I quickly regained my bearings and replied. "No, I should apologize instead, I wasn't looking either. Are you alright? You're not hurt aren't you?"
'As if something like that could hurt you.' I scoffed internally to myself.
"No worries! I'm not hurt!" Hina replies with the same cheerful expression.
I acted relieved and smiled. "That's good, I apologize again. Now, if you excuse me, I have a friend to meet."
The sooner I'm away from this maniac, the better, and without hesitation, I left her and went to my original destination.
—
-Hina Hongou-
'That guy knows me.' Hina immediately came to the conclusion that this person knows her.
From that short amount of time bumping into him, she recognized his look of surprise and later recognition of her being.
It was strange, from the corner of her memories searching through it, she could never recall any instance of ever meeting that boy.
Hina doesn't think he recognized her in school, because the expression says more than that otherwise.
There's only one possibility left. 'He must have recognized me from my days as a cult leader's daughter.'
It was a past that not many know, except for the former members of the cult; no one knows her past.
The government itself is an exception to this, and that boy doesn't seem to be one of their secret agents.
Hina would recognize them if she saw one; it was not her first time meeting those agents.
Regardless, that boy doesn't give off the same kind of feelings to them, but one thing she knows is that the person is strong.
There was no doubt about it, when they bumped into each other even for a slight moment, she felt it.
Those steel-like muscles of his, those types of muscles weren't something anyone could achieve by lifting some weights.
From her experience, his physique was for combat; otherwise, it would be pointless to have those.
Unconsciously, a massive dark smile appeared on her face, and she thought to herself. 'I wannaaa fight him so baaad~!'
A desire to fight that unknown boy was ignited inside of her, she rarely feels this excitement.
Nothing other than a good fight could make her feel this much emotion, calming her breath, she said. "Weelll, this won't be the last time we'll see each other~ I'll make sure of it."
Her eyes were completely dark except for her star-like pupils.
And so, she marked that boy as a personal interest.
—
Unaware that I was already marked by the psychopathic battle maniac. I let out a sigh of relief as I saw her getting further away. "Good thing that I was quick to react or else I would have received her interest."
I definitely didn't want to meet her again in this lifetime, if it was even possible. Either way, I don't want to get involved with that crazy girl.
If I recall that girl was hiding bombs enough to destroy Japan in her room, she's bat shit crazy for sleeping near those things. One mistake could send her straight to hell.
Not that those bombs mattered anyway, knowing Hina Kobayashi existed in this world weirdly gave me a sense of safety even after knowing the existence of those bombs.
With Tohru around the corner, destroying Japan is next to impossible with dragons protecting this country.
I don't think those hidden magicians would stay still either.
Finally, I was in front of the guy I've been looking for, he noticed my presence and couldn't help but feel intimidated.
"U-umm..do you need something..?" Yuu couldn't help but ask nervously.
I smirked and leaned against the wall next to him and replied. "Nah, not particularly. I saw you alone here, I thought I wanted to get closer."
"I-i see…." Yuu couldn't help but scratch his right cheek.
"Truthfully, I felt uncomfortable being in the crowd, that's why I went there since it's empty. What about you?" I randomly started a topic to break the silence.
"O-oh, I'm also the same. I feel nervous around many people." Yuu let out a nervous chuckle.
"I get that, by the way do you watch anime?"
Yuu blinked in surprise, not expecting that question. After all, I don't look like someone who watches anime or feel like an otaku.
He nodded. "Yeah, I guess…it's a great way to pass time.."
"Oh? What anime are you watching currently?"
"Well, it's this isekai type of anime…"
Without realizing it, time passed, and the two of us quickly became closer due to our shared interests.
Eventually, he wasn't uncomfortable with my presence anymore and was actively having a conversation with me.
I was pleased and thought. 'Success.'
While they were focused on talking about the latest popular anime of the season, suddenly I was called by Kaede.
"Hiroki! I've been looking for you, come here and meet your cousins!"
I let out a sigh, then looked back at you and said. "It seems that we're going to have our conversation stop here. Regardless, it was nice talking to you, and before I forget, what's your name? I can't just remain unaware of my newest friend's name can't I?"
