[Warning 15+]
Part Two~Save That Old Energy Only For Me, Seriously!~Chapter 77Traitor
"This way! We're bolting straight for the exit!"
"Wait—Hayato!?"
Hayato charged down the deserted stairs, skipping two steps at a time. The way they were flying toward the lower floors, you'd probably say they were tumbling down rather than running.
It probably looked pretty trashy acting like that. But Hayato didn't give a d*mn—all he cared about was getting out. Or maybe it's more like he didn't have the breathing room to care. Just lucky nobody was around to see them, I guess.
By the time they hit the main street, both Hayato and Haruki were completely winded.
"Huff... ...puff..."
"Whew... ...whew..."
The sight of a young boy and a young girl doubled over, gasping for air right there on the sidewalk, must've looked pretty sketchy, 'cause they were definitely catching some weird looks from the people passing by.
When Haruki shot Hayato a resentful, slightly troubled glare, he just scratched his cheek, feeling pretty awkward.
"...Sorry."
"It's not like I wanted an apology or anything. ...But, thanks."
"...Yeah."
Saying that, Haruki finally let a smile tug at her lips.
Hayato's move earlier had been pure instinct. Himeko and Kaidō Kazuki were probably losing their minds right about now. Just thinking of an excuse was giving Hayato a headache, but seeing Haruki like this let him breathe a huge sigh of relief.
The prickly, tense air between them finally started to chill out.
Then, out of nowhere, Haruki knit her brows and turned to face Hayato head-on.
"But you know, I was caught off guard 'cause it happened so fast, but I'll be fine from now on."
"...Huh?"
"Because, you see... ...I've decided to give it my all."
"What do you mean by...?"
Haruki's eyes were dead serious. Along with that, there was a certain strength of will coming from her.
Why? How come? Is Haruki really okay? A million questions swirled in Hayato's head, but the look in her eyes didn't give him a chance to ask a single one.
It wasn't that mischievous look Haruki usually had, nor was it the one tinged with loneliness or that cold, robotic mask she wore to keep people out. Being on the receiving end of a gaze so different from the rest left Hayato totally stumped. Even though he was a bit confused, he looked back into her eyes, trying to figure out what she really meant.
(...Man, Haruki's gorgeous.)
That was the only thought running through Hayato's head. He couldn't look away even if he wanted to.
Haruki's big, bright eyes were crystal clear, yet they were so deep that you couldn't even see the bottom. It was like Hayato was being sucked into them, totally mesmerized.
"So, you'd better keep your eyes on me from now on, okay?"
"!! ...Y-Yeah..."
And when Haruki suddenly leaned in and flashed that smile like she was peeking at Hayato, it's no wonder his heart skipped a beat. Plus, he caught a quick glimpse of some black lace from her neckline.
Hayato was being overtaken by a feeling he'd never felt before. His heart was hammering against his ribs at an insane speed. Panic-stricken, he yanked his whole body away and looked elsewhere, aggressively scratching his head.
"Big Bro! Haru-chan too! What was that all about? Seriously, geez!"
"Himeko..."
Just as Hayato turned away, he spotted Himeko and Kaidō Kazuki. Looks like they'd managed to catch up.
Himeko was totally fuming over that stunt earlier. With her hands on her hips, she stomped over, grumbling and "mooing" like a mad cow. Moo.
"Do you have any idea how much of a mess that was?! We were stuck there getting stared at by everyone, and then things got all hectic with the actors moving around for the stage greeting... ...and honestly, I kinda wanted to catch a glimpse too—wait, are you even listening, Big Bro?!"
"Yeah, yeah, I said I'm sorry."
While Hayato tried to cool Himeko down, he was actually breathing a massive sigh of relief. He felt like he’d been practically saved by her interruption.
But Himeko clearly wasn't buying her big bro's attitude, her brows twitching even more. Truth be told, Hayato was definitely just trying to play it off. Obviously.
"Come on, Hime-chan, that was just... ...you know, 'one of those things.' It just happened like that, so just chill, okay?"
"Yeah, Himeko, it was just... ...eh, look, I'll buy you lunch, so just cheer up, alright?"
