AUTHOR'S NOTE: HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!
As promised, here is the 24th Chapter for this year 2026.
PS: Enjoy reading, Youjin fans!
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Youjin Kinoshita's POV
"Jiiiiiiiiiiiiii…"
Outaka-san, the transfer student, was staring at me inside the classroom.
"Could you please stop staring at me?" I told her quietly.
"Sorry, Youjin-sama. You're so cute." She giggled.
I flinched and turned away from her.
I mean, cute? Was I cute? Tch! Give me a break!
Throughout Outaka-san's first day of school here, she kept glancing at me during class. Whenever I answered a question correctly, her eyes would light up and she would look impressed excitingly. She really made me uncomfortable.
Then break time came, the moment I left the room, she followed me. But fortunately, when I entered the rooftop, she didn't follow me.
I still couldn't tell myself if Outaka-san genuinely liked me. Or maybe she had confessed in public just to prove how genuine she was in front of everyone, especially my classmates.
But if we were alone, I mean, just the two of us alone, who knew what she might do? She could be worse that the girls who betrayed me before.
I couldn't let my guard down, not even for a moment.
After classes ended, I was about to leave when Outaka-san suddenly grabbed my arm.
"Youjin-sama." She called.
"Yes?"
Damn it! My classmates immediately turned to stare at us.
"Would you like to walk home with me?"
I froze.
Instead of anger, fear washed over me.
"I'm sorry, but I need to hurry." I told her, gently pulling my arm away.
Without waiting for her response, I rushed to the shoe lockers. I changed into my outdoor shoes and ran off, making sure she wasn't chasing me.
Of course, as usual, I stopped by the convenience store. Since I never ate snacks or lunch at school, this was the only time I could.
While eating, I reviewed the footage that was recorded by my miniature drone. I watched it on my phone carefully.
To my relief, she really didn't follow me. No sign of her at all, not even here in the convenience store, not anywhere in the footage. Still, I hope she made it home safely.
I remembered that I escorted her to the train station before and warned her that beware of perverts since she was attractive, not to mention her chest size was so large.
After finishing my snack, I safely returned to my apartment.
"I'm home!" I greeted.
It seemed the landlady Hayashi-san was in her room. While waiting for dinner with her, I decided to check my web novel.
Speaking of which, I usually checked the notifications on the online book platform where I published my web novel every time I got home. Of course, my novel was still growing, especially the number of reads and votes that lifted my mood. Thanks to my readers' support, I was even earning income more.
Ping
A popup message suddenly on my phone. It was the hardcore fan Shizuka_Suki, of course.
Shizuka_Suki: Hi, Koushasu-sama! I finally met you in person, at last! ♥♥♥
Wait, huh?! My face went pale. Met me? When? I had never given her my address, let alone arranged a meeting.
Koushasu: Huh? What do you mean?
Shizuka_Suki: Muuu! I mean, at school earlier, you know!
School? No way! I was confused, but shocked at the same time. Did it mean my suspicion was right all along? Were Outaka-san and Shizuka_Suki really the same person?
I was about to reply when I heard a knock.
"Come in!" I said.
Hayashi-san entered.
"Welcome back, Youjin!" The landlady greeted. "I'm preparing for dinner. You hungry?"
Despite eating some snacks a while ago, I was still hungry.
"Good evening, Hayashi-san. Yeah, I'm hungry." I replied.
"All right, I'll be right back." She said, leaving.
I looked back at my phone. But there wasn't another message from Shizuka_Suki. Probably she was waiting for my reply. I wanted to ask her if she was Outaka-san, but my fingers wouldn't move.
In the end, I turned off my mobile data on my phone. I didn't want to see any more messages from her. Not yet.
Moments later, Hayashi-san returned, carrying a warm, delicious dinner for both of us.
While we were eating, she started the conversation with me.
"So Youjin, how was the school today?"
I nearly choked from my food.
"It was fine, Hayashi-san. But there was a transfer student there recently." I replied.
"A transfer student?"
"That's right, that student is a girl. Believe it or not, she's someone I met before."
I noticed a curious look spread across the landlady's face.
"Well then, who is she, Youjin?" She said gently.
I sighed, feeling nervous.
"It's kind of embarrassing, Hayashi-san."
"My dear." She reached out and held my hand. "You don't have to hesitate. I'm not going to laugh at you or anything."
"All right. But I'll tell you later after dinner."
Hayashi-san nodded and we ate in silence.
After eating, we continued the current conversation.
"I'm listening, Youjin." Hayashi-san said, clasping her hands together.
I took a deep breath to calm myself down and began to tell her everything as much as I could.
"That transfer student's name is Shirase Outaka-san…"
I explained how I met Outaka-san before, how I saved her from trouble and escorted safely to the train station. I told Hayashi-san that I hadn't asked for Outaka's name back then, and that I hadn't told her mine either that I wanted to keep my identity hidden.
