Soon, it was lunch break.
As usual, every student went off to eat and enjoy the peace of having no teacher in class.
Yuuki leaned back in his chair, looking relieved──he was glad that Tomoe had already left.
He wanted to use her to test the limits of Mai's jealousy to gauge just how dangerous she was. This way, if he decided to approach the next girl, he wouldn't be the one in danger.
"I just need to rest for a bit, and then I'll focus on Mai again..."
He was sweating heavily from all the advances Tomoe had made at him; in a way, he felt a little assaulted.
I will never be able to live this down... Sigh~
Tomoe had left with her bodyguard, apparently due to a business meeting that required her full attention.
"I just want to do one normal thing this week."
Yuuki groaned as his mouth hung open.
Suddenly, two young men placed their chairs next to Yuuki and sat close to him.
"Don't go sleeping this early into school, man!"
Yuuki lifted his head off his chair's backrest to see who was talking.
It was Ryota Nakiri and Takeuchi Atsushi.
On any other day, he'd recognize their voices instantly, but he was so tired now that he couldn't think properly.
"Oh, it's you guys..." said Yuuki.
Takeuchi adjusted his glasses and licked his braces a bit before shouting, "Tanaka! How dare you just casually respond to your friends like that?!"
"Huh?" Yuuki mumbled, barely listening.
Takeuchi shouted, spraying out bits of spit, "Don't act ignorant! We're your friends; you should be happier to see us, ugh!"
Yuuki stretched out his arms tiredly.
"Oh, I am glad..."
Unconvinced, Takeuchi rushed over to Yuuki, grabbed him by the collar, and yanked him back and forth several times. "STOP ACTING SO COOL!" he shouted, spraying Yuuki's face with spit.
Yuuki sighed and wiped his face with his hand.
He wasn't angry or inclined to react.
This was just how Takeuchi was──always dramatic, even when it wasn't necessary.
Ryota looked around and noticed the other students watching them.
This is why none of us are in a relationship...
He sighed heavily.
Patting Takeuchi on the back, he said, "No need to overreact, Takeuchi. I'm sure Yuuki's just tired from having that hot woman on his case all day."
Takeuchi let go of Yuuki, who fell back into his chair.
Removing his glasses, Takeuchi wiped away some tears.
"That was so awesome. I didn't know Tanaka had such a gravitational pull on women. I'm so jealous; my life's a sham compared to yours."
He started crying.
Both Ryota and Yuuki sighed.
"Well, it's not that Yuuki isn't attractive; he's just a loser sometimes."
Both Ryota and Yuuki turned to see who was speaking.
It was Erosa.
"Oh, how nice of you..." Yuuki replied dryly.
Erosa giggled, "I'd call you a damsel-dodging son of a bitch, but Onnamenai is way more creative. Haha, I like your classmates."
Ryota soon started laughing too.
Yuuki nodded, trying to ignore their laughter.
Then Takeuchi also started laughing.
"You too?" Yuuki raised an eyebrow at him.
Takeuchi nodded enthusiastically, laughing even louder.
"I can't believe I ever thought you'd be cooler than me. I'm smarter, better-looking, and way more social than you. Bahaha! Maybe that woman just hit on you because she felt bad for you, right? Bahaha!"
Erosa frowned slightly.
Takeuchi's delusions were so outrageous that they soured her mood.
The fact that he called himself good-looking, despite his face that looked like it farmed acne, made her angry at whoever had been lying to him all this time.
It's probably his mother... what mother wouldn't call their child beautiful even if they looked like a monkey.
She disappointedly shook her head.
"Great..." Yuuki said calmly, standing up from his chair.
Ryota, still chuckling, placed a hand on Yuuki's lap.
"Oh, come on, don't be pissed. Sit down, man, gehahaha!"
Yuuki shook his head.
"Why would I be pissed?"
He looked at Erosa and subtly gestured towards the door with a nod.
Erosa understood the message and nodded back.
"I... should go do something that's not here."
She quickly left the classroom.
Yuuki patted Ryota on the back. "I gotta go take a leak."
"Want me to help y—"
"No," Yuuki interrupted before Ryota could finish.
Then he coolly left the class.
Outside the class, Erosa was waiting for him with her arms folded. While she wasn't exactly impatient, she couldn't stop herself from tapping her foot on the ground. "So, what do you need?" she asked with a proud grin. "A divine intervention from yours truly~?"
Yuuki gave a small nod. "Something like that..." He glanced back into the class to catch sight of Mihara and Mai.
The two ladies looked at Yuuki, both frowning.
Mihara, in particular, had the sourest expression, as though his mere presence offended her.
She put an arm over Mai's shoulders and turned her focus elsewhere. "Look..." she whispered into Mai's ear, "I told you some guys are like that, even the ones who seem like perfect childhood sweethearts."
Mai twiddled her thumbs and stared at the floor.
"B, but I don't think Yuuki would be interested in a woman like Mrs. Shiba. I know him that well at least."
Mihara sighed and gently patted her friend on the shoulder.
"Oh Mai, always so positive. First of all, Tomoe doesn't deserve your respect, so stop calling her Mrs. Shiba. In fact, she doesn't deserve anyone's respect. She has a rich, responsible husband who also owns Shiba Industries, and yet she still cheats on him?"
Mai's cheeks turned red, and she mumbled, "Well, I don't really blame her. I mean, Yuuki's really attractive."
Mihara rolled her eyes.
"Only to you, maybe."
She pulled her friend closer, ready to give what she believed was the best advice for someone she saw as a sister.
"Look, I know Tanaka seems like a nice guy and a strong, dependable person, but earlier today you were so angry you literally said you'd rip his heart out and keep it for yourself so no woman steals it."
Mai felt a little embarrassed. "W, wh, what's your point?"
Mihara sighed, feeling like she was dealing with a child when it came to relationships.
"That anger of yours was justified. You need to express that more and let him know he's doing wrong by you."
Mai shyly looked to the side.
Expression? For some reason, I kind of feel like I really wanted to tear his heart out. He'll look so cute with all the color drained out of his face *giggle*... NO! I just did it again!
"Mai? Mai? You there?" Mihara tapped her friend several times until Mai regained her attention.
Mai looked back at Mihara and said, "Y, yes?!"
Mihara tilted her head, puzzled. "Is everything alright?"
Mai nodded distantly. "Mhm," she uttered slowly and softly.
"So, what do you want to do?" Mihara asked.
"About what?" Mai replied.
"About Tanaka, of course!" Mihara shouted.
Mai looked to the side, thinking for a moment.
"Well... for now, I don't really know. Normally, I wouldn't even be jealous about Danna-sama talking to other women, but..."
Remembering Yuuki's face made her blush.
Mihara, on the other hand, was confused about why Mai had just called Yuuki "Danna-sama". Was it really that serious? However, she let her continue speaking.
"I don't believe in jealousy or getting angry because my husb-- boyfriend wants to socialize. But now, I feel so frustrated, like if I see him smiling at another woman, I'll carve out his lips and preserve them in my display case so they belong only to me. Or maybe even cut off his di──"
Mihara didn't let her finish, chuckling nervously while patting Mai on the back. "Uh, I think that's enough of that for today, uh, ha... ha, right?"
Mai innocently nodded. "Mhmm."
Meanwhile, Yuuki and Erosa were still together.
"That's what you really want me to do?" Erosa asked.
Yuuki nodded. "Yes. You're the only person I trust who can do that."
Erosa rubbed her chin and hummed thoughtfully. "Hmm, I see."