[Warning 15+]
Part Two~Save That Old Energy Only For Me, Seriously!~Chapter 75What's Your Deal?
As soon as both Hayato and Haruki locked eyes, they finally realized they were making a total spectacle of themselves in public—yanking on each other's noses and ears like a couple of idiots.
Their vibe, which honestly looked way too close for comfort, was drawing stares and muffled giggles from everyone passing by, proving just how much they stood out.
Cluing into the situation, both Hayato and Haruki scrambled to let go and put some distance between them. But Kaidō Kazuki, watching the whole thing go down, was shaking with laughter, wiping away tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Haha, well, what a coincidence, Kirishima-kun, Nikaidō-san."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Though I bet your meeting wasn't a coincidence like mine was."
"...Yeah, you're right."
Hayato scratched his head aggressively and let out a heavy, defeated sigh.
Hayato replayed the scene in his head.
It was straight-up childish bickering. Definitely not the kind of thing a boy and a girl who just became deskmates after transferring schools should be doing. In fact, Kaidō Kazuki was now resting his chin on his hand, nodding along dramatically with a face that said he'd just stumbled onto something hilarious.
(...Ugh, so careless. And out of everyone, I had to get caught by this boy...)
Running into people from school in the city on a weekend is a given—even if they don't talk to you, someone's bound to spot you. Besides, a girl like Haruki is a total magnet for attention. Especially today, since she’s all dolled up.
The only reason they weren't spotted last time was probably because they weren't out for long, stayed mostly inside shops, and there was a TV drama filming going on that took everyone else's focus.
"Is that girl over there the childhood buddy everyone's talking about? Nice to meet you, I'm Kaidō Kazuki from the same school as these two."
"!"
"Oh, hey, Himeko!"
Taking another look at Hayato and Haruki, Kaidō Kazuki finally noticed Himeko and shot her a bright smile while introducing himself.
Kaidō Kazuki is definitely easy on the eyes. Basically, he's a total hottie. Faced with that smile that's charmed countless girls, Himeko had no clue how to act, so her social anxiety kicked in full gear and she ducked behind Hayato's back. Hayato and Kaidō Kazuki could only give a forced, awkward laugh at that.
"Bummer, I got shot down. Still, 'Himeko'... ...you're on a nickname basis with her, huh?"
"Oh, well, that's..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Kaidō Kazuki looked back and forth between the speechless Hayato and Himeko with eyes full of curiosity, despite his casual words.
The vibe was super awkward.
It didn't help that they were feeling guilty about not making the relationship between Hayato, Haruki, and Himeko public at school yet. Being hit with such a blunt stare made Himeko flinch, clutching Hayato's shirt so hard it started to wrinkle. It was a seriously tough situation to explain. Just as Hayato glanced at Himeko's face and started to speak.
"Kaidō—"
"Hey, Kaidō, quit staring! You're freaking out Hime-chan!"
"Oops, my bad."
"...Haruki."
Haruki jumped in front of Kaidō Kazuki, blocking his view of Himeko. Haruki had a judgmental scowl on her face as she pointed a finger straight at him. Taken aback, Kaidō Kazuki instinctively leaned back and put both hands up.
Once again, Kaidō Kazuki was floored.
And duh, who wouldn't be? Haruki's vibe and the way she talked were light-years away from how she acted at school. It'd be weird not to be confused when she's coming at you like that. At the same time, it made Kazuki super curious about her. That's why his comeback was loaded with a lot of teasing.
"...Gotta say, Nikaidō-san, you look seriously cute today. The outfit, the hair—it's a total 180 from your school look. I'm impressed. Did you do all this for Kirishima-kun?"
"Yeah, obviously! I dressed up like this specifically to shock both Hayato and Hime-chan!"
"....! Oh, r-really? I see."
But Haruki just brushed off Kaidō Kazuki's petty jab like it was nothing. Doubling down, she slapped her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest as if to show herself off.
Kaidō Kazuki's eyes widened at Haruki's move, then he squinted as if he were looking at something blindingly bright.
"Though I totally got played by Hayato in the end. Still, based on his reaction to my sexy lingerie, I guess I can call this a win for m—mph?!"
"Hey, Haruki!"
"Cough! Wh-What, ling... ...hack, cough!"
"Haru-chan, that's enough! Get over here!"
With a total "I-won" face, Haruki'd blurted out that she'd intentionally flashed her lingerie at Hayato.
