Chapter 23

Ryuichi and Shizuna had been hanging out together since morning, but it was no different from an ordinary date. Since the places Ryuichi usually frequented only really operated at night, he had let Shizuna pick wherever she wanted to go in the meantime.

“I think this one would look great on Ryuichi-kun.”
“Hmm, but this one’s not bad either… Mmm.”
“…Either of them would look amazing on you, Ryuichi-kun. It’s so hard to choose.”

Right now, she was agonizing over a pair of jackets in front of her. Going out on a proper outing that felt like a date with her like this was a first. While walking around with women was nothing new to Ryuichi, doing so with a female classmate felt remarkably fresh.

“You look like you’re having fun.”
“I am! Because I’m with Ryuichi-kun, after all♪”

Holding up two jackets, she smiled brightly as she said that. Dressed in her unusual getup, she still possessed that unmistakable charm that made her undeniably Shizuna. If they were back at his place, he would have pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the spot, devouring her just like he had that other time.

(Well, we’re supposed to head over to Shizuna’s house tonight anyway, so I can have her keep me company then.)

Thinking with that kind of condescending mindset made Ryuichi catch himself. Even if his perspective had shifted, his core was still undeniably Ryuichi; while he didn’t feel particularly pessimistic about it, it was a reminder that people don’t change that easily.

(…Even so, realizing that I don’t want Shizuna to get hurt and wanting to keep an eye on her so things don’t go wrong; that’s a pretty massive change, though.)

They had already crossed that line, but unlike the original story, Shizuna was genuinely satisfied with her relationship with Ryuichi. Well, she had been satisfied in the original too, but compared to back then, this was vastly more wholesome. Even if their actual dynamic was anything but wholesome.

“Hey Shizuna, if we head over to your place tonight, keep me company.”
“Ah…… yes~ I want to be with you too, Ryuichi-kun.”

With that, she gave a smiling nod to Ryuichi’s suggestion.
Whenever she was alone with him like this, she always let that unmistakable expectation shine in her eyes. While the joy of simply being together was clear, the anticipation hidden beneath it was dialed up to eleven, leaving Ryuichi with no choice but to answer it.

(Is it really just that?)

He couldn’t deny that having Shizuna by his side felt comforting. Being hit with memories from this world had certainly thrown him for a loop at first, but he had already accepted them. Amidst all that, his days with Shizuna, a heroine met under entirely different circumstances, continued to show him sides of her he had never known before.

“Ryuichi-kun?”
“Whoops, my bad, was zoning out for a second.”

Deciding not to overthink things during their rare time together, Ryuichi shook his head. With Shizuna finally deciding on a jacket, they headed to the register to pay. Given Ryuichi’s naturally delinquent aura and Shizuna’s flashy, pseudo-gyaru look today, the two of them drew quite a few stares. Even the clerk seemed eager to avoid getting involved and kept words to a minimum.

“Ugh, I guess an outfit like this really does draw attention, huh?”
“Well, you’re a beauty to begin with. People would stare even if you weren’t dressed like that.”
“People thinking my looks are good might be nice in theory, but to me, it honestly doesn’t matter at all.”

With that, Shizuna slipped her hand through Ryuichi’s arm.

“As long as you’re the one looking at me, that’s enough, that’s all I need.”
“….Heh, you really are a fine woman.”

Deciding that the only person who needed to think of her as a fine woman was him, Ryuichi started walking alongside her again. They killed time wandering around until the sun set, and finally, the time arrived. The surroundings grew dark, and the nightlife bared its face.

“We wouldn’t finish if we hit every single place. Tonight’s spot should be fine.”

The place Ryuichi led Shizuna to was a club he hadn’t visited in a while.
Since he used to frequent it up until recently, both the manager and the regular patrons probably knew Ryuichi well. Stepping inside, they were greeted by heavy, if not quite deafening, music.

“Jeez… it’s so loud in here.”
“Pretty much. We’ll head out after a bit. Spending time in a place like this is a million times worse than holding you.”
“…Ryuichi-kun♪”

Just as he was looking around the venue so as not to get in anyone’s way while Shizuna clung tightly to his side, someone called out.

“Oh, if it ain’t Ryuichi.”
“Tomikura.”

The person who approached with a slimy, suggestive grin was an acquaintance of Ryuichi’s named Tomikura, an office worker. A slightly chubby guy, he always came to places like this to burn through his cash, and for a brief period, he had even carried a massive torch for Chisa.

“You reek of booze, don’t crowd me.”

Ryuichi waved a hand dismissively, but Tomikura didn’t lose his breezy, annoying grin. Instead, his eyes locked onto Shizuna standing beside Ryuichi. Taking it upon himself to make a move, Tomikura reached out a hand toward Shizuna, which Ryuichi naturally had zero intention of allowing.

