When My Girlfriend Cheated On Me And Spread Rumors That I Was A Guy Who Would Sleep With Anyone, I Decided To Just Accept It And Ended Up Dating The Most Slutty Girl In School. - Chapter 24: Declaration of War.

Declaration of War.

The next day, Naoki found himself having lunch with Kirara in the cafeteria for the first time in a while.

“Hey, who’s that? Have we ever had such a handsome guy in our school?”

“He must have been here, but I don’t know. Besides, look at Hanabusa; she’s already moved on to another guy. Typical.”

“Of course. Wasn’t it Ashimura? He’s not only dull but also a player. Only girls like that would be interested. They probably got bored after a few times.”

“I heard Shimizu-san got a nice boyfriend, too. And Ashimura got dumped by even a girl like that—he deserves it, honestly. Haha.”

“Who do you think that guy is? An upperclassman, maybe?”

“He’s intriguing. Knowing that girl, she’ll get bored quickly. Maybe I’ll make a move next.”

“Stop it. He seems like a bad guy, doesn’t he? Like the kind who might hit women…”

“That’s what’s attractive!”

“Right?!”

(… This is a really complicated feeling.)

Naoki frowned at the hushed conversations he overheard.

Kirara’s makeover had worked wonders, making Naoki almost unrecognizable.

For someone who had never been called handsome, this situation was admittedly delightful. Throughout the day, students passed by with expressions that seemed to say, “Who is this handsome guy?” It was hard not to smile.

However, he couldn’t fully enjoy it because of the way they talked about Kirara.

While it was understandable from an outsider’s perspective, it still hurt to hear people badmouth someone who had done so much for him.

As for Kirara herself…

“… Ehehehe,” she giggled with a satisfied grin, like she had just posted a viral tweet.

She wore a look of complete satisfaction.

“…How can you laugh at a time like this?”

“Maybe you don’t get it, but for a cosplayer, it’s super exciting when your work gets praised. It’s sometimes even better than getting compliments on your own cosplay.”

Her hushed voice was buoyant with excitement.

“…I kind of get it.”

It was probably like the feeling when a gameplay video you posted on Twitter went viral.

Having your skills recognized was a similar experience.

Naoki had felt that satisfaction a few times before.

“So, what’s bothering you?”

“…It’s just not fair. I’m the only one getting compliments while people are talking bad about you.”

Naoki felt uneasy, like he was cheating. The discomfort was compounded by the fact that Kirara was being talked about negatively.

“Are you really worried about that? It’s fine, I’m used to this kind of thing,” she reassured him.

(… There’s no way that’s true.)

While Naoki couldn’t know exactly how Kirara felt, he found it hard to believe she wasn’t affected. Even if she had a strong mental fortitude, nobody could remain entirely unfazed by hearing bad things about themselves. Being accustomed to it didn’t necessarily mean it didn’t bother her.

Naoki didn’t intend to dwell on it since Kirara had brushed it off.

“Thank you. Just knowing you’re angry on my behalf is enough for me. Besides, it’s my turn next, right? So stop frowning! You’re ruining that handsome face,” she said with a wink, her cute gesture making Naoki’s heart skip a beat. It was enough to erase the sharp edges of his feelings.

“…Well, if you say so,” he replied.

“Yeah. So, shall we reveal the trick?” she suggested.

Naoki nodded and raised his voice deliberately.

“Thanks, Kirara, for helping me with this makeover. It’s like I’m a whole new person,” he announced, his voice familiar to the students in the cafeteria, who quickly turned their attention toward him in shock.

“No way. That voice…”

“Is that Ashimura!?”

“Impossible!”

“He looks like a completely different person!”

Seeing their expected reactions, Kirara cleared her throat and put on her cheerful gyaru persona.

“Well, of course, it’s easy for the amazing Kirara to pull this off, right? My boyfriend has to be this handsome, doesn’t he? I didn’t sleep around with so many guys for nothing! I knew Asshi had potential, though I didn’t expect such a transformation. I’ve fallen for him all over again! Love you!”

She pressed herself against Naoki’s arm, emphasizing her affection.

Naoki’s heart raced at the unexpected closeness.

(Stop that!)

Naoki scolded himself, feeling a pang of frustration. Even though he’d indulged himself after Kirara left the previous day, it hadn’t been enough. It couldn’t be helped; she was an incredibly alluring woman in both body and mind. No matter how much he tried to control himself, his body reacted instinctively—a sad truth of being a man.

As they continued their act, the cafeteria erupted into chaos. The girls stared in shock, while the boys shot envious glances, murmuring, “She’s a lucky one, huh?” It seemed Kirara’s reputation had improved, much to Naoki’s relief. The crowd began taking pictures, eager to spread the news. He couldn’t help but feel a bit proud.

“How does it feel?” Kirara asked with a mischievous grin.

“…Not bad,” Naoki replied, hiding his embarrassment. A thought crossed his mind. “Is this what it’s like to have your picture taken in cosplay?”

“Interested?” Kirara’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“…Not really,” he hesitated, knowing it wasn’t entirely true. He couldn’t bring himself to admit it, though.

“Come on, don’t be shy. Male cosplayers are rare. Want to join me?” she offered.

A whirlwind of thoughts spun through Naoki’s mind. He wanted to get closer to Kirara, but using his current position felt unfair. Kirara was being kind out of sympathy; they weren’t even friends. He felt unworthy of cosplaying, especially beside someone as skilled as her. Yet, a part of him wanted to see Kirara in cosplay, driven by a mix of genuine curiosity and undeniable attraction. He couldn’t deny that deep down, he hoped to become her real boyfriend, even if he felt undeserving.

Caught in the swirl of conflicting emotions, Naoki finally spoke up.

“…Well, I’ll think about it.”

“Yay!” Kirara exclaimed, clearly excited.

Despite his hesitation, she was already fully on board. For Naoki, it was a few days since he last felt such happiness. He realized how foolish he’d been to consider breaking up, cursing his own stupidity. Such good fortune wouldn’t come twice, and he resolved not to let it slip away—at least not unless Kirara decided to end it.

It wasn’t long before Chiharu, having heard the rumors, showed up in the cafeteria. Her expression, one of utter shock, was so out of character that Naoki felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Facing his ex-girlfriend, he stuck out his tongue and raised his middle finger—a declaration of war.