Realizing One's True Heart, Still Need to Find Fun

Having analyzed Shiomiya's reaction, Kushida felt that her plan had succeeded.

Shiomiya might have his doubts, but he would still choose to honor their agreement.

Shiomiya Yo was that kind of person.

Thinking about how Shiomiya would be in the palm of her hand from now on, Kushida couldn't help wanting to laugh.

She covered her mouth.

No, she couldn't laugh yet.

She still had to keep up the act. After that, it would just be a cycle of playing with Shiomiya as she pleased, then belittling and looking down on him.

Kushida was still in her dorm, thinking about how she would toy with Shiomiya later.

Meanwhile, Shiomiya was already eating breakfast in the cafeteria.

Just then, a message popped up.

[Kushida Kikyo: Buy me a breakfast worth at least 1,000 points and bring it over.]

Shiomiya saw it and could only do as she said.

He had just been wondering how Kushida would order him around. And here it was.

It seemed his point expenses would be going up again from now on.

Shiomiya felt that his five hundred thousand-plus points might not be enough.

Ever since he was little, Shiomiya had always been the one giving orders. When had he ever been ordered around?

For the moment, he still felt a little unaccustomed to it.

Later, he could talk to Kamuro more about how to adjust his mindset.

Kamuro had seemed to be doing quite well before, so she apparently had adapted to it.

After buying Kushida's breakfast, Shiomiya walked along a small path through campus. The pleasant scenery all around put him at ease.

Shiomiya began thinking about what he should do from here on out.

After discovering the emptiness in his heart in the piano room, should he continue completing the system's missions?

Shiomiya sat down on a bench by the road, pressed both hands against the sides of his nose, tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and sank into thought.

He couldn't come up with an answer.

This wasn't the kind of problem that could be solved through reasoning. He couldn't figure it out.

Shiomiya got up and headed toward the classroom along the artificial lake.

He saw seagulls dive at the water's surface, sending ripples spreading outward.

Shiomiya continued walking thoughtfully.

Then he suddenly stopped.

Damn it, something was better than nothing!

Finding amusement could send ripples through his heart and satisfy him for the time being. That was still better than a stagnant pool of dead water.

He still had to seek entertainment. He still had to watch the freaks.

Having realized his true self, Shiomiya's godliness rose to another level!

Shiomiya threw back his head and laughed. "Hahahaha! Watching ripples upon the artificial lake, only today did I learn who I truly am! I've done it! I've become a god!"

Shiomiya's uninhibited laughter startled the birds by the lake into scattering in every direction, while passing students hurried away as well.

Some even muttered under their breath, "This school has driven another one insane."

Watching all this, Shiomiya only felt that they were "cheering" for his realization, further strengthening his conviction.

Class D.

Kushida was already in the classroom, with several girls gathered around her chatting.

There was no sign at all that yesterday's events had affected her.

Shiomiya walked over and, with a thud, set the packaged deluxe ramen on Kushida's desk.

"Kushida, here's the breakfast you asked for."

Kushida looked at the large serving of deluxe ramen before her, and the corner of her mouth twitched.

It wasn't entirely Shiomiya's fault. This was the most expensive breakfast sold by the school, and since Shiomiya thought Kushida wanted something pricey, he bought the priciest one.

Kushida launched her attack with an angelic demeanor!

"Thank you, Shiomiya-kun, but I've already eaten. You should have this yourself."

Shiomiya was just about to say something when Kushida stopped him with a look. He could only let it go and return to his seat.

Wang Meili was somewhat introverted to begin with, and Shiomiya's actions left her rather stunned.

"Is Shiomiya trying to pursue Little Kikyo? That's so bold!

Kind of strange, though."

"Little Kikyo, is Shiomiya pursuing you?" Wang Meili asked curiously.

Romance was always girls' favorite topic.

The girls around them also wore gossip-hungry expressions.

Kushida kept smiling, but inwardly, she had cursed Shiomiya a thousand times over.

This useless idiot! Useless idiot! Useless idiot!

I told you to buy breakfast, and you bought something this huge.

If I accept this, won't it ruin the image I've built as someone who only eats light meals?

And that stupid pig—didn't I tell you we had to act like normal classmates in public?

Bringing it over directly makes it look like we're close.

Kushida was about to brush the matter aside when an idea suddenly flashed through her mind.

If she simply admitted it and turned Shiomiya into Kushida Kikyo's simp...

That wouldn't be bad either~

The corners of Kushida's lips rose uncontrollably.

Facing the girls' questions, Kushida feigned distress. "Sigh... that's true. Shiomiya has been buying me all sorts of things lately. I've clearly refused him, but he just keeps giving me things. Sigh..."

The girls around her immediately stood up for Kushida.

"That's too much!"

"How can he harass someone like that?"

"And he even said Kushida told him to buy it!"

"I never thought Shiomiya was that kind of person. I thought he seemed pretty decent before."

Everyone began discussing it, and some wanted to stand up for Kushida and confront Shiomiya.

Kushida stopped them, looking slightly reluctant. "It's okay. I'm afraid this might hurt Shiomiya. I'll handle it myself."

At that point, no one could say much else. They either comforted Kushida or helped her come up with ideas.

Kushida looked troubled on the surface, but inwardly she was nearly laughing herself crazy.

Shiomiya Yo, from now on, you're my dog, Kushida Kikyo's dog!

This isn't just between the two of us anymore—everyone thinks so now!

Everyone will only think Kushida is pitiful, being harassed yet still unwilling to hurt someone else.

Hahaha!

Meanwhile, their protagonist, Shiomiya Yo, was still dealing with his ramen.

Since Kushida wasn't going to eat it, he couldn't let it go to waste. Ever since he began training martial arts, Shiomiya's appetite had greatly increased, so one extra bowl of ramen was no problem.

Gradually, more and more people arrived in the classroom. Seeing Shiomiya eating ramen there, no one said anything. They were already used to it.

Nothing Shiomiya did seemed strange anymore. That was the consensus among many people.

It was hard to imagine that they had reached such a consensus in just over a week.

The class bell rang.

Shiomiya was still lost in thought.

His phone vibrated.

[Kushida: You stupid pig! Who delivers breakfast like that?!

I've already told everyone you're my simp, so make sure you act the part!

Also, go buy me bread and milk!

This time, put them in a paper bag and leave them in my shoe locker!]

[Shiomiya: OK!]

Kushida's barrage of messages snapped Shiomiya back to his senses.

Shiomiya immediately got up and left, completely failing to notice Chabashira's face darkening at the podium.

Shiomiya swiftly completed his task. Not wanting to return to the classroom, he wandered around campus instead.

Passing an art classroom, Shiomiya remembered that he also had the talent of an art club member.

Shiomiya went straight to the mall and bought a full set of painting supplies. Returning to his dorm balcony, he set up an easel, mixed his paints, and prepared to begin creating his first work.

Shiomiya recalled the traits famous painters had in common.

He quickly found the answer—self-portraits.

Shiomiya figured that whatever he painted, he would definitely look handsome.

Shiomiya casually took a selfie and set it aside as a reference.

He would start with a sketch.

Holding a pencil, Shiomiya drew smooth lines, using only a few strokes to outline a person's silhouette.

The entire outline soon took shape, but when it came to depicting the facial features—

Shiomiya felt something was off. It clearly looked just like the photo, yet it didn't feel like him.

Maybe this was the kind of feeling one could only have after developing an artistic sensibility!

In the past, Shiomiya would have considered the drawing finished and been perfectly satisfied. He had never felt that it was somehow lacking.

Then what exactly should I—Shiomiya Yo—look like?