Chapter 16 - Castigating Kouki

"Be silent, Kouki. I am doing this for Kaori's sake, not for malicious intent."

At Rio's blunt and cold words, Kouki was taken aback. It was normal for Kouki to react like that. Because of his charisma, he never got any retort from someone at his age. And though Rio was only his senior by a year and a half, Kouki still treated him like how he treated someone at his age. It was fair, but Kouki was sorely mistaken when he did that.

Kouki wasn't the only one. Shizuku and Ryutarou who were ready to back up Kouki were rendered speechless. Meanwhile, Kaori recovered a bit from her shock and looked at Rio with a confused yet still distraught look. She didn't understand in which part Rio was helping her. However, Kouki questioned Rio after quickly recovering.

"What did you mean by that? I didn't see you are helping Kaori! What I saw is you were upsetting Kaori with your harsh words!"

When Rio heard that, he heaved a sigh full of suffering and annoyance. He then looked at Kouki as if he was dealing with a very troublesome child, which he was!

And when Kouki saw Rio's condescending look, he became angry. He was affronted by Rio's holier than thou attitude. However, because Kouki could open his mouth, Rio had opened his mouth first.

"Well, you stopped me before I continue on. Anyway, did you never hear about how rude it is to cut off someone's else speech? Besides, this discussion is between me and Kaori. You, who butted in, are at fault, here." Rio retorted in a tone that conveyed his mental exhaustion in dealing with Kouki.

Kouki was once again struck dumb after hearing that. It was when Rio dropped his interest in dressing down Kouki. Just from their small exchange, Rio had realized that it is nigh impossible to fix Kouki's personality.

Kouki would disregard all advice from others if it goes against his belief. It is another troublesome flaws of Kouki Amanogawa besides his bad habits of interpreting adverse situations to his own convenience and his righteous personality that's overflowing with a flawed sense of justice.

The only way for him to get his warped belief fixed is by undergoing the same event that the canon Kouki Amanogawa had undergone in the other fantasy world, into which he got summoned by a real goddess to save that world's humanity from extinction. That story happened in After Story, which was still far away in the future. And it is a big 'IF' the events in this timeline is not off the rail too much because of Rio's meddling.

Rio looked straight into Kaori's distraught eyes and said, "I never told you to stop your feeling for Hajime. But, I want you to be more mindful with your surroundings when you're trying to drop hint about your feeling to him. After all, the status between you two is like heaven and earth. You're someone who is idolized by everyone else while Hajime is looked down upon due to his honesty with his hobby. Maybe, you do not care about that, but others will have different opinions and it will affect Hajime who is an easy picking due to his low status, socially. Besides, due to the difference in your social status, Hajime does not know, no, it is not like that, he does not dare to believe that you have a romantic interest in him. He is self-conscious with his image in everyone's eyes, after all."

After listening to Rio's long speech, Kaori's dim eyes regained their light. The next moment, she sunk deep in thought.

Looking at that, Rio knew that his words had stuck inside her mind. It had affected her. Rio didn't think that it is hard to make Kaori realize her mistake. He only needs to point out her mistake and how she ought to fix it.

"Wait, Rio!"

Kouki called out once again. His voice grabbed everyone's attention and they turned at him. When he saw their attention was focused on him, he continued on.

"I don't allow this! I won't allow Kaori becoming a girlfriend of someone like Nagumo!" Kouki declared 'righteously'. His words rendered his friends speechless. Kaori who had regained the light in her eyes reacted badly at that and her eyes darkened.

"Kouki! Who I want to be with is not your business, you know! Besides, what do you mean by 'someone like Nagumo'? Nagumo is an amazing guy!" Kaori tried to defend her crush, but Kouki who was being his usual stubborn self ignored her.

"Be silent Kaori! I am doing this for your own good!" Kouki raised his voice at Kaori, making the girl flinch and step back.

"Kouki!" Shizuku immediately raised her voice when she saw that. Her expression spoke out her disbelief at Kouki's unreasonable action.

Meanwhile, Ryutarou just looked in Kouki's direction as if he finally realized just how stupid his best friend was and said, "Man, I thought you are going too far this time."

Ryutarou might be your typical muscle-for-brain, but it was shown in the official materials that he still had a tact.

"Shizuku! Ryutarou!" Kouki, wearing dumbfounded expression, looked at his best friend and childhood friend. He couldn't believe that they would treat him as if he was in the wrong. He just wanted to protect his other childhood friend!

"Kouki," Rio called out the dumbfounded Kouki and received his attention. He then continued on, "Why can't you accept with whom Kaori wants to be? Do you have a romantic interest in her?"

At Rio's sudden and shocking question, Kouki answered in a fl.u.s.ter. "No! I don't have THAT kind of interest towards Kaori. It's just that... she is my childhood friend and I just want to protect her!" He tried to defend himself.

Rio nodded sagely and said, "There is nothing wrong with it, Kouki. But, aren't you being unreasonable? You may be her childhood friend, but it is her decision with whom she wants to be. Not even her parents have the right to deny it."

"But... But..." Kouki's eyes roamed around in utter loss. He tried to get help from his friends, but they averted their eyes, realizing that he was in the wrong this time.

"I think, I understand what you are thinking," Rio said suddenly, grabbing their attention again.

Kouki looked at him with a doubtful and conflicted expression. He must doubt Rio's words when Rio said that he understood what he was thinking. However, Rio really understood Kouki's thoughts.

Rio recalled a similar event from the books. It was after canon-Kaori joined canon-Hajime's group and canon-Kouki's internal turmoils and thoughts were shown in the book. There was also a part where he had a deep talk with canon-Shizuku, in which he made Shizuku to give her promise to be at his side forever. Of course, there was no romantic meaning behind their promise. It was purely platonic. Regardless, Rio was spot on about Kouki's thoughts and inner turmoils.

"Don't look at me like that," Rio started, chiding Kouki with a condescending tone and a matching look. "I really can understand what you're thinking. I was once at your age too, though saying this makes me feel old despite I am only one year older. Joke aside, I know that you are afraid that everything will change if your precious childhood friend suddenly has a boyfriend. You do not want your current situation to change, are you not?"

"That... Yes, you are right..." It was unexpected that Kouki easily acknowledged that. But, he might be mentally tired of the excitement so far. Therefore, he just acknowledged it.

Regardless, it made Rio's task easier. But, before Rio could ease Kouki's worry, Kouki's friends had beat him first.

"Kouki, you silly! There is no way I am going to forget you just because I have a boyfriend. You are still my friend even if I have a boyfriend, you know!"

"You fool! Just how little is your faith to us?"

"Man, I feel hurt that you're questioning our friendship! There is no way I'm gonna ditch you just like that! We are gonna be together through thick and thin, like the usual!"

Kaori, Shizuku, and Ryutarou commented one after the other.

Kouki looked at his friend with a perplexed expression before regaining his vigor. His fear that everything around him would change was for naught. It looks as if a huge burden has been released from his shoulders.

"Kaori... Shizuku... Ryutarou... Thank you! And, sorry for doubting your friendship! I'm really a fool!" Kouki apologized with a heartfelt tone. He sounded relieved too.