"You're talking nonsense! I-I didn't…"
The girl stopped in her tracks, trying to protest, but her words dissolved into tears.
Hayashi Shuichi was about to press further when a shout rang out behind him.
"Who's this creep harassing a Sakuraoka girl?!"
With that yell, seven or eight girls on bicycles surrounded Shuichi, their Sakuraoka uniforms—identical to Midori Orikasa's but with lengthened skirts trailing to their ankles—flapping in the breeze. They brandished steel pipes and wooden sticks, their delinquent vibes unmistakable.
"Don't worry, classmate, the Thorn Rose Squad's got your back!" a familiar voice called from behind Shuichi. "Did this guy harass you or take advantage of you?"
"No, it's not like that!" the girl in red shoes shook her head frantically. "He was just…"
"Orikasa?" Shuichi turned, spotting a familiar face.
Midori Orikasa gripped her bike's handlebars with one hand, a wooden sword in the other, staring at him in surprise. "Senpai Shuichi? It's you?"
The delinquent girls around them exchanged odd looks at her words.
"Boss, you know this pervert?" one asked.
Ignoring her crew, Midori fixed Shuichi with a disappointed glare. "Senpai, I never thought you'd be like this! Harassing girls on the street!"
"When did you see me harassing her?" Shuichi retorted, exasperated. "I was trying to help her."
"Hmph, who're you fooling?" a yellow-haired girl nearby scoffed. "If you were helping, why's she crying?"
"If you don't believe me, ask…" Shuichi turned to the girl in red shoes for backup, only to find she'd vanished. "Where'd she go?"
"She ran off," the yellow-haired girl said confidently. "She looked terrified of you. You must've bullied her."
"Orikasa, do you really think I'd harass her?" Shuichi asked helplessly. "Looks-wise, you're way prettier than her. Have I ever harassed you?"
"Well…" Midori faltered.
Before she could respond, the yellow-haired girl shouted, "Boss, he's clearly hitting on you now! Let's teach him a lesson—show him Sakuraoka girls aren't to be messed with!"
As the other girls waved their weapons, itching for a fight, Midori frowned and decided to trust Shuichi—for now.
"Enough, cool it!" she barked.
Midori's authority was clear. The rowdy delinquents fell silent at her command.
"Senpai, what's going on?" she asked sternly. "Why was that girl crying and looking so scared of you?"
"If you're really some scumbag bullying girls, I won't let you off—even if you helped me before!"
"After school today, Yukiko heard about a scam in the underpass…" Shuichi began, briefly recounting the events.
"I followed the girl because I was worried about her health. She…"
"What's wrong with her?" Midori pressed, concerned.
"I can only tell you privately," Shuichi said, glancing at the surrounding girls.
His words sparked immediate discontent.
"Boss, don't listen to his nonsense!" the yellow-haired girl spat. "Look at him, all clean-cut and pretty-faced. Bet he's tricked tons of girls! Teaching him a lesson wouldn't be unfair."
"Back off!" Midori snapped impatiently.
"Boss, you can't trust—" the yellow-haired girl started.
"I said back off!" Midori's face hardened.
The delinquents, stunned that their leader would side with a guy over her crew, exchanged glances but reluctantly nodded.
"…Fine!"
Once the girls pedaled back twenty or thirty meters, Shuichi stepped closer to Midori and quietly shared his suspicions about the girl in red shoes.
"Illegal abortions at shady clinics can cause serious issues. If she delays too long, it could be life-threatening," he warned. "She's probably from your school. If you see her, make sure she gets to a hospital soon."
"Don't worry, Senpai, I'll pass it on," Midori nodded firmly.
"You believe me just like that?" Shuichi asked with a chuckle. "No more thinking I'm a creep?"
"Sorry, Senpai, we jumped to conclusions…" Midori apologized sheepishly. "We came here today because we heard about a supposedly amazing psychic in the underpass. Turns out she was a fraud."
"It's fine, not your fault," Shuichi shook his head. "I never imagined I'd be labeled a creep on the street, though. What's with that yellow-haired girl? Why's she got it out for me?"
"Yazuki's ex was a good-looking guy, like you… well, maybe a bit less than you," Midori said, sizing him up with a grin.
"He was handsome but a total scumbag, dating Yazuki while messing around with other girls. She gave him a beating when she found out, but ever since, she's had it out for pretty boys, itching to teach any handsome guy a lesson."
"Being handsome isn't my fault," Shuichi said, touching his cheek with mock innocence. "By the way, you mentioned the Thorn Rose Squad? That's your crew's name?"
"…Yeah," Midori blushed slightly. "Senpai, Sakuraoka's not like Teitan. There are too many troublemakers, especially the guys. They disrupt classes and harass girls. Two years ago, there was even a serious incident targeting girls."
"When I started at Sakuraoka, some guys tried to mess with me. I took them down with my wooden sword. Word spread, and girls started coming to me for help. I couldn't handle it alone, so I made up a team name and started recruiting. That's how it became what it is now."
Shuichi couldn't help but laugh. "So you're a big-shot leader, huh?"
"Senpai, only a fraction of the team's here today," Midori said, emphasizing her point. "We've got over a hundred members!"
"The bigger the group, the more trouble it can cause," Shuichi cautioned. "Like today—if you hadn't been here, wouldn't I have gotten beaten for nothing? Is that what you had in mind when you started the team?"
(Chapter End)
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T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/TripleCrown07
If you guys wanna check it out.