Chapter 81: Katsuragi, Be My Boyfriend!
Kushida Kikyo maintained her smile until Horikita Suzune's figure disappeared at the library entrance. Only then did she let out a seemingly casual sigh, speaking softly in a voice only those nearby could hear:
"Kita-kita really is a bit cool, isn't she? Just leaving like that. Still, it's actually quite nice to be able to study with her. I feel like everyone in Class D is becoming more and more like a single unit, right? Well, I'll be going too! See you tomorrow, everyone!"
Kushida left shortly after, followed by several other students.
"Kami-nii-sama, let's head back to the dorms too!" Elsie said to Katsuragi Keima. She was already itching to put on another grand performance of her culinary skills for him.
But just as Keima was preparing to leave, his mobile terminal suddenly vibrated.
[Karuizawa Kei]: I'm waiting for you on the path behind the library. Come here for a bit.
There was no reason given, just a simple message, looking very much like Karuizawa's usual brash style.
"You go back first."
"Eh, why?"
"I have some business."
"It couldn't be that Kami-nii-sama is intentionally trying to avoid eating the dishes I make, could it?!"
"While it's true I don't want to eat them, it has nothing to do with that. I have to handle something related to the mission."
"Understood, Kami-nii-sama! I'll wait for your good news!" Upon hearing it involved a conquest mission, Elsie nodded vigorously and walked away quickly.
After Elsie left, Keima circled around to the path behind the library. Very few people came here; usually, it was deserted. The afterglow of the setting sun was mostly blocked by the library building, making the surroundings look somewhat dim.
When Keima arrived, he didn't see anyone at first.
"A prank?" Keima deliberately raised his voice and pretended to leave. He knew perfectly well that Karuizawa must be somewhere nearby.
A set of slightly hurried footsteps approached from behind, accompanied by a low-volume call:
"Katsuragi! Wait a second!"
Keima stopped and turned around to see Karuizawa catching up, slightly out of breath. Her long blonde hair shimmered softly in the setting sun, but her face bore a complex expression quite different from her usual flamboyant look.
"Is there something else, Kei-chan?" Keima pushed up his glasses, his tone calm.
"Stop calling me by that nickname!"
"Didn't you accept it earlier?"
"That was strictly for the study group; it's not allowed now!"
"Then I'll go back to using your surname."
"If you use my first name directly, not the nickname, that's fine too." After saying this, Karuizawa looked left and right to confirm no one was passing through the corridor. She stepped closer, lowered her voice, and spoke bluntly: "Katsuragi, I... I have something to discuss with you. Something very important."
"Go ahead. If it's extra tutoring, I'm not free of charge."
"No, it's not that!" Karuizawa took a deep breath as if gathering courage, looking straight at Keima. "Could you... be my boyfriend?"
After long consideration, Karuizawa had decided to use Katsuragi Keima as her "parasite" host. She was certain that Keima was definitely not a bad person. Furthermore... he possessed a type of influence that Karuizawa herself could not affect.
Originally, Hirata Yosuke had been her target, but she had changed her mind.
After Karuizawa finished speaking, the air seemed to freeze for a second. Keima's lenses reflected the light of the sunset, making it impossible to see the emotion in his eyes, but his expression showed no fluctuation as he quietly waited for her to continue. He knew that given Karuizawa's personality and their current lack of intimacy, this couldn't possibly be a genuine confession.
Just a "Special Event."
Karuizawa was a bit surprised. How could a normal boy be so calm after being confessed to? After all, Karuizawa knew her own figure and looks were top-tier. Feeling the atmosphere turning awkward, her speaking speed increased while her voice dropped even lower, carrying a trace of an unnoticeable tremble:
"It's... it's a fake! A fake relationship! Look, in class... you seem quite special now. If you're my boyfriend, others won't dare cause trouble for me easily..."
"Trouble?" Keima caught the keyword.
Karuizawa bit her lower lip, her eyes flickering as she struggled with whether to say more. Ultimately, she spoke, her voice carrying a hint of suppressed bitterness:
"I... in the past, at my old school... I was bullied. The really bad kind. When I transferred here, I tried hard to act cheerful and get on good terms with everyone just so I wouldn't have to experience that again. But... I'm still scared. I'm scared that I'll be targeted again without knowing when, that people will think I'm an easy mark..."
She paused and looked up, her eyes holding a plea and a fraction of vulnerability she didn't want to admit: "If you're my boyfriend, people will think I have a backer, a protector. You look... like you don't care about anything, but I think you're actually very capable. Even someone like Horikita is willing to listen to you... So, please, just do it as a favor to me. Just pretend for a while! I won't actually cling to you!"
Keima listened in silence, his brain analyzing Karuizawa's words, expression, and body language like a precision instrument.
This wasn't a simple "seeking a protector"; it was a deeper insecurity from long-term trauma and extreme fear of the possibility of being bullied. She was trying to build a fragile psychological defense line using a fake relationship. This matched what Keima had previously suspected.
After a moment, Keima spoke slowly, his voice calm yet clear—a cool analysis rather than a simple rejection:
"Kei, I understand your fear. The experience of being hurt can indeed make one want to find every possible safety barrier."
A glimmer of hope ignited in Karuizawa's eyes. But Keima changed the subject:
"However, a relationship built on lies is like a Gal Game with beautiful art but terrible quality; it cannot give you true security. Instead, it will make you live in constant anxiety of being exposed. The 'fake boyfriend' identity might let you temporarily avoid high risks, but it cannot solve the fundamental problem—your deep-seated uncertainty about your own value and your over-defense against external threats."
