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The whole scuffle between them looked intense, but it actually lasted less than ten seconds.
The moment the two separated, Rei Miyamoto's brain overheated. She immediately stepped between them, planting herself in front of Shuya and yelling at Rika.
"What the hell do you think you're doing to my Shuya?!?!"
Rika's face was full of question marks.
My Shuya? Since when did he become yours?
She wasn't about to argue with the kid though. After all, Shuya was Shizuka's man, not hers. She was just stepping up for her best friend and teaching the little bastard a lesson.
Besides, that short exchange was barely a warm-up. She still wasn't satisfied.
Rika looked past Rei and locked eyes with Shuya behind her, giving him a clear provocative glare.
"Little Shuya, is she an enemy?"
Yuriko could tell at a glance that Shuya wasn't taking it seriously—he was just playing with Rika. Only someone who had awakened Nen could truly understand the massive gap between Nen users and normal people.
Still, she decided to back him up. After all, the flaxen-haired little sister had already stepped forward.
Only problem was…
Yuriko glanced back at her useless daughter with a headache.
Saya, Saya… why can't you learn from this girl? Be a little braver. Be a little more honest.
Tsundere behavior went out of style years ago.
Even if I said I'd help you, you still have to step up yourself, or you're really going to end up as a defeated dog.
Shuya first shook his head at Yuriko, telling her not to interfere.
Then he patted Rei on the shoulder, gave her a reassuring look, and stepped in front of her.
Finally, he turned to Rika—who was still staring at him provocatively—and asked in confusion, "Miss Minami, I don't think I've done anything to offend you, right? So why jump me the second I walk through the door?"
Shuya really couldn't figure it out. When they'd met on the road earlier, everything had been fine. Sure, she got a little angry after learning he was Shizuka's man and seeing him bring another girl home, but she hadn't actually done anything.
So what changed in just a few hours?
Did she find out he secretly mortgaged her house deed to borrow money?
That shouldn't be it, right? With the world ending, who cares about bank debt collectors now?
Plus, Rika didn't seem like the type to get worked up over small money.
Rika glared at him. If looks could kill, Shuya would've already been sliced into ten thousand pieces.
Didn't offend me?
Look what you turned my precious Shizuka into!
And you have the nerve to say you didn't offend me?
Rika scanned the room. If it weren't for all these people watching, she would've started cursing him out already.
But she couldn't exactly spill Shizuka's private business in front of everyone.
"That's right! If you have a problem, say it to his face. Why sneak-attack him like that? So despicable!"
Seeing Rika stay silent, Rei thought she had the upper hand and kept pushing.
Rika was getting irritated, but she still couldn't bring herself to expose her best friend's secrets.
She carefully chose her words, then asked Shuya with a meaningful tone, "Do you know where Shizuka is right now?"
"Shizuka-nee?"
Shuya paused.
This involves her too?
Considering Shizuka's usual lazy personality, he answered hesitantly, "She should be sleeping at this hour, right?"
"Yeah, she's sleeping. And she's cuddling with a purple-haired girl."
Rika rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed.
"What's wrong with that?"
Shuya was genuinely confused.
Not just him—Rei and Saya looked just as lost.
Two girls sleeping in the same bed? That was pretty normal for close friends, wasn't it?
Besides, both Rei and Saya had seen Saeko basically force herself on Shuya right in front of them. And Shizuka's relationship with him was obviously not innocent either. There was no way those two were suddenly into each other.
Yuriko dropped a bomb: "Wait… do you like that woman named Shizuka? And the purple-haired girl became your replacement, so you got NTR'd?"
She didn't know Rika, didn't know Shizuka, and definitely didn't know the purple-haired girl. But from the information alone:
Rika clearly knew Shizuka well—close enough to call her by first name.
The purple-haired girl was someone new.
Both had purple hair.
And Rika was furious they were sleeping together.
Conclusion: Rika liked Shizuka, but Shizuka was now cuddling another purple-haired girl.
Obviously NTR.
Yuriko found the whole situation quite entertaining. She'd only just arrived and already walked into a big drama.
"Stop talking nonsense! Shizuka and I are just best friends, and my sexual orientation is perfectly normal. I'm just standing up for her!"
Rika was completely speechless at Yuriko's wild theory and rolled her eyes again.
Since trying to explain only made it worse, she went straight for it:
"Do you know why Shizuka is sleeping with that purple-haired girl?"
"Because of me?"
Shuya pointed at his own face, stunned.
Even though it was a question, given Rika's behavior, the answer could only point at him.
"Exactly." Rika finally said it out loud. "Shizuka told me that girl smells like you!"
Her light words hit like a hammer.
The entire room fell into dead silence.
Saeko smells like him?
Yuriko hadn't witnessed what happened earlier, so she was still processing.
But Shuya understood.
Rei understood.
Saya understood.
The two girls immediately blushed and lowered their heads, though their eyes kept darting toward Shuya.
So it wasn't just "complicated." He had actually done that much to Saeko.
No wonder Rika, as Shizuka's best friend, was so pissed.
He really deserved a beating!
"Um…"
Rei tugged at the hem of Shuya's shirt and said weakly, "Shuya… maybe you should just let her punch you a few times to help her vent?"
Feeling all their eyes on him, Shuya suddenly felt like he was carrying a mountain on his back.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something… but nothing came out.
I'm innocent!
I really didn't—
I swear I didn't train Shizuka like that!!!