CHAPTER 73 – Destined Cliché?
Finally, my hair doesn't smell like shit anymore, though it's wet. It'll take forever to dry. What a hassle to wait.
"Need a hairdryer?"
Oh, she was waiting for me. As I stepped out of the bathroom, I saw the president. Doesn't she have anything better to do than spy on me?
Whatever, I'll take it. I don't want wet hair at school any longer.
"Yeah, thanks."
She started walking, and I followed.
Ugh, so lazy. I'm sleepy.
"So, are you keeping the 1,000 class points, or will you exchange them?"
1,000 class points? Oh, right. I was so focused on beating the president that I forgot about the rewards. 1,000 class points and 5,000 positive points.
The class points might make us Class A, but…
"Considering the results, my classmates don't deserve to be Class A yet."
"I agree. Their results were disappointing."
Besides, it'd be cheating. I wouldn't feel right moving up to Class A with a trick. I want to climb on my own, without cheating. And since I can exchange class points, I will.
I'll rise on my own, no cheating. It'll be more fun that way. I'll only cheat against the president—she started it.
"Can I exchange them? What do you mean?"
"You can't buy class points, but you can trade class points you've earned for positive points. It's a way to help the worst students avoid last place."
True, expulsion based on positive points. Now that betting is banned, it's harder for those at the bottom to climb out. Exchanging class points for positive ones lets students gain positive points and escape last place.
But it also creates conflict, since class points help everyone, while positive points are just individual aid.
If I exchange them, everyone will hate me… Eh, let them hate me. I need the points.
I have 25,403 positive points left. That's only enough for one protection point or to change classes. Given my luck, I need protection points.
We earned extra class points during the camp tests, except on the island, where I didn't participate because Naima distanced herself from me. But I doubt they're enough to save the class.
Whatever.
"I want to exchange the class points for positive points."
"All of them?"
"All."
"You sure? This will go public, and you might get in trouble with your classmates."
"I don't care."
"Fine, as you wish. One class point equals 10 positive points. You'll gain 10,000 extra positive points. I hope you don't regret it, though I doubt you will."
15,000 class points. I have about 40,000 now.
"I want to buy a protection point."
"Quick, huh? Do I scare you that much?"
"Should I let my guard down with you?"
"Good answer."
Ugh, I'm ready for Ram's complaints.
•
•
(Pov – Kaeyko)
Looking at the special exam results, I feel satisfaction and some relief. As I expected, we did well. Not the best, thanks to me and Ether, but pretty well.
713 class points, and we had 281. We're at 994 class points now.
Sadly, not all is good. I felt satisfaction and relief because we did well, considering I messed up and quit the special exam, but that doesn't mean we're the best.
We tied with Class D, and Class E outdid us by a lot. They earned 1,093 points.
The most we can earn in exams is 100 class points, so it's impossible to beat Class E this time. I doubt we'll hit an average of 100, and it's unlikely Class E won't score any points.
We'll definitely drop to Class B, and if we fall below average, maybe even Class C.
I know worrying about this, when my life's at risk and an alien or participant could kill me any moment, is stupid. But focusing on school and overcoming these challenges helps me stay calm and not think about the danger.
Right now, I'm the top participant for being the first—and so far only—one to kill another participant. I have the advantage, or so I think.
I'll focus on training and analyzing my enemies, so when it's time to fight, I'll have a solid strategy.
But for now, I'll just focus on school… Wait…
I looked at the chart again… 4 island, 4 camp, and 7 Capital… 7 Capital? But Ether and I quit. Why does it say 7 and not 6? That's weird. A mistake? Or some test to check our honesty?
Oh, and speaking of worries, Tanya stepped forward, sitting on the desk, not caring that it annoys the teacher and costs us class points in the long run.
"Kaeyko, Ether, Mildred, Hubert, Agnes. Why the hell did you quit the special exam? Speak," she said, clearly pissed.
The beast has awakened.
Silence filled the room; no one wanted to speak first, probably scared of her. I'm a bit scared too, I admit, but the longer we wait, the angrier she'll get. Better speak and hope for mercy.
I raised my hand.
"Speak, Kaeyko."
All eyes were on me as I stood.
"I had a family emergency and—"
"You hate your family. Why would you care now?" she interrupted.
… That… Did she really investigate me? I doubt she did it in such a short time; she knew about my family issues even before the exam.
Did she investigate all of us? Did she go that far to have us in her grasp? She's crazy.
"It was about my father."
"I see… If you don't get at least a 95 average, you'll do everyone's homework until you do."
95? I barely managed a 92 average, and she wants a 95?
If I refuse, she'll make my school life hell, not caring that I'm one of the best in class. Yeah, she's that kind of girl, willing to sacrifice someone important to keep others in line.
Whatever, I have Kaey with me now. If I'm stuck on an exam, I can copy Saik's answers and be done.
"Fine," I said reluctantly and sat.
