The Heroines All Regretted It

{You...?}

{What do you want now?}

{Stop staring at me. You...}

{If you touch me again, you're dead!}

{No, let me go!!!}

After Yoru's signal, Eriri hesitated, memories of how cruelly he'd treated her flashing in her mind.

In the end, she still chose to follow him.

This was Shuchiin Academy—not her home.

So while she felt scared, she wasn't too worried.

She watched Yoru walk against the flow of students, heading deeper into the third-year building.

Eriri slowed her steps, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

Her bottom line was simple: she didn't want Yoru to touch her again—ever.

"If he's still fantasizing... then let's burn everything down together!"

For days now, Eriri had lived on edge, constantly anxious that the disgusting fat otaku Yoru would bully her again.

At the same time, she had mentally prepared herself for the worst: mutual destruction. If it came to it, she'd drag him down with her.

"Eriri, didn't we finish the exam?"

"Why are you heading back?"

A long-haired girl from the art club called out to her.

"I forgot something. Hehe~"

Eriri forced a smile, pretending everything was fine.

On a normal day, some students might linger after school, but not today—it was the final exam day.

Yoru had already made his way to the third floor. He stopped at the stairwell landing.

Looking around, he saw the place was mostly empty. From downstairs, the sounds of chattering echoed up.

Leaning against the wall with arms crossed, Yoru quietly gazed down the stairs.

After waiting several dozen seconds...

He finally saw Eriri appear, looking both guarded and unwilling, stopping on the landing without climbing further.

"What do you want now?"

"I'm warning you again—don't even think about it!"

Eriri looked up and glared at the disgusting fat otaku Yoru above, her voice full of accusation.

She had even stopped drinking milk—it made her nauseous now.

Was this guy going to bully her again?

Would he dare?!

Her parents were returning from England next week...

Yoru said nothing. He'd already activated his mind-reading ability and was eavesdropping on the high-and-mighty ojou-sama's inner thoughts and emotional state.

Good.

This volcano named Eriri, which could erupt at any moment, had entered a temporary dormant state.

If luck held out, it might stay dormant forever.

That way, there'd be no catastrophic eruption, no mutual destruction.

He'd save his one-use time-reversal trump card.

Big win.

"You...?"

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

Eriri raised her voice, seeing him spaced out.

"Oh, I'm just not used to this."

"The old Sawamura would've already called me a disgusting fat otaku and rolled her eyes at me. This is new."

Yoru gave a small nod and smiled.

"You... damn you!"

Eriri flinched. Her sapphire eyes looked like they might burst into flames.

She stomped hard on the ground, the sound echoing through the stairwell.

"If you dragged me up here just to mock me, then screw you!"

"Didn't you want me to call you disgusting?"

"You're a filthy fat otaku pervert degenerate mangy mutt sick freak go to hell you garbage!"

Her face flushed red with shame and anger as she unleashed the insults like a rapid-fire barrage, not even pausing to breathe.

From above, Yoru looked down at her, unfazed. He simply raised an eyebrow.

"Forget it. I just wanted to ask when you're going to clear things up with Kasumigaoka Utaha."

His gaze was calm, like still water. Eriri's full-powered counterattack had landed like a punch on cotton—utterly ineffective.

"What are you so impatient for?!"

Eriri glared at Yoru, her face reddening further out of anger.

Even so, you had to admit—her face was seriously cute.

That fair skin and tsundere scowl—Eriri was the embodiment of Cuteness.

"It's been days already."

Yoru countered.

"I just got back to school. What's the rush?!"

"I'll explain it, okay? Stop pushing me!"

The proud ojou-sama was thoroughly annoyed. She threw him a final glare and stormed off.

"Damn it, bastard, jerk..."

"It's all his fault, this morning with Aki..."

As Eriri rushed downstairs, she remembered how unprepared she'd been earlier to face Tomoya.

When he approached her, she had immediately panicked and ducked away.

Her first instinct wasn't joy—it was fear and anxiety.

Even now, Eriri's thoughts were a mess. She had no idea what to do.

She couldn't face her childhood friend, whom she liked, and didn't know how to come clean to Kasumigaoka Utaha.

She just... hadn't figured it out yet.

Almost leaping her way down the stairs, Eriri reached the bottom.

She placed her soft little hands on the white wall, bent slightly, and looked at the tips of her brown leather shoes.

Grievance surged through her.

Her nose tingled, and before she could stop herself, she began to cry.

A tear slowly slid from the corner of her eye.

...

Yoru thought it over. What Eriri said actually made sense. He wasn't in that much of a hurry anyway.

Finals were still going on, and summer break was just around the corner.

After using the restroom in the building, he finally left.

On the way out, he grabbed another juice and strolled out without urgency.

At the school gate.

Satania was pacing around, bored, eyes fixed on the school entrance.

"Why haven't I seen him yet? Don't tell me he already left?"

"No, no, I came out really fast—he must still be inside."

