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Chapter 153: Slower, Even Slower
🕑 Added 2025-02-24 16:39:51 +0000 UTCAs the new week began—
Shuka High School officially entered full preparation mode for the Shuka Festival.
While regular classes continued, students used their after-school hours to prepare for their class events.
On the day before the festival, school would give everyone the day off so they could set up their classrooms.
Minami's Class 2-2 was running a Chocolate Banana Dessert Booth.
Their festival committee representative gave out orders—
Some students went to buy chocolate.
Others were sent to reserve a batch of bananas from a fruit vendor—not immediately, of course, since bananas could spoil.
Minami got lucky.
Instead of running errands, he was assigned background decoration duty.
His task?
Sewing the words "Class 2-2 Chocolate Banana Shop" onto a banner.
He wasn't working alone, though.
Two other classmates had been assigned the same task.
Both were guys.
One was a round-faced boy named Tsuchiya Taiyo, while the other was a tall guy named Shimizaki Shota.
At that moment, the two of them were busy complaining non-stop as they worked.
"Why are we, the guys, being forced to do such delicate needlework?" Tsuchiya Taiyo grumbled, fumbling with the unfamiliar sewing tools in his hands.
He really couldn't wrap his head around it.
He had never touched a sewing kit before.
Wouldn't it make way more sense to have them do something like carrying chocolate boxes or other heavy-lifting tasks instead?
They had been sitting here for ages, and he still hadn't even managed to stitch a single piece of fabric together properly.
This was a complete waste of time!
His endless yapping struck a chord with Shimizaki Shota as well.
Shimizaki shook out his sore wrists, glanced at the massive amount of fabric left to sew, and let out a deep sigh.
"At this rate, we're gonna be stuck here until six or seven in the evening… I wanna die—"
"Right?! That's why I keep saying that Rena—the festival committee rep is just being completely unreasonable."
Tsuchiya Taiyo huffed in frustration.
Then, as if something suddenly occurred to him, he curiously glanced over at Shouji Minami.
From the moment they had started working, Shouji Minami hadn't said a single word.
Not only had he been completely silent this whole time—
Now, he was even leaning back with his eyes half-closed, looking like he was about to fall asleep.
That utterly relaxed posture made Tsuchiya Taiyo do a double-take.
Wait a minute—
Could it be that Minami, the Demon King wasn't just a genius at studying but also a master at sewing?!
Had he already finished his entire task?!
Because unlike them, who only needed to stitch together a couple of fabric pieces, Minami had been assigned the much harder job of embroidering the entire phrase "Class 2-2 Chocolate Banana Shop" onto the banner.
The difficulty level wasn't even close to being the same.
Tsuchiya Taiyo's gaze quickly caught Shimizaki Shota's attention as well.
He had also just noticed Minami, who was resting peacefully like he had nothing left to do.
How the hell was he so chill?
Did he actually finish the whole thing already?
They were both curious now.
Finally, Tsuchiya Taiyo couldn't hold back anymore and asked—
"Shouji-kun, how far along are you with your work?"
"Here."
Minami casually opened his eyes, completely unbothered, and wordlessly held up the white fabric at his feet to show them his progress.
And then—
"Hissss…"
Both of them inhaled sharply.
Seeing the progress (or lack thereof) in Minami's hands, Tsuchiya Taiyo sucked in a sharp breath.
It wasn't because the work was too well-done.
It was because—
"Minami-san, it's been half an hour since we started… and you haven't even stitched a single letter yet?"
Tsuchiya Taiyo's lips twitched.
Yes.
He realized he had been completely wrong—so wrong it was almost ridiculous.
Minami hadn't finished his work.
He hadn't even started.
The white fabric in front of him was completely blank.
No lettering, no outlines—not even a shadow of progress.
It was cleaner than his own face.
"Is there a problem?"
"'Is there a problem?' Are you serious?! This is a huge problem!"
Seeing Minami's calm expression, Tsuchiya Taiyo couldn't help but protest—
"Do you not know that Kawakami Rena has a nickname? People call her the Mad Cannibal!"
"Oh? That's a thing?"
For the first time, Shouji Minami showed some interest.
Of course, he knew who Kawakami Rena was—she was their class president and the student in charge of organizing the Chocolate Banana Booth.
Long black hair, decent-looking, but with a serious and rigid personality—always strict and taking everything way too seriously.
To be honest, Shouji Minami didn't really mind people like her.
"Of course it's a thing! So I'm warning you now—you better hurry up and get to work! If the Mad Cannibal finds out you've been slacking off… you better watch out—"
Beside them, Shimizaki Shota leaned in, but before he could even finish his sentence, he made a hand chop gesture to his own neck.
"No rush."
Minami let out a yawn, sounding like he hadn't gotten enough sleep.
Casually, he replied—
"I called a friend to help me out."
"…A friend?"
Both Tsuchiya Taiyo and Shimizaki Shota instinctively started searching their minds for anyone who could fit the description of 'Minami's friend.'
