"Click!"
The door to the private room swung open.
"Reina, you're here!"
Tsushima Rina looked up from her phone and raised her head to see Kurashiki Reina standing at the door, looking distinctly flustered. It was as if she wanted to slam the door but ended up pushing too hard, causing herself to stumble back a few steps.
"Even this stupid door is picking on me!"
Fueled by her anger, Kurashiki Reina kicked the door with force, muttering curses under her breath—words like "Kihara bitch..." and "What's there to be proud of..." and "I can totally" flowed from her lips.
"Alright, alright, Reina, calm down," Tsushima Rina said as she walked over to gently pull Reina to the sofa, offering her a bottle of drink. "What on earth happened to make you so upset?"
"Hmph! It's that Kihara Yoshika bitch!"
Kurashiki Reina plopped herself down onto the sofa, trying to ease her mood as she recounted the ugly encounter with Kihara Yoshika to Tsushima Rina, crossing her arms in frustration.
After listening to Reina vent, Rina understood why she was so furious. Under the protection of her family, Kurashiki Reina had always sailed smoothly through life without facing any significant grievances, which had fostered her proud demeanor. Now, being mocked so openly by her middle school rival had genuinely infuriated her.
"Seriously, what's there to be proud of? Once Yoshito gets here, I'll take him to show her. His boyfriend definitely can't compare to Yoshito!"
As she spoke, Kurashiki Reina's eyes sparkled with determination as she pulled out her phone, rapidly typing a message.
————
Kurashiki Reina: [Yoshito, when will you arrive?] (Read)
Ito Yoshito (Yoshito): [I'm almost there! On my way at rocket speed!] (Read)
Kurashiki Reina: [You need to hurry! I've been bullied.] (Read)
Ito Yoshito (Yoshito): [Just wait for me!] (Read)
————
Tsushima Rina couldn't help but laugh as she watched her friend's eager messages.
"Yoshito's definitely going to arrive all sweaty."
"That's okay; I'd rather say that his sweaty scent is rather addictive~"
A blush crept onto Kurashiki Reina's fair face as she absentmindedly caressed her thigh.
"True~"
Just as the two girls were excitedly chatting about Ito Yoshito, gradually dissipating the anger in Kurashiki Reina's heart, the door swung open once again with a "click."
"Oh dear, it looks like I've walked into the wrong room~"
A voice that Kurashiki Reina found infuriating caught the two girls' attention.
Kihara Yoshika strutted into their private room, a smug expression on her face, followed by a tall, handsome guy with slightly darker skin.
"What a coincidence~ Kurashiki, we meet again! Oh, Tsushima, you're here too!"
Kihara Yoshika smiled sweetly, waving at the two girls as if she were genuinely friendly.
Had this been during their middle school days, she would either have walked away in the opposite direction or opened with a sarcastic remark instead of this friendly facade.
Kurashiki Reina's expression immediately darkened, her arms crossed and her legs resting against one another as she glared at Kihara Yoshika.
"What are you doing here?"
Tsushima Rina frowned slightly, her discontent evident as she regarded Kihara Yoshika intruding.
"Hmph~"
Kihara Yoshika scanned the room. Noticing only the two of them inside, she found it odd that these two once flamboyant middle school girls weren't surrounded by a lively crowd.
However, she decided against overthinking; her only desire was to provoke Kurashiki Reina and relish the satisfaction it brought her.
"I'd like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Sato Yuta."
"Hello there!"
Sato Yuta flashed a warm smile, his eyes discreetly sweeping over Kurashiki Reina and Tsushima Rina's figures.
'These two girls are quite the eye-catchers!'
Kihara Yoshika shot a pleased glance at her boyfriend, causing him to quickly avert his gaze.
Tsushima Rina remained silent while Kurashiki Reina was outright cold, silently observing Kihara Yoshika's performance with disdain.
Yet, Kihara Yoshika remained unaffected and continued, "I know you probably think I'm boasting, but let me tell you, you're right! I'm definitely showing off!"
With a playful laugh, Kihara Yoshika leaned into Sato Yuta's embrace, rubbing her cheek against his.
"Just so you know, Yuta's an athlete! He really knows how to keep me on my toes~"
"***, that bitch is such a slut!"
