Scum Who Toys With a Maiden's Pure Love

"You want us to trust each other? What meaning does that hold for you?"

Kushida Kikyo sneered, her voice sounding particularly grating in the vast, empty night.

Makoto Nishikado already understood her true colors.

In front of him, she no longer needed to feign the persona of a gentle, kind, and helpful angel.

Makoto Nishikado, for his part, didn't need to put on a show of trading sincerity for sincerity either.

Given her experiences, it was impossible for her to trust others easily.

Makoto Nishikado saying such things only disgusted her.

"Meaning, you ask? Your mindset is already showing cracks."

"Sneaking out here in the middle of the night to kick the railings—aren't you afraid of being seen?"

"There are few people here, but it's not absolutely safe."

Those were the marks left by Kushida Kikyo in her rage, each footprint seemingly telling the story of the repression and pain in her heart.

He knew that Kushida Kikyo's psychological pressure had grown to the point where she could barely control herself.

Although her stress had spiked rapidly due to his own actions, even without him, Kushida Kikyo absorbed the negative energy of the students around her every day; something would have gone wrong sooner or later.

"Are you worried that if I'm exposed, you won't be able to threaten me anymore?"

Kushida Kikyo laughed coldly.

If that were the reason, she could understand it—though only to a small extent.

"Which do you think is better: a real angel or a fake one?"

Makoto Nishikado turned around and asked a seemingly inexplicable question.

"The real angel is Honami Ichinose from your class, and I'm the fake one?"

Kushida Kikyo smiled sarcastically, a hint of self-mockery in her eyes.

She was self-aware enough to know that her own gentleness was a facade.

Even though she didn't hold high expectations for human nature, she believed Honami Ichinose's kindness was genuine.

Honami Ichinose was like the version of herself she had always fantasized about: perfect, kind, full of sunshine, and capable of being a pillar for everyone.

If people were forced to choose between the two of them, knowing their true colors, Kushida Kikyo didn't think anyone would choose her.

"On the surface, you are both equally gentle, equally skilled at socializing, and equally capable of uniting everyone as angels."

"She is indeed purer than you; she is a truly gentle angel."

"But who says the fake is necessarily inferior to the real? In my eyes, you have an extra layer of effort and a great deal more longing than she does."

"I like people who have dreams and work hard for them."

"Looking at the results, as long as your negative emotions don't spiral out of control, you actually perform better than she does."

Makoto Nishikado praised her sincerely.

If it were Honami Ichinose, she wouldn't be able to keep smiling at someone like Yamauchi Haruki; instead, she would try to lead him to integrate into the group.

That is an impossible task.

It's not that Honami Ichinose lacks the ability, but that Yamauchi Haruki isn't worth it.

If it were Kushida Kikyo, however, she might actually have a chance to persuade Yamauchi Haruki.

People with high emotional intelligence can accommodate those beneath them, but to accommodate even Yamauchi Haruki—could anyone else manage that?

Being able to go this far showed just how resilient Kushida Kikyo's inner self truly was.

Makoto Nishikado also knew that since he had triggered Kushida Kikyo's landmine early, he had to clean up the mess.

If he just caused the destruction without managing the aftermath, only one path would remain for Kushida Kikyo.

That would be for her to self-destruct, taking everyone around her down with her before dropping out.

If Advanced Nurturing were to lose such a broad-minded treasure as Kushida Kikyo, Makoto Nishikado would certainly feel a sense of regret.

In short, there was only one reason Makoto Nishikado was willing to take such a risk.

"Kikyo-chan, you are capable of providing me with ample emotional value."

"I won't allow you to drop out."

Advanced Nurturing cannot lose Kushida Kikyo, just as the 3D community cannot lose Jerusalem!

"Are you saying you did all this just to keep me here?"

Facing Makoto Nishikado's sincere gaze, Kushida Kikyo asked, caught between shock and suspicion.

Makoto Nishikado had always used an intimate way of addressing her, but the things he said were always difficult to distinguish as truth or lies.

At first, Kushida Kikyo had just assumed he was teasing her and hadn't taken it seriously at all.

But now, she wasn't so sure anymore.

According to Makoto Nishikado, this man had done all this to make her stay, hoping that she would be able to trust him.

In other words, the fact that he was willing to take such a huge risk tonight was all for her sake?

Thinking of this, Kushida Kikyo couldn't help but avert her gaze, her heart drifting in uncertainty.

Someone like Ike Kanji, who only talked about liking her, would certainly never go to such lengths.

As for Makoto Nishikado...

No! He must be plotting something!

This is all fake, fake!

No one would ever like the real her!

Kushida Kikyo leaned against the railing, her back turned to Makoto Nishikado.

Although she wasn't sure what expression she was wearing, she wouldn't let Makoto Nishikado see it anyway.

Or perhaps, she simply couldn't bear to look at Makoto Nishikado's face anymore.

Seeing this, Makoto Nishikado realized that his words had achieved the desired effect.

"I think what you truly crave is trust, not the secrets of others."

"So, to show my sincerity, I want to establish a relationship of mutual trust with you."

"I wonder, would you be willing, Kikyo-chan?"

Makoto Nishikado did not rashly approach Kushida Kikyo.

He couldn't be sure what kind of emotional state she was in right now.

"...Aren't you afraid that I'll spill your secrets?"

Her heart felt as if it were being gripped, and Kushida Kikyo felt that her complexion must look terrible right now.

Why was her heart beating so fast?

"Would I care about such a small price? The only thing I cannot accept is you being expelled, Kikyo-chan."

"If you were to leave, both this school and my future campus life would lose so much color."

Stop talking! Who would believe such nonsense!

Kushida Kikyo roared in her heart.

Please, keep talking.

Kushida Kikyo pleaded in her heart.

Two different voices wove together into a symphony; this contradiction brought not enjoyment, but a torment that ravaged Kushida Kikyo's brain.

She was no longer able to think normally.

"I have no way to trust you; you're not a good person at all, Ximen."

Kushida Kikyo regretted saying it the moment it left her lips, but she forced herself to stand firm.

"Whether I am worth trusting or not, you will know in the future."

"I came to find you today just to tell you this. If there's nothing else, I'll be going."

Makoto Nishikado flicked his sleeves, leaving without taking a single cloud with him.

Current progress: 75%.

Kushida Kikyo wanted to turn around, and even more so, she wanted to reach out and hold Makoto Nishikado back.

But the battle in her mind had not yet ended, and she remained in a daze.

"What is this supposed to be..."

Makoto Nishikado's words echoed repeatedly in Kushida Kikyo's mind, leaving her heart a complex mix of confusion, being moved, suspicion, and an indescribable sense of panic.

A full five minutes later, Kushida Kikyo finally regained her senses.

By this time, Makoto Nishikado's figure had long since vanished into the night.

Kushida Kikyo touched her still-flushed cheeks and couldn't help but whisper a reproach.

"Scumbag, playing with a girl's innocent heart!"