Unique highschool life

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Word's counted - 1400

*****

Aki approached the two women as they stood by the station exit. He looked directly at Yoshino. "Yoshino, right? I thought you left earlier after giving your testimony," he said casually, his tone neutral.

Yoshino met his gaze with a resigned sigh. "I stayed to accompany her. I couldn't leave a girl here all by herself," she explained, nodding toward Runa. "But now that her boyfriend is here, I should go."

Aki tilted his head slightly, unimpressed. "No need to run off. I'll drop you home," he said, raising a hand to one of the nearby bodyguards. "Give me a car key."

"Here you go, young master," said one of the bodyguards, taking a key from another and handing it over.

Yoshino looked at him, her expression unreadable. "Thanks, but I'd rather decline your offer," she said firmly, rejecting the gesture.

"Is that so? Fine." Aki shrugged, already losing interest. He didn't press further; Yoshino was of no significance to him. To him, she was just another character with no ties to the anime worlds he adored. Unlike Runa, Yoshino didn't fit into his obsession with collecting memories of people and events he recognized from the anime and manga he watched.

To Aki, Yoshino was just a no-name side character as he didn't read or watch about her anime.

However, Runa thought otherwise. Watching the brief interaction, she misread Aki's indifference as concern. 'Aki must care about Miss Yoshino in some way. Maybe I should help him connect with her,' Runa thought, wanting to support her supposed boyfriend.

"Miss Yoshino," Runa spoke up sweetly, "could you accompany me? My house is far from here, and until we drop you off, I'd like to have someone to talk to."

Yoshino hesitated, her initial instinct to refuse. She was wary of Aki and viewed him as no better than Kirishima—just another rich, entitled man who would use someone like Runa and discard her when she was no longer convenient. However, Runa seemed genuine, and Yoshino felt protective of her new friend. 'If I go with them, I can make sure Runa stays safe,' she thought.

"Alright," Yoshino said finally. "I'll go with you, Runa."

Aki didn't react much, simply gesturing toward the car. "Suit yourself," he muttered, getting into the driver's seat.

The drive was quiet. Yoshino and Runa sat together in the backseat while Aki drove, his focus on the road. Occasionally, he glanced in the rearview mirror, but no words passed between them for the first ten minutes.

"Where's your address?" Aki asked, looking at Yoshino through the mirror.

"I'll stay until you drop Runa off," Yoshino replied, avoiding his gaze. Her response wasn't just about politeness—it was calculated. She wanted to see how Aki treated Runa when they were alone. She needed to know if he was genuine or if her fears were correct.

"Suit yourself," Aki said again, indifferent to her decision.

Yoshino sat in silence, her thoughts swirling. She had been managing her life alongside her father for years, taking care of their small household. She had also learned to recognize predators and manipulators, and Aki seemed to be no different. His nonchalant attitude, the way he casually ordered people around, and his strange fixation on money—it all screamed trouble.

Still, Runa's trusting nature worried her. Runa seemed naive, even too kind for her own good. It made Yoshino feel responsible for her, even if they had only met recently.

Runa, on the other hand, was blissfully unaware of Yoshino's inner conflict. She thought about Aki, about how he had stood up for her earlier and how he always seemed to take charge of situations. 'Aki is so cool,' she thought, a small smile playing on her lips. 'Even when he's a little rude, he's just being protective. He really cares about me.'

Her resolve to support him strengthened. She would stand by him no matter what.

The silence in the car grew heavier as the minutes ticked by. Aki, sensing the tension, glanced at Runa through the rearview mirror.

"Runa," he said, breaking the quiet. "Good night."

Runa blinked, confused. "Um, it's only six o'clock. I'm not going to sleep yet."

".." Aki said with a smirk. "See you tomorrow then."

"Yes!" Runa replied enthusiastically, ignoring the strange exchange.

Yoshino watched the interaction carefully. "He's odd, but he doesn't seem dangerous. Still, I'll stay until I'm sure," she decided.

After saying that, the car reached Runa's house. Aki parked and stepped out to open the door for her. "Here we are," he said simply, watching as Runa gathered her things.

"Thank you, Aki," Runa said with a smile. She leaned in slightly, hesitating before placing a quick kiss on his cheek. "Good night!"

Aki looked amused but didn't say anything, simply nodding as she disappeared into her house.

Yoshino stepped out of the car, intending to walk the rest of the way home on her own, but as she passed by the driver's side, Aki stopped her with an unexpected question.

"You worried about her?" he asked, his tone unusually serious, catching her off guard.

Yoshino hesitated, unsure of his intentions. "Yes," she admitted eventually. "She seems too kind for her own good."

Aki tilted his head slightly, his trademark smirk softening into something more thoughtful. "Maybe. But kindness isn't a weakness," he said.

Yoshino frowned, puzzled. "Why?"

Aki's smirk returned, this time with a playful glint in his eye. "Because it attracts good people like me."

Yoshino couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his response, skeptical of his self-proclaimed goodness. Before she could reply, Aki gestured toward the passenger seat.

"Come on, sit up front. It's more comfortable," he said nonchalantly.

For a moment, Yoshino considered refusing, but her house was still a fair distance away, and she found herself curious about Aki's behavior. With a resigned sigh, she climbed into the front seat.

As Aki drove her home, the silence returned. Unlike before, it didn't feel awkward or heavy. Instead, it felt contemplative, as if both of them were mulling over the events of the day. Yoshino gazed out the window, lost in thought, while Aki focused on the road.

"So, which school do you go to?" Aki asked suddenly, breaking the quiet.

Yoshino turned her gaze to him but didn't answer. "No comment," she said flatly.

"Hoshikawa High School, right?" he guessed, glancing at her briefly.

Yoshino stiffened. "..."

"Don't look at me like that," Aki said, raising a hand defensively. "Kirishima went there too, so I just guessed. Anyway, more importantly—what are you planning to do about this provocation?"

Yoshino's eyes narrowed. "You don't need to know," she replied curtly, her tone making it clear the subject was closed.

Aki shrugged, unfazed by her cold response.

When they finally arrived at her house, Aki pulled over and stopped the car. For a moment, neither of them moved.

"Thanks for accompanying her," Aki said, his voice quieter than usual, almost sincere.

Yoshino looked at him, surprised by the sudden shift in tone. "You're welcome," she said after a moment, her voice softer.

Aki gave her a small nod, saying nothing else as she stepped out of the car.

Yoshino watched as Aki drove away, his car disappearing down the street. She stood there for a moment, her thoughts swirling.

"Maybe he's not what I thought he was," she murmured to herself before heading inside.

Back at his estate, Aki tossed the car keys to one of his waiting bodyguards and leaned against the wall, staring up at the ceiling.

"This world's characters are more complex than I expected," he thought with a small smile tugging at his lips.

As the night settled around him, Aki couldn't help but feel a growing intrigue for the people he had encountered, even if they didn't fit into the stories he once knew. For the first time in a while, he found himself looking forward to what tomorrow might bring.

"But for now let finish today's chapters."