Kurashiki Reina could no longer hold back her temper. She immediately grabbed a drink from the table and splashed it at Kihara Yoshika.
"Splash!"
The drink splattered everywhere, soaking both Kihara Yoshika and Sato Yuta, even hitting Kihara Yoshika's face.
"Baka!"
Sato Yuta shouted angrily, ready to step forward, but Kihara Yoshika held him back.
"Ha-ha~ Getting anxious, are we?"
Kihara Yoshika paid no mind to her wet clothes, still wearing a nonchalant and happy smile.
"Yuta, can you help me wipe off this water?"
As Sato Yuta extended his hand, about to help her clean her face, Kihara Yoshika lightly blocked him and shook her head, "That's not how you wipe it off."
"Hmm?"
Sato Yuta seemed puzzled, confused about what she meant.
Kihara Yoshika shot a provocative glance at Kurashiki Reina and then leaned into Sato Yuta with a mischievous smile.
"My lips are also wet; that's how you wipe it off~"
Rising onto her toes, Kihara Yoshika pulled Sato Yuta's collar closer and kissed him.
"Mm~"
"..."
The atmosphere thickened as Kurashiki Reina felt her heart race, a mix of anger and disbelief surging within her.
The playful taunt had crossed a line, and she knew this wasn't over yet.
Like the calm before a storm, Kurashiki Reina crumpled the empty can in her hand, making a crackling sound.
From the very beginning, she had always viewed others as mere side dishes, simply a sweet accompaniment to the main course of her life with Yoshito!
"Kihara Yoshika, you think you can just treat me like a side dish? Well, you're asking for it!"
With a fierce resolve, Kurashiki Reina hurled the can towards the pair of lovebirds in front of her.
"Bang!"
The can struck Sato Yuta, rolling onto the floor with a clatter, only to invigorate Kihara Yoshika, who snuggled even closer to him, reveling in Reina's reaction.
"Damn it, you both..."
Fuming, Kurashiki Reina raged toward them, hurling insults at Kihara Yoshika and Sato Yuta's families as she approached.
Tsushima Rina, her eyes glinting with cold fury, walked alongside Kurashiki Reina to confront them.
"Slap!"
"Slap!"
Two crisp slaps rang out in quick succession.
"..."
Kihara Yoshika clutched her cheek, the stinging pain reminiscent of waves crashing over her. She never anticipated that Kurashiki Reina would be so bold; she believed that the presence of Sato Yuta—who was strong and imposing—would prevent Reina from acting against her.
But Reina had shown no mercy, delivering a hard slap!
Kihara Yoshika gritted her teeth, glaring at Reina, who stood firm, ready to strike again.
"Baka!"
On the side, Sato Yuta's jaw twitched in disbelief as he felt the lingering sting on his face, having also received a slap from Tsushima Rina.
Fury ignited within him. Seething, he watched as Reina poised to attack again, making him abandon Rina's side and grab Kurashiki Reina's slender wrist.
"Let go, filthy bug!"
Kurashiki Reina shot a cold glare at Sato Yuta and effortlessly broke free from his grip. In a swift motion, she swung her other hand and delivered another slap.
"Smack!"
Sato Yuta was taken aback, stunned for a moment, completely unprepared for the fierce defiance Kurashiki Reina displayed.
"Baka yarou!"
He raised his arm in anger, preparing to retaliate.
"Click."
At that moment, the door swung open with a "click," and a deep voice resounded.
"... bullying my girlfriends, huh? Feeling rather cocky, aren't we?!"
"Slap!"
Sato Yuta's hand was now firmly gripped, his phone raised high, and no matter how hard he pulled, he couldn't free himself.
A wave of warm air suddenly filled the cool room, making Kihara Yoshika uneasy, her gaze shifting toward the entrance, searching for the source of the heat.
Standing in the doorway was a boy, strong and muscular—taller and more robust than her athlete boyfriend.
"Drip, drip—"
Beads of sweat trickled down Ito Yoshito's rugged face, hitting the ground with a crisp sound.
As he breathed, his explosive muscles strained against his shirt, every breath seemingly squeezed out from deep within him, emanating tremendous heat.
The surrounding air felt thickened by his warmth, forming a light mist that encircled him.