Kaidō Kazuki was literally choking in shock. Hayato did a facepalm and looked up at the sky in despair, while Himeko jumped in to cover Haruki's mouth. Only then did Haruki realize what the heck she'd just said, her face turning beet red with pure embarrassment.
Needless to say, they stood out even more than before. Haruki's voice, clear as a bell, carried way too well, and the stares from the people around them reacting to the phrase "sexy lingerie" felt like they were literally stabbing into them.
Neither Hayato nor Himeko were used to being the center of attention. Unable to stomach the vibe of the place anymore, the two of them dragged Haruki along as they scrambled to a less crowded spot off to the side.
Having finally clued into what she'd just done, Haruki buried her face in her hands and slumped down. As Haruki was being comforted by a now-composed Himeko, Haruki let out a teary-eyed whimper: "Ugu."
In Haruki's place, Hayato clutched his aching head and stepped up to Kaidō Kazuki, who had followed them.
"Look, Kaidō. Haruki has always been like that. Call it 'mercy for a fallen warrior' or whatever, but just pretend you didn't see anything, okay?"
"Sure... ...but, man, you guys are seriously close."
"Well, yeah, we're childhood buddies and we go way back... ...but you've already figured that out, right? Anyway, the girl Haruki's been blabbing to everyone about—this is Himeko. My little sis."
"I-I'm Kirishima Himeko. N-Nice to meet you..."
"Oh... ...yeah."
Having regained some of her usual composure, Himeko, with Hayato nudging her from behind, gave a timid but proper greeting this time.
Noticing this, Haruki—maybe feeling a bit better after being the punching bag a second ago—started patting Himeko's head.
"Whoa, you did it right this time! Good girl, good girl."
"Geez, Haru-chan, you're just trying to play it cool now!"
"...Seriously, what are you girls even doing? Let's get moving."
When Hayato gave them the nudge, both girls chirped back a perfectly timed ""Okay!"" It was a routine they'd repeated countless times since they were little kids, and despite that mess earlier, the vibe was already back to normal. It was the kind of atmosphere only Hayato and his crew could pull off.
With a slightly embarrassed look on his face, Hayato spoke up to Kaidō Kazuki.
"We're actually heading to the movie theater together for the first time today. We didn't have one back in the countryside. Time's running a bit short, so we're gonna take off now... ...and, eh, I'd really appreciate it if you kept today's little incident under wraps."
"Catch ya later," Hayato said, raising a hand as he started to turn away.
Hayato and Kaidō Kazuki had only known each other for a hot minute. They weren't exactly tight, and with all those rumors flying around, their relationship was in that weird, blurry "Are we even friends?" zone.
"Wait up, do you think you could take me along with you guys?"
That's why those words were a total curveball.
"Kaidō...?"
"Huh!?"
Hayato and Haruki stopped in their tracks and spun around, totally stunned, looking back and forth at each other.
More than anyone, though, Kaidō Kazuki looked the most shocked by his own words, clearly unable to hide his confusion at what he'd just blurted out.
In the middle of that, Haruki was the first one to make a move.
"What's your deal?"
Haruki took a sharp step toward Kazuki, her face twisted in suspicion—honestly, saying she was "glaring" at him would be a perfect fit.
Kaidō Kazuki instinctively flinched back, but he met Haruki's gaze head-on and started stumbling through an explanation.
"...Eh, well, I just think it'd be a lot more convenient for you guys if I was there."
"Convenient?"
"Look, you guys aren't exactly public about your situation, right? So if I'm there, we can make it look like a double date, and even if someone catches us, we'll have a solid excu—"
"D-D-D-D-Double date!?"
"—I mean, that's the idea... ...wait, Nikaidou-san?"
"D-D-Double date?! Who's with who and how's that gonna work?! Y-You can't have Hayato! I'm not giving him to you!!"
Having reacted way too sensitively to the phrase "double date," Haruki turned into a human instant-water-heater on the spot. With a face that looked like it was about to blow steam, she started fidgeting with the frills of her skirt while stealing glances at Hayato and Himeko.
Watching the scene play out, Hayato let out a sigh, muttering, "Seriously, 'not giving me away'? I'm not an object, you know." He handed the now-glitched Haruki over to Himeko and turned back to face Kaidō Kazuki.
"...So."
"So?"
"What's your deal?"
"My deal? It's exactly what I just told you."
"...Oh, really?"
"...K-Kirishima-kun?"
Hayato stared straight into Kaidō Kazuki's eyes, trying to dig for his true intentions.
