The next morning, the alarm didn't even get the chance to ring.
At exactly five o'clock, as if his body were a stubborn, over-disciplined machine that refused to allow even one extra minute of rest, Isagi opened his eyes.
The room was still wrapped in thick, silent darkness, almost inviting him to roll over and go back to sleep.
For a few seconds he just lay there, motionless, breathing slowly, letting stray thoughts drift in and out one after another.
It was Friday.
Finally…
Well… to be honest, he wasn't exactly excited about this weekend.
Things were about to get a lot more complicated. Very complicated.
Basically, he had back-to-back dates with almost every girl who had some kind of feelings for him. First Kaguya. Then Yuki. And finally Marin… who, if he was being honest, was more of a friend than anything else, even though they'd almost had an "accident" that could have ended in sex…
Was he overthinking it? Probably.
But when a girl literally falls on top of you wearing nothing but a bikini, and the air between you two gets dangerously charged… it's understandable that the idea would stick in your head.
Anyway, he was going to face it all head-on and, if possible, try to enjoy himself. He didn't want to get trapped in complicated thoughts before the day even started. If something ended up happening with any of them… well, he'd cross that bridge when he got there.
He stretched lightly, got up, and did a few basic warm-up movements. He decided to stick to his routine as always. He grabbed the clothes he'd laid out the night before (black t-shirt, training shorts, light jacket) and went downstairs quietly, careful not to make noise and wake his parents.
In the bathroom, the hot shower hit his still-cold skin, washing away the last traces of sleep. The shower was quick and efficient, though he still washed carefully, as he always did. He dried off with the fluffy towel his mom insisted on replacing every week, put on his workout clothes, took a deep breath, and felt his body shift into that automatic morning mode that made his routines so predictable and necessary.
In the kitchen, he turned on the lights, creating a cozy contrast with the dark world outside. Isagi prepared breakfast with the precision of someone who'd done it hundreds of times: scrambled eggs, oatmeal with honey, sliced banana, and a cup of freshly brewed black coffee. Once everything was ready, he sat at the table, put in his earbuds, and opened the playlist that often accompanied the start of his day.
Soft drums came in. A calm guitar. Lo-fi mixed with alternative rock. The melody filled the silence.
Only then did he swipe his finger across the phone screen and open the banking app, almost on autopilot. He wasn't expecting any big surprises. The AdSense payment had been promised "by Friday," but it always varied. But when the screen refreshed…
The AdSense had dropped.
Isagi blinked, mildly surprised.
"Finally… but this amount… isn't it a little higher than the estimate? I literally just made two million yen… that's almost seventy thousand reais, or about twelve thousand dollars…" he muttered, doing the quick mental math.
It was an absurdly large amount by Brazilian standards, sure. But for someone who, in his previous life as a pro footballer, had earned that much money every few seconds, it wasn't exactly mind-blowing. So he wasn't shocked, much less ecstatic.
Still, he felt a quiet relief. At least he wouldn't have to borrow money from his dad to go out with the girls this weekend. Now he could cover the date with Kaguya, the one with Yuki, and even the cosplay event with Marin without worry. Honestly, he had no idea if cosplay events were expensive or not… but apparently he didn't have to worry anymore.
Even though, originally, he didn't need to worry in the first place. All three of them had insisted they'd pay since they were the ones who invited him. But the idea still didn't sit right with him.
What kind of man lets a woman pay for the first date?
Definitely not a real man. Just one of those delicate "prince" types, full of fussiness, softer than most girls he knew. The kind who thought being fragile and needy was a lifestyle. Or, as a friend from his past life used to say, the kind of guy who was very, very beta.
In his mind, it was simple: if you don't have money, then don't go out with the girl you like.
Period.
Be a real man, not a whiny beta begging for validation.
That was the right philosophy. Basic. Obvious. The kind of thing that should be carved in stone.
But of course, most guys were so stupid they'd need it drawn out for them.
In fact, he followed that rule so strictly from his previous life that, if his dad hadn't lent him money or the AdSense hadn't come through, he really would have canceled all the plans.
Deep down, he'd been almost certain one of the two would happen, which is why he'd accepted the invitations in the first place.
While he thought about all that, Isagi kept eating slowly.
The phone stayed propped beside his plate, screen still lit with the unexpectedly high payment amount. He glanced at it one more time, a silent confirmation everything was fine, then swiped to the LINE app. Notifications blinked with the chaotic energy that had become normal in his life.
Marin, as usual, was at the top of the list: she'd sent a barrage of messages begging for more photos of the cosplay, probably because she couldn't sleep until she saw every last detail of the outfit he and his mom had finished.
The others were calmer, sent just before bedtime. Kaguya had left a refined, elegant "good night" that felt like a handwritten letter. Yuki was more direct, completely different from her usual haughty Suou heiress mode, she'd sent a bold, playful good-night. Maria, predictably, had sent the longest voice note, sweet and teasing. And Alya… hers was short and dry, but still polite, showing that despite everything from yesterday, she wasn't completely mad.
Isagi typed replies at his own pace, saying good morning to each in the way he thought would avoid misunderstandings. Once done, he set the phone down again and finished eating. It didn't take long. When he stood, he put the dishes in the sink, ran a hand through his still-damp hair, and the phone buzzed insistently again.
He glanced over his shoulder.
A video call from Marin?
Thinking something might have happened, he grabbed the phone and answered immediately.
"Isagiiii-kun!!!"
The screen practically exploded with her energy. Marin had her hair messily tied up, pink bunny pajamas, and an enthusiasm that defied the laws of physics.
"Ahhhh, I dreamed about the cosplay!! I dreamed about it! And it was per-fect! You're awake, right? You're awake, aren't you? I need to see the cosplay again!"
Isagi took a deep breath.
"Kitagawa-san… it's five in the morning…"
"So what? I've been awake since three! I was so excited I barely slept. The second you messaged and I knew you were waking up, I couldn't wait anymore! Show me the cosplay again, pleeease!"
He wasn't sure what was more impressive: the fact Marin could be this hyper on almost no sleep, or the way those pajamas emphasized her generous cleavage even more.
Isagi sighed. "After training, I'll send you photos, okay?"
Marin puffed out her cheeks, clearly unhappy, but like always, it took her less than two seconds to bounce back to full hyper mode.
"Okaaaay… but you promise you'll send them, right? You promise for real! Because if you forget, I swear I'll break into your house, open your window, and—"
"I'll send them, I'll send them," Isagi cut in before she actually started planning a home invasion. "Just… go sleep a little, Kitagawa-san. We have a test today."
Her expression froze.
Literally froze.
Like someone had hit pause.
"…Test?" she whispered, voice thin.
Isagi blinked, a little confused. "Yeah. Japanese literature test this morning."
The silence on the other end was so thick he could almost hear her brain rebooting.
Suddenly Marin's eyes went wide, she clutched her head with both hands and screamed:
"Ahhhhhhhh!!! I completely forgot!!! I'm screwed! I'm so screwed! I didn't sleep! Isagi, I didn't sleep at all!!"
"You said you woke up at three…" he reminded her, trying to stay calm.
"I know!! That's the problem!" She started pacing in circles, phone shaking. "Oh my god, I'm gonna pass out at my desk! The teacher's gonna think I died!"
"Then go to sleep now," Isagi said firmly, in the tone he used when giving orders to the chaotic creature he'd grown used to handling. "Sleep for at least one hour. One. It's better than nothing."
Marin stopped pacing. Bit her lip.
Thought.
Then nodded like her brain was running at full speed.
"Okay! Okay, okay, okay! I'm going to sleep! I promise! One hour! If I close my eyes right now, I think I can survive!"
She took a deep breath, still panicking but trying to look determined.
"Thank you for reminding me, Isagiiii-kun! You saved my life! My grade! My dignity! My future!!"
