Since hiding no longer worked, Fujiwara Ai simply stopped trying to hide.
That was the conclusion he reached this Monday morning.
Even if he wore a mask, sunglasses, or even a baseball cap, that attraction rooted deep within his soul still acted like a searchlight piercing through the darkness, accurately striking every girl’s heart while completely ignoring physical barriers.
In fact, the mystery created by the concealment only made people’s imaginations spiral even further, as if he were some secret superstar secretly attending school incognito.
If that was the case, then it was better to accept reality calmly.
And so, on Monday morning, Sobu High School welcomed a disaster known as visual impact.
The instant Fujiwara Ai removed his mask and stepped through the school gates, the noisy campus suddenly fell silent for half a second.
Immediately afterward came an explosion of uncontrollable gasps and screams.
“Th…
that’s Fujiwara Ai?
That gloomy guy who always keeps his head down?”
“No way!
That’s impossible!
He’s way too handsome!”
“His skin is even better than mine, and those eyes…
help, I think I’m going to faint…”
“Quick!
Take a picture!
This is definitely today’s biggest headline!”
It wasn’t just the girls.
Even passing male teachers and sports club boys subconsciously stole several glances while silently lamenting the unfairness of the Creator.
What was even more ridiculous was that several stray cats that normally scratched everyone they encountered suddenly surrounded Fujiwara Ai, rubbing affectionately against his legs while sweetly meowing and begging for pets.
Fujiwara Ai calmly walked through the crowd expressionlessly.
The Succubus Aura produced by an 85 Charm value no longer merely enhanced his looks.
It also granted him an indescribable aura that instinctively made people want to submit.
Those girls who originally wanted to approach him would blush furiously and retreat after meeting his cold gaze, only daring to secretly swoon from a distance.
Fujiwara Ai entered the classroom and sat down in his seat.
Although Yotsuya Miko had already mentally prepared herself beforehand, seeing the countless predatory gazes around them still made her feel slightly jealous.
She turned around before naturally reaching out to straighten Fujiwara Ai’s collar.
The movement looked intimate and practiced, resembling a wife taking care of her husband.
Even after seeing this scene, many people still refused to believe the two were actually together.
However, under Miko’s silent declaration of ownership, the girls in class finally restrained themselves slightly.
At the very least, they no longer dared to openly surround him.
Lunch break.
In order to escape the fanatical crowd attempting to give him homemade lunches, love letters, or even direct marriage proposals, Fujiwara Ai hid near an abandoned storage room on the rooftop of the school building.
Hardly anyone normally visited this place.
It was a rare pocket of peace and quiet.
Moreover, this was also the place where he first encountered Bocchi.
One could only say that socially anxious people truly possessed top tier hiding instincts.
He definitely wouldn’t run into anyone else here.
Leaning quietly against the wall, Fujiwara Ai had just taken out his phone to check whether Yamada Ryo had wasted more money again when he suddenly sensed something unusual.
Someone was nearby.
It wasn’t a malicious gaze.
Nor was it a fanatical stare.
Instead, it was an extremely faint presence that was almost negligible.
If the system hadn’t enhanced his perception, he probably never would have noticed it.
Fujiwara Ai turned his head.
Not far away sat a young girl on a bench.
She had short hair, wore the Sobu High School uniform properly, and quietly read a book in silence.
Her appearance was actually very delicate, her skin fair, and her temperament elegant.
Yet she blended so naturally into the background that people subconsciously overlooked her existence at first glance.
Kato Megumi.
Sensing Fujiwara Ai’s gaze, the girl slowly looked up.
The moment her eyes landed on Fujiwara Ai’s face, her usually calm and indifferent eyes visibly contracted.
Even she couldn’t remain completely unaffected when confronted by a Charm value that surpassed human limits.
What kind of face was that?
Cold.
Deep.
As though every single line had been meticulously sculpted by the gods themselves.
Especially those eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through the deepest secrets hidden within a person’s heart.
Kato Megumi felt her heartbeat skip.
The book in her hands nearly slipped from her fingers.
She slightly opened her mouth, intending to greet him normally as always, but discovered her throat had become strangely dry, preventing any words from coming out.
A full three seconds passed before she finally regained her voice, though it still sounded slightly unnatural.