The landlady nodded silently, still listening.
I continued that story. How Outaka-san had transferred into my class as second-year student, how she recognized me as the one who had helped her, and how she figured out it was me.
Finally, I told Hayashi-san about the confession, the kiss and how I couldn't bring myself to respond.
"I'm still scared to fall in love again, especially with someone like her, Hayashi-san." I said, my voice trembling.
Tears slipped down my face.
"Aww!" Hayashi-san pulled me into a warm, comforting hug. Gradually, my tears stopped.
Thanks to her, my breathing steadied.
"I understand how you feel, Youjin." The landlady said softly. "But let me say something important that I want you to remember. Not all women are like the ones who betrayed you."
She smiled gently.
"And hey, I'm a woman who believes you completely. So you trust me, right?"
I nodded quietly.
"I get that you still hate all girls from that school who believed the false accusations." Hayashi-san continued. "I advise you to have someone else to trust too. Not just me."
Her words reminded me of the principal Shinohara-sensei giving me some advice during Parents Day that had made me furious.
But this time, with Hayashi-san, I didn't feel angry. I didn't know why.
"That Outaka-san girl isn't from here." The landlady said. "You should try to know her better. You don't have to accept her feelings right away, but just start as friends."
She paused.
"And you can't just rely on me forever, Youjin. Besides, I'd like to meet her someday. I wouldn't even mind if she became your neighbor. You live alone here, after all."
Maybe Hayashi-san was right. But still, I preferred being alone, though.
"All right. Thank you, Hayashi-san." I nodded.
She was about to leave my room, but suddenly stopped.
"Oh, I almost forgot, Youjin." She said. "I'll be leaving the apartment in three days from tomorrow."
That caught me off guard.
"Huh? Where are you going, Hayashi-san?" I asked.
"On vacation, of course." She replied with a smile. "I haven't left here in months before I met you along here."
I didn't expect that.
But I hadn't been on vacation since it was ruined by Nonaka-san's friends and the Student Council President Onimatsu-san months ago. This time, I couldn't go anywhere, anyway. School came first.
Tomorrow was Friday, so she would be back here on Monday.
"So please, take care of the apartment for me, Youjin."
"Of course. Leave it to me, Hayashi-san." I gave her a thumbs-up with a smile.
"Don't worry, I'll still make breakfast tomorrow, and I'll leave after you go to school."
"Thank you, Hayashi-san."
"But remember, eat properly, okay? Use the kitchen as much as you want."
Right! I remembered that the landlady taught me how to cook during my summer break months ago. Thanks to her, my cooking skill was improved and I could prepare my own meals from tomorrow.
As she left my room, a strange excitement settled in my chest.
For the first time in my life, I was looking forward to being alone completely, without Hayashi-san around. I could do whatever I wanted, as long as I took care of the apartment.
More importantly, I silently prayed for her safety during her vacation.
The next day, it was Friday.
Something unexpected happened the moment I opened my shoe locker. There were many envelopes inside. Wait, no… far too many!
My blood boiled instantly as I remembered weeks ago that I received the so-called 'love letters' from the girls at this school. My fingers twitched, nearly ready to throw everything away without a second thought.
Then I noticed something. I flipped one envelope over.
To: Youjin-sama
From: Shirase Outaka
What?
I checked another.
And another.
And another!
My face went pale. All of those envelopes were from Outaka-san.
But why were there so many from her? And she put them all in my locker? Should I read them?
No, I decided not to. I'd throw them away after school, but I wasn't still sure which was the right decision for myself.
Unable to decide, I left the envelopes where they were and changed my shoes.
I was suddenly felt the arms wrapping around my waist.
"Good morning, Youjin-sama!"
Of course, it was Shirase Outaka-san.
"G-Good morning, Outaka-san."
I turned to face her who smiled at me brightly.
"Shall we go to our classroom together, Youjin-sama?" She asked, grabbing my hand.
My thoughts scattered the moment she touched me.
I couldn't answer.
But I noticed the students nearby were watching us, some with shocked expressions, others with visible disappointment. Probably those students, especially boys who weren't even in my class, already heard about Outaka-san's true feelings.
Without saying a word, I gently freed my hand from her and walked away.
'I'm sorry, Outaka-san! You embarrassed me.' I said in my mind with a single tear slipping down from my eyes.
To be honest, I wasn't sure myself if I should follow the landlady's advice about Outaka-san. I wasn't ready to get close to her, not yet!
Later that day, it was recess time.
Huff… Huff… Huff… Huff
I ran away.
Not because the cafeteria had fresh bread, but actually because I was trying to escape Outaka-san. I prayed she wouldn't follow me.