They were wavering with anxiety, yet filled with a flicker of hope. Kazuki looked like he was scared of something, but also like he was desperately reaching for something bright. ...It was a look that felt familiar to Hayato.
―Nikaidō Haruki and Kaidō Kazuki are a lot alike.
It was the exact same thing Hayato'd seen before.
Personally, Hayato didn't know anything about Kaidō Kazuki's situation. Hayato didn't plan on getting involved, either. But standing in front of someone with that same "color" in their eyes made it hard for Hayato to just walk away.
Besides, despite Kaidō Kazuki's weak-sounding excuses, his point actually made some sense. It'd definitely be a solid move to avoid any unnecessary drama. After letting out a massive sigh, Hayato aggressively ruffled his own hair.
"...You're buying the Coke and popcorn."
"Kirishima-kun!"
"Hayato?!"
The joy in Kaidō Kazuki's voice, even though he was surprised, was a total contrast to Haruki's loud protest. Hayato couldn't help but let out a troubled little laugh.
Acting like he couldn't care less about the drama anymore, Hayato just shrugged it off and started power-walking ahead.
"Ugh, seriously?! I worked so hard to fix your hair, Big Bro!"
And so, Hayato got chewed out by Himeko as she chased after him, complaining about his now-messy hair.
Author's Note:
So, about the kitties at the home center.
Guess what?! The Russian Blue girl who's been my emotional support all summer finally found her forever home!
That's great, right? So happy for her. Though honestly, I wished I could've taken her home myself. Sniff.
But hey, when one door closes, another one opens.
Taking her spot in the vacant space is a Norwegian Forest boy!
And man, let me tell you, this little boy is just so chill and laid-back.
Even while the Toyger and American Shorthair kittens next door are busy chasing balls and acting wild, this dude just lies there all calm. But here's the kicker—his eyes are totally glued to me, looking super curious. He's got that mellow, gentle, yet friendly and inquisitive personality that is just 💯% my type. Since he's not as "in-your-face" as the other kittens, it just makes me want to dote on him even more.
I plan on keeping an eye on him until he finds a new family and gets his happy ending too.
Meow.
ハ,,ハ
(゜ー゜*)
cuuc,,)~
Oh, and for the comments, a simple "Meow" will do!
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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As soon as both Hayato and Haruki locked eyes, they finally realized they were making a total spectacle of themselves in public—yanking on each other's noses and ears like a couple of idiots.
Their vibe, which honestly looked way too close for comfort, was drawing stares and muffled giggles from everyone passing by, proving just how much they stood out.
Cluing into the situation, both Hayato and Haruki scrambled to let go and put some distance between them. But Kaidō Kazuki, watching the whole thing go down, was shaking with laughter, wiping away tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Haha, well, what a coincidence, Kirishima-kun, Nikaidō-san."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Though I bet your meeting wasn't a coincidence like mine was."
"...Yeah, you're right."
Hayato scratched his head aggressively and let out a heavy, defeated sigh.
Hayato replayed the scene in his head.
It was straight-up childish bickering. Definitely not the kind of thing a boy and a girl who just became deskmates after transferring schools should be doing. In fact, Kaidō Kazuki was now resting his chin on his hand, nodding along dramatically with a face that said he'd just stumbled onto something hilarious.
(...Ugh, so careless. And out of everyone, I had to get caught by this boy...)
Running into people from school in the city on a weekend is a given—even if they don't talk to you, someone's bound to spot you. Besides, a girl like Haruki is a total magnet for attention. Especially today, since she’s all dolled up.
The only reason they weren't spotted last time was probably because they weren't out for long, stayed mostly inside shops, and there was a TV drama filming going on that took everyone else's focus.
"Is that girl over there the childhood buddy everyone's talking about? Nice to meet you, I'm Kaidō Kazuki from the same school as these two."
"!"
"Oh, hey, Himeko!"
Taking another look at Hayato and Haruki, Kaidō Kazuki finally noticed Himeko and shot her a bright smile while introducing himself.
Kaidō Kazuki is definitely easy on the eyes. Basically, he's a total hottie. Faced with that smile that's charmed countless girls, Himeko had no clue how to act, so her social anxiety kicked in full gear and she ducked behind Hayato's back. Hayato and Kaidō Kazuki could only give a forced, awkward laugh at that.
"Bummer, I got shot down. Still, 'Himeko'... ...you're on a nickname basis with her, huh?"
