Chapter 2: Playing the Girlfriend

That morning, all the maids turned out to try and stop Shiga Inui.

But even with all of them together, they stood no chance of stopping him.

“My bad!! Seriously gotta get to school, so with this—oh, and if you could tell Shian-chan that yesterday was, like, really great, but in the most poetic way possible, that’d be a huge help. Later!!”

He fled the scene faster than anyone.

And when Shiga Inui got back to his own house, he went straight back to bed.

A few days later.

Shiga Inui got ready and headed to school.

His school was the municipal Asahimasa Academy, built on the Hiryuuin clan’s territory.

It was known for its relaxed rules: as long as you wore a shirt and the armband identifying you as a student, anything else went.

Shiga Inui wore a black gakuran-style jacket, and underneath, a Japanese-style jinbei.

He threw the classroom door open with gusto and called out.

“‘Sup.”

With that half-hearted greeting, he sat at his desk and immediately slumped over, ready to sleep.

To him, school was a prison, but also a place to find a sliver of freedom in an otherwise restrictive world.

He reveled in the freedom of sleeping at his desk—a small rebellion against the obligation to attend school in the first place.

“Ugh… it’s Shiga.” 

“Don’t get involved with him. There’s nothing but bad rumors…” 

“Well, you’d rebel too if you were given a name that flashy…” 

“Don’t say that, he’ll kill you!”

His reputation among the students was poor.

Not that Shiga Inui had any intention of doing anything about it.

Whispers like that were just background noise. As long as there was no real harm done, he had no reason to make a move.

More importantly, as Inui settled in to sleep, a wave of drowsiness washed over him.

(Ah… I can fall asleep… gotta… sleep…)

Just as he was about to indulge in a lazy nap, the classroom suddenly erupted in a commotion.

“Hey, it’s the Student Council President.” 

“Wonder what she wants.” 

“Huh? …She’s heading for Shiga?”

The students started to buzz.

“Hey.”

A voice called out to Inui as he kept his eyes shut.

Wondering who it was, Shiga Inui opened his eyes.

And he immediately frowned.

There stood Mineki Shian, the girl Shiga Inui had held as his reward just yesterday.

(You’ve got to be kidding me…)

He was bewildered.

Because she was talking to him at school.

Basically, since members of the Hiryuuin clan lived on the territory, they naturally attended the private Asahimasa Academy built upon it.

So, being close in age, Shiga Inui and Mineki Shian went to the same school.

But their positions were different.

Shiga Inui was a delinquent, a social outcast famous for his lack of seriousness, while Mineki Shian was known throughout the academy as the diligent Student Council President.

From the very beginning, she had laid down the law with him.

‘I don’t want anyone to think we’re associated, so don’t talk to me.’

Shiga Inui had agreed without a second thought.

If that’s what she wanted, he would respect her wishes.

And so, for the past six months, he had never initiated a conversation, nor had Mineki Shian ever spoken to him in public.

Exchanging emails was their only means of communication.

And yet, for some reason, Mineki Shian was talking to him of her own accord.

…

(I’ll just pretend to be asleep.)

He had already raised his head and seen her, but he decided to act like it had nothing to do with him and drift off.

However, in response to Inui’s ploy, Mineki Shian smacked him on the head.

An open palm, hard—a blow meant to wake him up.

Naturally, he writhed in agony.

“Ow! What the hell was that for?! I was doing you a favor and ignoring you!!”

He glared at Mineki Shian, his eyes watering.

“Shut up, you’re annoying. Don’t look at me.”

She spoke to him with her usual harsh words.

The other students watched the exchange, confused.

“What’s their deal?” 

“She’s probably here to expel him. His conduct is awful.” 

“But he gave me his bread at the school store once.”

Such were the conversations whispered between students.

“If you had something to say… you could’ve just sent an email, couldn’t ya… You hate talking in front of people, right? Shian-chan.”

“Hmph… It’s a little late to worry about that now… Besides, this will be quick.”

With that, Mineki Shian handed something to Shiga Inui.

It was a wrapped lunch box.

“Huh? What’s this, a bomb?”

(Maybe it’s a time bomb wrapped up all nicely,) Inui thought.

“It’s nothing. I just made too much… If you don’t want it, throw it away.”

That was all she came to say.

After handing him the lunch box, Mineki Shian left the classroom.

“A lunch box!?” 

“Wait, they’re in that kind of relationship!?” 

“No way, she must have just dropped it or something.”

Theories flew.

(What are you thinking, Shian-chan?)

Shiga Inui wondered, still holding the lunch box.

It was lunchtime.

Shiga Inui was on the roof.

The forbidden roof, where no one was allowed to enter.

