Chapter 43: The Love-Struck Idiot

Today, I discovered something far more dangerous than heartbreak—someone who has finally fallen in love after a lifetime of pretending they were above it: Kagetsu Touma.

I stared at him. For a long time.

Touma sat in his seat, motionless. His gaze was hollow, fixed on a point in space that didn't exist. He looked like an NPC whose dialogue tree had run out of branches, yet the system was still forcing him to stay active.

"...Touma."

No response.

"Touma."

Still nothing. I began to suspect his brain was either loading a massive update or had crashed entirely. I picked up a book and swung it in a short, sharp arc—

PLOK.

"—OI?!"

He snapped back to reality, jolting in his seat. "What was that for?!"

I crossed my arms. "I should be asking you that. You’ve been staring at a blank wall for ten minutes like a man who just lost his life’s coordinates."

He averted his eyes, coughing into his hand. "...I was just thinking."

I let out a sigh. "Thinking about what? You usually avoid serious thought like it's a contagious disease."

"...Hmm... about the future."

I gave him a flat, unimpressed stare. "Since when do you look that far ahead?"

"DON’T UNDERESTIMATE ME!"

I sighed again. Yeah. It was confirmed. The man was in love.

"I know who this is about," I said.

Touma froze. "...Is it about Karin Kirishima?"

"—?!"

He bolted upright. "N-NO!"

"Your reaction was too fast for a 'no.' And way too honest."

He slumped back into his chair, looking down at his desk. "I... I don't know what to do. This is the first time I’ve felt like this in... a long time."

I raised an eyebrow. "First time?"

"...Yeah."

Touma—the guy who usually acted like an expert on everything—now looked like an elementary schooler learning the definition of feelings for the first time.

"She’s... different," he whispered.

"Of course she is. Everyone is."

"That’s not what I mean!" He looked at me with sudden intensity. "She’s... fragile. Pure. I’ve always had a soft spot for that type."

I stayed silent. This was worse than I thought. During the rest of the lecture, he did nothing but space out. I could only watch in pity. Incredible—one girl had managed to corrupt his entire operating system in less than twenty-four hours.

Lunchtime. The cafeteria.

"Touma, are you really this far gone? Remember—expectations are just seeds for future disappointment."

"Don't project your trauma onto me, Kengo. Who's to say my story won't end differently?"

I shrugged. "Fine. Suit yourself."

And then—she appeared.

Karin Kirishima. Her steps were small, tentative. She looked incredibly out of place in the bustling cafeteria. And then—

CLINK.

Her spoon and fork hit the floor. "I'm so sorry!" she gasped, bowing in a panic. The entire cafeteria went quiet. She was like a new center of gravity, pulling every eye toward her without permission.

I nudged Touma. "Now."

He didn't need a second prompt. He moved. Fast.

"It’s okay! Let me help."

They both crouched down at the same time. They were too close. It was too dramatic. It was a cliché so tired even anime studios would hesitate to animate it.

"...Thank you..." Karin whispered.

"No problem at all," Touma replied. He was clearly nervous, but he was trying his best to play it cool. "...I'm always ready to help someone in need."

Someone, huh?

Karin offered a small, shy smile. And for a split second, I saw it on Touma’s face. He was down. Deep. No brakes.

"Do you have a seat yet? Why don't you eat with us?"

Fast. Way too fast. I was almost impressed. Karin hesitated. "...If it’s not too much trouble..."

"Not at all!"

We sat down. I tried to focus on my food, pretending I wasn't there. But—why was my own pulse quickening? I frowned. Don't go there, Kengo. This isn't your business.

But that intuition... it was like a thin shadow I couldn't touch but couldn't stop seeing. Karin was hiding something. And I knew it.

"So..." Touma began. "I’ve actually followed your work for a long time. I'm a huge fan! I even got into a massive debate on a forum once about the ending of volume two!"

I stopped chewing. That wasn't an icebreaker. That was a confession of internet crimes.

Karin turned bright red. "Th-thank you..."

Then—the sound of a chair being pulled back violently.

"You."

We all turned. Ishikawa Yukari. Sharp gaze. A thin, dangerous smile. "Karin Kirishima."

Karin froze. "Tch... Yukari."

Silence. The cafeteria table turned into a dueling arena without warning.

"I heard you entered this university," Yukari said. "To find me, wasn't it?"

"I just want to grow," Karin replied softly.

"By challenging me again?"

Touma stood up. "Hey, this is a cafeteria, not a tournament!"

He was completely ignored.

"You've always compared yourself to me," Yukari continued.

"I never compared," Karin countered, her voice gaining a sliver of steel. "I just want to see how far I can go."

"It's the same thing."

When did this become a Final Boss battle?

Touma turned to me. "Kengo, say something!"

"Why me?!"

Yukari turned her eyes to me. "You knew me first."

Pressure. Then Karin looked at me too. "Between us... who would you choose?"

Do I look like a judge on a reality show?

"I’m not taking sides."

"Are you sure?"

That tone... it wasn't a question. It was a threat wrapped in a smile. I stared back at her flatly. "Seriously?"

Yukari smiled. "Good. I like a rational answer."

Rational? I just barely survived a creative shakedown.

Karin finally spoke. "Please don't involve the others."

Yukari leaned in. "Our business started long before this."

Karin lifted her chin. Her gaze had shifted—sharper, more focused. "I didn't come here to attack you."

"But to surpass me, right?"

Silence. The air at the table felt hot—not from the weather, but from colliding egos.

Touma whispered to me, "This is like the finals of a tournament..."

"No," I whispered back. "This is worse."

"You were always one step ahead of me," Karin said. "I just want to stand on equal ground."

Yukari smirked. "Then... prove it."

Their eyes locked. Neither backed down. I stood up slowly, caught between two people ready to burn the world down just to be one step ahead. Touma was beside me like a VIP spectator, and I—I was the extra who had wandered into the wrong genre.

I stared at the ceiling. "When does this ever end..." I muttered.

New day. New people. New problems. And with two pairs of eyes still locked in a challenge—I knew one thing for sure.

This wasn't the end. This was just the prologue.