"Gr, you two have been like this forever...—wait, huh??"
"...What is it, Himeko?"
"What's up, Hime-chan?"
"Nothing, just... ...I felt like someone was watching us or something...?"
Suddenly feeling like something was off, Himeko glanced around restlessly.
Hayato and Haruki scanned the area too, but all they saw were crowds of people flowing toward their next destination. They were definitely catching a few looks because they'd been making a scene, but nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. Himeko just tilted her head in confusion.
That's when Kaidō Kazuki stepped in, perfectly reading the room to get things back on track.
"Anyway, let's get moving. After all that noise, it's no wonder someone might've been watching us."
"Ugh... ...but you're right. I'm starving anyway... ...Oh, that's right, there was this place I wanted to check out. Let's see..."
Saying that, Himeko started searching on her smartphone.
Ignoring her for a sec, Kaidō Kazuki turned to talk to Hayato and Haruki.
"By the way, what exactly was that 'thing' you guys were talking about?"
"...Who knows?"
"I wonder what it could be?"
The three of them looked at each other and shared a laugh.
◇◇◇
"Wait, for real? We can just sit anywhere that's open?! And there's no menu... ...but we order with a... ...tablet?! How the heck do you even use this thing?!"
They ended up at a cheap, famous Italian family restaurant that's a huge hit with the younger crowd.
Since it was Himeko's very first time at a famires, she was totally acting like a noob, saying stuff like, "Did the order actually go through?!" and "Is the drink bar really 'all-you-can-drink' for the same price?!" It was basically a carbon copy of how Hayato acted not too long ago.
Now that it was Hayato's second time at a famires, he stepped up for Himeko, saying, "You can check the history if you're worried," and "Want me to grab you a drink while I'm at it?" Himeko gave a resentful nod. Haruki also whispered "Melon soda" under her breath.
"Ugh, seriously though, how are you so used to this, Big Bro?!"
"Right?! I'm actually shocked, considering it's you, Hayato!"
"Well, it's not like it's my first time."
"Even though you're my Big Bro!?"
"Even though it's you, Hayato!?"
"...Give me a break, you guys."
Haruki and Himeko's voices and judgmental glares lined up perfectly.
By the way, even though Haruki was trying to act all cool and collected, her eyes were darting everywhere like she was in a museum, just like Himeko.
Kaidō Kazuki just watched them all with a smile, making Himeko and Haruki shrink back in embarrassment when they caught his eye. But the second the food arrived, their faces lit up like Christmas trees.
They were making a scene, excitedly swapping bites of their pasta to compare flavors. Meanwhile, Hayato—who was being mugged for bites of his food by the two of them—was too busy being terrified by the price. (This is only 300 yen?! If I’m not careful, this is actually cheaper than cooking at home!)
The vibe was super cozy.
Haruki and Himeko were being loud and keeping the convo going, Hayato was getting teased and roasted by both of them, and Kaidō Kazuki was watching over it all, jumping in to help or mediate every now and then. It was the perfect balance. In the middle of it all, Kaidō Kazuki murmured something under his breath, sounding totally heartfelt.
"Are Kirishima-kun and Nikaidō-san always like this?"
"Huh?"
"I don't know what happened, but you guys bolted out of that theater like your lives depended on it... ...I might not get the full story, but I bet something pretty heavy went down. But hey, look at you now—you're already laughing again."
"Well... ...yeah, I guess so..."
That got Hayato thinking. What he did back there really was pretty wild and impulsive. No way someone wouldn't be curious about it.
"For real. That was totally out of pocket. I just let it slide 'cause it's Big Bro and Haru-chan, but to anyone else, that looked straight-up crazy."
Himeko chimed in with an exhausted look, her mouth stuffed with pasta.
"Well, I'm usually the one getting dragged around by Haruki's sudden antics anyway."
"Hey! That's my line!"
When Hayato chimed in with that response to Himeko, Haruki immediately pouted in protest.
Watching her actual big bro and her childhood buddy act like that, Himeko let out a deep, exhausted sigh, while Kaidō Kazuki burst out laughing like he just couldn't help himself.