Forced to obey her… Damn it. But I have to, to protect my school life, the only normal thing left in my life.
Ugh… Evelyn, I know you won't care about being one of the reasons your class was the worst in the special exam, but I hope it doesn't hit you too hard, since you're one of the lowest in your class, on thin ice.
"Speak, Ether."
Wow, he raised his hand. I thought he'd play dumb and speak last… Huh? Why are you petting my head, idiot?
"I felt lonely without my good friend Kaeyko, so I quit and went with him, like the good friend I am, to support my good friend in his suffering and—"
"Get an 80 average, or you'll be the class's official servant."
"80?! But I barely got a 63!"
"Want me to make it 85?"
"Arghhh! Fine, fine, I'll do it!"
Ether sat and slammed his head on his desk.
"Evil dictator."
Don't insult her, idiot, or it'll be worse.
Well, at least we got a class servant. Sorry, Ether, but I won't miss the chance to get revenge for having to hear you have sex next to me.
Two girls, the class twins, raised their hands.
"Speak, Mildred and Agnes."
"Sorry, Sylphie from Class B kicked me out of the camp!"
"What my sister said, times two!"
"Sylphie, huh? I see… Get a 90, or you'll bring homemade lunches for everyone, every day."
"You're cruel, Tanya!"
"But we accept the challenge, tyrant!"
Pouting, they said that and sat.
… What a weird pair.
But I hope they fail. It'd save me time and money, and now that I'm on my own (though my family still pays for school), that lunch money would help me take Evelyn on fancier dates.
The Hastings twins are daughters of a famous fashion designer who also owns a makeup and jewelry line and is an actress and singer. I'm not a huge fan, but I like her songs, and her movies are pretty good.
Their childish behavior is… odd, considering their mom stars in serious dramas, not comedies.
"Well, Hubert? Speak."
The shy kid covered his eyes and stood.
"S-Sorry, I was kicked out of the camp by Class E's leader."
"By Ethan, huh?"
Tanya's smiling? Does she like that guy, or does she like that someone can challenge her class? I thought Saik was a threat, but since Class E beat us, I bet Tanya will focus on Class E's leader and not care as much about Saik.
"It's fine. Don't worry, you won't be punished. I'm sure you'll get a 95 or higher; I don't want to stress you out."
"T-Thanks."
He sat down.
Tch. Favoritism for being the smartest, huh? So unfair. Nothing for second place?
No, wait, Kaeyko, don't fall for her trap. She's probably doing this to make us try to outdo him for those perks. Don't fall for it.
Ugh… Evelyn, how are you holding up? I hope they don't blame you too much. After all, even Saik failed the test.
I'll treat you to a cake during the first break.
•
•
(Pov – Saik)
Ah, skipping the first class to eat cake in the school cafeteria feels pretty nice.
Ram got super mad when she found out we were the worst class and demanded explanations.
So did Saoto.
Everyone criticized me because, according to them, it's impossible for the top student to fail.
What a pain. I had enough with Rossy's beating; I don't want to talk or listen to anyone.
At least Rossy had mercy and didn't hit my eyes, or she'd have broken my contact lenses and messed up my vision even more.
Ugh…
"I hope Naima appreciates my sacrifice."
I said I forced Naima to obey me and bet, and that's why we both failed—my fault.
They left Naima alone and came after me.
Blah, blah, blah… Ugh, I know we'll drop a class, probably become the new Class E… Sylphie, I promised we'd be Class A, and we will. Just be patient; there are plenty more special exams.
There's a special exam every month, so just wait. We have lots of chances.
For now, I'll try to relax. My face hurts, just like my heart.
I never took advantage of my parents' kindness. I'm such an idiot. The only reason I'm the top student is because I cheated… But Rossy's words really hit me.
Ugh… I need to calm down.
I took another spoonful of cake. So sweet… Sweet…
"Like my mom…"
I hated sweets, but since my parents died, it became my favorite flavor. Eating it reminds me of my mom, since it was her favorite… And I always rejected the desserts she offered me…
Am I a bad son, Rossy?
Yeah… I am…
"Saik, you okay? You look down."
Yesei?
She sat next to me with food. Is she eating with me? No, more importantly, did she skip the first class too?
"Everyone makes mistakes, don't worry. Don't pay attention to what others say. Trust me, I know how it feels to be insulted for your mistakes. It's not nice."
"Don't worry, I'm thinking about other stuff. I don't have time to care about Ram and the others' complaints. By the way, did you skip class too?"
"Yeah, they're just talking about the test results. It's boring. I'd rather keep talking with you."
Wow… Her words feel honest… Yeah, I get it. It's hard to find someone who shares your tastes, especially when they're tastes you hide from others.
I thought Sylphie would come talk to me, but I guess she doesn't want to hurt her grades.
"Oh, I see…"
I pulled my portable console and the controller Yuki uses to play with me from my bag.
"Wanna play? We're free till 9:10 a.m."
