Chapter 185: Keep Your Distance? There’s No Need

Arisu understood Ryuji's unspoken meaning perfectly. Yet, instead of being annoyed, she simply grinned and followed him back into the house.

The night stretched on without rest.

---

The next morning.

Ryuji headed to school as usual. As for Arisu, she remained at home. After what happened last night, there was no way she'd wake up before noon, she simply hadn't gotten enough rest.

And, truthfully, it wasn't entirely Ryuji's fault.

Initially, he'd been cautious, thinking that Arisu, who had just recovered from her heart condition, might still need careful handling.

But he had clearly underestimated Arisu's fiery personality.

Arisu wasn't one to admit defeat, no matter the circumstance. Her competitive streak extended to every aspect of her life, even ones Ryuji hadn't expected.

So, while last night had certainly proven something, it wasn't surprising that Arisu would need a few days to fully recover from her own stubborn determination.

---

Meanwhile, in Shouko's classroom.

Noticing Arisu's empty seat, Shouko turned to Masumi, who sat nearby.

"Where's Arisu?" Shouko asked, a touch of concern in her voice.

After all, what happened last night had left Shouko deeply grateful to Arisu. If it weren't for her, Shouko wouldn't have had the chance to meet Ryuji, and the curse afflicting her would never have been lifted.

To Shouko, Arisu wasn't just a classmate, she was her savior.

"Ha~," Masumi yawned, looking like she hadn't slept well. She waved her hand lazily, her tone nonchalant. "She's probably… recovering."

"Recovering?" Shouko tilted her head, confused.

Masumi glanced at her, hesitating for a moment. Shouko's innocent, curious gaze made her pause, but in the end, Masumi decided to explain.

"Let me put it this way, Arisu spent last night with Ryuji."

"Spent the night… together?" Shouko repeated, her words slow as her brain processed the information.

Her face suddenly flushed as realization dawned on her.

Masumi didn't elaborate further, but she didn't need to. Shouko quickly understood the implications. A man and a woman spending the night together… It wasn't hard to imagine what might have happened.

"Ah…" Shouko sighed quietly, her shoulders slumping slightly.

While she hadn't said anything outright, Shouko couldn't deny that Ryuji had been on her mind since the night before. After all, he had saved her life. Whether it was gratitude or something deeper, her feelings toward him had grown.

But now…

"Well, it makes sense," Shouko murmured, more to herself than to Masumi. "Arisu is amazing, she's beautiful, smart, and confident. Compared to her, I don't really have anything to offer."

Her voice grew softer as she spoke, and a faint smile crossed her lips, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"There's no point in thinking about it," she concluded quietly.

---

Masumi, meanwhile, was struggling to stay awake.

After being sent to a hotel by Arisu the night before, she hadn't slept well at all. Between her restless thoughts and the unfamiliar setting, she'd spent most of the night tossing and turning.

Now, sitting in class, she found herself yawning repeatedly, still irritated by the events of the previous evening.

"Tch. Those two were off enjoying themselves, and I had to find some random hotel to crash in," she grumbled under her breath. "They're lucky I'm such a nice person."

Still, Masumi wasn't the type to hold grudges. She could imagine exactly how things had gone for Arisu last night, and in a way, it made sense that Arisu wasn't at school today.

"Tsk tsk," Masumi clicked her tongue, shaking her head slightly before turning her attention to Shouko.

The girl looked unusually downcast, her expression distant and forlorn.

"Huh?" Masumi blinked, then tilted her head in realization.

"Wait… Don't tell me you're into Ryuji, too?" Masumi asked, her tone blunt but curious.

Her words weren't entirely serious at first, but as she watched Shouko's reaction, the truth became clear.

Shouko's face turned bright red, and she opened her mouth as if to deny it, but no words came out.

She lowered her head instead, her silence speaking volumes.

Masumi raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a half-smile. "So I was right."

Shouko hesitated, fiddling nervously with her hands. She wanted to deny it, but lying to herself or anyone else wouldn't change how she felt.

"I… I'll keep my distance," Shouko said at last, her tone quiet but resolute.

Masumi blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected response.

Shouko looked up, meeting Masumi's gaze with a serious expression. "Arisu and Ryuji seem close, and I don't want to come between them. I won't cause any trouble."

Her words were sincere, and her conviction was clear. Despite her feelings for Ryuji, Shouko wasn't the type of person who would interfere in someone else's relationship.

For a moment, Masumi was silent, staring at her with an almost incredulous look.

Then, with a sigh, Masumi waved her hand dismissively. "There's no need for that."

"Huh?" Shouko blinked in confusion.

"You don't need to keep your distance," Masumi said, crossing her arms. "Do you really think Ryuji has only one woman in his life?"

Shouko's jaw dropped slightly, her expression frozen in disbelief.

Masumi continued, her tone casual but matter-of-fact. "Let me be real with you, Ryuji has more admirers than I can count. Just look at the Service Club girls he was involved with before. Do you honestly think there's nothing going on with any of them?"

She leaned back in her chair, shrugging as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "So, what's one more? You don't need to keep your distance over something like this."

Shouko's face was a mix of shock and embarrassment. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Times have changed, Shouko," Masumi said with a faint smirk.

***

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