“Come on now, Ryuichi, ain’t it a bit selfish hogging a beauty all to yourself? Hey there, gorgeous, mind tossing a little piece of that pie my way—”
“I wouldn’t touch someone like you with a ten-foot pole. No, wait—even if I died, I wouldn’t ever want anything to do with any man other than Ryuichi-kun.”

Shizuna shut him down completely and flatly.
Taken aback by the absolute coldness of her words, Tomikura looked momentarily blank, but the second it registered, his face flushed bright red with humiliation as he glared at Shizuna. Naturally, that prompted Ryuichi to pin a glacial glare right back at him, causing Tomikura to turn tail and practically scurry off in terror.

“Well, places like this tend to attract that sort. Of course, not everyone’s like that. A lot of people just come to blow off steam from daily frustrations or workplace stress.”
“I suppose so. Screaming your lungs out and drinking alcohol probably helps vent it out. Though I don’t really see the appeal.”
“You don’t need to see it. In fact, don’t even try. I brought you here because you said you wanted to see it, but you don’t need to get stained by this kind of noise.”
“It’s fine. I like being by Ryuichi-kun’s side way more than any of this racket.”

Beaming with a sweet smile, she drew a chuckle out of Ryuichi.
After lingering in the club for just a few minutes, Ryuichi and Shizuna stepped back outside. Naturally, the street outside was still noisy with rowdy voices, but compared to the interior, it felt almost peaceful.

“Fufu, I thought I wanted to know more about Ryuichi-kun by seeing places like this, but I honestly don’t care anymore.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. When I think about what you just told me back there, staying by your side like this is a hundred times… a thousand times more precious to me.”

That was her answer to his earlier remark about how holding Shizuna was infinitely better than wasting time in a place like that. Without needing to spell it out, the rest of their evening was already set in stone. They were just going to head straight back to Shizuna’s house and devour each other to their hearts’ content—just like a pair of actual lovers, they started walking side by side.

“Shishido and… who’s that?”
“Huh?”
“Oh?”

A voice called out from behind them, making the two turn around.
Standing there were, in a sense, the most unexpected people: Souhei and his group of friends. In other words, they were familiar faces to both Ryuichi and Shizuna. Naturally, since they were classmates, that went without saying.

Did they seriously come to a place like this too? Ryuichi wondered for a second, before quickly realizing that was unlikely. The area they were likely walking from featured a karaoke joint, meaning they had probably just spent the night singing.

“Hey, hey, you guys got business in a place like this too?”
“W-What…? Don’t lump me in with him. We’re on our way back from karaoke.”

Just as Ryuichi had suspected.
Since neither Ryuichi nor Shizuna had anything to say to them, they would have preferred if the group just kept walking, but Souhei threw a glance at the club before fixing his eyes back on Ryuichi and Shizuna. Under normal circumstances, seeing Shizuna hanging around in a place like this would have shocked him, but it seemed he hadn’t realized who she was.

“Figures you’re a delinquent, Shishido. Hanging out at shady joints like this. Can’t say much for the girl hanging off a guy like you, either.”
“H-Hey, Souhei.”
“Cut it out…”

His friends looked visibly terrified, worried about what Ryuichi might do if provoked too far, but Souhei remained completely unfazed. To him, Ryuichi was simply an eyesore getting in the way of Shizuna, which only fueled his aggressive attitude.
Ryuichi chuckled at how thoroughly disliked he was, but even that reaction seemed to grate on Souhei, who looked ready to snap back with another jab before Shizuna stepped forward.

“W-What…?”

Shizuna opened her mouth to say something, but the words never made it past her lips.
Because Ryuichi had already placed a hand on her shoulder and pulled her tight against his side.

“Ah…”
“W-What do you think you’re…?”

Ryuichi placed one hand on Shizuna’s cheek and let his other hand rest against her chest. Even through the fabric of her hoodie, his fingers sank into her soft abundance, fully emphasizing her voluptuous figure. Souhei and his friends froze in shock, their faces burning bright red at the sudden display… Meanwhile, Shizuna simply let Ryuichi do as he pleased, her eyes swimming with dreamy little hearts.

“Are we done talking here? I’ve got plans to spend a very passionate night with her starting right now. I’d rather hurry up and enjoy this body than waste time dealing with you guys.”
“T-Tch…!”

Souhei and his friends immediately averted their eyes and hurried away.
As they retreated, the tips of their ears were bright red, proving they had zero immunity to that kind of heavy-handed display.

(Hey there, protagonist, didn’t even realize this was Shizuna, did you?)

Naturally, because he hadn’t recognized her, Souhei hadn’t paid her appearance a second glance.
The paths had already diverged too far to ever be put back together. Ryuichi clearly felt that things had passed the point of no return, but at this stage, it didn’t even matter anymore.

“Come on, let’s get going.”
“Got it. Hurry, let’s hurry home♪”

And Shizuna, for her part, couldn’t care less about having run into Souhei.
All the way back to the house, Shizuna kept her eyes locked entirely on Ryuichi’s face, as if silently declaring that he was the only thing she could see in the world.