Rent a girlfriend: Reincarnated as a responsible menace.

"Are you growing a mustache Kazuya?" Umi asked while we were going for the reps

"What? Not really. I just didn't have enough time to trim my facial hair as of yet. I am growing my hair though" 

Its true. I prefer long hair over short any day, regardless of gender. Facial hair is on and off.

"Well, you look with them, I think a goatee and mustache would look good on you"

"Thanks for the idea. I don't have ideas of trimming so maybe I'll just grow a mustache and beard"

After that we stopped talking and got to our respective machines for work out, it's been quite some time since I started working out. The growth phase is going away now, and visible growth would be non visible until I increase my workout regime, but I was definitely better.

While I was no body-builder or boxer build, my muscles were filling and tightening nicely. 

Nice way to summarize would be an athlete build. I had also grown a bit of a height, only by a 2 inches summing my height to 5'10. Pretty average for my former life, and still shorter than my fiance, but at least I was taller than most japanese.

Kuri and Kibe were calling me out for it, saying I was the muscle of the group. I asked for them to come to the gym, but they refused, saying they were too busy in the morning sleeping there asses off. Pussies

After working out, I went out with Ume to get some coffee, when he said.

"So, you okay to meet her today"

"Yeah, just after college I guess, I would need to freshen up though. Wouldn't wanna meet her stinking with sweat"

After that we drank our coffee in comfortable silence, well comfortable for me, Umi was probably not with how awkward he seemed... Yeah, I ain't gonna break the ice, just enjoy his awkwardness.

Then we went to our stuff. I freshened up and got for college, told the boys about my plan. They didn't have any problems with it too.

As if they could interrupt my plans.

After College

I went to the gym cafe to meet her... and only her? WTF

"Hey, are you Umi's girlfriend Yuki", I asked with a smile, keeping mind of her introvert persona.

She looked up halfway nodding before pausing, then did a double take and, "You are Love Guru", she screamingly whispered.

"Yes", I whispered back, to which she got flustered... I didn't mean to do that.

"Now where's the movie guy"

"Oh" her mood visibly drops, "He has some other stuff to do"

That's concerning.

"A little thing between me and you. Do you feel like he prioritizes other stuff like acting more than you?"

She now in full attention quickly denies, "NO. I mean he's a good boyfriend, its just sometimes I feel like his mind is somewhere else. Like he doesn't want to be here"

"It might look like that on surface level but its deeper than that. I know Umi will not be able to notice this, and neither will he talk to you about how his mind work, because he himself doesn't know."

"I know you are confused, but think yourself. There are times where only when you are pointed by someone else, that you realise something you did. Like maybe you were rude to someone without meaning to"

She now nodding said, "It does happen at times, especially when I argue with my mom"

Classic teenager

"Sorry" Did I say that aloud? "I don't want to come out as rude but, where're you going with this?"

Ohhh, "No worries, what I'm trying to get to is that Umi is a person who you call as an 'Overthinker', I know because I'm one myself. There are times when you might think he's not in the room with you, but that's because sometimes start to wander his thoughts off to another realm."

"It's not that he finds you boring or not interested in you, but that his mind is a bit detached, and can not stay idle for a long time"

"Oh, I didn't thought of that-"

Before she could start to think of her as wrong to not notice, I interjected, "

It's ok if you were not able to tell, I was only able to notice, after spending so much time working out with him, and because I have a knack for this"

She nodded and then started pondering deeply about stuff.

Deja Vu...

"What are you thinking of so loudly?"

"Oh. I was just wondering how you do the Love Guru- gig"

Huh, "You know. You and Umi are quite alike"

"Huh? What do you mean?" She asks tilting her head. Overused trope to make characters look cute in my opinion.

"Oh, look Umi's here now, hey Umi how you doin?"

Umi with a smile said, "I'm fine Kazuya, hope you're doing good too. Good to see you Yuki" he greets her with a bright smile

"Umi-"

"Listen Umi, I'm sorry to tell but I have somewhere to be, my grandma has an appointment soon, and I have to be with her"

Umi looked understanding, while Yuki was confused, to which I just winked at her.

'She needs to spend more time with him, more than me. Besides I've no intentions of being the third wheel'

With that thought, I ran off.

Later that night

"That's why you always make sure, that the girl you're dating is a girl", I was spewing some more wisdom to the boys when suddenly-

Knock, Knock, Knock

...Ruka?

I opened the door to see Ruk- Chizuru, what is she doing at this hour. Well I should ask her reasons.

"Hello There!", Sorry

"Kazuya. I've a problem that only you can solve!"

"You're starting to feel lust towards women, and now you came here for my manly advice to seduce them, right."

"What? No. This is serious Kazuya", she said seriously

"Ok, no jokes. First come inside and then tell me what's wrong?"

After she came over, I asked about the problem.

"There's a friend from Diamond I know, her name's Sumi Sakurasawa"

...Is this what you call a canon event?

"Yeah, what about her" I asked dreading the answer.

"Well she has a problem talking with others, and I was hoping that you could go out on a trial date with her"

There it is, "Why me? You could've picked someone else, like your friends"

"Yeah, the thing is only you know about my work as renal girlfriend so you're the only choice. Plus how you handled things with Mami's ex makes me think that you're good with this"

Yeah, while I appreciate the compliment, there's no way I'm gonna agree to this.

"Sorry Chizuru, but I don't have any inten-", she cut me off.

"If you do, I'll bring you the chocolate marble cake from the bakery for you, free of cost"

The Next Day

Anything for my treasure. Anything

"Excuse me. Are you Sumi?" I asked gently, knowing her personality from the show.