"Sure," she said… smiling.
… I don't get her. At first, she acted awkward around me, and now she sits next to me on her own and talks to me first.
Yeah, as I suspected, she wants to show her true personality to someone to feel good about herself without pretending to be someone she's not.
She took a controller, and I turned on the console.
"The rape scenes were gross to read, but reading what the protagonist did to the rapists filled me with so much satisfaction."
Number 31 emerged from my body, puffing out her chest with pride.
"You know how to create scenarios that frustrate and anger readers, making the revenge scenes more satisfying to read. I loved that about your novel, Saik."
"Fufu. I know, I know, I'm a great writer," said Number 31, crossing her arms and placing her barefoot on my face.
Wow, it smells like perfume.
"Thanks. I don't like stories that teach revenge is bad and no one has the right to take a life. It sounds gross, but it's reality. Not everyone deserves forgiveness; all our actions have consequences. Letting someone who does wrong face no negative consequences is just unfair. Just as good people deserve a good life, bad people deserve a bad one—or no life at all," said Number 31, and I repeated what she said.
… Bad people don't deserve to live, huh?
Yeah, I know… And I did so much harm to innocents in the past… Ugh… Why am I starting to care about that?
"And, Yesei, I really like the action and romance in your novel. More the action than the romance. I don't really get that love stuff, so it's hard for me to understand, but even someone like me found the secondary couples' interactions pretty cute. The main couple, not so much, mostly because of the protagonist, but the rest is solid."
"Thanks a lot."
"So, which game do you want to play?"
"Whatever you want."
"I'd rather you choose. I like all the games I have, but I don't know if you'll like them. Pick one, don't worry about me."
"Oh, then I'll take you up on that. Thanks. I appreciate it."
Wow, she's really serious and polite… I genuinely like her.
"Hmm… Suspicious. Why are you so nice to her, darling? I don't feel like you're faking it. Do you actually enjoy spending time with her?! Arghhh! You're making me feel netorare!"
Number 31 returned to my body.
We're nothing, so it's not that.
Besides, my heart belongs to Naima. Liking Yesei's company doesn't mean I'm into her. There's a big difference between romantic attraction and friendship… Friendship, huh? Do I like Yesei this much already? Why?
Ugh, I don't even understand myself. Better not overthink it.
"Hey, plebs!"
Plebs?
A blonde girl sat across from us, with a guy behind her.
Who are these randos?
"You two make a cute couple, you know?"
"We're just friends," I said.
Yesei nodded… Wait… Did I say we're friends? Did Yesei earn my trust that fast? I didn't even fake it, like I did with Sylphie at first… That's weird.
"And you're not into Saik?"
"Don't worry, I only feel friendship for him. The path's clear; you can ask him out," said Yesei.
"Ew. Who'd be interested in that scruffy guy? I have better taste."
Well, thanks for the rejection. I'd reject you too, so I don't care.
"Kevs."
The girl snapped her fingers, and the guy placed some envelopes on the table.
"If you agree to help me, I'll publish your books with the world's top publishers, and if you're loyal dogs, you'll even get an anime adaptation."
"An anime?!" said Yesei, shocked and excited.
That big smile on her face is genuine.
An anime, huh? Number 31 researched it, planning to adapt her works into anime with Nergio or Lalo's help.
A high-quality episode costs between 400,000 and 600,000 dollars to produce, and it's not always profitable, depending on the story and characters' quality.
That's a lot of money, and it's not always worth it.
She's offering to publish our books and even an anime, and since she's probably rich, it's possible.
I'd like to accept, but that'd just make us her "loyal dogs," and I have enough dignity to say no.
"W-What do we have to do?" said Yesei.
"I want you two to join my class. I'll get the points needed to make it happen."
"No, I decline. You can accept if you want, Yesei, but I'm out."
"I-I'll accept," said Yesei.
"No, it's both or neither. I'll give you another chance."
"I don't want to."
"That's your final word, insect?"
"It is."
"Your loss."
She picked up the envelopes and stood.
Yesei's super nervous and a bit disappointed; she really wanted that. She even looks pretty sad.
Ugh… If I don't keep her happy, she won't help me with Naima… What a hassle.
"Bye, trash."
She left with the guy, and I sighed.
Yesei's staring down… Her eyes are even teary.
… Ugh… Why do I feel so bad? She's making me feel so guilty… Why do I care so much about Yesei? Is it because I'm worried she won't help with Naima? Yeah, that must be it. I barely know Yesei; it makes no sense to care this much. Ugh, I don't even know what I feel.
"You want an anime adaptation or your books published that badly, Yesei?"
"… It's… You know… It's my dream… But I get why you refused; you don't want to obey her or be called a dog. Don't worry, I understand. It'd be selfish to try to convince you for a personal dream."
Her words are so honest… She's so… kind… Seriously, Yesei, why did you go along with Reiko? Acting like your friends to fit in and not be left out… Why are you like this? Who hurt you so much that you act this way now?
