Ibuki maintained her shameless front, her expression clearly saying, "I'm stingy, so what are you going to do about it?"
A helpless Ryunosuke was forced to swallow the loss; after all, the culprit was his own martial arts senior.
To save the cost of a single movie ticket, they committed to the charade of being a couple. Perhaps feeling a twinge of guilt, Ibuki bought two drinks as a consolation. Ryunosuke accepted his with a flat, silent gaze.
The two of them watched the film like a couple whose spark had long since died... which, in reality, was true, given there were no romantic feelings between them to begin with. It was pure performance for the sake of the budget.
Unfortunately, in the middle of the screening, they ran directly into Ayanokouji.
Ayanokouji glanced back and noticed them. Likewise, Ryunosuke and Ibuki spotted him sitting in the front row.
Both sides stared each other down in silence. Ibuki and Ryunosuke, who had been mindlessly sharing a drink with vacant stares, simultaneously thought: "We're in trouble!"
If word got out that they were dating, both Ibuki and Ryunosuke would be in for a world of headaches. Their first instinct was to silence Ayanokouji. After a quick exchange of glances, they reached a silent pact.
Ayanokouji actually intended to offer a greeting, but his mouth was immediately muffled by the two of them as he was forcibly dragged into the restroom for "negotiations."
Ibuki stood guard at the men's room door, arms crossed, clearly acting as a lookout. However, her presence there was highly suspicious and triggered a wave of whispers from passersby.
Why is a pretty girl guarding the men's room?
Given that Ibuki was the cute, petite type, it triggered wild imaginations. People suspected something "forbidden" was happening inside. Perhaps a "two girls, one guy" arrangement? One stands guard, then they swap?
Tch, how envious! Who's the lucky bastard in there?
While the public misunderstood, the two inside were negotiating with stony faces.
Ryunosuke spoke first: "Don't get the wrong idea. Ibuki and I aren't in that kind of relationship."
Ayanokouji looked at him with a strange, yet still flat, expression. "I'm aware. Word has already spread that Ibuki invited you to a movie as a favor for finding her a job."
Ryunosuke let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for that." But then he remembered something and asked, "By the way, why are you watching a movie alone?"
The question poked at an old wound. Aside from Ryunosuke, Ayanokouji didn't have any other friends. If he wanted to see a film, he was forced to come solo. Ryunosuke suddenly felt a pang of guilt for asking.
In the original timeline, Ayanokouji should have had his "Three Stooges" group. Unfortunately, Ryunosuke had cleared them out from the start. Feeling responsible, Ryunosuke offered:
"How about... I join you?"
Ayanokouji's eyes instantly brightened. "I wouldn't mind..."
In an instant, the audience composition shifted to two men and one woman. Ibuki sat in the middle, arms crossed, with Ayanokouji and Ryunosuke flanking her. It was a bizarre sight.
"A love triangle?" the surrounding theater-goers thought in unison.
Ibuki looked utterly dissatisfied. She kicked Ryunosuke's leg and hissed angrily, "What were you thinking?! Why did you drag this guy in to watch with us?"
"I feel incredibly uncomfortable, you know?!!!"
Facing Ibuki's complaints, Ryunosuke explained patiently, "I'm his only friend. Have a little pity on him; let him watch with us. He won't do anything..."
"Look at him, watching all by himself. Isn't it pathetic?"
"Then what does that have to do with me, you jerk!" An annoyed Ibuki swung her small bag at Ryunosuke to vent her rage.
To outsiders, this looked like a lover's spat. People began imagining a grand drama: A kind-hearted brother bringing his socially anxious younger brother to a movie, triggering his girlfriend's wrath...
What incredible imaginations. If Ryunosuke knew, he'd surely gift them a "dragon fruit"—otherwise known as a fist the size of a sandbag.
Ibuki let out a resigned sigh and said, "I hate that Ayanokouji person. I don't want to be anywhere near him."
Ryunosuke was surprised. Due to his interference, the iconic 1-vs-4 rooftop incident never happened. They didn't even really know each other; there should have been no issues. Why did Ibuki say she hated him?
As if sensing her junior's confusion, Ibuki explained, "I don't even know why I hate him, but my instincts reject him; I find him repulsive. My gut tells me this person is extremely dangerous."
Ryunosuke stroked his chin, deep in thought.
(Instincts, huh?)
Speaking of instincts, during the deserted island exam, Yagami Takuya and Amasawa Ichika had relied on theirs to avoid Megumi's attacks—even if the second strike still landed. It seemed a similar instinct surfaced in him whenever he entered his chuunibyou mode...
Based on official data, Ibuki's latent talent was actually on par with Ichika's. It was only because Ichika had received White Room training that her starting point was much higher. Ibuki had massive potential, but catching up was difficult due to the disparity in their childhood "hell training."
Asuna had also dodged Ichika's sneak attack from behind thanks to instinct. This proved how vital it was as a standard for the strong. And Ibuki instinctively wanted nothing to do with Ayanokouji; she felt sickened by his presence. She wanted to stay as far away as possible.
This actually reflected the original work. Ayanokouji was known as a "lady-killer" in the canon, yet he could never conquer Ibuki. The closer he got, the further she retreated. She instinctively rejected him, perhaps sensing his true face.
Turns out, instincts really are everything. Ryunosuke looked at his senior and couldn't help but ask:
"Hey, do you hate me?"
"Huh? Why the sudden question?" Ibuki didn't understand.
"Nothing, I was just curious. Can you answer me?" Since Ryunosuke seemed genuinely intrigued and it wasn't a big deal, Ibuki answered without hesitation:
"I don't hate!"
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