It was as if a few transparent holes were about to be drilled into her body.
Suddenly she felt worried. What if one day she walked home alone and ended up stabbed seven times in the back and labeled a suici*e?
Anon hadn't forgotten, just the last time, she had been blocked in the bathroom by a few petty girls, and only barely escaped thanks to her quick wit.
Noticing the worried look on the girl beside him, Kaito glanced sideways slightly, "What's wrong, something on your mind?"
Anon snapped back to reality and stuck out her tongue, "Just thinking, Kaito-kun is really popular. The looks from others are like they want to eat me alive"
What was meant as a joke made Kaito fall silent for two seconds.
He thought of something, not-so-pleasant memories.
Back then, Kaito hadn't met the fairy master yet, he was just an ordinary student, blocked by a sweet and cute underclassman on the playground for a confession.
The underclassman had carefully prepared beautiful flowers, and looked at him with shy and expectant eyes. Kaito didn't accept her confession, but still took the flowers, just not wanting the girl to lose face in public.
But the next day, when he happened to see the underclassman again, her eyes were evasive, she dodged him like the plague, her once-smooth long hair seemed to have been torn, and a clear slap mark remained on her face.
Ever since then, he never accepted gifts from anyone again.
At that time, Kaito had no power to change anything, so he could only change himself.
But now, he had the strength to shatter all malice.
No matter whether that malice was directed at him or those around him.
Bullying was indeed severe, even the President's only daughter had been reported to be a victim of school violence.
He wasn't worried about Yumiko and Bocchi. The former was a popular girl at the top of Shuuka's social circle, and the latter was seen by others as a cold, aloof ice queen, not someone easy to approach.
But Chihaya transfer student was different. She was new, seen by many as a soft persimmon without any roots, it was inevitable that she'd be targeted.
Therefore
"Don't worry."
The warm golden sunset lit up the boy's delicate brow bones. Anon suddenly crashed into a shallow chestnut-colored deep pool, her slightly chaotic breathing froze in that moment.
The girl bit her lip, and the blush on her ears spread down her swan-like neck. Those nervousness and unease, tension and pressure, all silently melted away like early spring icicles under warm morning light.
This time, he wouldn't let that happen again.
To get to RiNG, they had to take the train.
When they arrived at the station together, it was just 4:30 PM. There weren't many passengers on the platform, most of those waiting were female students just out of school.
In this kind of environment, a handsome guy's appeal naturally rose several times.
"Eh? Wanna exchange contact info? C'mon c'mon, just scan here~"
Once again blocking the path of a JK who came to hit on him, Chihaya Anon, beaming, handed over her own friend code, using this method to successfully drive away the seventh thieving cat with bad intentions.
Throughout the whole time, Kaito didn't stop her.
Someone willingly helping block the swarming bees and butterflies from outside, he was more than happy to let her do it.
But Anon didn't think that way.
Just from the time spent waiting for the train, wave after wave of scheming bad women kept approaching. It made her acutely aware of how fierce the competition she'd face in the future would be.
However, brave anon, was not afraid of difficulties.
Pretty boys belong only to the strong.
The pink-haired girl refueled herself anew, eyes scanning around, as if to say, anyone else?
Meeting her gaze, several JKs who had just suffered defeat felt quite aggrieved.
They'd never seen someone with such a strong possessiveness, she was like a pink giant dog guarding her food.
Kaito didn't care about these undercurrents. Hearing the announcement overhead, the train was about to enter the station.
He and Anon stood near the front of the line. Ahead of them stood a petite figure, wearing a wide white beanie, sunglasses, and a mask that covered her entire face tightly.
Such an outfit was undoubtedly odd in this weather.
But this was Tokyo, after all. Even people dressed in Kamen Rider suits could be seen everywhere. Just wearing a hat, mask, and sunglasses wasn't eye-catching.
The old green carriage finally pulled into the platform, the distance gradually shortening. Kaito didn't think much and prepared to board the train with Anon.
The girl ahead, however, suddenly seemed to slip, and half her body stumbled straight toward the tracks.
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Chapter 165: Anon: Three's Company, I Think It Works
The sharp screech of metal rails grew closer.