"Oh, well, that's..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Kaidō Kazuki looked back and forth between the speechless Hayato and Himeko with eyes full of curiosity, despite his casual words.
The vibe was super awkward.
It didn't help that they were feeling guilty about not making the relationship between Hayato, Haruki, and Himeko public at school yet. Being hit with such a blunt stare made Himeko flinch, clutching Hayato's shirt so hard it started to wrinkle. It was a seriously tough situation to explain. Just as Hayato glanced at Himeko's face and started to speak.
"Kaidō—"
"Hey, Kaidō, quit staring! You're freaking out Hime-chan!"
"Oops, my bad."
"...Haruki."
Haruki jumped in front of Kaidō Kazuki, blocking his view of Himeko. Haruki had a judgmental scowl on her face as she pointed a finger straight at him. Taken aback, Kaidō Kazuki instinctively leaned back and put both hands up.
Once again, Kaidō Kazuki was floored.
And duh, who wouldn't be? Haruki's vibe and the way she talked were light-years away from how she acted at school. It'd be weird not to be confused when she's coming at you like that. At the same time, it made Kazuki super curious about her. That's why his comeback was loaded with a lot of teasing.
"...Gotta say, Nikaidō-san, you look seriously cute today. The outfit, the hair—it's a total 180 from your school look. I'm impressed. Did you do all this for Kirishima-kun?"
"Yeah, obviously! I dressed up like this specifically to shock both Hayato and Hime-chan!"
"....! Oh, r-really? I see."
But Haruki just brushed off Kaidō Kazuki's petty jab like it was nothing. Doubling down, she slapped her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest as if to show herself off.
Kaidō Kazuki's eyes widened at Haruki's move, then he squinted as if he were looking at something blindingly bright.
"Though I totally got played by Hayato in the end. Still, based on his reaction to my sexy lingerie, I guess I can call this a win for m—mph?!"
"Hey, Haruki!"
"Cough! Wh-What, ling... ...hack, cough!"
"Haru-chan, that's enough! Get over here!"
With a total "I-won" face, Haruki'd blurted out that she'd intentionally flashed her lingerie at Hayato.
Kaidō Kazuki was literally choking in shock. Hayato did a facepalm and looked up at the sky in despair, while Himeko jumped in to cover Haruki's mouth. Only then did Haruki realize what the heck she'd just said, her face turning beet red with pure embarrassment.
Needless to say, they stood out even more than before. Haruki's voice, clear as a bell, carried way too well, and the stares from the people around them reacting to the phrase "sexy lingerie" felt like they were literally stabbing into them.
Neither Hayato nor Himeko were used to being the center of attention. Unable to stomach the vibe of the place anymore, the two of them dragged Haruki along as they scrambled to a less crowded spot off to the side.
Having finally clued into what she'd just done, Haruki buried her face in her hands and slumped down. As Haruki was being comforted by a now-composed Himeko, Haruki let out a teary-eyed whimper: "Ugu."
In Haruki's place, Hayato clutched his aching head and stepped up to Kaidō Kazuki, who had followed them.
"Look, Kaidō. Haruki has always been like that. Call it 'mercy for a fallen warrior' or whatever, but just pretend you didn't see anything, okay?"
"Sure... ...but, man, you guys are seriously close."
"Well, yeah, we're childhood buddies and we go way back... ...but you've already figured that out, right? Anyway, the girl Haruki's been blabbing to everyone about—this is Himeko. My little sis."
"I-I'm Kirishima Himeko. N-Nice to meet you..."
"Oh... ...yeah."
Having regained some of her usual composure, Himeko, with Hayato nudging her from behind, gave a timid but proper greeting this time.
Noticing this, Haruki—maybe feeling a bit better after being the punching bag a second ago—started patting Himeko's head.
"Whoa, you did it right this time! Good girl, good girl."
"Geez, Haru-chan, you're just trying to play it cool now!"
"...Seriously, what are you girls even doing? Let's get moving."
When Hayato gave them the nudge, both girls chirped back a perfectly timed ""Okay!"" It was a routine they'd repeated countless times since they were little kids, and despite that mess earlier, the vibe was already back to normal. It was the kind of atmosphere only Hayato and his crew could pull off.
With a slightly embarrassed look on his face, Hayato spoke up to Kaidō Kazuki.
"We're actually heading to the movie theater together for the first time today. We didn't have one back in the countryside. Time's running a bit short, so we're gonna take off now... ...and, eh, I'd really appreciate it if you kept today's little incident under wraps."
