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With Chen Tian's resigned "Mhm," the car fell into an awkward silence. Only the soft shush of the tires rolling over the road surface was clearly audible.
Marin nestled against Chen Tian's shoulder, feeling the faint warmth emanating from him and the almost freezing coldness coming from the other side. The little person in her mind was already dancing a jig of victory with hands on hips. She deliberately rubbed against Chen Tian's shoulder, letting out a satisfied sigh: "Mmm~ This is comfortable." Her peripheral vision smugly glanced toward Shinomiya Kaguya.
Shinomiya Kaguya's sitting posture was still impeccable, like a meticulously carved ice statue.
Her signature smile was firmly back in place, the curve precise. Her eyes calmly watched the back of the front seat, as if she were utterly oblivious to everything around her.
However, beneath the surface was a raging storm.
The hickey!
That glaring, fresh red mark was burning into her retina like a brand. This blonde bombshell… Kitagawa Marin!
She actually… they actually…?!
A never-before-felt sense of bitterness and stabbing pain, mixed with towering rage, furiously clashed within her shell of "elegance."
The fingers of her hands, folded on her knees, were almost digging into the expensive silk of her dress fabric.
Yes, I must take him back. Chen Tian should have been her territory!
Two years ago, in the first two years of high school, Chen Tian (before his memories had awakened) was an inwardly sensitive, introverted, mixed-race boy with delicate features. Due to his parents' constant traveling, he was reserved.
He was a youth who hid in the corner, like an invisible person, carrying a hint of gloom and untouchable sensitivity.
Marin? Although she was in the same class as Chen Tian, due to her modeling career and passionate interest in cosplay, she was a famous beauty at school, but rarely attended class back then.
Until… that senior year school festival.
Shinomiya Kaguya clearly remembered the moment the white-haired boy walked onto the stage; the entire venue fell silent.
It wasn't just the change in hair color. It was as if the sharp edge of the Yamato and the scorching heat of the Ryūjin Jakka had completely remolded him, making him look completely transformed!
His formerly vague features became sharp and deep. His entire being radiated an indescribable, almost demonic appeal.
When he opened his mouth and sang the song Reverse Light, which tore through the gloom, that soul-piercing explosiveness and his nearly perfect handsome profile—the entire auditorium went mad!
Shinomiya Kaguya, standing backstage at the time, watched the wild, uninhibited white-haired boy on stage. Her hands, holding the program schedule, clenched repeatedly.
That white-haired boy not only ignited the passion of all the teachers and students but also melted her 'hard shell' of maintaining the persona of a Young Lady.
After that, Chen Tian completely became the school's star. He was even scouted and became a popular idol celebrity.
Whenever Chen Tian returned to school for classes, groups of girls could often be seen surrounding him in the hallways and classrooms, chirping excitedly, their faces full of admiration.
Shinomiya Kaguya cleverly utilized her position as Student Council President. During the times Chen Tian returned to school, she would either seek him out to handle Student Council affairs or frequently interact with him in various school events.
When the two discussed issues, Chen Tian's gentle words and perfectly measured manners, unlike his usual reserved expression, intensified Shinomiya Kaguya's internal feelings. Their relationship visibly grew closer.
Every time Shinomiya Kaguya interacted with Chen Tian, she meticulously maintained the decorum and elegance of a Young Lady.
She thought that once the time was right, Chen Tian would definitely, definitely confess to her.
But fate played a cruel joke on her.
That day, the sun was bright. Beneath the campus cherry blossom tree, Kitagawa Marin's silver-bell-like voice suddenly rang out: "Chen Tian, I like you! Be my boyfriend!"
The confession, without any warning, froze Shinomiya Kaguya on the spot.
She watched helplessly as Chen Tian first looked stunned, then a gentle smile appeared on his face, and he nodded in agreement.
In that moment, Shinomiya Kaguya felt her entire world collapse. All her expectations instantly turned into dust, and she had become the 'defeated dog' forgotten by love.
