Biting her lip, Shiina Mahiru hesitated for a moment before reaching out her delicate hand, gently tugging at the corner of his sleeve.
"Um... Nozomi, are you asleep?"
Hozuki Nozomi slowly opened his eyes, his gaze settling on her cautious expression. With a sigh, he patted the seat beside him and spoke in a calm, deep voice.
"Come closer."
Shiina Mahiru's cheeks instantly flushed a soft pink. Her fingers trembled slightly, but under the weight of his unwavering gaze, she bit her lip and hesitantly shuffled over.
Nozomi moved his arm effortlessly and, without hesitation, wrapped it around her slender waist.
"Ah—" Mahiru's body stiffened, her head snapping toward the kitchen in a panic.
Ogiwara Sayu was still busy with the chorest, oblivious to their moment.
"Shiina," Nozomi's voice was low, unwavering, "you don't think that what was on the news was done by me, do you?"
Mahiru averted her gaze, her amber eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I never said that... but... did you?"
Nozomi didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "Before I respond to that, tell me—if I did, would you be afraid of me? Would you hate me?"
"No!" she shook her head, her response almost instant. "Didn't the news say it was divine punishment? Those two got what they deserved. Maybe it really was some kind of retribution from the heavens."
A small smirk curled at Nozomi's lips as he observed the girl desperately trying to justify things in his favor.
"Don't worry. I didn't do it myself. I just asked some... friends. Well, a few cats."
"Cats...?" Mahiru blinked, confused.
Nozomi chuckled lightly. "Originally, I just wanted them to sneak into his car and cause some trouble. Maybe lead to an accident, a little payback. If Toshihiko ended up paralyzed, our troubles would have been solved."
He paused, his smirk fading slightly. "Even I was surprised when I saw the news this morning. A full-blown supernatural incident? That was unexpected."
Mahiru remained silent, studying his expression carefully.
"But it doesn't matter," Nozomi continued, his grip tightening slightly around her waist. "Even if something supernatural really happens... I'll protect my tenant."
Her heart skipped a beat.
My tenant?
Wouldn't it be easier to just say he wanted to protect her?
But she knew why he said it that way. She was the one who had told him before—if he ever confessed, she would reject him. He was simply being careful with his words.
And strangely... she didn't mind it.
As her thoughts drifted, she suddenly turned to glance at Sayu, who was still occupied. Then, before she could second-guess herself, Mahiru leaned in and lightly pressed her lips to Nozomi's cheek.
It was brief, fleeting, yet undeniable.
"Thank you... But I already made plans to go karaoke with Miura and the others today. Can you let go now?" she whispered, her face burning red.
Nozomi stared at her, unreadable. "You're going out again, right after what happened? What if someone targets you again?"
"I-I won't be that unlucky!" she protested but faltered under his intense gaze. "But... I already promised them. It'd be rude to cancel now."
Nozomi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Give me your phone number. I need to check in on you."
Mahiru blinked in surprise. "You... should already have it, right?"
"And yet, you didn't call me when things went south yesterday." His voice was calm, but the underlying rebuke was evident.
She lowered her head, feeling guilty. What could she even say? That she hadn't expected him to be so reliable? That in that moment, calling the police had felt like the only logical choice?
Before she could formulate a response, Nozomi suddenly leaned in and pressed a firm kiss against her cheek.
"Wha—?!" Mahiru gasped, her eyes widening in shock.
Nozomi pulled back with a smug look. "You kissed me first. I'm just returning the favor."
"T-That's not how it works!" she stammered, covering her cheek as if to protect it from further attacks.
"Alright, you can go now. But bring your anti-wolf spray, and if anything happens, you call me. Got it?"
Mahiru, still dazed, could only nod. "O-Okay..."
Satisfied, Nozomi released her and stretched lazily before heading toward his room.
Left alone, Mahiru covered her face with both hands, her heartbeat erratic.
Why did she suddenly feel regret about going out?
Looking down at her waist, she could still feel the lingering warmth of his touch. It was... comfortable. Familiar. And—
She shook her head rapidly, pushing the thought away.
Later that day
Mahiru finally met up with the usual group.
Yuigahama Yui, the bubbly, bun-haired girl who was always full of energy. She had a way of making people feel comfortable in any situation.
Miura Yumiko, a striking blonde with a refined, queen-like aura. Though she often came across as arrogant, those close to her knew she was incredibly loyal and kind.
And Ebina Hime, their bespectacled friend with a rather... unique passion for shipping boys together. A true fujoshi at heart.
The three were already engaged in animated conversation when Mahiru arrived, their excitement infectious.
"Mahiru-chan! You made it!" Yui beamed, latching onto her arm.
"Of course, I did. I promised, didn't I?" Mahiru smiled, though there was still a trace of something lingering in her thoughts.
As they walked toward the karaoke lounge, she couldn't shake the feeling.
Something was changing.
And she wasn't sure she was ready for it.Mahiru averted her gaze, her amber eyes flickering with uncertainty. "I never said that... but... did you?"
Nozomi didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "Before I respond to that, tell me—if I did, would you be afraid of me? Would you hate me?"
"No!" she shook her head, her response almost instant. "Didn't the news say it was divine punishment? Those two got what they deserved. Maybe it really was some kind of retribution from the heavens."
A small smirk curled at Nozomi's lips as he observed the girl desperately trying to justify things in his favor.
"Don't worry. I didn't do it myself. I just asked some... friends. Well, a few cats."
"Cats...?" Mahiru blinked, confused.
Nozomi chuckled lightly. "Originally, I just wanted them to sneak into his car and cause some trouble. Maybe lead to an accident, a little payback. If Toshihiko ended up paralyzed, our troubles would have been solved."
He paused, his smirk fading slightly. "Even I was surprised when I saw the news this morning. A full-blown supernatural incident? That was unexpected."
Mahiru remained silent, studying his expression carefully.
"But it doesn't matter," Nozomi continued, his grip tightening slightly around her waist. "Even if something supernatural really happens... I'll protect my tenant."
Her heart skipped a beat.
My tenant?
Wouldn't it be easier to just say he wanted to protect her?
But she knew why he said it that way. She was the one who had told him before—if he ever confessed, she would reject him. He was simply being careful with his words.
And strangely... she didn't mind it.
As her thoughts drifted, she suddenly turned to glance at Sayu, who was still occupied. Then, before she could second-guess herself, Mahiru leaned in and lightly pressed her lips to Nozomi's cheek.
It was brief, fleeting, yet undeniable.
"Thank you... But I already made plans to go karaoke with Miura and the others today. Can you let go now?" she whispered, her face burning red.
Nozomi stared at her, unreadable. "You're going out again, right after what happened? What if someone targets you again?"
"I-I won't be that unlucky!" she protested but faltered under his intense gaze. "But... I already promised them. It'd be rude to cancel now."
Nozomi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Give me your phone number. I need to check in on you."
Mahiru blinked in surprise. "You... should already have it, right?"
"And yet, you didn't call me when things went south yesterday." His voice was calm, but the underlying rebuke was evident.
She lowered her head, feeling guilty. What could she even say? That she hadn't expected him to be so reliable? That in that moment, calling the police had felt like the only logical choice?
Before she could formulate a response, Nozomi suddenly leaned in and pressed a firm kiss against her cheek.
"Wha—?!" Mahiru gasped, her eyes widening in shock.
Nozomi pulled back with a smug look. "You kissed me first. I'm just returning the favor."
"T-That's not how it works!" she stammered, covering her cheek as if to protect it from further attacks.
"Alright, you can go now. But bring your pepper spray, and if anything happens, you call me. Got it?"
Mahiru, still dazed, could only nod. "O-Okay..."
Satisfied, Nozomi released her and stretched lazily before heading toward his room.
Left alone, Mahiru covered her face with both hands, her heartbeat erratic.
Why did she suddenly feel regret about going out?
Looking down at her waist, she could still feel the lingering warmth of his touch. It was... comfortable. Familiar. And—
She shook her head rapidly, pushing the thought away.
Later that day
Mahiru finally met up with the usual group.
Yuigahama Yui, the bubbly, bun-haired girl who was always full of energy. She had a way of making people feel comfortable in any situation.
Miura Yumiko, a striking blonde with a refined, queen-like aura. Though she often came across as arrogant, those close to her knew she was incredibly loyal and kind.
And Ebina Hime, their bespectacled friend with a rather... unique passion for shipping boys together. A true fujoshi at heart.
The three were already engaged in animated conversation when Mahiru arrived, their excitement infectious.
Yuigahama Yui was the first to speak up.
"Nee, have you guys watched the news? I don't usually bother, but this one was all over the place! My mom even made me sit down and watch it with her."
"Same here!" Ebina Hime raised her hand enthusiastically, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Miura Yumiko casually flipped her hair, nodding. "Me too. I checked it out, and honestly, I still can't believe it."