"It's not that dramatic."
"It is!"
Isagi just sighed.
Marin clasped her hands together like she was praying dramatically.
"Good luck with training! And… and don't forget to send the photos later, okay?! I'm going to sleep now! I swear!!"
"Go already."
"Okay!! Good luck!!!"
And before he could reply, she hung up with a frantic click, probably throwing herself onto the bed in the most ungraceful way possible.
The music in his earbuds resumed full blast. Isagi stared at the blank screen for a second, took a deep breath, and finally muttered:
"…And I'm the one who wakes up too early."
He set the phone down, rubbed his face like he needed to reboot after surviving Hurricane Marin Kitagawa, then stood there for a few more seconds, staring at the sink until he decided it was time to keep moving.
He turned on the faucet, let the water run, and started washing the dishes with calm, automatic movements.
Plates cleaned. Silverware put away. Pan dried.
Everything in its place.
He dried his hands on the dish towel, grabbed his phone, switched to one of his favorite songs, and headed out the door toward the gym as always.
Before leaving, he paused in front of the dark TV screen in the living room, adjusted his light jacket, and ran a hand through his still-damp hair.
Keys in hand, sneakers on, he opened the front door carefully so as not to wake anyone.
The cold morning air hit him immediately, making his skin prickle for a second.
It was still dark outside, but not silent.
The distant sound of a passing car, the lazy chirping of early birds, and the soft hum of the city waking up created a comfortable, almost meditative atmosphere.
Isagi pulled up his hood and started walking.
The damp pavement clicked under his steps, reflecting each yellow streetlamp like distorted little stars. The cold air filled his lungs with that clean, alert feeling that always came before training.
While he walked, he couldn't help thinking about the deposit again.
Two million yen.
It was strange to look at that number and not feel the shock a normal teenager would. Maybe it was the leftover mindset from his past life: absurd salaries, million-dollar contracts, money that literally fell by the second. It had recalibrated his sense of "big money."
But that wasn't the point.
After thinking it over, he decided he'd tell his parents.
Not just about the money. About everything.
About the YouTube channel. The insane growth. The AdSense. The fact that yes, he had a huge audience now, and yes, this was starting to become something serious.
They deserved to know. And they deserved to stop worrying too.
His dad always worked himself to the bone trying to keep everything running. His mom juggled the house like a circus act. It wasn't fair to keep hiding it.
And… he wanted to give them part of it.
For real.
Isagi almost smiled to himself imagining his mom's reaction: shocked, telling him to "keep your money" and that "you don't have to do this," while secretly crying from joy in the bathroom later. His dad would get all serious, nodding and saying "that's not a boy your age's responsibility," but inside he'd be proud…
"I'll handle it tonight after dojo training…" he murmured to himself as he turned the corner where the sidewalk turned to packed dirt.
Then came the next step: using part of the money on himself.
He needed a few things.
A new phone, because his current one was on its last legs: freezing at the worst moments, no storage for recording, and a camera that died whenever he needed to take important photos, like the ones Marin kept demanding.
A decent computer, not just to edit videos without suffering, but to study, plan, and work better. He'd spent too long struggling with a machine that seemed ready to give up the ghost every two clicks.
New cleats, he really needed those. His current pair was worn out, slippery, and long past their expiration date, especially with the Inter High starting in just a few days.
Some clothes, nothing crazy, just the basics. A little more style wouldn't hurt either, especially now that he was… going out with girls.
He remembered Yuki and tomorrow's date at the mall.
"Perfect…" he thought, adjusting his earbuds. "I can buy everything there…"
She'd probably insist on picking out a few pieces for him, and considering Yuki Suou's impeccable taste and untouchable-princess aura, that wouldn't exactly be a bad thing. Actually… she had great taste. Really great taste.
A wry smile tugged at his lips as he picked up the pace. The gym appeared on the horizon, its white lights glowing against the still-sleeping building.
He was ready to start the day.
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