The shy bride gently pulled open the curtain of night.
The first rays of morning sketched a soft lavender-blue along the horizon, as the rising sun peeked through the clouds like a fireball hanging on the edge of the eastern mountains.
"Ah~"
At 7 AM, Takashi woke up from bed. As he got up and stretched, he felt a dull ache in his waist and instinctively clutched it.
"Oh, my poor back!"
The girl still sleeping on the bed was disturbed by his noise. Without hesitation, she grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.
Unfortunately, her aim was off—it missed him entirely and hit something else, causing a loud clang.
Now Hitomi couldn't sleep at all.
"Takashi, do you have a death wish?"
Hitomi opened her beautiful eyes and glared at him.
Takashi looked puzzled. "How is this my fault?"
You threw the pillow.
You hit something.
How was it his problem?
"You're trying to reason with me?"
Her face darkened even more.
"Okay, okay! It's all my fault!"
Frightened by the shadows gathering in her eyes, Takashi gave in immediately and apologized.
"What were you yelling about just now?"
Hitomi was just in the habit of losing her temper—she hadn't really meant to do anything to him.
"You're still asking?"
Takashi gave her a resentful look.
"I told you we should rest for a few days. But the moment the tournament ended, you dragged me to bed.
We've only been dating for half a month, and how many times have we… y'know."
"Even an old ox doesn't work this hard."
"My arm's still injured, too."
Hitomi seemed to recall the previous night. Her frown faded, and she rolled over, propping her chin in her hands, elbows down:
"Pull-ups don't need your arm, do they? Just your waist."
"Besides, weren't you pretty wild last night?"
That just made Takashi angrier.
"Who was it that fed me those computer parts?"
Others spike drinks.
Hitomi? She snuck something in with a kiss.
By the time Takashi noticed, it was too late. What happened after was completely unmentionable.
"Weren't you the amazing one before? What, you're out of steam already?" she teased.
She clearly remembered Takashi's comment the first time: 'Trash mob~'
"Oh? How about we go again when I'm back to full power?"
It wasn't that Takashi was weak.
He'd played a nearly three-hour game during the day, met two 'ex-girlfriends,' then went to the victory banquet.
After the banquet, he joined the baseball team for karaoke until 1 AM, then got dragged into bed the moment he got back.
Even if he were made of iron, he couldn't take that.
"Excuses, excuses. Just admit it."
Hitomi's delicate little face lit up with pride.
Sure, she hadn't won fair and square—but she did win once.
And as a proud ojou-sama, winning mattered.
"You just need more practice, scrub."
That's what Takashi always told her.
Now, she could finally say it back.
"Oh, it's like that, huh?"
Takashi glanced at his system panel.
He made up his mind: his next goal was to raise his Stamina stat to 10!!!
He'd show Hitomi what it meant to hit with critical every time.
"Alright, little noob, go fetch big sis's clothes."
Hitomi began bossing him around.
"I'm not your servant!"
Takashi protested with words, but his body obediently walked over to the wardrobe.
You had to admit—the young lady traveled in style.
Though she hadn't stayed in Nishinomiya for more than a few days, her presidential suite's walk-in closet was filled with this season's fashion pieces from all the hottest brands.
It looked like a boutique.
"Shouldn't this be a blessing? …Wait, white stockings again? Just how obsessed with them are you?"
"It's cold. Gotta stay warm with a little silk."
"It's August. It's not cold."
Still bickering, the two sat down in the living room for breakfast.
"Right—someone claiming to be your relative called last night while you were in the bath."
Sipping fresh milk from Hokkaido, Hitomi suddenly remembered something.
"My relative?"
Takashi stopped chewing his toast.
This body's original owner… had relatives?
"Probably someone trying to get close to you now that you're famous,"
Hitomi said indifferently.
"That's true."
Takashi figured there were plenty of people like that.
Those people who always say family ties don't mean much in modern society—try making a fortune and see what happens.
