For now, Hikari Nakamura knew he didn't have the strength to deal with this kind of trouble, so it was best to avoid it.
A few minutes later, while leaning against the railings of the apartment building's hallway, Hikari suddenly opened his eyes.
He had originally intended to quietly wait for Shinomiya Natsuha to finish changing her clothes so they could head to school together.
However, an argument nearby caught his attention.
"Miss Yukino, you've been behind on rent for two months now. If you don't pay up, I'll have no choice but to ask you to leave this apartment."
Hikari overheard the building's manager, Takahashi, raising his voice at Mifuyu Yukino.
"I-I lost a lot of money recently, that's why-that's why..." Yukino murmured, head lowered, her fingers nervously twisting together in embarrassment.
"That's none of my concern. I'm just here to collect rent. Either you pay up now, or you'll have to move out," Takahashi declared righteously, though his gaze lingered lecherously on Yukino's voluptuous figure, betraying his true intentions.
"Mr. Takahashi, isn't there any way to give me a bit more time? This apartment holds so many important memories for me… Can't you... make an exception?" Yukino pleaded, her voice soft, her beautiful face flushed with embarrassment as her delicate fingers intertwined anxiously.
Seeing Yukino's helplessness, Takahashi's lips curled into a sly smile.
"Miss Yukino, you wouldn't want to be forced out of your home, would you?" he chuckled. "Actually, there's room for negotiation… If you're willing to... repay the rent through other means, then we can easily come to an arrangement."
At first, Yukino's relieved expression showed hope when she heard the word negotiation. However, as Takahashi continued, her face quickly turned tense, her brows furrowing deeply.
Although she wasn't good at dealing with people, Yukino could easily read Takahashi's lecherous gaze and understood what he meant.
"M-Mr. Takahashi, w-what exactly do you mean by other m-means?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Takahashi shot a glance at Hikari, who had been silently standing nearby, before turning back to Yukino.
"Let's not talk about it out here. Why don't we discuss it inside? It's just a small favor, after all. People should move forward, not dwell on the past, right?" he suggested, pushing open the half-closed door.
"No! We'll talk right here. You… you can't come inside!" Yukino suddenly insisted, her voice filled with unexpected resolve.
She pressed her hands against the door, trying to keep Takahashi from entering.
"Come on, we'll just talk inside," Takahashi urged, his tone growing impatient as he tried to force the door open.
Yukino, flustered, struggled to hold the door closed. Despite being a Yuki-Onna, she didn't have much physical strength.
In a world where non-human species like her were rare, she didn't dare use her powers openly, fearing that revealing her true identity would cause more trouble.
Of course, she could teach this rude apartment manager a lesson if she wanted to, but with Hikari—an innocent-looking young man—standing nearby, she felt even more conflicted.
As she used all her strength to keep the door shut, Yukino couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. Slowly, the door was being forced open, inch by inch.
Takahashi's leering face, filled with lust and anticipation, grew larger in her vision.
"Let me in, Miss Yukino! Come on, just let me in!" Takahashi shouted eagerly, practically salivating with excitement as he thought he was about to get his way.
Just as Yukino was filled with panic and helplessness, wondering how she was going to get out of this situation—
Suddenly, a calm, magnetic voice broke through the tension.
"Hey… don't you think that's enough?"
"Regardless of the circumstances, you can't just force your way into a woman's home against her will, can you?"
Both Yukino and Takahashi froze and turned to see Hikari, the high school student who had been silently watching the entire time, finally speaking up.
Hikari stood there in his school uniform, casually smiling at the two of them, revealing a set of pearly white teeth.
"Hey, I'm just here to collect rent. What's this got to do with a high school kid like you?" Takahashi growled, clearly annoyed by the interruption.
"Kid, I'm warning you, mind your own business!"
Although Yukino didn't say anything, her grateful gaze was firmly fixed on Hikari, silently thanking him.
Hikari hadn't intended to intervene initially, knowing how dangerous Mifuyu Yukino, a Yuki-Onna, could be. Takahashi wasn't even carrying his so-called hypnosis ring and was just a regular person.
If Yukino wanted to, she could easily deal with him.
However, seeing Takahashi's persistent and aggressive behavior reminded Hikari of Oga Masaru from earlier. And even though Takahashi wasn't a typical thug, his actions had earned Hikari's ire.
Especially now, as he firmly made up his mind to step in.
It wasn't because of the grateful look in Yukino's alluring eyes.
No, it was because of the voice that had just sounded in his mind.
[Ding! The host interrupted Takahashi, the bull's, inappropriate actions.]
[Ding! Congratulations, host, for earning +50 Pure Love Points!]
Hikari was initially unsure if stopping Takahashi's actions would count as defending pure love, but now it was clear.
Though it seemed there was no direct victim, Yukino was, after all, a widow.
'Holy crap! 50 Pure Love Points just for stopping this sleazebag?'
Even the act of giving Oga Masaru a fatal kick only rewarded him with 100 points.
For simply interrupting Takahashi, he earned 50 points. Hikari guessed that it must have something to do with Yukino's identity as a Yuki-Onna, different from ordinary humans.
As the Pure Love Warrior, how could Hikari allow this white-haired Yuki-Onna to be bullied?
'How can I stand by while this bull-headed manager tried to force his way in?'
With spirit up to uphold the spirit of pure love, Hikari decided to act with justice.
Sensing the firm resolve in Hikari's gaze, Takahashi began to grow nervous.
He increased the force with which he pushed the door and warned Hikari, "You're just some wet-behind-the-ears kid. I'm telling you, stay out of grown-up business! If you piss me off, you're going to regret it!"
Hikari's response was simple and direct.
"Stop pushing the door. Let go."
"None of your business, kid! I swear, if you keep sticking your nose where it doesn't belong—" Takahashi growled.
"Let go."
"If you keep running your mouth, I'm going to beat the crap out of you, then show this woman what happens when people defy me!"
Before Takahashi could finish his threat—
BANG!
A loud, dull thud echoed down the hallway.
It wasn't the sound of the door being pushed open.
It was the sound of Hikari's fist smashing into Takahashi's face.
Blood and two teeth flew out of Takahashi's mouth as he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud.
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