Hearing Sasaki's words, Yuuka, although knowing they were false, still felt a surge of happiness and gratitude.
Because even if the words were false, they were still coming from his mouth.
At the same time, her attention was diverted, and she did not notice the loopholes in Sasaki's statement.
It's not that she's stupid or slow, but she instinctively chose the option that favored her.
Also, she didn't think her silly, slow brother was capable of such cunning.
People in love can act foolishly, and not without reason.
As for the others, they might have noticed Sasaki's trickery.
But given that they weren't close, and with the heart rate monitor present, no one would tactlessly question him.
To fit into the group, one must learn to play dumb; this has been their belief from childhood.
So regardless of whether Sasaki was truthful or not, they offered their congratulations and admiration.
Of course, for Toda Ken, who was just looking to find fault with Sasaki, Sasaki's answer was unsatisfactory.
He wanted to see Sasaki nervously lie and be caught by the heart rate monitor, making him look awkward.
Not this scene of hom receiving everyone's praise and admiration, flirting with Yuuka.
He wanted to dig deeper, but anyone with emotional intelligence knew that opposing Sasaki now would just make it clear he was against him.
He didn't know if Sasaki would be embarrassed, but Yuuka would definitely dislike him.
This wasn't the result he wanted.
He wanted her to see Sasaki's true nature, giving himself a chance to step in, not just embarrass him for its own sake.
Such a self-damaging approach didn't suit his interests.
So despite his reluctance, he joined the others in offering a few words of congratulations and admiration.
'Patience is key; let's keep playing!'
Watching Sasaki hugging Yuuka, the two of them practically glued together, he gritted his teeth and said to the others who had just finished their turn:
"Alright, let's continue and see who the next one will be."
Hearing about the next round, the playful expressions on everyone's faces gradually faded, and they returned to their upright, serious postures.
Although Sasaki's question wasn't too embarrassing for them, they still weren't at the point where they could casually admit in front of the girls that they were inexperienced.
Sasaki, having a beautiful girlfriend, didn't count as a reference point.
As long as Yuuka didn't look down on him, it was fine.
So he didn't serve as a benchmark.
Listening to the noise from the neighboring table, the group sitting together maintained an awkward silence.
No one spoke.
But the whirring sound of the spinning pointer replaced all conversation.
The white pointer, like a sword of fate, spun before each person.
When it finally slowed and stopped, those not pointed at collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
But Toda Ken's face turned grim.
Because the pointer landed on him.
Section 8.
Facing the inevitable, he didn't hesitate and quickly put on the watch, drawing a card.
"How many people have you dumped?"
?!
Seeing the question, he immediately knew this was bad.
Was the question simple? Yes.
But for Toda Ken, a wealthy playboy, the number of people he had dumped was countless.
He played and then discarded.
He himself didn't even know the exact number, much like you wouldn't count how many pieces of bread you've eaten.
So for him, this question was hard to answer.
If it was in front of friends or other guys, this question would be a bragging point.
But in front of the girl he liked...
Glancing at Yuuka sitting across from him, Toda Ken gritted his teeth and vaguely mumbled a number:
"Three..."
Three?
The boys who knew about his family background and habits looked at him meaningfully and then smirked.
But the girls' eyes, initially surprised and relieved, heard him add:
"Thirty, maybe..."
Of course, this was just a rough count of the serious relationships he had ended since junior high.
If he included those he had just played with... the number was unknown.
But even this number was enough to make most girls feel disgusted with him.
After all, playing with others' emotions isn't something anyone appreciates or encourages.
And Yuuka was no exception.
Sitting on the tatami mats with a soft cushion, the girl, in her curve-hugging denim shorts, slightly straightened up but kept her chin resting on Sasaki's shoulder.
Hearing his answer, she turned her head, her moist, pink lips slightly parted, and softly warned Sasaki:
"You~ you better not be like him, playing with others' feelings... that's the worst kind of person!"
Unlike her usual strong and cold voice, as if mixed with ice shards, her voice was now soft and warm after drinking, giving Sasaki a feeling like thick, sweet syrup.
Sticky, wet, sweet, and warm.
This feeling wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but to say it was pleasant...
Having never heard her speak in this tone before, Sasaki felt a bit uneasy and tilted his head, rubbing his ear that was tickled by her warm breath:
"In Sister Yuuka's eyes, am I that kind of person?"
As the saying goes, alcohol gives courage to the timid.
Although Yuuka wasn't drunk, the rare opportunity made her drop her usual strong demeanor.
Placing the warm tea in her hands on the table, the girl, without any hesitation due to their current relationship, reached out her slender arm, shining like white jade under the warm light, and wrapped it around Sasaki's shoulder, whispering in his ear:
"I'm just worried, boys can easily go astray, especially with bad women around.
You need to know, only family will be unreservedly good to you, everyone else has an agenda."
You're really taking every chance to PUA me, aren't you~
Moreover... using a brotherly shoulder hug while being so close is indeed Sister Yuuka's style.
With their faces nearly touching, just four centimeters apart, Sasaki carefully observed her face for the first time.
Her forehead, glistening with sweat, was framed by strands of damp hair, tucked to the sides, revealing her fair, smooth forehead.
Her slender eyebrows, soft and compliant, matched her gentle tone.
