Unique highschool life

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Chapter 83.

Words counted-- 1300

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The morning light seeped through the curtains, painting soft golden streaks across the room. Aki stepped out of the shower, water droplets sliding down his damp hair as he draped a towel around his neck. His movements were unhurried as he rubbed his hair dry, his gaze drifting absentmindedly toward the living room.

"Are they're still here?" he asked casually, his tone indifferent yet tinged with faint curiosity as he referred to the siblings. "Didn't their parents come looking for them?"

Selly, standing by the kitchen counter, paused her breakfast preparations. She turned to face him, a raised brow hinting at her exasperation. "You don't remember what you said yesterday?"

Aki frowned, his hand frozen mid-motion. "What are you talking about?"

Selly smirked and leaned back slightly, crossing her arms. Mimicking his voice with exaggerated seriousness, she said, "'You can stay here with us for as long as you want. If you decide to leave here, not even the Prime Minister himself could interfere.' Ring any bells?"

Aki's lips twitched, caught between amusement and disbelief. "Does that sound like me at all?" he muttered under his breath, clearly irked at her impersonation.

Selly shrugged, grabbing the towel he handed her and continuing nonchalantly, "Well, whether it sounds like you or not, you said it. So, they're staying with us for a while—at least until their parents return."

Aki sighed and stretched his arms over his head, his voice taking on a resigned tone. "Fine, I don't mind. At least now you'll have some company when I'm out." He settled into a chair at the dining table, the faint scrape of wood on tile filling the room. "So, are they still sleeping?"

"Arina is," Selly replied, folding the towel neatly and placing it on the counter. Her movements were quick, precise, as though she'd already had a full morning of chores. "But Akira left early. He went back to their house for something."

"Is that so?" Aki mused, running his fingers through his still-damp hair. His voice turned more serious. "By the way, I'll be out today and probably back late. If their parents show up, let me know."

"Got it," Selly said, glancing at him briefly before returning to her tasks.

Aki stood and stretched once more before heading upstairs. The muffled creak of the stairs under his weight faded as he disappeared into his room. Moments later, he came back down, dressed sharply in a crisp shirt and dark pants. Outside, a sleek black car waited, its polished surface gleaming under the sunlight.

The driver stepped out and opened the back door for him. Aki slid into the seat with practiced ease, the leather cool against his back. He pulled out a small notebook, flipping through its pages. His eyes scanned the notes Mitsuha had scribbled while in his body, her tidy handwriting a stark contrast to his own messy scrawl.

There were mentions of the siblings' family—small, fragmented details, not enough to draw any conclusions. He frowned, tapping his pen against the paper. "Well, whatever," he muttered, snapping the notebook shut and tossing it onto the seat beside him. "If they've got something to say, they'll come to me."

Pulling out his phone, he dialed a number. The ringing tone filled the car as he leaned back, staring out at the passing streets.

"Hello?" a soft, hesitant voice answered.

"Akane," Aki said smoothly, his voice losing its usual sharpness. "How have you been?"

There was a pause on the other end, the hesitation palpable even through the phone. "Eh? Is it… Shijo-kun?" Akane finally asked, her voice uncertain.

"Correct. Dress up. I'll be coming to your house to pick you up," he said, his tone casual yet firm.

"Eh? Now? What for?"

"Isn't today Saturday? Don't you have to go to the reality dating show?"

Akane fell silent for a moment, her hesitation now tinged with discomfort. "I'm… not joining today. They told me to take a break after… that incident."

Aki's expression softened, his fingers tapping lightly against the armrest. It had been five days since Akane's suicide attempt, and though her reputation was still in tatters, he had worked tirelessly behind the scenes to remove most of the negative commentary about her online. It wasn't much, but it had helped stabilize her fragile mental state. Still, she was far from recovered.

"Akane," he said after a pause, his voice quieter now, "do you consider me your friend?"

"Friend?" Her voice wavered, the word almost foreign to her. "You're more like a benefactor to me, Shijo-kun…" she whispered, so softly it was almost inaudible.

But Aki heard it. He sighed audibly, the sound carrying a faint edge of hurt. "Hah. Benefactor? That's cold. I thought you'd consider me a friend."

Akane panicked at his tone, her words tumbling out in a rush. "That's not what I-I mean," she stammered. "If you aren't disgusted by being friends with someone like me, then yes! I'd really, really like to be friends with you—Shijo-kun!"

"Is that so?" Aki said, the faintest hint of amusement creeping into his voice. "Then, as a friend, trust me. Get dressed. I'll be there soon. Let's enjoy today's show together."

There was a pause on the other end, then a soft, "Okay. I'll change and wait."

Hanging up, Aki turned to the driver. "Have you arranged what I asked for?"

"Yes, sir," the driver replied without hesitation.

"Good," Aki said, leaning back into the seat, his gaze flickering toward the sky. "Let's make today a great day."

Akane's Room

Akane stared at her phone, her heart hammering in her chest. Her grip tightened around the device as she whispered to herself, "Returning to the show… hah. Do I really have to?"

Her shoulders slumped, and a wave of exhaustion washed over her. "No," she mumbled. "Not the time for this." She gave herself a light slap on the cheek, the sting snapping her out of her thoughts. "He's coming. I need to get ready. I can't let him worry."

Dragging herself to the bathroom, she stepped into the shower. The hot water cascaded over her, washing away the lingering heaviness. When she emerged, she grabbed a simple dress and applied a light layer of makeup to hide her dark circles and hollow cheeks.

Staring at her reflection, she frowned. "I still look horrible…" she murmured, her voice tinged with despair. Her fingers brushed against her sunken cheeks. "If I go to the show looking like this, won't his image suffer, too?"

Her thoughts were interrupted by a call from downstairs.

"Akane! Someone's here to see you!"

She froze. Her mother's cheerful tone only deepened the knot in her stomach. She knew who it was.

"Coming," she called back, her voice barely above a whisper.

Downstairs

Aki sat on the couch, his posture relaxed but his eyes alert. Akane's mother offered him tea, her movements nervous yet kind.

"Do you want some tea or coffee?"

"No, thank you, Auntie," Aki replied politely, offering a faint smile. "I'm only here to take Akane out today. We have some plans, so I won't bother you for long."

Her mother blinked, surprise flickering across her face. "Ah, is that so?" She glanced toward the stairs, a hint of sadness clouding her expression. "Don't come back too late," she said finally, her voice softer now.

"We won't," Aki assured her.

Footsteps sounded on the staircase, hesitant but steady. Akane appeared, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

"Shall we go?" she asked, her voice quiet but steady.

Aki stood and smiled. "Let's."

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I got too lazy this days ('_')

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