Chapter 260: "Can't You See I've Got Plenty of Girlfriends?"
.....
Beside them, Haruno and Kirukiru Amou exchanged knowing smirks as they watched Yukinoshita Yukino's face flush. Ako and Seito did the same. Everyone knew that Yukino was the furthest thing from "honest" about her feelings.
"Hmph!"
Realizing she was being watched, Yukino quickly composed herself and let out a cold huff. Deep down, however, she was mortified. But since everyone was tactfully keeping quiet about it, she felt a little more at ease.
"Ahem."
Seito cleared his throat to change the subject. "Let's get moving." With that, he picked up the pace, leading the group toward the first floor, with the others following closely behind.
Seeing that no one was watching her anymore, Yukino tentatively took another bite of her bun. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but it tasted sweeter than before—a warmth blooming in her chest.
They reached the lobby and stepped out of the apartment complex.
"Eh? Where are you all going?"
A clear, crisp voice drew everyone's attention. Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka were standing at the entrance, carrying bags full of ingredients—mostly meat and vegetables.
Seito blinked in confusion at their load.
"Wait, supermarkets are open this early?"
It was 7:40 AM. It was impossible for the local markets around here to be open yet. So, the question remained: where did they get all this?
"I had my family's driver deliver them," Kaguya said, keeping her signature iceberg expression.
...Had them delivered? Rich girl energy is truly on another level, Seito thought, suppressing a mental eye-roll.
"What are you all doing?" Kaguya asked, curious to see Seito leading such a massive entourage out of the building.
"We're going out to hang out. Want to join?" Seito asked casually.
Kaguya and Hayasaka exchanged a look. Go out? Of course they wanted to! But how were they supposed to ask? Kaguya hesitated, torn. If she asked first, wouldn't she be "losing" this unspoken game of theirs?
"My Lady, we don't have anything planned for today anyway. Why don't we tag along and do some window shopping with them?" Hayasaka suggested, her expression deadpan.
God-tier assist!
Kaguya shot her a look of supreme satisfaction before turning back to Seito, her voice cool and composed. "Very well. We shall accompany you."
The little secretary wasted no time, rushing the groceries back inside the apartment. Moments later, she emerged empty-handed to rejoin Kaguya.
"My Lady, I am ready."
"Good." Kaguya nodded and looked at Seito. "Where are we heading?"
"A friend of Ako's place. It's the Nakano quintuplets from Class C," Seito explained.
Kaguya paused, surveying the massive group of girls gathered around Seito. "Is it really appropriate for us to show up with so many people?"
"Of course it is," Seito smiled. "Don't worry. The Nakano sisters are very friendly. If nothing else, we can just treat them all to a meal."
"Very well," Kaguya relented.
The party continued toward the Nakano sisters' apartment complex, chatting and strolling leisurely. At this hour, the streets were flooded with salarymen on their way to work. When they saw Seito's group—specifically the dazzling array of beauties trailing after him—every man in the vicinity shot him looks of pure, unadulterated envy.
After walking for a while, Seito noticed something odd. Every time he glanced at the crowd, the passing salarymen would quickly and self-consciously look away.
...Well, almost every one of them.
Seito's gaze landed on three punks who looked like school delinquents. Instead of looking away, one of them—a bleach-blonde—gave him a mocking smirk and started walking straight toward their group. He was flanked by a blue-haired punk and a red-haired punk.
They couldn't have been older than sixteen. If not for their styled hair, Seito would have assumed they were straight out of a cheesy 2000s music video.
"Seito-chan~ It looks like those guys are trying to pick a fight with you~" Yukinoshita Haruno teased with a grin.
"Tch. Watch me make them regret it," Seito scoffed. He turned to the three punks and shouted, "Are you three idiots blind?!"
The group froze. Seito raised his voice so the whole street could hear: "Can't you see I've got plenty of girlfriends?! Get lost, you little brats!"
Haruno and the girls: "..."
The three punks: "..."
The surrounding crowd: "..."
The bystanders, having heard Seito's declaration, looked as if they'd just taken a critical hit to the heart.
It hurts!
It hurts so much!
Is being handsome really all that matters in this world?!
The salarymen were in agony, and their confusion quickly turned into a burning, irrational rage. Who are these punks to bother a guy who has it all? Don't they know they're living the dream we'll never have?
The crowd turned their murderous glares toward the three delinquents. The punks were stunned, their brains short-circuiting as they realized what was happening.
"D-damn it! Get 'em, boys!"
A middle-aged businessman with a bald spot couldn't take it anymore. He roared, threw his briefcase onto the ground, and charged at the punks.
Seito watched him with a strange expression, muttering, "Young guy, how did he already go bald?"
Meanwhile, the rest of the salarymen had reached their breaking point. One by one, they threw their briefcases down, ripped off their suit jackets, and loosened their ties.
"Die, you three bastards!"
"Dammit! If it weren't for you three, the 'Grandmaster' wouldn't have to speak up! I could've kept dreaming!"
"Agh! Thinking about the fact that I'm thirty and have no girlfriend just makes my whole body ache!"
"It hurts too much!"
They surged toward the three punks like a tidal wave—there had to be at least fifty of them!
The three delinquents were terrified.
"Boss, let's run!" the red-haired punk cried, on the verge of tears. He was just a school punk who liked to act tough; he never expected to be swarmed by an army of corporate employees.
The blonde-haired punk gave a bitter, hopeless laugh.
"Run? How the hell are we supposed to run?!"
....
Thank you for reading.