Below were a pair of sharp, green eyes, slightly upturned at the corners, now looking misty and soft due to the blush of alcohol on her fair cheeks, making her eyes seem like they were covered in a fog, easy to get lost in.
Blinking as if shy, the boy averted his gaze, moving to her equally sweaty, fair nose and her plump, rosy lips, red from spicy oil.
Those glossy, moist lips looked like soft jelly, making one want to taste them.
Although Sister Yuuka wouldn't refuse if he kissed her, and might even demand more, for the sake of the greater goal, patience was necessary.
"I understand, Sister Yuuka is the best!"
Knowing what she wanted to hear, he lowered his eyes and said something that made her smile with joy.
Though her heart was happy, Sasaki's timid demeanor, not daring to look at her, confirmed he hadn't been this close to a girl before,
Silly brother~
Laughing inwardly, Yuuka gently pressed her fair fingers against Sasaki's cheek:
"Don't you know you should look at a girl when complimenting her? It's rude not to."
"Really?" Pretending not to know, Sasaki slowly raised his eyes, meeting her captivating green gaze:
"Sister Yuuka is the best!"
"Say it again~"
"Sister Yuuka is the best!"
"Say it again~"
"Sister Yuuka..."
"Hey, hey, enough already, you two. We're still here, you know. That's enough~"
After playing another round of the game, Ayaka Kurokawa, unable to tolerate them any longer, kicked Yuuka's soft, round denim-clad ass with a dark expression.
"I get it, I get it." Glancing at her classmates' teasing, ambiguous looks, the latter, strong but not overly bold, sat up straight and brushed away Ayaka's foot from her butt.
And once she moved away Sasaki shifted forward, and lifted his head to smile at the handsome boy who had been watching him.
He had sensed that this boy liked Sister Yuuka from the moment he entered the room.
During dinner, the boy's frequent glances at her confirmed his suspicion.
And during the game, being the first to go and the specific card drawn might have something to do with him.
If Sasaki guessed correctly, the pointer would probably land on him more often than on others in future rounds.
But it didn't matter.
So far, the boy's tricks were within the rules, and Sasaki wasn't a violent person.
As long as the boy followed the rules, Sasaki wouldn't change his life trajectory.
Thinking this, he looked at the boy, who seemed dazed, and sighed inwardly as he saw the pointer pointed at him like a dagger.
'Hopefully, he knows what's good for him...otherwise.'
Doctor Tsubaki would be happy to have one more Kirishima..
Putting on the watch and drawing a card, Sasaki's face showed a hint of oddness at the question.
"When you're feeling lonely and empty, who do you think of?"
Just as he thought, this kind of non-challenging question seemed like an assist, making him feel embarrassed to hit him.
After reading the question, Sasaki, meeting Yuuka's expectant gaze, said her name.
And the heart rate monitor showed no fluctuation.
Because in Sasaki's heart, when he felt lonely, he thought of everyone he liked, so saying anyone was right.
Unaware of hie thoughts, Toda Ken's face turned green, looking at the couple cuddling again, feeling both angry and helpless.
Although some of the twelve people were his followers, he couldn't completely control the questions.
Moreover, the faulty pointer couldn't be accurately manipulated, so except for the first question Sasaki drew, the rest had a high degree of randomness.
This was something he hadn't considered before.
Obviously, he had some intelligence and cunning, but not much.
'Damn it!'
Cursing inwardly, Toda Ken, who needed to think of another way to ruin their relationship, stood up, excused himself to go to the bathroom, and left the room.
In the empty bathroom, he spat angrily, lit a cigarette, and the rising smoke concealed his vicious eyes as his fingers angrily swiped through his phone contacts.
Since these sneaky methods didn't work, he decided to use force against Sasaki.
As long as he ruined Sasaki's image in Yuuka's eyes, he would have a chance.
Thinking this, his fierce gaze finally landed on a contact labeled 'Nogami.'
Due to his family's wealth and some delinquent friends' connections, Toda Ken knew quite a few bad students who enjoyed fighting.
Among these, a few delinquents were the most notorious.
Although they were from a high school, because they were minors, they were the most reckless.
And who among delinquents had a good temper?
So many tough guys came from there.
Nogami was one of the better fighters from this Academy, enough to deal with Sasaki.
Pressing the call button, Toda Ken listened to the dial tone, blowing out a smoke ring, and flicked the ash from his cigarette, waiting for an answer.
"Hello? Who is this?"
A cocky, insolent voice came through the phone.
"I'm your employer. I need someone taught a lesson." Not caring about the delinquent's tone, knowing they only cared about money, he didn't exchange pleasantries and directly stated his request.
"How many?"
"One."
Knowing that those who could afford to hire someone for a beating were usually wealthy, Nogami asked for 50,000 yen.
Unfamiliar with the 'market rate' and desperate to beat up Sasaki, Toda Ken agreed, despite feeling the pinch.
"Fine, but I need you outside the Yuki Sakura Izakaya in twenty minutes."
"No problem." Having snagged a sucker, Nogami's tone remained cocky but noticeably improved.
"I'll be there shortly."
After hanging up, Toda Ken tossed the half-smoked cigarette into the urinal and sneered:
"If I don't beat you until you beg for mercy, I'll take your last name!"
Returning to the private room, the boy, now in a much better mood, quietly observed the interactions between Sasaki and Yuuka, waiting for this stupid gathering to end.