Hiroshi arrived at the cafe by the river early, his heart pounding with anticipation. He was eager to hear Lily's story, to finally understand the secrets that lay hidden beneath her perfect facade. He ordered a coffee and waited, his gaze fixed on the gently flowing water.
Lily arrived a few minutes later, her blonde hair shimmering in the morning sunlight. She looked even more beautiful than usual, her blue eyes sparkling with a nervous energy. She sat down opposite Hiroshi, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
"Hiroshi," she began, her voice trembling slightly, "there's something I need to tell you."
Hiroshi leaned forward, his full attention on her. "I'm listening, Lily."
Lily took a deep breath, then surprised him with her words. "Hiroshi, I… I can't let you rent me anymore."
Hiroshi's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What? Why not?"
"Because…" Lily hesitated, her gaze dropping to her lap. "Because it's not right. I… I'm not being honest with you. With any of my clients."
Hiroshi frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
"I'm not who you think I am, Hiroshi," Lily said, her voice filled with shame. "The Lily you see… the perfect girlfriend… it's all an act. A facade."
Hiroshi's mind raced, trying to process her words. "But… why?"
Lily's eyes filled with tears. "Because I'm broken, Hiroshi. I'm damaged goods. And I don't want to drag you into my mess."
Hiroshi reached across the table and gently took her hand. "Lily, please. Tell me what's wrong. Let me help you."
Lily looked at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear. "I… I can't. Not yet. But please, Hiroshi. Trust me. You're better off without me."
Hiroshi felt a surge of frustration. He wanted to understand, to help her, but she was pushing him away. "Lily, I…"
Before he could say another word, Lily's phone buzzed with a notification. She glanced at the screen, her expression hardening. "I have to go," she said, her voice filled with regret. "I'm sorry, Hiroshi."
And with that, she was gone, leaving Hiroshi alone with his confusion and his growing concern for her.
Later that week, Hiroshi met Raven at a secluded park, where she was waiting for him with her motorcycle. He hadn't heard from her since their ramen date, and he'd been surprised to receive a booking request from her through the Diamond Dates app. He was also starting to feel the financial strain of his "rental" lifestyle, and he'd begun searching for a part-time job to supplement his allowance.
"Hey, nerd," she greeted him with a smirk. "Ready for round two?"
Hiroshi couldn't help but smile back. "Always," he replied, his heart pounding with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
As they were about to head out on Raven's motorcycle, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"Hiroshi? What are you doing here?"
Hiroshi froze. He turned to see Aiko standing a few feet away, her eyes wide with disbelief. Aiko, his childhood friend and former crush, was staring at him and Raven, her expression a mixture of shock and disgust.
"Aiko," Hiroshi stammered, his cheeks burning with shame. "I… I can explain…"
"Explain what?" Aiko scoffed. "That you're cheating on Lily with this… this… biker chick?"
Hiroshi's heart sank. He'd been caught red-handed, and there was no way to deny it. He fumbled in his pocket for his phone, wanting to somehow prove that this wasn't what it looked like. But in his haste, he dropped the phone, and it clattered to the ground.
Aiko, being closer, bent down to pick it up. As she handed it back to him, her eyes widened. "Diamond Dates?" she read aloud, her voice laced with suspicion. "What's that?"
Hiroshi's stomach lurched. He'd forgotten to close the app, and now Aiko had seen it. He snatched the phone from her, his cheeks burning even brighter. "It's… uh… nothing," he mumbled, quickly shoving the phone back into his pocket.
But it was too late. Aiko's curiosity was piqued. She'd seen the name of the app, and she was determined to find out what it was all about....
Raven, sensing the tension, stepped forward and wrapped her arm around Hiroshi's waist, her fingers interlacing with his. "He's not cheating on anyone, sweetheart," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "We're just colleagues. Business partners, you could say."
Aiko's jaw dropped. "Business partners? What are you talking about?"
Raven smirked. "Let's just say we're both in the… entertainment industry."
Aiko's eyes narrowed in suspicion. She glanced from Hiroshi to Raven, then back again. Something wasn't adding up.
Driven by a mixture of curiosity and jealousy, Aiko decided to investigate. She discreetly followed Hiroshi and Raven, observing their interactions from a distance. Later that evening, she downloaded the Diamond Dates app and created a profile, determined to uncover the truth about Hiroshi's mysterious girlfriends.
To her astonishment, she discovered that both Lily and Raven were listed as "rental girlfriends" on the app. Aiko was stunned. She couldn't believe that Hiroshi, the nerdy, unassuming boy she'd always dismissed, was now renting not one, but two beautiful girlfriends.
A wave of amusement washed over her. This is too good to be true, she thought, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She decided to play along, keeping her knowledge of the app a secret for now. After all, Hiroshi wasn't bothering her anymore, and it was rather entertaining to watch his convoluted love life unfold.
Back in his dorm room, Hiroshi was feeling overwhelmed. He was juggling three potential relationships, each with its own unique challenges and complications. He was starting to realize that the world of rental romance was more complex and unpredictable than he'd ever imagined.
Just as he was about to give up and delete the Diamond Dates app, he received a text message from an unknown number.
"Hi, Hiroshi. It's me, Sakura Sato. I saw your flyer about tutoring. I'm really struggling with calculus, and I was wondering if you could help me."
Hiroshi frowned, trying to place the name. He didn't recognize it, but the girl's profile picture looked vaguely familiar. He decided to respond, setting up a tutoring session for the following week.
Little did he know that this new tutoring client would soon become another player in his increasingly complicated love life.