She mumbled as she waited, eager to see Yoru come out.

Hehehe...

Her wicked little plan was to turn Yoru, the human, into her most loyal demon servant!

All it would take was one command:

"Kneel down and lick properly!"

And Yoru would drop all dignity, pledging himself to her, licking her filthy feet like a groveling mutt.

The angel Gabriel would have no choice but to silently watch her best friend fall, powerless to stop it...

In Satania's mind, kneeling and licking feet was the ultimate display of a lowly slave pleasing their master.

Another despicable angel, Raphiel, had once even made her lick her feet while sitting on a table!

"Ehahahaha, wakakaka—"

Satania trembled with excitement at her fantasy.

Not only would she land a personal minion, but Gabriel would suffer emotional damage too.

What a perfect plan!

Step one: get close to Yoru and slowly replace Gabriel as the closest friend in his heart!

Hahahahahaha—

...

Yoru walked out of the third-year building.

As he turned a corner, he spotted a familiar figure up ahead.

"Fujiwara Chika?"

He felt a small wave of surprise and joy and wanted to go say hello.

He sped up a few steps, then slowed again.

Would it scare her if he approached so suddenly? They weren't really close.

What kind of gift would be appropriate to thank her? He had no clue.

Yumiko had once suggested high-end skincare products, but...

Fujiwara wasn't going home. She was heading toward the student council, probably mulling over the exam questions.

It seemed one of them had stumped her.

Yoru hesitated, choosing instead to follow from a distance.

He didn't leave, but he didn't catch up either.

Fujiwara had no idea she was being followed. She arrived at a small European-style building and went inside.

Yoru finally stopped and sighed quietly.

Forget it. This wasn't the right opportunity.

She'd gone to the student council.

As he turned to leave, he nearly had a heart attack.

When a person is deeply focused and suddenly startled, the shock can trigger cardiac issues. Rare, but not unheard of.

Dressed in a black Shuchiin uniform, with her hair tied behind her head with a red ribbon ringed in black, her expression cold—Shinomiya Kaguya.

He had no idea when she got there, but she was standing just two to three meters behind him.

"You've been following Secretary Fujiwara?"

Her ruby-red eyes radiated an overwhelming, invisible pressure.

Despite her petite frame—seemingly not much different from Eriri's—Shinomiya Kaguya, standing before Yoru, carried a presence far more imposing.

She was the sole heiress of the Shinomiya family, one of Japan's four major zaibatsu, arguably the most powerful among them.

Truly extraordinary.

"You're not saying anything? I saw everything!"

Kaguya's expression grew even colder, like ice that had formed over millennia.

Whenever facing someone she disliked, the "Ice Princess Kaguya" emerged once again.

"I had something to discuss with her. I don't think it concerns you."

Yoru took a deep breath. His stirred emotions gradually calmed down.

The most equal thing in the world is that everyone has just one life.

But he was different.

As long as his death wasn't from old age—whether it was a car accident, poisoning, sudden illness, anything—his ability would activate passively, letting him rewind time to any point within the past month.

In other words, he had two lives.

"Hm?"

"You had something to discuss with the Young Lady of the Fujiwara family?"

"You were stalking her, weren't you?!"

The chill in Kaguya's tone cut through the heat of a summer noon. Distrust was written all over her face.

"You can ask her yourself. There's no need for stalking."

"I was just hesitating whether or not to say hi…"

"You really think too highly of yourself…"

Yoru glanced at the Shinomiya heiress and responded flatly.

He wasn't saying it for Kaguya's sake.

He was afraid she'd go tell Fujiwara and create a misunderstanding.

One was an enemy. The other, a benefactor.

The old him would've been tongue-tied, seen as a stalker.

"Then I'll ask Secretary Fujiwara myself."

With that, Kaguya withdrew her cold demeanor and walked off to the side.

From beginning to end, there hadn't been a single trace of disgust or disdain in her eyes toward Yoru.

But in truth, the opposite was true. The calmer and more composed she seemed, the more she looked down on him—like smiling from extreme anger, a pride that ran infinitely deep.

"Shinomiya Kaguya…"

Only after she walked away did Yoru clench his fists tightly and grit his teeth to force out her name.

He didn't yet have the strength to exact revenge on her.

One at a time.

Kasumigaoka Utaha's golden treasure chest hadn't been opened yet.

And who knew when Eriri would act?

Summer vacation was just around the corner.

There was no use dreaming big. He had to focus on what was right in front of him.

Maybe the next golden chest would give him what he needed for revenge.

By his count, he opened Eriri's chest early last Saturday.

So it had only been six full days.

Yoru didn't believe that even if the misunderstanding were cleared, Kaguya would realize her mistake and apologize to him.

Let alone now, after things had gotten even more unpleasant.

"Whew…"

He let out a quiet breath and pushed the matter to the back of his mind for now, heading home from Shuchiin.

