Kato Megumi looked at the petite figure of Aki Tomoya and then felt the muscular physique and abs of the villain holding her.
Better not drag this young boy into this mess, she thought.
Burying herself deeper into Nanaya's embrace, she hoped Tomoya would leave quickly.
Nanaya took the beret, watching Aki Tomoya's retreating figure with a mocking smile playing on his lips.
"He's gone now. You can get up—unless you're eager to do something with me?"
Nanaya's voice made Megumi's delicate body tremble.
"...Y-you! Let me go this instant!"
Nanaya's arms were tightly wrapped around Megumi's back, yet his words made it sound like she was the one unwilling to leave!
"Fine, fine."
Nanaya released her, and the moment Megumi regained her freedom, she immediately darted away.
Who would've thought?
Even the ever-composed Kato Megumi could have such a dramatic reaction.
Nanaya didn't chase after her, instead looking at the beret in his hand.
"Heh, we'll meet again."
He clicked the [Exit] button on the panel.
The world before him twisted into a kaleidoscope of colors, and in the next moment, Nanaya found himself back in his own room.
His computer screen still displayed the anime he had been watching.
As if nothing had happened at all.
But the beret in his hand told him otherwise.
Nanaya knew—his brand-new life had just begun!
————————————
"Oh? So this is the heroine you want to make a game about?"
Aki Tomoya was currently bowing slightly as he followed a blonde twin-tailed girl.
The girl had her hands on her hips, looking rather haughty as she observed the short-haired girl in the distance.
"Her presence is way too weak... I didn't even notice when she appeared over there..."
Kirisaki "Eriri" had been invited by her childhood friend Tomoya to meet this girl who had him "completely infatuated."
Though Eriri felt somewhat uncomfortable inside, she didn't show it, opting instead to berate the boy next to her in her usual tsundere manner.
"Is your brain filled with nothing but perverted garbage?!"
"Why would you even invite me to join your hopeless club?!"
"Even if you got on your knees and begged, I—I would never agree!"
Hearing Eriri's words, Tomoya's face twitched.
"Come on, Eriri, I'm inviting you with complete sincerity~"
"Hmph!"
Eriri snorted and turned away, refusing to respond.
She turned her head to get a proper look at Kato Megumi.
The two of them had been standing in a secluded spot earlier—Eriri didn't want anyone to see her associating with this otaku.
So she hadn't gotten a clear look at Megumi's face.
Now that school was over, she could finally—
...Huh?!
Where'd she go?!
Eriri stared at the empty seat, questioning her own perception. When had she left?
Meanwhile, Kato Megumi was silently walking down the school hallway.
The bustling noise of students around her only amplified the loneliness in her heart.
Megumi had no friends at school, and her naturally low presence often led to even her family overlooking her.
So when she had been harassed a few days ago, she had no one to confide in.
Even though she shared a class with Aki Tomoya, Megumi had no desire to speak with him.
"Tap, tap..."
As the crowd of students gradually dispersed, the noise faded away from Megumi.
The empty hallway echoed only with the sound of her small leather shoes.
When she turned the corner of the stairwell—
Megumi suddenly froze.
!!!
It was him!
The afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the man who had haunted her nightmares.
Dressed in white with black hair, his clothes and locks fluttered slightly in the breeze. His skin seemed to glow faintly, and his eyes shimmered with an unsettling light.
Though his face was handsome, the wicked curve of his lips betrayed his true nature!
How did he get here?!
She had to leave—now!
Remembering how brazenly he had acted on the street, Megumi couldn't even imagine what he might do in this secluded hallway.
Right now, she was immensely grateful for her curse-like lack of presence.
If she just moved carefully, quietly, and slipped past him...
He wouldn't notice her!
That was what Megumi told herself.
She had clearly forgotten how easily he had spotted her last time.
Or perhaps she had deliberately pushed that memory aside.
Megumi lowered her head slightly, determined to leave—to get away from this man!
"Tap... tap tap..."
The sound of her shoes against the floor echoed in the hallway, each step ringing like a deafening bell in her ears.
"...He really didn't notice me."
As the stairway drew closer, Megumi felt a wave of relief.
But deep down, an inexplicable gloom settled in.
Was her presence so weak that even a delinquent overlooked her?
Despite the absurdity, Megumi managed to find some bitter humor in the situation.
But then—her amusement vanished.
A pair of high-top sneakers stepped into her line of sight.
Blocking her path.
"What's wrong? Not even going to look up when you see an old friend?"
The teasing voice sent a shiver down her spine. Megumi instinctively took a step back.
Without raising her head, she muttered, "Y-you've got the wrong person."
She turned to leave.
But in the next moment, a familiar, overpowering force pulled her forward—
—and she crashed straight into a warm embrace.
"I've missed you these past few days."
Nanaya lowered his head, his breath brushing against Megumi's ear as he spoke.
Watching the way her ears turned red and the tiny hairs on her neck stood on end, Nanaya felt his sadistic satisfaction grow.
"Long time no see. To celebrate our reunion... let's commemorate it like this."
Hearing this, Megumi's heart sank.
But it was already too late.
A pair of slender, well-defined fingers forcefully tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet the man's gaze.
Though his face was handsome, to Megumi at this moment—
—he might as well have been the devil himself.
She felt utterly trapped, every part of her under his control.
No escape.
"Seems like you finally understand you can't run."
Noticing Megumi had stopped struggling, Nanaya chuckled.
Then, under Megumi's humiliated gaze—
—he closed the distance.
---
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