Rather, Hayasaka herself just couldn't let go of that surreal scene she'd witnessed. She mulled over how to probe him more deeply.
Meanwhile, Rei Ao's fitness tests finished.
"Kato-chan, weren't you going to bring Rei Ao-kun some water?"
Michiru asked Megumi Kato, who was prepared with both water and a towel. Knowing all about Megumi and Rei Ao's relationship, Michiru found that sort of gesture perfectly understandable.
"No need."
Kato shook her head. Gazing ahead, her eyes flickered.
"Someone already went over."
"Huh?"
Michiru followed her line of sight. Sure enough, a cute girl she didn't recognize had approached Rei Ao.
"Rei Ao-senpai, please wipe your sweat!"
It was none other than Iroha Isshiki.
"?"
Rei Ao blinked, surprised by her sudden appearance.
"Thanks," he said politely, accepting the towel and water.
"Hehe, it's nothing at all!"
Feeling the envious or jealous looks from the other girls around, Isshiki soaked up all the attention.
"Rei Ao-senpai, you're amazing. How do you do it?"
Seeing that she'd successfully approached him, she quickly attempted small talk, following Rei Ao as he walked and trying to find conversation topics.
"Nothing special. Just sweat and hard work," Rei Ao replied idly, chatting with her because he had nothing else to do at the moment.
Some distance away, Michiru nudged Kato in a low voice.
"Kato-chan, don't you think that Kouhai is acting a bitoverly enthusiastic toward Rei Ao-kun?"
She'd already confirmed that Iroha wasn't part of the chat group, so she wanted to warn Megumi that the girl might have ulterior motives toward Rei Ao.
But Megumi Kato's expression was calm.
"Mmh, I do."
"Aren't you worried?"
Michiru was clearly anxious on her behalf. This was a classic case of someone trying to steal her man!
"Worried? Why would I be?"
"Huh"
That question stumped Michiru. Thinking carefully, she realized there really wasn't much to fear. Given Rei Ao's excellence, it was natural for him to attract scores of admirers.
And besides, within the chat group alone, there were already countless people connected to him. So adding one more or one less hardly mattered.
"!!!"
Michiru's heart started pounding. Does that mean I'm also? She cast a quick, surreptitious glance at Kato, then forcibly suppressed the weird thoughts rising within her.
After a bit of chatting, Isshiki Iroha smiled.
"Senpai, it's almost time for my long-distance run now."
"Mm, good luck," Rei Ao replied.
But Iroha wanted more than a simple "good luck." She offered him her bottle of water.
"Hehe. Senpai, would you mind holding this for me? Wait here for me, okay?"
"Sure."
Rei Ao didn't refuse. However, he didn't realize that this exact spot by the track was part of Iroha's plan all along.
Before long, the girls of Iroha's class started their long-distance run. At first, everything went smoothly.
But the moment Iroha drew near Rei Ao's position, she seemed to falterher body weaving unsteadily as if her running form had gone awry. And just as she reached him:
"Ah"
Iroha quietly collapsed.
"Eek!!!"
Someone gasped in fright. Rei Ao's eyes narrowed. He instantly realized this girl was very much prepared. Without missing a beat, he stepped forward and caught her in a princess carry, telling the teacher sternly:
"Teacher, Iroha Isshiki seems unwell. I'll take her to the infirmary."
"O-oh! R-right, please do!"
Even the teacher hadn't fully processed the situation. In the dazed stares of everyone around, Rei Ao headed steadily toward the infirmary, carrying Isshiki in his arms.
Watching them leave, Michiru furrowed her brow.
"Kato-chan, why do I feel like something's off here?"
"Mm."
Megumi's gaze lingered thoughtfully on Rei Ao's retreating figure. She understood far more than Michirushe trusted that Rei Ao could see through the girl's intentions as well.
So there was nothing to worry about. And even if she did worry, what could she do? Rei Ao was free to do as he liked.
Once out of sight from the athletic field, Rei Ao walked calmly and steadily, showing no sign of urgency. In contrast:
"Thump-thump-thump!!!"
The heartbeat of the girl in his arms was pounding awayclearly, Isshiki Iroha wasn't as calm as she pretended. Rei Ao arched his lips in a faint smile.
He teased in a low voice, "Isshiki-san, if you just wanted to skip class, there's no need for such dramatic methods. You nearly scared the teacher."
"!!!"
She stiffened noticeably, but still refused to open her eyes. The primary reason was her utter embarrassmentbeing carried in such a princess-like pose by Rei Ao-senpai.
