In this world's group chat—
Yukinoshita Haruno: "Oh my, oh my~ Yukino-chan was as serious as ever just now."
Yukinoshita Haruno: "But sometimes a roundabout tactic leads to results you'd never expect~"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Sis, please don't say things that invite misunderstandings. I simply believe the optimal solution matters most."
Yuigahama Yui: "Hiromi-nee wants big bro Rei Ao to pretend to be her boyfriend—so spicy!"
Yuigahama Yua: "Yui, don't stir things up!"
Kei Shirogane: "..."
Lurking in silence, Kei Shirogane felt all kinds of complicated. A few other people's… dynamics were delicate too.
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "Eriri, did you see that? The main girl's composure—and the potential rivals getting restless."
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "This drama is juicier than anything we write."
Eriri: "Kasumigaoka Utaha! Cut it out with the snide commentary!"
Eriri: "Hiromi-nee just ran into trouble, that's all."
Sonoko Machida: "My, my, young people's feelings are as messy as they are fascinating."
Sonoko Machida: "But hey, great material. Utaha, feeling inspired for the new book?"
Kasumigaoka Utaha: "I am, actually."
Shizuka Hiratsuka: "Tch. If that kid uses 'helping out' as an excuse to misbehave, I'm the first one who won't allow it!"
Even knowing how capable Rei Ao was, she couldn't help slipping into the protector role.
Saki Kawasaki: "…Workplace harassment. A real pain."
Brief and to the point—born of her part-time experience.
As for one of the people at the eye of the storm—Kato Hiromi—after sending that decisive message, she was a bundle of nerves, anticipation, and shame all mixed into one breathless high.
She started obsessing over what to wear tomorrow, how to do her makeup, how to play the scene opposite Rei Ao… completely unaware that this "fake boyfriend" plan had long since drifted beyond a simple fix and was tugging on quite a few heartstrings.
…
Night fell again over Disboard.
Inside Rei Ao's place, the vibe was even more… complicated than before.
After the day's little incident, Michiru now couldn't help blushing and racing inside whenever she saw Rei Ao—her eyes darting away only to sneak back for another look.
Schwi was still on standby. Kanna and Couronne watched, curious, as a luminous screen in front of Rei Ao scrolled through the group chat.
"Rei Ao, are you going to pretend to be someone's boyfriend?" Kanna tilted her head, voice soft and sing-song. As a dragon, human relationship norms were still a bit fuzzy for her.
"Mm, more like doing a favor." Rei Ao ruffled Kanna's hair, easygoing.
"A favor… does it require a kiss?" Kanna remembered what she'd seen between Michiru and Rei Ao earlier and asked with innocent earnestness.
"Pff—!"
Michiru, mid-sip, sprayed water everywhere.
"Cough, cough!"
She hacked, her face turning as red as a boiled prawn.
Rei Ao chuckled. "No, not this time. This one's a more subtle kind of help."
Kurone rubbed her chin. "Hmm… sounds like some kind of diplomatic mission?"
Rei Ao smiled and shut the screen. To him, it really was just a small thing—if anything, a splash of seasoning in a dull stretch of days.
He'd noticed Hiromi's little feelings of course, but didn't mind. What intrigued him more was that Megumi Kato had been the one to suggest it.
That girl always seemed to be running quiet calculations beneath that calm surface, giving things the gentlest nudge.
He glanced at Disboard's moonlight outside the window, then thought of Rin Tohsaka racing the clock elsewhere, Ais's hunger for strength, and the group system's upgrade countdown… Stories in different worlds moving forward in parallel.
"Tomorrow, let's go see just how shameless that troublesome coworker really is."
The corner of his mouth lifted. There was a touch of languid, god's-eye detachment in his smile—and the faintest glint of mischief.
…
At the Kato home, Kato Hiromi was staring helplessly into her closet. Megumi quietly handed her a dress—proper on the surface, with a hint of playful strategy.
"Wear this one, sis."
"Megumi… you really don't mind?" Hiromi couldn't help asking again.
Megumi lifted her eyes to her sister—still calm, but it made Hiromi feel a twinge of guilt. "As long as you think it's right."
With that, Megumi turned and left the room. Hiromi was left alone, clutching the dress, heart surging—nervous and wildly excited for tomorrow's performance.
…
For most office workers in Tokyo, the morning sun means a new day—maybe busy, maybe hopeful. For Kato Hiromi, every step into that familiar office building felt like treading sticky shadows, her mood heavy.
She worked at a mid-sized trading company. Not top-tier, but clean and orderly.
However, ever since a male coworker named Oda Toshita fixed his sights on her, this ordinary workspace had turned into a battlefield where she had to stay on guard at all times.
Hiromi had just sat down at her desk—she hadn't even opened her laptop—when a figure that made her spine go cold showed up right on cue.
Oda Toshita. Around thirty, gold-rimmed glasses, hair slicked to an oily shine. He was clearly trying to project "refined elite," but the shifty eyes behind the lenses and that pinched face made people uncomfortable.
He wore what he thought was a soulful smile, a wilted red rose pinched in his fingers, and strode straight to Hiromi's desk.
"Good morning, Hiromi," he said, deliberately intimate, offering the rose in a feigned gentle tone. "This flower is just like you in the morning dew—radiant and lovely. Please accept my feelings."
The cheesy lines and the cheap rose turned Hiromi's stomach. A clammy, heavy gloom settled over her heart. A few early coworkers glanced over—curious, sympathetic, or detached—which only made it harder to breathe.
~~~
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