Inside the car, Shinomiya Kaguya recalled these past events, her fingernails digging even harder into the dress fabric, her knuckles turning white from the strain.
This time, I will absolutely take Ten-kun back.
The car stopped steadily at the school gate. Marin leaped out first like a joyful young deer. She turned and made a face at the car interior, her blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight.
Chen Tian leisurely followed, his hands in his pockets. His black school blazer was casually open, revealing the smoothly ironed white shirt underneath. He looked up at the school gate—the gold-embossed plaque of East Tokyo Musashi University glinted coldly in the morning light.
This university was a composite of what Chen Tian knew as the University of Tokyo and Musashi University in his previous world.
It was also the number one ranked university in Neon in this world.
Fortunately, the university was comprehensive and included majors related to performance and entertainment studies. Marin had been able to enter the university precisely because of her modeling career and outstanding appearance.
(The school is purely fictional; no need to take it too seriously; everything serves the plot.)
Otherwise, given her academic shortcomings, she would never have gotten into this school.
"Ten-kun," Shinomiya Kaguya's voice came from behind.
She had stood at Chen Tian's right side at some point, maintaining a proper social distance. "The Student Council has a meeting this afternoon…"
"Hey, hey~" Marin suddenly squeezed in from the left, wrapping her arms around Chen Tian's arm. "My boyfriend has to go car shopping with me after school today, you know?"
She deliberately heavily emphasized the words "My boyfriend."
Students were constantly walking past the school gate. Many were secretly glancing in their direction.
After all, this trio was too striking—a popular celebrity, the Student Council President, and a famously beautiful girl on campus. Any one of them appearing alone would attract attention.
Shinomiya Kaguya didn't change her expression: "It's just a routine meeting. It won't take long." She slightly tilted her head to look up at Chen Tian, her lashes casting small shadows beneath her eyes. "It's about the school festival planning…"
"Ah! Speaking of the school festival!" Marin suddenly interrupted, her red eyes sparkling astonishingly. "Our club is putting on a Cosplay show! Does Boyfriend-kun want to come help out?"
She stood on her tiptoes and whispered close to Chen Tian's ear, "If you come help, I can give you a re—ward~"
Chen Tian's mouth twitched. Was his little sun no longer afraid of an audience?
Shinomiya Kaguya's eyes darkened. She suddenly took half a step forward and pulled a gold-embossed invitation from her briefcase: "Ten-kun, my father hopes you can attend next week's…"
"Wow! What a beautiful invitation!" Marin snatched the invitation like lightning, flipping it over and over to look at it.
"Is it that Shinomiya family banquet? I heard we have to wear formal attire~" A cunning smile suddenly appeared on her face. "But speaking of which, for a wealthy family like the Shinomiyas, are you sure you want to invite 'commoners' like us? I'm worried that we might be too much for your high society."
The students secretly watching gasped. This was practically a public declaration of war!
Shinomiya Kaguya finally lost her composure. A faint flush rose on her pale cheeks—she was angry. "Kitagawa-san," her voice was still elegant, but the temperature plummeted to freezing point. "Our Shinomiya family is not as haughty as you make it sound! Especially since Ten-kun is…"
"I know, I know~" Marin waved her hand, then suddenly tugged Chen Tian toward the school gate. "We're going to be late! The first class is with the demon professor!"
Chen Tian was pulled off balance, stumbling slightly. He turned back to look at the Young Lady standing rooted to the spot.
Shinomiya Kaguya's fingers, gripping her small handbag, were white-knuckled, but her face had already regained its perfect smile.
Yet, that smile looked utterly chilling.
"Ten-kun," she said in a voice only the three of them could hear, "I will see you… this afternoon."
Marin stuck out her tongue as she turned back, pulling Chen Tian to run even faster.
The two jogged along until they turned the corner of the teaching building, completely out of sight of the school gate and the dark-dressed figure. Marin suddenly slammed to a halt.
