Nanatsuoi Akane, frozen in place, snapped back to herself the moment she heard Rai Hikaru call out.
"Y-Yes, it's me! What's wrong, Rai-kun?!"
Rai Hikaru raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Why are you here? Didn't I tell you to leave earlier?"
Seeing his indifferent expression, Nanatsuoi Akane hurried to explain.
"Th-That's… it's like this! I thought leaving you alone in the storage shed with Coach Higashi was way too dangerous."
"So I was hiding by the door the whole time, watching. I was ready that if Coach Higashi tried to lay a hand on you, I'd call the police right away or… or something like that!"
"That scene just now… I really didn't mean to see it!"
After listening to her explanation, Rai Hikaru gave her a slightly surprised look.
He had not expected it.
This so-called "anime heroine" actually had some brains.
Thinking about it, though, it made sense. In the original story, Nanatsuoi Akane's behavior did seem a lot more solid than that ditz Shinomiyu Natsuka.
The reason she ended up suffering so much was probably because she cared too much about Katase Shoya.
Having a normal person's intellect—maybe even a bit higher—was only natural.
"I don't care whether you saw it or not. Either way, it's already handled. Go back."
Rai Hikaru spoke flatly.
"Um… then, let's go back together. My classroom is right next door to yours," Nanatsuoi Akane said in a small voice.
"Sure."
Rai Hikaru did not say anything more and started walking first.
"Um, Rai-kun… you… you were amazing back there!"
Sticking close at his side, Nanatsuoi Akane could not hold back the tone of admiration in her voice.
She had really never imagined it. She had stayed behind because she was afraid Rai Hikaru would get beaten half to death by Coach Higashi, yet what she saw was Rai Hikaru absolutely crushing the man.
A mere high school student, using just one hand to make a bull of a coach taste a fate worse than death—this kind of combat power…
It was downright shocking.
Most people are drawn to strength. Nanatsuoi Akane was not about to fall for Rai Hikaru just because of this, but he had already saved her once.
Now, after witnessing that overwhelming scene, it was only natural that she began to feel a deep sense of respect and admiration toward him.
"I'm not as impressive as you think."
"Besides, Nanatsuoi Akane, you've got a boyfriend, don't you? Is it really okay to be walking this close to me?"
Rai Hikaru glanced down at her, so close that the surging swell of her chest was almost brushing against his left arm, and spoke in a calm tone.
"Um… I don't have a boyfriend yet. And it's fine. We're just normal classmates, there's nothing weird about it."
"Coach Higashi was just so terrifying just now. Right now, the only way I can feel… feel a little bit safe is by staying right next to you, Rai Hikaru."
Nanatsuoi Akane's voice grew small as she tried to explain herself, eyes anxious as she watched his face. When she saw that he did not look angry and seemed to accept her explanation, she relaxed and moved just a little closer with a faint smile.
She was not lying. She normally never let herself get this close to other boys.
After all, even with Katase Shoya, because of the baseball club's rules, they had not officially started dating yet. They had only promised each other that "someday" they would.
Right now, they did not count as boyfriend and girlfriend—more like that ambiguous stage beyond friends but not quite lovers.
Since they had never shared any real physical closeness, how could she bring herself to get cozy with some other guy first?
But after what had just happened—the way Coach Higashi had threatened her—the terror still clawing at her heart and the crushing emptiness inside made her desperately want an emotional anchor.
And Rai Hikaru, who had appeared like a divine weapon descending from the heavens, was exactly that anchor she needed to keep her fear and emptiness from swallowing her whole.
That was why she was walking so close to him.
She did not know why…
But ever since that moment when Coach Higashi had threatened her, the second she drew near Rai Hikaru she felt safe, wrapped in a strange comfort.
The closer she got, the stronger that soothing sensation grew.
That was why she could not help but close the distance between them until, to anyone watching from afar, the space between them would look more like that of a couple than mere classmates.
"So this is what a guy's scent is like…? It's my first time smelling something like this…"
Breathing in the faint fragrance coming from Rai Hikaru, Nanatsuoi Akane blinked curiously.
Because of the baseball club's rules, she had never gotten close enough to Katase Shoya to smell him like this.
And normally, what she smelled around the club from several meters away was nothing but the sweaty stench coming off the other members.
This pleasant smell from Rai Hikaru's body was a first for her, and it fascinated her.
Lost in random thoughts, Nanatsuoi Akane kept sneaking glances at Rai Hikaru's handsome profile.
She failed to notice that over by the baseball club's practice area not far behind them, a certain gaze had locked onto her.
"Hey, Katase, that's our baseball club manager, Nanatsuoi Akane, over there, right?"
Katase Shoya, who had been staring fixedly at Nanatsuoi Akane's back, jolted when a teammate suddenly clapped him on the shoulder.
"Ah, yeah, I think so," Katase Shoya replied quickly, forcing a stiff smile.
"Nanatsuoi Akane looks really close with that guy. They're walking together, and they're practically glued to each other. Don't tell me they're dating? Damn, I'm so jealous. Nanatsuoi Akane's crazy pretty," one of the baseball club members said.
"Her body's insane too. Her chest is huge. I'm dying of envy here," another member chimed in.
"N-No way. No way. There's no way Nanatsuoi would date some other guy!" Katase Shoya said, his tone unusually firm.
"Oi, oi, Katase, don't tell me you like Nanatsuoi Akane? You know the rules—no dating allowed in our club. For all you know, that guy really is her boyfriend. Just thinking about him getting to do stuff with someone that pretty, with a body like that… it makes me so jealous I could lose my mind. What about you?" the member needled him.
"I… I'm the one who's Na— I mean, I don't have any opinion on it!"
The words "I'm the one who's Nanatsuoi's promised real boyfriend" almost burst out, the anger prickling his scalp as his friends fantasized about his girl and some random guy.
But he suddenly shuddered and remembered his dream.
His dream was to play in the upcoming major baseball tournament.
If anyone found out he was in a relationship with Nanatsuoi Akane, that dream would go up in smoke.
No. No way. He absolutely could not let this slip.
His dream was more important than anything else.
He was clearly Nanatsuoi Akane's promised boyfriend for the future, yet all he could do now was listen while the guys around him spun fantasies about his own girlfriend and some stranger. Katase Shoya ground his teeth so hard his jaw hurt.
Inside, he could not help but think furiously:
Nanatsuoi Akane wouldn't really betray me, right? No. I've got to talk to her later and ask who that guy is.
I'm only hiding our relationship and putting off officially dating for the sake of my dream! Nanatsuoi, how could you just walk around with some other guy without my permission? For my dream, can't you just endure a little longer?
Abandoned, and then Nanatsuoi Akane going off with some other man…
I don't want… anything like that…!