"Big Brother, I haven't seen that little punk yet. We must have arrived too early, and he hasn't gotten here yet."
A blond-haired man quickly stepped out from the crowd and approached the leader respectfully, fawning over him.
"Is that so? Then let's wait a bit longer, but you know, our time is very valuable..." The leader nodded subtly and then said very indirectly.
'Baka! What an absolute bloodsucker!'
"Heh heh, I apologize for the trouble, Big Brother. This money is a small token of my appreciation. After this matter is over, Big Brother and the guys should find a high-class karaoke bar to relax~"
Hayato clearly understood the leader's meaning. His initially flattering smile froze slightly, and he complained resentfully in his heart. But on the surface, he still maintained a respectful appearance, while reaching into his pants pocket to pull out a wad of cash, subtly handing it to the leader.
"Hayato-kun is very thoughtful~ Don't worry, I'll break that punk's two legs as promised, and the rest is for Hayato-kun to deal with however you want. As long as you don't kill him, I, Big Brother, can cover for you."
The leader's eyes quickly scanned the money in his hand. They were ten-thousand-yen bills, and he estimated the thickness to be at least forty or fifty bills. That was enough for him to splurge tonight.
Don't let his outwardly impressive appearance fool you; he was actually just a minor figure in their gang. Suddenly acquiring forty or fifty thousand yen was certainly cause for celebration.
Hayato caught sight of the excitement on the leader's face, and the ominous glare in his eyes intensified. That money was earned by extorting many people and having the girls he had trained work as hostesses! Now it was all gone!
Speaking of which, Hayato was actually a member of this gang called the Sakura Group. In fact, he had been with the gang for three years, meaning he joined in junior high. However, due to his young age, he hadn't been given major responsibilities.
But Hayato had developed his own way of making a living.
It was by using his natural good looks to deceive naive and kind girls at school. He would first use sweet talk and feigned gentlemanly manners to trick the girls. Once their favor reached a certain level and they trusted him, he would use drugs to take their virginity.
In most cases, the girls, fearing exposure, damage to their reputation, and the strange looks from parents, teachers, and classmates, would swallow their pain and choose not to report it to the police. After some time, under the influence of special drugs, the girls would actively seek him out, begging him for more. Hayato would then slowly gain control. Once they could no longer live without the drugs and him, he would turn the girls into tools for making money.
The corrupted girls would be introduced by Hayato into the Sakura Group's sex trade businesses, where they would work as "hostesses." The money earned naturally went to Hayato, and Hayato would then supply them with the drugs. This way, Hayato had performance, money, and beautiful women.
Hayato was planning to expand this entire pipeline after graduating from high school, aiming to become an important member of the Sakura Group using this method.
However much this person in front of him took from Hayato now, one day in the future, he, Hayato, would definitely take it back double!
"Alright, go back to the crowd for now. You and I standing together is too conspicuous. Don't alert our target. When you see the guy, just tell the brothers to grab him."
Just as Hayato was still daydreaming, the leader's voice interrupted his grand ambitions. Hearing this, Hayato immediately nodded obediently in response.
'Oh ho~ An ultra-prime beauty. The kind that gets pregnant after just one deceptive move. It looks like God really favors me, Hayato!'
Hayato was about to turn and blend into the crowd, when his eyes inadvertently swept over Saki Yoshida, who was standing still, looking helpless. He was immediately shocked. Based on his years of experience deceiving naive girls, he instantly saw Saki Yoshida's true nature, and he couldn't help but inwardly rejoice wildly.
Such a high-quality beauty was incomparable to the ordinary ones he had played with before. Whether he kept her for himself or made her work as a hostess, the profit would be very substantial.
"What! Hayato-kun, are you dissatisfied with my arrangement?"
The leader looked at Hayato, still standing dumbfounded, and felt unhappy. Ever since his wife was stolen by a pretty boy, the leader had been hostile towards handsome men. To be fair, based on looks alone, Hayato was quite handsome, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to trick so many girls.
"Boss, you misunderstood."
Hayato heard the anger in the leader's voice and quickly apologized with a bow and a low voice.
Then, Hayato leaned in close to the leader's ear and spoke in a hushed whisper.
"Hayato-kun, that's beyond my obligation, so..."
"Three beautiful clams!"
"Good, well done. I like dealing with smart people like you, Hayato-kun. Hahaha~"
A look of pain appeared on Hayato's face. The "beautiful clams" he spoke of was a nickname for the girls he had trained. It meant he was giving the leader three women, further reducing his already meager assets. However, realizing he could earn it all back with this ultra-prime beauty in front of him, Hayato felt he could accept it.
Saki had no idea she was already being treated as a commodity for profit by others. The girl was currently looking at Masaru Ōshika, who was lying on the ground half-dead, unsure what to do. Seeing that the man in front of her did not intend to trouble her, she thought about calling an ambulance to take Masaru Ōshika to the hospital after they left and finished venting their anger. After all, he wanted to be her friend, so she couldn't abandon a friend.
"Excuse me, beautiful student, is he your boyfriend?"
"Um... he... he's not... my boyfriend..."
Looking at the man who stepped out from the crowd and suddenly asked her a question, Saki stammered nervously.
"Then what is your relationship?"
"He... I guess he's a friend..."
Saki didn't know why this man was asking these questions, but she answered honestly to avoid provoking him.
"Oh, actually, what just happened was a beautiful misunderstanding. Student, you must be a newcomer, right? I'm one year older than you and also study at Kōdō Academy. You can call me Hayato-senpai."
Hayato spoke softly to Saki with a kind smile. When he heard Saki say Masaru Ōshika wasn't her boyfriend, a flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes. Not a boyfriend? That meant there would be less fun after his success.
Besides training girls, Hayato's favorite thing to do was flaunt his affection in front of the cuckold, enjoying the pleasure of possessing someone else's property.
"A mis... misunderstanding?" Saki questioned, unsure, looking at the half-dead Masaru Ōshika on the ground.
"Yes, a misunderstanding. Do you know who they are? They came here to punish a very, very bad person. It just so happens that your friend looks very much like that person, so they accidentally made a mistake. We've already called an ambulance for your friend. We'll safely take your friend to the hospital later, and we'll cover all the costs."
"Thank... thank you... very much..."
Saki looked at Hayato's amiable smile and didn't know what to say in response. Based on his demeanor, it really seemed like just a coincidence.