Chapter 21: A Beautiful Boy Should Go to Mixers

Chapter 21: A Beautiful Boy Should Go to Mixers

“Hm? You use Self too?”

It was the dim light of evening.

Inside Kiyono Mitsuki’s room, Yatsuno Gen sat on the sofa, looking at his phone.

Beside him, Kiyono Mitsuki wanted very much to pretend she did not care what he was doing, but her eyes kept drifting over in spite of herself.

Moreover, the boy was far too focused. He had not even glanced at her once.

She acted cold and silent, but in the end, she was still the first one who could not hold back.

How awful.

Yatsuno Gen nodded and continued looking at his phone.

“Yeah. I’m not actually an old man, so why wouldn’t I use it?”

In this world, famous social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram no longer existed.

However, some differently named replacements had appeared.

Self was more like a combination of Weibo and short video platforms that Yatsuno Gen had been familiar with before his transmigration. Whether posting updates, getting the latest news, watching short videos, or livestreams, everything was integrated into one platform. It had become the darling of the era. At the same time, it balanced everyday social interaction with privacy protection. If users wished, they could completely separate their public posts from their private space.

It had become the social platform most favored by young people today, with nearly three billion monthly active users, enough to demonstrate its global popularity.

Actually, Yatsuno Gen did not use it very often, nor did he browse it frequently. Just now, he had merely checked the account called “Yuna and Daisuke” to confirm that the two had indeed not posted anything about secretly photographing Kiyono Mitsuki.

“I thought you weren’t interested in things like this. I mean, I’ve never seen you do anything proper.”

Kiyono Mitsuki spoke with obvious sarcasm, though the hand holding her phone tightened slightly.

Right now, there was only one crucial question occupying her mind.

Yatsuno Gen uses this platform, so why has he never asked what my account is?

Did he think she did not have a social media account?

Or did he simply not want to add her?

“I don’t know what kind of proper business you’re talking about, but what proper business could a high school student possibly have?”

Yatsuno Gen was still looking at his phone.

Beside him on the sofa sat a girl in a light red slip dress, her long hair draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were practically turning red from all the sideways glances.

“Who knows with you. Besides studying, maybe you spend your time teasing the girls around you.”

That was the sort of thing someone would only say after being driven into a corner.

After all, what he did was none of her business. With all the care he had already shown her, she should probably be grateful to the world itself.

But people always wanted more.

Even after receiving a miracle, they still longed for something beyond that miracle.

Like the possessiveness she did not want to admit, yet undeniably existed.

“By ‘girls around you,’ do you mean yourself?”

Yatsuno Gen asked without even raising his head.

The boy’s side profile as he looked down at the screen was beautiful. His clean jawline and the light falling across his face formed the most dazzling scenery.

Even the hand holding the phone looked beautiful.

Long fingers, distinct knuckles. It seemed as though anything he held would suit him perfectly.

Her leg, perhaps.

Or her hand.

Or, of course, her neck and long hair...

That was why Kiyono Mitsuki felt that he could easily succeed at anything he attempted.

Even if he became a host.

Still, Kiyono Mitsuki bumped her shoulder against his in dissatisfaction.

“I’m older than you. How does that make me a little girl?”

Yatsuno Gen finally lowered his phone slightly and looked at her with a smile.

“Big Sister Kiyono is indeed an older sister, but you’re very childish. Doesn’t that make you a little girl?”

“You’re the childish one.”

Kiyono Mitsuki gave a disdainful snort and turned away.

Then she realized the boy had gone silent again. Looking back, she saw that he was once more tapping away on that damned phone, replying to who knew whose messages.

Finally, unable to endure it any longer, the girl lit up her own screen.

She coughed softly.

“Actually, I use Self too.”

“Oh? Really?”

Oh my foot!

Didn’t you understand what I meant?!

This malicious bastard was pretending to be dense again.

Since she had already gone this far, Kiyono Mitsuki could not care about anything else. She bit her lower lip.

Then she directly turned around and took Yatsuno Gen’s phone from his hand.

The boy seemed to have expected it. He showed no panic and merely looked at her with amusement.

As she operated his phone to add an account, she casually said,

“If something comes up in the future, contact me through this. Stop barging into my house without even saying hello first. That’s illegal.”

After speaking, she forced herself to maintain a calm expression despite the burning heat spreading across her face, then returned the phone.

She was too nervous.

The act was far too forced.

So much so that she had not even had time to check how many girls contacted him privately.

“Oh.”

Yatsuno Gen took back the phone and looked at the newly added account.

Then he smiled at the girl.

“And you still won’t admit you’re childish? Using a trick like this just to get onto my friends list?”

“W-Who wanted to get onto your friends list? Don’t flatter yourself! I’m simply troubled by your habit of entering my house without warning. If you don’t want this, then just promise never to do it again, and I’ll delete you.”

“Your logic is surprisingly self-consistent.”

Yatsuno Gen laughed, put away his phone, and stood up.

The girl, whose cheeks were still somewhat warm, looked up at him.

“W-What are you doing?”

“I’m going home. What else would I be doing?”

“Going home... Fine. The sooner you leave, the better. You’re an eyesore.”

Kiyono Mitsuki lowered her head slightly, preventing him from seeing the unmistakable reluctance in her eyes.

And Yatsuno Gen seemed not to have heard the almost spoken “true feelings” hidden beneath her words.