And why the hell do I care so much about you? Why do I want to know so much about you?
Heart, what's wrong with you? Are you that worried she won't help with Naima? Yeah, yeah, don't worry, I'll keep her happy so she helps with Naima.
She knows Naima well; I need her to win her heart.
"Do you know Lalo García?"
"Lalo? Yeah. Why?"
"My dad was friends with Lalo García."
"They were friends?!"
"Yeah. I had an accident yesterday, and he visited me at the hospital."
"H-Hospital? A-Are you okay?"
… Do you really care about me? Seriously, Yesei, you're so kind.
"Don't worry, it wasn't serious, just hit my head and bled, but nothing major. Anyway, that's not the point. The point is he gave me two things: his new gaming console, which, by the way, you can come play at my house anytime if you're interested. Oh, and his personal number."
I pulled my phone from my pocket.
"With one call, I can ask him to publish our books and even get an anime adaptation to promote the novels."
"R-Really? Y-You're not joking?!"
Her happiness is back, replacing her sadness, with a smile and sparkling eyes full of hope and joy… So cute.
"No, I'm not joking. He owed my dad a favor, and his fortune grows every day. Spending a few million dollars on us is nothing to him. Here's the deal, Yesei. You help me win Naima's heart, and in return, you get those rewards. What do you think?"
"I'll do it!!"
… Did she hug me?
"Thank you so much, Saik! I appreciate it so, so, so much! I'll do my best and help you however I can! Thank you!"
"Y-You're welcome…"
Did I… just… stutter?
She took my hand and shook it.
"Seriously, Saik… Thank you for everything… this…"
Sadness… Where'd the happiness go?
"Sorry, I need to go to the bathroom."
She stood and ran off… I felt sadness in her… Does it move her that much that I'm helping?
We're friends now, Yesei, and friends help each other… But…
I put my hand on my chest. My heart's racing… Why do I feel like this for someone who's not Naima or Yuki? Is this friendship? It feels a lot like love. No wonder Sylphie mistook her friendship for me as love. They're pretty similar.
But my heart belongs to Naima, so I only feel friendship for Yesei.
Is this why so many people cheat on their partners with coworkers or friends? They confuse friendship with love, and that's why affairs happen.
Don't worry, Naima, your future boyfriend knows perfectly well that love and friendship are very different. I'll never make the mistake of cheating on you.
Hmm… My heart's still racing, and my mind keeps replaying Yesei's hug. I guess it's still shocked by feeling true friendship with a human girl.
I never felt this with Sylphie, only with Yuki, but this time it feels… weirder… My heart's beating too much, even dangerously… Yesei, did you just become my first true human friend?
•
•
(Pov – Ram)
We failed… We came in last in this special exam, and that fills me with… frustration.
I didn't fail, not even useless Sylphie failed.
So why did you fail, Saik? Did you really face Class D without a plan? You're not like that… Or so I thought.
You failed… like most of the class.
I'm surrounded by useless people.
Can I really make this class rise to Class A? Saik would never listen to me, and the worst in the class are hopeless. Class E, the former worst, beat us.
I'm so embarrassed to be in this class, but I can't switch classes; that'd be cheating. Plus, I don't have the points to do it.
"But I won't give up."
Because this just got more interesting.
At first, I saw Saik as a challenge to overcome, but now I think the real challenge is getting this class to Class A.
If only Saik hadn't spent those 1,000 class points on whatever he bought, we'd be Class A.
Saik… Ugh, whatever. Trying to guilt-trip you or ask for your help is pointless.
The harder the challenge, the more satisfying it'll be to achieve it.
•
•
(Pov – Kevs)
Saik keeps rubbing his chest… Wow… That's definitely love!
"P-Princess, you were right, he's falling for her."
"Of course I was right, I'm never wrong, idiot."
But going as far as buying a spy camera shaped like a fly is just hard to believe.
Will spying on Saik and his friend really give clues about how clichés work in this world?
Investigating Yesei, offering her a chance to fulfill her dream, and seeing Saik's reaction to test if a guy like him would go as far as becoming the princess's dog to make Yesei's dream come true.
Princess, you… Ugh, better not say anything; she knows when I think something bad about her.
"I thought we'd failed, but the cliché worked. Saik knows Lalo García and will fulfill Yesei's dream. They're definitely destined to be together."
"But Saik said he wants to win over some Naima."
"Maybe he loves Naima now, but sooner or later he'll realize he loves Yesei. Fufu. These clichés are easy to manipulate, even speed up. Perfect."
I-I don't know what the princess has planned, but that evil smile means it's nothing good.
Ugh…
Kevs, the world of clichés is truly the world of clichés.
Yeah, I know.
And you know what that means?
Yeah… Vanessa did cheat on us!
We're doomed to be betrayed and abandoned!
