Chapter 212: Problem Friend

"So you snuck back home early in the morning."

"Phew~"

After Kei's confession last night, Rinji's brain had been fried. He felt like if he stayed any longer at the Shirogane household, his head might short-circuit and melt. So he ran away before Shirogane even left for work.

The invincible Rinji had fled.

That morning, he sat at home smoking, visibly troubled. Fusui, sitting across from him with great interest, found the whole thing amusing.

She'd already heard the whole story from him.

"Isn't it great though? A middle school girl confessed to you."

"Great my ass. First of all, I already have a girlfriend. Even if I didn't, how could I possibly accept a confession from a middle schooler? You think I'm that kind of guy?"

"You've done way worse—murder, arson—but this is the one thing you get all hung up on?"

"This is insane. Ever since I got a girlfriend, women keep coming out of nowhere."

"Actually, you always had good luck with girls. You were just too dense to notice." Fusui chuckled.

"Bullshit. No way."

Rinji lowered his head, clearly troubled.

Normally he would've just rejected her outright. He already had Karura—there was no way he'd accept anyone else. But Kei's stubborn refusal to give up left him at a loss for how to handle it.

If it were some random girl, Rinji would've ignored her and let her move on. But the problem was, Kei wasn't just any girl—she was the President's little sister and technically his own "little sister" too. He couldn't just brush her off.

"So, you got any plans?"

"Usually in times like this, I'd try to recall something my old man once said."

Rinji said as he slipped into deep thought.

---

"..."

"..."

"…Well? Thought of anything?" Fusui asked.

"Pft, turns out he never taught me anything useful for this kind of situation. Figures. That guy had zero charm with women. It's a miracle he even got married. There's no way he'd know how to handle something like this," Rinji scoffed. "That useless old man. All he ever taught me was crap."

"Hey, hey… you can't blame your dad for this."

"I blame everything on him." Rinji turned to Fusui. "Got any ideas?"

"Me?"

"No shit. You think you're staying here for free? Come up with something."

"Fine. Make her your secret lover."

"She's the President's little sister. Are you seriously trying to mold me into a scumbag?"

"Don't worry. Karura wouldn't care. And I wouldn't either."

"I don't give a damn if you care or not! And how could Karura not care if her boyfriend's messing around with other girls after they got together?"

"If you don't believe me, call her and ask." Fusui egged him on.

"I'm not calling."

Rinji's eyes narrowed.

"You're trying to mess up my relationship with Karura, aren't you?"

"Ahaha, what are you talking about? I'd never do something like that," Fusui waved her hands innocently. "What, are you saying I have to break you two up to get a chance myself?"

"Hm?"

"I'm just saying Karura really wouldn't care. You're free to mess around."

"Can't talk with you anymore."

Expressionless, Rinji pointed toward the front door.

"You've already stayed a whole day. Time to leave."

"Says who? I never agreed to just one day."

"You want me to throw you out?"

"Wait, don't get violent yet. One sec."

Fusui raised her hand and pulled out her phone, dialing a number.

"Hi, Karura? I wanna stay at Rinji's place for a few more days. That's okay, right? …Yeah, but it sounds like he's not on board. Can you talk to him?"

Then she handed the phone to Rinji.

"Here. Karura wants to speak with you."

"..."

Rinji reluctantly took the phone and put it to his ear.

"Hey, Karura?"

"Rinji, did Fusui make you mad?"

"Not exactly mad. But anyone who blasted me in the head with a .22 subsonic isn't gonna get a warm welcome," Rinji said.

Though he said that, he and Fusui had been fairly familiar with each other back then. They weren't exactly enemies—more like problem friends.

The kind of friends formed from clashing as two useless noobs.

"By the way, there's a girl staying at my place. Doesn't that bother you?"

"Bother me? Why?"

"…Aren't you worried something might happen?"

"What could happen? Oh, if a fight breaks out, just go easy on Fusui. She doesn't take hits well."

"..."

Rinji thought Karura might genuinely lack common sense.

Sure, he wasn't the most grounded guy either, but even he knew that most couples wouldn't be okay with their partner living under the same roof as another member of the opposite sex.

"Wait."

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

Could it be… Karura trusts him?

Rinji pulled a tissue from the table and dabbed at tears that hadn't yet fallen, thinking, 'What a good girl.'

Then he said, "Don't worry, Karura. I promise I won't do anything while she's staying here."

"I'm not even sure what 'do anything' means exactly, but I'll leave Fusui in your hands for now."

"Yeah, don't worry."

"Oh, and I'll be back the day after tomorrow. Let's make some babies then~"

"Mhm."

After ending the call, Rinji handed the phone back to Fusui.

"See?"

"See what? Fine, stay. But once Karura gets back, you're gone."

Rinji headed into the kitchen. He hadn't eaten breakfast after sneaking out of the Shirogane house, so he figured he'd have to cook something himself.

Fusui followed him in.

"I haven't eaten either. Make me something too."

"You really think this isn't someone else's house? Just mooching off free food."

"Hehe." Fusui giggled. "By the way, why didn't you ask Karura on the phone if it's okay to take on a few mistresses—kidding, kidding! Put the knife down! That's dangerous!"

Rinji slammed the kitchen knife onto the table, grabbed Fusui by the collar, and dragged her into the living room.

"Alright, freeloader. If you wanna stay here, you gotta earn it."

"Huh? What do I have to do?"

Smack!

Rinji slammed a stack of papers from a nearby cabinet in front of her.

"Do my summer homework."

"..."