Inside the student council room—

Only Ishigami Yuu, Fujiwara Chika, and Shinomiya Kaguya were present.

"Secretary Fujiwara…"

Kaguya gently pushed open the door with her usual calm and graceful smile.

You'd never guess how cold she'd been just moments ago.

"Huh? What is it?"

Fujiwara looked up, her face lighting up with her trademark smile.

"You were being followed just now. By Kitakami. Do you remember?"

"Kitakami? Yeah, I know him. He followed me?"

Fujiwara's eyes filled with surprise.

"I saw him. He made an excuse about needing to talk to you and hesitated before coming over."

Kaguya looked directly into Fujiwara's eyes.

"Oh, so that's what happened."

Fujiwara smiled as if it made perfect sense and didn't seem to mind at all.

"Huh? Is that true?"

Kaguya looked curiously at her only friend.

"Yeah, yeah. It's fine."

Fujiwara, with her big heart, didn't care at all. She probably already guessed that Yoru just wanted to thank her.

...

Elsewhere, Yoru had walked some distance from the school gate when hurried footsteps approached from behind.

"Hey! Wait up!"

Satania came running quickly, waving at him.

"Who are you?"

Yoru looked at her, not recognizing her at all.

Previously, when he'd gone out with Gabriel and Vignette, he hadn't seen Satania. He had no idea who she was.

"I'm Satania. You're Gabriel's friend, right? I saw you two walking to school together."

Despite running a long distance, Satania wasn't even winded. Clearly, she was athletic.

"Yeah. Nice to meet you, I'm Yoru Kitakami."

Remembering the name, Yoru assumed she was just here to ask about Gabriel.

'Hmph, step one: success!'

'Stupid human. Bet he thought I came over to say hi.'

Satania smirked inwardly and asked:

"Where's Gabriel? Did you see her today?"

"We came to school together this morning. You guys in first year have different exam times than us, so she probably went home already."

Yoru thought for a moment.

"Exams? Tch, we don't care about those."

Satania scoffed with classic chuuni demon flair.

Still, she answered seriously. She didn't want to be punished by that mean bald math teacher again.

"Why are you all like this?"

On the way to the station, Yoru and Satania chatted casually.

Back home, with nothing to do, Yoru rolled out his yoga mat for a bit.

...

The second day of final exams.

That afternoon, the summer sun scorched the earth.

Yoru, Gabriel, and Nanami arrived early.

At the school gate, the three went their separate ways.

There was still an hour and a half before the exam started.

Yoru didn't want to sweat under the sun and carry that into the exam room.

He headed for a vending machine, lucking out with a freshly restocked can of black coffee.

He popped the tab, took a small sip, and wandered aimlessly around Shuchiin.

The proctor wouldn't arrive until an hour before the test. The classroom was still locked.

A few other students had shown up, but not many.

After a bit of walking—

Yoru reached a secluded flowerbed near the campus wall.

It was a large circular planter filled with tiny yellow, white, and red flowers, densely packed.

In the shade, Yoru sat on the edge of the flowerbed, the wall before him, sipping his coffee as he pulled out his phone.

He scrolled through the news and idly opened Amazon.

Based on his browsing habits, the homepage recommended him a manga.

The story was about a useless protagonist who never confessed to the girl he liked, only for her to be snatched by a fat otaku—along with his cute little sister.

"Why do I keep getting recommended these? Is this some kind of message?"

"It's not like anyone likes me. Probably that damn fat otaku's story instead…"

Yoru muttered as he sipped more coffee.

Just then—

From the other side of the flowerbed, two female voices approached, laughing as they talked.

"San-san, you're teasing me again!"

"Honami, I'm just jealous. I want to be that big too!"

"It's too much. I really don't like it…"

Their voices came clearly from the other side of the flowerbed.

They sat down on the opposite edge.

The plants was so tall and thick with flowers that Yoru was completely hidden.

The girls had no idea anyone was there, openly chatting about extremely private girl talk.

"It's them?"

Yoru blinked for a moment before realizing.

"San-san"—wasn't that the name of his cat?

The name was the same—it was that black-haired, red-eyed girl with twin tails flipped in reverse.

Her best friend was Ichinose Honami. That day, after leaving Eriri's house and wandering aimlessly, she happened to find her lost little sister.

That's how they met.

"I shouldn't go out."

"Better not make any noise either, or they'll realize I'm here..."

Yoru lowered the volume on his phone's ringtone and thought silently.

It would be too awkward to go out there.

He had come to this flowerbed first. It wasn't eavesdropping. He didn't even want to listen.

But he was so close.

"Hehe, Honami, I think yours got a little bigger again. I heard girls can still develop in college."

"I don't want that! It's too hot in summer, I sweat a lot. And it's hard to dress in winter. So uncomfortable..."

"People always stare, whether they're guys or girls. I hate that kind of look."

"So many people are jealous of you, though. Don't be upset. Take this!"

Tokisaki Kurumi comforted Ichinose Honami and suddenly reached out to grab her best friend.

