Chapter 43: A Normal Day... Not

I slipped away from Fujiwara-kaichou's grasp... Being around her felt like I was being constricted by a snake, ready to strike... Honestly, I didn't want to be near her again. But then again, claiming I was some kind of saint just because I helped out a kouhai with their tasks was almost laughable. If I were truly kind, I wouldn't have two girlfriends.

As I headed toward my destination, which happened to be the library, I spotted two familiar students, a guy and a girl, in the hallway near the rarely visited stairs that led to the rooftop.

I paused in my tracks. I didn't want to intrude on their moment, so I decided to turn around. But then...

"So, what do you say, Minami-chan? Still not ready to give me an answer? I've been chasing after you for over a month now, and you're still holding out on me. How much longer are you planning to keep me waiting?"

I wasn't even trying to listen in on their conversation, but that voice naturally flowed down in my ear. I stopped on my tracks, not because I was kind of interested in their conversation but because what the guy said sounded like he was threathening her into dating him.

"How many times am I supposed to tell you, Hondou-kun? I don't want to be in a relationship right now. My life is as busy as it is, and having a boyfriend isn't just going to work for me."

The girl's voice sounded fed up, as if she had been pushed into breaking point by the man.

The two in question were none other than Hondou and Ichinose. If I hadn't heard what Hondou said earlier, this would be an odd pair for sure. Ichinose was practically considered a school goddess, even moonlighting as a model, already making appearances in numerous TV shows despite being just a third-year high school student. That's why she was so popular at school, with admirers reaching the triple digits at one point. Hondou, on the other hand, was basically the resident troublemaker. If our school were a rougher place, he'd probably be the top dog. He had a tough build and a rough exterior that could scare anyone away.

Their pairing was definitely an unusual one. But I didn't dwell on that. This conversation seemed like a big deal. If I wasn't reading too much into it, it appeared that Hondou was pressuring Ichinose into a relationship she didn't want. That seemed to be the gist of their discussion.

"Listen, Minami-chan, I get it. Your life's hectic, and you're in the spotlight. But I'm not asking for the moon. Just give us a shot. I promise I'll make it work."

Minami let out an exasperated sigh, her frustration still evident. "Hondou-kun, it's not about the grand gestures or promises. It's about my own priorities and where I am in life right now. I need to focus on my career and studies. I can't afford any distractions."

Hondou seemed undeterred, his determination clear in his voice. "I'll support you in your career, Minami-chan, and I won't be a distraction. Just give me a chance to prove it to you."

I couldn't help but feel a little awkward overhearing such a personal conversation, but it was clear that Hondou was really pushing the issue, and Ichinose was struggling to get her point across.

Deciding it was best to leave them alone, I turned to walk away. They probably wouldn't appreciate me eavesdropping. Besides, I had no desire to get on Hondou's bad side. But just as I was about to make my exit...

"Heh." Hondou scoffed as he leaned in closer to Ichinose. "Is the reason you're refusing to be my girlfriend because of that punk?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Kurogane."

That made me freeze in my tracks. What the heck had I done to have my name brought up in this conversation? As far as I knew, I hadn't done a thing. I wasn't even planning to get involved in Ichinose's life, let alone Hondou's.

Ichinose, clearly puzzled, inquired, "Kurogane-kun? What does he have to do with this, Hondou-kun?"

Hondou leaned back slightly, his expression growing more serious. "I've noticed you looking at him more. It's like you're following him with your eyes. I've got my eyes on you all the time, so I know. Explain that to me, Minami-chan. Why are you giving Kurogane that kind of attention?"

Ichinose watching me? I didn't quite grasp it. Oh... now that I think about it, I did catch her glancing my way, didn't I? But that was probably due to my relationship with Chinatsu and Natsumi. Since she saw me buying condoms with them, she might be wondering about our relationship.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Why would you think that?"

"Minami-chan, I can tell when someone's attracted to someone else. I've seen it before. Are you telling me there's nothing more to it?"

"I'm not attracted to Kurogane-kun. Not at all."

Ouch. That stung a bit, but maybe it was for the best.

"Can we drop this topic now? It's almost time for class."

Ichinose tried to break free from Hondou, but he grabbed her arm and pinned her against the wall. Then, he slammed his hand against the wall. Wait, was this the infamous "kabedon" people talked about? Okay, enough with the jokes. This conversation had taken a serious turn...

"W-What are you doing?!"

"We're not finished talking yet."

"Seriously, Hondou-kun, could you please stop this? I'm starting to feel really uncomfortable, and I don't want to feel that way about a classmate."

"Just a classmate? Is that all I am to you?"

"If you don't let go of me, I'll scream to alert someone."

Ichinose... she had to know that nobody would hear her here at this time.

"Then scream. See if anyone can hear you from here."

"What... huh?"

Hondou... was he really about to do something sinister? It certainly seemed that way, given the look in his eyes. This was not looking good. Ichinose appeared on the verge of tears as Hondou's hand slowly moved toward her.

"Hondou, stop whatever you're thinking." I stepped forward and grabbed his hand, which was dangerously close to Ichinose's chest.

"Kurogane?!"

I held Hondou's hand firmly, preventing it from reaching Ichinose. The tension in the air was palpable, and I could see surprise and anger flicker in Hondou's eyes as he turned his attention from Ichinose to me.

"What the hell, Kurogane? This doesn't concern you," Hondou growled, attempting to yank his hand free.

I stood my ground, my voice steady. "It concerns me when someone's being threatened. Let her go, Hondou."

"K-Kurogane-kun?" Ichinose glanced at me with a mix of shock and maybe concern. After all, Hondou was the biggest guy in school, and his size wasn't something to ignore. His strength was no joke either. If I hadn't been putting in the effort to train myself, I wouldn't be able to hold onto his arm like this and stop him from going too far.

Hondou made another attempt to free his hand, but I tightened my grip. "What the—? Oh, so you're not just some kid with a baby face, are you? I guess I underestimated you."

"I may look like a kid, but yeah, you underestimated me."

Hondou seemed to realize that I wasn't your typical student. My grip on his arm gave that away. I wasn't some secret genius or a main character hiding extraordinary talents while trying to stay low-key. I also didn't come from a special training facility where kids were turned into prodigies. I had just worked hard to get where I was. I was pretty ordinary in many ways, but not entirely.

Hondou's anger flared as he glared down at me. "You little punk, you think you can interfere in my business? I've got enough on my plate with Ichinose without some loser like you sticking your nose in!"

Ichinose's expression shifted from shock to concern as she looked between us. "Hondou-kun, please, let's just calm down."

But Hondou wasn't having it. "Calm down? This guy thinks he can play hero when he's already got two girls hanging off him. You've got no business here, Kurogane."

I couldn't help but respond with a sarcastic chuckle. "Two girls, huh? Well, you've really done your homework, Hondou. But you see, I don't need to play hero when I've got two amazing people by my side who genuinely care about me, not because they're forced to, but because they want to. That's something you probably can't even fathom."

My words seemed to hit a nerve, and Hondou's face contorted with rage. "You smug bastard! You think you're so damn special with your little harem, huh?"

I just grinned, not backing down an inch. "Well, I wouldn't say 'harem,' but I'm definitely not going to let someone like you harass someone just because you can't handle rejection."

"Both of you, please stop this. This isn't the way to handle things."

Ichinose pleaded with us to stop, but it was clear that Hondou was beyond reasoning.

"You fucking bastard!"

His fists clenched, and he lunged at me with a wild swing.