He had a key to all the school’s locks, so he could get in anywhere.

Inui let out a breath on the roof.

He got out the lunch box he had received from Mineki Shian.

“Whoa…”

Shiga Inui muttered as he looked at the lunch box.

He opened it, thinking only that he had just saved some money on lunch.

Written on the rice in seaweed was, ‘There’s no ulterior motive.’

And behind the seaweed, there were faint traces of a heart mark that had been made with pink fish floss.

“Creepy…”

He was just about to check if there was anything weird in it before eating when an announcement came from the broadcasting room.

‘Third-year, Shiga Inui. Report to the Student Council office immediately. I repeat, Shiga Inui, report to the Student Council office immediately. I will not say it a third time.’

It was Mineki Shian’s voice.

(Why is she calling me over the PA system?)

With that thought in mind, Shiga Inui held the lunch box.

He figured it was about a discussion regarding the Hiryuuin clan.

Since that was a definite possibility, he decided to hurry.

Shiga Inui headed for the Student Council office.

There, as he entered the room, a savory aroma tickled his nose.

Mineki Shian glared at him.

“You’re late, you mutt.”

Tossing out the insult, Mineki Shian poured the contents of a thermos into a cup.

The source of the savory aroma was the miso soup from her thermos.

A cup placed on the Student Council office’s private desk.

Shiga Inui stared at it.

“…”

“What are you doing? You haven’t eaten yet, have you… Or are you going to tell me you already finished your meal somewhere I don’t know about?”

The pressure she was giving off was intense.

Shiga Inui placed the lunch box on the desk.

“Uh… Miss Shian-chan.”

Shiga Inui sat in a chair and looked at Mineki Shian.

It was obvious—no, it was absolutely certain—that she was still hung up on that night.

And so, Shiga Inui said to her.

“This might be, uh, out of character for a piece of trash like me, but,”

“…Don’t preface it. You’re such a pain.”

He had to resist the urge to say, You’re one to talk.

And so, just as she said, he got straight to the point.

“Could you stop playing the girlfriend?”

Just because they spent one night together.

That’s what Shiga Inui was telling her.

Besides, she was the one who said it was a one-night-only relationship.

He was simply abiding by that.

“What? Are you suggesting that I am conscious of you? …Impossible. Look in a mirror.”

Being told that, Shiga Inui checked the mirror in the Student Council office.

“Huh? That’s weird… All I see is a handsome guy.”

The mirror reflected the face of Shiga Inui, with his black hair and round sunglasses.

“I know.”

Mineki Shian answered instantly.

“Aren’t you supposed to insult me?”

“…I’ll give you this much: you have a nice face.”

She praised him while looking away.

No matter how she struggled, it seemed she had fallen for him.

(My heart is pounding…)

Ever since that day, Mineki Shian couldn’t stop thinking about Shiga Inui.

At first, she wondered if she resented him for the pain of losing her virginity, but that wasn’t it.

The first man to make her a woman now seemed to shine dazzlingly bright.

The more she thought about him, the more good qualities she found.

Even when she looked for his flaws, they just seemed endearing.

She was head over heels in love. Once it got to this point, there was nothing left to do but continue loving him.

(To think a mere mutt could disrupt my heart like this… Ugh…)

Damn him, she thought, but the very thought itself was proof that she was thinking about him.

Still, she felt that changing her attitude wasn’t quite right.

She didn’t want to suddenly become like a bitch in heat, wagging her tail.

That was the one thing she could remain firm on; she needed a little more time before she could be honest.

That’s why Mineki Shian would never, ever show that she was in love with Shiga Inui in front of him.

That’s what she thought, and she had been careful, but.

“I don’t care about you. Don’t turn your face this way. I don’t want you in my sight.”

“That’s not something you can say with a beet-red face.”

She had been inviting Shiga Inui for all sorts of reasons.

It was likely unconscious, but she seemed to believe she hadn’t fallen for him at all.

“You know, Shian-chan, if you’re going to get this worked up about it? Maybe you shouldn’t have offered me your body in the first place.”

“I-I just thought that Mother would be wasted on you! Rather than let you have Mother, I would offer my own body. It’s perfectly logical, isn’t it?”

He put a piece of food from the lunch box into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

Then he took a sip of miso soup and exhaled.

“If you were gonna be this conscious about it, maybe I would’ve been better off taking the clan head after all.”

Shiga Inui’s words went too far.

Naturally, any blood relative of the Hiryuuin clan would be enraged by such an insulting remark.

Even Mineki Shian’s brow furrowed at his words.

“Hey… watch your mouth.”

She glared at Shiga Inui.