"Don't tickle me, Kurumi, no...!"

Ichinose Honami squirmed. Her words were interrupted with laughter, slightly breathless.

On the other side of the flowerbed—

Yoru's face was stiff. So girls talk about this kind of stuff in private?

They even start play fighting?

There was no need to imagine. Just hearing their cute laughter constantly drifting over was enough to guess what kind of sweet and intimate scene was happening on the other side.

He did his best to stay silent.

After a short while—

The scuffle between Tokisaki Kurumi and Ichinose Honami ended, and they went back to chatting.

Yoru pulled out his phone. There was still an hour before the exam started.

"Whew..."

"Still early..."

He exhaled softly with mild frustration.

If it were someone else in his position, they'd probably be ecstatic.

But he wasn't really interested.

"I heard from a girl in the next class that not all boys are into boobs. More of them are into feet..."

"Ugh? That's gross. Feet are so dirty. Right, Kurumi?"

"I think so too. It's perverted. Really gross..."

Immediately, Yoru's ears perked up and twitched slightly.

Time passed.

Ten or so minutes later, things finally quieted down.

Yoru gently twisted his waist and glanced back.

He couldn't see what was happening on the other side.

They should be gone by now?

Muttering to himself, Yoru waited a little longer until he was almost certain that Tokisaki Kurumi and Ichinose Honami had left.

Only then did he stand up.

It had been almost twenty minutes without making a sound.

Time to head to the exam hall anyway.

Yoru stretched lazily and stepped out from the other side of the flowerbed.

Different positions gave different perspectives.

"Eh?!"

From Tokisaki Kurumi's point of view, she was the first to notice Yoru suddenly stepping out. Her mouth opened involuntarily, letting out a sound.

The next moment—

Yoru heard it, and his brain responded. He turned his head.

But his thoughts were still stuck in the previous second.

Their eyes met.

Ichinose was half a beat slow. She glanced at Tokisaki Kurumi before finally seeing Yoru.

"Ah! Haa!"

Kurumi let out a sharp cry, her stunned eyes instantly shifting to shy and panicked as she looked at Ichinose Honami for help.

"N-no... It's just..."

"I came here first. You two came after. I wasn't eavesdropping on purpose..."

Yoru sensed trouble but remained calm and immediately explained.

His mood and nerves had long been hardened through countless trials.

He couldn't say he was unshakable like a mountain, but he was definitely composed.

Maybe he should thank Eriri for that?

"Kitakami?!"

Ichinose was stunned. Why was Yoru in such a secluded place?

But unless he had climbed the outer wall to sneak into this hidden corner of the flowerbed, he really had arrived first.

It wasn't eavesdropping at all.

The Shuchiin walls weren't easy to climb, and Yoru wasn't the type to do that.

So...

Ichinose felt deeply embarrassed and regretful as she looked toward Kurumi. Their eyes met.

"I'm going now."

The best way to handle this was not to talk about it and leave immediately.

Yoru left those words and walked away.

After he left, Kurumi and Ichinose looked at each other and began blaming one another.

"This is all your fault, Kurumi! You brought up my boobs and even attacked me!"

"You were the one who brought up feet!"

"We're doomed. What if he heard everything? Those were such private topics. What if he spreads it?"

Kurumi clutched her head, worried.

"Ah? No way..."

Ichinose froze. That hadn't occurred to her at all.

"Honami, what if everything we said was recorded?"

Kurumi swallowed hard and looked at Ichinose with concern.

"N-no way..."

"I don't think Kitakami is that kind of person..."

Ichinose forced a smile, but her expression wasn't good either.

"But what if?"

"Wasn't he the one who stole Kasumigaoka Utaha-senpai's stockings and panties?"

"You're so pretty, Honami, and your boobs are huge. What if he tries to blackmail you?"

Kurumi's gaze involuntarily dropped to Ichinose's chest.

She didn't have the same filter as Honami and simply assumed based on school rumors.

"N-no... Don't scare me, Kurumi!"

Ichinose was truly frightened.

"My, my, Honami, you're just too kind."

Kurumi's trick had succeeded, and she laughed quietly behind her hand.

Of course, the chance of something like that actually happening was very low.

But no one could guarantee it wouldn't happen, right?

"You started it by talking about me first."

Ichinose pouted and talked back.

They were close and didn't really get angry at each other.

Yoru left, used the restroom, and headed to the exam hall.

That afternoon, the subjects were Japanese and math.

At 5:00 p.m., the exams ended.

Yoru didn't rush to hand in his papers. He took his time packing up.

Only after most people had left the classroom did he head out.

By then, in the late afternoon, the sunlight had grown much gentler.

Outside Shuchiin's gate, many luxury cars were parked waiting to pick up students.

Rolls-Royces, Bentleys, Maybachs, Mercedes S-Class, Porsches...

It looked like a cabbage market of luxury vehicles.