"Catch ya later," Hayato said, raising a hand as he started to turn away.
Hayato and Kaidō Kazuki had only known each other for a hot minute. They weren't exactly tight, and with all those rumors flying around, their relationship was in that weird, blurry "Are we even friends?" zone.
"Wait up, do you think you could take me along with you guys?"
That's why those words were a total curveball.
"Kaidō...?"
"Huh!?"
Hayato and Haruki stopped in their tracks and spun around, totally stunned, looking back and forth at each other.
More than anyone, though, Kaidō Kazuki looked the most shocked by his own words, clearly unable to hide his confusion at what he'd just blurted out.
In the middle of that, Haruki was the first one to make a move.
"What's your deal?"
Haruki took a sharp step toward Kazuki, her face twisted in suspicion—honestly, saying she was "glaring" at him would be a perfect fit.
Kaidō Kazuki instinctively flinched back, but he met Haruki's gaze head-on and started stumbling through an explanation.
"...Eh, well, I just think it'd be a lot more convenient for you guys if I was there."
"Convenient?"
"Look, you guys aren't exactly public about your situation, right? So if I'm there, we can make it look like a double date, and even if someone catches us, we'll have a solid excu—"
"D-D-D-D-Double date!?"
"—I mean, that's the idea... ...wait, Nikaidou-san?"
"D-D-Double date?! Who's with who and how's that gonna work?! Y-You can't have Hayato! I'm not giving him to you!!"
Having reacted way too sensitively to the phrase "double date," Haruki turned into a human instant-water-heater on the spot. With a face that looked like it was about to blow steam, she started fidgeting with the frills of her skirt while stealing glances at Hayato and Himeko.
Watching the scene play out, Hayato let out a sigh, muttering, "Seriously, 'not giving me away'? I'm not an object, you know." He handed the now-glitched Haruki over to Himeko and turned back to face Kaidō Kazuki.
"...So."
"So?"
"What's your deal?"
"My deal? It's exactly what I just told you."
"...Oh, really?"
"...K-Kirishima-kun?"
Hayato stared straight into Kaidō Kazuki's eyes, trying to dig for his true intentions.
They were wavering with anxiety, yet filled with a flicker of hope. Kazuki looked like he was scared of something, but also like he was desperately reaching for something bright. ...It was a look that felt familiar to Hayato.
―Nikaidō Haruki and Kaidō Kazuki are a lot alike.
It was the exact same thing Hayato'd seen before.
Personally, Hayato didn't know anything about Kaidō Kazuki's situation. Hayato didn't plan on getting involved, either. But standing in front of someone with that same "color" in their eyes made it hard for Hayato to just walk away.
Besides, despite Kaidō Kazuki's weak-sounding excuses, his point actually made some sense. It'd definitely be a solid move to avoid any unnecessary drama. After letting out a massive sigh, Hayato aggressively ruffled his own hair.
"...You're buying the Coke and popcorn."
"Kirishima-kun!"
"Hayato?!"
The joy in Kaidō Kazuki's voice, even though he was surprised, was a total contrast to Haruki's loud protest. Hayato couldn't help but let out a troubled little laugh.
Acting like he couldn't care less about the drama anymore, Hayato just shrugged it off and started power-walking ahead.
"Ugh, seriously?! I worked so hard to fix your hair, Big Bro!"
And so, Hayato got chewed out by Himeko as she chased after him, complaining about his now-messy hair.
Author's Note:
So, about the kitties at the home center.
Guess what?! The Russian Blue girl who's been my emotional support all summer finally found her forever home!
That's great, right? So happy for her. Though honestly, I wished I could've taken her home myself. Sniff.
But hey, when one door closes, another one opens.
Taking her spot in the vacant space is a Norwegian Forest boy!
And man, let me tell you, this little boy is just so chill and laid-back.
Even while the Toyger and American Shorthair kittens next door are busy chasing balls and acting wild, this dude just lies there all calm. But here's the kicker—his eyes are totally glued to me, looking super curious. He's got that mellow, gentle, yet friendly and inquisitive personality that is just 💯% my type. Since he's not as "in-your-face" as the other kittens, it just makes me want to dote on him even more.
I plan on keeping an eye on him until he finds a new family and gets his happy ending too.
Meow.
ハ,,ハ
(゜ー゜*)
cuuc,,)~
Oh, and for the comments, a simple "Meow" will do!
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:
• Indonesian / Bahasa Indonesia
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