"Shirogane Miyuki, are you done with your work?"Damn it.The situation couldn't be worse.
Ice Queen Kaguya had just unleashed her secret technique: [President, you still have so much to handle. You can't rest yet~]
It's over. Sakurai Saki's chances are looking grim.
[What do we do? At this rate, Sakura-chan will be facing off against two girls alone! Guhei~ One guy and two girls—so scandalous! This young lady is so hyped right now!]...What the hell are you even imagining?
A delusional psychic isn't exactly a desirable life companion.
"Not... not yet." Shirogane Miyuki deflated as he held the movie tickets. With a sigh, he patted Sakurai on the shoulder—like a soldier heading into battle.
And Sakurai? The loyal fiancée left behind in a faraway village...
Well, not exactly.
Sakurai Saki stood up alongside him.
"It's about time. I should head back."
He picked up his bag and walked to the door, nodding to Fujiwara, the secretary."Fujiwara-kun, see you next week."
"To the Student Council—if anything comes up over the weekend, just call me.""And Shinomiya, goodbye."
With that, Sakurai left the Student Council Room.
Friday's part-time job: rental boyfriend.Today's client? A regular.
The reason for the booking was simple: she needed company.
Putting that aside for now—the woman, still graceful despite losing her son years ago and her husband more recently—might be meeting him later today.
Sakurai walked his bike from the shed to the school gate.Bicycles weren't allowed on school grounds.
Bag slung over his shoulder, he paused and looked around.
The campus was draped in lush greenery.It was that fleeting moment before the cherry blossoms began to fall.
[What's the speed at which cherry blossoms fall? Answer: five centimeters per second! Ehe~]Who even told you that?
At five centimeters per second, it'd take a full minute for one to fall from a three-meter branch. Newton would disapprove.
...Would Newton's ghost rise to chase down the superpowered fool who slandered his laws?
Sakurai didn't know.But it was a fun thought.
[Newton wouldn't become a zombie just from turning in his grave. He's not from the Dragon Country.]So he would turn into a zombie?
[Hmm~ Let's not go there. Bystander-chan detects danger within five minutes! We need to flee! Sakura-chan! Quick! Activate aerial blue mode! Pull out the Spark Lens! It's time to transform!!]
...What the hell? I'm not a Giant of Light.
Talking to your imaginary friend in your head really makes you question your sanity.
[This young lady is part of you, Sakura-chan. The emotions you're trying to suppress. So feel free to treat Bystander-chan like your girlfriend~ (Winks)]
Talking to an imaginary girlfriend already feels humiliating enough.
Please don't make me feel even more pathetic.
Today, Sakurai felt like he'd complained more in one day than in an entire month.
"Hey! You there! Stop right now!"
It wasn't long after he'd left the school gates and reached a busy street when a group of delinquents blocked his path.
A few nearby students quickly picked up their pace, avoiding the scene. No one wanted trouble with punks.
[Sigh… Sakura-chan, I told you there'd be danger! But you didn't listen!]
"Ryota? Been a while." Sakurai halted, steadying his bicycle.
"You made me look like a fool yesterday! Did you even consider the consequences?!"The blond thug slicked his spiky hair back and spat on the ground.
"Hm?"
Sakurai's lips curled into a small, amused smile.
Something about it made the thugs uneasy.
Most people, cornered like this, would be shaking in their shoes—maybe even begging.
But Sakurai?
He calmly parked his bike.
"You should've done your homework better."
Rolling up his sleeves, he flexed his fingers. Then he took off his uniform jacket.
The white shirt underneath outlined lean, defined muscles that didn't quite match his usual quiet demeanor.
"You already knew which path I'd take. Why not think things through before acting?"
[Finish them off! Sakura-chan~! (Yandere face)]
Wouldn't it be bad if someone saw?
Oh well.
As long as no one does... it's fine.
And wouldn't you know it—there was an empty alley just ahead.
The punks had chosen their ambush point well.
Sakurai Saki strolled forward without a hint of fear—almost as if he'd seen this coming.He slipped past the oncoming punch like water flowing around a stone, grabbed the blond thug's collar, and drove his knee upward with brutal force.
The delinquent crumpled on impact, collapsing like a puppet with its strings cut.
Without sparing a glance at the others, Sakurai calmly dragged him into the alley.
Ten minutes later—The alley was silent, littered with bruised, groaning bodies.
Sakurai stepped out, face blank.
Would a superpower user fear schoolyard violence?Please.
He feared the school wouldn't be violent enough.
For someone constantly suppressing the destructive urges brought on by his abilities, this was… therapy.
[Let's hope tomorrow's power lets you erase people from existence, Sakuramen! (Praying hands emoji~) And then… KILL THEM ALL!!! HAHAHAHA!]
...Yeah. It was coming.The surge.
His power was about to go berserk.
Shinjuku, Tokyo — 7th floor, luxury apartment.
Tonight's rental girlfriend gig brought Sakurai to familiar ground.
At the dining table, a curvaceous woman in silky loungewear sighed.
"Saki-kun, why haven't you visited your big sister in so long?" she asked, tone playfully accusing.
[Ohoho~ This big sister! Bystander-chan approves! She's tonight's side dish, officially selected by yours truly~]
What a perverted gremlin...
"Mashiro-nee, I've been busy. I joined the Student Council recently." Sakurai offered a polite smile.
"Oh~ Poor me, just a lonely woman collecting rent all day. It's so dull," she said, resting her cheek in her palm.
Sakurai felt a wave of jealousy.If only he could live that kind of easy life.
Mashiro tilted her head, scrutinizing his face. "Saki-kun… did you get into another fight today?"
"Nope," he replied, feigning surprise.
She raised a finger and gently pointed to her own cheek. "Here."
"Oh, that? Just paint from the club recruitment fair. Got smudged on me after school." He quickly looked away, trying not to let his gaze linger on her body.
[Sakura-chan~ Your face is very suspicious. All flushed, like you're in heat or something~]
This is your fault!
[Overuse of superpowers builds desire. And Sakura-chan's desires are split cleanly between lust and violence. When both reach their peak, your willpower falters—and your power goes berserk! Just like in a raunchy manga plot~]
...Thanks for the exposé. Not like anyone asked.
But there was an easy way to prevent a meltdown:Go home.Log into a game.Slaughtering NPCs or drooling over pixelated waifus helped bleed off the pressure.
And as soon as the clock hit 6 a.m., the power would reset.Everything would go back to normal.
"Is something wrong, Saki-kun?" Mashiro set her chopsticks down, her tone suddenly serious.
She rushed to his side and pulled him gently into her arms.
"Nothing," he murmured, eyes fluttering shut.
[Just go to her room already~ Come on. She still treats you like a kid, but if Sakura-chan asks, she'll definitely say yes~]
I don't want to.
He protested inwardly—but his vision was already starting to blur.
His body… wasn't so sure.