Ugh… My whole life's been crap. I can never be happy. I was born very sick, and my dad divorced my mom because he didn't accept me as his son. I don't have many happy memories with my mom because she hit me when I was a kid. I had friends, but I was still unhappy.
My mom married a rich guy but abandoned me with my grandpa, only sending money. My grandpa treats me well; I have no complaints about him. I could say he's the only person I love, respect, and care about, but that doesn't mean I enjoy being alive.
Since I was little, I've felt empty, like I'm worthless, like no one cares about me. Even with friends, I felt so alone.
Life's been kind to me sometimes, giving me friends and a loving grandpa who cares for me and doesn't mistreat me, but most of the time, life's been cruel. I was bullied for years, and even now, I still am… because of the Elves!
Kevs, don't you realize you're thinking nonsense?!
The princess is taking notes; don't worry.
Ugh… Life's been kind, giving us friends, but those friends always ended up betraying us.
And when we were happy, something bad happened, and we suffered again.
We're doomed to never be happy… Arghhh! God Dog, why did you give me such a shitty life?! I hate this cliché!
Ugh… The only good thing I have is my grandpa, the only one who's never hurt me or anything… But given my cliché, I'll lose him someday in the worst way possible, just to make me suffer… I don't want that… I don't… I need to break this suffering cliché. I want to be happy! I want to keep my grandpa alive… I want to protect him from my curse.
"Princess, is there a way to avoid this world's clichés affecting me?"
"… Wow… You just said something pretty interesting. A way to avoid clichés, huh? True… Fufu. Interesting."
… I think I just screwed up.
But to break this curse, I'll take all the pain.
•
•
(Pov – Saik)
I pulled my lunch from my bag. Eating will calm me down.
Ugh, Saik, these are the consequences of being a normal person. Now I can feel friendship for someone I barely know, just because they've been kind to me.
No wonder so many guys mistake kindness for flirting. It has the same effect as flirting.
Life's so weird… Well, normal for everyone else, but for someone like me, just learning to socialize, it's strange.
I bit into my sandwich.
Ugh… I should be thrilled about becoming more normal, but these changes scare me.
Saik Norsai, alias "Shadow," the demon who killed hundreds of thousands, is now a normal person who considers a girl he barely knows a friend.
This was my dream, and now that I'm almost fully achieving it, I feel so strange.
"Sorry for taking so long; tears ruined my makeup."
Yesei walks toward me, her fluffy green hair bouncing with each step… And her lips and eyes look so… beautiful…
Damn, friendship is really weird.
"N-No worries."
Did I stutter again? What's wrong with me?
She sat next to me.
"Uh… Want some?"
I offered her a sandwich.
"No, thanks, I've got food."
"Alright. Well, I'll call him."
I searched for the number Lalo gave me yesterday.
Hmm… Here it is.
I called. I hope he's not busy, but given his hectic life, he probably is. Come on, pick up, Lalo, don't make me look bad.
… Why am I scared of looking bad?
Seriously, that island trip is changing me a lot.
"'Hey, compa!' What's the miracle you're calling me, Saik? Finally opening your heart to your uncle Lalo, huh?"
"I want my novels published by a publisher, translated into different languages, and an anime adaptation with top-notch animation."
"And the magic words?"
"Uh… Please."
"See how nice it is to talk politely? How many volumes?"
"The first two."
"'No problem with your order, kin.' The process and all the legal 'bullshit' takes time. I'll need to start my own publisher to skip all those boring copyright steps, same with an animation studio. Send me your novels, and leave the rest to me. Want the novels published at the same time as the anime?"
"Preferably the anime three months later, so the first volumes sell and people don't skip them."
"Good, good. And the profits?"
"I want you to adapt mine and a friend's novels. Keep my profits; I honestly don't care about having that much money."
And I don't need it. I'd rather not depend on him financially.
"Yesei, what percentage do you want?"
"… 50%?"
She answered just to say something; I'm sure she doesn't even know what to say. I get your nerves, Yesei. Having your friend suddenly say they know Lalo García and can get your novels published and an anime adaptation is hard to believe.
We're the envy of so many people who dream of this.
"You heard her, Lalo."
"'Well, well. The little kid's all grown up, huh? Hahahaha! I want to be the godfather of your first kid, don't forget.'"
"'She's just a friend, don't get it twisted. My heart's already taken,'" I said, speaking in Spanish.
"'You're really in love with someone? Fufu. See, Saik? I told you. You can hate yourself all you want, but deep down, you're still human. I'm proud of you, Saik. You've changed for the better, something worthy of my admiration. Puff out your chest with pride; not everyone earns my respect!'"
"'Whatever.' Let me know when everything's ready. I'll send the novel copies to your house."
"'Alright, compa. You got it. Fierro!'"
I hung up. Ugh, speaking Spanish is tough on my vocal cords.
What was that last bit? "You got it"? I know "arre" and "fierro" are common words from where Lalo's from. "Arre" is like "okay" or "good," and "fierro" is like… Like… Hmm… I think it's like "bye," but also used for "okay"… Ugh, Spanish is so weird.
