Although Shin was startled by the name Kotonoha Katsura when they first met, thinking about it, there was nothing to be afraid of.
The only thing intimidating about Kotonoha was her potential to become unstable and violent, as she had once disemboweled a love rival.
But honestly, this so-called 'yandere' wasn't that scary. There are plenty of similar girls in reality. Disemboweling a love rival is nothing compared to the medical student who stabbed her ex-boyfriend a hundred times without hitting a vital organ after they broke up.
Shin had a girlfriend in his second year of high school. She was incredibly clingy. When they graduated and went to different universities far apart, Shin naturally suggested they break up.
Then, the girl pestered him, crying and making a scene, even going to his house. She often sent him disturbing, melodramatic messages.
However, Shin ignored her. He knew she just wanted a sycophant to follow her.
Otherwise, why would she demand that Shin give up his university to follow her, instead of the other way around?
People like that should be ignored; the more attention you give them, the worse they become.
(Of course, Shin wouldn't have agreed if she had offered to follow him, either. Giving up his future for a naive teenage romance was foolish.)
So, Shin approached the girl, clarified the situation, and gently ended the relationship peacefully.
Of course, Kotonoha's 'yandere' behavior was more extreme than his ex-girlfriend's, but that was predicated on the poor girl suffering the agony of being cheated on by her best friend.
Regardless of whether the anime version of Makoto was a victim of unfair perception, the fact that Makoto Itou was a player who juggled multiple girls was undeniable.
Imagine your girlfriend not only sleeping with your best friend but also engaging in promiscuous relationships with other men.
What would you do?
Not to mention, she also repeatedly gaslit him, and finally publicly cheated on him without remorse. And he didn't even have a close friend to confide in. In such a miserable situation, what would you do?
Given the opportunity, you would probably impulsively attack the adulterous couple. If a man did this, most people would likely cheer.
Though illegal, it was a satisfying act of vengeance.
If men are allowed to seek revenge, why can't women? Kotonoha's 'yandere' behavior only seemed scary because of the exaggerated effects added by the anime production.
Shin had seen countless similar cases in the news, many far more extreme than Kotonoha. Besides, why would he be afraid of a girl he had no intention of being a scumbag toward?
Although he had to admit he was attracted to her looks and her money, Shin wouldn't abandon his principles and exploit such a young, wealthy girl just for food. At least until he was completely settled, he wouldn't consider romance.
Being friends was nice. Shin thought Kotonoha needed a male friend, and he needed her as a meal ticket and guide. He also felt sorry for her. Everything was mutually beneficial.
So... this was fine.
"Shin-kun, can I take a photo of you?"
"Sure," Shin replied distractedly, watching the soccer game on the field while sipping his strawberry milk.
Kotonoha took a picture of Shin, saved it to her album, and hesitated for a moment before deciding not to set it as her phone background.
It's too soon. I need... to spend more time with him.
"What do you plan to do after you graduate, Shin-kun?" Kotonoha asked softly, standing five centimeters away from him.
"University. My goal is Tokyo University,"
Shin answered casually.
In two years, he didn't even know if he would still be alive. A future plan? That felt too luxurious for him.
"I see..." Kotonoha lowered her head, a hint of joy on her face.
"But for me, the biggest problem right now is getting food," Shin crushed the milk carton and threw it in the trash, sighing. "I'm looking for a job, but part-time work can't meet my huge financial deficit. So, I'm thinking of submitting some novels to see how that goes, but I don't have reliable connections."
"Didn't Shin-kun receive a million yen this morning...?" Kotonoha was surprised. "Isn't a million yen enough?"
"Ah, I can only keep 100,000 yen of that,"
Shin said helplessly. "The remaining 900,000 yen I have to give to someone else... Every family has its own difficulties."
Kotonoha tilted her head slightly, quickly concocting a scenario in her mind: a poor family, sick parents, a diligent student working hard.
She looked at Shin with even more maternal affection. It was as if a little thought bubble reading "Affection +3" appeared above her cute head.
"I'll ask my mother when I get back. She might have connections," Kotonoha nodded seriously.
However, she couldn't guarantee it.
Although her mother was a strong businesswoman, she probably didn't have many connections in novel publishing.
"Thank you, Kotonoha." Shin smiled and patted her head. "But more importantly, my lunches will depend on you for a long time. You keep that million yen. I won't take it back. But as a friend, you have to help me solve my lunch problem."