"What are you going to do?"
Takashi thought for a moment. "I'll meet them first."
It was just one meeting anyway.
If they were really trying to leech off him, Takashi wouldn't hesitate to send them off to jail for a few years.
He didn't have any feelings for these so-called relatives, so he wouldn't be softhearted.
"When the time comes, take me with you. I am your girlfriend, after all."
Hitomi yawned, covering her mouth with one hand.
She didn't plan on meeting Takashi's relatives to gain their approval or blessings.
With her personality, she wouldn't care in the slightest what they thought of her.
She liked Takashi , not his relatives.
Even if his parents were still around, at most she'd keep up basic courtesy.
She only wanted to see what kind of people they were, and whether they'd bring any trouble to Takashi.
If any distant relative tried to act superior just because they were "elders," she wouldn't hesitate to let them sink to the bottom of Tokyo Bay.
"Alright."
"By the way, are you short on money lately?"
"Mm."
After downing her milk in one gulp, Takashi laughed. "Why? Are you planning to give me some?"
"Exactly."
Hitomi laid her head on Takashi's lap and picked up her tablet.
"I'm not short on money right now."
There were way too many rich women trying to sponsor him now.
Maki's card, Kotonoha's card, Eriri's card, even the card from last time he helped Adagaki Aki—and of course, Hitomi gave him a million yen every month.
He couldn't even spend it all.
And that wasn't even counting his own earnings from scholarships and the Koshien championship.
By next month, his assets could easily reach tens of millions—maybe even a hundred million yen.
"Not short on money? What, you've got a few hundred million?"
Hitomi asked casually.
"A few hundred million… Okay, fine, I'm broke. But I'm not taking any more of your money—I really can't spend it all."
Taking money from other girls—that was money he earned.
But Hitomi was his girlfriend now. Taking her money just felt weird.
"Just read it first. I'm not here to give you money this time. It's a business deal. In fact, you might be helping me."
Hitomi's bright eyes shimmered with a smile as she handed over the tablet.
"Helping you?"
Takashi took the tablet, puzzled.
He didn't see how he could possibly help Hitomi.
"Endorsement?"
He looked down and saw multiple contracts.
Endorsement contracts, management contracts…
"You probably don't realize just how insanely popular you've become after winning Koshien."
Hitomi sat up, nestled into his lap, and unlocked her phone with practiced ease.
Ding ding ding!!!
One notification after another popped up.
Kei: [Congrats on winning Koshien, Senpai!]
Kotonoha: [Takashi, which yukata should I wear for the fireworks festival? (image.jpg)(image.jpg)]
Adagaki Aki: [Didn't expect you to win. This year's Koshien was weak, but congrats. Also, that guy's pestering me again. Got time?]
Nagisa: [Congrats on the win, Takashi! But can you explain why you brought Fujiwara to the dinner last night? 🙂🙂🙂]
Maki: [Takashi… I've decided to go after Tsubasa. I think we shouldn't contact each other anymore. I'm afraid he'll get the wrong idea.]
Ichika: [Leeching off your popularity got me a screen test! It's only for a supporting role, but at least I'm not playing a zombie again.]
Nino: [Congrats.]
Miku: [Um… I just bought a new Three Kingdoms game. Wanna come over and play?]
Yotsuba: [Watched your game yesterday. You were amazing, Takashi. Aoba was amazing too. I wish my grades were better so we could go to school together.]
Itsuki: [Kitahara-kun, congrats! By the way, I've got a few questions I can't solve. Mind helping me out if you're free?]
Komi Shoko: [Congrats… A fashion magazine editor wants to do a shoot with me. Can you come with me?]
Marin: [Aaaaahhh, Takashi you were so cool! I've decided to shoot a succubus-themed cosplay next—can you take the pics? Just the two of us.]
Watanabe Akari: [Congrats. I know you won't reply, but I still wanted to say it.]