"So rich. Damn this money-and-looks-obsessed society."

Yoru glanced at the lineup of fancy cars and walked toward the bus stop at the end of the shopping street.

"Huh? What a coincidence~"

After walking a short distance, Yoru ran into Satania and greeted her.

"Oh oh, what a coincidence~"

"Hehe."

Satania blinked her big eyes innocently. She looked pure and harmless, though she was secretly laughing inside.

"Ana-na-na~"

"Angel Gabriel, your dear friend is about to become the first minion of me, Satania, the future great demon lord..."

"Such a tiny, insignificant human... Ahahaha~"

"Chuunibyou? Demon?"

Yoru kept a bit of distance from Satania and muttered quietly.

Satania liked talking to herself. It was a habit they somewhat shared.

But Yoru only did that when no one else was around.

They chatted casually. Though they weren't close, they parted ways at the bus station.

He scanned his transit card and entered the station.

Yoru arrived at the station platform and silently waited for the train.

"Hey, Kitakami-kun."

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind him.

Yukinoshita Yukino was wearing the Shuchiin uniform, but what stood out was the white beret on her head—the one Yoru had given her.

"Yukinoshita-san."

Yoru turned around. Instead of focusing on the beautiful girl's face, his eyes were drawn to the top of her head.

"I think it's pretty nice. It was sunny this afternoon, so I decided to wear it."

Yukino spoke softly.

The designer from the brand wasn't stupid. Choosing to release a white beret in summer obviously accounted for both sun protection and breathability.

"It'd look even better with a different outfit."

Yoru nodded politely.

"How'd you do on the exam? Were there any questions you struggled with?"

Yukino didn't forget the main reason she'd stopped Yoru.

She had been entrusted by Hiratsuka-sensei to help Yoru improve his grades and avoid being expelled from Shuchiin.

What she didn't know was that he no longer cared about that at all.

"Some of the math fill-in-the-blanks... and..."

As Yoru was replying, the train arrived.

He paused and entered the train car with her.

They sat fairly close. The car wasn't crowded.

Yoru spoke quietly to avoid disturbing others.

Yukino stared blankly at the floor, clearly deep in thought, focusing on what he was saying.

Inside the moving train, she suddenly began mentally grading his answers.

A few minutes before the next stop, Yukino gave a number. "Forty."

"What?"

Yoru had been talking nonstop and had no idea what she was doing.

"Based on your answers, I estimate your math score is around forty. Do you think that's progress?" Yukino stood up and held the vertical handrail, preparing to get off.

"I used to only get around thirty in math. I've been gone for over a month, so forty is definitely an improvement."

Yoru was a little pleased.

The train began to announce the upcoming stop.

"Do you live near here?"

Yoru asked casually.

"Yeah, and you live not too far either, right?"

"The pet clinic where I work is nearby, you could come by..."

Yukino continued the conversation, which was rare for her.

"I live one stop away."

Yoru replied.

"How's San-san?"

Yukino, who had been staring out the window, turned back.

Yoru then remembered that the girl in front of him was a hardcore cat lover.

Whenever they were alone, she would always ask about his cat San-san.

Yoru met Yukino's slightly expectant eyes and tested the waters:

"Want to come to my place and see her?"

"I do."

Yukino nodded without much hesitation.

"Huh?"

Now it was Yoru's turn to be surprised.

You're not scared? You trust me already?

"I practice Aikido."

Yukino saw the shift in Yoru's expression and added,

"Even if you knew Jeet Kune Do or had supernatural powers, if you're attacked by a grown man, the best move is to run, not fight..."

"Unless you're trained in American Iaido and happen to have a gun..."

Yoru shrugged, trying to advise her.

Some girls think a bit of martial arts training makes them safe from bad guys.

Even Mike Tyson would think twice if faced with a knife-wielding man.

...

'Unbelievable...'

'The famously cool and icy Yukinoshita Yukino actually agreed to come to my apartment alone after just one invitation?'

'If I said that out loud, people would think I was some delusional, disgusting loser.'

Yoru followed Yukino up the stairs step by step.

What she didn't show was how much she had been dying to pet his fat cat San-san again.

When they reached the second floor, Yoru took out his keys and unlocked the apartment.

"There are slippers at the door. They're clean and rarely used. But you don't have to wear them if you don't want to."

Yoru opened the door and said this to Yukino, who had a calm expression.

"I know. Don't mind me. I'm just here to see the cat."

Yukino was actually hoping Yoru would leave her alone with San-san.

As she stepped into the entrance, she looked around curiously at Yoru's place.

Then she braced one hand on the wall and gently nudged off her shoes with the other.

Her long legs wrapped in black over-the-knee socks naturally drew Yoru's eyes.

With her small feet touching the cool, clean entryway tiles, Yukino didn't wear slippers at home unless it was a particularly cold winter.

"Meow meow~"

From the couch, San-san called out and bolted toward them.