"You guys really get along, don't you?"
But the second they heard those words, both Hayato and Haruki knit their brows and looked at each other.
―Their relationship probably wasn't "bad." But I definitely couldn't call it "good," either.
If they really got along that well, they'd be able to talk about anything, and they wouldn't be stuck in the mess they were in right now.
That's why both of them looked so stiff, and their next words came out blunt, like they were talking about someone else entirely.
"...Do we actually get along?"
"Who knows. I guess it's not bad, at least."
"Big Bro, Haru-chan..."
"Haha, I see."
But to anyone watching, it just looked like they were being shy and trying to play it off.
Himeko leaned her chin on her hand, looking totally bored with a fork in the other, while Kaidō Kazuki narrowed his eyes like he was looking at something way too bright.
Hayato felt like the nuance of what he meant wasn't quite getting through, and just as he was about to open his mouth to fix the misunderstanding―that's when it happened.
"Oh wow, look who it is! Never thought I'd see you here. If it isn't The Traitor, Kaidō."
Suddenly, those words were spat right at them.
The second Kaidō Kazuki saw who it was, his shoulders gave a tiny j*rk, and his whole face hardened into a stiff mask in an instant.
Author's Note:
We're heading into the climax of Part Two.
∧,,∧ ∧,,∧ ∧,,▲
(,,・∀・) ミ,,・∀・ミ (;;・∀・)
～(_ｕ, uノ ＠ミ_ｕ,, uミ ＠(;;;;ｕｕノ
P.S. 2020.11.07 19:50
Haruki's current outfit is what you'd call a "Circle Princess" look—basically, it's super calculated and thirsty, designed specifically to bait boys. Think along the lines of clothes from Liz Li〇 or Axes Fa〇.
By the way, Kaidō-kun is a good boy; He's not the type to go around betraying people on purpose!
Also, the famires is Saie〇. I freaking love their doria. Doria is life.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
If you like our work, please consider supporting us on Ko-fi. 🙏
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
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Read in other languages:
"This way! We're bolting straight for the exit!"
"Wait—Hayato!?"
Hayato charged down the deserted stairs, skipping two steps at a time. The way they were flying toward the lower floors, you'd probably say they were tumbling down rather than running.
It probably looked pretty trashy acting like that. But Hayato didn't give a d*mn—all he cared about was getting out. Or maybe it's more like he didn't have the breathing room to care. Just lucky nobody was around to see them, I guess.
By the time they hit the main street, both Hayato and Haruki were completely winded.
"Huff... ...puff..."
"Whew... ...whew..."
The sight of a young boy and a young girl doubled over, gasping for air right there on the sidewalk, must've looked pretty sketchy, 'cause they were definitely catching some weird looks from the people passing by.
When Haruki shot Hayato a resentful, slightly troubled glare, he just scratched his cheek, feeling pretty awkward.
"...Sorry."
"It's not like I wanted an apology or anything. ...But, thanks."
"...Yeah."
Saying that, Haruki finally let a smile tug at her lips.
Hayato's move earlier had been pure instinct. Himeko and Kaidō Kazuki were probably losing their minds right about now. Just thinking of an excuse was giving Hayato a headache, but seeing Haruki like this let him breathe a huge sigh of relief.
The prickly, tense air between them finally started to chill out.
Then, out of nowhere, Haruki knit her brows and turned to face Hayato head-on.
"But you know, I was caught off guard 'cause it happened so fast, but I'll be fine from now on."
"...Huh?"
"Because, you see... ...I've decided to give it my all."
"What do you mean by...?"
Haruki's eyes were dead serious. Along with that, there was a certain strength of will coming from her.
Why? How come? Is Haruki really okay? A million questions swirled in Hayato's head, but the look in her eyes didn't give him a chance to ask a single one.
It wasn't that mischievous look Haruki usually had, nor was it the one tinged with loneliness or that cold, robotic mask she wore to keep people out. Being on the receiving end of a gaze so different from the rest left Hayato totally stumped. Even though he was a bit confused, he looked back into her eyes, trying to figure out what she really meant.