Tsk, why does this sound like I'm a gigolo?
"...No problem." Kotonoha blinked her eyes, her angelic face showing a gentle and joyful smile.
Maintaining a friendship wasn't just about receiving; it was also about helping.
Kotonoha was very happy to be able to help Shin.
In just one lunch break, their relationship seemed to have rapidly developed into friendship. When they walked back to the classroom, chatting and laughing, a boy suddenly ran up to Shin as soon as he reached his desk.
"Shin-kun?"
The slender, bespectacled otaku, Aki Tomoya, stood in front of Shin, looking zealous and excited.
"Please join my club and let's create the best GALGAME!"
"...Huh? Who are you?"
Shin looked at the otaku in confusion. Did normal people greet someone for the first time with this level of 'enthusiasm'?
"My name is Aki Tomoya. Nice to meet you. I accidentally read Shin-kun's work earlier..."
The guy launched into a speech full of jargon Shin didn't understand—talking about "waifus," "great creations," "peerless inspiration," and "encounters with beautiful girls."
In a classroom setting, this guy was talking about these things loudly. Even in a Chinese high school, few people would be this shameless.
Feeling the awkward stares from all directions, Shin, who desperately wanted to be isolated, found himself unable to bear it.
He wanted his presence to be thin, so he wouldn't get dragged into messy social activities. But that didn't mean he wanted to go from being cold-shouldered to being actively bullied.
If he were actively bullied... Shin guaranteed he would make those who bullied him pay tenfold.
The incident would inevitably become a big deal, which didn't fit Shin's goal of quietly making money.
"Wait, stop, stop, my friend."
Shin waved his hand, signaling the rambling otaku to stop his level-8 otaku speech. He looked at the three prototype novels placed in the middle of his desk and frowned slightly.
"In short, you read the novels I wrote and want me to join your club to make a game, right?"
Aki Tomoya nodded enthusiastically. He had carefully read Shin's three works during lunch break. The two fanfictions based on Kasumigaoka Utaha's work and the one original work were excellent.
Although he already had the senior as his scriptwriter, having an extra one was definitely not a bad thing. Aki Tomoya believed that someone who could write such works must have a deep love for the two-dimensional world!
However, before he could say anything else, Shin cut him off.
"Sorry, I'm not interested. Look elsewhere."
Shin rejected him outright.
Are you kidding? Make a game? Why would he be so reckless as to take on a time-consuming and generally low-profit project? Especially a GALGAME, which was a dying genre.
If it were a H-rated GALGAME like the Mankanshoku series, maybe it would sell well, since human nature leans toward adult content. But if it was an all-ages game, sales were hard to guarantee even for major studios these days.
Shin simply got up and left under the pretense of going to the restroom. The persistent otaku followed behind him, displaying a missionary-like determination.
"See? See that, Makoto? That foreign exchange student actually writes novels?
He's just a weak otaku pretending to be tough."
Taisuke excitedly put his arm around his friend. "Don't worry, I'll bring some of the boys soon and make sure this pretty boy leaves the girl you like alone."
Makoto Itou tried to dissuade Taisuke, but his friend clearly wasn't listening. He sighed and glanced at Kotonoha, saying no more.
"Our club has already recruited the best artist, the best scriptwriter, and I have the best ideas. As long as Shin-kun joins us..."
Shin, expressionless, zipped up his pants. Aki Tomoya, chattering away, still hovered around him like a persistent fly.
For the first time since coming to this parallel world, he felt the impulse to slap someone. Did this guy not understand the meaning of 'giving up' or 'personal space'?
Seeing that Shin remained unmoved, Aki Tomoya decisively played his trump card.
"I know Kasumi Utaha-sensei! And I am TAKI-kun!"
He wasn't sure if the other party was a fan of his videos, but Aki Tomoya was sure that someone who could write such moving fanfiction must be a loyal fan of the senior's novels!
"...Huh?" Shin frowned at the otaku.
He knew the latter. So this otaku was the popular anime commentator YouTuber in Japan? Okay, I know that, but why do I care?
As for the name "Kasumi Utaha," he genuinely didn't recognize it... Wait, where have I seen that?
Thanks to his Coordinator's excellent memory, Shin immediately recalled the origin of the name.
