Chapter 11 - Thank You, Yuuto Sakurai

Yuuto came across a hill. It was night-time and freezing outside... but he still wasn't deterred.

"Found 'em," he thought, eyes narrowing as he scanned the camp below. A haven of green forest nestled in the heart of a cold, unforgiving snow biome. Tents dotted the clearing, each one softly lit, glowing with a warmth that reached him even from this distance. Hunters surrounding the area, scouting for any trouble or monsters that roamed the area.

'Knew it was the right call to go toward the dungeon boss area. Now... for the main act.'

His gaze landed on the students' tent area.

'Time to secure my future and take down an NTR bully right here and now...'

Meanwhile, inside one of the tents... Hojin was prepping for a very different kind of battle.A... 'booty-call.'

He had even lit candles. Several minutes went by as he prepared himself.

'My first time with a tomboy... ohh, and she's Russian. What kind of silky smooth skin will she have under those clothes? When she drops that rough act and gets all shy and feminine...' He nearly drooled.

'Fucking bastard, that Haruno. Hiding a chick like that? Hmph, well—too bad. Too bad I'mma taste her first. Might even give you a review of the goods later if I feel nice...'

A rustle. Someone entered the tent.

She looked down, bashfully, oversized hoodie drooping past her wrists. The clothes didn't fit—several sizes too large.

'Oh shit... she's here... Fuck, where'd she get those clothes...?'

Without thinking, he moved—pulled her down.

"K-kya~~~~" she squeaked, exaggerated; turning away and burying her face behind her arms.

'Holy shit... who knew she could make that kinda sound? Haruno... I oughta record this just to shove it in your face. Might even make her scream my name...'

'Maybe I'll fuck her with that hoodie on... oh fuck, that'd be hot.'

He leaned in, smirking.

"Heh... hiding your face, huh? What's the matter? Act of defiance?" He chuckled.

"Don't tell me, you're still thinking about that limp-dicked loser. He'd never go down on you like this, and you know it."

"B-... Baka... Yamete~..." came the soft, shaky whisper.

'The... fuck...? She sounds like a real girl... her voice is so damn high-pitched, too... I remember it much lower... I guess that's the real her... And I get to see it first. Sucks to be you, wimp.' He thought of Haruno.

"You can hide all you want, but I see right through you," Hojin whispered, smirking. "You're totally into this, huh?"

"As a reward, I'll let you keep the hoodie on... let you live in your little delusion."

He reached down, fingers working up from the bottom of her shirt, revealing pale, taut stomach—

'Daaaaamn... she's... muscular as fuck... I'm into girls li—'

He paused. The two-pack became four. The four... six. The six... eight.

He gulped.

'She's... haha... really muscular... and... what... WHAT THE FUCK!? She looks like she could BENCH PRESS ME!?'

He touched the abs.

'IT'S LIKE A FUCKING MEAT GRINDER!!! EVEN TO ME; A B-RANKED HUNTER.'

Panic hit.

'No—no, that's not what I saw when she changed—'

He looked up.

A wicked grin was staring back at him.

It was Yuuto.

"KYAA~ DAME~ DAME, HOJIN-SENPAI~ IKUU~ IKU~!" Yuuto cooed, laughing right into his horrified face.

That's when Hojin's expression dropped.

And a roar tore from his throat.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—!!!"

"Shhh~" Yuuto gently cupped the back of Hojin's head and pressed a palm to his mouth, muffling the scream.

"Hojin-kyun-paaai... To cry out like this... Did my body really get you that worked up~?" Yuuto whispered with venomous sweetness.

'THE FUCK IS THAT WIMP DOING HERE!?'

"HHHMMMMPH!!!" Hojin thrashed and grunted, muffled under Yuuto's hand.

'What... What the fuck...? I... can't move!?'

'Shit... I knew he was a Hunter... but... what kind of strength is this!? I can't... I CAN'T DO SHIT!? ME!? A B-RANKED TANK!?'

His eyes widened, locked onto Yuuto's.

Eyes glowing with a sadistic gleam.

'Just... just how much was he holding back all this time!?' Hojin thought, heart pounding in his ears.

"You see, I couldn't care less about you or your slut girlfriend," Yuuto muttered.

'S-Slut!? He... He's talking about Misaki!? HIM!? THAT WIMP WHO'S ALWAYS OBSSESSED WITH HER!?'

"And I won't lie. I'm not that angry. I figured an NTR-bully like you would go straight for Kiril the second you found out she was a girl..." Yuuto whispered.

'He... he knew that too!? No— that's not Haruno... That's not that wimp... WHO IS THIS FUCKER!?'

Hojin was paralyzed by instinct. Like a rabbit staring into the eyes of a lion. He knew.

If he moved... he'd be devoured.

"...But Kiril..." Yuuto's grip on his jaw tightened—until a small crack echoed through the tent. Hojin whimpered beneath it.

"...is someone I care about," Yuuto growled, a vein popping on his forehead.

For a moment, Hojin saw it—behind the fury, was Haruno.

"AND IF ONLY YOU DIDN'T EXIST..."

"MY LIFE WOULD'VE BEEN FUCKING PERFECT—YOU NTR SCUMBAG PIECE OF SHIT!" Yuuto's grip wrenched tighter, jawbones cracking audibly, his hand trembling from pure rage.

"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU THAT MY LIFE FELL APART... I KILLED MYSELF IN THE END..." His voice broke—between a growl and a scream.

"Mmm...mgh..." Hojin could barely whimper. Blood trickled down from the corners of Yuuto's grip as his eyes rolled back a bit from the pain; his teeth cracking and breaking under the strain.