“Ah…
Fujiwara san.
Um…
good afternoon.”
A faint blush appeared across her cheeks while her eyes subconsciously wandered elsewhere, unable to properly meet his gaze.
Fujiwara Ai felt slightly surprised.
This was Kato Megumi.
The famous “Saint Megumi” who remained calm no matter what happened.
He hadn’t expected even she would react this way.
“Good afternoon.”
Fujiwara Ai walked over before sitting down beside her.
Strangely enough, the restless atmosphere that constantly surrounded him seemed to gradually calm after sitting next to her.
Kato Megumi resembled a natural presence eraser capable of neutralizing his excessively dazzling brilliance.
“Um…
if you don’t mind.”
Kato Megumi quietly took a small lunchbox out from beside her.
“I made some sandwiches myself today and accidentally prepared too many.”
“Would you like one, Fujiwara san?”
Although she tried maintaining her usual flat tone, the hand she extended toward him still trembled ever so slightly.
Fujiwara Ai glanced at the sandwich.
[Ding!
New pursuit target discovered!]
[Name: Kato Megumi]
[Attributes: Passerby / Saint / Black Bellied (Hidden)]
[Favorability: 15/100 (Stunned and curious upon first meeting)]
[Description: In this world filled with obsessive women, she is a rare breath of fresh air.]
“Thanks.”
Fujiwara Ai accepted the sandwich before taking a bite.
The taste itself was ordinary.
Yet strangely reassuring.
“Fujiwara san.”
Kato Megumi suddenly spoke while quietly watching him eat.
Although her eyes had already regained their usual clarity, traces of curiosity still remained within them.
“Your eyes…
look very tired.”
Fujiwara Ai paused slightly.
“Maybe.”
He didn’t deny it.
“Living itself is tiring.”
“Is that so?”
Kato Megumi thoughtfully nodded.
“Then…
if Fujiwara san ever wants a place to quietly zone out, you can come here anytime.”
“I won’t disturb you.”
After speaking, she reopened her book and calmly continued reading as if the previous conversation had never happened.
However, the page she had opened remained unturned for a very long time.
Fujiwara Ai leaned against the wall and slowly closed his eyes.
Meanwhile.
Inside a cheap apartment in Shimokitazawa.
Yamada Ryo lay sprawled across her bed while holding her phone in one hand.
Displayed on the screen was a photograph.
It was a candid photo of Fujiwara Ai taken this morning at the school gate.
The boy in the image had removed his mask, his gaze cold and deep while his appearance was breathtakingly handsome.
As Ryo stared at the photo, a faint smile slowly appeared on her lips.
Unlike her usual lazy and carefree grin, this smile carried traces of deep affection and obsession.
Ryo was an adult.
She gently reached out and stroked Fujiwara Ai’s face displayed on the screen as though she could touch the real person through the image itself.
Actually, she had already become interested in Fujiwara Ai from the very first moment she saw him at STARRY.
Back then, even though he wore a mask, the aura he displayed while protecting Bocchi and the soul shaking musical talent he revealed during their session together had already deeply struck her heart.
As for borrowing money and eating grass…
Those were merely small traps she intentionally prepared in order to draw closer to him.
Because she understood something very clearly.
Only a relationship between debtor and creditor could force someone like Fujiwara Ai to remember her deeply while simultaneously creating a connection called control.
She simply coveted him.
Ryo rolled over before pulling a small box out from beneath her pillow.
After opening it, several strange items appeared neatly arranged inside.
A half empty bottle of mineral water that Fujiwara Ai casually handed her while buying drinks for Bocchi previously.
A slip of paper containing an account number written in Fujiwara Ai’s handwriting.
There was even a strand of black hair secretly collected at some unknown time.
“Boss…”
Ryo picked up the mineral water bottle before gently inhaling near the opening.
“When…
will I finally trick you into my hands?”
“That one million yen…
should already count as a betrothal gift, right?”
She lightly licked her lips while a crafty gleam flashed through her eyes.
Scum.
Or perhaps she could slowly infiltrate his life through this relationship until he eventually became unable to live without her presence.
A week passed quickly.
Fujiwara Ai’s daily life gradually entered a strange yet delicate balance.
