This Mercedes S-Class belonged to Eriri's family. Usually, it carried diplomats or their spouses. Privacy was the minimum requirement.

Thick bulletproof glass, black privacy film.

From outside, you couldn't see inside.

From inside, it was perfectly clear.

Eriri glanced at Nanami but didn't give her another thought.

Only after Nanami walked away carrying a bag of trash did Eriri recall—that was Yoru's rumored girlfriend, wasn't it?

"Aoyama Nanami?!"

"Are they living together now?"

Eriri suddenly perked up and then frowned slightly, realizing something huge.

Was Yoru really two-timing?

Eriri recalled the tiny, blonde girl with her back turned.

That wasn't her!

She didn't know the girl's name—she'd only seen her from behind, twice.

Once was two days ago in front of Shuchiin Academy.

The other was a long time ago—back then, Yoru hadn't slimmed down yet.

"She can't handle it. She's going to die, right?"

The thought spiraled into a strange direction, and Eriri was shaken.

But a moment later, she relaxed.

Back then, Yoru was still a disgusting, fat loser. Could anyone have actually liked him?

She couldn't be sure whether Yoru really was two-timing.

But in her mind, she cooked up the perfect revenge idea—one that would absolutely disgust him.

Like secretly taking photos and exposing his cheating.

Let the girls he's fooling see his true, revolting nature.

If it worked, she could just toss the photo out and cause a huge ripple—no one would trace it back to her.

Because there'd be no evidence.

Even if Yoru suspected her, he couldn't prove it. What's he going to do, read her mind?

Eriri gently bit her lower lip, thinking it was a totally feasible plan.

A ruthless way to get back at that bastard Yoru—gross him out completely.

"But I haven't confirmed anything yet... ugh..."

"Whatever, forget it for now..."

She blew her bangs away from her face.

...

When Yoru got home, he found the lights were on.

Both in the living room and the bedroom.

"Gabriel forgot to turn the lights off?"

"No, wait—she probably stayed over last night."

At the entrance, he saw Gabriel's slippers.

"Gabriel..."

He walked in with big strides, calling her name.

In the living room, through the open bedroom door, he saw Gabriel sleeping soundly on his bed.

"So she crashed here, huh..."

Yoru tiptoed in and glanced around the room.

His study materials and that expensive artbook had been pushed aside on the desk, replaced with Gabriel's laptop.

Gabriel herself was curled up on his small bed.

Sleeping deeply, dressed in thin pajamas.

San-san the cat was curled like a dark ball of yarn at the foot of the bed.

"Gabriel..."

Yoru called her name and gently nudged her shoulder.

The lazy angel kept on sleeping.

No response. She even turned over, like mocking his futile effort.

"Gabriel..."

Yoru sighed and put one hand on his hip, gently pushing her shoulder again, trying to wake her up.

After a few tries, Gabriel finally opened her eyes groggily, yawning.

"It's almost time for school. You can't sleep anymore..."

Yoru reminded her.

"Still early... I'm... sleeeepinnnng..."

Gabriel lazily lifted one finger mid-sentence and dropped it again, lying back down.

"Then fifteen minutes tops."

Yoru set the alarm on the nightstand, shaking his head at her.

Small and cute, not losing out at all to that blonde twin-tailed girl outside—except for her messy hair and sloppiness, which hurt her cuteness.

"Gabriel's still really cute though..."

Yoru changed into his Shuchiin uniform, grabbed his bag, and left.

He didn't lock the door, jogging downstairs.

What he didn't know was that Gabriel, who had made a new discovery the night before, had spent hours excitedly exploring.

She'd flipped through all of Eriri's sketchbooks and art albums.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, but mostly curious and excited...

And...

Slightly addicted!

So humans liked this kind of thing?

She didn't realize it yet—but angels weren't much different.

After obsessively playing Genshin for a while, she finally passed out from exhaustion.

Luckily, the pile of adult games Yoru had packed under the bed to sell secondhand hadn't been found by Gabriel yet.

If she, the game-addicted angel, started liking those...

What then?

Liking them would be one thing. The scary part was if she felt the games weren't enough... and wanted to try it for real.

Yoru had completely forgotten he'd even packed those games to resell.

Jogging downstairs, he opened the car door and got in.

"As expected, Yoru's family really is well off..."

Nanami returned after throwing out the trash and silently observed.

In Shuchiin Academy, Yoru's household didn't stand out much—it was average, like his status when he used to be a disgusting fat loser.