One more push...

And I'd kill him. I'd FINALLY fucking kill him...!!!

'And if you do?' Yuuto asked himself, his hand freezing.

'Then what? You'd be a murderer. A criminal. Your life would still be ruined.'

'Get your life in order first. Revenge can come later... Besides—' he glanced down at the limp, unconscious mess slumped against him.

'I think he got the message.'

He eased his grip, fingers slowly releasing Hojin's bloodied jaw.

'Since I transmigrated into his body... it makes sense I inherited his rage too. Combine that with memories of Haruno's future... Yeah. I'm pissed. More than usual.'

He exhaled sharply, shoving the unconscious Hojin off him.

'But keep it together.'

Yuuto looked to the exit of the tent, getting up after a sigh.

'Cyka... Cyka... Cyka... Cyka...!' Kiril pressed her lips into a thin line as she walked through the camp, heading toward Hojin's tent. Her mind scrambled, searching for a way out of this.

But there was no way out. The only path now... was to quietly obey.

And as her legs moved on their own, her mind went somewhere else—back to where it all began.

===================================

"I'm Haruno. What's your name?"

"Leave me. What do you care? I'm Russian. You know what I went through."

I wanted to stay isolated. I'd already learned it was the only surefire way to survive. If I just kept to myself, no one could hurt me. I asked to be sent to Japan because it was safe. People here minded their own business. I thought I'd finally found a sanctuary...

...And then you showed up.

"What you went through? I don't know about that... but wanna play?" you asked. Even at our age, everyone already avoided me.

But you—you wanted to play. Only you.

"Why...?"

"Well... I saw you were alone, and... No one wanted to play with me either. My friend's on vacation."

Even if your reason was pathetic... even if it made no sense... in that moment, when I looked at you, I thought:

We're the same, aren't we?

Our loneliness could be shared. Even if just for a little while.

And then you came back. You introduced me to Misaki. And we all became friends.

I felt... at home. And it terrified me. Because my first home was destroyed. I didn't want to replace it. I was afraid I'd forget where I came from.

But then I started hating something else—this feeling I'd get in my chest... whenever you looked at Misaki.

You always looked at her in that special way. Because she was a girl, wasn't she? And I wasn't.

I wanted you to look at me like that. Like I mattered just as much.

So at some point... I wanted to tell you my secret.

But then I saw how you'd freeze up whenever someone hit on Misaki. You didn't say anything. You didn't do anything. But your fists... they'd tremble.

I knew that if I revealed myself... you'd be scared of being around me too.

And I didn't want you to feel that way.

I know what it's like to be afraid.

So I stayed silent.

She let out a soft chuckle.

And then... just a day ago in class... when you called her a slut, and let me curse at her, for the first time—I thought...

Maybe there's a chance.

She clutched her chest, biting her lip.

But Hojin is right, isn't he?

You're still Haruno.

You'd still be scared.

You can't protect me.

And that's fine...

She let out a sob.

That's fine.

Even if I do whatever I have to do tonight with Hojin...

...I'll still come back to you. And we'll keep going.

Because... as much as I hate that you can't — and probably never will — look at me the way you look at Misaki...

You did it, Haruno.

You made me feel at home.

It's almost like... I never left, whenever I was with you.

=================================

She swallowed hard, lips trembling. She knew her feelings for Haruno were real. So then… why did it feel like she was leaving him behind?

Just like when my mother died... Just let it happen. Move on. Survive.

Her eyes dulled. She numbed herself, bracing for it. Her mind—against her will—imagined her body beneath his.

And her heart twisted.

What if I like it...?

What if Haruno becomes an afterthought...? What if... I lose my home again..?

She was scared of that. More than anything. That, and—

BUMP

She collided with someone.

"A-ah… s-sorry…" she mumbled, lowering her gaze and trying to step past—until a hand gently pulled her into an embrace.

"It's alright," he whispered into her ear, one hand brushing through her hair as the other wrapped around her from behind, his chin resting lightly atop her head.

She gasped. That voice. That height. That body.

"Ha... runo..." she murmured, shivering as her eyes widened in disbelief. His warmth melted through her like a thaw.

"Wh... what... are you doing here—"

"He won't bother you again," Yuuto cut her off gently, his voice low and steady. Another gasp escaped her lips. Her knees weakened. The dead glaze in her eyes began to glisten again.

"God help him if he tries."

"Am... Am I..." Tears began to drip from her eyes.

'Is this... is this a dream...? Haruno is... here... saying these things... ah—'Her breath caught, trembling as she pressed herself against his chest.

[IMAGE]

"T-That's... s-so... g-...gay..." she muttered, voice quiet and shaky as she sank deeper into his arms.

"Guess I'm switching teams, then." Yuuto replied, calm and warm, pulling her even closer.

"Haah... you... дурачок..." she breathed, her legs giving out.

She collapsed onto her knees, and Yuuto lowered with her, holding her close as she clutched at his chest, arms wrapping tightly around him—like she never wanted to let go again.

"I'm... a... girl... Haruno..." she finally let out.

"...You sure about that?" Yuuto asked casually. "It's just..."

He pulled her closer, holding her tight.

"...You feel way too flat for that."

"...Cyka blyat," she spat — but didn't pull away. "I'm wearing bandages..."

"...I see," Yuuto chuckled softly.

His gaze drifted past her shoulder — and there he saw him.

A faint figure, smiling warmly in the dark. Ethereal.

Haruno.

Yuuto met his gaze.

'...Yeah,' he nodded. 'Don't mention it.'

The spirit glittered, then slowly faded into nothing.