82: Opening in the Kabukicho District?

Shizuka saw Haruno and, without bothering to ask why she was there, grabbed Takashi like she was fleeing from the plague and got into the car.

Haruno stepped on the gas, and the car shot forward, disappearing from Umeno Kentarou's sight in an instant.

As soon as she got in the car, Shizuka immediately pulled out her phone—block, delete.

Haruno lightly turned the steering wheel and teased, "Shizuka, are you being harassed?"

"If it were just harassment, that would be nice… hahaha…"

Shizuka leaned against the car seat, looking utterly lifeless.

With an ex like that, she had completely lost face.

At this point, she only wished he would leave her alone and behave himself.

"By the way, what are you doing here?"

Seeing that Shizuka didn't want to talk about it, Haruno didn't press further and simply replied, "A classmate is opening a shop. She invited me to come by and check it out."

"Starting a business right after entering college? Whoa, kids these days are something else." Shizuka sighed like an old man.

When she was Haruno's age, all she thought about was where to go and have fun. Starting a business had never even crossed her mind.

Her father had once told her: As long as you don't try to prove yourself, the money I leave you will last a lifetime.

For rich people, they weren't afraid of their kids squandering money—what they feared was that they would try to prove themselves.

Shizuka knew she wasn't cut out for that, so she never even entertained the idea.

"Shizuka, want to come with me?" Haruno invited.

Shizuka waved her hand. "No, just take me home."

On another day, she might have agreed.

But today, she really wasn't in the mood.

"Alright then."

Haruno didn't mind—it was just a casual invitation.

What interested her more than whether Shizuka would come along was the man sitting next to her.

"Oh right, Shizuka, aren't you going to introduce me to him?"

She had noticed Takashi from the very beginning.

"His name is Watanabe Takashi, and he's my boyfriend." Having said this to so many people already, Shizuka spoke the words without the slightest hint of guilt.

Takashi wasn't paying attention to their conversation; he was looking at Haruno's profile.

[Target: Haruno]

[Age: 20]

[Intelligence: 7]

[Charm: 8]

[Stamina: 5]

[From: My Teen Romantic Comedy is Wrong, As I Expected]

[Secret Crush: ?]

[Single, available for dating.]

Her parents' genes are insane!

They had only given birth to two daughters, yet both were stunningly beautiful and intelligent.

And they weren't even twins born on the same day—they were born separately.

That kind of probability felt lower than winning the lottery.

"Your boyfriend!?"

The car came to a sudden stop, nearly sending Takashi's wig flying.

"Is that really worth freaking out over? Just focus on driving properly," Shizuka grumbled, nearly slamming into the seat in front of her.

"He's really your boyfriend?"

Haruno turned her head, her gorgeous face filled with disbelief.

"Who else would he be, yours?"

Shizuka smirked proudly.

Heh, bet you didn't see that coming—I'm off the market now!

Haruno looked at Takashi, then at Shizuka, then back at Takashi, then back at Shizuka—she repeated this several times but still couldn't believe it.

She was convinced that Shizuka was joking.

"You're lying."

She had never been in a rush to get a boyfriend because Shizuka wasn't in a hurry either—so why should she be?

Now that Shizuka has a boyfriend… Well, she still didn't feel the need to rush.

She was only 20—still in the prime of her youth. What was the hurry?

"Why would I lie to you?"

Shizuka proudly raised her hand, interlocking fingers tightly with Takashi's and shaking it in front of Haruno's face.

Haruno ignored her and instead scrutinized Takashi from head to toe.

Takashi smiled and nodded. "Hello!"

Haruno returned the smile.

…

"Takashi, I'm heading home. Call me when you get there."

"Got it. See you later, Shizuka."

Haruno dropped off Shizuka at her house.

As she stepped into the villa with its private courtyard, a notification popped up.

[Mission complete, calculating rewards.]

[Player received: 5000 points]

[Date count: Shizuka – four times]

With just the two of them left in the car, Haruno casually asked as she drove, "Watanabe-kun, mind telling me how long you and Shizuka have been dating?"

"About a month and a half, I think."

"Oh? And who pursued whom?"

"I went after her."

"Care to elaborate?"

"It was a bright and breezy afternoon…"

One spoke, the other listened—they chatted all the way.

When Haruno finally parked the car in the Kabukicho district, Takashi suddenly realized something was off.

"Miss Yukinoshita, this is…?"

"Oh, crap."

Haruno smacked her forehead, stuck out her tongue, and said sheepishly, "I got so caught up in our conversation that I forgot to ask where you live."

"Well, since we're already here, Watanabe-kun, why don't you come in and have some fun?" she invited.

"That doesn't seem appropriate…"

"What's inappropriate about it? My friend's place just opened today, and there aren't many guests yet. Bringing you along is just me showing support."

Takashi hesitated.

If he remembers correctly, the Yukinoshita family is pretty wealthy. Their business is in real estate, and her father is even a Chiba Prefecture councilman.

He vaguely recalled that Shizuka had mentioned the Yukinoshita family before, though she had been referring to Yukino.

But they were still family—what difference did it make?

Well, whatever. A Yukinoshita is a Yukinoshita.

In the past, Takashi would have avoided these rich heiresses.

But after interacting with Shinomiya Kaguya, Kashiwagi Nagisa, and Shijo Maki, he had actually started looking down on the Yukinoshita family—like they weren't even on his level anymore.

Damn, Takashi, you're getting cocky!

He never would've imagined there'd be a day when he would start being picky.

Back when he was broke, he hit on every girl he could.

Now that his life was improving, he was getting selective?

But he definitely couldn't use the alias "WatanabeTakashi" here.

After all, that identity was still "dating" Shizuka.

He couldn't use his real identity either—he needed a new alias.

What should he call himself this time?

Got it!

How about… Kujo Takashi?

"Sure."

Although his thought process seemed long, Takashi made his decision in an instant.

Haruno parked the car, and the two walked into Kabukicho together.

"So, what kind of shop does your friend own?" Takashi asked curiously.

Opening a business in Kabukicho, and running it at night?

Didn't seem all that… respectable.

"A host club."

Takashi: "???"

[You have a new message.]

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