Chereads / Kato Megumi: Don't Look Back, Tomoya-kun / Chapter 3 - "Love, Games, and a Narrator Who Needs to Be Fired"

Chapter 3 - "Love, Games, and a Narrator Who Needs to Be Fired"

Today, Tomoya Aki seemed to be overwhelmed by everything he had to manage.

This made Kato Megumi feel somewhat uneasy.

"But... falling in love can easily cause people to lose themselves!" Aki Tomoya said, his expression evasive as Kato Megumi stared at him, "This will affect your character as the heroine, and, in turn, affect the entire game. Plus, you have no sense of self-defense, making it easy for bad people with ulterior motives to take advantage of you!"

[Oh wow~! Hearing this scumbag accuse you of being a bad person with ulterior motives, you're furious and decide to teach him a lesson! Countless ways to deal with this flash in your mind. The other party clearly wants to exploit the girl's innocence to further his own goals. You just need to maintain a composed demeanor, be considerate, gentle, and polite in front of the girl, while at the same time, letting your emotions show. This will create a sharp contrast with the other party, who is deliberately slow to feel. If this continues, the girl will definitely be disappointed with him, and then you can take the opportunity to let the girl fall for you completely! Now is the perfect moment to play your game with him!]

"Huh?!" Hearing the narrator's voice, Izumi You instinctively felt something was off.

Apart from the tea flavor and a hint of the minotaur taste that I, the pure love god of war, reject, this crappy narrator occasionally sounds somewhat human-like?

Pooh!

Saving the innocent girl from the scumbag's PUA—that's the job of the God of Pure Love, not some Minotaur!

[At this moment, you feel you have the best narrator in the world. Your admiration for the narrator is boundless! If the narrator had a physical body, you would kneel and kiss their feet!]

If I had a physical body, I'd definitely build two nests for you!

Izumi You's original satisfaction with this crappy narration vanished in an instant.

"I don't think so. Besides, Izumi-san doesn't have any ulterior motives. It's a bit rude for you to say that, Tomoya-kun!"

Seeing Tomoya Aki's evasive look, Kato Megumi couldn't help but feel disappointed. She thought Tomoya Aki cared about her, but instead, he seemed more concerned with whether his game was exciting enough.

He also belittled Izumi Yuu in front of her, which made Kato Megumi uncomfortable.

If I don't say anything, Izumi-san will probably be upset, right?

"Aki's concern is not entirely unfounded, but a healthy, normal relationship can make people shine. It's only an abnormal relationship that can cause others to lose themselves more easily," Izumi Yuu said with a smile. "Whether Kato wants to fall in love is her personal freedom. It's better if others don't interfere too much."

After saying this, Izumi Yuu realized the tea had become a bit too strong. He hadn't expected to have a natural talent for tea art.

Bah! This scumbag narrator taught me that! I am the God of Pure Love!

"Does love really make people shine? Even someone as ordinary as me?"

After hearing Izumi Yuu's words, Kato Megumi couldn't help but feel a little more favorably toward him.

This respect for others, maturity, rationality, and romantic words filled her with longing and yearning for love.

"I've told you, Kato-san, you're not ordinary. Your fair and smooth skin, delicate features, well-proportioned figure, and lovely personality are what many girls dream of!" Izumi Yuu smiled faintly, looking seriously into Kato Megumi's dark, bright eyes.

"Well... Izumi-san is exaggerating. I'm embarrassed." A faint blush appeared on Kato Megumi's delicate face.

Looks like this task might not be that difficult after all!

"No... it's not like that!" Seeing Kato Megumi's expression and actions, Aki Tomoya felt as though he'd been struck in the heart. He became more and more repulsed by Izumi Yuu.

Especially when he saw the slight smirk on Izumi Yuu's face, it seemed like a provocation. Aki Tomoya's eyes glowed with hostility.

