A Chance Encounter on the Way to School

Kamio Tatsuya wasn't surprised at all that Kushida was cursing Horikita behind her back. He'd already seen the signs back at the library.

Besides, people were just like that: one way in front of others, another behind their backs.

Kamio Tatsuya hid things about himself to achieve his goals, too. It was no big deal.

To be honest, Kamio Tatsuya found the current Kushida much more agreeable than the fake-sweet version she'd been putting on before.

It was far better to let your feelings out than to keep burying them inside. Bottle them up too long, and you could end up depressed.

Kamio Tatsuya, for example, never held back. If someone made him unhappy, he made sure they were unhappy, too. And even if he put up with something for the time being, that didn't mean he'd forgotten it.

Ryuen could certainly attest to that.

"If you don't need anything else, I'll be going. After seeing something this nice, I doubt I'll have trouble sleeping tonight."

Kamio Tatsuya drained the almond milk in his hand, then casually tossed the carton into a nearby trash can.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean? I just think the person I'm seeing now is what a normal human being looks like. Understand?"

Kamio Tatsuya wasn't lying about that. In his mind, there was no such thing as a perfect human being.

He didn't think even a saint could be friends with everyone.

So, was Kushida Kikyo a saint?

Ha. Do you believe I'm a transmigrator, or that she's a saint?

But that wasn't what Kushida cared about right now.

"You're not going to tell anyone what you just saw, are you?"

That was Kushida's biggest concern. She'd spent nearly two months since enrolling carefully building her image as an angel.

But now Kamio Tatsuya had discovered who she really was. So, for Kushida, the most important thing was to keep him quiet.

At Kushida's question, Kamio Tatsuya gave her an amused smile.

"Even if I said I wouldn't, would you believe me?"

"Of course not."

"Then why ask? Just so you could say something pointless?"

"You!"

Kushida felt as though she'd been struck speechless, and her chest hurt from anger.

"If you dare tell anyone, I'll go around saying you almost raped me!"

Kamio Tatsuya smiled.

"Do you know who came up with the phrase 'unfounded accusations'? It was Qin Hui, the notorious minister of the Song dynasty, who invented it to frame Yue Fei. Are you trying to pin a charge like that on me now?"

"Don't worry. This isn't unfounded."

As she spoke, Kushida reached out and grabbed Kamio Tatsuya's right hand.

It wasn't unfounded?

While Kamio Tatsuya was still trying to make sense of it, Kushida had already taken his hand and pressed it against her chest...

Kamio Tatsuya jolted and reflexively tried to pull his hand away, but she pinned it firmly in place from above.

Is she really going this far to make me keep quiet?

This girl's seriously messed up.

If that's how it is...

Kamio Tatsuya went along with her, pressing down harder. He even gave her chest a squeeze. Damn, a high school girl's body really is something...

"Ah! What are you doing?"

Now Kushida was the one who panicked. She tried to yank Kamio Tatsuya's hand away, but he was gripping her too tightly. It took several attempts before she finally managed to pull his hand off her chest.

After she shoved him away, Kamio Tatsuya flexed his fingers as though savoring the memory.

"You were the one who invited me, and now you can't wait to push me away? Still, I have to say, thanks for the treat."

Kamio Tatsuya hadn't expected that the first chest he'd touched in this world would belong to Kushida Kikyo. He'd thought it would be Kamuro, but someone had beaten her to it.

Sorry, Masumi. It wasn't my fault!

And if Yamauchi and Ike found out, they'd be green with envy.

As for Kushida, Kamio Tatsuya's sarcastic teasing sent her into an even greater frenzy.

"But seriously, you're really committed. You'd go this far just to keep your secret?" Kamio Tatsuya was genuinely curious what she was thinking.

"Ever since I was little, I've worked hard to make everyone I know like me. It's the only way I can feel like I have a reason to exist. So I absolutely won't allow anyone to threaten the way I live!"

No wonder people say the Japanese are perverts. Looks like they're not just saying it.

And you went ahead and handed me leverage over you so willingly. What am I supposed to say to that?

"Is that so? Well, good luck. I'm heading out. I'm getting sleepy."

"Take this seriously! Your fingerprints are on my clothes. I can get you expelled whenever I want!"

Seeing Kamio Tatsuya's indifferent attitude, Kushida grew flustered.

"Go ahead. But think about the consequences first. Do you really think everyone will still like you if you spread that story?"

Kushida's heart skipped a beat. She'd been so busy threatening Kamio Tatsuya that she hadn't considered that.

If she really went around saying that Kamio Tatsuya had almost raped her, most people might feel sorry for her.