But—
"Minami, stop joking."
Taiyo was at a loss for words.
Minami? Having friends?
They had never even seen him take the initiative to talk to anyone at school.
Most of the time, he either slept at his desk or read his paperback novels in silence.
If it weren't for his exceptional looks and top-tier grades, he would have been completely overlooked on campus.
And now, he was saying a friend was coming to help?
That was even more unrealistic than a beautiful girl suddenly appearing out of nowhere to rescue them from their suffering.
"Minami, I really think you should just start working now. Shimizaki and I can help you out later—at least that way, you'll still have a chance to catch the last train home."
Convinced that Minami was just bluffing, both Taiyo and Shota started trying to persuade their unfortunate comrade to stop dreaming and start sewing.
At least if he started now, he might still have a chance to finish on time.
But—
"Oh, there you are."
"Huh?"
Taiyo and Shota looked at Minami in confusion as he suddenly stood up.
"Minami, who are you talking to—wait, what?! Shinjo-san?!"
They instinctively turned around—
And froze in shock.
Because standing at the classroom door—
Was a girl they both recognized.
A girl with short, lavender-pink hair.
Shinjo Akane.
Shuka High's second-ranked student.
The only one whose grades came close to Shouji Minami's.
Cute. Pretty.
And—
Let's be honest—blessed with curves that had made her the topic of many discussions among the male students.
Her thighs, constantly wrapped in black stockings, often caught the attention of many.
A true 'campus idol'—admired by all.
And right now—
This babe was standing at their classroom door—
And she seemed to have some kind of connection with Shouji Minami?!
Taiyo and Shota opened their mouths—
The words they had been about to say—"Stop dreaming, Minami"—
got completely stuck in their throats.
They could only watch in stunned silence as Akane walked in and—
With an aggressive tone—confronted Minami.
"Minami-kun! What are you doing? Didn't we agree to go see the stage play actors today?"
"Perfect timing, Shinjo-san. Help me sew these letters."
"Hah?! Isn't this your class's festival project? Why do I have to do it?!"
"Come on, Shinjo-san. I'm really sleepy."
"...Wait a second. You always do this. You think if you just say that, I'll stupidly agree to help you, don't you?"
"Please, Shinjo-san. If you don't help, this really won't get done."
"I—"
"Shinjo-san, I'm counting on you."
"...Ugh, seriously—fine, fine! Just hand me the needle and thread."
Watching as Shinjo Akane effortlessly threaded the needle and took over the entire task,
And then seeing Minami nonchalantly take a seat, close his eyes, and continue his nap—
Taiyo and Shota exchanged glances.
And in that moment—
They both felt it.
The feeling called—"The Unfair Gap Between People."
But—the real gut punch came next.
In just a little over ten minutes, the naturally skilled Akane had completely finished sewing the letters.
She extended her fair-skinned hand and held up the fabric to show Minami.
"How's this, Minami-kun?"
From Taiyo and Shota's perspective—
Shinjo Akane's stitching was flawless.
The letters were neat, rounded, and adorably stylized—they could easily be sold as a professional product.
It was perfect.
But—
"Hmm… not quite right. Redo it."
"What?! No way. You saw how tedious that was!" Shinjo Akane's voice carried clear reluctance.
"Trust me, Shinjo-san. I know you can do even better."
"...Ugh… Sigh, fine, fine."
Hearing his words, Akane softened slightly, let out a small sigh, and picked up the needle and thread again.
"HISSSSS—"
Taiyo and Shota both sucked in a sharp breath.
They couldn't help but walk up behind Minami.
"What?"
"Minami-san, has anyone ever told you… you deserve to die?"
"Nope."
"Well, now you have—because you totally do."
Watching Shinjo Akane, the beloved school idol, diligently cleaning up Minami's mess—
While he just sat there, yawning and sleeping—
Taiyo and Shota felt like they were about to grind their back teeth into dust.
---
Later…
Minami and Akane walked together.
"Let me be clear—I only helped you because I didn't want you to make me late for the stage play! Not for any other reason! If you misunderstand, that would be really annoying."
Yes.
She had only helped clean up his mess.
If Minami mistakenly thought she liked him—that would be a huge problem.
After all, if there was any "liking" involved—
It should be HIM falling for HER first.
She sneakily glanced up to check his reaction.
But—
"Okay. Then I won't misunderstand."
Shouji Minami nodded without hesitation.
"..."
Shinjo Akane fell silent.
After a long pause, she finally couldn't hold back. With a look of utter disbelief, she spoke—
"I told you not to misunderstand, and you just… accepted it? Just like that?"
"What else was I supposed to do?"
"You—"
"What now, Shinjo-san?"
"Noth! Ing!"
Stomping her foot hard, Akane gritted her teeth in frustration.
This guy—he was going to drive her crazy.
Sure, she was the one who said it.
But that didn't mean she didn't care about his thoughts at all!
How could he not get that?
How dense did he have to be?!
Was he seriously not going to realize anything unless she spelled it out for him?
And on top of that—
She had just put in so much effort to help him.
Yet instead of a simple "thank you," all she got in return was… frustration.
Did he even care about her at all?
He had been yawning the entire time they talked.
Was he really that bored talking to her?
Did she make him so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open?
Was she a bed?! Or a pillow?!
Thinking back on how he had bossed her around for help yet now acted completely unbothered, yawning away—
Akane suddenly felt deflated.
As much as she hated to admit it, she had a creeping suspicion—
Minami might have been playing her like a fiddle this entire time.
Maybe, from the very start, she had been nothing more than an afterthought to him.
Maybe he only helped her with her script because of the money she lent him—or just because she let him borrow her DVDs…?
At the end of the day, she and Shouji Minami were still just… ordinary friends.
Sigh.
Shinjo Akane exhaled softly and kept walking forward.
"Shinjo-san."
A voice called out from behind her.
Yawning as he spoke, Minami finally broke the silence.
"…What?"
Even though she had just decided to ignore him—
The moment he spoke, she still couldn't help but turn her head, her voice stiff and blunt.
"Here, take this."
Still half-drowsy, Minami casually reached into his shoulder bag and pulled out a stack of papers.
"…This is?"
Glancing at the papers in her hands, then back at the guy in front of her—who had been yawning non-stop since they met—
Akane frowned in confusion and flipped through them, grumbling under her breath.
What is this guy up to now…?
She lowered her head and started reading—
And instantly fell silent.
Because, on those pages—
There were dense notes, revisions, and simplified dialogue for The Monster in the Human Heart—
All neatly and carefully written across the manuscript.
"This is…?"
Shinjo Akane opened her mouth slightly, looking up at him.
"A condensed version of The Monster in the Human Heart," Minami explained, waving a hand casually.
"Since the stage play can't run too long, and a lot of scenes and dialogue would be hard to pull off, I trimmed it down from start to finish."
Then, with complete nonchalance, he added—
"It's nothing special. I just did what I felt like doing. No need to make a big deal out of it."
Nothing special?
Listening to his indifferent tone, Akane couldn't help but glance at him again.
That was such a blatant lie.
The sheer amount of writing, the detailed notes explaining things so clearly that even a child could understand them—
None of it seemed like something that could be done just on a whim.
This guy… this guy, what is his deal?!
Just a moment ago, he had been acting like he couldn't care less about her.
And now, he did this?
What was she supposed to feel looking at him right now?!
Akane clutched the revised script tightly to her chest.
Suddenly, a lot of things clicked into place.
Why he had seemed so drained today.
Why he had been yawning nonstop while talking to her.
Why he had been so half-hearted and dismissive in their conversation.
So, all of that…
Was because he had stayed up all night working on this for her?
Where he couldn't see, Akane unconsciously pressed a hand against her chest.
Her heart was pounding violently.
For the first time, she finally understood—
Why the other version of herself, in those fragmented memories, had fallen for Shouji Minami.
She looked at him.
Lost in thought.
Sure, he was arrogant, bossed her around for every little thing, and treated her nothing like the other guys did—
But…
He put in effort for her sake.
He understood her interests.
He supported her passions.
And just that alone…
"Maybe that's the one thing that completely swept me off my feet."
She murmured to herself, turning her gaze toward the scenery outside the corridor.
When she was young, the only person she had by her side was the family maid.
Other than the maid, she had trusted no one.
She had been a stubborn, prideful child who refused to depend on anyone.
But the maid would always tell her—
"One day, Akane, you'll meet someone who truly understands you, accepts you, and appreciates you for who you are. And when that happens, I'm sure you'll fall for them completely."
Back then, Akane had scoffed at those words.
She thought it was just some generic, cliché life lesson—the kind of thing people repeated over and over again until it lost all meaning.
But now…
You were right.
There really was someone who was willing to understand, accept, and acknowledge the real her—the her beneath the mask.
With that thought, Shinjo Akane subtly turned her head—
And stole a quick glance at Shouji Minami's side profile.
Just that one small action—
And her heart started pounding even harder.
This reaction made Shinjo Akane—who was always so strong-willed in front of others—let out a quiet sigh in her heart.
At some point…
She had already fallen way too deep.
She thought to herself—
From now on, I'll probably keep getting played in the palm of Shouji Minami's hand, won't I?
But—
How do I put this?
Right now, for some reason—
She didn't really mind that at all.
That dangerous thought startled Akane for a brief moment.
But after the initial shock, her heart gradually settled down again.
Maybe…
Minami really did have her completely figured out.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be feeling like…
The lavender-haired girl kept walking forward.
Beside her, she could feel Minami, still sleepy and sluggish.
So, without realizing it—
She slowed her pace.
Just a little.
And then…
A little more.
Without even being aware of it—
For the first time ever—
Shinjo Akane found herself willing to adjust her own pace for someone else.