But compared to ordinary people?

He was someone others could only look up to.

"My sketchbook... he didn't throw it away, did he?"

The car slowly started. Eriri snuck a glance at Yoru.

It would be best if she could get her sketchbook back.

Even if he threw it out, that would be fine—it'd prevent someone from discovering her secret one day.

But for now, Eriri was relieved.

There wasn't any identifying information in the sketchbook, or else Yoru would've already used it to mock and blackmail her.

At the moment, though, she had bigger problems to worry about.

That afternoon, Yoru was going to meet with Utaha for a clarification.

That nasty woman, her romantic rival, was about to grab hold of her fatal weakness.

And she had no choice but to admit it...

If Utaha exposed it...

She wouldn't be able to face anyone again. She couldn't stay in Japan.

If she didn't expose it...

Her fate probably wouldn't be much better.

How she wished time could rewind...

Near the school, Eriri asked to be dropped off there.

"I'm not walking in with you."

Opening the car door, Eriri mouthed the words angrily.

Yoru completely ignored the words coming out of her pouty lips.

"Jerk!"

Thud—

Eriri punched the seat cushion and felt completely deflated.

She closed the door and walked a few meters before slowing down.

Ahead, she saw a familiar back.

Aki Tomoya!

"Rinri..."

The anger on Eriri's face vanished in an instant.

She had no idea how to face her childhood friend, her crush.

And she was even more afraid that Tomoya would find out—she was the one who stole Kasumigaoka Utaha's stockings and underwear... just for a stupid revenge plot.

And...

The most heartbreaking, most painful part of all...

The black S-Class Mercedes slowly passed Eriri.

Yoru was sitting inside.

"What's Rinri doing right now?"

Eriri's gaze slowly drifted into the distance.

At that moment, Tomoya was indeed thinking about her.

The reason being that a few classmates from Shuchiin were talking about Yoru.

"It's been cleared up. Yoru personally admitted that he's not dating Aoyama Nanami—they're just close friends."

"Who told you that?"

"Someone from their class said it themselves?"

"Sounds fake to me. Probably just saying that to act single while maintaining ambiguous relationships with a few girls."

"Tch, those girls used to think he was disgusting, and now suddenly they think he's hot..."

"If I were even half as good-looking as he is... no, not even half—just decent-looking, I'd totally go for top-tier beauties like Yukinoshita Yukino, Sawamura Eriri, Koyasu Tsubame, and Kasumigaoka Utaha!"

"No joke, I think it's possible. That guy is just way too good-looking..."

Tomoya stood behind them, pushing up his glasses. He muttered to himself in a voice only he could hear:

"I don't know about the others…"

"But Eriri and Utaha-senpai would never fall for someone else..."

With a smug smile tugging at his lips, Tomoya was in a great mood, enjoying the idea.

The car came to a stop.

After thanking the driver, Yoru stepped out with his bag and entered Shuchiin.

On the first floor, at the shoe lockers, he opened his locker and a few slips of paper fluttered down.

Yoru's first thought was that someone left him hate mail.

But upon closer inspection, they turned out to be LINE IDs?

LINE was the most popular messaging app in Japan, no question.

"Could they be from girls?"

After a long pause, that possibility popped into Yoru's head.

Ever since he lost weight…

Occasionally, unknown girls had slipped their contact info into his locker.

He was slightly surprised but didn't feel like adding anyone. He crumpled the papers and stuffed them into his pocket like trash.

Kinda ridiculous, honestly.

After changing shoes, he turned and almost bumped into a girl.

True to his nature, Yoru immediately apologized.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there. Did I startle you?"

With a gentle smile, he tried to keep his tone soft.

The girl he nearly ran into was with a friend.

As he apologized, both girls froze.

After Yoru walked away, the area around the lockers erupted into a few muffled screams.

What if, later on, Yoru publicly proved he wasn't the underwear thief?

Some girls who were on the fence might go completely nuts over him.

During homeroom, Hiratsuka showed up to make an announcement.

That weekend, on September 9th, it would be Respect for the Aged Day in Japan.

Each grade, each class, would send five students along with the student council to volunteer at various nursing homes in Tokyo for the day.

Volunteering came with benefits—extra merit points.

Everyone was encouraged to sign up. If no one volunteered, the school would randomly select students.

"I occasionally get lucky, don't I?"

"Did I really get picked?"