Ichinose Chizuru: [I couldn't afford scalper tickets for the finals, so I stayed at the hospital with my grandma and watched it there. She's your fan now and wants your autograph. Could you make that happen?]
Megumi: [Kitahara-kun… what do I do… Someone snapped a photo of us together and now everyone at school's asking about our relationship.]
Umaru: [Takashi, is it something I did wrong? Or do you not like me anymore? You're replying slower and slower lately…]
Hayasaka Ai: [Takashi, tell me honestly—what's really going on between you and Hitomi? Didn't you say you were just friends? Feels like you're lying.]
Yukino: [Congrats. (My mom made me send this. No need to reply.)]
Yasuraoka Hanabi: [Kitahara-kun, can I invite you to this year's last summer festival?]
Hiratsuka Shizuka: [Takashi, I've cleared my schedule recently. We can watch the fireworks together.]
Unknown number: [Congrats.]
Hitomi stared expressionlessly at the flood of messages from girls, while Takashi was already drenched in cold sweat.
With her sitting in his lap, Takashi couldn't even run away.
"You're very popular, huh?"
Just scrolling through the messages took Hitomi nearly ten minutes.
She looked up, a faint smile on her lips—but her eyes were cold, like she was staring at a dead man.
"Th-that… baby, what were you saying about my popularity?"
Takashi tried desperately to steer the topic back.
"Swallow it."
Hitomi gave him a silent smile and pointed at a little pill.
"Baby, sis, have mercy! I really can't anymore."
Seeing her offer another "computer part," Takashi's legs began trembling uncontrollably.
He really had nothing left.
Anyone who's been there knows—first round, full power. Second, manageable. Third, you're forcing it. After the fourth, you're begging for mercy.
"You gonna take it or not?"
Hitomi grabbed him by the throat, eyes dark.
"If you don't—mmmph!" She shoved the pill into his mouth, clamped his head, and kissed him forcefully.
Before long, Takashi's eyes were bloodshot again.
When he finally regained consciousness, it was already afternoon.
He was woken by his phone ringing.
"Hello?"
Even he was startled by how hoarse his voice sounded.
"What the—who are you? Where's Takashi?"
Even Otani Shota didn't recognize his voice and thought someone else had picked up.
"You called my phone. Who do you think I am?"
"Takashi? What happened to your voice? You didn't even sing that much last night!"
Why was it hoarse?
From panting.
Takashi didn't want to talk about it. So he asked, "What's up?"
"Weren't we supposed to go buy souvenirs? Everyone's here—where are you?"
"I'm not going."
"You're ghosting me again? You're just like that long-haired porcupine webnovel author. Keep this up and you'll go gray early!"
"I really can't go."
He wasn't flaking—his legs were still trembling.
He tried to move just a bit, but his legs were weak and had no strength at all.
"We've been waiting over an hour and now you're saying you're not coming? Are you even human?"
Takashi went silent.
He made one last attempt, summoning the effort of a constipated man trying to push.
He barely managed to place his feet on the floor.
He tried to stand.
The moment he did, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground on his knees.
"Just pretend I'm not human. I seriously can't make it."
Takashi hung up the phone. When he turned to glare at Hitomi, she was already staring at him.
"What's wrong? Ready for more?"
She raised an eyebrow and smirked.
Honestly, she was struggling to stay upright too.
But Hitomi never admitted defeat.
"Come on."
She beckoned him with one finger.
"You just wait."
Takashi swore and stopped looking at her.
He made up his mind—until his stamina stat reached 10, his nutrition had to follow suit.
Starting today, his menu would include: eel, okra, squab, seafood, and pumpkin seeds.
He refused to believe…
That he couldn't conquer one trash-tier opponent.
"Starting today—I'm working out."
Hitomi could already guess how Takashi would retaliate, so she decided to start training her stamina.
She refused to believe she couldn't subdue this low-tier fish!
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