Chapter 46: A Kind World
Afterward, as Sasha approached her father, who lay unconscious from a blow to the jaw, she told me to leave, insisting she would handle the aftermath.
I offered her my phone number in case she needed to contact me, but Sasha preemptively declined.
She assured me she would contact me if necessary.
With no further role to play, I expressed my understanding, bid farewell to Fuma-senpai, who had assisted me at the subway station and made my way home.
The next day.
Upon waking up in the morning, I clutched my head, agonizing alone over the previous days events.
Why did I say that?
It was as though I had been under a spell.
Even in a manga world, I believed I retained basic common sense, but to engage in such a rampage
Most of the altercation was in self-defense, yet if I had acted that way in the real world, I would have faced incarceration without a doubt.
With a sense of foreboding, I combed the internet for keywords related to the day before.
Akihabara, Ueno Park, Russian, Brawl.
No search results surfaced regarding the incident.
The daytime scuffle with the Russians seemed meticulously concealed, as though it had never occurred.
This realization sent a shiver down my spine.
It appeared that Japan, just as Sasha had mentioned, was complicit in suppressing the information.
It also pointed to the extraordinary influence wielded by the multinational Easter Egg Company.
Even when I checked smaller community forums, the situation was the same.
Driven by curiosity, I reached into the inner pocket of my hoodie.
Thankfully, the 2 million yen Sasha had handed me was still there.
Ah, shit, it wasnt a dream, not at all.
With no means to initiate contact with her, my only option was to wait indefinitely for her to reach out to me.
As I lay on the floor, gazing at the ceiling, I noticed my body was unusually stiff and heavy.
This must be the aftereffect Fuma-senpai had referred to.
Indeed, I felt a noticeable drop in my usual energy levels.
The lethargy I had felt since morning might have been an aftereffect of the pill that hadnt worn off yet.
Fortunately, there were still four days left of Golden Week, so there was plenty of time before school, but just in case, I decided to avoid intense exercise for a while.
Having made up my mind, I remembered that I had fallen asleep without showering the night before due to exhaustion, so I grabbed some clothes and headed to the bathroom.
Friday, May 5, 2017.
The nine-day holiday of Golden Week was slowly coming to an end.
After this weekend, classes would start again.
Today, being Childrens Day, houses with young boys displayed carp-shaped streamers, called Koinobori, on their balconies.
Well, it was something I only knew about in theory, having never actually done it myself.
Seventy-seven, seventy-eight, seventy-nine
While doing some light exercises, I kept glancing at my smartphone, but there was still no contact from Sasha, who had disappeared with her father the day before yesterday.
Maybe she had gone back to Russia, her homeland, for her fathers treatment.
Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred!
I wiped the sweat from my slightly sweaty upper body with a towel.
Even after resting all day yesterday, my body hadnt fully recovered and felt quite drained.
If my usual physical condition was a ten, right now it might only be around a two or three.
By my standards, this was quite a generous assessment.
After helping my parents at the store and having lunch, I decided I couldnt just leave the money I received from Sasha in a corner of my room, so I put on a baseball cap and went out to deposit it into my bank account.
Perhaps because today was Childrens Day, families were busily walking along the streets lined with flowers.
Maybe May 5th was the day when childrens meals sold the most in family restaurants?
The bank I usually use was about fifteen minutes away from the store, located inside an arcade shopping district, so I had to walk a fair distance.
Walking leisurely with my hands in my tracksuit pockets, I easily spotted the colorful Koinobori fluttering in the wind on the balconies of residential areas.
After a short walk, I entered the automated section of the bank.
I inserted my passbook, entered the PIN, and inserted the bundle of bills into the deposit slot.
After confirming the 2 million yen printed on my passbook, I decided to stop by a convenience store near my home to buy some snacks.
Welcome!
Entering the convenience store while fiddling with my smartphone, I heard a familiar voice and looked up.
Standing at the convenience store counter with a smiling face was Fuma-senpai, recognizable by her long, dark purple hair.
Ah.
Kim Kim Yu-seong?!
Fortunately, it was a time when there were no other customers, so I managed to have a brief conversation with Fuma-senpai, who was working part-time at the convenience store.
Thank you for the other day.