Ito Yoshito cast a casual glance at Kihara Yoshika, prompting her heart to race as she hurriedly averted her gaze.
Shifting his attention back to Sato Yuta, Ito Yoshito extended his other hand, grasping Yuta's wrist firmly. He squeezed hard, eliciting a pained yelp from him.
"Ah!"
Sato Yuta released Kurashiki Reina's hand, unable to bear the pressure.
"Let go."
"Alright."
Ito Yoshito smiled radiantly, like a friendly neighbor, and casually loosened his grip on Sato Yuta's arm, gently steadying his shoulder.
Then, as a welcoming gift for their first meeting, he drove his knee into Yuta's abdomen.
"Thump… uh…"
Sato Yuta gratefully accepted the blow, collapsing to the floor, squirming in delight as if overwhelmed by a childlike joy he couldn't articulate, only uttering incoherent sounds.
Stepping over the writhing Sato Yuta, Ito Yoshito approached Kurashiki Reina and Tsushima Rina, gently taking Reina's hand and kneading it softly.
"Are you two hurt anywhere?"
The musky scent of sweat surrounded them as Ito Yoshito drew near, the rich aroma of his hormones giving both girls an overwhelming sense of reassurance.
Gazing at Ito Yoshito's domineering yet gentle demeanor, the two girls were left feeling intoxicated, their cheeks flushed and misty-eyed as they stared at him.
Opposite him, Kurashiki Reina and Tsushima Rina interlinked their arms with his, shaking their heads sweetly. "We're fine~"
"However... if Yoshito had come a bit later, Reina might have been hurt by this guy."
Tsushima Rina's eyes simmered with anger as she glanced down at Sato Yuta, who lay sprawled on the floor, before shifting her focus back to Kihara Yoshika and then back to Kurashiki Reina.
"Reina."
Understanding Rina's cue, Kurashiki Reina realized that this altercation stemmed from her conflict with Kihara Yoshika, and it was ultimately her responsibility to resolve it.
"Hey, Kihara."
Kurashiki Reina's tone exuded an air of arrogance, her smirk barely concealed as she spoke.
"Your useless boyfriend isn't much to write home about~"
The tables had turned, and it was now Kurashiki Reina's turn to bask in the spotlight before Kihara Yoshika.
"Just look at my Yoshito, those sturdy arms…" Her delicate fingers softly glided across Ito Yoshito's bicep, teasingly caressing it.
"And this muscular definition, those eight-pack abs…" As her hand slid down his arm, Kurashiki Reina suddenly pulled up Ito Yoshito's shirt, revealing his chiseled muscles before Kihara Yoshika's eyes.
Noticing how Kihara Yoshika tried to glance away but failed to hide her intrigue, Kurashiki Reina felt an undeniable thrill from the victory.
Gently, she traced her fingers over Ito Yoshito's exposed muscles, reveling in the raw power that rose and fell with his breath, her smile growing increasingly captivating.
"Hey, Kihara, isn't Yoshito way hotter than your useless boyfriend?"
"..."
Kihara Yoshika slightly lowered her head, her delicate lips growing pale as she bit her pinkish lower lip, remaining silent. Though she didn't want to admit it, Ito Yoshito's imposing stance and disdainful gaze had left her feeling damp with intimidation, her back now slick with sweat.
"Ha-ha~"
Kurashiki Reina laughed, a triumphantly shameless giggle that was regal in its boldness.
She lifted her chin and threw a flirtatious wink at Ito Yoshito, sweetly cooing, "Yoshito~~"
"I want a kiss~~"
Rising up on her toes, her slender arms wrapped around Ito Yoshito's neck as Kurashiki Reina seemed to want to melt into him, hanging onto him tightly.
"Hmm!"
This familiar scenario, now with different protagonists, was one that Kihara Yoshika hadn't fully appreciated until now; the humiliation of being overshadowed and trampled by her old adversary smacked her squarely in the face.
"Hmph!"
Glaring fiercely at Kurashiki Reina, Kihara Yoshika stole a glance at Ito Yoshito's abs before tugging Sato Yuta to leave.
"Ha-ha~"
Tsushima Rina kindly opened the door for Kihara Yoshika and her boyfriend as they exited.