In a flash of fluffy black, she appeared at Yoru's feet.

"Meow meow~ meow~"

San-san was hungry and tugged lightly on Yoru's pants with her paw, acting cute.

She was likely a stray cat abandoned by humans but had clearly been cared for before. She knew how to win affection.

"Sit for a bit. I'll get you some fruit and drinks."

Yoru squatted and gave San-san a good rub before calling back to Yukino.

"Okay, go ahead."

Yukino's heart was already focused on Sansan.

With years of experience working at a pet clinic, she could tell from one look that Sansan was very well cared for.

Her fur was shiny and smooth. She looked full of energy.

"Meow?"

San-san finally noticed Yukino and stared at her warily.

"Meow meow~"

Yukino smiled warmly. Her eyes were filled with affection for the cat. She squatted down slowly and extended a hand.

If San-san came over to rub against her, it meant she felt safe—safe enough to be touched.

If not, she might get scratched.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Yoru was rinsing fruit and putting it on a plate, along with two bottles of juice.

When he came back, Yukino was already sitting on the small couch, holding San-san.

"Kitakami-kun, is that why you named her San-san?"

Yukino seemed satisfied after getting her cat fix. She lifted San-san slightly to show the little name tag on her collar.

Yoru had never removed it.

"Yeah, it had a '3' on it. I figured it might be her name. Plus, I found her on a Wednesday."

Yoru explained.

"I think that tag probably belonged to her owner, not the cat."

Yukino gently pulled out the tag from San-san's thick fur and glanced at it.

It was an educated guess based on her experience.

"Is that so? I guess it doesn't really matter."

Yoru scratched his head.

"Do you have any canned cat food?"

Yukino suddenly asked, looking up at Yoru.

"Yeah."

Yoru nodded, confused.

"I want to trim some of her fur. It's getting hot, and she'll be more comfortable."

Yukino explained.

"Ah, sure. You're going to use the cat food to distract her?"

Yoru nodded again and went to the kitchen to grab it.

"Meow meow?"

San-san rolled over on Yukinoshita's lap, her amber eyes darting around with curiosity.

In the kitchen, as soon as Yoru opened the can—

Click!

San-san perked up instantly, her eyes wide as she turned toward the kitchen.

"Hehe, you're such a little glutton..."

Yukino chuckled genuinely.

Next, Yoru used canned cat food to appease San-san and let her eat while Yukino gently combed and trimmed her fur.

They were close enough that Yoru could smell her light fragrance.

It was nearly dark by the time Yukino reluctantly left.

Unfortunately, her high-rise apartment didn't allow pets.

Yoru walked her out and grabbed dinner on the way.

…

Time flew by, and the exams ended.

Four days later, students returned to school for a final term-end assembly.

After that, it was summer vacation.

That morning, Yoru had just finished his cardio workout and was washing off his sweat.

Looking at himself in the full-length mirror, he was pleasantly surprised.

Thanks to the tenfold reward from his hard work, in just over two weeks,

he had been consistently doing cardio to lose weight. Compared to the school outing, his appearance had changed significantly.

The most obvious change? He could barely see his toes now when he looked down!

"Time to weigh in!"

Yoru had been resisting the urge to weigh himself because he didn't want to slack off under the illusion of progress from his tenfold buff.

Taking a deep breath, he quickly dried off and struggled into his underwear.

Technically, his clothes should've become looser now that he'd slimmed down…

Stepping out of the shower with excitement, Yoru closed his eyes and stepped onto the electronic scale.

Back during the school outing, he had weighed nearly 300 pounds.

After that, he lost about 30 pounds.

During his hospital stay, he didn't diet aggressively but stuck to low-fat meals, losing another 5 or 6 pounds.

Altogether, he had lost 40 pounds.

Still, that left him at 260 pounds—very overweight.

So, what about now?

"Huuh..."

Yoru's body trembled nervously, his breath grew heavier, and all he could hear in his ears was the rapid beating of his heart.

He opened his eyes.

110 kilograms. 220 pounds!

"Son of a...!"

Yoru shouted in excitement.

In just over two weeks, he had lost 40 pounds.

Could you even imagine that kind of terrifying weight-loss speed?

Especially for a boy with a genetically overweight-prone body—it wasn't something ordinary people could compare to.

You couldn't judge Yoru's progress using normal human standards.

The mysteries of human genetics—what we understand is only a drop in the ocean.

Even with his dad Kitakami Toyotani's strict diet and workout plan, a regular person would already have abs.

Yet even his dad, who had gastric surgery, still had a bit of chub.

"220 now. 180 in another half month. Then 140 in the next. That's an average wieght for a highschooler!"

"Just one more month, and I'll finally see what I look like slimmed down?"

Yoru stepped off the scale, muttering to himself and bursting into the shower again.

He slapped his face and body repeatedly with his hands, checking himself over...

Alright, still obese.

Moderate to severe obesity.

Summer break was about a month and a half.

