Chapter 57: Arisu: I have a sister ?
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"What do you mean by 'me'?" Rin rolled his eyes at the girl with long purple hair. "Now let me ask you, did you steal these things because you like drinking?"
Masumi Kamuro, not wanting to answer, widened her eyes and glared fiercely at Rin.
Seeing Rin raise his hand again, Kamuro Masumi, still covering her head, panicked.
"Wait a minute! I don't like this stuff. It's bitter and disgusting. Who would like it?"
Rin looked at her with an expression that showed he believed her, and then nodded while putting his hand down. "Then why did you steal it?"
"…Why are you asking so many questions? If you want to report me to the school, go ahead. I don't care."
Rin carefully observed her expression. Despite covering her head, there was no sign of fear or anxiety. She really didn't seem afraid of being reported to the school for stealing.
Rin thought for a moment before asking, "You… do you have a mother who's really good at chess? And a grandfather who loves chess but isn't very good at it?"
Arisu Sakayanagi: I have sister?
Sakayanagi Narumori: I have a granddaughter?
"What are you talking about!" Masumi Kamuro glared at Rin even more fiercely.
Rin blinked in surprise. Her strong reaction made him wonder if her family was a sensitive topic for her.
"Uh, I mean, is your grandfather the chairman of this school?"
"..." Masumi Kamuro stared at him blankly, clearly lost in his strange train of thought.
"Why do you think I'm connected to the chairman of the school?"
"Well, if your grandfather isn't the chairman, why aren't you afraid that I'll report your stealing to the school?"
Kamuro Masumi finally understood what Rin was getting at. Her expression turned helpless, somewhere between wanting to laugh and cry.
"I'm not afraid because I don't care about being punished by the school, not because my family is connected to it."
"You don't care?"
Rin started to think that this girl might have some serious emotional issues—possibly stemming from a rough childhood, just like his own.
If she had a normal upbringing, she would be scared about the school finding out about her theft, just like any regular student would be.
"So, are you planning to tell the school about my stealing?"
"No, I'm not planning to do that." Rin shook his head. Masumi Kamuro, previously indifferent, now looked genuinely surprised.
What is he talking about?
Having reflected on her troubled background, Rin felt some sympathy for her. He, too, had grown up in difficult circumstances. Plus, he had already completed the mission from the system, so he had no reason to report her.
"Then… I'm leaving," Masumi Kamuro said hesitantly.
"You can't leave."
Masumi Kamuro curled her lips, already expecting Rin wouldn't let her leave so easily.
Rin handed her the two cans of beer and said, "You have to return them."
"I won't do it!"
"If stealing excites you, then sneaking them back in should be just as thrilling, right?"
Kamuro Masumi stared at him in disbelief. "How do you know that I get excited when I steal things?"
The narration system had mentioned the task earlier when it was issued.
"Don't worry about it, just return them." Rin gestured for Kamuro Masumi to take the two cans of beer from his hand.
"I won't!" she snapped defiantly.
"Oh, okay." Rin sighed, dramatically raising the fist that had already landed on her head twice.
Seeing this, Kamuro Masumi panicked again and quickly took two steps back to distance herself from him.
"What are you going to do!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in fear.
"I'm going to beat you up," Rin replied simply and clearly, "until you're willing to return the stolen items in person."
Rin knew that violence couldn't solve every problem, but it sure could deal with disobedient people!
"Also, don't think you can just run away. I know you're a first-year student. I'll come to find you every day and beat you up until you're willing to return them."
His words crushed any hope Kamuro Masumi had of escaping. Tears welled up in her eyes as she finally relented.
"I understand! I'll return the things right away! Is that enough?"
"Good girl."
Rin smiled brightly, and Kamuro Masumi puffed her cheeks in frustration. This guy is so annoyingly handsome, but also so petty!
She just didn't return the beer, and now he's threatening to beat her up every single day?
Masumi Kamuro snatched the two cans of beer from Rin's hands and stuffed them into her backpack angrily.
"Let's go. I have to get back too, because I haven't even paid for the daily necessities I picked up yet."
Kamuro Masumi watched Rin as he turned and left, her eyes following his figure. Quickly, she stretched her legs and hurried to catch up with him, her long legs helping her keep pace.
She kept about half a meter behind Rin, sneaking glances at him now and then. Finally, she summoned the courage to speak up.
"Why do you care about me... I'm just a thief."
"Didn't I tell you?" Rin said with a grin. "I'm a good person. Good people can't stand to see others do bad things."
Under the afternoon sun, Rin's radiant smile was like a flash of light that caught Masumi Kamuro off guard. At that moment, Rin's image became deeply imprinted in her heart.
"What are you standing there for? Come on."
"Oh, oh!"
Rin's voice brought her back to her senses. She hurriedly followed him closely, almost like a shy, obedient little wife trailing after her husband.
"Uh, um..." Kamuro Masumi mustered the courage to ask, "I don't even know your name or what class you're in."
Rin turned his head and looked at Kamuro Masumi, "Matsuoka, Matsuoka Rin, a student in Class D of the first year. What about you?"
"Masumi Kamuro, from Class A of the first year. Please... please give me your guidance." Kamuro Masumi said, a little stiffly, clearly unused to formal introductions.
"Well, nice to meet you."
After introducing themselves, the tension between Rin and Kamuro Masumi lessened noticeably.
Rin wanted to ask her why she got excited about stealing things and why she didn't care if the school found out. However, considering they had only known each other for less than half an hour, he felt it wasn't appropriate to pry into her private matters just yet.
So Rin let the topic go, for now.
Similarly, Kamuro Masumi had several questions running through her mind. She wanted to ask why he didn't tell on her. Why was he so tolerant of her—a thief?
But just like Rin, she held back, thinking it would be too intrusive to ask so many questions after knowing each other for such a short time. So, the unasked questions remained in both of their minds as they continued walking together.