But plenty of people would look at her differently, too.

Why did he only do it to you?

Could there be something wrong with you?

It sounded ridiculous, didn't it?

But that was human nature.

Kamio Tatsuya knew that all too well.

People always said flies wouldn't land on an uncracked egg. But if you were already comparing the other person to a fly, didn't that say enough?

"Most importantly, do you really think that'll be enough to threaten me? I've got a camera recording over there."

As he spoke, Kamio Tatsuya pointed at the nearby trash can. A phone had been propped up on it, its camera aimed right at them.

Knowing Kushida Kikyo wasn't simple, Kamio Tatsuya would never have come unprepared.

Did she think he'd just stand there like an idiot?

That wasn't Kamio Tatsuya's style. He wouldn't put himself in danger so easily.

Even with three stand-ins to take the fall for him, he still played it safe.

When Kushida Kikyo saw the phone, she immediately tried to rush over and snatch it.

"I wouldn't bother. How do you know I only set up one camera? What if there's another one on the other side? What would you do then?"

At that, Kushida Kikyo hesitated. Taking advantage of the moment, Kamio Tatsuya rushed over, picked up his phone, and stopped the recording.

"You actually believed me? Hahahaha! Were you hoping to laugh me to death and inherit my Points?"

Kamio Tatsuya's mocking tone made Kushida tremble.

What a horrible person. He's absolutely awful!

Kushida Kikyo's reaction amused Kamio Tatsuya.

No, to be precise, it was watching her fall into the trap he'd set in advance that amused him.

"What are you trying to do?"

Kushida Kikyo immediately lost her nerve.

She could still try to take his phone, but she'd watched Kamio Tatsuya run during gym class. There was no way she could catch him.

So once Kamio Tatsuya had the phone, he was already in an unbeatable position.

As for Kushida's question, Kamio Tatsuya had only one answer.

"I just want to spend all three years at this school in peace and pick up some Private Points along the way to improve my quality of life. Other than that, I don't have any plans for now." Kamio Tatsuya yawned.

Then he raised his wrist and unlocked his phone.

"It's about time. I should get back."

"Wait. What are you going to do with that recording?"

Kushida's voice sounded as nervous as it had before.

"Obviously, I'm keeping it. Otherwise, I'd have no idea when you might try to trip me up." Kamio Tatsuya said it as though it were obvious.

"You're not going to use it to threaten me, are you?"

Kamio Tatsuya paused.

"...Good idea."

"What did you say?"

"I hadn't thought of it before, but since you think I'll use it to threaten you, I might as well give you what you expect."

Watching Kamio Tatsuya, Kushida felt her stomach twist. She couldn't tell whether he'd genuinely thought of it because she'd brought it up or whether he was deliberately messing with her.

Either way, Kushida was in a terrible position now.

"So try your best to become useful to me. That way, I won't toss you aside so easily. And the material of our school uniforms makes fingerprints hard to leave. I don't have sweaty hands, either. Honestly."

Kamio Tatsuya turned around and waved before walking into the dormitory without looking back, leaving Kushida standing there in a daze.

In the dorm's first-floor lobby, Kamio Tatsuya was waiting for the elevator when he noticed Kushida Kikyo had followed him.

By now, she'd gone back to her harmless, sweet-looking self. It was as though the person who'd just been furiously venting at the railing had been someone else.

"Kamio, please tell me what I have to do for you to delete the recording."

Hearing Kushida's cloyingly sweet voice gave Kamio Tatsuya a chill. He immediately stepped sideways to put some distance between them.

The elevator soon arrived, and they got in one after the other.

"Hey, what do I have to do for you to delete the recording?"

Kushida was more like a real person when she acted this way.

"Why are you so hung up on the recording?"

"Because you've got something to hold over me. I can't sleep!"

"Instead of wasting your time on this, you should figure out how to please me. Then I won't release the recording so easily." Kamio Tatsuya glanced at her and pursed his lips.

"Are you saying you want me to be your slave, Kamio?"

As she spoke, Kushida put on a pitiful, tearful expression. Any boy who didn't know the truth would probably fall for it in an instant.

But...

Kamio Tatsuya glanced at her, then turned away and focused on the floor display.

Who knows if she's recording audio? If I say the wrong thing, she could turn the tables on me.

The number on the display changed from three to four, and the elevator slowly came to a stop.

Without saying a word, Kamio Tatsuya walked out and stopped in front of his room.

"How long are you going to keep following me?"

"Until you agree to delete the recording, of course."

Kamio Tatsuya gave her a sidelong glance, opened the door, and went inside.

But just as Kushida was about to step in...

Bang!