Even if it got harder to lose weight later, he still had buffer time—he could make it!

"Get thinner, get thinner!"

"Woohoo!!"

Yoru no longer held back his excitement. He shouted freely, jumped around, waved his arms, and danced like a maniac.

Eventually, when he could barely jump anymore and his lungs ached, he stopped.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror and tugged hard at the soft fat on his pale cheeks.

He was filled with anticipation, longing, and curiosity...

What would his slimmer self look like?

And with this new look, returning to school after summer vacation and clearing his name as the so-called thief who stole Kasumigaoka Utaha's stockings and underwear!

"I wonder what Hiratsuka-sensei, Yukinoshita, and Yuigahama would think when they see the new me at the Service Club."

"Would they even recognize me?"

Yoru couldn't help but imagine their reactions after a month and a half.

What kind of expressions would they make?

How would their attitude toward him change?

"And Sawamura… maybe next time she won't call me a disgusting fat loser."

"She might just call me a disgusting foot freak instead..."

Yoru took deep breaths to calm himself.

Don't rush. You're not slim yet.

Summer break would go by fast.

He kept up his discipline and ate breakfast.

Then, together with Gabriel—who had dark circles under her eyes—and Nanami, who was browsing job listings on her phone, they headed to the station.

"Aoyama-san, can you tell I've lost a lot of weight?"

While queuing up to enter, Yoru found an opening and asked Nanami.

"Huh?!"

"Yeah, of course. I've known for a while that you've been dieting lately."

"The weight loss is really noticeable..."

Nanami gave him a once-over, but didn't scrutinize too much—losing 80 pounds created a dramatic change.

After all, she only weighed about 100 pounds herself.

"Hoo... hoo~"

Yoru nodded silently and let out two heavy breaths through his nose.

That feeling of being acknowledged—he felt incredibly fulfilled, even more than when imagining getting revenge on Sawamura.

Seemed like anyone who wasn't blind could tell he was losing weight.

They arrived at school around 9 AM.

On the way to his classroom, Yoru instinctively looked toward Eriri as he entered through the back door.

Summer vacation was right around the corner.

The mood in class was cheerful and relaxed, nothing like the tension before exams.

Back in his seat, Yoru listened for a while. Half the class was talking about their grades, the other half about their upcoming vacation trips.

"Speaking of grades, the school forum should have posted them."

Yoru pulled his phone from a small pouch and browsed the school forum.

In many countries, even during normal exams, actual scores aren't published—only students know their own results.

Public records just show A–E rankings.

Yoru quickly found his math score—37.

Pretty close to Yukinoshita's estimate.

He had improved.

Yoru chuckled quietly.

A little while later, Hiratsuka-sensei entered and took control of the room.

The classroom instantly quieted down.

As she stood at the podium, giving a long list of reminders for summer break, Yoru's thoughts drifted again.

'What should I get her?'

'I really have no clue... Skincare products?'

Yoru glanced sideways at Yumiko, who was messing with her phone.

After about ten minutes, the students followed Hiratsuka out and headed to the main auditorium.

They sat down in their usual spots.

After waiting a while, Shuchiin's principal, Adolphe, came onstage and gave a speech, encouraging both students and teachers.

He talked about the changes at Shuchiin this semester.

In reality, the true power behind Shuchiin was the Shinomiya Conglomerate.

Yoru listened absentmindedly, his mind wandering far away.

Then the student council president gave a short speech summarizing the semester.

Afterward, commendations began for outstanding students in Shuchiin's high school division.

Were those awards useful?

Actually, yes—especially if you didn't plan to continue to Shuchiin's affiliated university or the Imperial Institute of Technology.

They were useful for applying to places like the University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, and Chiba University—all top-tier schools in Japan.

The awards were handed out by Student Council Secretary Fujiwara Chika.

The projection screen displayed a short video, solemn music played.

First-year students…

"Second-year, tied for first: Yukinoshita Yukino and Shirogane Miyuki. Second place: Shinomiya Kaguya..."

Yoru, who had been on the verge of dozing off, suddenly stood up straight.

He stared at the stage, at the figures under the spotlight.

"Congrats, President..."

Kaguya stood beside Shirogane, smiling as she congratulated him.

"Thanks, Shinomiya. But I tied again with Yukinoshita Yukino—same score."

Shirogane replied as he walked up to the stage, speaking to Kaguya behind him.

Though Kaguya wore a soft smile, deep down she was far from satisfied...

Aaaagh!

She had been outdone by the president once again.

Yukino came up from the other side, stepping onto the stage with the third-place student.

Fujiwara awarded the four students their gold, silver, and bronze Shuchiin badges.

It was all very ceremonial, the kind of thing that made students grow fast.

Afterward, ranks three to twenty were announced—students who also did well.

Yoru heard familiar names: Nanami and a male student tied for thirteenth place.

Yumiko, chewing gum lazily, blew a bubble and glanced at Yoru beside her.

