When Ryunosuke went to visit their home, he found it had already been sold. He realized instantly that something terrible had happened—likely another wave of misfortune crashing down on them.
Meanwhile, Chizuru continued her work as a rental girlfriend. She moved through her university days in a state of perpetual exhaustion, desperate to cover their living expenses; the pallor of fatigue was etched clearly into her features.
Today, she encountered a customer who was exceptionally rude. The man repeatedly tried to touch and provoke her, but Chizuru consistently dodged him, offering stern warnings. Their relationship was strictly professional; she did not provide "those kinds" of services. If he wanted an entertainer, he should have looked in the red-light district.
But the man didn't care. He was obsessed with taking things further. After all, Chizuru possessed a flawless physique—curvy, fair-skinned, tall, and graced with beautiful long black hair. She was the very definition of an S-class beauty with a mature charm. Though she was still new to the rental scene, it was only a matter of time before she became the platform's star attraction.
"Let go!"
Chizuru slapped the man as he tried to molest her. Just as she moved to flee, he lunged again, gripping her arm tight.
How could a girl's strength compete with a man's? Chizuru was already prepared to call the police, as the man was hounding her without end.
At that critical moment, Ryunosuke appeared from behind and seized the man's wrist. He twisted it with such force that the man screamed in agony and spun around.
"Who the hell are you?!"
Ryunosuke didn't answer. He only looked at a stunned Chizuru.
"What are you waiting for? Call the police."
Snapping out of her daze, Chizuru immediately dialed the authorities.
Hearing the word "police," the man panicked instantly, begging for mercy. "I was wrong! I didn't mean it! Please, forgive me!"
Ryunosuke ignored him. With one hand locking the man's wrist, he used his foot to pin the man's back to the ground so he couldn't escape. The man struggled with all his might, but it was futile.
Before long, the police arrived and took him away.
The Japanese police in this world mostly arrived on bicycles. Perhaps due to the low crime rate, the higher-ups seemed indifferent about providing proper facilities; they weren't even given decent operational vehicles. In some areas, if a police car existed at all, it was an old model from the 80s or 90s. It was truly bare-bones.
Ryunosuke briefly wondered how they would transport the man—would he be tied to the back rack of a bicycle?
Fortunately, Ryunosuke's guess was wrong. The officers parked and locked their bikes, then escorted the man away on foot. Before being led off, the man glared back at him, his eyes burning with a desire for revenge. Ryunosuke merely gave a casual shrug, not taking the threat seriously at all. Besides, he would be back at school in a month; even if the man wanted payback, he wouldn't find him. And even if they did meet, it was anyone's guess who would be doing the "retaliating."
Beside a vending machine, Chizuru bought a canned drink for Ryunosuke as a token of gratitude. They had known each other for a while now because of Ryunosuke's frequent visits. The two sat on a park bench, sipping their respective drinks.
After a long silence, Ryunosuke spoke up. "Why are you doing this kind of work?"
Chizuru, thinking Ryunosuke suspected her of "selling herself," hurried to explain. "It's not what you think! I work as a rental girlfriend, not an entertainer in the red-light district."
Ryunosuke opened the Rental Kanojo app, and after grasping how it worked, he asked, "Still, you shouldn't be doing this. Is there trouble at home? Why was your house sold when I went looking for you?"
Chizuru stared at the can in her hands and took a deep breath. "My grandmother is sick. Besides, who are you to ask? Don't meddle in other people's business." She blamed him for being too inquisitive.
Ryunosuke didn't reply, but his fingers moved rapidly across the app on his phone. He immediately booked 188 dates on Chizuru's profile and paid the deposit on the spot. He looked at her.
"Well, now it is my business, isn't it? My 'Rental Girlfriend.'"
Chizuru's cheeks flushed a deep scarlet. "Why... why would you do that? You..."
Ultimately, Chizuru led him to the hospital to visit her grandmother.
When Sayuri saw Ryunosuke enter, she waved happily. Ryunosuke brought a fruit basket, set it on the nightstand, and sat beside the bed.
"Long time no see, Grandma Sayuri."
"Oh my, it has been a long time, Young Boss. Thank you for all your help while my husband was still with us." Sayuri bowed as deeply as she could from her bed. She apologized, her voice weak, for being unable to welcome a guest properly in her condition.
Ryunosuke wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat. In the end, he simply told her to rest well and stepped out of the room to wait for Chizuru.
Inside, Chizuru watered the carnations beside her grandmother's bed—flowers representing warmth and the hope for a swift recovery. After saying goodbye to her grandmother, she joined Ryunosuke outside.
Ryunosuke asked, "What is Grandma's diagnosis?"
Chizuru didn't tell him the full truth; she only said her condition wasn't good. Ryunosuke went silent and didn't press further, realizing he was, after all, an outsider to them.
Chizuru took the opportunity to speak. "Cancel that order on the app. 188 dates is ridiculous. That's a massive amount of money."
As he cancelled the request, Ryunosuke muttered, "Well, you keep shutting me out. I had to hire your 'rental girlfriend' just to get close. If I hadn't, would you have ever brought me to see your grandma?"
Chizuru looked at him with weary eyes, then gave him a light swat with her handbag. "You're such a busybody... but, thank you."
Ryunosuke didn't respond. Before leaving, he simply left her with a message: "If you run into trouble, call me. This is my number." He wrote his mobile number on a small scrap of paper and pressed it into Chizuru's hand. It was all he could do.
Chizuru stared blankly at the number in her hand. Her lips trembled, her heart a chaotic mess, but she didn't throw the paper away. Perhaps one day she would need it... perhaps, when her grandmother was gone...
At that thought, Chizuru knelt on the ground, burying her face in her hands, and wept bitterly. Her grandmother's complications were incurable. For now, they were only buying time in the hospital. What would she do when the money finally ran out?
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