Chapter 34: But I Refuse (Revised)

The afternoon classes were ordinary, as they always were. Although the English teacher’s uncharacteristic attire had sparked heated discussion, the excitement had faded by the time school ended. As the final bell rang, everyone went about their own business. Many participated in clubs, while quite a few were part of the "homecoming club." Packing his textbooks and slinging his bag over his shoulder, Ryuichi Sugawara set off on his way home alone.

"So bored..."

Stepping out of the school building and strolling across the campus, he looked up at the still-bright sky and muttered to himself. There was a strange contrast in suddenly stepping away from a busy daily routine into such leisure. In the past, he would have rushed off to a part-time job immediately after school. Now, however, he didn't quite know what to do with himself. Despite having no clear goal or schedule, he kept walking without pause.

As he moved further away, nearing the school gate, a shout came from behind:

"Sugawara-san!"

People usually react when their name is called. Ryuichi turned to see what was going on. As he turned, he saw the blonde-haired gyaru, Yuki Takanashi, jogging toward him. Behind her were three other girls—her close friends.

"What's up?" Ryuichi asked, waiting for her to reach him.

"Hey~ We’re planning to go to karaoke. Want to join us?"

Standing face to face, Yuki tilted her head to meet his gaze and extended the invitation in a casual tone. Upon learning why she had chased after him, a glint appeared in Ryuichi’s eyes. It wasn't because of her invitation, but because a line of text had appeared before him:

[Yuki Takanashi has sent you a date invitation. Do you accept?]

The system’s notification made him happy. It meant that a system-recognized date allowed him to date two people simultaneously, or even more.

*It’s happening!*

At the same time, Yuki noticed the sparkle in his eyes and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. In truth, inviting Ryuichi wasn't her own idea. Her close friend, Kyoko Utada—who had run over at noon to confirm if Ryuichi was the masked handsome guy she’d met at karaoke—really wanted to hang out with him but lacked the courage to ask, so she had pushed the responsibility onto Yuki.

Although she was long accustomed to Kyoko’s infatuation, she decided to help her friend out, given how much Kyoko truly liked him and how earnestly she had pleaded.

"I appreciate the invitation, but I'm sorry, I have to study later," Ryuichi replied.

Because she had inadvertently helped him verify how the system worked, he felt grateful, but he still politely declined. He was happy to go on dates with girls, but he preferred them to be under the guise of a "rental boyfriend," which made it easier to part ways cleanly. Even though he could earn "Heartbeat Value" by dating on a personal level, the risk of the other person misunderstanding his intentions was a burden he didn't want to bear.

"No time today, I see. My invitation was a bit sudden... How about tomorrow? Or the day after? It wouldn't just be the two of us, you know—my friends will be there too," Yuki said. She was stunned by his refusal after his initial spark of interest, but after nodding in understanding, she didn't give up.

[Yuki Takanashi has sent you a date invitation. Do you accept?]

"Sorry," Ryuichi replied, his response direct and without further excuses.

A real date and a "rental" date were two entirely different things. If he accepted and the date went well, Yuki would undoubtedly invite him again and again. He did want more Heartbeat Value, but he could foresee that if he accepted, he would inevitably end up hurting her.

"I’m the one who should be sorry. It was abrupt of me to invite you out when we’ve never spoken before. Sorry to bother you."

Having been rejected twice, Yuki fully understood his position. She forced a smile, gave a small bow, and turned to run back to her friends.

"Quite polite," Ryuichi remarked to himself as he watched her go, then continued on his way.

Having confirmed that the system could handle two or more concurrent dates, he now knew what to do: look for new clients. With that in mind, he pulled his phone from his pocket and began scrolling through Twitter.

Moon: [Nicely done!]

The message was sent at 12:54 PM, just as the lunch break was ending. Clearly, Tsuki Yamabuki had messaged him after returning to the office from lunch. However, students were required to keep their phones on silent at school, and he wasn't in the habit of using his phone on campus, so he hadn't seen it until now.

*Did she hear what Utada said?*

A smile tugged at the corners of Ryuichi’s mouth. Helping someone and then having the person involved witness it was a satisfying feeling.

[Keeping a client's secret is my duty.]

After sending the text, he began checking his other notifications.

***

After being rejected, Yuki returned to her friends.

"Well? Did he say yes?" Kyoko Utada, who had been waiting in the distance, asked impatiently.

"It failed. He said he has to study and doesn't have time for karaoke." Though she had been rejected after making the first move, Yuki didn't take it to heart and just shook her head.

"Ah..." Kyoko was disappointed, having expected that the most beautiful member of their group would easily win Ryuichi over.

"Seriously? He turned you down?" Aino Ishiguro, with her black hair and red eyes, was visibly unsettled.

"No way. Is there really a man in this world who can refuse Yuki?" Kano Sakai, who had purple hair and eyes, was more gentle-tempered; she was simply shocked, looking from Yuki to Ryuichi, who was already nearing the school gate without having looked back.

"Don't exaggerate. I'm not some universal heartthrob," Yuki said, waving her hands dismissively. She wasn't narcissistic enough to think her beauty could conquer every man on earth.

"You’re Yuki Takanashi, the two-time winner of the Musano Festival Beauty Pageant! How could you not be?" her friends protested. They took great pride in being close friends with such a beautiful girl and getting to be with her every day.

"This Ryuichi guy has no taste... Yuki actually asked him out, and he dared to refuse? No, we have to go get an explanation!" Aino, impulsive and hot-tempered, felt her anger rising.

"Wait!" Yuki tried to stop her as she charged off like a bull, but it was already too late.