[You sense hostility in his gaze. Facing the girl who is gradually changing her mind, he's obviously panicking and unwilling, but he can only seethe inwardly. And every bit of frustration he feels brings you a sense of pleasure. You, being kind, decide to let him see with his own eyes how the girl snuggles up to you, how she fawns on you like a loyal dog once the matter is resolved. You're even generous enough to let the girl speak to him over the phone while you run indoors so he can hear her sweet voice that he treasures...]

Savor the taste!

Izumi You rolls his eyes at the terrible narration in his head.

This narrator's suggestions seem very aligned with the Prime Minister's legacy, getting more outrageous by the minute!

"Well, if Tomoya-kun doesn't have anything else to say, Izumi-san and I are going to the classroom now," Kato Megumi said softly, glancing at Aki Tomoya. "We can talk about it in the club room after school."

After speaking, Kato Megumi walked toward the school building.

"Okay..." Tomoya Aki stood awkwardly, managing to squeeze out a single word in response.

"Well, I'll excuse myself for now, Amaki-san. We can chat again if there's an opportunity," Izumi Yuu said to Aki Tomoya with a smile. His handsome face, warm aura, and calm demeanor made Izumi Yuu even more infuriating in Aki Tomoya's eyes.

"Izumi-kun, if you don't hurry, you'll be late, okay?!" Kato Megumi, seeing that Izumi Yuu was still talking to Aki Tomoya, turned around and said with a slightly worried look.

It seems Kato Megumi didn't even notice that she had quietly changed how she addressed Izumi Yuu.

Seeing the favorability meter above Kato Megumi's head cross the 40 mark and enter the next stage, Izumi Yuu couldn't help but smile subtly.

"I'll be there right away!" Hearing Kato Megumi's call, Izumi Yuu took two steps at a time, quickly catching up with her, and the two walked toward the building side by side.

As Izumi Yuu and Kato Megumi disappeared from sight, Aki Tomoya felt a bitter pang in his heart.

Ding-ling-ling~!

After hearing the school bell, Aki Tomoya, still in a daze, finally snapped back to reality.

"It's over! I'm late!" Aki Tomoya's already-frustrated mood dropped even further.

Before the bell rang, Izumi Yuu and Kato Megumi reached the classroom door.

"Huh..." They both breathed a sigh of relief at the same time, grateful not to be late.

When they noticed each other doing the same action, they subconsciously exchanged a knowing smile.

The next moment, the atmosphere shifted subtly.

Many pairs of eyes immediately focused on them.

A woman in uniform stood at the front of the classroom, staring at the two of them with a mix of disbelief.

It was Shizuka Hiratsuka, the life guidance teacher for Class 2-C.

She was also Izumi Yuu's teacher.

This reminded Izumi Yuu of a saying from his past life:

The male protagonist may change, but Hiratsuka Shizuka remains forever.

It seemed that he was destined to be the male protagonist, only his golden finger wasn't as reliable.

"Class is about to start. Hurry back to your seats!" Hiratsuka Shizuka said, a slight unease in her voice.

As an older single woman, Shizuka Hiratsuka always instinctively felt discomfort when she saw others in love.

Even without concrete evidence, she could already sense the 'sour' atmosphere of affection.

As a woman, Hiratsuka Shizuka was extremely confident in her sixth sense.

"Remember to come to my office after school today, Izumi," Shizuka Hiratsuka added, as if remembering something.

"I understand." Izumi Yuu nodded slightly, surprised by the request.

[Black long straight hair, beautiful teacher, Darei, after-school office, uniform, older single woman, and these keywords... you quickly piece together a clear picture. You know this is your great opportunity, and all that remains is to loosen her inner reserves. As long as you release your charm, she won't be able to resist. You may need to use some forceful measures if she's shy, but in the great spirit of "If I don't go to hell, who will," you decide to dive into this game and create a masterpiece called After School Office.AVI! It's full of flavor—no need for more salt!]

Before I reach master-level physical skills, I have no confidence I can survive Hiratsuka Shizuka's iron fist!

Hearing the narrator's remarks, Izumi Yu couldn't help but roll his eyes internally.

If I really wanted to force Shizuka Hiratsuka, I wouldn't even need to call the police. She could knock me out with one punch.

