"Ugh, with that scumbag Coach Togo around, I just don't feel like staying in the baseball club anymore."
"I originally joined because of Katase Shouya, but now? To secure a spot as a starter, he's stooping so low, licking up to that scumbag. It's infuriating!"
Akane's emotions were all over the place, a tangled mess of worry and frustration—concerned about the dangers of Coach Togo, while being equally annoyed about her promise with Katase Shouya.
The more she thought about it, the more agitated she became.
It was only when Hikari's image flashed through her mind that her restless thoughts found some semblance of calm. A sense of safety and reassurance washed over her, as if grounding her amidst the chaos.
Maybe it was because of her recent frustrations, but Hikari's figure seemed to appear in her mind more and more frequently these days.
———
Meanwhile, on the other side.
After finishing his chat with Akane, Hikari put down his phone.
The bell for the end of class had just rung.
As expected, three gyarus wasted no time surrounding him.
"Yoshida Saki, good afternoon!" Hamazaki Hikarina greeted with a cheerful smile. "Say, can you give up your seat for a bit? We want to have a word with Hikari-kun."
Typically, the seat in front of Hikari was left unoccupied. Whenever these three gyarus came to hang out with him, that's where they'd park themselves.
But today, Yoshida Saki had decided to sit there.
The trio wasn't used to it.
Still, they weren't the type to outright bully someone, so they politely negotiated with Saki.
Saki, however, was caught completely off-guard. Being surrounded by three gyarus made her freeze in place.
She glanced at Hikari, hoping he'd intervene, only to find him engrossed in his book, seemingly indifferent to the situation.
Faced with the trio's expectant gazes, Saki reluctantly stood up. "Un… you can sit here."
Truthfully, she didn't want to give up her seat.
It wasn't like she was close to the three gyarus, and the sudden demand made her feel uneasy.
If she were more outgoing, she might have blended in with them by now. But Saki wasn't that kind of person.
So, she silently stood up, moved aside awkwardly, and ultimately left the classroom.
The gyarus, thrilled by her departure, happily took their usual spots around Hikari.
"Let's plan a party! A ginpa! Let's do it!" They chattered excitedly, their voices blending into the usual chaos.
Hikari, however, remained focused on his phone, only responding with vague nods.
His thoughts weren't on their antics; they were on Coach Togo. Based on what Akane had told him, it was clear the coach wasn't going to let things slide.
Not that Hikari needed her to tell him. He already knew what kind of person Togo was.
Still, Hikari thought, it should be manageable. After all, he'd already bound a Pure Love Origami Crane to Akane. If anything happened, he'd know in advance.
Just a bit of extra vigilance would suffice.
Ah, and then there was Yoshida Saki.
Though she wasn't as beautiful as some of the other heroines, she had a knack for attracting troublesome jerks like flies to honey.
Hikari sighed, half-listening to the gyarus. Quietly, he bound another Pure Love Alert Crane to Saki.
No matter how much of a cheating-flag magnet she might be, he couldn't just leave her unprotected.
Not that he had any feelings for her or anything.
Still...
'Your 'metamorphosis'? Leave it to me to protect!'
Outside the classroom, Saki leaned against the railing, feeling awkward.
She had no idea Hikari had essentially transformed into the silent knight from her favorite R18 otome game.
Though his motives weren't entirely pure—gathering Pure Love Points was part of it—he was genuinely watching over her.
Saki, however, felt a pang of resentment toward Hikari.
To her, the gyarus seemed far too pushy, practically chasing her out of her seat.
And Hikari? He hadn't even lifted a finger to stop them.
"He must be some flirtatious delinquent," she muttered to herself. "Hangs out with gyarus, skips class, climbs fences... even if he's handsome, I should stay away."
That's what she told herself.
But then... why couldn't she stop thinking about him?
Shaking her head, she decided to refocus.
Just then, a few classmates approached her with friendly smiles, striking up a conversation.
They were mostly girls, and before long, they'd exchanged contact info and invited her for milk tea after school.
Despite her timid nature, Saki mustered enough confidence to agree.
Finally, she'd made some friends.
Her heart warmed at the realization. Maybe her decision to transfer schools, change her hairstyle, and Hikarinvent herself wasn't a mistake after all.
Hikari? Forget him. If he didn't care, it wasn't her problem.
———
Back in the classroom, Hikari was trying to escape his gyaru fan club when salvation appeared.
"Hikari-kun, come here."
Standing at the door was none other than Shirakawa Miwa-sensei, her golden ponytail shimmering as she gestured for him to follow.
The gyarus immediately quieted down, unwilling to misbehave in front of a teacher.
Reluctantly, they untangled themselves from Hikari.
Reina only managed a quick brush of his abs as she got up.
Sasaki Yukina settled for a discreet pat on his back.
But Ruri? The silver-haired twin-tail went straight for the forbidden zone, giving his thigh a squeeze.
Her delighted expression nearly made Hikari lose it.
He glared at her, his eyes promising vengeance.
But with Miwa-sensei watching, he had no choice but to let it slide... for now.
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