A Beautiful Girl Confessed Her Love to Me as a Punishment Game, but After We Started Dating, She Started Getting More and More Obsessive

Chapter 27

I think I’m beautiful, if I do say so myself.

My mother worked as an announcer in Tokyo when she was young, and my father had fairly good looks. Genetically, I had no reason not to be beautiful.

On top of that, I never neglected efforts to enhance my appearance.

Every morning, I washed my face, moisturized, did light exercise, and then ate breakfast.

For breakfast, I ate oatmeal and fruit. I chewed slowly to avoid spiking my blood sugar, and after eating, I studied for the day.

Studying was important for creating beauty.

No matter how flawless my skin or figure, I felt a person who didn’t study looked somewhat foolish (Kiryu-san’s personal opinion).

A woman with good looks but no inner intelligence got treated lightly and taken advantage of (Kiryu-san’s personal bias).

At school, I worked hard at everything possible.

First, I put effort into communicating with friends.

Even with great looks, isolation made you seem weak.

If seen as weak, trivial guys thought, “Maybe I have a chance,” which cheapened me.

I wasn’t the type to approach others, but luckily, my looks drew people to me. I didn’t mind talking, so I considered myself fortunate.

I also worked hard at events.

I studied and exercised diligently.

I believed that fully committing to everything in my student years would make my future self shine brighter.

After school, if Minami invited me, I went out, trained at the gym if I had energy, and studied at home.

For dinner, I ate mixed grains or porridge instead of white rice. Porridge digested easier, was gentler on my organs, and benefited my skin.

After a short break, I bathed in lukewarm water for a half-body soak.

I warmed my body for about an hour, did proper skincare, and studied again. Importantly, I avoided smartphone or computer screens before bed to maintain sleep quality.

Sleep was the most critical aspect of beauty.

So, I aimed to sleep by 11 p.m. every day.

I knew I was blessed with genetics and environment.

But I took pride in working harder than anyone.

So, I disliked compliments like “You’re beautiful, so jealous,” “You’re so smart,” or “You’re great at sports” mixed with “Kiryu-san’s a genius!”

This wasn’t talent.

A real genius was…

I didn’t want to flaunt my efforts. I just felt uneasy when people envied my environment or genetics without knowing me.

◇

I approached Numata-kun because of a “penalty game.”

Dachi-san suggested confessing to the person in class you most wanted to date.

I noticed Fujisaki-kun liked me. It was probably Dachi-san’s nosy attempt to pair us. But I didn’t like Fujisaki-kun romantically.

Our parents were close due to business, and he had some popularity, so he organized group outings, which we often joined.

He often belittled those he saw as beneath him, skipped club activities about twice a week, and only voiced opinions after ensuring agreement from non-opposing people—petty traits. I could tolerate him as a friend, but not as a boyfriend.

Fujisaki-kun, unaware of my feelings, got fidgety, and the class treated my confession like a spectacle.

I hated being the center of attention like this.

Anger boiled inside me.

Determined not to choose Fujisaki-kun, I scanned the classroom. Every boy fidgeted, hoping I’d pick them.

I wouldn’t choose someone I barely spoke to.

If someone liked me, I wished they’d at least stand up boldly, but no one, including Fujisaki-kun, did.

Sighing, I considered banging the desk and saying I had no crush to avoid seeming spineless, despite the annoying scrutiny. Then, I noticed a boy awkwardly averting his gaze.

Wasn’t that Numata-kun?

I vaguely recalled him occasionally glancing at us but mostly reading quietly in the classroom corner.

“(I feel bad dragging someone timid like him into this, but I don’t want to seem spineless over this.)”

Looking back, I think he was the only one in the class who sensed my true feelings.

So, a slight curiosity might have prompted me to approach him.

My impression of Numata-kun was a listless, shy classmate.

He didn’t groom, had stubble, and read alone without talking to anyone.

He probably didn’t enjoy interacting with others.

I didn’t quite understand, but I knew some people preferred solitude.

Talking to him changed my view slightly.

“Your meal’s like a model’s,” Numata-kun remarked.

It was the first thing he said.

I cared deeply about meals, second only to sleep.

Some teased my simple diet, but he was the first to compliment it positively. He noticed good things.

Talking to him, I realized Numata-kun was surprisingly easy to converse with.

He observed well, drew out topics I wanted to discuss, listened without interrupting, and responded thoughtfully.

He wasn’t incapable of communication.

Wanting to know him more, I invited him to eat.

In hindsight, I hoped he’d praise my usual efforts, like he did with my meal.

As expected, Numata-kun praised me.

During studying and after the gym.

I’d probably never forget his words after the meal.

The most striking thing was realizing Numata-kun wasn’t as listless as I thought.

I expected him to show up ungroomed, but he tidied his hair and wore decent clothes—surprisingly nice ones.

He wasn’t strikingly handsome, but when groomed, he had a charming face. Not girlish, but his smile was cute.

Despite seeming shy, he walked with a straight back beside me.

He matched my pace, making walking comfortable.

Whether our wavelengths aligned or he was considerate, I felt comfort in his small actions.

The most surprising was him completing my uncle’s training.

It wasn’t intense, and my uncle didn’t push him, but Numata-kun didn’t seem athletic.

Sweating with bangs stuck to his forehead, exhausted but finishing, showed grit and left a good impression.

I thought he was listless, but he just lacked opportunities and could perform when he tried.

Grooming, training—probably even studying—he could excel if he wanted.

He sincerely praised me, respected me, and worked hard himself, making me feel a kinship with Numata-kun.

I planned to end things after getting through that moment, but I wanted to continue this relationship a bit longer.

“Kirino’s with Numata as a ‘penalty game.’ How long will you keep that up?” Minami-san asked later.

Her words startled me.

Indeed, my relationship with Numata-kun started as a penalty game.

I felt comfortable with him and wanted to continue, but it probably didn’t feel good for him.

If he were insignificant to me, I wouldn’t care, but in this short time, Numata-kun became important to me.

Minami-san’s point—that I should reset this unfair relationship and face Numata-kun properly, as he did for me—was undeniably right.

Still, I struggled with what our relationship should be.

I liked Numata-kun and felt comfortable with him, but becoming official lovers? I wasn’t sure.

It hadn’t even been a week since we first talked.

Starting as friends seemed best.

But what if Numata-kun asked to date me?

I think I’m an attractive person, if I say so myself.

I excel in looks, academics, and athletics, and I never slack in improving. Numata-kun saw beyond my exterior, repeatedly saying kind things.

Just as I liked him, he likely felt the same.

He wasn’t bad at socializing but didn’t enjoy it and lacked confidence, so I wasn’t sure he’d ask.

If he didn’t, slowly building a friendship seemed good.

Thinking this, I sent Numata-kun a message to meet.

“My relationship with you, Kiryu-san, started with a penalty game, sure. But learning you’re not just amazing but work hard behind the scenes, going out together, eating lunch during break, or chatting on the way to school was fun… So, um… I’d be happy if you’d keep hanging out with me as friends,” Numata-kun confessed.

Numata-kun confessed to me!!!!

Despite his shyness, he stepped up when it mattered.

His occasional boldness, contrasting his cute features, made me like him even more.

“I was just about to suggest the same thing. I didn’t expect you to say it first, Numata-kun,” I replied.

Thus, Numata-kun and I officially became lovers.

This time, it wasn’t a penalty game but a mutual, genuine relationship.