Pretending to be her boyfriend to solve her problem was a method that could definitely raise her favorability in the short term—but it wasn't enough. At this level, it was impossible to truly enter her heart.
Favorability would likely stop at around 60%, making it difficult to progress further. Only by making her truly trust him could he achieve a complete conquest.
Furthermore... once a relationship was established, progress with other conquest targets would stall or even regress! Drawing close to other girls while in a relationship easily triggers chain reactions. In other words, as long as he didn't confirm a relationship, there would be no problem no matter how many girls he contacted!
"So, I refuse," Keima answered.
Karuizawa froze. She hadn't expected Keima to say something that struck the core so directly. The color drained from her face, and her expression became incredibly embarrassed.
"S-Sorry, forget I said anything. Please, the things I told you, you must not—"
"Are you planning to keep running away? Trying to cover old wounds with new lies will only push your true self further away," Keima continued.
His tone wasn't one of reproach; it was more like stating an objective game mechanic. "To avoid being bullied, you worked hard to play the role of a cheerful, popular person. That is a coping strategy in itself. Now, you intend to add a 'Strong Boyfriend' character card to your hand. But none of these roles are the real Karuizawa Kei."
"..."
Karuizawa was stunned. She had only briefly mentioned the situation. Why did Keima know that her usual self was also a facade?
"Then... then what should I do?" Karuizawa asked subconsciously, her voice a bit dry. Keima's words were like a scalpel, precisely dissecting the inner self she had been trying to hide.
"True security doesn't come from external labels or the shelter provided by someone else." Keima pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses calm and profound. "It comes from the growth of your own strength, your recognition of your own value, and the confidence that you can face difficulties even when alone. In this school, points, grades, special contributions... these are all tangible strengths. When you obtain these through your own efforts and build true self-confidence, the shadows that once terrified you will naturally fade."
He took out his handheld and held it before Karuizawa. "Just like a game; as long as your own level is high enough and your stats are high enough, you won't be afraid of any enemy, no matter who they are."
He paused, looking at Karuizawa's thoughtful face, and added: "Moreover, you are not alone. Everyone in the study group, though different in personality, are not people who would bully others without cause. Even without the 'boyfriend' facade, it is normal for classmates to help each other within reasonable limits. You don't need to carry all the pressure on your own shoulders, nor do you need a lie to trade for a fake peace."
Karuizawa stood there dazed, bathed in the setting sun. Keima's words echoed in her mind repeatedly. She thought back to the cheerfulness she forced herself to display to fit into the new environment, and the lingering terror deep in her heart. Perhaps Keima was right; she had been using layers of disguises to protect her past wounded self, but she had never truly healed the wound or made herself strong.
"..." Karuizawa opened her mouth but didn't know what to say. The sense of loss from being rejected was still there, but strangely, it wasn't as strong as she imagined. Instead, there was a... dazed sense of being awakened and a faint feeling of relief.
"Of course, change requires time and courage," Keima said finally, his tone softening.
"The study group is a good starting point. You can start here, slowly accumulating levels, whether in knowledge or reliable relationships. As for the shadows of the past..." He looked out at the sinking sun. "Treat it as a data save file. The important thing isn't repeatedly loading the negative status it brings, but utilizing the experience points analyzed from it to conquer the current and future stages."
This game-metaphor-filled speech made Karuizawa want to laugh, yet she couldn't. She had never expected anyone to talk to her like this. It was... completely different from what she expected. Looking at Keima's calm, waveless face, she suddenly felt that this guy, who was always obsessed with games, saw through things more clearly than most.
"Additionally—"
"What?"
"Though I cannot agree to be your boyfriend, I promise you, I will absolutely not let anyone bully you." Keima spoke to Karuizawa with utmost seriousness.
Karuizawa froze—at this moment, it was the first time she truly observed Katsuragi Keima. His looks were quite handsome, enough to be at the front of the class. It was just because he was usually staring at his game machine that she hadn't noticed.
'Crap, I've been staring for too long—'
[Name: Karuizawa Kei] [Current Favorability: 8%] [Current Favorability: 15%] [Current Favorability: 32%]
"...Thank you." After a long time, Karuizawa spoke in a low voice. Her voice no longer trembled, but instead carried a determined calm. "I... I will think carefully about what you said."
She didn't mention the "fake boyfriend" thing again.
"Mm." Keima nodded. "Then, see you at the study group tomorrow."
He turned and left, his pace steady. To him, this was merely handling a side event involving psychological trauma and a faulty solution strategy, providing what he believed to be the most effective fix.
Karuizawa stood in place, watching Keima's receding figure. The setting sun stretched her shadow long. The terror that had always existed didn't seem to vanish instantly, but Keima's words were like a seed falling into a crack in her defensive wall. Perhaps it was time to stop role-playing and face her true self—perhaps not strong enough yet, but capable of growing.
Although the thought only appeared for an instant, the seed had been planted. Karuizawa couldn't help but associate this with recent events.
Horikita Suzune, Sakura Airi... everyone's personality seemed to have changed. Was it all because of Katsuragi Keima?
'This guy... really is different from the rest.'
Karuizawa seemed to understand why so many people were paying attention to him now.
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