(...Man, Haruki's gorgeous.)
That was the only thought running through Hayato's head. He couldn't look away even if he wanted to.
Haruki's big, bright eyes were crystal clear, yet they were so deep that you couldn't even see the bottom. It was like Hayato was being sucked into them, totally mesmerized.
"So, you'd better keep your eyes on me from now on, okay?"
"!! ...Y-Yeah..."
And when Haruki suddenly leaned in and flashed that smile like she was peeking at Hayato, it's no wonder his heart skipped a beat. Plus, he caught a quick glimpse of some black lace from her neckline.
Hayato was being overtaken by a feeling he'd never felt before. His heart was hammering against his ribs at an insane speed. Panic-stricken, he yanked his whole body away and looked elsewhere, aggressively scratching his head.
"Big Bro! Haru-chan too! What was that all about? Seriously, geez!"
"Himeko..."
Just as Hayato turned away, he spotted Himeko and Kaidō Kazuki. Looks like they'd managed to catch up.
Himeko was totally fuming over that stunt earlier. With her hands on her hips, she stomped over, grumbling and "mooing" like a mad cow. Moo.
"Do you have any idea how much of a mess that was?! We were stuck there getting stared at by everyone, and then things got all hectic with the actors moving around for the stage greeting... ...and honestly, I kinda wanted to catch a glimpse too—wait, are you even listening, Big Bro?!"
"Yeah, yeah, I said I'm sorry."
While Hayato tried to cool Himeko down, he was actually breathing a massive sigh of relief. He felt like he’d been practically saved by her interruption.
But Himeko clearly wasn't buying her big bro's attitude, her brows twitching even more. Truth be told, Hayato was definitely just trying to play it off. Obviously.
"Come on, Hime-chan, that was just... ...you know, 'one of those things.' It just happened like that, so just chill, okay?"
"Yeah, Himeko, it was just... ...eh, look, I'll buy you lunch, so just cheer up, alright?"
"Gr, you two have been like this forever...—wait, huh??"
"...What is it, Himeko?"
"What's up, Hime-chan?"
"Nothing, just... ...I felt like someone was watching us or something...?"
Suddenly feeling like something was off, Himeko glanced around restlessly.
Hayato and Haruki scanned the area too, but all they saw were crowds of people flowing toward their next destination. They were definitely catching a few looks because they'd been making a scene, but nothing else seemed out of the ordinary. Himeko just tilted her head in confusion.
That's when Kaidō Kazuki stepped in, perfectly reading the room to get things back on track.
"Anyway, let's get moving. After all that noise, it's no wonder someone might've been watching us."
"Ugh... ...but you're right. I'm starving anyway... ...Oh, that's right, there was this place I wanted to check out. Let's see..."
Saying that, Himeko started searching on her smartphone.
Ignoring her for a sec, Kaidō Kazuki turned to talk to Hayato and Haruki.
"By the way, what exactly was that 'thing' you guys were talking about?"
"...Who knows?"
"I wonder what it could be?"
The three of them looked at each other and shared a laugh.
◇◇◇
"Wait, for real? We can just sit anywhere that's open?! And there's no menu... ...but we order with a... ...tablet?! How the heck do you even use this thing?!"
They ended up at a cheap, famous Italian family restaurant that's a huge hit with the younger crowd.
Since it was Himeko's very first time at a famires, she was totally acting like a noob, saying stuff like, "Did the order actually go through?!" and "Is the drink bar really 'all-you-can-drink' for the same price?!" It was basically a carbon copy of how Hayato acted not too long ago.
Now that it was Hayato's second time at a famires, he stepped up for Himeko, saying, "You can check the history if you're worried," and "Want me to grab you a drink while I'm at it?" Himeko gave a resentful nod. Haruki also whispered "Melon soda" under her breath.
"Ugh, seriously though, how are you so used to this, Big Bro?!"
"Right?! I'm actually shocked, considering it's you, Hayato!"
"Well, it's not like it's my first time."
"Even though you're my Big Bro!?"
"Even though it's you, Hayato!?"