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing a deep secret. "So, I did some digging. Talked to some people. Turns out, that third-year senpai from the soccer club, Takayama Toshihiko, was actually behind those thugs that Hozuki-kun took down yesterday."
"Eh?! No way!" Yui gasped. "He always seemed like a decent guy, but he was scummy enough to hire criminals to harass us?!"
"Right?" Yumiko sighed, crossing her arms. "Seriously, what a creep. If Nozomi hadn't shown up when he did, things could have been really bad. But…" She suddenly turned to Shiina Mahiru, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Shiina, do you know why he was even there?"
At the mention of his name, Shiina Mahiru's face turned slightly pink. She fidgeted, lowering her head in an attempt to look nonchalant. "I asked him… and he said he had a bad premonition and followed the guidance of the gods."
"Waaah, guidance of the gods?! That's so romantic!" Yui clapped her hands together, practically sparkling.
She leaned forward excitedly, eyes fixed on Mahiru. "Could it be… you two are in sync? He somehow sensed you were in danger?!"
"Speaking of which," Yumiko smirked, "you and Hozuki-kun do live in the same direction, right? You go to school together, walk home together sometimes… You're really not dating?"
Yui held her breath slightly, waiting for the answer. She had been paying extra attention to Hozuki Nozomi ever since that first day of school. If Mahiru and Nozomi were actually together, she would definitely feel… complicated.
Mahiru quickly waved her hands. "No, no! It's just a coincidence. We're not dating or anything. Besides… I don't plan to date in high school."
"Hontou ni?" Yui asked suspiciously. Then, with a tiny spark of hope, she hesitated before asking, "Does he… have a girlfriend?"
Her voice betrayed the slightest hint of nervous anticipation.
Ebina Hime adjusted her glasses with a knowing smirk, while Yumiko poked Yui's arm teasingly. "Yui, could it be… you're into Hozuki-kun?"
"Wha—! No! I-It's not like that!" Yui's face instantly turned red as she waved her arms frantically. "I was just wondering since he helped us, okay?! I was thinking about what we should get him as a thank-you gift."
Yumiko's smirk deepened. "A gift, huh? Well, you could always just give yourself to him. I'm sure he'd love that. After all, Yui is super cute."
"Y-Yumiko! Don't joke about that!" Yui stomped her foot in embarrassment. "If that's the case, why don't you offer yourself instead?!"
Yumiko shrugged with an air of confidence. "Please, as if I need to. I already have someone in my heart. And I don't even need to say who, right?"
Yui pursed her lips, her face puffing slightly in mock annoyance. Of course, she didn't need to ask—everyone knew Yumiko had feelings for Hayama Hayato.
Ebina Hime, however, chuckled knowingly. She saw through everything. Hayama was only using Yumiko as a convenient excuse to avoid other girls.
"Alright, alright, enough teasing Yui. Shiina, you still haven't answered—does Hozuki-kun have a girlfriend?" Hime asked, still grinning mischievously.
The three girls turned their eyes to Mahiru, who suddenly felt an ominous sense of crisis creeping up her spine.
For some reason, without even thinking, the words slipped out of her mouth:
"Of course he does! And they're even living together!"
The second she said it, she wanted to smack herself.
But it was too late.
She had only meant to stop these three from getting any ideas about him. Who knew what would happen if they all started crushing on that playboy? Best to shut it down before it even started!
"Ehhhhh?!" Yui's eyes widened. "He has a girlfriend? And they're… l-living together?!"
The disappointment in her voice was obvious, but she quickly masked it, shaking her head with a wry smile.
"Well, whatever! It's not like I care or anything. The real question is, what kind of gift should we get him?"
The others exchanged knowing glances but decided not to tease her anymore. After all, a girl's heartbreak—no matter how small—was still a delicate thing.
However.
Now came the real challenge.
If they couldn't give him a girlfriend as a thank-you, what could they possibly give him?
After a brief silence, the three girls turned their attention back to Mahiru.
Yumiko smirked. "Shiina, you're his seatmate, right? You should know what he likes. Any ideas?"
Mahiru froze. She couldn't possibly tell them that he was an outrageous pervert who wanted a harem.
She sighed internally. She couldn't ruin his reputation. And besides…
He had been so kind to her. Even though he was annoying and unpredictable, she couldn't bring herself to badmouth him.
After a brief pause, she came up with a safe answer.
"Didn't he say it on the first day of school? He likes anime, manga, and light novels."
"Ah! That's right!" Yui clapped her hands together. "We can each get him a manga or light novel as a gift!"
"Great idea!" Yumiko grinned. "I completely forgot about that! Shiina, as expected, you remember everything."