“Don’t talk about other women in front of me.”

Even if it was her own flesh and blood.

She would not permit him to speak of another in her presence.

She glared, snapping the chopsticks in her hand.

“She’s dead serious…”

Shiga Inui was taken aback by her intensity.

While all this was happening, their lunch break was coming to an end.

“I’d better hurry up and eat…”

Shiga Inui decided to eat the lunch Mineki Shian had prepared.

“Is it good?”

“Don’t ask me before I’ve even tried it…”

He stuffed his cheeks with rice.

The taste was pretty good, but it was a little bland.

“How is it?”

Mineki Shian asked about the flavor again.

“Ah… it’s good, but I think it could use a little more salt.”

He gave his honest opinion on the cooking.

Suddenly, something black dripped onto his lunch.

When he looked up, Mineki Shian was holding a bottle of soy sauce.

“Then eat it with soy sauce… Go ahead and eat it while ruining the flavor I went to the trouble of making.”

Mineki Shian said, slightly angry.

“Is this your way of telling me to destroy my taste buds?”

He ate, thinking to himself that he would never again comment on her cooking in her presence.

But the soy sauce actually matched the lunch just right.

When he finished his meal, Shiga Inui tried to leave.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Of course, Mineki Shian had anticipated his move and was standing in front of the door. Shiga Inui backed away, looking annoyed.

“Wh-What do you mean…? I’m going to class. Next period I have to give a speech in English with Johnson-sensei.”

“Next period is a test in Mr. Mutouda’s Japanese class.”

“How do you know that?”

“Besides, it wouldn’t make a difference if you took it or not.”

“Why would you say something so mean?”

It was a pretty harsh thing to say.

It was true, but he felt the urge to deny it.

“Who’s teaching the class isn’t important. What’s important is participating… you know? A teacher’s voice makes you sleepy, right? It’s the best when you use that voice as a lullaby and fall asleep.”

A teacher’s job is not to put students to sleep.

Their job is to teach the students, and the students’ job is to learn.

“When you try to run away, it makes me want to chase you.”

“A hunter’s instinct?”

Shiga Inui backed away.

“I really don’t care about you, but… when you try so hard to escape, it becomes a matter of pride, you know?”

Mineki Shian stared at Shiga Inui.

“Whoa, whoa… I’ve told you over and over, Shian-chan, you can’t get attached to me, okay? Besides, you’re the one who said it was a one-night-only relationship, remember?”

She was being so persistent that Shiga Inui threw her own words back at her like a shield.

“…Ngh.”

A choked sound escaped her.

It was Mineki Shian’s voice.

“…That’s right, it is… A single night. However, it was my first time… It’s possible I’d be flustered, that my feelings would change!”

This feeling is just a whim, it means nothing.

She said it to convince herself.

“So… to go back to the me who thought of you as nothing more than a mutt… I’ll take you one more time.”

“How does that make any sense?”

She undid her school ribbon and started unbuttoning her top button.

Exposing her black underwear, her beet-red face stared at Shiga Inui.

“If we do what we did that night one more time, I’ll realize you’re an insignificant being. Come on, get it out.”

Her breathing was ragged.

As her eyes drew nearer, Shiga Inui was certain she was serious.

“It’s a reward because it only happened once… If you have me twice, it’s not a reward anymore, is it?”

“You idiot… Is there any other man in this world who gets to hold my body twice? …Consider this a luxury that surpasses any reward!”

She grabbed Shiga Inui’s jinbei.

Having given up on escaping, Shiga Inui stared at Mineki Shian.

Up close, he could see just how beautiful her face was.

At school she was called an unattainable flower, a steel thorn that would cut you if you touched it, and other such grand titles, but her stunning looks held a charm that captivated everyone.

“So, what, is this sex ed class at school?”

“You prefer it this way anyway, don’t you… You pervert!”

She initiated a kiss with Shiga Inui.

Mineki Shian prayed that this feeling was not love, but a concoction of murderous intent and hatred.

Her tongue darted from her mouth. The heated tip transferred its warmth inside his.

If his partner was willing, Shiga Inui had no reservations.

He pulled her in tightly and violated Mineki Shian’s lips.

As his mind reeled and the heat threatened to overwhelm him, she suddenly pulled away.

“Ah, dammit… Can’t be helped.”

The moment a man defiles a noble woman, he becomes a beast.

Just before that final step, before he became a wolf, Shiga Inui looked at her and said.

“There’s a limit to luxury, you know…”

“Of course… You’d better serve me, too. Give me… luxury… Nnh.”

Then, her face melted into a rapturous expression, and Mineki Shian’s tongue darted out again, stealing Shiga Inui’s heat once more.