Hayashi Maki's words were like a devil's whisper, luring Yukinoshita Yukino toward the abyss.
No—he really was a devil!
The one who bewitched her into handing over what mattered most!
Yukino jolted awake, and only then noticed his hand had once again undone the bow at her chest that she'd painstakingly retied.
"Go to hell, you perverted devil!"
Mortified to the extreme, she was so furious and flustered she forgot all about his "status." She slapped away his thieving hand, stomped on his foot, grabbed her bento, and fled in a hurry.
Kick and run—the Second Heiress really was quick on her feet.
Watching her flustered retreat, Hayashi Maki's lips curled. He had a feeling they'd be "running into" each other up here a lot.
At the corner, Yukino touched her burning cheeks, hurriedly straightened her rumpled skirt, retied her bow, and checked herself in a compact mirror. Seeing a neat, dignified lady looking back, she finally exhaled.
Carrying her bento, she headed to the sink to wash up. On the way, she passed other students with her usual frosty face, radiating a clear keep-your-distance aura.
Yet aside from Kawasaki Saki, no one knew the truth: that this cool, untouchable ice-flower had just been sitting obediently in a man's lap, letting him kiss her. The gap moe was real.
Hayashi Maki, for his part, was secretly delighted. What man wouldn't be, seeing a woman who's icy to the world be soft and compliant only with him?
Back in class, Yukino received a message.
Demon Lord: "Yukino-chan, when are you going to make friends with the angel? Keep this up and you'll have no choice but to marry me."
Her face flushed and she fired back at once.
Yukinoshita Yukino: "In your dreams. I'll figure out how to rein you in sooner or later! And who knows if you're pushing me toward that 'angel' on purpose to get something out of it?"
Demon Lord: "Huh, I'm impressed—you actually noticed. Since when did you get smart, Yukino-chan?"
Her hard-won calm blew up again. She jabbed at her phone, unleashing such icy pressure that her nearby classmates felt a chill.
Yukinoshita Yukino: "You're insulting me!"
Demon Lord: "How? I just sent a text. That counts as an insult?"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "What do you mean I 'got smart'? In your eyes, what am I supposed to be?"
Demon Lord: "A beautiful dummy. I taught you for so long last time and you still couldn't do it—I had to take the lead."
Yukino decided she didn't want to reply. Her cheeks burned hotter.
This colossal scoundrel! What was he even saying? Calling her a "beautiful dummy"—and have he seen the kind of "lessons" he's been teaching? She was still a girl, wasn't she? How was she supposed to take the initiative with that kind of… stuff?
Demon Lord: "Why aren't you replying? Oh, I get it—you're embarrassed. Fine, I'll do the hard work and come teach you in person tonight."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Teach your head—I'm not learning! And you're not allowed to come over. I'll lock the door! I've got pepper spray, mace, and a stun gun!"
Demon Lord: "Yikes, well prepared. Is that really necessary?"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Very necessary. I'm short one test subject—interested?"
Demon Lord: "Sure, super interested. But I'll wait till you're asleep and sneak in."
Ptui!
Yukino couldn't help spitting at the screen. If he came while she was asleep, how was she supposed to test anything? The crafty jerk just wanted to bully her, to sneak a bite, and not give her a chance to fight back. What a colossal scoundrel!
After cursing him out silently, she actually got nervous he might show up that night, so she sent another message:
Yukinoshita Yukino: "You're not allowed to come. I'm sleeping with my sister tonight."
Demon Lord: "Oh? You're hogging my Haruno now?"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Ptui. She's my big sister. What do you mean 'hogging'?"
Demon Lord: "How about I sleep in the middle? Promise I won't move."
[Ding. You've been blocked. Please re-add the contact.]
The phone prompt made Hayashi Maki speechless. The younger miss had flipped the table—conversation over.
But then—
[Ding. Yukinoshita Yukino requests to add you as a friend.]
So she got scared and added him back. He had to accept—teasing Yukino was becoming a peculiar joy.
Demon Lord: "I was just about to come find you when your add request came through."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Sorry, slipped finger. What were you saying just now?"
Hayashi Maki: "…"
Well, well—Yukino could act. If the elder sister Haruno was a drama queen, how could the younger not have talent? "Slip of the finger," "didn't receive the message"—she was learning fast.
Stifling a laugh, Hayashi Maki dropped the teasing and went straight to the point.
Demon Lord: "Rooftop tomorrow. Be good and come. Don't stand me up."
Yukino's cheeks went hot. You say 'come' and I'll come? No way… ugh. Fine, I'll go. It wasn't that she wanted to go—it was that he insisted.
After tormenting the younger miss, Hayashi Maki sent Nibutani Shinka a message.
Hayashi Maki: "Mori-sama, remember to show up for club activities on time."
Nibutani Shinka: "Ugh, I told you not to call me that—I've graduated from chūnibyō! Boo-hoo… I'll go, okay?"
Seeing the hint of grievance in her text—born of "coercion"—Hayashi Maki felt he was getting worse. And more of a scoundrel. He didn't mind; he liked himself this way. A man with a little "scum" gets the sweets.
The two afternoon periods flew by, and then it was happy club time. Hayashi Maki waved everyone onward and took his three club members to Saionji Youko's convenience store for some "life experience."
Shinka couldn't help grousing.
"A part-time job is a part-time job. 'Life experience'? Sounds pretty, but it's still being a employee."
She strongly suspected Hayashi Maki just couldn't think of anything fun for club activities and dragged them here to kill time.
Kato Megumi disagreed.
"If being an employee were this easy, I'd be delighted."
"My cousin is raising a kid by herself. She works at a factory, and with overtime she's not home till 11 p.m.—"
Shinka shivered. That's a real corporate drone. Compared to that, this clerk life—work a few hours, get paid, with a kind, beautiful manager who cares about her staff—was heaven and earth.
But…
"Kato-san, what about your cousin's husband?"
Of all things, that's what Shinka seized on.
Megumi glanced at Hayashi Maki and said calmly, "I heard he cheated and got stabbed by the other woman. After that, my cousin became a single mom."
The corner of Hayashi Maki's mouth twitched. Was Megumi shading him? A warning not to be a flirt? Megumi, for your sake I hope your cousin's story is really that tragic—otherwise he'd be tempted to put her over his knee and spank her till she wasn't so calm. He was very interested in drawing out expressions other than "serene" from Megumi.
Shinka hid a smile and gave Hayashi Maki a meaningful look.
"Ohhh, so the cousin's husband got stabbed because he cheated. Sounds like flirts really do pay a price."
Megumi nodded solemnly.
"Yup. Being a philanderer is wrong."
Shiina Mahiru, hearing the two of them harmonize and glance at Hayashi Maki, couldn't help covering her mouth with a giggle.
"Mm-hmm. Flirting around is wrong."
Three women make a play. What could Hayashi Maki do? With a thick skin, he pretended not to hear. In any case, once he knocked all three flat, they wouldn't have time to worry about whether he was a flirt.