It was one thing for the narrator to constantly encourage him to commit petty crimes, but this time, it was almost as if it was urging him to commit suicide!

Izumi Yu decided to ignore the disturbing remarks from the narrator.

Besides, Shizuka Hiratsuka was likely here for another reason.

When Hiratsuka Shizuka asked Izumi Yu to go to her office, Kato Megumi instinctively glanced at her with a hint of confusion.

Could it be that the teacher misunderstood us because we go to school together?

"It's none of your business!" Upon noticing Kato Megumi's look, Hiratsuka Shizuka immediately understood what she was thinking and casually shot back.

After saying that, Shizuka Hiratsuka left the classroom without another word.

"Hmm..." Kato Megumi breathed a sigh of relief when it became clear that Hiratsuka Shizuka wasn't concerned about her and Izumi Yu attending school together.

Meanwhile, whispers began circulating among the students around them.

"It looks like Izumi-san and Kana-san came to school together! Something seems fishy about the way they looked at each other just now. I sense love!" A group of girls immediately began gossiping.

"I saw it through the window! They really did come together, and it seemed like they had some kind of argument with that four-eyed otaku from the next class! That guy was even late!" A girl sitting by the window spoke mysteriously.

"Damn it! I didn't expect four eyes, who barely shows up on weekdays, to secretly attack Izumi! My idol!" A girl, looking heartbroken, dramatically clasped her chest.

"Is Tomoya-kun late?" Hearing the chatter, Kato Megumi was momentarily surprised, followed by a pang of guilt.

It seems like, because of the two of us, Akitomo couldn't get into the classroom before the bell rang.

But... this isn't really my fault, is it? Tomoya-kun was blaming Izumi-kun for no reason. It was just a club activity, and yet he was suspicious of Izumi-kun...

Thinking about how Tomoya-kun was only concerned with whether the games made by their club were exciting and produced satisfactory works, Kato Megumi's slight guilt quickly evaporated, replaced by a tinge of frustration and anger.

I can't tell if Tomoya-kun is too oblivious to his own feelings, or if he has some hidden agenda.

This thought lingered in her mind for quite some time.

Izumi Yu, sitting at his desk, noticed that he and Kato Megumi had become the subject of discussion. He immediately cast an apologetic glance at her as she stood next to him.

Kato Megumi met his gaze, and with a gentle smile, shook her head to assure him that she wasn't bothered by the comments around them. Her expression remained as calm and composed as ever.

The gossiping eventually fizzled out as the teacher arrived, signaling the end of the chatter.

In Japan, there are typically six classes a day: four in the morning and two in the afternoon. There's a lunch break in between, during which students often bring lunch from home to eat with their friends.

After the two afternoon classes, club activities begin. Clubs hold a significant place in Japanese school life, sometimes even more so than academics. This is due to Japan's more relaxed approach to education, and because clubs provide students with opportunities to develop various skills.

However, some students choose to leave school right after classes. These students usually go straight home.

Izumi Yu was a member of the Homecoming Club, but today, Hiratsuka Shizuka had asked him to come to her office after school. Izumi Yu could only sigh and prepare to head to her office.

"Um... Izumi-kun, I'm going to join the club activities first," Kato Megumi whispered as she passed by him.

"Okay, Kato-san, do your best at the club activities," Izumi Yu said with a smile as he looked up at her.

"I will," Kato Megumi replied. She was slightly taken aback by his warm, reassuring smile, which felt like it could heal anyone's heart. She nodded gently, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "Um... will Izumi-san still take that road tomorrow?"

"Of course," Izumi Yu answered without thinking.

"Okay, I understand." Kato Megumi felt her heart race a little faster, and she responded in a soft voice.

Not lingering any longer, she walked out of the classroom with her schoolbag slung over her back.

[Looking at the girl's back, the narrator mused: You know very well she's fallen for you. Now's your chance. You could rush over, hug her waist, and she won't resist. At this moment, you could even be more forceful…]

Izumi Yu groaned internally. Give me a break!

He ignored the narrator's voice in his mind and left the classroom with his bag on his back.