Chapter 170: Drums, Rescue...

"Do you have any plans for the afternoon, Shizuka?"

Seeing Hiratsuka Shizuka silently focused on eating, Rei Ao took the initiative to ask.

"I don't know."

She gave a vague answer, afraid that saying anything might lead to her acting strangely around him again.

Since she didn't offer suggestions, Rei Ao proposed one himself.

"Do you remember Michiru Hyodo?"

"Michiru Hyodo... our class transfer student. Why bring her up?"

As their teacher, Shizuka couldn't possibly forget her.

"She's a key member of a band, and they're performing a street show this afternoon. Want to check it out together?"

Shizuka initially wanted to refuse. She felt like she needed to stay far away from Rei Ao before she did something she'd regret.

But then Rei Ao added, "She's your student, after all. It might be good to learn more about her, don't you think?"

"Uh…"

With him framing it as part of her responsibility as a teacher, Shizuka found it impossible to decline.

"Fine."

Reluctantly, she agreed, though when she noticed Rei Ao's amused expression, a chill ran down her spine.

She felt like she was stepping right into his "trap."

After finishing their meal and resting, Rei Ao took Shizuka to the street performance venue.

By the time they arrived, the performance had already begun.

Michiru Hyodo was playing with her band, showing an impressive combination of focus and ease. Her skill was evident in how natural and confident she appeared.

While performing, Michiru's eyes scanned the crowd, as if searching for someone.

When their gazes met, Michiru's eyes lit up.

Rei Ao smiled and gave her a thumbs-up, acknowledging her talent.

Michiru returned the smile with a slight nod.

Shizuka, however, felt increasingly like her presence was a mistake.

Why did it feel like Rei Ao had come here to flirt, while she, his teacher, was relegated to being a third wheel?

But her worries were unnecessary. Rei Ao wasn't here to flirt—today, she was his focus.

Still, a small incident occurred.

The band's performance was exceptional, and every member displayed both individual talent and seamless teamwork.

"Hyodo Michiru is genuinely talented at music," Shizuka admitted, impressed.

"These are probably her former school's bandmates," Rei Ao explained.

"Huh?"

Shizuka looked puzzled. "If that's the case, why did she transfer schools?"

It didn't make sense to leave behind such strong connections, especially in her third year when exams were looming.

"She's the cousin of Tomoya Aki. After his accident, her family sent her here to help him deal with his mental health issues."

"I see…"

Shizuka sighed. "That's unfortunate. She transferred schools, but Tomoya passed away shortly after."

"Mm," Rei Ao agreed, shrugging lightly.

Suddenly, his gaze shifted, and his eyes narrowed toward a certain direction.

"What's wrong?" Shizuka followed his line of sight and noticed a stumbling figure—a drunk man.

The man's movements were unsteady, and his speech slurred as he hiccupped loudly.

Nearby pedestrians gave him a wide berth, both out of disgust and fear of trouble.

Unsurprisingly, the drunk man soon caused a scene.

He stumbled into the band's drum set, knocking it over.

"Ah!"

The drummer yelped in surprise, and the performance came to an abrupt halt.

"What's this junk blocking my way? Damn it! Who's going to pay for this?!"

The drunk man began shouting, turning his attention to the band.

Michiru, putting down her guitar, stepped forward without hesitation. "Excuse me, sir, but our equipment is placed within the designated area. You've stumbled here by mistake due to your drunkeness."

She frowned, detecting the strong stench of alcohol emanating from the man. "You should leave before causing further disruption."

"Hah?!"

The drunk man's eyes widened in anger, and he switched to belligerent denial.

"Who're you calling drunk? I'm not drunk! You people blocked my path—apologize!"

He reached out toward Michiru, a lecherous grin spreading across his face.

Michiru instinctively tried to back away but found herself cornered by the drums.

Just as his hand was about to grab her, a loud cry of pain broke the moment.

"Ahhh!!!"