"...Give me a break, you guys."
Haruki and Himeko's voices and judgmental glares lined up perfectly.
By the way, even though Haruki was trying to act all cool and collected, her eyes were darting everywhere like she was in a museum, just like Himeko.
Kaidō Kazuki just watched them all with a smile, making Himeko and Haruki shrink back in embarrassment when they caught his eye. But the second the food arrived, their faces lit up like Christmas trees.
They were making a scene, excitedly swapping bites of their pasta to compare flavors. Meanwhile, Hayato—who was being mugged for bites of his food by the two of them—was too busy being terrified by the price. (This is only 300 yen?! If I’m not careful, this is actually cheaper than cooking at home!)
The vibe was super cozy.
Haruki and Himeko were being loud and keeping the convo going, Hayato was getting teased and roasted by both of them, and Kaidō Kazuki was watching over it all, jumping in to help or mediate every now and then. It was the perfect balance. In the middle of it all, Kaidō Kazuki murmured something under his breath, sounding totally heartfelt.
"Are Kirishima-kun and Nikaidō-san always like this?"
"Huh?"
"I don't know what happened, but you guys bolted out of that theater like your lives depended on it... ...I might not get the full story, but I bet something pretty heavy went down. But hey, look at you now—you're already laughing again."
"Well... ...yeah, I guess so..."
That got Hayato thinking. What he did back there really was pretty wild and impulsive. No way someone wouldn't be curious about it.
"For real. That was totally out of pocket. I just let it slide 'cause it's Big Bro and Haru-chan, but to anyone else, that looked straight-up crazy."
Himeko chimed in with an exhausted look, her mouth stuffed with pasta.
"Well, I'm usually the one getting dragged around by Haruki's sudden antics anyway."
"Hey! That's my line!"
When Hayato chimed in with that response to Himeko, Haruki immediately pouted in protest.
Watching her actual big bro and her childhood buddy act like that, Himeko let out a deep, exhausted sigh, while Kaidō Kazuki burst out laughing like he just couldn't help himself.
"You guys really get along, don't you?"
But the second they heard those words, both Hayato and Haruki knit their brows and looked at each other.
―Their relationship probably wasn't "bad." But I definitely couldn't call it "good," either.
If they really got along that well, they'd be able to talk about anything, and they wouldn't be stuck in the mess they were in right now.
That's why both of them looked so stiff, and their next words came out blunt, like they were talking about someone else entirely.
"...Do we actually get along?"
"Who knows. I guess it's not bad, at least."
"Big Bro, Haru-chan..."
"Haha, I see."
But to anyone watching, it just looked like they were being shy and trying to play it off.
Himeko leaned her chin on her hand, looking totally bored with a fork in the other, while Kaidō Kazuki narrowed his eyes like he was looking at something way too bright.
Hayato felt like the nuance of what he meant wasn't quite getting through, and just as he was about to open his mouth to fix the misunderstanding―that's when it happened.
"Oh wow, look who it is! Never thought I'd see you here. If it isn't The Traitor, Kaidō."
Suddenly, those words were spat right at them.
The second Kaidō Kazuki saw who it was, his shoulders gave a tiny j*rk, and his whole face hardened into a stiff mask in an instant.
Author's Note:
We're heading into the climax of Part Two.
∧,,∧ ∧,,∧ ∧,,▲
(,,・∀・) ミ,,・∀・ミ (;;・∀・)
～(_ｕ, uノ ＠ミ_ｕ,, uミ ＠(;;;;ｕｕノ
P.S. 2020.11.07 19:50
Haruki's current outfit is what you'd call a "Circle Princess" look—basically, it's super calculated and thirsty, designed specifically to bait boys. Think along the lines of clothes from Liz Li〇 or Axes Fa〇.
By the way, Kaidō-kun is a good boy; He's not the type to go around betraying people on purpose!
Also, the famires is Saie〇. I freaking love their doria. Doria is life.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
If you like our work, please consider supporting us on Ko-fi. 🙏
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
Follow Our Official WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaRa6nHCsU9OAB0U370F
Read in other languages: