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Chapter 252: Can I Stay Over Tonight?
🕑 Added 2025-03-31 17:08:27 +0000 UTC"Damn, I'm playing dirty."
Minami Shouji snapped out of the simulation, impressed.
His simulated self really went all in.
He'd manipulated Satou Matsuzaka completely—
Even got her to accept him as her master.
"Absolute Light Yagami manipulation."
Minami sighed.
"Honestly, the me in the simulation? Nothing like the real me."
"A pure soul like me—world's most handsome, morally upright, untainted by lies or carnal desires? Rare indeed."
Chuckling at himself, he took a sip of water and prepared to continue.
But before he could—
Ping.
A message.
"Hm?" Minami checked his phone.
From Bocchi.
Simple and short:
[Probably dead: Nami, can I stay over tonight?]
Stay over.
Just two words—
But Minami instantly imagined 36 positions, 18 techniques.
Let's be honest, when a girl asks to stay over—it's almost always implied.
However…
Minami wasn't the type to chase pleasure blindly.
And tonight, he might need to continue simulating Satou Matsuzaka to further understand her.
Simulating another woman's affection…
While in Bocchi's arms?
No way.
Totally inappropriate.
As mentioned before…
Minami Shouji wasn't someone who indulged in desire.
Even with temptation right in front of him, his attitude remained clear—
[Tokyo's No.1 Pretty Boy: Sure. You can stay over tonight.]
Message received.
Processed.
Edited.
Sent.
All in about three seconds.
Clearly, this was a well-considered reply.
After all, ever since Kessoku Band threw themselves into preparations for the "Teen Music Festival," he hadn't had a moment of intimacy with Hitori.
This wasn't about his desires—it was about fulfilling Hitori's longing for closeness.
Because Minami Shouji, at heart, was still the world's most upright, morally pure, and impeccably noble pretty boy.
Yes. Exactly.
Minami nodded with conviction, setting his phone aside.
"Hitori's handled. Time to continue the simulation."
He turned his gaze back to the simulator.
The page, untouched, had waited patiently.
Nice—smart feature.
He tapped to continue.
[You became her master.]
[This wasn't just words.]
[You started ordering her around—having her fetch lunches, borrowing money, making absurd demands.]
[She offered no complaints. Calmly, she watched over you, supported you.]
[Every request was met in silence, just hoping for your approval.]
Memory surged in the simulation.
Three different scenes flashed across Minami's mind.
In reality, he blinked, then immersed himself.
Scene One.
"Satou-san, it's about time you went to get today's lunch, right?"
"Eh? But, Minami-senpai… we still have class…"
Satou lifted her eyes to the dark-haired youth, hesitant.
"Did you forget what you promised? Are you going back on your word now? That's irresponsible—making a promise and not keeping it?"
Minami frowned, clearly displeased.
"Ah… no, that's not it…"
Satou put down her book, slowly standing, her pink eyes fixed on him.
"What is it now?"
Minami glanced at her, puzzled.
"Um… the money for the lunch…"
Satou hesitated. Minami hadn't given her any cash.
"Oh—money? No worries. Just buy it first, okay? We're friends, right? I'll pay you back."
"Okay… I'll go now."
Without doubt, Satou nodded and walked off.
Scene Two.
"Satou-san, I'm kinda strapped for cash. Can you lend me some?"
Minami's voice was direct. He calmly extended his hand—not asking, but almost as if claiming.
"Eh? Ah… sure… how much?"
Satou blinked, pink eyes soft. She pulled out her wallet.
"How much do you have?"
"Um… around 150,000 yen… I just got paid."
"Then just give me the whole wallet."
"Ah… okay."
Reflexively, she handed it over.
Minami flipped through it, pulled out all 150,000 yen, and left her a few stray ¥1,000 bills.
"I'll count this leftover as lunch money I owed you."
Casually counting the bills, Minami sounded like he was doing her a favor.
Anyone else watching would've been shocked.
Paying her with her own money?
Outrageous.
But Satou wasn't "normal."
She looked at her nearly empty wallet, hesitant.
"Is this really okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"Leaving me a couple thousand yen… is that okay? If you really need money, Minami-senpai, you can just take it all."
She leaned in, expression gentle.
"I don't need much. I've got some bread at home—enough for meals."
"…Huh? What are you even saying?"
Minami Shouji gave her a sideways glance.
"You think I'm the kind of devil who'd let you survive on just bread every day? Besides, paying back a debt is normal, isn't it?"
He patted Satou Matsuzaka on the shoulder, his expression serious.
"I'm always looking out for you, Satou-san. You need to eat well, drink well, and take care of yourself. Got it?"
Stretching lazily, he waved a hand behind him toward Satou as he walked away.
"Oh right—tomorrow, I'll need you to run errands again."
"Mm."
A clear, crisp reply from Satou.
She watched as Minami descended the stairs and disappeared from view.