It seemed the author of the Love Rhythm novel he casually used for practice was named that?
Shin's expression gradually relaxed. He didn't like this otaku, and he certainly didn't want to make a GALGAME. But if this guy really knew a popular light novel author...
This guy definitely has a connection for submitting novels!
The editor responsible for a popular author usually holds a high position in the publishing house. This meant that if he could connect with this otaku, he could get his works directly into the hands of an influential editor and publish them as quickly as possible.
Excellent! I'm starting to understand everything!
"Alright, I agree to meet you after school,"
Shin sighed, feigning reluctance. "But you need to understand, I'm not a fan of this Kasumi Utaha-sensei. I just used her book for practice. Aki-kun, I also hope you don't talk about these kinds of things so...
'brazenly' in class. At least find a quieter place."
"Yay!" Aki Tomoya didn't seem to hear anything he said; he only heard a "Yes."
Shin watched Aki Tomoya leave, slightly squinting. Although he disliked this overly self-absorbed person, this guy... could be utilized.
As a major YouTuber, he held a certain position in social media, or rather, he had strong promotional capabilities in his field. This meant Shin could naturally give him the lukewarm video he uploaded to Bilibili and use the fan effect to make it instantly popular.
As for the Kasumi Utaha-sensei he knew, Shin didn't care about her, but knowing her provided a connection to the publishing industry, allowing him to quickly publish his books and make money.
Perfect! Shin smiled as if he had everything figured out. He was about to leave the restroom when four or five boys came in.
The leader was the blond, Taisuke.
Looking at the group of hostile guys, Shin sighed lightly and said, "Please move aside. Thank you."
The hostile guys exchanged glances and burst into laughter. Taisuke stepped forward, put his arm around Shin's shoulder, and laughed, "Kid, do you know who we are? It doesn't matter. Just stay away from the beautiful class representative next to you from now on..."
"I know. You're just a bunch of scum from Sakurano Academy who managed to get into Mineoka through the merger."
Shin's sarcasm was merciless. He didn't discriminate against people who didn't study well, but he despised these bullies who looked tough but were actually weak, acting like petty thugs in high school.
"You bastard!"
Taisuke instantly snapped, throwing a punch straight at Shin's stomach. However, before the punch landed, Shin grabbed the back of Spencer's head. With a powerful force, he slammed his face hard into Shin's knee.
Blood splattered from his mouth, and a few teeth fell out. Taisuke howled in pain and collapsed to the ground. The other thugs rushed over, trying to help him up, while arrogantly throwing punches.
"You bastard! How dare you do that to him..."
Shin was genuinely not good at fighting. He hadn't fought in high school or university. Unless absolutely necessary, only hot-headed idiots resorted to fighting.
Even with his current bizarre circumstances, he had only piloted a Gundam and nearly shot a Yonko. That was it.
However, the thugs in front of him couldn't fight either. To put it bluntly, 99% of the 'bosses' and 'big brothers' in the world are just bluffing; they are weaklings at heart.
His modified genes gave Shin powerful physical abilities, and his recent fantastic experiences gave him strong courage. He easily dodged the punches of the two thugs who rushed him, then landed a hard punch on each of their throats.
They clutched their throats, eyes wide, staggered backward, and collapsed, gasping for breath and rolling their eyes.
Shin looked at the two terrified thugs remaining, took out a handkerchief, wiped his hands, and said calmly, "It's fine. You won't die. You'll just have trouble breathing for a while."
He then stepped on Taisuke's arm. As he let out a pig-like wail, Shin lowered his head and whispered softly,
"You are also unlucky. There are no cameras in the restroom, which means as long as I don't give you obvious injuries, I won't be in any trouble. Heh, actually, even if I hurt you, it doesn't matter."
Shin was a good student, a top student in Principal Nakano's eyes who could bring him prestige. As for this group of scum from Sakurano Academy whom the principal wanted to bury, he wouldn't care as long as they weren't permanently crippled.
"Privilege is truly contradictory. When others have it, you want to kill all the privileged. When you have it yourself, it feels great."
Shin chuckled and closed the restroom door, clenching his fists, his smile incredibly bright.
Although he still thought fighting was utterly foolish... it actually felt good.
"I hate trouble. To prevent you from bothering me again, I'll finish this now."
Then, bloodcurdling screams echoed through the hallway from inside the restroom.
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