"Youjin-sama… Youjin-sama!" I heard her loud voice.
Crap! She was following me, or rather, chasing after me!
I didn't dare to look back. Thankfully, my regular exercise paid off. Even without eating at school, I had enough stamina to keep running.
The stairway to the rooftop came into view. I headed straight for it.
By the time I reached the rooftop, I panted in exhaustion. I leaned forward, gasping and hoping that she wouldn't come up here. Or so I thought…
"Youjin-sama? Are you in there?"
Damn it! She was so persistent. Far more than I expected.
I had no choice, but to duck behind the corner, holding my breath.
Moments later, the rooftop door slammed open that made me flinch.
"I know you're here, Youjin-sama! I saw you come this way!"
My teeth clenched.
What did she want from me?!
"Please answer me, Youjin-sama!" She called out sweetly. "I just want to talk and maybe eat snacks together. I won't hurt you like Nonaka-san, Susami-san and your stepsisters did, you know!"
"Wha–"
I almost shouted.
I slapped my hand over my mouth. But how the hell did she know them?
"Ara ara! Did I hear something, Youjin-sama?"
My heart pounded.
She heard me.
I slowly stepped back, inch by inch, turning toward the exit.
"I found you, Youjin-sama!"
I froze in fear.
Then I slowly turned my head.
She was behind me, smiling. The unmistakable smile: Sweet, excited and disturbingly unhinged.
"Fufu!" She giggled. "Come on. Let's eat together, Youjin-sama!"
As usual, I still refused to eat here at school no matter what. So I decided to decline her offer.
"I'm sorry, Outaka-san!" I told her, then running away.
I checking the time on my phone as I sprinted down the hallway. The break time was almost over. Just barely, I made it back to my classroom before the next class. My heart wouldn't slow down.
Later that day, it was lunch time.
Just like before, I ran away from Outaka-san again. If she wanted me to eat lunch with her, I would still refuse, of course. After all, I never brought anything to school.
This time, I didn't hear her voice behind me. She wasn't even chasing after me. To my relief, I returned to the rooftop.
Running around all day had drained me, thanks to Outaka-san. Exhaustion and hunger weighed heavily on my body and before I knew it, sleepiness took over.
I lay down on one of the benches, decided to take a short nap.
Yawning, I closed my eyes, silently hoping Outaka-san wouldn't find me here.
Later, something brushed against my face. I even smelled something sweet fragrant.
At first, I couldn't tell what it was. My eyes were still closed, but my sleepiness vanished instantly. At the same time, I noticed something else: The back of my head was over something soft, not hard like a bench. Wait a minute…
I slowly opened my eyes. A girl's face was right in front of mine.
Before I could react, her lips pressed against mine. My eyes widened in shock.
It was Outaka-san. Again!
My eyes widened, realizing it was Outaka-san who kissed me, again.
"Ara ara!" She laughed softly. "Kissing you wakes you up, huh?"
I jolted uptight, my heart pounding violently. I clutched my chest, struggling to calm my breathing.
"O-Outaka-san, what are you doing here?!" I asked, my voice trembling with anger.
"Fufu! You should be grateful, Youjin-sama." She giggled. "I let you sleep on my lap. I even gave you lots of kisses."
Damn it! How come I didn't notice her? When did she even get here?
"I tried to invite you to lunch." She continued casually, shrugging. "But you were sleeping here. You looked so cute, you know."
Ugh! Calling me cute made me blush in embarrassment. Girls were supposed to be the ones called cute. No one, not even the girls who betrayed me, had ever called cute like that.
"I'm sorry, but I already finished my lunch, Youjin-sama. I'll make you another bento next time, okay?"
I couldn't respond. But I had a rule: Never eat at school.
Despite the principal Shinohara-sensei already lifting the punishment before, I still continued not to eat here at school.
The bell rang as the lunch break ended.
"Come on, Youjin-sama. Let's go back to class." Outaka-san said, grabbing my hand.
She pulled me along before I could protest.
Seriously, what was she thinking? Did she really expect me to return her feelings just because she had confessed yesterday? Just because I had saved her once?
All that mattered was that she was safe back then. That was it! Her body, no matter how attractive, meant nothing to me.
But still, something about her unsettled me. Even with the sweet smile from her, even with her devotion, I couldn't trust her. She gave off a Yandere-like presence that made my instincts scream. She might be capable of doing something worse than Nonaka-san, Susami-san and my step sisters.
When classes finally ended, relief washed over me. I couldn't wait to go home and enjoy being alone at the apartment while Hayashi-san was away.
I opened my shoe locker, but those envelopes were still intact there. With no other choice, I took them with me. I still hadn't made a final plan to deal with Outaka-san's envelopes, whether I'd read or burn them.