An old-fashioned green iron tram, carrying a glow from another world, was already within reach.
The girl wearing a white baseball cap went completely blank in the head and instinctively closed her eyes, but after waiting for a long time, the imagined pain still didn't arrive.
Her leaning body suddenly stopped, someone had grabbed her wrist. The intense sense of weightlessness was like a silver fish darting up her spine, accompanied by a spinning sensation. The white baseball cap drew a clear arc through the air, while her unbound brown long hair spread out like blooming petals. Then, she fell into a warm embrace.
"Be careful," A crisp voice came from beside her ear, like a soda chilled in the afternoon, mixed with a faint, pleasant mint scent. The platform repeatedly broadcast the tram's arrival announcement, and a familiar white baseball cap was being held by a boy's slender fingers by the brim, handed to her.
"Your thing," The dazed girl still hadn't come back to her senses, merely reached out on instinct to take back her baseball cap, but the moment their fingertips touched, she jolted as if shocked by electricity, the tips of her ears blushing with the color of a sunset.
"T-thank you very much", She hurriedly put the baseball cap back on, her fair fingertips seeming to still carry the warmth of the other party. As she raised her head, just about to say a few more words of gratitude, the moment she met those light chestnut-colored eyes, she lost the ability to speak. The cold sweat of fear still clung to her back, and her amazement transformed into a gentle breeze that rippled her calm heart.
"Are you okay?", This sudden incident also shocked Anon beside her. Once she recovered, the warm-hearted little sunshine immediately leaned over, full of concern as she asked.
"I-I'm fine," Thanks to her appearance, the girl with the white baseball cap finally regained her voice. She took off her sunglasses and face mask, revealing a face that could only be described as "pure" and sweet in appearance. Then she bowed deeply to Kaito.
"My name is Sumita Mana. Thank you very much for your help. If it weren't for you", She didn't finish the next words, but it was clear what she meant. Faced with an oncoming tram, relying solely on human flesh and blood, there was obviously no reason to expect survival.
"Eh, eh, eh? M-M-Ma"
Before Kaito could react, Anon had already instinctively exclaimed, but she quickly remembered something and hurriedly lowered her voice. Even so, the excitement and joy in it were still apparent, "Mana? As in, the Mana from sumimi?"
"If there isn't another Mana in sumimi, then it should be me," Sumita Mana blinked, her charming girlish aura natural and effortless.
What kind of experience is it to suddenly see your idol, whom you normally can only see on screen, appear right in front of you?
Anon held her hands to her chest, her grey eyes practically sparkling, "Mana Mana, you're my fan no, wait, I'm your idol no, that's not right either!"
"Anyway, I really love sumimi. I've been following you guys since your debut, and I've watched every one of your performances!"
"Ah right, I'm Chihaya Anon. Just call me Anon!"
As a currently very popular girl idol, Sumita Mana had clearly experienced this sort of thing plenty of times. She maintained her sweet smile as she skillfully handled the enthusiasm of a little fan, without seeming perfunctory.
While they were talking, the tram had already opened its doors.
Continuing to chat here would clearly obstruct other passengers from boarding.
So after learning that Anon and Kaito were going for afternoon tea together and that it wasn't anything urgent, Sumita Mana proactively asked to join the two of them, hoping to express her gratitude by treating them.
Kaito didn't mind either way, but since he was invited by Chihaya Anon, as a guest he followed the host's lead. Whether or not to accept Sumita Mana's request still depended on the latter's willingness.
One was her crush, the other was her beloved idol.
Anon didn't hesitate at all and happily agreed to this three-person outing, "Sure! But no need to treat us, I'll pay."
Sumita Mana shyly glanced at Kaito from the corner of her eye, her sweet and lovely face slightly red, then quietly said, "I must. After all thanks to you, I'm still standing here safe and sound."
Compared to a life-saving favor, a single meal wasn't nearly enough to express her gratitude.
There were plenty of empty seats on the tram, and the group found a secluded corner to sit down. Mana also put her mask back on, revealing only a pair of clear and bright eyes, gentle like those of a young deer.
"Speaking of which, for such a famous idol like Mana, is it really okay to take the tram alone like this?", As soon as they sat down, Anon curiously asked.