Mahiru looked away awkwardly. "It's not that big of a deal…"
Yui pouted slightly. The truth was, she had also remembered Nozomi's self-introduction, but she wasn't about to say that.
Meanwhile, Hime adjusted her glasses with a suspicious glint in her eyes. Then, she licked her lips in an exaggerated, dramatic fashion.
Yumiko immediately narrowed her eyes. "Oi, Hime. You're not thinking of giving him one of your weird BL doujins, are you?"
"Ehhhh?! Why not?!" Hime protested.
Yumiko crossed her arms. "Absolutely not. We are NOT turning him into one of your fujoshi fantasies. End of discussion."
Hime pouted dramatically. "Mou… you guys have no taste…"
"Hey, listen to me, Shiina. At first, I didn't understand the charm of BL, but once I did, I fell deeply in love with it! Nozomi-kun will definitely appreciate it too!"
"This is the true meaning of evangelism!"
Shiina Mahiru blinked, her expression filled with confusion.
She had long been curious about this so-called "friendship between boys" that Ebina Hime always rambled about, so she leaned toward Miura Yumiko and whispered hesitantly.
"Yumiko, what does BL mean?"
Miura Yumiko immediately covered her face, looking as if she wanted to disappear into the ground.
"Hime, just stop. You're still a cute girl when you don't talk!"
But Ebina Hime, already lost in her fantasy world, had an ecstatic expression, complete with an embarrassing nosebleed.
Blushing slightly, Yumiko leaned in close and discreetly explained the meaning of BL to Shiina Mahiru. The moment the words left her lips, Mahiru's entire face turned scarlet.
"N-No way! Ebina-san, you absolutely can't give Nozomi-kun something like that!"
"This isn't gratitude, it's straight-up betrayal!"
Even though Shiina Mahiru still had complicated feelings about Nozomi's flirtatious ways, she couldn't deny that he had been kind to her. Her heart, though stubborn, couldn't ignore the warmth he had shown her.
But if Nozomi was corrupted by Ebina Hime's questionable taste in manga and ended up liking boys instead of girls… she would cry.
No—she refused to let that happen!
Meanwhile, at that exact moment, far away in Sakurasou, Hozuki Nozomi suddenly sneezed.
Ebina Hime's "brilliant" idea was swiftly shut down by a unanimous vote of three against one.
She sighed dramatically, shrugging her shoulders. "You guys just don't understand the beauty of male friendship!"
"No, and we never will. Nor do we want to!" Yumiko groaned. "For the love of all that is holy, just pick a normal gift already!"
After much debate and several distractions, the girls finally settled on their gifts. Each of them picked out a manga or light novel to give Nozomi as a token of gratitude.
With that settled, they spent the rest of the afternoon shopping and hanging out. Laughter filled the air as they strolled through the streets, their previous anxiety from yesterday's ordeal fading into the background.
Eventually, as the sun dipped below the horizon, it was time to part ways.
==================
On the train ride home, Miura Yumiko noticed Yuigahama Yui staring absentmindedly out the window, twirling a strand of her hair between her fingers.
"If you like him, you should just go for it," Yumiko said suddenly.
"Huh?!" Yui nearly jumped in her seat, her face instantly turning red. "W-What are you talking about?!"
"Don't play dumb. You've been sneaking glances at Nozomi-kun whenever we talk about him. It's obvious."
Yui's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, it's that obvious?!"
Yumiko smirked. "What do you think?"
Yui bit her lip. "I do care about Nozomi-kun, but… it's not like I like him or anything."
"Oh sure, keep telling yourself that." Yumiko rolled her eyes playfully. "Look, Yui, you're super cute, okay? Have a little confidence!"
Yui quickly shook her head. "No, no, no! It's not like that!"
Yumiko leaned back, crossing her arms with a knowing look. "Mmhmm, sure. Then let me ask you something—don't you think it's weird that Shiina suddenly said Nozomi-kun has a girlfriend?"
"Huh? But why would Shiina-chan do that?"
Yumiko sighed. "You're too naive, Yui. Didn't you notice her expression when Nozomi-kun was mentioned?"
She smirked. "I think she likes him too, and she made that up to keep other girls away."
Yui's jaw dropped. "N-No way…"
"Tch, Yui, you've got a lot to learn about love. Girls can be selfish, y'know."
Yui sat in stunned silence as the train continued down the tracks, her heart racing with uncertainty.
She couldn't deny it any longer.
She did care about Nozomi-kun—maybe even more than she realized.
And now, she had a rival.