A few minutes later, thunderous applause broke out.

"Third-years: First place, Koyasu Tsubame. Second place, Kasumigaoka Utaha..."

As Fujiwara's voice fell, the third-year section burst into murmurs. Everyone turned toward the two students seated at the very front of a particular class.

"Second place? You, Utaha?!"

Tsubame, who took first place, was more shocked than Kasumigaoka herself.

Ever since first year, Utaha had always held the top spot in every exam.

Every single time.

At most, she had tied once or twice.

"Some things threw me off. This whole semester's been rough. Congrats, though."

Utaha spoke sincerely, as if she had long expected this outcome, offering heartfelt congratulations to Tsubame.

"Was it the stalker issue?"

Tsubame asked with concern.

Her relationship with Utaha was always pretty good.

Not quite best friends, but definitely close.

"Yeah… and my light novel work hasn't been going well either. The latest volume didn't get much of a reaction."

Utaha forced a smile and stood, pulling Tsubame with her to go on stage.

Two beautiful girls, both excellent in grades and character.

When they stepped into the spotlight, the first- and second-year students below erupted into excited chatter.

"Koyasu-senpai is so beautiful…"

"Kasumigaoka-senpai is even better—I love her. If only she were my girlfriend..."

"You're dreaming. You think she'd look at you? Baka..."

"Senpai, please go out with me!"

The auditorium instantly grew chaotic with cheers and screams the moment Utaha and Tsubame took the stage.

Many of those voices came from the sons of company presidents, club leaders, bankers—young men from privileged backgrounds.

Any one of them, taken out into the world, would be envied and admired for their elite upbringing. Ordinary people could only look up to them.

"Heh."

In a corner, Tomoya Aki pushed up his glasses, feeling smug.

These people could only look. They'd never get Kasumigaoka Utaha—because she liked him!

Tomoya was confident. Utaha would only fall for someone like him, just like Eriri. Good-looking guys didn't interest them.

Even guys from wealthy backgrounds couldn't win her over.

Would some fat loser be able to?

Tomoya suddenly thought of Yoru and sneered.

"Kasumigaoka Utaha..."

Yoru leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing.

The best candidate to open the next golden treasure chest—without a doubt, it had to be her.

Shinomiya Kaguya? No way.

Hayasaka Ai? Not close enough. No chance.

Kirisu Mafuyu? A teacher. Not appropriate. No chance.

But Utaha, who misunderstood him and even tried to have him expelled—she was perfect.

Open the treasure chest first, then get revenge—that was the best plan.

"Eh~"

"I'll focus on losing weight during summer break first~"

Yoru sighed and looked away.

"Hey..."

Suddenly, Yumiko spoke up beside him.

Yoru glanced at her in confusion.

"Got any small bills or coins? I only have large bills, and it's a hassle to use them."

She was going out later, and big bills weren't convenient.

Yoru nodded lightly, took out his wallet from his pouch, and started rummaging.

While grabbing coins, a signed beach photo of Sakurajima Mai in a swimsuit accidentally fell out along with his bank card.

"Hold on."

Yoru bent down first to pick up Mai's signed photo, then the coins.

Yumiko stared at him, curious why he had a beach photo tucked in his wallet—and why he picked that up first.

"What's that photo?"

She asked.

"Oh, it's a signed photo of Sakurajima Mai."

Yoru scooped up the coins and bills.

"Who?"

Yumiko clearly froze for a moment.

A signed gravure photo?

She didn't even see a signature or a person—just a bluish ocean in the background?

A celebrity gravure photo where the star doesn't even appear?

Also, who the heck was Sakurajima Mai?

Yumiko usually kept up with celebrities, but she had no idea.

"Some washed-up, unknown idol, probably."

Yoru glanced at the lightly dressed Mai in the photo, then tucked it back into his wallet.

Yumiko made a couple of acknowledging noises, exchanged the money, then searched on her phone.

There were no matching search results.

Which meant… this person had zero fame. Might not even exist.

"What the hell..."

Yumiko lost interest quickly.

[TL – The fic's getting messy with inconsistent or even unrelated paragraphs and sentences. After the Revenge Arc, it keeps getting messier, hinting that this fic is probably rewritten. Sentences and narratives like "No one would believe that Eriri acted as my girlfriend for a day" or "I will not let you touch my body again" type of shit. So I came to a conclusion that this fic is probably a rape-themed fic that is rewritten by the author to what it is now.

I've actually read this a few months ago, and I remember dropping it for an unknown reason, but I guess the reason is because it's rape. I'm quite a fan of NTR (the MC is the one doing the NTR) but never the fan of rape. And with how much 'hint' is contained in the fic, I'm quite confident about my assumption. So if you ever find some inconsistencies in the narrative and dialogue that you think are unrelated to the content of the fic, just ignore it and trust what you understand. I'll try to minimise the appearance of these unrelated factors so you can enjoy your time reading.

Thanks.]