Normally, wouldn't she have a dedicated assistant for going out?
"Little Chi, you're exaggerating me too much~", Sumita Mana tucked some hair behind her ear, her cherry lips forming a pretty crescent under the mask, "After all, putting aside those external identities, I'm just an ordinary person too. Wanting to go out and relax during my free time is pretty normal, right?"
"L-Little Chi, huh", Even someone like Chihaya Anon, who had maxed out social skills and a natural extrovert's aura, felt a little shy when faced with her idol's affectionate nickname.
"Is it not okay to call you that?", Sumita Mana pressed her hands together, a little apologetic as she said, "Because I always call Misumi 'Nyamu-chan,' so sorry, if you don't like it, I'll just call you Anon."
"No, no!", Anon waved her hands quickly, "If Mana can call me that, I'm happy, okay? And hearing how close you sumimi members are, it really puts me at ease~"
When the name "sumimi" was mentioned, a flash of sadness seemed to quickly pass through Sumita Mana's eyes, vanishing in an instant.
But she soon showed a sunny and sweet smile again and couldn't help looking at Kaito beside her, "Speaking of which, I still don't know your name"
"Kaito."
"So it's Kaito-kun," The brown-haired idol bit her lip under the mask, seemingly a little shy, "About what happened earlier, thank you very much."
"It was just a small favor," Kaito shook his head, "If it had been anyone else standing there, they wouldn't have stood by and done nothing."
"No matter what, the fact is you saved me," Sumita Mana insisted, shaking her phone, "If it's convenient, could we exchange contact info? If something ever comes up that I can help with, anything at all, I will!"
"You're too polite, Miss Sumita," Seeing that she was determined, Kaito thought for a moment, then didn't refuse again. Instead, he looked toward Anon.
"If you really want to repay this favor, why not add Chihaya-san as a friend? After all, she really likes you."
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Chapter 166: Anon: Fantasizing Again
Chihaya Anon: "!!!"
'To think he actually cares this much about my preferences, Kaito-kun he must have feelings for me too, right?'
'Hehe, hehe~'
'But, come to think of it, it's understandable~'
'After all, I, Anon-chan, am a super beautiful girl far above the waterline.'
From childhood to now, aside from that one time in London where she hit a wall due to the language barrier, Anon had never suffered a setback anywhere else. She was always popular wherever she went. She even served as student council president in middle school and had tons of fangirls.
It's only natural that Kaito would fall for her too.
'So, after marriage, let's have two kids for now. Hopefully both girls. They say daughters take after their fathers. Just how cute would babies inheriting Kaito-kun's looks be? Hehe~'
Chihaya-san, are you getting caught up in strange fantasies again?
Though it might be rude to say, Kaito had indeed developed a sort of stereotype.
It seemed like girls with pink hair always had particularly vivid inner worlds.
Even someone socially anxious like Bocchi couldn't escape this rule. She'd often smile foolishly just because someone praised her, and once she realized she might be getting carried away, she'd shrink back like a startled hamster and hide in the corner playing dead like a mushroom.
Though Kaito didn't dislike this kind of personality. In fact, he even thought it was kind of cute it still depended on the situation.
Like right now, if it were just the two of them alone, maybe it would've been fine. But since there were others present, he couldn't just let the girl make a fool of herself in front of her idol.
Thinking this, he slightly curled his index finger and tapped Anon lightly on the forehead.
"Chihaya-san, time to snap out of it."
Anon let out an "Ah" and reflexively said, "After marriage, moving to your country to live is fine too. Though communication might be a bit difficult, I'll work hard to learn the language of your homeland"
"Eh?", She suddenly came to her senses, realized what she'd just said, and her voice cut off abruptly.
The train continued to glide along quietly. Outside the window, orange-red sunset light sped by in reverse, slowly dyeing the girl's pink cheeks with a charm like spring mountains.
Seeing the atmosphere grow increasingly awkward, Sumita Mana, sitting nearby, couldn't bear to see her little fangirl embarrassed anymore. She shook her phone and smiled with pursed lips,."If Anon doesn't mind, want to add me as a friend? Next time I perform, I'll prepare front-row tickets for you."
