Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Decision

The classroom is warm from the heat of the morning sun, radiating through the windows onto my face—neck, palms...a warm sensation that makes me feel like I'm falling asleep. My thoughts drift off to the memories of Tomoe-senpai and her actions that day.

The lecture went over my head—my mind wandered all too often to thoughts of Tomoe Akane. Her commanding tone was more terrifying than exciting. Her lips were curled into an almost cruel smile; her eyes were cold and calculating, and her body language showed her intense determination and sheer will. I could sense an air of recklessness about her—It was something I had never encountered before, but she seemed like someone who might be capable of anything.

I craned my neck around slightly to observe Masaaki's figure. He was slouched down, resting his chin on his palms—not really taking in a word of what the professor had just said—eyes nearly shut, unmoving. A typical scene I've witnessed on a daily basis.

Nudging his shoulders lightly with my elbow, I asked in a whisper: "Hey, Masaaki."

His eyes slowly opened with the sharp gleam of a startled cat, blinking a few times before finally focusing on me. "...I was not sleeping," he answered dully.

Shaking my head, I tried again, "Masaaki, do you ever plan on getting a girlfriend sometime?"

He looked at me like I had grown a second head before answering, "Maybe, not like it's hard to find one—and not that I really want to. Most girls are nothing more than average."

"But, eventually...don't you want one?" I pressed on, shaking my head back and forth slightly.

Masaaki let out a deep sigh before replying, "Eh... Let's see... Probably...but none of them really appeal to me, so they're kind of a waste of time—" His voice trailed off. I waited for him to continue, but after staring blankly at the chalkboard for several long seconds, he simply stopped talking.

I glanced at Masaaki sitting next to me and mumbled, "...What do you think about Tomoe-senpai? Are you interested in her?"

"Yeah, sure. She's not so— wait, " Masaaki's eyebrows shot up as his gaze widened to nearly full width. "She asked you out, didn't she?!?!"

My eyes twitch at how quickly Masaaki caught on to me. He narrowed his eyebrows.

After I didn't respond, he let out a quite sigh and rolled his eyes. "Took her long enough to ask—I mean, it was going to happen sooner or later, I suppose." His voice came from my left side, but his gaze and expression remained fixed straight ahead. "To be honest, most of us thought you guys were already dating."

There was silence between us until I spoke up again, "Why did you assume we were dating?" I asked curiously. I didn't know what else to say. I felt like there was something I was missing here. I wanted to understand the reasoning behind Masaaki's assumption.

Masaaki scrunches his face into a frown and looks at me like I'm an idiot. "Haven't you noticed anything? Like...how she'd stop the other girls from bothering you?"

"Well...that is true..." I admit reluctantly. It wasn't really something that stood out to me. I thought she was just trying to help me because she felt bad about the situation. "I guess so," I replied hesitantly. "But that doesn't prove anything—she could have just been being nice," I added.

He snorted and shook his head, "No way. There's no such thing as 'nice' when it comes to women." Masaaki's voice was filled with disdain and disgust. "You don't get it yet, Hiroshi-kun, but women are all the same. They only act nice to get in your pants," he continued.

Listening to Masaaki's cynical words made me feel empty inside. Even so, I found it hard to believe that Tomoe Akane was interested in me purely for my appearance—and not my personality. It seemed unbelievable. I couldn't believe that someone like her would see me as nothing more than an object of desire.

"It's perfectly natural for them to want you, Hiroshi-kun," Masaaki said softly, keeping an eye on the professor as he spoke. "They're not doing anything wrong—it's just how they think."

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"Yeah... I know that," I muttered, feeling a little embarrassed over being lectured by Masaaki on this subject. "I guess I'm still naive about how girls think," I added, staring down at my desk.

"You know, if she really asked you out, you should go out with her," Masaaki said with a shrug. "She's not so bad compared to other girls—not to mention that she has a prospective career as a professional baseball player." Masaaki glanced over at me. "Sooner or later, you'll have to start dating some girl anyway. Might as well choose someone who has a good chance of making it big in the future."

A frown creased my forehead. Masaaki's words were too superficial—too one-sided. I didn't agree with him. I knew that he was probably right—but that didn't mean I had to accept it. I wasn't the type of person to fall for someone based solely on their status or social standing.

But I didn't correct him either. Instead, I simply shrugged and said, "Yeah, I guess you're right." My response was short and vague. I didn't want to argue with Masaaki or make things awkward between us.

It was already a few days since my first date with Tomoe-senpai—and I still hadn't made up my mind about attending her try out. The thought of going there filled me with apprehension. It felt like I was stepping into a lion's den. But even so, I wanted to show her my support. A mix of emotions swirled within me as I tried to figure out what I should do. What did she see in me? Was she really interested in me, or was it just a simple crush?

One thing was certain though—regardless of how I feel about her, If I decide to attend her tryouts, it will mean that I am willing to accept whatever outcome may come from it.

---

The old building called The Kyoto Theatre sat silently, decorated in gaudy lights. Above its entrance sat a giant electronic billboard advertising various movies premiering during the week. I tried to stop myself from sneaking glances at it as I waited outside in the cold night air.

Despite being a Friday evening, there was no crowd present—the theatre wasn't showing anything new.

Today was my second date with Yui Ishikawa as a rental boyfriend. The memories of our previous date came flooding back to me as I stood outside the theatre, nervously fidgeting with my hands. Her abrupt hug at the end of the date had left me feeling confused and flustered.

The hard pavement beneath my feet looked wet under the glow of the street lamps, reflecting the light from a nearby building.

I had only arrived here a few minutes before—the place was practically empty. A small group of girls sat inside the ticket booth near the entrance, laughing and drinking together. I couldn't help but feel as though they were gossiping about me—looking at me like I was some kind of spectacle. It really made me uncomfortable.

"Hiro?!"

Only one person ever uses this name for me. A wave of relief washed over me as I turn to the sight of her smiling softly.

I barely had the time to take in her appearance properly before she dragged me towards her—in an intimate hug. The warm air that enveloped me stirred a sense of comfort in me. She held me tightly, gripping me in a way that left no room for escape—my face once again nested between the warmth of her bosom. It made me shiver, despite the cold weather outside. It felt like her body was all that existed around me now. Even her scent invaded my nostrils and entered my senses. My pulse quickened as she gently squeezed me against her chest.

"I missed you, Hiro!" Yui whispered quietly in my ear as she hugged me tighter. Her voice seemed to reach my very core. "I'm so glad you were able to come," she continued in a soft whisper. "I...I've wanted to see your face so badly these past few days." She told me, rubbing her smooth cheek against the side of my head. The sensation sent tingles running up my spine. I could feel her gentle breath flowing through my hair.

Clingy as she was, I couldn't bring myself to push her away—with a long sigh, I returned her embrace.

"I've missed you too..." I responded in a soft voice.

My job as a rental boyfriend for the night had just begun.

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