Chapter 2:
Final Days of Tomorrow
I regretted it the second the words left my mouth.
Her body stiffened. Her face twitched as if her brain had finally processed what I’d just asked. Then, like a volcanic eruption—
"Y-YOU HENTAI! YOU STOLE MY UNDERWEAR!"
"HUH?! HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?!" I flailed my arms wildly, stepping back in pure panic mode. "W-We just met five minutes ago!"
Her voice echoed through the street, turning every head in our direction. My face burned with shame. I could already feel the invisible daggers of judgment from bystanders.
And then—her eyes started glistening.
Oh, no. Oh, hell no. 🥲
Was she seriously about to cry over her own blunder?! I had to fix this before the entire neighborhood labeled me a pervert.
"A-Alright! We’ll just buy you a new pair, okay ?! " I blurted out, desperate to stop the incoming waterworks.
She sniffled. I sighed in relief. ~Crisis averted.~
We walked back to where Rumi was waiting. My adorable little sister stood there with her hands on her hips, tapping her tiny foot against the pavement like a strict judge. The moment we reached her, she ran up and hugged my leg, eyeing the red-haired girl beside me with a glare.
Then, without missing a beat— "Oni-chan is mine."
She puffed up her cheeks and stuck out her tongue at the red-haired girl like a smug little gremlin, clinging onto my arm as if claiming ownership.
The redhead blinked in surprise. 😳
I sighed. Not this again.
We dropped Rumi off at kindergarten after another round of smug glaring contests. Before she left, she hugged me again, shooting one last victorious look at the red-haired girl as if saying, “Know your place, outsider.”
I rubbed the back of my head, awkwardly apologizing. "S-Sorry about that… she's usually really sweet. No idea what got into her today."
The redhead pouted, crossing her arms. "She’s a feisty one, huh? "
As we walked toward a clothing store, an awkward silence hung between us. I had no idea what to say. I mean, what do you even talk about with a girl who just publicly accused you of stealing her underwear?
She, on the other hand, looked like a depressed puppy, her shoulders slumped in utter defeat. By the time we reached the store, she wasted no time. Like a ninja on a mission, she bolted toward the underwear section, snatched the first pair she saw, and made a beeline for the changing rooms.
"Excuse me, ma’am," a store employee called out. "You can’t wear an item before purchasing it."
The redhead froze. Slowly, she turned her head toward me like a lost child. Her hands patted her bag—searching, checking, double-checking—until the realization hit.
She forgot her wallet.
I sighed, already knowing what was coming. Then came the ultimate move—
Damn it. I already knew I was going to regret this.
"Fine. I'll pay," I muttered, reaching into my wallet. "Just… just hurry up before I change my mind."
She beamed, her mood doing a complete 180 as she dashed into the changing room. Meanwhile, I stared at the cashier, handing over my pocket money while internally mourning my lunch budget for the week.
RIP my savings.
On our way to school, the redhead was back to full energy, happily chatting about how she had to transfer because of her dad’s work, how she had a bad habit of forgetting things, and how she was basically the queen of clumsiness.
I listened, nodding here and there, my mind drifting. Just earlier today, I was worried about my first day at high school. Now? I was escorting a clumsy, commando-wearing disaster who had just turned my morning into a rom-com nightmare.
As we approached the school gates, she suddenly stopped.
"Oh, right! I need to report to the staff room first."
"Yeah, just head down that hall, second door to the left," I told her.
She turned on her heel, ready to sprint off, but I quickly called out, "Wait! I never got your name." She paused for a second—then grinned mischievously.
"Hehe, I’ll tell you later~! Mr. Pervert"
And just like that, she dashed off toward the staff room, leaving me standing there with an annoyed sigh. Seriously?
I sighed, finally making my way toward my classroom. The first day of school had barely started, and I already felt exhausted.
As usual, I took my seat in the back corner near the window, gazing at the sky. The teacher soon arrived, starting class with a brief introduction—
"Alright, class, we have a new transfer student today."
I felt an eerie sense of déjà vu.
I turned my head just in time to see the red-haired girl striding into the classroom. She smiled sweetly, introducing herself— "My name is Ayano Hikari. Nice to meet you all~!"
Every guy in the room was practically holding their breath, eyes glued to her as if they had just seen a goddess descend from the heavens.
Meanwhile, in the corner of the room, I tried to sink into my seat and disappear.
Ayano’s gaze swept across the classroom until she spotted me.
Then, right in front of everyone— She waved.
I could already feel the piercing stares of my fellow male classmates.
Oh no.
Oh no no no.
The teacher gestured for her to pick any empty seat. Naturally, there was only one left. The red-haired girl grinned and walked straight toward me.
After settling into the chair, she turned to me with a teasing smirk. "Hello, Mr. Pervert~."
In the heat of the moment, I snapped back. "I’m not a pervert! My name is Leo Waltz. Just call me Leo!"
She blinked, then chuckled softly, her cheeks faintly tinged pink.
Class began, and—of course—she had already managed to forget her textbook. Wow. Truly the epitome of a monkey.🐒
Without hesitation, she scooted her desk closer, sharing my book as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Meanwhile, the relentless stares of every guy in the room bore into me like *daggers*. It was agonizing.
Finally, lunch break arrived. I wasted no time bolting to the restroom, still processing how she hadn’t uttered a single word throughout the lectures. Didn’t take her for the studious type…
After freshening up, I headed to the cafeteria, grabbed a piece of bread, and wandered in search of a quiet place. Eventually, I found myself on the rooftop terrace, settling onto a bench in the corner.
"Just when I thought I could have one peaceful moment today…"
A humble voice suddenly interrupted my moment of peace.
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