And "compa" is "compadre," or in other words, "friend."
"W-What were you saying in Spanish? I didn't understand."
If I hadn't taken Spanish classes at school, I wouldn't have understood either.
"Private stuff, not related to the books. Get everything ready; tomorrow we'll print the novels to deliver them to Lalo's house. But if you don't have time, give them to me, and I'll go. It gets awkward being around him."
Mostly because of his humor and how he mixes Spanish with our language.
"S-So fast?! I-I thought it'd take way longer."
"Normally, yeah, with permits, copyrights, publishing, blah, blah, blah. But Lalo's Lalo, one of the most important people in the world, making millions every second. Starting a publisher and animation studio just to publish and animate our novels is easy for him. I think in a few months they'll be published, and in one or two years, the anime will be ready if we want good animation."
"… An anime… M-My novel will be published and have an anime…"
Oh… S-She hugged me again… And I feel water droplets on my back?
Is she crying again?
"Thank you, Saik… Thank you so much."
"Y-You're welcome, Yesei. I-It benefits us both, so… Well… We both win."
Damn, my heart's racing so much I can't talk right. Why am I stuttering?
"… Why go this far for me? If you did this for Naima, she'd…"
"Buying friendship or love with material things wouldn't be love; it'd just be lust and greed. I'd rather Naima fall for me for who I am, for my feelings, not what I can give her. I guess you get it. You're my friend; I'm not trying to win you over, so I'm doing this for you. That's what friends do, help each other."
"… Friends… Sorry, I need to go to the bathroom again…"
She stood and walked away.
… I still feel weird around Yesei. Why?
•
•
(Pov – Kevs)
…
…
…
Hey, Kevs.
Yeah, Kevs?
Saik's smart.
Yeah, the smartest of our generation.
And he has Sylphie.
Yeah, Sylphie's a super pretty girl.
And the president's got her eyes on him.
Yeah, but I doubt it's love.
Saik's super popular with girls.
Yeah. Smart, toned body, popular… The perfect guy, huh?
And us?
Smart, but ugly, fat (for now), and the opposite of perfect. Only popular with girls named "Suffering," "Pain," and "Agony."
Don't forget "Loneliness."
Yeah, we're the opposite of Saik.
Yeah… Damn my luck!!
And now he's got Yesei in his harem. Damn lucky guy! Leave something for us ugly dudes who only have our right hand as a partner!
"Stop thinking nonsense and follow Yesei. I want to see what she'll really do in the bathroom."
And as always, the princess knows when I'm thinking… Wait… Follow her to the bathroom with the fly drone?!
"I-If we get caught, we'll be expelled and in legal trouble."
"Stop whining and do it."
"Y-Yes."
Please, I hope I don't see anything illegal. Yeah, I want to see, but if I do, karma will make me suffer double. I'd rather not see and avoid karma's wrath.
I followed Yesei with the fly drone and placed it on her back.
"Shitty life, shitty life, shitty life, shitty life, shitty life…"
Shitty life?
She keeps repeating the same words while crying… That's weird.
"She's not acting with Saik, but she feels guilty for some reason. Hey, this got more interesting than I thought."
I don't see what's interesting; we're invading her privacy. Yeah, since karma won't hit you, you don't care.
Ugh… God Dog, look at me, she's forcing me; it's not my fault.
She entered the bathroom. Oh, the famous girls' bathroom… It's the same as the guys', except for some obvious differences. What a letdown.
Uwaaah!
What's wrong, Kevs 1?!
Idiot, no time for schizophrenia! Look!
Uwaaah! Janeth, Lizzie, and Jean!
A-And they're… changing their bras… Why are they changing bras in the bathroom?!
… I can see their nipples even through those bras. E-Erotic bras… What the hell are they planning?! Did Danny convince them to date him at the same time?! Are they all gonna have sex with him?! Arghhh! God Dog, you're cruel and unfair!
I-I really hope they don't catch me, or I'm socially dead.
Phew. Yesei closed the door and started vomiting in the toilet. I'm safe… Is she pregnant? Oh, drama, huh? Saik falls in love, but finds out the love of his life gave her body to another man. They're not together, so it's not cheating.
"Turn up the volume; I think I heard your name."
"My name?"
I increased the drone's volume and range to hear everything in the bathroom.
Are they talking about me?
Laughter?
"I thought it was gross how he always offered us those nasty candies."
"W-What?"
Did I hear that right?
"Ugh, don't remind me."
U-Ugh?
"And his hands were always sweaty."
"Not just his hands, his whole body was."
"His smell was unbearable."
"Remind me why we hung out with him?"
I covered my ears… I don't want to hear more… For my mental health, I don't want to hear more.
N-No, princess, no, please, have mercy…
"Listen, I order you," she said, pulling my hands from my ears.
"… Yes."
…
…
…
Ugh…
"And he still thinks he's hot shit, insulting Danny."
I just asked him to stay out of my life…
"And we're trying to help him, and this is how he repays us."
I'm just trying to protect them from the princess…
"And did you hear what he did to Vanessa? They say he cheated on her with the new girl, and that's why she dumped him."
I dumped her, not the other way around!
Yesei, you've been vomiting for 5 minutes, get out of the damn bathroom already, idiot!
"We've heard enough."
She clicked her tongue, and the fly drone appeared in her hand.
… Damn it…
"They started badmouthing me right when Yesei walked in. Not a coincidence, right?"
"It's your cliché, so no, it's not a coincidence."
"Shit…"
I lay on the ground, covering my eyes with my arm to stop the tears.
So…
Kevs, they hated us even before Danny showed up.
But… why? We always treated them with respect. I thought we were good friends… Why did they do this to me?
I thought so too; we got along… Or so I thought.
"All those times we hung out to do homework… Play video games… Go to the movies together… I thought we were best friends… And this whole time, they were disgusted by me?"
"Clearly, they were using you. Did you really think your cliché turned off when you were friends with them?"
"And they're mad because I told Danny not to meddle and stay out of my life? Are they seriously mad because I asked someone to leave me alone?!"
I… offered them candies because… I wanted to be nice… Kind…
I really tried to be a good friend to them… And they hated me this whole time…
"So, you're just gonna cry and do nothing? Am I training a coward? Tch. I expected more from you, crybaby."
"I'll do whatever you say, princess."
"Whatever I say, huh? What do you mean exactly?"
"I don't care anymore… You want to learn how to break clichés, right?"
"Yes, it could be useful in the future."
"I only beg you to have mercy and break my cliché… That's all I ask with all my heart."
"You're already my slave. What else can you offer?"
"My entire being belongs to you, I know, but there's one thing you don't have yet."
"And what's that?"
"My absolute loyalty. Princess, you know I hate you for making me suffer and treating me so badly, but if you promise to break my cliché if you figure out how, I'll give you my absolute loyalty."
"Well, well."
Ugh… S-Shit.
S-She kicked me in the stomach.
"You've got guts to say that. And if I refuse? Planning to betray me?"
"If I get the chance, yeah."
"You really are mentally challenged, huh?"
She sat on me, put her hands around my neck, and slowly squeezed.
"I can get another servant; don't think you're irreplaceable."
I didn't want to use this, but she'll kill me if I don't.
I didn't want to say it because they might kill me for something so disrespectful, but since I'm about to die, it's worth the risk.
"I know how to find the Angel hero."
"Huh? Y-You're telling the truth… You really know?! Tell me!"
"I'll only tell you if you swear in the name of the Angel hero to accept my loyalty and break my cliché. I'm not asking for my freedom, because I know you won't give it."
"Tch. Fine. I swear in the name of the Angel God. Happy? Now answer!"
"Mariel called me Angel when we met."
"… What?"
She stopped choking me.
Ugh… I-I think it worked, but I better clarify what I really think before she gets mad over a misunderstanding!
"I-I know I'm not Angel; my soul is way different from his, I know! But when we met, she called me Angel several times, and when I asked why, she said she had her reasons. She must've mistaken me for the real Angel, which means…"
"Angel looks like you… Why the hell didn't you say anything?!"
"I was scared! Angel's your God, and I'm a worthless, ugly, fat nobody with no value in society! You'd have killed me if I even dared think I'm the Angel hero! I know I'm not, so I didn't say anything; I was afraid of dying!"
"Tch. Mariel probably saw the current reincarnation of Angel's appearance in a vision and mistook you for him. We just need to find someone who looks like you when you were fatter, with a perfect soul."
"But what I don't get is why Angel would look like me. Isn't each reincarnation supposed to be better than the last?"
"Clearly, you don't know the fat-to-handsome cliché; that's probably what's happening with Angel's current reincarnation. And don't get your hopes up; you're losing weight, but you're still just as ugly."
"Ouch."
"I need to tell Syln about this. Tch. You're lucky it hasn't been too long. If you'd kept it hidden longer, I'd kill you."
"Y-Yes… Sorry."
"Tch. Shut up and get me a dessert."
She kicked my face.
"And hurry!"
"Y-Yes."
I got up from the ground and left the rooftop.
I'd kept that secret to use if the princess ever tried to kill me for real, but now I'm out of leverage for the future. At least I made her swear in her God's name; I doubt she'll break that promise.
I'll stay alive, at least until she breaks my cliché. After that, I'll be defenseless. To keep her from killing me, I need to be the best servant ever… Ugh, I hate my life.
I reached the school cafeteria.
A dessert… Hmm… I'll grab a few to avoid picking the wrong one. The princess can't gain weight, so she can eat a lot.
… There's Saik, with Yesei.
