Chapter 167: I Didn't Lie
In the world of love comedies, the ‘player’ exists everywhere and nowhere.
They were the promised unwelcome guests who only appeared in such convenient plot developments. Perhaps the “easy to pick-up” remark made by Senior Ayabe earlier had set a flag, for they appeared yet again today.
I approached the two thugs, who were actively talking to the three people.
Unlike the spiky-haired guy who had just shouted, the slightly better-looking blonde thug was sweet-talking them.
He seemed to be playing the role of the ‘good cop’.
“Sorry, sorry, this guy’s a bit prickly. There are three of us, too, so the numbers match up perfectly. How about hanging out together? We won’t do anything bad.”
“Excuse me.”
“Huh?”
As I spoke, the spiky-haired thug, who had been scowling, perhaps to intimidate the newspaper club members, turned around with a threatening noise.
“Those three are with me.”
However, an entirely unexpected response came from the spiky-haired guy.
“Thought we’d be scared because you’re big? You’re mistaken. If you don’t want to be humiliated in front of everyone, beat it!”
What’s with this baseless confidence?
I stared in astonishment at the thug in front of me, who was so boldly telling me to get lost.
I glanced at the guy next to him, and the blonde with an eyebrow piercing also spoke with a confident expression.
“If we were to describe ourselves, we’re the ‘Seikei Demon Duo’ that even stops crying babies!”
Seikei, what?
I stared in disbelief at the two, who were speaking in incomprehensible nicknames, but they kept bragging about themselves, seemingly lost in their own world.
So, I ignored the thugs in front of me and asked the three people behind them.
“Senior, are you alright?”
Then, Senior Ayabe nodded with a dazed expression.
“Huh? Uh-huh.”
“Step back just in case. I’ll handle this quickly.”
After saying that, I looked back at the so-called ‘demon duo’.
“You dare ignore us! You bastard!”
“It seems like your guts have jumped out of your belly.”
How should I handle these guys to get a good reputation...?
While I was contemplating this...
Suddenly, a third party’s voice intervened.
“Hey! You crazy bastards!”
It was an old subordinate of Kazu, whom I had seen earlier, shouting and running over.
He hit the two thugs on the backs of their heads and then immediately bowed to me.
“I’m sorry! These guys don’t know anything!”
“What the fuck?!”
“Shut up! You crazy bastard! I’m saving your life right now!”
The three from the newspaper club wore bewildered expressions at the rapidly changing situation.
Of course, at this point, I realized something was wrong.
In the midst of this, one of the two thugs yelled out.
“Ah! What the heck are you doing?!”
Then, the guy who was forcefully holding down their heads looked at me and said,
“Do you remember the recent incident where the Devil Riders, Tokyo’s largest biker gang, was disbanded?”
“What does that have to...? Oh no! Don’t tell me!”
“You’re more conscientious than you appear, Takagi.”
“What do you think I am?!”
“Haha, just kidding, just kidding.”
Having reached a dramatic compromise, the two finally looked at Yuzuko Hanami, a first-year student.
“What will you do, Hanami?”
Hanami then nodded.
“I’ll also keep it a secret. I want to prove that we can succeed without resorting to sensational articles.”
“Then it’s unanimous.”
Ayabe said this and then summarized the information learned today once more.
“Let’s keep it a secret among us that Kim is actually connected to the yakuza, called the strongest in Tokyo’s underworld, won a 1:50 fight single-handedly, and dismantled the biker gang Devil Riders.”
“Certainly, this explains why he’s surrounded by girls.”
“There’s a saying about heroes and women.”
Hanami said this, her face unknowingly turning slightly red.
Perhaps she realized what she felt wasn’t fear.
And Ayabe also nodded in agreement with the two, acknowledging it.
“His unique charisma seems to captivate women. It’s in women’s nature to be drawn to bad boys.”
Thus, in a place unknown to Kim Yu-seong, the suspicions and misunderstandings surrounding him only deepened.
At that time.
Somewhere in Kyoto.
Clink! Thud!
“Chairman. There’s a message from the Fujiwara family.”
“Really? They’re quite responsive.”
“It’s inevitable. It’s about the reconciliation between two families that have been at odds for a long time.”
“Who are they sending to the meeting?”
“It seems they are sending Sai Fujiwara, the second son of the current head.”
“Sai Fujiwara... The child prodigy who has been famous since his childhood. He’s twenty this year, right?”
“It must mean they are also taking this reconciliation proposal very positively.”
“Then we should also send someone of equal standing.”
“Yes. Do you have someone in mind, Chairman?”
“Hmm, how about Kumiko?”
“Miss Kumiko?”
“She will be eighteen next year. It would be a good experience for her to attend the meeting.”
“Won’t she resist this sudden decision?”
“Kumiko will likely accept it without complaint. She understands the duties of her position better than anyone. That’s why she’s my most cherished grandchild.”
“...Understood. I will personally visit the lady and inform her.”
“Good. As always, I’m counting on you.”
“I will follow your orders.”
Then the kunoichi, Koga Izumo, following the orders of Harunobu Saionji, the head of the Saionji Group, ranked third in Japan’s financial world, and the 27th family head of the Saionji Clan, disappeared into the shadows.
Watching the spot where she vanished, Harunobu Saionji chuckled and put a pipe in his mouth.
“It’s already autumn.”
It was the perfect season for young people to start falling in love.