“Get some rest early.”

“...”

Kiyono Mitsuki did not answer.

Not until Yatsuno Gen had truly left her room.

Kiyono Mitsuki immediately raised her head, laboriously transferred herself into her wheelchair, and then displayed an agility no disabled person should possess.

She quickly wheeled herself to the wall beside the door and pressed her ear against it.

She had not heard the neighboring door open at all!

That bastard.

He had not gone home at all!

Where had he gone off to fool around?

Almost immediately, an impulse made her pull out her phone and open the newly added contact, preparing to send a message demanding an explanation.

But she soon relaxed her finger.

It did not really have anything to do with her.

What position did she have to ask for more, to hope for more?

But was her relationship with him really just that of ordinary friends?

Or merely a kind-hearted person and an unfortunate one?

There was clearly some ambiguity between them...

Perhaps it was precisely ambiguity that caused people so much suffering.

“Yatsuno! Over here!”

Yatsuno Gen, who indeed had not gone home, appeared beneath the night sky of Shoujitsu’s bustling Aoiike District about forty minutes later.

Across the street, Miura Akihiko was waving and shouting at him.

Yatsuno Gen walked over and saw that the boy was dressed especially flamboyantly today.

Despite being an eighteen-year-old second-year high school student, he was wearing a leather jacket and ripped jeans.

He had even put on rings and bracelets, looking like some wandering young rock musician.

Yatsuno Gen looked at the excited Miura Akihiko.

“Why are you dressed like that? Planning to become a lonely rock star?”

Miura Akihiko rolled his eyes.

“What rock star? Didn’t I specifically arrange dinner with two girls today? How come you just showed up in a T-shirt? They’ll think you’re disrespecting them.”

Yatsuno Gen rolled his eyes back.

“It’s so hot. Aren’t you roasting in all that? So if you sweat through your clothes in front of them, that’s considered respectful?”

Miura Akihiko hooked an arm around Yatsuno Gen’s shoulders and laughed.

“That’s not important. The girls I invited are from the class next door. They’re pretty cute. This is our chance to get girlfriends in high school and begin a rose-colored youth. Could you please put away your sharp tongue and grumpy face and take this seriously?”

Yatsuno Gen looked at him strangely.

“Since when have you been capable of inviting girls out?”

Miura Akihiko thought back for a moment.

“Honestly, I didn’t expect it to work. I even prepared a bunch of tricks I learned online. But the moment I said you were coming too, they agreed immediately.”

“...”

Yatsuno Gen felt that this boy really was missing a few brain cells.

Were all rich second-generation heirs this innocent?

If so, perhaps the world still had hope.

“Wait. So today isn’t actually your birthday?”

“Nope.”

Miura Akihiko grinned brightly.

“You even lied to your dad?”

Yatsuno Gen immediately pretended to shake off the arm around him and turn back home.

Miura Akihiko instantly grabbed both of Yatsuno Gen’s arms and pleaded,

“I swear I’ll never trick you again. You’re my brother, my real brother, okay? Just this once, help me out. I can’t handle this by myself!”

“...And this meal?”

“Brother, order whatever you want. Eat whatever you want. Drink whatever you want. I’m paying!”

“Just this once.”

“Hehe.”

Walk by the river often enough and eventually your shoes get wet.

He had not expected to be tricked by this fool.

This was a restaurant bar in an excellent location within the Aoiike District.

The name was somewhat strange.

Paper Airplane.

At the front was a courtyard where customers could sit freely.

It carried a Japanese garden style, complete with artificial hills and ponds. Dim yellow lighting accompanied the gentle murmur of an artificial stream.

It had a certain elegance.

Miura Akihiko led Yatsuno Gen to one of the booth seats inside.

The bar counter and the resident singer were located beyond the courtyard.

Before even sitting down, Yatsuno Gen noticed two girls looking around from a nearby booth.

They were dressed quite elaborately.

Not in a negative sense.

At the very least, it showed that the two girls took this mixer seriously.

The moment Miura Akihiko approached, his grin spread so wide it was almost impossible to close.

“Hello, you two. This is my friend Yatsuno Gen.”

Then he introduced the girls to Yatsuno Gen.

“These two are Kaga-san and Saito-san from Class One.”

Yatsuno Gen had no intention of putting on airs, though neither did he wear the ingratiating smile that Miura Akihiko did.

He merely nodded and smiled politely.

“Hello.”

The instant the two girls saw Yatsuno Gen, it seemed as though little stars had appeared in their eyes.

They practically sparkled.

“So it really is Yatsuno-kun...”

“He’s even more handsome up close. Hello, Yatsuno-kun!”

Miura Akihiko pulled Yatsuno Gen into a seat and smiled at the girls.

“Let’s chat while we eat. Take a look and see what you’d like to eat or drink. Order whatever you want.”

“Okay, thank you~ Uh, sorry, what was your name again?”

Miura Akihiko:...

Yatsuno Gen lazily leaned back in his chair.

The courtyard carried a faint scent of sandalwood.

It was very pleasant.

Unlike ordinary restaurant bars where all kinds of smells mixed together.

The prices looked quite expensive.

Suddenly, Yatsuno Gen sensed something.

He narrowed his eyes and looked toward the spiral staircase at the side.

There seemed to be guests upstairs as well.

When he looked over, there was nothing particularly unusual.

Nor was there anyone staring at him.

But...