A man and a woman, alone together.
Moreover, Karuizawa Kei was well aware of her own appearance and in such a situation, something terrifying might happen.
"W-what are you doing? I warn you, don't try anything funny!" Karuizawa Kei panicked, trying to distance herself from Kaoru Mitoma, her back accidentally hitting the wall.
Like a cornered rabbit, she tried to intimidate him, "If you dare do anything, I'll scream for help immediately!"
Hearing this, Kaoru Mitoma slowly raised his hands as if he were about to pull something out of his pocket.
This strange action made Karuizawa Kei even more nervous, especially with his calm gaze looking down at her, involuntarily reminding her of past scenes.
However, Kaoru Mitoma said something even stranger.
"Sorry, it seems I didn't bring any tissues."
Karuizawa Kei stared at him in confusion as he spread his hands, revealing nothing.
Until she noticed Kaoru Mitoma's gaze lingering on her, Karuizawa Kei suddenly snapped back to reality and quickly touched her cheek.
Her fingertips felt slightly cool, clearly a result of her recent tears.
No wonder he suddenly mentioned not having tissues or the like.
"D-don't stare at me, I wasn't crying!" Karuizawa Kei raised her hand as if to block his gaze, her expression a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.
Being witnessed at her most vulnerable and awkward moment made her feel like she wanted to die.
Moreover, what would Kaoru Mitoma think of her?
Would he think she was just like that, acting all high and mighty in class, but now showing a weak side?
Wait, she wasn't even in the same class as Kaoru Mitoma, so the worst-case scenario might not happen.
"I accidentally overheard your conversation with Hirata-kun earlier. I'm sorry," Kaoru Mitoma explained.
"I was going back to my room, but leaving you here didn't seem right."
Karuizawa Kei face turned pale.
He heard their argument?
That meant he already knew that she and Hirata were just a fake couple.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I'll forget about it after today," Kaoru Mitoma assured the girl, sitting down on the steps.
Karuizawa Kei found it hard to believe him, but there was no way to erase his memory now, so she muttered.
"So you just came to laugh at me?"
At this moment, the girl's pretty face still bore traces of tears, her eyes misty with a faint sheen of moisture, her voice slightly nasal and her lips pale, looking pitiful and making one want to tease her.
"No, I'm just a bit curious about you. You mentioned Ibuki-san and Manabe-san earlier, right?"
Karuizawa Kei was startled, her eyes suddenly glistening with tears again, her delicate shoulders trembling slightly.
"So, Mitoma-kun knows them too?" Her voice trembled as she looked at Kaoru Mitoma with a pitiful gaze.
"You probably don't know, but during the deserted island exam, our class took in Ibuki and then she deliberately ruined my shoes and stole my socks. Isn't that a bit too much?"
Faced with a cute girl, probably no one could ignore her pitiful appearance and would likely side with her to attack the despicable Mio Ibuki.
"Two months ago, Class C framed Class B students and the leaders were Ibuki-san and Manabe-san" Kaoru Mitoma brought up another matter.
Karuizawa Kei's eyes lit up, and she quickly agreed, "Yes, yes, they're so bad. Now Manabe is even threatening me, she's super mean!"
"What is she threatening you with?" Kaoru Mitoma asked.
For some reason, Karuizawa Kei suddenly stammered, "She wants me to bow down and apologize to them, trying to bully me..."
Her acting was a bit worse than Kushida's, but she was more fragile and helpless than imagined, instinctively seeking help from Kaoru Mitoma, an outsider.
Although Hirata Yosuke was her fake boyfriend, it shouldn't have come to this, right?
What was she afraid of?
Moreover, when faced with trouble, besides seeking help from others, she could only hide here and cry.
Did this girl not have the ability to solve problems by herself?
Since they usually had no interaction, Kaoru Mitoma found it difficult to determine the correct answer at this moment.
However, judging from Kei Karuizawa current behavior, her inner self didn't seem as strong as her outward appearance.
"Hey, why aren't you saying anything?" Kei Karuizawa cautiously scrutinized him.
[Kei Karuizawa: Frustrated, worried, confused, anxious, insecure...]
[It is recommended to comfort the target's emotions by gently stroking their chest and head, which can effectively reduce their sense of insecurity.]
Kaoru Mitoma pondered for a moment, then said, "This might be a bit presumptuous, but why are you pretending to be in a relationship with Hirata-kun?"
Unexpectedly, Kei Karuizawa suddenly stood up and walked straight towards the staircase.
"Where are you going?"
"I almost forgot, I'm supposed to meet Matsushita and the others at the café."
"Avoiding the problem won't solve anything. Hirata-kun, who you thought would protect you, rejected your proposal. If this continues, what you're afraid of will happen."
Kei Karuizawa stopped in her tracks, standing behind him and fell into complete silence, not uttering a word.
"Although you seem tough, Ibuki-san and Manabe-san aren't weak either. They might be quite skilled in fighting."
On one side, there's a delinquent girl and on the other, a fashionable gal.
It's clear who's stronger and who's weaker.
"D-don't think you can scare me like that! If they fight me at school, they'll be expelled immediately!" Kei Karuizawa stubbornly retorted.
"This is a cruise ship. There are plenty of places without surveillance," Kaoru Mitoma kindly reminded her.
Kei Karuizawa stood still, then slowly hugged her arms tightly, her expression grim.
After a while, she finally gave up.
"I hate this! Ibuki and Manabe, just go die! And you too, get out of here!"
Kaoru Mitoma turned around calmly and looked at the somewhat broken girl.
"Rather than leaving, I'd prefer to help you solve your problem."
No matter what happened in the previous world or what temptations he might face in the future, his focus now was solely on Kei Karuizawa desires.
[My precious Kei, for you, I'll become Honami Ichinose hater!]
[Hehehe, now it's my turn to bully Karuizawa-san]
[I'll humiliate Karuizawa in front of everyone]
[I'll lick Karuizawa's delicate feet until they're ruined]
[Your breast is too small, needs a massage from me!]
[I'll manipulate Karuizawa]
[Pat her head]
…
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