As soon as I reached the school gate, arms wrapped tightly around me from behind.
Ugh! I knew who it was.
"Youjin-samaaaa!"
Of course, it was Outaka-san.
"Muuu! We should walk home together after school, you know!" She pouted.
She had caught me.
I wanted to run just like yesterday.
"Outaka-san, please let go of me. I need to go home alone!" I said through clenched teeth.
But she didn't loosen her grip.
"I won't let you go until you agree to walk with me to the train station with me, Youjin-sama! Just like before."
Yeah, I remembered that day. The one time I had escorted her after saving her from the bad guys.
Now, still not letting me go, her hug was different. Tighter! Heavier!
There was something about her presence. An invisible pressure that made it hard to break free. I had underestimated her strength.
In the end, I had no choice, but to give up.
"Okay, fine." I sighed. "But I need to stop by the supermarket after going to the train station with you, anyway."
That's right! I had to buy some ingredients for dinner since Hayashi-san was on vacation.
"Yay! Thank you so mu–"
Groooowl…
That sound came from my stomach, not hers.
My face burned with embarrassment.
"Ara ara! You must be very hungry, Youjin-sama." She snickered. "I'll treat you to some crepes, okay?"
I was about to reject her offer, but she suddenly grabbed my hand and started running. I had no choice, but to accept.
Later, Outaka-san returned with two crepes and handed one to me.
"T-Thank you, Outaka-san." I said nervously. "Itadakimasu!"
We started eating together. When I glanced at her, she was giggling while munching her crepe. Embarrassed, I quickly looked away.
"You have some cream on your cheek, Youjin-sama."
"Huh?"
"Come on."
Before I could react, she leaned closer… and licked the cream off my cheek.
"Outaka-san!" I exclaimed, my face instantly burning.
"Fufu! I couldn't help it." She laughed.
"Tch!" I scoffed.
After finishing our crepes, we continued walking together.
"Thank you for walking with me here again, Youjin-sama!" She said when we reached the train station.
"Yeah, no problem. And thanks for the crepe, Outaka-san."
"No worries. I can't just let you starve, okay?"
Then she suddenly leaned close to my ear.
"I already know that you never eat snacks or lunch at school, Youjin-sama."
What the…? She knew that?!
Her whisper caused the chill to send down my spine. But how did she know that? Did the principal tell her?
"But, please, let's eat together next time at school, okay? Just the two of us together, Youjin-sama."
She clasped my hands tightly, looking at me with pleading eyes.
I wanted to say 'no' to her, but I hesitated.
Although, I finally admitted that she wasn't like those girls who ruined my life.
"S-S-Sure." I replied awkwardly, bowing slightly. "And… I'm very sorry for avoiding you earlier, Outaka-sama."
"No problem at all." Outaka-san nodded. "See you next time, Youjin-sama."
I turned to leave her, but she suddenly grabbed my shoulder.
"I almost forgot. I'm waiting for your answer." She said.
Huh? Answer?
"No need to reply right now." She continued "I just hope you'll accept my feelings and that we'll go out together someday, Youjin-sama."
Right! I still hadn't answered her confession from yesterday.
That reminded me of Susami-san who confessed her feelings for me and I rejected her that caused myself to face consequences. Still, that trauma still clung to me.
"See you, Youjin-sama!"
Before she left, she suddenly kissed me on the cheek.
Then she turned and boarded the train.
I stood there, froze and blushed.
What in the world?! She shouldn't do that in public! We're not even dating… yet!
My mind felt blank and I headed toward the supermarket to buy ingredients for dinner.
I couldn't stop thinking about her.
Ugh! I wanted to scream out of confusion, fear and frustration, but I swallowed it down. Drawing attention around me would only make things worse.
Outaka-san said she knew everything about me, but did she want to change my life? Did she want to prove that she was more loyal than the girls who betrayed me. Should I follow Hayashi-san's advice?
My mind was complicated right now! The part of me wanted to be alone forever. Isolated, safe from everyone, including Outaka-san. But Hayashi-san had insisted that not all people were bad.
Still, my trauma hadn't healed. Not even close.
At least, I would be alone tonight.
Back in my apartment, without Hayashi-san around, I could finally relax. I hoped that I enjoyed my time alone as much as I could Or so I thought…
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS TO ALL OF YOU!
Do you readers think Youjin will have new development on his character? Will he have a ONE LAST CHANCE to fall in love with someone like Outaka-san? Will Outaka-san really prove her genuine loyalty toward Youjin? And... are Shirase Outaka and Shizuka_Suki really the same person?
FIND OUT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER... ON VALENTINES DAY 2026 (FEBRUARY 14). Hopefully, I will publish it on February 14.
PS: STAY TUNED AND ONCE AGAIN, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!