Chapter 58: Bocchi-chan's Little Love Song
Ren let Yuno go. Although Yuno had gained the ability to foresee his future, she posed no immediate threat to him.
He wasn't some ancient tyrant who would eliminate Yuno over fabricated excuses when displeased—after all, Yuno hadn't actually done anything to harm him.
As for whether her kindness was an act, Ren didn't believe so. Her gentleness felt genuine, though beneath it lay a hidden sickness unknown to others.
Yet now she appeared exceptionally obedient and humble.
Thus, Ren decided to first test whether he could confiscate Yuno's Future Diary.
The next day, after waking up, Ren glanced at his bedside and found Yuno's phone missing—Yuno hadn't lied to him.
Did this mean he would have to live under Yuno's surveillance from now on?
It was unsettling, yet not entirely terrifying, since it only involved textual descriptions and knowledge of his actions.
Moreover, this ability had an extremely high ceiling but an equally low floor.
Ten minutes was still too short. Sometimes, even with foreknowledge, Yuno might not be able to respond effectively.
For now, he would observe for a while.
With no immediate breakthrough, Ren resolved to watch and wait. At least for him, even if his actions ten minutes into the future were known, there was little need to worry about direct harm.
Yuno didn't seem like the ungrateful type. Back in middle school, he had extended a helping hand to her, and now, with the Future Diary, she had done the same for him.
But this assistance wasn't entirely pure.
Recalling the earlier chance encounter and meeting Satou, Ren found it hard to believe Yuno was unaware. Perhaps she hadn't had time to intervene, or maybe it was intentional.
So why had she allowed those events to unfold?
Likely to gain his favor.
In this regard, Yuno had succeeded remarkably. Until yesterday, Ren had genuinely regarded her as a kind friend worth knowing.
Even now, aware that her motives weren't entirely pure, Ren found it difficult to dislike her.
Sorting through his tangled thoughts, Ren sent a "good morning" text to Hitori. He made it a habit to initiate conversations with her every morning.
Thinking of his adorable girlfriend lifted Ren's spirits. Perhaps he was overthinking things—sometimes, worrying too much only made matters worse.
Setting aside his concerns, Ren drove with Anon to pick up Hitori. Anon and Hitori still got along well, and during the ride to school, Anon would often strike up conversations with Hitori, recommending cosmetics and clothing.
Whether it was shared eccentric tastes or both possessing styles beyond ordinary comprehension, Anon's fashion sense and Hitori's collided in strangely harmonious sparks.
They both adored color schemes typically favored by middle-aged and elderly women, unbothered by how dated the outfits might appear.
At school, everything proceeded as usual. Satou's first words upon seeing Ren were always declarations of love and desires to cling to him. After being rejected, she'd calm down immediately, never crossing the line to irritate him—masterfully gauging the limits.
As for Yuno, her gaze had shifted—softer and more intense than before, no longer concealing the affection in her heart.
During class, two adoring gazes from behind felt like an immense trial for Ren. Even heroes struggle to resist the charms of beauties.
While having a girlfriend, being secretly admired by two other beautiful girls made Ren realize his heart was wavering somewhat.
So during lunch break, he hurriedly pulled Hitori to the stairwell to recharge his Bocchi energy. Only after holding Hitori close for a while did he forget about the gazes of Satou and Yuno.
"You're quite excited today, Ren..."
The tracksuit was taken off as soon as they reached the stairwell. With a flushed face, Hitori fastened her uniform buttons. After their relationship had deepened physically, their intimate moments were no longer limited to just hugging and cuddling. During kisses, Ren would often check on Hitori's physical development.
In their secret spot, Hitori never refused, only biting her lips shyly to avoid making any sounds.
"Well, it's been several days since I've properly spent time with Bocchi-chan. How's the band going?"
Instead of holding Hitori, Ren sat beside her, trying to empty his mind. After tasting meat, returning to vegetables alone was impossible, but this was school. He wasn't bold enough to do anything inappropriate here, so he could only clear his mind to calm down.
Yet he couldn't help feeling slightly uneasy—could Yuno possibly foresee his intimate moments with Hitori? Wouldn't that make her upset?
"It's going well! Nijika said if we keep practicing, we can perform next weekend. They even asked me to write songs."
Hitori answered happily. As someone living her best life, every day felt like a beautiful dream—both her relationship and career were thriving. If only her friends would accept her boyfriend.
Even now, Hitori didn't know what to do about that, so she simply stopped worrying about it. Rather than pushing herself too hard, it was better to go easy on herself. If she couldn't handle something, she'd just leave it be.
"Need any help?"
Hearing Hitori needed to write songs, Ren offered assistance. For a girls' band, he could certainly "borrow" a song for Hitori.
"No need, I already have some ideas, hehe~"
Hitori wasn't as insecure and lacking in confidence anymore. Though those feelings still lingered, they hardly affected her now.
After accepting this task, inspiration flooded her mind. She already knew exactly what style of song she wanted to write.
"Go for it."
Seeing Hitori had grown brave enough to write songs on her own filled Ren with pride, and he looked forward to what kind of song she would create.
"Mhm."
Hitori nodded in response. The song title was simple—"Little Love Song"—a melody through which she could courageously, yet timidly, express her feelings.
Throughout this lunch break, Hitori worked on the lyrics, constantly revising them. Ren didn't peek, knowing it might pressure or embarrass her, potentially affecting the lyrics. Instead, he provided a comfortable, quiet environment for her creativity.
When lunch ended, both returned to class. Hitori remained immersed in composition, revising even during lessons, occasionally giggling sheepishly to herself.
This also prevented her from noticing the way Yuno looked at Ren.
Now that she no longer needed to pretend, Yuno didn't have to conceal her affection for Ren, and she certainly knew about the intimate moment between Ren and Hitori during lunch break.
But she couldn't intervene, because this was good for Ren, even though jealousy burned within her to the point where she wanted to kill Hitori.
She could only gaze at Ren with melancholy, like a wronged young wife, exuding an aura of sorrow that constantly pricked at Ren's conscience, making him feel like a scum who took advantage of a kind girl and abandoned her later.
Ren could only pretend not to see it, but Yuno had already achieved her desired effect.
After all, a man's heart is also soft—if it can't be pried open today, then just keep prying a little longer.
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