As I handed over the canned coffee I had just paid for at the counter and said that, Fuma-senpai took the coffee and slightly shook her head.
No, it was something I had to do. Just watching innocent people get hurt is against my principles.
Looking at Fuma-senpais profile, I finally spoke up.
So youre a ninja, right?
Even in a manga world, I honestly never thought Id say something like that.
Hearing my question, Fuma-senpai sipped her coffee and nodded.
Thats right. To be precise, Im part of the Fuma Ninja Clan.
Then why are you pretending to be an ordinary person and attending school?
Fuma Senpai answered with a wry smile.
Its not a disguise. Even ninjas receive basic education in todays world.
Ah I see.
Realizing I had been narrow-minded, I nodded and asked another question.
Honestly, I have many questions for you, Senpai. And about this underworld you mentioned
Despite Scramble Love being set in a romantic comedy, it seemed to have a lot of hidden backstories.
Otherwise, an incident like the one the other day wouldnt have happened.
I was particularly curious about the Qi I had used.
Can I use the same power again if I take the red pill?
However, Fuma Senpai shook her head with a troubled expression after hearing these questions.
I cant tell you right now. I need some time to prepare, and I also need permission from the elders back home.
I understand.
After all, it wasnt something I needed to know immediately.
Even if Scramble Loves original plot seemed to shift from rom-com to battle, I doubted events of this magnitude would continue.
After all, in a world based on romantic comedy, there were still many typical school-themed events ahead.
Any clever writer wouldnt have overlooked that.
Ill come to you once Im ready to explain. Please wait a few weeks.
Alright.
With the conversation seemingly concluded, I stood up with the empty can, preparing to head home.
Then, Ill see you at school.
Take care.
After the brief farewell, as Fuma Senpai returned to the convenience store counter, something struck me.
But why are you working part-time here, Senpai?
Seeming a bit embarrassed, Fuma-senpai blushed slightly and replied.
Im living on my own and need the money for living expenses
Ah, that made sense.
Take care then.
Yeah.
Leaving the convenience store, I headed home with my hands full of plastic bags.
The long Golden Week finally ended, and it was the first day back at school.
Returning to Class 2-B after 10 days, the classroom felt somewhat awkward.
Arriving neither too early nor too late, I greeted Satoru, whom I hadnt seen in a while, and asked what he did during Golden Week.
Then Satoru, his skin glowing, proudly puffed out his chest and said,
I went on a hot spring trip to Hakata with my family.
Fukuoka, huh? Quite a distance.
You must have flown that distance.
Of course, I even had in-flight meals!
He bragged about in-flight meals with such pride, how reminiscent of high school.
A moment later, Rika, her skin slightly tanned, entered the classroom, waving.
Hi~ Ryu-chan~ Did you miss me while I was away?
A little?
In truth, I hadnt really noticed her absence, but a bit of flattery couldnt hurt.
Otherwise, she might take offense later on.
Hmph~ You seem like a lonely soul~
Rika teased, prodding my chest with her index finger.
Then, as the first homeroom class on Monday commenced, our homeroom and history teacher, nicknamed Gorilla, Mr. Matsuda, stormed in with the black attendance book.
Quiet! Quiet!
Once the classroom settled, Mr. Matsuda stood at the lectern, cleared his throat, and announced gravely,
Today, were joined by a new transfer student in our class. More precisely, an exchange student from our sister school in Vladivostok, Russia. Its her first visit to Japan, so I expect everyone to be welcoming.
He then beckoned to the transfer student waiting outside,
Transfer student, come in!
The door slid open.
The classroom hushed as the foreign transfer student appeared at the doorway.
The Slavic girl with flowing silver hair entered with a demure smile and introduced herself,
Alexandra Ivanovna Romanova. If my name is too long, you can call me Sasha.
After her introduction, Sasha gracefully lifted the hem of her skirt and continued with a solemn expression.
My hobbies include shooting, horse riding, watching anime, and reading. And something Ive recently taken a liking to is
In a snap
that guy over there, Kim Yoo-seong.
With her startling declaration on her first day, the tranquility of my school life began to unravel.
Visit freewe𝑏(n)ovel.co(m) for the b𝘦st novel reading experience