Enji didn't respond immediately, his eyes wide with surprise. His gang mirrored his reaction, staring at Haruto as if they couldn't believe what they'd just heard.
Then, not long after, the entire group burst into laughter, so intense that Enji doubled over, clutching his stomach.
Haruto's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Why are you laughing? I'm serious!" he protested, his voice tinged with frustration.
The laughter only grew louder. One of the boys with bright green hair pointed at him, barely able to get his words out between laughs.
"He actually said he wants to join us!"
Enji wiped tears from his eyes, finally calming down as the laughter subsided. He glanced at his old pal, still standing there with a serious expression, refusing to back down.
His smile faded as he realized his friend wasn't joking.
"Shit, you really are serious, huh?"
"Of course I am!" Haruto's voice was firm as he clenched his fists. "There's a man I need to kill."
Enji blinked, the weight of his words sinking in. His posture shifted, shoulders squaring as his usual playful demeanor disappeared.
His gang, sensing the change, stopped laughing and exchanged uneasy glances. When their boss got serious, they knew to follow suit.
"You're not messing around, are you?"
Haruto shook his head. "I'm dead serious. I want to make his life miserable first, but eventually, I'll kill him."
He stepped closer, pressing a finger against Enji's chest, locking eyes with him. "But before I can do that, I need to be as strong as you."
Enji let out a long sigh, ruffling his bright red hair. "No, Haruto. You can't join us."
Haruto's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why? I'll do anything. Stealing, vandalism, gang wars—whatever it takes."
Enji smirked, flicking his friend's cap off his head. "It's not about that." He chuckled, shaking his head.
"Look at yourself, man. You look like a damn hentai protagonist."
The group erupted into laughter again, and this time, Haruto couldn't help but feel self-conscious.
He glanced down at himself—his lanky frame, the pale skin, and the bangs that covered most of his face.
He had never thought much about his appearance before, but now, standing there in front of Enji and his gang, he realized how out of place he looked.
"You… you want me to get plastic surgery?"
Haruto asked, dead serious as he leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper.
Enji's eyes widened in disbelief once more before he burst out laughing again, this time even higher-pitched than before.
His gang, unsure of what was happening, looked at each other in confusion.
"This is why I befriended you, man!" Enji wheezed between laughs. "You're hilarious!"
After a few more minutes of laughter, he finally sobered up, his face softening as he spoke again.
"Nah, man. I don't mean that. Face isn't everything, you just need to be more 'manly'. Cut your hair, groom yourself, color your hair, get a piercing or whatever."
"But more importantly, bulk up. Turn this stick into a goddamn tree." He slapped Haruto's skinny arm.
"Be more like me—buff!"
"With that, you'll be able to punch a guy to death," Enji added with a grin.
Haruto's mouth opened and closed, speechless for a moment. His self-esteem took a hit, realizing just how much his skinny body held him back.
Enji was right—he needed to become stronger, physically and mentally.
"You're right," he finally muttered. "I'm going to start work out more."
Enji's grin widened as he playfully punched his arm. "That's the spirit! Meet us under the bridge at 5 PM every day, alright? We'll whip you into shape."
With that, Enji and his gang sauntered past him, their footsteps echoing down the street. He turned to watch them go, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
He had a lot to think about, a lot to prepare for, but for now, at least one problem was solved.
For the first time in a long while, Haruto felt like he was taking control of his life.
***
Haruto was bent over, his hands gliding the damp cloth across the wooden floor, methodically mopping every inch.
He'd been cleaning the temple for three hours now—something he did religiously, visiting at least once a week.
"Hoho, Haruto, you always keep this place spotless. Ever think about becoming a priest?"
The voice of Takahashi, the elderly man in a dark blue kimono, broke through the quiet. His bald head gleamed in the sunlight filtering through the open doors.
He chuckled softly. "I don't think so, Mr. Takahashi. I just enjoy cleaning."
"A shame, really. We could use a man as diligent as you around here," the old priest sighed before walking off, leaving Haruto alone with his thoughts once again.
As he finished the last section, he wiped the sweat from his brow and straightened up.
Cleaning was just a side benefit—his real reason for coming was to meet with an old friend, Jin, who preferred the quiet seclusion behind the temple.
And since the priest paid him for his efforts, he figured it wasn't a bad way to kill two birds with one stone.
After tidying up, he made his way to the back of the temple. There, he sat down on the wooden floor, taking in the peaceful view of the koi pond.
The vibrant fish swam lazily through the water, their movements calm and hypnotic.
The wind made the bells hanging from the eaves sing a soft melody, and the cicadas provided the perfect backdrop to the serene summer afternoon.
A man wearing a black jacket and a beanie suddenly appeared beside him, slipping into the space without a sound.
"What's on your mind today, Haruto?"
"Do you believe in time travel? Because I think… I'm experiencing it."
"Huh, been reading too many novels, haven't you?"
"No, It's too real to be a dream or hallucination."
"So, what's your plan? Gonna predict the stock market? Become rich? Or maybe try to stop some disaster?"
"No. I'm going to take revenge."
"Revenge? Hahaha! Someone like you? Can you even handle that? Got any real plans, or are you just talking big?"
"I will change. I'll be stronger. Better. This time, I won't fail."
"That's what you always say, isn't it?"
"This time is different. They made my sister's life a living hell. Tortured her, raped her, stomped on her. I'm going to do the same to them!"
"So, what's the plan?"
"I have a system. One that helps me charm women and make them mine."
"A system? Like the ones in those web novels you're always reading?"
"Yes."
"You want to steal all your enemies' women? Not bad. But Haruto, that's not enough."
"If I were you, I'd get close to my enemies. Real close. I'll make them trust me, make them think I'm their friend."
"And when they least expect it, I'll stab them in the back and take everything away from them. Then they'll know what it feels like to be dead when they are alive."
***
I just realized that there are readers who dropped because of this scene. But yeah, Jin is important to MC's past and he would never betray MC.
There is also another reason why MC told him about the system. But I can't tell because it will be a spoiler.
One thing is for sure, be patient and you will know how important Jin is to MC's revenge.