She let go of Chen Tian's hand, turning around to face him, her bright yet slightly uneasy face looking up at him.
The aggressive posture she had displayed at the school gate, like a balloon that had been popped, instantly deflated by half. A light of unease flickered in her ruby-like eyes.
"Ten-kun," her voice was softer, carrying a hint of probing and hesitation. "Did you… just now, think I was…" She seemed unable to find a suitable word to describe her actions just now. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. "A little… excessive? Or… too aggressive?"
Chen Tian stopped and looked down at her.
The girl's golden hair was a little messy from the run, her cheeks were flushed with a healthy color from the exercise, and now, those eyes that were usually full of vitality were tinged with worry.
This cautious seeking of validation was in striking contrast to her earlier display of dominance at the school gate, like a little lion defending its territory.
Seeing her anxious but expectant expression, Chen Tian's lips curved into an almost imperceptible upward smile.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he reached out his hand, his large palm feeling familiar and warm, and gently rested it on Marin's soft, fluffy blonde hair. He gave it a casual yet natural ruffle, as if comforting a startled kitten that had puffed up its fur.
"Thought what?" Chen Tian's voice carried a hint of languid amusement, like the morning sun—not scorching, but sufficiently gentle. "Artificial? Blustering?"
He paused, his fingertip tracing a rebellious strand of her golden hair. "No, Marin."
Marin instinctively shrank her neck from the ruffling but couldn't help but look up, focused on catching every subtle expression on his face.
"Just now, you," Chen Tian's gaze settled steadily on her clear red eyes, his tone calm and certain, "were just guarding your food."
His eyes held no rebuke, but rather a knowing and almost indulgent tenderness.
"Guard… food?" Marin blinked. The word felt like a small stone tossed into the lake of her heart, immediately causing ripples.
She quietly savored the word. Her initial unease quickly faded like mist dispelled by the sun.
The word was a bit childishly direct, yet it perfectly and accurately hit upon the most genuine thought in her heart—
Yes, she was protecting the most important thing she owned! She couldn't let anyone steal her Ten-kun! A look of understanding and relief spread across her face.
The next second, she seemed both amused by the word and completely reassured by Chen Tian's attitude. She intentionally bared her two small, sharp canine teeth at Chen Tian and made a "grr-woof" expression, as if saying, "That's right! He's mine!"
Immediately, a bright, cheerful smile, vibrant enough to melt away all gloom like a summer sunflower, bloomed on her face once more. The slight anxiety from moments ago vanished into thin air.
She was full of energy again, even a little smug from being understood.
"Hehe!" She let out a satisfied hum, and seemed about to say something else, but her nose suddenly twitched, like an alert little dog.
She leaned close to Chen Tian, sniffing vigorously near his sleeve. Her small nose wrinkled, and her tone instantly turned to one of disgust: "Ew—! Ten-kun, you still have the smell of that soy milk on you! It's so sickeningly sweet! Yuck!"
As she spoke, she deliberately fanned the air in front of her nose with her hand, as if the invisible sweet scent molecules were some kind of terrifying plague.
Chen Tian lowered his head and sniffed his own sleeve, a slightly helpless look on his face: "Do I? I don't smell anything."
"You do! Absolutely you do!" Marin insisted with finality, a cunning light twinkling in her red eyes. "It must be because Shinomiya-sama was too close to you just now! Hurry, hurry! Let's go to class and get away from that sickly sweet smell!"
She grabbed Chen Tian's wrist again without question. This time, it wasn't a drag, but a hurried and cheerful tug, as if reclaiming her territory, pulling him quickly toward the classroom.
Chen Tian was pulled along. His gaze inadvertently swept over the huge glass windows of the teaching building.
Outside the window, in the direction of the distant school gate, a flash of a dark skirt hem flickered in the shadow of the massive cherry blossom tree, finally disappearing at the edge of his vision.
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