Yuuki Asuna was the classic type: soft-hearted, weak to gentle approaches, strong to nothing but kindness.
Seeing Touma Kazusa's lonely, downcast look—and hearing the faint sadness in her words—Asuna immediately forgot she'd almost fought her a moment ago.
"Um… so…"
Asuna walked up beside Hōjō Yoru, tugged lightly on his sleeve, and lowered her voice.
"The school store sells bento too, right? Skipping lunch is bad for your health. Can you persuade her to eat with us? Not eating lunch is really bad for you."
Hearing Asuna's words—and looking at her worried, tender expression—Yoru couldn't help roasting her.
"Are you raising a daughter here?"
In the "gentle mother energy" department, Asuna really was a specialist.
Even though she was only sixteen—a girl in the middle of youth—sometimes she gave off the aura of a mature mom, with this "good wife, wise mother" kind of warmth. It was honestly one of her charms.
Yoru looked at Kazusa by the window.
Asuna wasn't wrong. The famous "Sleeping Beauty" of Sōbu High did look a little undernourished. On top of long-term lack of sunlight and exercise, her skin—set against black hair—was pale to the point of looking almost sickly.
But even so, Kazusa still had a tall, willowy 170cm frame.
And she was a stealthy big-R.
Yoru's thoughts drifted to the girl seated on his right—his desk neighbor who had never once spoken to him. Yukinoshita Yukino, the "problem student" Hiratsuka-sensei mentioned.
Her diet was regular and healthy, and yet that one area didn't even come close to Kazusa.
Sigh. Genetics.
Sigh. Gifted monster.
"Touma."
Yoru looked at Kazusa. Her narrow, refined eyes locked onto his.
"Do you want to—"
"Sure."
Kazusa nodded instantly—so fast it was basically an iaijutsu response.
Asuna's expression turned complicated.
What does this mean?
I invite you and you hesitate and refuse.
Yoru invites you and you respond like "I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!"—you didn't even let him finish before agreeing!
Isn't that favoritism a little too obvious?!
Even Yoru was amused by her absurdly fast answer.
"I haven't even said what we're doing together at lunch."
Kazusa replied with the same blank, emotionless face.
"If you're the one inviting me, anything is fine."
Asuna's eyes went wide in disbelief.
KO'd by loyal-dog heavy-girl energy .JPG
"…Ah. Saying that might not be appropriate."
Only after speaking did Kazusa seem to realize how strange it sounded. Her gaze slid off Yoru and onto Asuna.
"After all… Yuuki-san is your girlfriend. She'd be unhappy hearing me say that, right?"
Asuna froze.
Then her face flushed bright red. She waved her hands frantically, flustered.
"No, no! Yoru and I aren't that—"
Halfway through, she suddenly stopped.
Her eyes shifted to Yoru—like she was waiting for him to say something.
Kazusa's eyes did the same.
Stared at by two beautiful girls, with the air abruptly turning into something dangerously "love-triangle-ish," even Yoru blanked out.
Wait, weren't we just talking about eating lunch?
Why are you two suddenly interrogating me?
Asuna, if you're going to explain, finish the sentence. You stopping halfway—how am I supposed to follow that?!
Yoru didn't have a system, but it felt like two options popped up in front of his eyes:
"We're not dating." → Enter Kazusa Route
"We are dating." → Enter Asuna Route
Where's the harem route?
Where's the hidden option?!
Yoru's brain spun at full speed. Faced with a "two-choice" dilemma, he simply created his own hidden option.
"Asuna and I aren't dating."
Asuna's eyes dimmed with a trace of disappointment. She didn't even know why she felt that way—because they truly weren't dating—
But then Yoru shifted gears and spoke with a very serious tone.
"Even though we're not dating, Asuna and I have already gone beyond 'lovers.' We trust each other—like family."
Asuna's expression softened into genuine emotion.
She hadn't expected Yoru—Mr. Abstract Chaos himself—to say something so earnest.
"Family…"
Kazusa repeated the word quietly, her eyes complicated, her tone flat.
"I don't really understand… Is 'family' considered a close relationship?"
"Touma…"
Hearing Kazusa say something so painfully detached in such a calm voice, Asuna's hazel eyes filled with sympathy.
She didn't know what Kazusa's family was like—but someone who could say that probably didn't have a warm home. And aside from Yoru, Kazusa had no friends at school.
Asuna decided right then:
She would become Kazusa's second friend.
She couldn't talk about ghouls and devils—but at least at school, the three of them could chat and eat together, so Kazusa wouldn't be so alone.
Greatness—needs no further words.
…
After school, Asuna walked with Yoru toward the school gate. She was about to ask what the next plan was, when she spotted a woman waiting there:
A beautiful, stern middle-aged woman in a burgundy business suit, with neat shoulder-length hair—an imposing presence.
"Mom?"
Seeing her mother—Professor Yuuki Kyōko—standing there, Asuna froze for a beat. Then she hurried over, nervous but far more happy than afraid, smiling sweetly.
"Why are you here?"
"There were no classes at the university today, and it's the weekend soon, so I thought I'd come see my precious daughter."
Kyōko smiled as she said it. She was strict and controlling—but because Asuna had always been such a "perfect child," their relationship had actually remained close.
"And this young man is…?"
Kyōko's curious gaze moved to Yoru.
Yoru didn't show the slightest stage fright in front of an adult. He immediately introduced himself.
"Hello, ma'am. My name is Hōjō Yoru."
Asuna was about to sigh in relief—finally, a normal introduction—
…but then Yoru continued.
"I'm this year's freshman representative at Sōbu High, Yuuki Asuna's senior and friend, Tokyo's Batman, the pinnacle of Sōbu High, a mixed martial arts master, the natural enemy of single older female teachers, the one who draws the shape of sound, and the righteous man who came to aid a piano-genius beautiful girl."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 120)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 95)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League (Chapter 85)
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter85)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter81)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter60)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter66)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 40
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 50
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