Akasaka sat across from Ryuen with his legs crossed, looking as smug as could be.
No kidding!
He'd finally hired two bodyguards. If he didn't show off a little, he might not get another chance.
Across from him, Ryuen was all alone. As he looked at the opposing team, not a scratch on any of them, the corner of his mouth twitched.
Who said Class D was the most useless? Come out here! Damn it, this is supposed to be the most useless class? Then Class A must be the most useless of the useless!
At that moment, Ryuen really wanted a cigarette to ease the pressure weighing on him.
How could he not be under pressure? Everyone on the other side was watching him, and even his strategist had gone over to them.
Shiina, on the other side, looked a little awkward too.
She hadn't expected things to turn out like this.
She'd intended to go over to Ryuen, but Akasaka had stopped her with an overbearing insistence.
Shiina looked at the little hand he was holding. Her cheeks were flushed, and she said nothing.
Akasaka wasn't thinking much of it. He simply didn't want Shiina advising Ryuen, or it would interfere with his plans.
Akasaka stared straight at the leader of Class C before him, then grinned playfully.
"Now can we sit down and talk, Ryuen Kakeru?"
Ryuen wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and managed to force out a smile.
"Of course. Let's sit down and talk things over. There's no need for all this fighting, is there? It's terribly uncivilized."
Akasaka rolled his eyes. "Weren't you the one who started it? And you've still got the nerve to say that?"
Ryuen was instantly a little embarrassed. He hadn't expected the other side to be so good at fighting. If he'd known, he wouldn't have made a move...
Ryuen cleared his throat, his expression turning serious.
"Go on, then. What'll it take to settle this privately? What conditions do you want regarding that video?"
Akasaka stopped acting so casually and began to take things seriously.
After all, this was about money. He couldn't afford to be careless.
Akasaka held up one finger. "Ten million Personal Points. In exchange, I'll delete the video and files of Yamauchi Haruki's framing, and sign a contract. That way, you can rest assured I won't suddenly go back on my word."
Akasaka handed the contract to Ryuen.
Ryuen had no choice but to pick it up and read it. There was nothing unusual in it: he would pay ten million to settle the matter, and the contract would bind both parties. If either side went back on their word, the contract would immediately become void.
It didn't say that breaking the contract would result in expulsion or some other high-risk penalty. It only required the original points to be returned, which actually troubled Ryuen.
That meant the other side could go back on their word simply by returning the points they'd received. They wouldn't have to pay any real price.
That severely limited Ryuen's options.
As long as the other side kept this leverage, they could go back on their word at any time.
If Ryuen went after Class D again in the future, how could he be sure the other side still didn't have that video?
If they did, this would never end.
Akasaka understood the other side's concerns. He'd deliberately made the contract this way. Besides giving Ryuen a headache and making him afraid to target Class D again, it also served another purpose.
He'd set two traps for Ryuen. No matter which one Ryuen fell into, Akasaka wouldn't lose; the only question was whether he'd earn a little less or a little more.
Sure enough, Ryuen didn't give it much thought before preparing to sign the contract.
What choice did he have? He clearly couldn't beat the other side, so he could only accept the loss.
Besides, the other side had asked for exactly ten million—the amount he'd just earned from Class B and Class D. It was obvious that this was deliberate.
This guy...
Ryuen was deeply reluctant as he prepared to sign the contract.
Akasaka took out the pen he'd brought and handed it to Ryuen.
Ryuen didn't notice anything amiss and signed his name without hesitation.
Akasaka's lips curled into a meaningful smile. He took the pen and signed his own name in front of Ryuen.
At last, Ryuen let out a sigh of relief. He transferred the ten million Personal Points he'd barely had time to enjoy, and his teeth ground together in anger.
Ryuen Kakeru had never suffered such a great loss!
He glared at Akasaka Ryunosuke and let out a breath.
"The contract's signed. You can leave now, right? Don't let the door hit you on the way out."
Ryuen impatiently shooed them away, clearly showing them the door.
Akasaka didn't care about his attitude and got up to leave.
Before leaving, he took a book from inside his coat and handed it to Shiina Hiyori, who was still sitting on the sofa.
Shiina didn't know what the book was, but instinctively accepted it with both hands.
"What's this?"
Akasaka smiled knowingly.
"It's something you've been looking forward to. There's a bonus, too."
Shiina eagerly opened the book, seeming to check something.
After a long while, Shiina smiled happily and spoke to Akasaka.
"Thank you, Akasaka. I really like this book."
"It has the contents of the third volume of Five Seconds, and there's a new book too. Is it a novel you've written?"
Shiina pressed him curiously.
Akasaka nodded. "This is the novel I just wrote, April Is Your Lie. If you like it, remember to submit it for me."
Shiina understood what Akasaka meant. He wanted her to write a letter of recommendation and ask her father to help get his novel through the process faster.
Shiina smiled brightly.
"Which book is Akasaka planning to publish? The finished Five Seconds? I can write a letter of recommendation for you and say that I recommended it. I'm sure my father's publishing house can give you the green light and get it approved quickly."
"Then I'll trouble you to write a letter of recommendation for me, Shiina. I'll thank you afterward with 500,000 Personal Points..."
Shiina shook her head.
"I don't need any points. Just let me read your finished books ahead of time. That's all the reward I want~"
Akasaka had expected Shiina to ask for exactly that.
For a girl who loved nothing more than reading, the excellent works from his previous life were the perfect bait...
It wasn't very nice of him to manipulate Shiina like this, but he owed so much money elsewhere that he had no choice but to make use of her connections first...
He'd find a way to repay her kindness later...
Akasaka couldn't help thinking this, and he also felt rather guilty toward Shiina. After all, he was taking advantage of her.
She probably knew it too.
And yet she was still willing to help, just for the chance to read his excellent works, willingly letting him take advantage of her.
He and Shiina both understood what was going on.
But precisely because of that, Akasaka found himself developing feelings for such a wonderful girl, even though he shouldn't.
Akasaka shook his head and smiled wryly to himself.
I really... I actually fell for her.
But it made sense. Who wouldn't fall for a girl who willingly let him take advantage of her without a word of complaint?
Akasaka felt he wasn't worthy of an unselfish girl like Shiina, who was willing to let him take advantage of her...
Shiina had no idea what Akasaka was thinking.
She just wanted to read books—Akasaka's books.
Even if he was taking advantage of her, even though she knew it, she was still willing to let him do so, because his books were truly wonderful!
That was why Shiina helped Akasaka so selflessly.
Before you continue