How to Handle a Yandere Harem - Chapter 10 - Once upon a Norisa time

Nori and I have been thick as thieves since we were just scrappy eight-year-olds throwing makeshift paper planes across the classroom. Our friendship? It was the epic rollercoaster kind — full of ups and downs, complete with mutual ribbing and heaps of respect. We were pretty much inseparable, weathering through all kinds of storms together.

Fast forward to our teenage years, life tossed in a new twist: Elizabeth and Esther. Elizabeth, with her laugh that could light up a room, became my first girlfriend while Nori landed himself with Esther. She seemed cool enough at first, sweet even, always by Nori’s side, taking care of him. Or so we thought.

But behind those caring smiles, Esther had her own game plan. It turned out that she wasn’t all hearts and flowers but more about cash flow. It wasn’t like Nori was rolling in dough, but whatever little he had, he’d spend on her. When I stumbled upon the truth, man, it was like standing at a crossroads with no good turns. If I told Nori, it would crush him. If I didn’t, Esther’s schemes would most likely drain him dry.

So, there I was, stuck in a real fix for months, wrestling with my conscience until that one night at a bar changed everything. Esther was there, plotting something shady. What happened next is still a blur. All I remember is waking up to Elizabeth’s soothing voice telling me everything was going to be okay.

After the dust settled, Nori went into his shell, building walls around his heart like a fortress. It took him years before he could even think about dating again.

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Back in the present, the game’s still on, and the stakes? Higher than ever. Nori and I are knee-deep in our latest escapade — hunting for clues in a world that’s like a labyrinth, complete with secrets around every corner. Just when I thought we’d caught a breather, I found myself having a chat with a demon of knowledge — a twist you never see coming until it’s right there in your face.

As we plotted our next move, one big question haunted me: What was Esther’s endgame with Nori? Was she back to shatter what was left of his heart? Over my dead keyboard — no way was I going to let her anywhere near him again.

Where could she be lurking? Who exactly was she now? These questions buzzed in my head like annoying flies. The top priority was putting a shield around Nori, making sure Esther’s shadow didn’t darken his doorstep again.

Think, Adriel, think…

How do you hide someone from a past that’s determined to find them? Maybe it’s not about hiding; maybe it’s about confronting the danger head-on.

All right, it’s time to flip the script. If Esther was hunting for Nori, maybe it was time we hunted her down first. Set the trap, lay the bait. It’s high time to turn the hunter into the hunted.

….

…

.

As we trudged through the neon-lit streets, the air thick with every single possibility out there, my mind spun with the dangers of confronting Esther. Too risky. She was unpredictable, a wildcard capable of tearing through Nori’s fragile peace like a storm.

Better not…

This girl was a tempest, and Nori still clung to that slender thread of hope. No, I couldn’t let her near him.

Lost in these grim thoughts, I nearly missed the shift in our conversation to something lighter, albeit dangerously so.

“Adriel… What are the chances of this school having more hot girls like Daphne?” Nori’s voice pulled me back to the present with a mischievous lilt.

I shot him a wary glance, half-amused, half-anxious. 

“If God is good to me, little… I don’t want Liz finding out I’m with other girls, and definitely not Daphne.”

“Ah, Elizabeth… she’s so scary… Most people envy you, including me… but sometimes, I think, ‘I’m glad I’m not him.’”

His laughter stung a bit, considering the emotional load I’d shared with him. I could feel a twinge of annoyance prickling at the back of my mind. 

Stay calm, Adriel. He’s still your friend.

“Let’s change the subject, Norisa… how’s your love life?” 

“You damn thing… you know very well how it is… And how’s your professional life going… still juggling those three girlfriends?”

“You damn…” I started, my retort cut sharp by a sudden shout that sliced through the school.

“NORISA!”

We froze. The voice, chillingly familiar, belonged unmistakably to another specter from Nori’s troubled past.