That girl… "I don't deserve his help. I'm shit, shit, shit. I don't deserve what he gives me. I don't deserve to be his friend. I'm shit, shit." She kept repeating that in the bathroom, crying hard. Why? Why does she hate herself? Why does she say she doesn't deserve to be Saik's friend? Did she do something bad to him in the past?
They look so happy playing and eating together. They make a cute couple. You can tell they genuinely enjoy each other's company. Even the princess confirmed Yesei never lied; she really enjoys being with Saik. Why does she feel so guilty?
I guess I'll find out later, since the princess is interested in them.
"Hey, Kevs!"
… Danny.
This guy's a good person, according to the princess. He doesn't deserve my hate, it's just… Ugh, if only they were like you.
They're behind him, faking smiles.
I can fake it too. Look, I'm smiling.
"Hey, meddler."
I put my fingers on his forehead.
"Don't talk to me, trash."
I pushed him; he lost balance and nearly fell, but his harem caught him, and I kept walking.
Blah, blah, blah. They started complaining, but I ignored them.
At this point in my life, I don't care about anything except my grandpa.
I flipped them off while walking. This is all you deserve from me, idiots. Bye.
•
•
(Pov – Saik)
First lunch started, and the cafeteria's slowly filling up.
It was so quiet and peaceful before.
And honestly, I was having a lot of fun playing with Yesei. Did she have fun too? I-I hope so.
I mean, she picked the game, and I pretended to be as good as her to avoid winning all the time and frustrating her.
I think she had fun… I hope.
"You're going to eat with your friends, right?"
"Yeah. You don't want Naima thinking you're flirting with me, right? Better avoid her seeing us together."
"Yeah, you're right. Don't forget to prepare your novels."
"That'd be the last thing I'd forget in my life. See ya."
She waved goodbye with a smile.
Ugh… It feels good to have a friend who shares so many interests.
Sylphie enjoys reading, but she was so shy it was awkward to talk to her. Luckily, she's not as shy anymore.
Alright, back to the classroom. I'll nap for a bit.
I packed my console and stood. Okay, let's—
"Huh?"
"Come with us."
"We need you."
Naok and Ludius grabbed my arms and dragged me against my will. Are they kidnapping me?
"Where are we going?"
"To a triple date," they said… the three?
Bell's behind me. Isn't he depressed anymore…? Wait… What?
"Triple date?"
"It was gonna be a quadruple, but Sylphie refused," said Naok.
"I'm included?"
"Of course," said Bell.
"Then it'd be a quadruple, not a triple."
"Oh… True," said Naok.
"Triple sounded cooler," said Ludius.
"Can't I say no?"
"We'll pay for everything."
Damn you, you know my weakness.
"I'll go, but my heart belongs to another girl, so don't tell anyone. I'm only going for the free food."
"You like Sylphie?! Finally, you admit it," said Bell.
"No, I like Naima, but don't say anything, please."
I read online that it's normal for guy friend groups to share these kinds of secrets… And it slipped out without thinking… Am I really a normal person now? But I think I'm getting dumber. I shouldn't have said that.
They went quiet, like they didn't believe me or didn't know how to react.
"N-Naima?" said Ludius.
"Wow, weird taste, Saik," said Naok.
"You're into the grumpy girl when Sylphie's crazy in love with you?" said Bell.
"Such a waste," said Naok.
"Hey, don't talk bad about Naima! And, Saik, good eye. Naima's a great girl, even if she doesn't seem like it," said Ludius, smiling.
I know, Ludius. I know perfectly well.
"That's why I fell for her."
"Saik in love with Naima. Never would've guessed… Does that mean Sylphie's available?!" said Naok, excited.
"Whoever tells Sylphie what I said will be my enemy. I know exactly how she feels about me; that's why I told her multiple times I wasn't interested in love, so she'd give up on her feelings."
"But now you're interested in love, huh?" said Ludius.
"Ugh, life's a mystery… I'll drop hints to Sylphie little by little, but I won't break the news to her all at once. Given her personality, that'd hit her hard."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Considering how important you are to her, she'd be really depressed to know you fell for a girl who hates you, even though she loves you and sees you as her best friend," said Naok.
"Best friend, not boyfriend."
"Are you crazy, Saik?! Why waste Sylphie?! Naima hates you; she always looks at you with disgust. Are you a masochist?" said Bell.
"I have my reasons. And, Bell, I know you're depressed because Evelyn's with Kaeyko now, but if you dare tell Sylphie this…"
I broke free from Ludius and Naok's grip and faced Bell.
"Do it, and you'll regret it. Ask Mark what happened on the ship and what I did to him. The same, or worse, will happen to you if you tell Sylphie. Got it?"
"W-What happened on the ship?"
"I'll leave it as a surprise for you to find out. You've been warned."
I grabbed the guys' arms again.
"Keep dragging me; it saves me the walking."
They looked at each other and let go.
I fell to the ground. Ouch.
"Walk," they both said.
"Ugh, so lazy."