During school hours, Miko practically escorted him everywhere while he occasionally escaped to the rooftop to quietly zone out beside Kato Megumi.
After school, he visited STARRY to “inspect work,” which mainly involved listening to Bocchi play guitar while handing money over to Ryo.
As for nighttime…
Specifically, making her go limp while simultaneously suppressing the possessiveness she accumulated throughout the day.
Although somewhat busy, everything still remained within manageable limits.
Until Friday after school.
The moment Fujiwara Ai walked through the school gate, a pink figure suddenly blocked his path.
Goto Hitori.
Today, she wasn’t wearing her usual tracksuit.
Instead, she wore a slightly more fashionable dress.
Although it was still pink, it was clearly chosen with great care.
She also wasn’t carrying her guitar bag.
While she still looked nervous, there was now an unmistakable trace of determination inside her eyes.
Fujiwara Ai’s eyes slightly brightened.
The dress’s tailoring fit Bocchi perfectly.
The soft pink color added vitality to her originally pale complexion while the hem of her skirt gently swayed alongside her subtle movements, outlining the delicate silhouette unique to a young girl.
Clearly, she wasn’t accustomed to dressing this way.
Her fingers unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt so tightly her knuckles became pale.
Yet despite this, she still kept her back straight as though she had finally made an important decision.
“Fu…
Fujiwara san!”
She gathered every ounce of courage she possessed and loudly called out to him, though her body still trembled slightly.
“U Um!”
“Th This weekend…
could you…
could you please come to my house?”
The surrounding students instantly turned their heads toward them.
That was the legendary cold and aloof Goto san.
And she was actually inviting a boy home on her own initiative?
Of course, everyone misunderstood Bocchi’s social anxiety as cold aloofness whenever she remained silent.
Fujiwara Ai stopped walking before looking at her with slight surprise.
“Your house?”
“Y Yes!”
Bocchi tightly shut her eyes as though preparing herself for execution.
“Um…
my mom and dad…
they…
they want to meet you.”
In truth, Bocchi constantly talked about her Master at home every single day and had even secretly pasted Fujiwara Ai’s photograph onto her bedroom wall for worship purposes.
Because of this, her parents mistakenly believed their daughter had finally found a boyfriend, perhaps even someone she intended to spend her life with, and strongly insisted she bring him home.
Naturally, Bocchi would never dare reveal such a socially suicidal reason aloud.
“Meeting the parents?”
Fujiwara Ai’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
Wasn’t this development progressing a little too quickly?
At that moment, Miko, who had been quietly following behind him, suddenly stepped forward.
She naturally wrapped herself around Fujiwara Ai’s arm before smiling gently at Bocchi.
Unlike before, her expression no longer carried obvious hostility.
“Since it’s an invitation from Goto san, then you should go.”
Miko turned toward Fujiwara Ai, her eyes filled with tenderness and trust.
“Ai kun, don’t worry about me.”
“I know you’re doing this for serious reasons.”
After that night where body and soul completely intertwined, Miko already understood something.
Someone like Fujiwara Ai was destined to attract countless gazes.
Rather than desperately trying to guard against everyone, it was better to display the composure expected of the primary wife.
As long as his heart remained with her, nothing else truly mattered.
And…
The most important reason was that Fujiwara Ai’s stamina was genuinely monstrous.
She absolutely could not handle him alone anymore.
Fujiwara Ai looked toward Miko while warmth quietly rose within his heart.
“Okay.”
Fujiwara Ai nodded before agreeing to Bocchi’s invitation.
“I’ll go this weekend.”
Bocchi immediately opened her eyes wide, surprise and gratitude overflowing from within them.
“Th Thank you, Fujiwara san!
Then it’s a promise!
I…
I’ll properly prepare everything!”
She became so excited that her words turned incoherent before hurriedly bowing deeply and running away.
However, her departing figure somehow resembled someone marching toward an execution ground.
Fujiwara Ai watched her disappear before glancing toward Kitagawa Mimu, who stood nearby with an expression like she was watching a drama unfold.
Then he looked toward Miko, who claimed she didn’t mind despite gripping his hand noticeably tighter.
He helplessly sighed.
It seemed this weekend definitely wouldn’t be peaceful either.
Meeting the parents…
Hopefully Bocchi’s parents possessed strong hearts.