Ares_00

128. Worry (2)

(Haruna POV)

***

"Noooo, you're telling me that this question was wrong too??" Airi wailed, clutching her pigtails in frustration as Greeny patted her back with pity. 

Haruna walked up behind them and saw a list of some of the difficult questions on the midterms laid out on a paper, with detailed solutions written beside them. 

"I'm honestly surprised you still have some hope left for winning that bet," she ...

Advance Chapters Announcement

Hello Everyone!

Thank you so much for reading and supporting my work. This post is to inform you that I will be adding 10 extra chapters later today, which will bring the novel to the end of Book 1/Volume 1.

Here's how it affects each tier:

The Side Character: 5 → 8

The Supporting Character: 10 → 15

The Main Character and Above: 20 → 30

Hope you guys have enjoyed it so far. I honestly never expected to get this far when I ...

127. Worry (1)

Reiji was confused. 

No, not just confused. 

He was worried. 

Because Haruna didn't come to school today, and because Hina kept looking between her phone and the door the entire time during the first three periods. 

Initially, he just assumed she was taking a break after the exhausting midterm preparation, even though it was quite unlike her. 

But was it really just a coincidence that Hina appeared to be so out of sorts? 

He ha...

126. Interesting

(Beardy POV)

***

'That was... interesting?'

Beardy was still trying to come to terms with the chaotic mess that had just unfolded in the office, but despite the rollercoaster of a 'conversation' Reiji's friends had with the Boss, it ended fairly positively. 

".....What a waste of some good whiskey. That wouldn't have even created a decent fire," Daichi muttered, staring at the large puddle on th...

125. The King vs The Villainess and The Heroine (2)

(Haruna POV)

***

"Tch, I told him to go the next day instead, but he said he had something else planned and refused adamantly. If the location was different, controlling the situation would've been much easier." 

".....What?"

'Does that mean he went just because we were supposed to meet at his place later?'

Haruna turned to Yui with wide eyes and saw that she was also looking at her with a similar ...

124. The King vs The Villainess and The Heroine (1)

(Haruna POV)

***

While the two men were inside, Haruna and Yui were waiting near the elevator. 

"....Senpai, how should we start the conversation?" 

"I dunno, I'll just ask him to stop forcing Reiji, I guess," Yui shrugged. 

"But we need a game plan!"

"Even if we have a proper one, the core message won't change. Isn't it better to be direct with someone like a Yakuza Boss, who might even app...

Yagami Yuusuke (The Stepbrother)

Atticus (The Cat)

123. Respect

(Haruna POV)

***

"You.....You're the Boss's gir-....the person the Boss is 'tutoring', right?" the bald man rambled in excitement. 

And then the bearded one slapped the back of his head. 

"OW! Takeda-san!"

"I apologize for his existence; his birth was an unfortunate day for us all. May I ask if you're acquainted with Yagami Reiji in any way?" the man called Takeda asked politely. 

H...

122. To Do Or Not To Do

(Haruna POV)

***

"Because I have the feeling that he'd do the same."

As Yui said those words, Haruna's overworked brain came to a complete halt. 

"He....."

'He would definitely do something if he thought we were in trouble, I know that better than anyone. But would he really do something that is so obviously dangerous, with high-risk and low-reward?'

Reiji was still an enigma in many ways in ...

121. A Confrontation (2)

(Yui POV)

***

(Yesterday)

*CREAAAK*

Yui grimaced at the loud squeak of the door hinge, tiptoeing carefully to minimize all the other noises as much as she possibly could. 

It was cold, dark, and gloomy, but it was a scene she was more than used to. 

The house was quite empty, as usual, both of her mothers should be asleep already, and waking her...

120. A Confrontation (1)

(Haruna POV)

***

Haruna dragged her feet as she walked to school, her slumped posture highlighting the lack of sleep last night.

There was simply too much on her mind, and she had no choice but to accept the fact that the next few days would be just as stressful. 

