Watching Hayashi Maki's back as he walked away, Yukinoshita Yukino's eyes were a tangle of emotions. She pressed a hand to her pounding chest; a sour, aching tightness left her a little short of breath.
She couldn't figure out what was happening to her. He'd bullied her like that, and yet just now her body had gone weak and soft. She'd even, without thinking, wrapped her arms around his neck like she had yesterday.
Don't tell me… he cast some kind of spell on me?
That despicable jerk—how hateful!
While the Second Heiress was cursing him in her head, Hayashi Maki suddenly turned back and walked toward her. Yukino's heart skipped; she reflexively stepped back twice, cheeks pink, crossing her arms defensively.
"What now? I told you class is about to start!"
That reason clearly had zero deterrent effect on a demon.
Smiling, Hayashi Maki came closer and raised his hands. Yukino instinctively squeezed her eyes shut. Biting her lip, she felt wronged—wasn't what he'd done just now enough?
But Hayashi Maki didn't try to take advantage again. He only gently covered her eyes and warmed them with his magic.
Yukino felt heat on her eyelids, followed by a cool, soothing sensation. Before she could speak, he lifted his hands away.
"Okay—dark circles gone. This is the cutest version of you, Yukino-chan."
Leaving that one line, Hayashi Maki turned and, this time, actually left.
Yukino opened her eyes and stared blankly at his retreating back.
So… he hadn't come back to bully her again. He came to get rid of her insomnia-induced dark circles?
This guy… is kind of gentle?
No! Get a grip, Yukino!
He's a demon—a first-rate scoundrel and a massive perv!
Realizing she'd just thought he was gentle, Yukino shook her head hard, flinging the idea away.
"Hmph. Don't think fixing my dark circles earns you forgiveness. I still hate you—and I'll keep looking down on you from now on!"
Muttering to herself, Yukino suddenly remembered something else. That guy seems like the type who bullies the soft and fears the tough—if she keeps scorning him, will he get mad and hug her again like before?
Very possible!
In an instant, Yukino was confused all over again, completely unsure how to face this infuriating man.
Back at her desk, she bit her lip and found herself gazing out the window. What should she do? It felt like that lecher Hayashi Maki wouldn't let her go. He'd even demanded a kiss a day just now. He really… seems to like me.
…
Leaving the flustered Yukino aside, Hayashi Maki's mood couldn't have been better. Back in his seat, the smile wouldn't come off his face.
He'd teased Second Heiress to his heart's content—and felt great about it. Yep, he really was the bad guy. And he didn't dislike that about himself. Only bad guys get candy this fast. If he tried the "gentle male lead" routine, who knows how long it would take just to hold her hand. Haruno was already in hand; facing a proud Second Heiress staring him down like that, how could he not make a move? The current pace suited him just fine.
In high spirits, Hayashi Maki poked the slim waist of the girl in front of him, Megumi Kato. "Kato, did you finish the assignment I gave you?"
The poke tickled. Since childhood, the only man who'd ever touched her waist was Hayashi Maki. A strange little feeling bloomed in her chest. For this boundaryless guy who instinctively treated her intimately—well, she didn't hate it.
She nodded, a slightly odd look on her face. "More or less. I don't have light novels or manga at home, and no game discs either, so I borrowed some from my cousin."
"My cousin's place?" Hayashi Maki blinked. "So what did you read?"
Kato didn't hide it. "Uh, the one by Kashiwagi Eri… It felt so weird. Do girls' boobs really grow like that?"
That was basically a dairy cow. Not even human anymore!
She was about to continue when Hayashi Maki clapped a hand over her mouth. "Stop. For the sake of your reputation as a proper young lady, don't say the name 'Kashiwagi Eri' at school."
Kato blinked up at him, puzzled.
Looking at this pure, blank-slate of a girl, Hayashi Maki sighed, leaned to her ear, and whispered, "Kashiwagi Eri is a hentai artist. She draws that kind of lewd manga. If people hear you discussing it, they'll think you're a pervy girl."
Kato's eyes went wide with disbelief. "So those weird comics… are part of otaku culture?"
She muttered, then raised her hand. "Hayashi Maki, is it too late to quit your club now?"
Hayashi Maki rolled his eyes and put on a straight face. "Sorry—once you're in, you can't quit. Also, I should explain the difference within otaku culture. 'Otaku stuff' splits into all-ages and 18+. What you borrowed was 18+. So please don't go to your cousin's for books anymore, or I'll have to storm over and haul you back."
"Uh… Don't make it sound like you're abducting a bride. My cousin and I barely talk. You told me to look for manga and light novels, remember? I didn't know it was 18+…"
She explained calmly, cheeks faintly pink—easy to miss if you didn't look closely.
Hayashi Maki's mouth quirked. "Well, now you know. From now on, I'll find good titles for you, so stop borrowing from your cousin."
Kato gave him a strange look, feeling like he was being possessive. But she'd always been serene and rarely interested in anything, so she didn't press it. "Got it. I'll leave it to you, then."
"Of course. I'm the club president; it's my duty to make sure members understand our activities."
With her agreement, Hayashi Maki felt even happier. At the same time, he couldn't help worrying: Kato was too easygoing, hardly ever said no. What if someone shady invited her to something and she agreed?
All the more reason to induct her into otaku life quickly—she needed to understand that men can be dangerous!
He seemed to forget, though, that other people didn't invite her to anything—classmates could go a whole year without even remembering she existed, let alone asking her out.
Just as he was wondering how to tease the ever-calm Kato, he noticed the class rep, Nibutani Shinka, making the rounds collecting homework—and heading their way. Thinking of Nibutani's chūnibyō black history, Hayashi Maki perked up.
He said, very deliberately for Kato to hear, "Kato, did you know? Spirits do exist in this world."
"Eh? Really?" Kato replied in the same flat tone, leaving Hayashi Maki speechless.
"Can't you at least look surprised? You're making it hard to keep going."
"I am surprised," she said innocently. "And I'm listening. Go on."
"You don't look surprised at all. You don't have any expressions—just that vacant moe look."
"'Moe'? Is that a compliment?"
"Yeah—it means cute. But that's not the point. Where was I?"
He cleared his throat. "This world is full of all kinds of spirits. The five-hundred-year-old [Mori Summer]—also known as Mori-sama—once said, 'As long as you have love, you can see the legendary spirits.'"
Kato kept staring at him, blank as ever. Nibutani, on the other hand, stumbled and nearly face-planted. She stiffly walked past Hayashi Maki and Kato back to her seat, but her ears were pricked to catch every word.
"Wow, amazing. So how do you show 'love' so you can see spirits?" Kato asked, playing along.
Hayashi Maki gave a mysterious smile. "That's a secret. I'll tell you when it's just the two of us."
~~~
Patreon(.)com/Bleam
— Currently You can Read 220+ Chapters Ahead of Others!