Random in Randomizer world

Both Jin and Miko parted earlier because Miko had to attend a reception for new students.

Of course, Jin didn't plan on attending, as it was meant only for first-year students.

So, he planned to slack off a bit, head to the rooftop, and check out some interesting news.

However, before he even had the chance to reach the stairs leading to the rooftop, he was greeted by a welcoming punch.

He sighed and accepted the hit with open arms, taking it on his chest.

To him, it felt more like a tickle, but looking at the increasing dissatisfaction on the other party's face, he pretended it hurt a little.

"That…was…a strong hit…Shizuka-nee." Shizuka Hiratsuka looked at his face and felt slightly guilty.

But remembering what he did, she had no intention of going easy on him with the punishment.

"You deserved it, you idiot." Seeing Shizuka lifting her chin proudly, Jin couldn't help but smile.

"Well, let's save the hitting for later. Isn't a reunion better with hugs?" Jin spread his arms wide and didn't wait for Shizuka's response before hugging her.

Even though they had only been apart for a month, the two were entirely used to each other's presence.

From childhood to adulthood, they only had each other. And despite Akira Hiratsuka's attempts to be present as much as possible, the Hiratsuka family was growing rapidly.

This required Akira's personal attention on many matters.

Fortunately, the family had a very strong ally, which made many things easier for them.

Distinguished individuals, whether due to lineage or extraordinary abilities, are always favored over others, benefiting everyone around them.

Unfair?

The world was never fair to begin with, anyway.

So, even though some people were dissatisfied with the Hiratsuka family's growth, there was nothing they could do.

As for Jin and Shizuka, these matters didn't affect their peaceful lives.

And although Shizuka wasn't entirely happy about Jin's line of work, since he loved what he did, all she could do was pray in her heart for his safety as he went on missions.

Jin, on the other hand, found warmth and family in Shizuka and Akira, and he was always obedient to them since they treated him as one of their own despite him being adopted.

"Now, what was that punch for, Shizuka-nee?" After parting from the hug, he asked her curiously but was met with another hit.

"Shizuka-sensei first, and second, you disappeared for an entire month without saying a word to me or returning to Kyoto."

'But I was texting you the whole time?' Jin kept the thought to himself, remembering the number one rule for all men:

Never argue with women.

It doesn't matter if you're right or not; it will not end well.

"Sorry, Shizuka-nee, but the workload in Tokyo never ends." He wasn't lying, as the previously mentioned statistics highlighted the crisis in Tokyo.

"…I'll reluctantly forgive you this time." Despite her words, she was genuinely happy to see him safe.

For her, texting wasn't the ideal way to communicate; face-to-face meetings were far better.

"Looking at the time, shouldn't you be at the reception, Shizuka-nee?" Jin glanced at the clock, which showed 8:15 AM—the start time for the reception.

"I'm heading there now, but I wanted to see you first."

"Thanks for your concern, Shizuka-nee." Jin hugged Shizuka again and bid her farewell as he made his way to the rooftop.

Half an hour remained until classes started, leaving some time to relax.

But as soon as he reached the rooftop and opened the door, he was greeted by a black cat staring at him curiously.

Jin was slightly surprised to see a cat there but shrugged and chose a spot to sit.

If Marin Kitagawa were there, she would have recognized the cat as the same one from the combat site the previous day.

But the cat had left quietly as soon as Jin arrived, so he didn't get the chance to recognize it.

As Jin rested his back against the wall, the cat approached him and rubbed against his hand.

"Although I'm not a fan of cats, I understand Yukino's fondness for these creatures."

Jin let the cat use his free hand, stroking her gently until she grew bolder and jumped into his lap.

As he sat cross-legged, the cat continued seeking the most comfortable position until she settled in his lap, playing with his hand.

'Maybe a lost house cat?' Seeing how quickly the cat grew close to him, Jin guessed it was raised by someone but had lost her way.

"I still prefer wolves as pets." As if feeling insulted, the cat looked at him, pouted, and nipped at his hand.

"Your taste is strange, as always." Without looking up from the cat, Jin responded to the female voice.

"Really, Utaha? I've always had unique taste, not strange." Jin defended himself and looked at the visitor with long black hair and red eyes.

Kasumigaoka Utaha, one of the heroines of a story he saw in his past life.

"unique taste that no one else shares?"

"That's what makes it unique."

"No, it's just strange." Jin shrugged in response. Utaha had never seen the kinds of monsters he fought all the time, so wolves seemed tame to him.

Utaha sat beside him, looking at the cat playing in his lap without any intention of stopping.

"It's against the rules to bring a cat to school, you know."

"I didn't bring her; I found her here. How was your summer vacation?"

Utaha, who had lost focus for a moment while looking at his face, snapped back to reality at his question. Jin didn't notice her distraction.

"It was great. My serialized work gained widespread love, and I sold over two million copies." Utaha looked at Jin with pride, prompting him to clap for her.

"I was expecting a bigger reaction from you." Utaha sighed but quickly let it go. Jin's enthusiasm for non-supernatural things had significantly diminished.

Still, she gazed at him fondly, the person who was always there for her, helping her unconditionally.

For Utaha, the two were initially just acquaintances at Sabo Middle School.

She knew him because of his reputation—always popular due to his looks, grades, or sports achievements.

She never imagined that he was the boy who had saved her and her family when she was nine.

From the age of nine until she reached middle school, she couldn't forget that figure. When she heard about the student in the other class, she went to take a curious look.

The two images overlapped in her mind when she saw him, but she still couldn't fully believe it.

So, she quietly approached him and became very close friends with him. Without his knowledge, she noticed the necklace he wore—the very same one that the young boy had worn.

Not to mention, due to his constant support and assistance with her novel, it might never have seen the light of day.

Jin, on the other hand, does not know the names of those he rescues. Thus, saving Utaha specifically at a young age did not make him recognize her when she grew up and became the woman she is today.

So, she never told him and stayed by his side silently, hoping to repay the favor someday.

But as he grew and they neared adulthood, Utaha realized something.

This guy was always surrounded by women, and they all competed fiercely.

'Thankfully, this idiot hasn't chosen anyone yet because his mind is so focused on supernatural matters.'

Utaha didn't know if this was a good thing or not. Still, Jin was far from considering a romantic life now, given the number of crises looming ahead.

Jin, who was trying to get the cat off his lap, found her unwilling to budge.

He picked up the cat with one hand and looked at her helplessly.

"Stay here, and I'll come back for you after school, okay?" For some reason, the cat seemed to understand his words. She nodded in response and jumped out of his hand, finding a spot out of the sun to rest.

"She's very obedient. Why not adopt her?" Utaha asked Jin.

"I barely have time to take care of myself." Jin grabbed his bag and headed toward the exit with Utaha.

The two continued chatting until the bell rang, signaling the start of classes, so they both headed to their classroom.

Upon entering the classroom, they moved to their seats. Jin took the typical protagonist seat at the back by the window, while Utaha sat in front of him.

After a short while, a beautiful woman with pink hair and green eyes entered the room. It was none other than Mafuyu Kirisu.

Her gaze swept over all the students before pausing momentarily on Jin, leaving him puzzled.

"Did you provoke the teacher?" Utaha asked, and Jin shook his head, indicating no. He couldn't recall any encounter with Mafuyu Kirisu.

Kirisu didn't linger on Jin for long. She took her book and immediately started the lesson.