Thankfully, the midterm results will be posted tomorrow, and some good news might help her relax for a change.

"Haruna-chan!" 

As she glanced up at the call, sh...

119. The Diary Series (#4) - Haruna

Entry #49

Dear Diary. 

It's been a while. 

I'm thinking of burning down the syndicate.

Maybe.

Ugh, I don't know what to do with all this frustration, and now I'm talking like a psychopath, haha. But so much has happened in these past three days that I haven't been able to write an entry for them, and now it's culminating into something that's definitely going to turn into a craazzyyyyy long spiel.

So bear with me. 

Satu...

118. The Diary Series (#3) - Haruna

Entry #31

Dear Diary,

I'm thinking of joining the cooking club instead, for no particular reason at all. 

I just thought that the burgers they made for us were delicious, and that it would be fun to learn how to make stuff like that, not to mention all the free food we get to eat and the trips they take us on.

It sounds like heaven!

So there's absolutely no other reason for it!

I think....

But now I gotta prepare for the test, an...

117. A Crazy Cannonball

Reiji lay in his bed, sinking into his ridiculously soft mattress that he'd now gotten used to. 

It washed away the tiredness through pure comfort, even when he hadn't fallen asleep yet, because it was hard to resist the urge to turn over since he couldn't put pressure on the wound. 

*RING*

His phone buzzed with another notification, and he picked it up from his bedside table to see if it was Beardy hounding him to not go over to Arata's p...

116. A Tantalizing Beating

Reiji couldn't help but grumble on his way to Haruna's house, trying to figure out a way to explain the Keito situation without making her worry.

It seemed impossible, unless he lied. 

But he'd promised both her and himself that he wouldn't do that, causing this mind-numbing dilemma.

'Why'd that fucker even have to come to me anyway??'

He felt like maybe going back to crack another finger, but pinched himself to snap out of it when he realized that he was...

115. A Sinner's Voice (2)

Reiji stirred his drink as he considered a few options, not taking any of them too seriously at the moment because there was a bigger problem to consider at the moment. 

"Look, Sir... I really regret what I did, you can know that by the very fact that I came to you for a job even after what you did," Keito pleaded, lifting his hand up to show the thick bandages wrapped around his fingers. 

Reiji stopped, shifting his focus back on the man in front of him, who ha...

114. A Sinner's Voice (1)

Reiji could feel the fire inside of him bubbling when he noticed Keito standing outside the entrance, clearly waiting for someone.

And who else could it be but him?

He forced himself to breathe regularly, trying to control his fluctuating emotions at this unwelcome encounter that dampened an otherwise happy day. 

But his other life affecting his regular one was his biggest fear, and it was happening at this very moment from a source he never expected, nor one he could i...

113. Freedom!

(Haruna POV)

***

"Granny! I'm back!"

Haruna took off her shoes at the entrance and waddled in to see the old woman hunched on the sofa while sipping on a mug of hot tea. 

"How were your exams today?" she smiled, gesturing for her to sit on the couch as well. 

"Honestly, I think I did really well.... But I'll need to wait for the results to see if I cracked the Top 10."

"I saw how hard you worked, and I know you can do it,...

112. The Final Session (2)

"Nomnomnomnomnomnom."

While Haruna munched on her cookies, still occasionally glaring at Reiji, who was right next to her on the table, he tried his best to avoid eye contact. 

".....I was joking?" he mumbled, trying to plead his case.

"Were you?" 

".....Well, what else was I supposed to think?" 

She'd been making a twisted expression at random times throughout the day and then suddenly ran into the bathroom in the middle of their conversation.&nbs...

111. The Final Session (1)

(Haruna POV)

***

'....What if I didn't do well?'

Haruna tightened her grip on the straps of the backpack she was wearing, occasionally turning towards Reiji, who was walking alongside her.

In the past, whenever she felt confident about a test, the scores were still never high enough to be truly proud of. 

She used to brush it off, her thoughts too occupied with Granny and how she could help her out. 

