Chapter 2: Sayu Ogiwara
The night in the city carried an inexplicable tension, something that made the atmosphere feel restless.
A girl. A runaway.
She had already fallen asleep, her face still marked with traces of tears.
Her distress, an echo of the night itself, seemed to linger in the faint lines of her face.
The night passed without a word spoken.
Kosuke Kurosaki, who was used to a simple routine, opened his eyes naturally, the morning light slipping through the curtains.
He noticed her first—the girl's fair skin in the soft light, her eyelashes barely twitching. She had clearly woken up long ago.
As a runaway with no identification, she was a girl full of confusion and uncertainty.
Her heart was heavy, unsure of where to go next, but one thing was clear: she had no intention of returning home.
Kosuke's voice broke the silence, lazy but knowing. "I forgot to ask you yesterday. What's your name?"
Before she could answer, he gently pulled her closer, his arm wrapping around her waist.
Her eyes fluttered open, meeting his with a trace of surprise and a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
His gaze softened, and for a moment, she got lost in it.
Kosuke smiled lightly, though his tone remained firm. "I don't need a clueless assistant, especially not one who's a runaway."
She stiffened. "Wait, you mean... you'll let me stay here, and I can work for you?"
"Yeah," Kosuke responded, his voice calm, "You did well last night, and you seem cute. Plus, you need a place to stay, right?"
"I'm not the type to just leave you hanging after bringing you here," he added, softening his words. "But if you want to leave, it's up to you."
The girl looked at him in stunned silence, and for the first time, the heaviness seemed to lift slightly from her expression. She smiled. "My name's Sayu Ogiwara."
"Sayu Ogiwara, huh?" Kosuke nodded, remembering the name. "Good. Now remember mine too. Kosuke Kurosaki."
She blinked at him, her eyes wide, and whispered his name. "Kosuke..."
She smiled again, the tension between them slowly melting away. "I won't forget it."
"Good. Now, get to work." Kosuke's voice returned to its usual, more practical tone. "Change the sheets, and then wash them."
Sayu nodded, her determination coming through. "Got it! Leave it to me!"
She raised her fist energetically, but Kosuke quickly averted his gaze, his face turning slightly red.
"Ahem, maybe you should get dressed first. Otherwise, I don't think you'll be able to work today."
Sayu paused, then couldn't help but cover her mouth, laughing softly. "So that's what it was. He was just being polite."
In the bathroom, Kosuke felt a strange sensation. [Ding. Accommodation task completed for runaway girl Sayu Ogiwara. Golden Gun unlocked.]
As the system's prompt echoed in his mind, Kosuke felt a surge of energy throughout his body. His legs felt more powerful. Something else stirred as well.
What... was this golden gun? And why did it feel like such a strange skill?
Kosuke shook his head. "I guess I can't complain. I'll take it."
He quickly got dressed and stepped out, feeling ready to face whatever came next.
Kosuke had long figured out that he was now living in a mixed anime world. It was inescapable. Everywhere he looked, he saw things from familiar anime universes—like the well-known Yukinoshita Zaibatsu or the mighty Shinomiya Zaibatsu.
Even the high schools nearby—Sobu High School seemed to belong to different anime worlds.
This wasn't the first time a situation like this had occurred. Just last night, he had stumbled upon Sayu Ogiwara, a girl who seemed like she had stepped right out of an anime.
Her backstory wasn't a mystery either. Kosuke knew exactly who she was. Sayu was from the anime "Shaving, Then Picking Up a High School Girl." She was the heroine in that series.
Kosuke hadn't planned for this. But now that she was here, he wasn't about to let her go.
His system—his cheat—was simple. A life simulation game with tasks to complete, rewards to gain, but no punishments for failure. The freedom was immense. And although he didn't need to complete everything, the rewards for success were too tempting to ignore.
When he met Sayu, he knew exactly what task was triggered. It was related to her. After all, he was in a world where anime heroes were real. He knew he'd be able to live a comfortable life here, with the help of his new abilities.
Once he stepped out of the bathroom, Sayu had already changed into her school uniform. It was probably the one she had kept when she ran away from home.
Kosuke wasn't completely sure why she had left, but he could guess. Sayu's life hadn't been easy, after all. Her father had a new lover while her mother was pregnant, and she had never been loved. Her classmates had shunned her, and the final straw had been the suicide of her only friend.
When she tried to speak up, her mother had accused her of causing the death. The trauma was real. It was no wonder she had run away.
As for Kosuke, he didn't care about her past. He had met her, and he wasn't about to turn his back on her.
"Hey, Mr. Kurosaki, I've changed the sheets and started the laundry. Is there anything else I can do?" Sayu asked, a little nervous as she fiddled with the hem of her clothes.
Kosuke noticed how cautious she was. It made sense, after all—taking in a high school girl like this was dangerous. But seeing her nervousness made him smile.
"Why so stiff?" he asked. "We're about the same age, Sayu. No need to call me 'Mr. Kurosaki.' Just call me Kosuke."
Sayu blinked. "Kosuke... okay, Kosuke-senpai."
She laughed nervously, trying to sound more comfortable. But it was clear she was still unsure. After all, she didn't want to be seen as someone who was too clingy.
Kosuke glanced at her. Then, after a moment, he said, "Take off your clothes."
"Wha—?" Sayu froze, her cheeks turning red.
Kosuke chuckled. "Just kidding. But seriously, you should probably change into something more comfortable if you're going to work."
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