Chapter 33: The Big Secret

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Not far away, Tsukikage Yamabuki noticed the situation the moment Kyoko Utada approached Ryuichi Sugawara to strike up a conversation, and she couldn’t help but feel tense. She knew very well that the students they’d bumped into at karaoke that night were the group of four trendy girls.

“Not a couple… did Ryuichi brush it off like that?”

Tsukikage Yamabuki observed secretly for a while, and only relaxed after hearing Kyoko report their findings back to her friends. If it ever got out that she had gone to karaoke with Ryuichi Sugawara, it would have been troublesome.

“Yamabuki-san, how about next weekend? Are you free?” Shamelessly sitting across from her, Shimada seized the opportunity to ask again when he saw her expression soften.

He had originally wanted to sit beside her, but her disdainful frown and obvious displeasure made him shift to the opposite seat.

“I’m sorry, I’m not available.”

Yamabuki politely declined his invitation without the slightest interest. She would rather spend money going on a date with Ryuichi Sugawara than ever go out with this Shimada, who persisted so pathetically after being rejected so many times.

———

“Hmph, now you see how formidable I am, right? I told you back then, they might not be a couple—because they weren’t holding hands.”

Kyoko Utada returned to her circle of friends, exuding pride like a victorious general returning from battle.

“Yes, yes, you’re really smart to have figured that out.”

Yuki Takanashi was thoroughly amused by her triumphant demeanor.

“Of course.”

Kyoko strutted about like a proud rooster, chest puffed out.

Seeing her boastful attitude, the three close friends couldn’t hold back their laughter.

Amid the lighthearted chatter, Yuki suddenly felt a gaze upon her. She instinctively glanced sideways and met a pair of deep, bright black eyes.

After their eyes met, the other quickly averted his gaze.

The unexpected eye contact made her heart skip a beat, then race uncontrollably.

It wasn’t fear, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint what the feeling was.

“His eyes are really beautiful… but why was he looking at me just now?”

Yuki recalled the fleeting glance, feeling the quickened beat in her chest and growing restless.

“By the way, the famous top student, Ryuichi Sugawara, actually goes to karaoke… I wonder if he sings well.”

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Yuki Takanashi watched Ryuichi Sugawara’s profile as he lowered his head to eat, recalling his cool and handsome masked appearance outside school, feeling as if she had discovered a new world—curiosity stirred within her.

His demeanor inside and outside school was completely different. Her intuition told her that Ryuichi Sugawara was hiding a great secret!

———

After finishing two servings of curry rice, Ryuichi left the cafeteria.

Perhaps influenced by his professional-level karate skills, his physical condition had improved, and his appetite had grown considerably—just like last night, and today as well.

“No, Ryuichi, you have to make it up to me. If you really don’t have time, fine, but you had time to go to karaoke with the big sister and still won’t go out with me once,” Shota Sato grumbled resentfully on the way back to class.

As a friend, he had invited Ryuichi many times to hang out, but was always rejected with the excuse of part-time work.

“What kind of compensation do you want?”

“I want to go to karaoke too!”

“Two grown men going to karaoke?”

Ryuichi was surprised by the suggestion.

In this world, no man goes to karaoke just to sing—just like no man goes to a nightclub just to dance.

“We could invite a few girls to come along... like Utada just now, since you met them at karaoke, they probably like karaoke too.”

Shota knew this very well and grinned as he encouraged him.

He had never gone out with female classmates before, let alone to karaoke with trendy girls, so this was a great opportunity.

If he could hang out with the group of four trendy girls and maybe spark something, that would be impressive.

“You go invite them?”

Ryuichi laughed at his reaction and was amused.

“Of course you go. If I dared to ask out trendy girls, why would I have been single all three years of high school?”

Finding himself handed this difficult task, Shota punched him lightly in frustration.

“You don’t dare, so does that mean I do?”

“Don’t you dare?”

“Don’t.”

“Is there anything in this world you can’t do?”

Seeing his cowardice, Shota decisively resorted to goading him.

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“There are plenty.”

Ryuichi knew himself well enough not to fall for that.

“Then I’ll go. If I manage to get an invitation, you have to come too.”

Not wanting to miss this rare chance, Shota made up his mind after some hesitation.

“Fine, but don’t use my name when you ask.”

“How could I get them to come otherwise… By the way, do you dislike trendy girls?”

“It’s not that I dislike them. There’s no need for trendy girls or anyone else right now. There’s only about half a year left until graduation. If I start dating someone, we’ll just be forced apart later. I plan to wait until after I get into university to think about that.”

Ryuichi shook his head, denying Shota’s suggestion.

He didn’t dislike trendy girls; he just wasn’t planning to start a romantic relationship with anyone at the moment.

Besides, trendy girls and rebellious girls were two different types—trendy girls liked fashion, while the others were more defiant.

He was still working as a rental boyfriend. Starting a serious relationship would only bring him trouble.

“That makes sense.”

Shota was convinced.

At this point, thinking about dating was indeed too late.

“Do you think there’s any chance you could bring four beautiful older sisters to sing with us?”

“Impossible. I already told you, they all have boyfriends. The only reason they forced me to go was that they’re friends of the sister who lives next door to my parents’ house and wanted to meet me.”

Ryuichi rejected the idea without hesitation.

He was joking—those four beautiful older sisters included Tsukikage Yamabuki. Even if he didn’t bring her along, letting them meet would expose the whole fake boyfriend scheme.

“Alright, then I’ll think of some place suitable for us to hang out and let you know. We’ve known each other so long but haven’t gone out together. We need to leave some memories of our youth.”

Seeing that Shota had put it that way, Ryuichi no longer insisted, instead appreciating this rare opportunity.

“You decide. Just let me know when, and it’s on me.”

Having finally dispelled Shota’s hope of him asking girls out, Ryuichi made his stance clear.

Since quitting his warehouse job, he had finally gotten some free time. Though he still had to prepare for exams, going out once before graduation with Shota was necessary.