“Just like soy sauce ramen with Aris.”
Tap.
Before long, a steaming bowl of ramen is placed in front of me.
“What’s this? The lady who always comes alone has brought someone else today, a man! Is he the one?”
The owner laughs heartily as he sets the bowl of ramen in front of Aris.
Aris’s face turns red at his words.
“Th-that’s…”
Her eyes are spinning.
“Am I right? He is indeed the one. Ah, youth! Hahaha!”
The owner laughs boisterously.
Tap.
He brings out a big bowl of gyoza.
Japanese-style gyoza with wings.
“This is on the house! Oh dear, I hope I haven’t interrupted the passionate rendezvous of these young lovebirds! Enjoy your date, lady.”
Hahaha.
The owner, with his hearty laughter, disappears into the kitchen.
He even winks at Aris.
Just like in a light novel, no time for explanations.
Aris’s face is burning red.
She bows her head deeply.
An awkward silence fills the air.
“Um…”
Aris pokes the innocent gyoza with her chopsticks as she speaks.
“I’m sorry, Kim Deok-Sung. I’ve unintentionally caused a misunderstanding. I should have been more assertive… I’m really sorry.”
She holds her hands together in a praying posture to apologize.
“No worries.”
I wave my hand.
This is how light novel worlds are, so there’s no need to go so far as to apologize.
A praying apology is fine since it’s not like a dude like Yuji is doing it, but a beautiful girl like Aris.
“Everything’s fine, senpai. And thanks to you, we got a freebie, didn’t we? The gyoza looks delicious.”
I ripped off a gyoza and tossed it onto Aris’s bowl.
Upon seeing the gyoza, Aris pouts her lips.
Her cheeks turn pink.
Cute.
I think that as I pop a gyoza in my mouth.
Juice oozes out from the gyoza.
Delicious.
I never expected to be treated to this in Japan.
Free food always tastes the best.
[Partner, you seem oddly generous only to Saionji.]
The Black Prince says something odd in my head.
What does he mean by being generous only to Aris?
‘Don’t talk nonsense.’
That’s just baseless chatter.
[Partner. Put your hand on your heart. You really do prefer Saionji. You should pay more attention to my sister, too.]
The Black Prince insists.
Seriously, who has a preference?
Sure, Aris is my favorite character, but I don’t remember treating her better than anyone else.
I just treat everyone the same.
Just as I was about to retort to the Black Prince’s nonsense, Aris’s shoulders slump helplessly.
Yeah, right now, Aris is more important than the Black Prince.
I calm my emotions and look at her.
She begins to speak.
“It’s okay. Thank you for your consideration. Still, I feel really bad that I keep causing trouble for Mr. Kim Deok-Sung today.”
Her earlobes turn red.
If I keep apologizing like this, it’ll never end.
“Let’s eat some ramen. Let’s finish it quickly.”
“Understood.”
I interrupted her, and Aris nodded with a flushed face.
I grabbed my chopsticks and twisted the ramen noodles before putting them in my mouth.
Slurp.
The ramen noodles soaked in the broth enter my mouth.
As expected of a famous spot from an anime, the taste is pretty good.
While eating the ramen, I glance across the table.
I make eye contact with Aris, who is also diligently eating ramen.
Her face turns beet red.
A chuckle escapes my lips.
Once I finished all the ramen and even polished off the gyoza that came as a service…
“Make sure to bring that guy next time! Customer lady!”
I left with the owner’s farewell, who mistook Aris and me for a couple.
I took the subway and got off at the academy.
Walking towards the school gate alongside Aris, the night sky sparkled with the night view of Odaiba, and the gently rippling Tokyo Bay could be seen in the distance.
“Thank you for the meal. The ramen was delicious, Senpai.”
Ramen is one of the most commonly seen foods in Japanese anime and manga.
So, I was curious and tried quite a bit when I arrived in Japan, but the ramen I had today was the tastiest.
Some places didn’t even measure up to Korean ramen shops if you went to the wrong ones.
“Really? I’m glad to hear that. I was a bit worried because you are Korean, and I thought maybe Japanese food wouldn’t suit your palate.”
Aris smiled faintly.
Her face took on a slight pink hue.
“I can eat anything, so it’s fine.”
To be honest, I can eat literally anything.
“Is that so?”
Aris covered her mouth while laughing.
Compared to the time we first met, when she wore the perfect superhuman lady mask and always pretended to be expressionless, she’s much more expressive now, which is definitely a good look.
Aris’s silver hair glows under the moonlight.
Just as we passed through the school gate together…
“Walking around at this late hour is quite reckless, isn’t it, President? And Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.”
A displeasing voice reached my ears.
I turned my head.
There stood the blue-haired glasses guy, Maeda Shinji, wearing the disciplinary committee armband.
Behind him, a group of female students, seemingly his fan club, stood around with sparkles in their eyes.
It’s the typical school fan club that follows the prince or idol character in light novels.
[Maeda Prince is the best]
[I love you, Chairman Maeda!]
With banners and even cheerleader-clad female students.
“Play, play, Maeda Prince!”
“Play! Play!”
The Maeda Shinji fan club cheerleaders cheered from behind.
Seeing it in real life was dizzying, even though I felt it when I saw it in an anime.
How can someone do that in real life?
Is this sane?
Such an amazing light novel world.
“Heh.”
Shinji tossed his flowing blue hair back, like in a cosmetics commercial.
“Ahhh!”
“Maeda-sama!”
“I’d die for you!”
The fan girls squealed like dragons.
What a mess at midnight.
It’s a black-haired guy, not even a pretty girl, and he looks like an utter jerk, making me feel like the ramen and gyoza I ate earlier are coming back up.
Ugh.
This is truly wretched.
“Chairman Maeda.”
The happy expression on Aris’s face turned cold and expressionless.
Her silver eyes became heavy with a stern look.
“And what does that have to do with you? This isn’t against school rules, and besides, it’s just an outing for official business, right?”
“It does matter because I am the chairman of the disciplinary committee who has the duty to uphold the school’s standards! I received a report that President, who should be a role model for the students, is mingling with the delinquent student, the Black Beast Kim Deok-Sung, disrupting the school’s decorum!”
“I’m the Discipline Committee Chair, responsible for maintaining order in the academy! We’ve received reports that the Chair, who should be a role model for the students, is mingling with the delinquent student known as the Black Beast, Kim Deok-Sung, causing chaos!”
Tch.
Maeda Shinji points at me with his finger, shouting.
Where do you even get the audacity to point fingers?
“Ahhh! It’s the Black Beast!”
“It’s scary!”
“He changes women every night in bed!”
“P-please don’t eat me! I’m not delicious!”
Before Shinji’s words could finish, his fan club began to screech like a flock of exotic birds.
It’s less infuriating and more just laughable.
So this is what it’s like when anime becomes reality, huh?
It hits me again that I’m in a light novel world.
“Those are just rumors. You wouldn’t dare slander Mr. Kim Deok-Sung without any evidence, would you?”
One step forward.
Aris steps up, coldly interrogating him.
But Maeda Shinji doesn’t back down, replying in an unabashed tone.
“I’m worried about the Chair and offering some advice. He’s the type who changes women like someone changes clothes—a shameless Casanova. How can you be so reckless, hanging out with a delinquent like him at this hour? This is Maeda Shinji speaking…”
Hearing that makes me infuriated.
As I was about to step in and say something…
“A Casanova? You can’t even satisfy one girl, and you call yourself a Casanova? A hundred times better than being a premature ejaculation case. Pathetic, loser, premature ejaculation Chair. Absolutely disgusting. Ew.”
From far away, a familiar voice rings out.
With those striking dual-tone side-tails, the beautiful girl exudes a mesmerizing aura.
It was Kurosawa Haru.
“W-what? Pathetic? P-premature ejaculation? How could you speak such harsh words…”
Shinji trembles in shock at Haru’s verbal assault.
I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest.
Haru laughs, placing a hand to her mouth.
“Who cares? Why are you spouting harsh words? I’m so disappointed in you. Why are you acting tough without evidence to slander my big brother? Pathetic, premature ejaculation, loser. It’s uncomfortable. Don’t breathe in my presence.”
“Gah!”
Hearing Haru’s scorching words, Shinji falls to the ground foaming at the mouth.
Such an anime-like reaction.
It’s not even a cartoon.
Passing out over some insults, how weak can you get?
“Chair! Are you alright!”
“Pull yourself together! Chair!”
The fan club begins to panic, quickly hauling the unconscious Shinji away inside the academy.
“Nishishishi.”
Haru giggles watching the scene unfold.
That was the moment Haru, the unexpected savior, scored a K.O.
That’s all good, but why on earth is Haru here?
What did she even make?
After the situation more or less sorted itself out,
Haru starts jumping around me, flailing her arms in her cardigan.
“Big brother. Did I do well? Wasn’t it awesome? Praise me! Praise! Nishishishi. Super little sister Haru wants some head pats from big brother Deok-Sung!”
Haru leans in closer.
Head pats? What’s so great about that?
Just hearing her giggle, my head is already starting to hurt.
“Why are you even here?”
Instead of head pats, I throw out the question that’s been on my mind.
“Oh that? Grandma Serantang told me to come and meet big brother Deok-Sung and A-chan. Nishishishi.”
Not just Serantang, but also referring to her as grandma.
If the CEO had been here, that would’ve been a catastrophe waiting to happen.
[Calling my sister a grandma, I can’t tell if she’s bold or just incredibly brazen.]
Even the Black Prince is weighing in on this level of nonsense.
“So, big brother Deok-Sung, are you not going to give Haru head pats? I think I really did amazing this time…”
Haru jingles the bracelet on her wrist and says something.
What the hell is so great about head pats?
I inwardly sigh.
Regardless, she did do something noteworthy, so I figured I’d just give her a quick head pat and send her along. But just as I step forward…
It’s true, I thought I should just give her a pat and move on as I stepped forward.
Swoosh.
Aris stepped forward just a moment before me and placed her hand on Haru’s head.
“Thank you, Kurosawa.”
Pat pat.
Aris was gently patting Haru’s head.
“What’s up? A-chan, why are you patting Haru’s head?” Haru puffed her cheeks.
“As the Student Council President representing all the students of Shuo Hero Academy, I’m merely acknowledging Kurosawa Haru’s achievements on behalf of Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.”
Aris’s silver eyes glinted coldly.
Her voice was surprisingly chilly.
Upon hearing Aris’s words, Haru pouted.
“Tch, power trip! Totally unfair.”
“Does that mean you have a problem with the Student Council President’s rightful exercise of authority as per school rules? Kurosawa Haru?”
“Nope! Hmph! Just this once, I’ll let it slide, A-chan. No more!”
With Haru’s words, Aris continued to pat her head in silence before pulling her hand away.
“Well then, the work is all settled, and it’s getting late, so let’s all get some rest for tomorrow. Thank you for your hard work today, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.”
Pat.
This time, Aris moved her hand to pat my head.
Her cheeks slightly flushed pink.
Has she found enjoyment in this patting game?
The sensation isn’t bad.
“Haru too! I want to pat Deok-Sung oppa’s head! Nishi shishi shi.”
As expected, Haru waved her hands and moved forward.
Just then, before I could say anything, Aris grabbed Haru’s wrist.
“Kurosawa, come with me.”
“A-chan, you’re surprisingly tough. Great at keeping people in check.”
Haru puffed her cheeks and said something incomprehensible.
Tch, Haru clicked her tongue.
Anyway, with her hand still holding onto Haru, Aris waved at me as she dragged her away.
“Alright then, Kim Deok-Sung. Have a pleasant night.”
“Deok-Sung oppa, dream of Haru! Nishi shishi shi.”
Haru left with an annoyingly sweet smile.
As Aris took Haru away, I was left standing alone.
[Partner. You really are weak only to Saionji. A partner who stays quiet even during head pats. Tomorrow, the sun might rise in the west.]
To be precise, it’s two, including the Black Prince.
I ignored the Black Prince’s nonsense and fell into thought.
Maeda Shinji’s sudden change in attitude felt suspicious.
Up until now, Maeda Shinji had only placed indirect pressure on me, but he had never outright provoked me like this.
So why is he suddenly doing something so idiotic?
It’s definitely suspicious.
I recalled the original story.
In the original, Maeda Shinji, after completing preparations for a terrorist act, suddenly picked a fight with the protagonist Yuji filled with confidence.
In the original, the terrorist act that Maeda Shinji and the League had prepared was the large-scale illusion magic barrier “Walpurgis Night.”
His mission was to install the magical barrier formation which amplifies the illusion magic special skill of the main villain in volume 7, the Trickster.
Within the Walpurgis Night barrier, the Trickster’s abilities are elevated to an EX rank level, but it has a drawback of requiring extensive preparation time.
To overcome this drawback, the League contacted Shinji, and Shinji faithfully served as the League’s henchman, using the authority of the discipline committee chair to enter the rarely frequented old school building and install the barrier formation.
The old school building’s general student entry was prohibited, and it was a place that instructors also didn’t pay much attention to, making its security lax, which was perfectly suited for installing the barrier formation as explained in the original.
[Partner, what on earth are you thinking? You’ve been so quiet.]
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