Chapter 159: You Might Be Getting Scammed

"Why so many missed calls all of a sudden?"

Still groggy and not yet washed up, Rinji was confused. He quickly checked who had called.

One from Miyuki Shirogane.

Seven from Kei Shirogane.

Three from Ai Hayasaka.

And... forty-four from Ryuju Momo.

"What the hell? Did something happen in Tokyo while I was gone?"

Just as he was about to call back, his phone rang again.

It was from Fujiwara Chika.

"She's calling too? Must be serious."

Rinji's expression sharpened, and he quickly answered.

"Hello? Secretary Fujiwara—Please stay calm. Deep breaths. Summarize what happened in as few words as possible. Don't worry, I'll head back immediately."

"??? What are you talking about, Takamine-kun?"

On the other end, Fujiwara Chika sounded totally confused.

"I just wanted to ask when you're free to practice our ensemble piece together at school again."

"…That's all?"

"What do you mean, 'that's all'!?" Fujiwara snapped. "Are you trying to skip practice, Takamine-kun?"

"No, I mean… nothing bad happened, right?"

"Huh? Why would something bad happen?"

"I mean, like—no mysterious organization invaded Tokyo, or there wasn't a terrorist attack or something?"

"You really love your wild fantasies, don't you… and they're always dangerous ones." Fujiwara sighed. "Anyway, Japan is very peaceful today."

"As long as nothing happened, it's fine. I got so many calls early this morning, I thought something was seriously wrong."

Relieved, Rinji suddenly remembered something.

"Oh right, Secretary Fujiwara, did you see my status update?"

"Hm? You mean on LINE? What did you post?"

"I got a girlfriend," Rinji said.

At this point, his mode was to brag to anyone he could.

"A girlfriend… EH!?"

Fujiwara Chika screamed once it registered.

"Why the sudden shout? Is it really that surprising I have a girlfriend?"

"Of course it is! I thought you were the type no one would ever want!"

"You want me to fly over there and smack you?" Rinji grumbled, forehead twitching.

Fujiwara hesitated, then cautiously asked, "Um… Takamine-kun… do you really have a girlfriend?"

"As true as can be… and hey, aren't you the one always obsessed with romance? Why do you sound so disinterested?"

"No, I just… it's way too fast. Summer break's only a month in and you already got a girlfriend?"

"Yep. Met her yesterday."

"You became a couple the day you met!?"

"Yup."

"…Can I ask what happened before you two started dating?"

"Sure. She tried to beat me up the moment she showed up. I took her down. Then she said she wanted to have a baby with me. I figured that was a confession, so I agreed. We started dating. All that in five minutes," Rinji said with a grin.

"…"

"Why the sudden silence?"

"Um… Takamine-kun… I don't know if I should say this, but…"

"Permission granted."

"…You might be getting scammed."

"You're the scam, Fujiwara Con Artist Chika."

"But seriously, think about it calmly!" she protested. "What kind of normal romance starts with someone saying they want to have a baby the second they meet you!? It makes no sense!"

"…"

"You really think that's normal?"

"Maybe it was love at first sight."

"Have you stopped thinking altogether!?"

Fujiwara buried her face in her hands, exhausted.

Everyone at school called her a hopeless romantic, but she thought Rinji's intelligence nosedived even faster when he caught feelings.

"Anyway, that's how it is. Please give me your blessing, Secretary Fujiwara."

"Wait—!"

Rinji hung up before she could say more.

If he kept listening, she might ruin his just-got-a-girlfriend good mood.

He scrolled through his timeline and checked the post with him and Garuda. A few replies had already come in.

Miyuki Shirogane: "Congrats."

Yuu Ishigami: "You traitor!! ...But congrats anyway."

Kei Shirogane: "???"

Ryuju Momo: "Please explain."

Miyuki Shirogane: "You should answer Kei's call. She seemed really mad. I already got hit this morning."

Kei Shirogane replying to Miyuki: "SHUT UP! DIE!"

Rinji: "...Why such a big reaction? And why did the president get punched by Kei?"

---

Earlier that morning, at the Shirogane household—

Kei Shirogane woke up and stretched. She could already hear someone washing up.

Her older brother, Miyuki Shirogane, had landed a great job with company car pickup every day—something she knew Rinji had helped arrange.

While her brother went to work every day, Kei was stuck at home during summer break, except when she went out with Moeha and Chika. She often felt bored.

"What's Rinji-nii doing right now… maybe working too?"

She'd really wanted to go out with Rinji over summer break. Not with a group—just the two of them.

Face slightly red, Kei picked up her phone.

Maybe he had posted something. If he was bored at home too, then maybe…

"Hm? A 5 AM post?"

Kei immediately spotted Rinji's new update. She clicked in excitedly, but five seconds later her expression froze.

"…"

"Kei? Up early during summer break?"

Miyuki came into the room after washing up and smiled, unaware of his sister's face.

"Bro… Rinji-nii has a girlfriend," Kei said in a shaky voice.

"Huh?"

"Look!"

She handed him her phone, showing the intimate photo of Rinji and Karura.

"…It's real."

"What do I do?"

"What do you mean 'what do you do'? You should congratulate him. She's practically your sister-in-law."

Kei: "…"

"And that girl's pretty amazing, huh? Making the first move on Rinji."

Kei: "...Why are you so sure she confessed first?"

"Because Rinji told me before that if a girl ever confessed to him, he'd go straight to register the marriage. Thinking back, that's actually kind of funny, hahaha… ha… ha…"

Miyuki Shirogane's laughter faltered as he saw Kei Shirogane walking toward him with empty, dead eyes.

"Um… Kei? My lovely little sister?"

"Why didn't you tell me earlier!!"

Thud!

Miyuki took a hard punch to the stomach.