But she didn...

110. The Midterms (4)

(Haruna POV)

***

'I knew he was not that good of a guy, but..... what the hell is wrong with him?'

Haruna frowned as she stared at the person she once called a friend, who was still standing in the middle of the room like an idiot even after everyone had left. 

It took a loud reprimand from Kahawara Sensei to snap him out of his daze, and she shook her head with a sigh. 

From the very start, something had always felt o...

109. The Midterms (3)

(Kazama Riku POV)

***

Anger. 

That's an emotion I'm not particularly familiar with. 

In fact, I consider myself to be quite easygoing and casual, someone people can befriend easily. 

But over the past few weeks, I've been constantly feeling this drive to punch something. 

No.

To punch someone. 

'That shitty yakuza delinquent.'

Everything is because of him. 

Yuz...

108. The Midterms (2)

Reiji settled into his new seat, still rattled at the smug look on the teacher's face. 

Being in the first row was one of the most uncomfortable feelings ever, especially for someone like him, who was used to sitting in the back for both of his lives. 

'Ugh.... Is he going to stare at me like that all day?'

Kahawara Sensei was still ogling him despite everyone else also moving around to get to their new seats, almost like he was a hawk that had locked onto...

107. The Midterms (1)

"I'M GONNA BE LATE!!" 

Reiji watched Haruna run around like a headless chicken, storming into the bathroom to start brushing her teeth. 

"...How could you forget to charge your phone?" 

"I wash tired from all the shtudying, okay?" she replied incoherently, her mouth occupied with the foaming toothpaste.

Her phone had died in the middle of the night, which meant she had slept through her alarm unintentionally. 

She only woke up at the same time...

106. Secrets (3)

"Are you mad?" Reiji asked after drinking another spoonful of the warm soup that was served to him on a tray. 

He was doing his best to avoid eye contact with Haruna, who was also drinking the soup next to him on a chair that she'd pulled over from the dining table. 

He didn't get a response. 

Reiji finally mustered the courage to look at her and saw that same frown still on her scrunched-up face. 

If he didn't know better, he'd be blaming the ...

105. Secrets (2)

(Haruna POV)

***

As Reiji was tipping over, his balance whisked away from him, Haruna jumped up from her seat in panic, her arms reaching out to try and cushion his fall. 

She barely managed to grab onto his hoodie, her firm grasp slowing his momentum.

But he was simply too heavy, so he still ended up collapsing, albeit not as hard. 

"Reiji-tan! Are you okay??" she cried out in worry. 

"Urrghhhh..."

A weary gro...

104. Secrets (1)

While Reiji's thoughts continued to churn in his mind, the three of them kept eating the pizza with some light chatter here and there. 

To his surprise, the two girls seemed to get along much better than he had anticipated. 

Well, only if you consider the fact that Yui didn't outright ignore Haruna or act extremely rudely, despite the obvious barbs in her words. 

To the outside perspective, one would think she hated her, but Reiji knew that Yui simply acknowle...

103. Re:Encounter

Reiji plopped his pizza back on his plate, reaching for a tissue to wipe his oily hands clean. 

"You met him today? Where?" 

"Met who?" Haruna asked curiously.

"That friend of yours, Kazama Riku. We met him a while ago at the mall and..... Well, it wasn't a pleasant meeting," Reiji sighed. 

"Oh, please! don't sugarcoat it. He was a fucking creep, ogling me like that and also insulting you for no reason. He's lucky I didn't kick his face in," Yui snorted ...

102. Saturday (5)

"Wow, these are amazing!" Haruna squealed, popping another macaron into her mouth. 

While Yui was still in the bathroom, Reiji had whipped up some coffee for her as well, and they were now relaxing for a bit with the sweets he'd made.

"I'm glad," he replied, getting up from his seat to start prepping lunch. 

Haruna turned to him, placing her cup down and finally getting to the question he had been dreading.

"Why didn't you tell me she was going to be here bef...