Yuu seemed surprised that I admitted that I was his friend, then he smiled with genuine happiness. "I'm called Yuu Zenin."
Hearing that completely unexpected name my smile froze. "Zenin?"
Yuu is seemingly unaware of the kind of chaos that his last name implies. "Is there something wrong?"
I quickly shook my head and smiled albeit forced, and replied. "No, nothing. Since you told me yours then it's only fair to say mine. Hiroki Tachibana, don't forget that, and for simplicity just call me Hiroki."
"Tachibana? Are you perhaps related to Koharu-san and Yuika-nee?" Yuu was surprised by this revelation.
I nodded at him, but my mind wasn't really in it, as my thoughts were repeating the name Zenin.
'Surely it's just a coincidence right? There's no way that he's part of that clan, I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist in this world.' I was in denial, because if it truly is connected to that, then this world is more dangerous, I thought.
Regardless I can't stop feeling uncomfortable, even if it's nothing but a coincidence, the need to become stronger becomes urgent.
Just in case, if it was truly connected then I can't remain as calm anymore.
I literally have no way to protect myself against curses.
"Hiroki-san?"
His words managed to snap me out of it, and then I looked back at him. "Sorry about that. I daydreamed for a bit, but to answer your question, yeah, they're my cousins."
Then once again, Kaede called me this time with more force. I let out a sigh. "Well, it seems that my mother is getting impatient. I'll see you later Yuu."
Yuu nodded and replied. "See you then."
After that, I left and went to meet Kaede.
—
"Finally you're here! What took you so long?" Kaede asked in annoyance.
I shrugged and answered. "I was talking to a friend."
Kaede blinked a couple of times before saying. "A friend?"
I raised a brow at that. "Is it really surprising that I made a friend?"
"No, no nothing like that, I'm glad that you made friends." Her earlier annoyance disappeared as she got to know I had made a friend.
'Geez, how friendless Hiroki was anyway?' From what I recall from his memories, I'd say yes.
So far, he has only had a couple of friends, who were mostly girls; his sole male friend never lasted until elementary.
"Anyway, it's time for you to meet your cousins again, follow me." Then we went to a guest room, away from the crowd in the living room.
Inside was my sister and the rest of the Tachibana family, Kanoko, and the eldest of my cousins, who surprisingly got along.
Their seemingly smooth conversation came to a stop, when I stepped inside.
"This must be your brother then? My other cousin." Yuika looks at me with interest, but beyond that nothing.
It was honestly a relief, at least she didn't act like a bitch in heat like those girls from outside.
Koharu was also the same, she didn't react much aside from smiling a bit in my direction.
"That's right, this is my brother! Isn't he good-looking?" Kanoko boasted, from someone jealous before she sure could brag about my looks.
Yuika wasn't impressed and replied. "I admit he looks better than some guys, but I prefer gentle and cute-looking boys."
I could see her cheeks getting red, probably thinking about a certain someone.
If I were to bet, the cute and gentle boy she just mentioned was definitely Yuu. I saw his face and it was cute for a male.
Heck, he could have cosplayed as a girl and could pull it off if he really tried, his complexion was on the gentler side.
His fair build was like that of a girl; if I didn't know any better, I thought he was some sort of trap.
I could also see that Koharu has the same type.
Rather than being angry about hearing that I wasn't their type, I was happy.
With this, I could help my friend clear those obstacles, but that was far from the future.
"It's nice meeting you both; however, your words kind of remind me of my friend's appearance. He's exactly your type," I said.
Yuika, alongside her younger sibling, becomes interested. "Who?"
"Yuu Zenin."
And when I dropped that name, the two of them blushed. Yuika was more obvious about it.
There's no doubt about it, they're crushing the guy hard.
—
A/N: Like I mentioned before, not every girl will fall in love with the MC. Nothing irks me more than a character hogging all of the girls; that kind of greed sickens me.
Most of the time, the girls are going to be neglected. Frankly, it is a waste.
Why bother dating them if you're going to forget about them anyway?
It was tolerable before, but now that type of behavior is irritating at best.
[email protected]/charlottes143
There's 10 chapters ahead.