The next day.
Yasuo was on campus with the purpose of finally returning to classes when he encountered someone he didn't expect.
It was like the universe was playing a twisted game on him.
He shouldn't have even been here. What was he doing here?
Who was he?
He was Koyoma Hitoshi and the two of them bumped into each other — physically bumped into each other.
Who is this Koyoma Hitoshi? Is that what you're wondering since you don't recognize the name? Well damn. Just wait a second. I was getting there.
Hitoshi was the very same boyfriend that Shinju had attempted to protect from Yasuo during yesterday's sudden home visit.
Only a high schooler, Hitoshi's body was nowhere near as developed as Yasuo's large toned frame. When they clashed, Yasuo moved back maybe a few inches while Hitoshi tipped over and hit the ground with a loud—
Thud!
It was Yasuo's fault since he had been distracted on his phone while walking so he was about to apologize when he saw the face of the person on the ground, causing him to go silent as he was in shock at how much of a coincidence this was.
Not knowing who hit him, Hitoshi pushed up his glasses to sit where they were supposed to on his nose.
Looking up, as soon as he saw Yasuo, his body began to shiver immediately involuntarily.
'Ah shit. I didn't do it on purpose but he probably is assuming that I did.'
"Shit," he accidentally uttered which made Hitoshi shiver even more.
As if it were second-nature, his hands already dug into his pockets and he pulled out his wallet. Taking out the cash he kept in it at all times just in case Yasuo demanded it, he lifted it towards him with two hands, his head bowed, his knees on the ground.
This was an offering he was giving up in hopes that he wouldn't be beaten too badly.
He had a meeting with a professor on campus in a little bit and he didn't want to leave a bad impression with dirty clothes and a messed-up face.
'Did Shinju not inform him what I told her yesterday?' he wondered.
Then he realized that she most likely didn't because if she did, that would mean admitting to her boyfriend that she had been in Yasuo's home.
But even if she did tell him, Yasuo knew that he wouldn't have believed his words anyway.
Extending an arm forward, he was about to offer him a hand to help him get up when he heard a voice behind him.
"I knew it! Get away from him!"
Rushing from behind Yasuo, Shinju threw her body in front of her boyfriend, extending her arms outwards as if she was trying to make her body seem bigger.
She didn't really need to do all that.
She was already "big" enough in all the right places.
'If I really had intentions to beat up this poor kid, does she really think that acting like a shield would be enough to stop me? Cure…'
It was just a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding that was created by a cruel joke that the universe wanted to play.
Yasuo wanted to sigh and complain that he felt like it was unfair that his actions were being doubted but — was it really unfair?
This is Otsuka Yasuo he was talking about.
If anything, it was a miracle that Shinju had even left his apartment yesterday after he somehow slightly convinced her that his words might have a pinch of truth behind them.
"I knew you were lying," she said, her eyes quivering. He could see fear taking over her entire body, down to the fingers that trembled like an earthquake was happening below her. "I… I can't believe that for a split second, I actually thought you might've been telling me the truth. I thought you might've changed. I'm such a fool."
It wasn't just fear in her now. There was also nervousness and anger.
"Shinju…" Hitoshi behind her called out in a quivering voice.
His eyes were sparkling in gratification that his girlfriend was standing up for him. That only made him love her even more.
But at the same time, while he found her actions to be like a slice of cake, the fear of repercussions from Yasuo made him worried not only for himself but for Shinju.
Turning around, she saw while gently patting his head, "Don't worry. Put your money away. I'll deal with this."
'How?' Yasuo wondered.
"H-How?" Hitoshi mirrored his thought.
Giving him a fake smile, there was a tinge of guilt behind it that she hoped he couldn't see. "Don't worry. Just… just trust me. You have an appointment soon. You can't miss it."
Although the two of them were only third-year high schoolers, they were at a university's campus because Hitoshi had a meeting with a professor who he had been in contact through connections from his father.
It was a meeting that was going to determine whether or not he was going to apply to attend this university.
Before the two men could react and say anything, Shinju grabbed Yasuo's wrist and began dragging him away.
Hitoshi could only watch in silence as confusion and fear ate at him. He wanted to call out to her. He wanted to tell her to stop and to come back. But he didn't.
He was too scared of getting hit.
Yasuo wasn't a human in his eyes. He was the literal devil.
He could only pray and hope that whatever Shinju's plan was, it was going to resolve the issue peacefully without her getting hurt.
* * *
With their size difference, with a little bit of resistance, Yasuo could've easily kept himself planted on the spot and become a statue that she wouldn't be able to move, but he didn't do that.
The whole time Shinju was dragging him somewhere, she kept repeating this action of looking like she wanted to say something but would stop at the last second.
The courage she needed to express what she had to say wasn't there yet and she was trying to gather more with each step she took.
They finally came to a stop at the back of a building where nobody was.
It was only the two of them in the vicinity.
Silence continued as Shinju stood in front of him, her mouth gapping open slightly a few times but not even a hum came out.
After a while, he finally asked her, "Could you let go of my wrist now?"
"Hmm? Oh. Oh! Oh yeah. S-Sorry about that," she apologized while releasing him.