She hurriedly looked at me, then to left and right, then nodded. 

Why so franatic?

"I'm Kazuya, good to meet you, let's go the cafe", I said normally, because usually introverts tend to look for those who treat them normally only. It makes them feel included.

At cafe

She was fidgeting, and looking away from me.

"You're really this shy, huh?", I asked in a surprised tone

She nods. Don't worry my child, I've prepped for this.

"Alright. Let's try something, no need for voices, just write stuff. Napkin therapy."

She blinks, then take the pen I was handing to her, then writes

Sumi: Am I broken?

...I didn't prep for this. Time to improvise, give me your blessings grams.

"You're not broken. You're just running a slower emotional Wi-Fi than most people.",

I said to bring the mood back. Her giggle makes me think I succeeded.

Sumi: People always talk over me.

I replied, "Yeah. Most people listen just to reply, not to understand. I don't do that. I just mess with them until they cry."

Sumi: Why did you agree to meet me?

Trick Question, "Because Chizuru asked me to. And because I thought that maybe, maybe if I could solve someone's problems, that could make them live better in life, then maybe I would have a better sleep at night"

Sumi looks at me clearly now. It always works, surprise someone enough that they themselves forget how they are supposed to act.

30 Minutes Later

We were on a walk right now, without actually conversing all that much in Sumi's case. Me however...

"That guy's walking like his socks betrayed him.

This tree looks like it's seen some shit.That crow definitely owes someone money."

I was rambling about and all, while she was listening all amused, throughout our rambling, Sumi expressed her desire to go the mall, I agreed not having any problems with it.

At The Mall

We were trying on some bowling, turns out Sumi's quite good at this.

"Great work Sumi, that's your seventh Strike by now", I encouraged, Sumi was also looking quite cheerful too.

Then Sumi turns to me and says, not write actually says, "Coke..."

...What? Cocaine

"Oh you want coke, don't worry I'll get it over in a second"

I went over to grab the coke, and some pepsi for me cause pepsi supremacy.

I was just coming with the drinks when I saw-

"Oh you're quite a cutie aren't you"

"She's turning red like a tomato"

I should've known better. The same happened in canon too.

"You've got quite the small skirt there, what is it called, a skort"

OK, now I'm pissed, "Oi, Idiot A, Idiot B, Idiot C"

They turn to look at me, "Hands of the girl, or you won't like what comes next"

"Huh, you've got quite the mouth don't you" one of them comes to me, trying to intimidate me, but I knew better.

Guys like these were all bark, and no bite. I bet if Sumi slapped them right then and there, they would've ran off with there tails between there legs.

I look at him calmly and say, "Come over, try those hands, but a little heads up. It won't end well for you"

Now they all looking enraged, came to me running while the one close to me grabs my collar.

Rookie mistake, never ever grab someone's collar, unless there's a big height difference, one could give a mean headbutt to your nose, then following it with a quick jab to nose again, and boom, the guy's either knocked out, or just wriggling like a bug.

Just like this guy. "Ow, you prick- aaahhh"

"You bastard" 

"Are you chinese?" I suddenly asked

"Wh-"

"Don't answer that, I'm just gonna let you know though, my friends comin any second now, and you're only two. Actually they don't even need to come, I alone am enough for your prickling asses."

They looked embarrassed out of there wits, but didn't come near me. Guess the earlier show made them feel cautious.

They looked at each other, then grabbed the Broken Nose, and ran off. 

I paid them no mind, and instead went towards Sumi and asked, "They didn't hurt you or did anything, did they?"

She couldn't respond, clearly scared, I consoled, "It's okay, you can take your time."

"Here have some cocaine"

She suddenly looked up startled, while I immediately shook and bonked my head and corrected, "I meant coke, coke. Yeah coke"

She smilingly took it. Glad it worked.

After that we drank our soda in silence, after that she wanted to go for some ice cream, so we went and ate in silence. Then we went for home, but I could see that she was still a bit shaken from the encounter.

"Hey, how about we catch up in my room with some tea."

She looked at me, without any suspicion of hinting anything, probably because it didn't even occurred to her.

Instead she looked hesitant, "Don't worry, Its not a bother, I enjoy talking with you"

I wasn't lying, talking to the quite one's was nice because you could just relax and know that the other person was a good listener.

She nodded with a smile, clearly happy with the compliment.

How cute. Reminds me of niece. She better be doin alright.

After her approval we went to my apartment, where... the door was not locked?

Lights were on too? I grabbed my baton, which I always place behind the shoerack, in case of emergency, and opened the door.

I expected a mugger, got someone much worse.

"So you finally came home brat"

"Grandma? What are you- OH, mom threw you out of house because of your gambling addiction didn't she."

"What? I came here to see, if you were doing something shady or not, I'm pleased you were not, what's with the stick BTW"

"Oh this, I use it to knock some sense into Kibe's hairline"

Somewhere in this world, there was a sneeze.

"Oh? Who's this delicate cherry blossom, you brought over?"

I was going to introduce her but seeing Sumi trying to respond, I stay silent.

"S-Sumi..." she says

"Well, Sumi. Let me give you the test."

Oh no, she's not ready for gram's bullshit.

"Look at my grandson and tell me — does he look like someone who needs fixing?"

Sumi looks to me, and then turns to Grandma and says, "No. He just needs… kindness."

Silence.

Later that night, Grandma uploads a short video with Sumi, titled:

"Quiet Doesn't Mean Weak: A Shoutout to the Soft-Spoken"

"Some people don't explode to be heard. Some just glow quietly.You don't need to be loud to be brave.So to all the Sumis out there — you're valid. And we see you.

Grandma Out"