Startled, Michiru looked up to see Rei Ao standing between her and the drunk, gripping the man's wrist tightly.

"Feigning drunkenness to harass people? You're bold," Rei Ao said coldly.

"What did you say?!"

The drunk glared at Rei Ao, but his face contorted in pain as Rei Ao's grip tightened.

At that moment, Shizuka approached, holding up her phone. "I'm their teacher, and I've recorded everything. Want to take this to the police?"

The drunk man's face went pale, cold sweat dripping down his forehead.

"I-I'm sorry! I was wrong!"

Rei Ao released him, letting him scurry away in panic.

"He seems like a repeat offender. Shouldn't we have reported him?" Shizuka asked, frowning.

Rei Ao smirked. "Don't worry. He'll get what he deserves."

Unknown to anyone, Rei Ao had secretly cursed the man. Within two weeks, his body would freeze inch by inch until he perished. Rei Ao felt no remorse for ridding the world of such scum.

"Thank you, Rei Ao-kun, Hiratsuka-sensei!" Michiru bowed in gratitude. "I don't know what we would've done without you."

Rei Ao smiled. "No need to thank me. Consider it a reward for letting me enjoy your performance."

Turning to Shizuka, he added, "Let's not disturb them further. Time to go."

As they left, Michiru watched them disappear into the distance, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

Her bandmates nudged her teasingly. "Hey, Michiru, that handsome guy who helped—he's your boyfriend, isn't he?"

"Huh?! No, no, he's just my classmate!" Michiru waved her hands in denial, flustered. "I only casually invited him yesterday, and the woman with him is our homeroom teacher."

"A teacher? Ohhh…"

The girls nodded in realization but continued to tease.

"Still, Michiru, you're lucky. He's so handsome. If you're not interested, give us his number!"

"Yeah, me too!"

Michiru scratched her head awkwardly. "Sorry, I don't have his contact info."

Her bandmates stared in disbelief. "You don't have his number, but he still showed up? We're so jealous!"

Michiru could only laugh helplessly.

Rei Ao's visit was unexpected, but thinking about it now, she couldn't help but smile.

…

"Tch, you really know how to show off," Hiratsuka Shizuka teased. "That was pure hero-saves-the-damsel material. I'm sure any young girl's heart would skip a beat—especially with your annoyingly perfect features."

Rei Ao didn't respond to her jab, merely keeping his calm demeanor.

Suddenly, a thought struck Shizuka.

"Wait… Don't tell me the whole reason you suggested we watch her performance was because you're interested in Michiru Hyodo?"

It wasn't an unreasonable assumption.

After all, Rei Ao already had multiple girlfriends, was clearly interested in her, and Michiru Hyodo was a beautiful and talented young woman.

"I won't deny it." Rei Ao nodded, his honesty catching her off guard.

"What?!"

Shizuka blinked in shock at his straightforwardness.

"But right now," Rei Ao continued, turning to look at her with an intensity that made her heart race, "I'm far more interested in you, Shizuka."

The heat in his gaze made Shizuka avert her eyes, her composure wavering.

"I-isn't it about time we both went home?" she muttered, trying to regain control of the conversation.

She was relieved that she'd managed to hold firm in her resolve so far, but her relief was short-lived.

"Shizuka," Rei Ao said suddenly, "the beach is just nearby. Why don't we take a walk there before calling it a day?"

"Huh?"

Shizuka froze, her brow twitching.

The beach? A sunset stroll? Could there be anything more blatantly romantic?

Rei Ao turned back to her, his tone soft yet persuasive. "Consider it my last request for today. What do you say?"

"Ugh…"

Shizuka rubbed her temples in frustration.

How was she supposed to refuse him when he put it like that?

"Fine, fine," she relented with a sigh. "Let's get it over with quickly. I still need to cook dinner when I get home."

Rei Ao chuckled, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. "Thank you, Shizuka, for humoring me."

~~~

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