She didn't even dare peek. In truth, she wasn't trying to skip class. It was simply another plan to get closer to Rei Aosome physical contact to close the distance between them.
But at this crucial moment, her nerve failed her. Rei Ao was so strong, so steady, and being in his arms gave her a sense of warmth and security.
His scent was so pleasantutterly unlike the sweaty smell of other boys. She found herself momentarily entranced, too flustered to open her eyes.
Since she showed no sign of "waking up," Rei Ao decided not to expose her act.
"All right, perhaps you're genuinely unwell. I'll take you to the infirmary, then."
~~~
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Chapter 513: Master Plan Fail? Or Success? (Bonus Chapter)
There was no one in the school infirmary.
After bringing Iroha Isshiki there, Rei Ao whispered a few words in the school nurse's ear. The nurse gave him a rather peculiar look but said nothing, merely sighing as they left:
"Ah, kids these days Tsk, tsk."
Then Rei Ao returned to Iroha's bedside. Seeing her eyelashes trembling yet eyes still firmly shut, he couldn't help but smile.
In a soft voice, he said, "Isshiki-san, the school nurse says there's nothing seriously wrong with you. Just get some rest. I'll head back to class now."
"!!!"
Hearing his footsteps fade, followed by the sound of the door shutting moments later, Iroha finally cracked open her eyes, exhaling a long breath.
"Phew"
She sat up, cheeks burning.
"Ahhh, my plan's ruined!"
Pressing her hands to her feverish cheeks, Iroha felt both embarrassed and frustrated. The plan had been to strengthen her connection with Rei Ao in the infirmary, but at that crucial moment, her own shyness had made her freeze up and keep her eyes squeezed shut.
Why did she get so flustered? Lying in Rei Ao's arms, she'd been overwhelmed by his warmth.
Aside from a previous fluke, it was the first time she'd ever been so close to a boy. She had thought she could handle it, but she'd overestimated herself.
He smelled pleasant and secure, nothing like the sweaty stink she associated with other guys and his powerful muscles felt unbelievably solid. It was a brand-new experience that derailed her plan completely.
She frowned. "Ugh, guess I'll have to think of a new plan now. How annoying~"
Yet she wasn't discouraged. In fact, this encounter had only strengthened her resolve to "conquer" Rei Ao.
By all measures, he was a prime catch a guy you shouldn't let slip away. Her mother had told her before: if you meet a good man, don't pass up the chance.
While Iroha wasn't entirely sure whether she actually liked him, that didn't stop her from taking initiative. She recalled how the other girls on the field had looked at her with envy when she gave Rei Ao water, and she found herself smiling.
"What plan is that, Isshiki-san? Mind sharing with me?"
A voice suddenly sounded from behind, making her freeze. She turned slowly, only to see Rei Ao leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smiling calmly at her.
"Eh? ReiRei Ao-senpai, w-why are you still here?"
She couldn't figure out how he had managed to appear again after apparently leaving.
Rei Ao merely smiled without answering. He had indeed left a moment ago, only to teleport back in.
"Rather than that, I'm more curious about this 'plan' of yours. Were you faking a collapse just to skip class?"
He deliberately offered her a "bait question."
She bit instantly, bobbing her head like a pecking chick. "Yes, yes! I just did it to skip class!"
"Skipping class is hardly the behavior of a good student."
Walking over and patting her on the shoulder, he added meaningfully, "Still, at least you're not like some other Kouhai who come up with weird schemes to try and 'conquer' me. That would be a real pain."
"Uh"
Rei Ao's words might not have been aimed at her specifically, but Iroha knew exactly what she'd been up to. A thin sheen of sweat broke out on her forehead.
"Gulp O-of course not. I'd never do something like that to you, Senpai!"
No matter what, she could never admit the truth. That would be social suicide!
"Is that so?"
Rei Ao raised an eyebrow and sighed softly. "Ah well, it appears Isshiki-san really isn't interested in me after all. That's okay. We can just be good friends."
"Huh?"
Iroha went blank. What did I miss? How did we get to the 'good friend' speech so fast?
Absolutely not! She couldn't let her chance slip away. In a bit of a panic, she racked her brain, and right as Rei Ao was about to take his hand off her shoulder, she seized it.
"That's not it, Rei Ao-senpai! II don't dislike you. In fact, I like you way more than any other girls!"
"Oh?"
Seeing as he'd guided the conversation to this point, Rei Ao narrowed his eyes ever so slightly, showing no emotion.