Yet in her heart, a faint worry stirred.
Not about when Minami might repay the money he borrowed—
She'd never cared about things like that.
In fact, even if he never repaid her, it didn't matter.
Her true concern was this: with only a couple thousand yen left…
Could she really afford to run errands for him again?
On the rooftop, the pink-haired girl let out a small sigh.
The memory shifted.
In Minami's mind, a third scene emerged.
This time, however, it wasn't between him and Satou—
It was Shouko Hida who approached him.
"You've got Satou running errands and lending you money—don't you think you're going too far, Minami-senpai?"
She stood before him, as Minami casually flipped through his novel.
Shouko Hida—the blue-haired girl—Satou's close friend.
She'd been watching their interactions for days.
Though Satou never voiced a complaint, Shouko—her best friend—couldn't just sit back and stay silent.
Minami's behavior had gone too far.
She'd heard he even took Satou's entire paycheck from her part-time job.
Money Satou worked hard for—her only means of survival.
And now, even more errands?
"This is way too much!"
Shouko was certain.
Minami Shouji was the type of scumbag who made his wife work, while he wasted time gambling and lazing about.
"Satou may like you, but you've gone too far, Minami-senpai!"
She took a step closer, her delicate face firm with resolve.
"For Satou's future, please don't approach her again."
Yes—if Minami stayed away, Satou might return to a normal life.
But—
"Normal life…"
Minami closed his book and looked up at her.
"Shouko-san, tell me—what exactly is a normal life for Satou-san?"
"Eh…?"
Shouko froze, caught off guard.
She hadn't expected him to throw that question back at her.
Still—
"A normal life is eating well, living well—not being ordered around, not having her salary taken! That's normal!"
She fired back quickly.
"Eating well… living well, huh?"
Minami pondered her words, resting his chin in his hand.
His dark eyes locked onto her.
They were clear, beautiful eyes—
But under his gaze, Shouko felt an odd pressure weighing down on her.
For some reason…
Even though Minami Shouji was just a peer, around her own age,
Shouko Hida felt an unexplainable pressure from him.
Yet—
"What? Did I say something wrong?"
Despite his intense gaze, she met it head-on.
She hadn't said anything wrong!
Even if he was her upperclassman, she wasn't going to back down.
Just as she was about to launch into another retort, Minami shook his head.
"No, you didn't say anything wrong. Shouko-san, you're right. Not being bossed around, eating well, staying healthy—that's the normal life."
"Eh…?"
His direct honesty caught her off guard.
Shouko blinked in surprise.
"If you know that, then why—"
"You probably don't know this," Minami interrupted, waving a hand.
"Satou doesn't have the habit of eating proper meals. Since she lives alone, she usually just eats jelly packets or some other liquid food."
"Huh…?"
"I have her run errands for lunch because she doesn't eat properly. It's an excuse to have her eat with me."
Minami's tone was calm as he looked at her.
Shouko wanted to accuse him of lying.
But those eyes…
Clear, unwavering, honest.
The words caught in her throat.
Still, she wasn't ready to give up. She raised her head.
"Even if that's true, Minami-senpai, you borrowing money from her—how do you explain that?"
Exactly.
Even if the lunch excuse worked—
Taking her entire part-time paycheck? No way that could be justified.
She looked at him confidently, waiting for his response.
Minami simply shook his head.
"You still don't understand, Shouko-san."
"Yes, I borrowed her paycheck. But you don't know this—because of Satou's gentle, pure nature, she's surrounded by leeches constantly asking for money."
"Rather than let those people take it—and never repay her—I borrowed it instead."
Exactly.
Satou Matsuzaka was pure—like a blank slate.
She couldn't say no.
She didn't even realize others only wanted her money.
"To stop that, it's better if I hold onto her money myself."
Minami stood up.
"Honestly, even if you hadn't said anything, I planned to return it today."
Shouko Hida stood silent.
She hadn't expected that.
Minami had considered so much, for Satou's sake.
It had all been her misunderstanding.
Guilt surged in her chest.
Her face turned red as she quickly bowed, flustered.
"I—I'm so sorry, Minami-senpai! I was so rude earlier—I'm really sorry!"
Understanding the situation at last, she realized how disrespectful she'd been.
Honest and forthright, Shouko bowed deeply and repeatedly.
Minami, for his part, didn't take offense.
He knew she was just worried for her friend.
He waved a hand.
"Don't worry about it."
The misunderstanding ended.
Shouko lifted her head, relief flooding her expression.
"I'm really glad… I didn't know Minami-senpai cared about Satou this much. You like her that much. I can finally rest easy."
She smiled, her tone wistful.
Minami didn't reply.
He simply glanced at her.
"Like Satou…"?
Him?
No…
Their relationship was far more complex than that.
A simple word like "like" could never describe what lay between him and Satou Matsuzaka.