"So this is Isshiki-san's confession, then?"
"Eh? N-no, I!"
After blurting out such scandalous words, Iroha was now completely tongue-tied. What should she say next? She didn't know!
She was nearly going crazy. Her carefully laid plan had driven her right to the brink of disaster.
If she admitted it was a confession and Rei Ao rejected her, it could ruin any chance of them remaining friends.
Despite her cunning nature, Iroha was still just a middle schoolaged girl, so it was normal for her to have naive worries like that.
But if she insisted it wasn't a confession, then they really would be stuck as "just friends." She couldn't accept that outcome, either!
Rei Ao took in every bit of her conflicted expression. He understood perfectly but chose not to expose her. Instead, he gave her a convenient way out:
"Haha, I was only joking. We've barely met a few times, so it'd be too easy if I'd already captured your heart, Isshiki-san. I'm not that full of myself, and I don't believe you're that boy-crazy."
"Ah haha r-right"
She offered an awkward chuckle. But the truth is my heart really does race around him.
Rei Ao gave a soft laugh. "Still, it's not like I have no thoughts about you at all, Isshiki-san. You're awfully cute."
"Eh?"
Iroha pointed a trembling finger at herself. "Rei Ao-senpai, you mean?"
Her heart pounded, and a wild guess sprang to mind.
Rei Ao's answer was a gentle smile and an invitation.
"Isshiki-san, would you like to go on a date with me?"
"Ehhhh?!"
Iroha let out the loudest squeal of the day!
~~~
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Chapter 514: Rei-Ao Wins!
Iroha Isshiki: "Rei Ao-senpai, about what you said just now, II agree! I'll look forward to our weekend date, hehe!"
In the hallway, Rei Ao glanced at the message from Iroha on his phone and chuckled softly to himself. Just earlier, she was so flustered that she ran away, but now she was texting him again, teasing him like a mischievous little devil.
"What an interesting Kouhai,"
Rei Ao murmured, putting away his phone. Then he turned slightly to the side
"Whoaa!"
A shriek rang out, followed by a thud as a golden-haired girl fell to her knees on the floor.
"Ow, that hurts!"
The girl, dressed like a blonde gal (gyaru), rubbed her stinging knees in pain. It was herAi Hayasaka.
Rei Ao observed the girl who'd almost collided with him (but whom he'd dodged), a thoughtful look in his eyes.
This scene was oddly familiar, much like his first encounter with Iroha Isshiki. The difference was in their methods: Iroha had purposely hidden around a corner, waiting to ambush him, while Hayasaka seemed to have sprinted from the opposite end of the corridor at full speednormally an accident.
Yet Rei Ao noticed that Ai Hayasaka did harbor some other intention toward him. Apparently, unlike Iroha, she didn't have designs on his body. He pondered this in passing, then bent down as if concerned:
"Are you okay? Want me to help you to the infirmary?"
"No need. It's just a little pain."
In a perfect gal attitude, Hayasaka forced herself to stand. Patting the jacket tied around her waist, she gave him a quick glance and spoke with a dismissive air:
"You're Rei Ao from Class 3, right?"
"Oh, so you know me? May I ask your name?"
"Hayasaka Ai, Class 5."
She looked him up and down with a hint of playful mockery.
"You sure are a mean guy, just watching a girl fall in front of you without doing anything."
"Heh. You were running too fast. It's against school rules to sprint in the hallway."
Rei Ao responded with ease, unaffected by her barb.
""
Hayasaka had nothing to say, merely rolling her eyes.
"Ugh, boring guy."
With that, she turned on her heel and left, as though she'd lost interest. Rei Ao likewise said nothing further, leaving the corridor in the opposite direction.
Not long after he left, the sound of quick footsteps approached. Ai Hayasaka came back to the "scene of the accident." While she still sported her gal attire, the playful expression was gone. The "gyaru" look was merely a disguise she used at school.
She eyed the spot where she fell, then took out her phone to open a micro-camera recording she'd set up beforehand. She replayed the footage showing Rei Ao's inhumanly swift dodgethe kind only possible with near-future-sight. Hayasaka's brow creased.
"As I suspected He's not normal."
No matter how she calculated it, there was no way an ordinary person could pull off such an extreme evasive maneuver without any prior knowledge. Unlesshe was more than human, i.e., superhuman. This simple test confirmed for her that Rei Ao was far from ordinary.
"Next step is to probe him further."
She murmured softly, then stashed her phone away, removing the micro-camera before leaving.
