Before Adrian and Kurumi separated to go on their ways, Adrian stopped Kurumi and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"By the way, Kurumi… I've been meaning to tell you this before we got distracted by those two idiots." He gave her a small smirk.
"You don't have to keep pretending with Yuuta anymore. Just ghost him completely, without your usual heavy makeup disguise he probably won't even recognize you when you're around him."
Kurumi's eyes lit up with pure joy. A bright, genuine smile spread across her face as she nodded enthusiastically. "Really? I can finally stop…?"
Adrian gave a small nod. "Yeah. He's useless now. There's no reason to keep up the act."
Kurumi let out a happy little sound and stood on her tiptoes, planting a quick, affectionate kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Adrian!" She pulled back, practically glowing. "I'll do exactly as you say."
Adrian watched with a faint smile as she skipped down the hallway, her short twintails bouncing with every step.
He shook his head fondly and continued with his usual routine.
While there was still time during lunch, he met Natsuha at their usual spot. They mostly talked about random things and while the conversation was light, Adrian could still feel a faint suspicion in her tone.
Afternoon classes passed without incident.
When the final bell rang, Adrian packed his things and walked over to Yukiko's desk.
"Hey," he said, leaning against her desk with a casual grin. "We should hang out again when we have some free time."
Yukiko looked up, cheeks tinting pink, but she smiled shyly. "Okay… I'll talk with Nagisa and Chiaki about it. We made a group chat yesterday, remember? Don't be the shy one now hehe~ Just message us whenever you want."
Adrian chuckled. "Oh I definitely won't be shy. Promise."
He left the classroom and before heading to walk Natsuha home, he made a detour to the faculty office area.
He approached one of the administrative staff politely. "Excuse me. Could I request a short meeting with the vice principal Takahashi? It's regarding some records."
The staff member looked slightly surprised but nodded. "Of course. May I have your name? I'll let him know who's asking."
"Adrian Cross." He replied calmly.
The staff member jotted it down quickly. "Please wait here. I'll check if he's available."
A few minutes later, the staff member returned and gestured toward the assistant principal's office. "He's free to talk. You can go in."
As Adrian walked down the short corridor, the staff member gave him a strange, lingering look before shaking his head slightly and returning to his desk.
Adrian entered without knocking.
Hiroshi Takahashi was sitting behind his desk, looking visibly tense. Adrian shut the door behind him.
Takahashi cleared his throat, a trace of unease slipping into his voice. "So, Mister Cross… What is this meeting about?"
Adrian didn't sit down. He leaned casually against the door with his arms crossed, and a calm but dangerous smile on his face.
"Let's not waste time, Hiroshi." Adrian said calmly, his voice low and steady. "I can call you that, right? You should already know exactly why I'm here."
He tilted his head slightly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "After all… that little video of you and Satomi is quite passionate, wouldn't you say?"
Hiroshi's face turned pale. His hands clenched on the desk. "Please… keep your voice down. If anyone hears-"
"Relax, I'm not here to expose you," Adrian cut in, his tone calm. "But I do expect some cooperation."
Hiroshi's throat bobbed. "Cooperation…?" he repeated, voice strained.
Adrian pushed himself off the door and strolled forward at an unhurried pace, a relaxed expression never leaving his face.
"Nothing too crazy," he said casually. "Just a few small adjustments on your end."
Hiroshi's eyes flickered with anxiousness. "What kind of adjustments?"
Adrian stopped right in front of the desk and rested one hand lightly on its surface, leaning in slightly.
"Minor things," he continued, tone calm but laced with steel. "Access to certain records and a bit of flexibility with scheduling when I need it. And, occasional blind eye… when something inconvenient happens."
Hiroshi hesitated, sweat beading on his forehead. "That's… not exactly something I can just-"
Adrian tilted his head, his smile still pleasant, but the pressure behind it was unmistakable.
"Look, I'm not asking you to burn the school down, Hiroshi." He said softly.
"In fact, this works out better for you isn't it. You can keep your nice, safe position. Your reputation stays clean. Your wife never has to see that lovely little video. And all I want is a few favors here and there. Simple, right?"
The room went dead quiet.
Hiroshi exhaled shakily, shoulders slumping as the reality fully sank in. After a long, painful pause, he gave a small, defeated nod.
"…What exactly do you need from me?" Adrian straightened at his response, satisfied.
"First, your private number," he ordered, leaving no room for argument. "Give it to me now."
Hiroshi then reluctantly recites his number. Adrian saved it in his phone, then gave him a small, satisfied nod.
"Good. I'll be in touch, I'll send you the details when I need something. For now, just make sure you're available when I call."
"Oh, and Hiroshi," he added. "Keep your hands clean from now on. We wouldn't want any more 'accidents' on the rooftop do we?"
He turned to leave, but paused at the door and looked back with a calm smile.
"One more thing… If Satomi causes any trouble, let me know. I'll handle her personally."
With that, Adrian stepped out of the office, closing the door softly behind him.
He let out a quiet breath, a satisfied grin tugging at his lips as he walked down the hallway.
Adrian left the faculty office and headed toward the school gate where Natsuha was already waiting for him, just like she had been doing lately.
She perked up the moment she saw him, but there was something slightly off in her usual bright smile.
They fell into step together as they began the familiar walk home.
For the first few minutes, their conversation stayed light, talking about school gossip, complaints about homework, and random small talk. But even though the conversation stayed light, Adrian could hear the edge in her tone, her laughter and smile is just a little too forced.
Eventually, she fell quiet for a longer stretch. Then, without looking at him, she finally spoke.
"…Hey, Adrian?"
"Hm?"
Natsuha bit her lip for a second before continuing, her voice trying and failing to sound casual.
"I saw you yesterday… hanging out with some girls after school."
Adrian glanced at her from the corner of his eye but kept his expression relaxed.
"Yeah? I did tell you about Yukiko inviting me."
Natsuha nodded slowly, still staring straight ahead.
"I'm not saying you can't hang out with other girls or anything… I'm fine with that. Really. But…" She paused, her fingers tightening slightly around the strap of her bag.
"…It's just I saw you with Nagisa."
Her tone shifted, just a little colder, a little more bitter at the edges.
"She was laughing really loudly and clinging to your arm when you guys walked out of school."
Natsuha finally turned her head to look at him, her eyes searching his face. "I'm not mad or anything… I just… It could be anyone but why that piece of shit!"
"She was right there, Adrian. She stood by and watched while that scum pinned me against the wall and groped me. She even laughed and mocked as it happened. And now… I see her clinging to your arm, laughing like she's having the time of her life with YOU!"
Natsuha looked away again, biting the inside of her cheek. "It just… it bothers me. A lot."
The silence that followed felt heavier than before. The usual playful energy between them was gone, replaced by raw, uncomfortable honesty.
Adrian walked beside her, keeping his pace steady as he processed her words. He could feel the jealousy and personal feelings radiating off her. A deeply rooted hatred in what happened that day behind the school.
He let the quiet stretch for a moment before replying, his tone calm and even.
"I get why you feel that way," he said gently. "What she did that day was shitty. No argument there."
Natsuha glanced at him, waiting for more. Adrian continued. "But people like Nagisa… they're the type who follows whoever gives her the most attention or excitement at the moment. That delinquent probably fed her some bullshit, and she went along with it. Doesn't make it right, but it does make her predictable."
He turned his head slightly to look at her. "And predictable people are useful sometimes."
Natsuha's brows furrowed. "Useful…? So you're just using her?"
Adrian gave a small nod, a faint, strained smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I know it's not right. I was as surprised as you are when I saw her in Yukiko's group… and honestly, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to act around her. Then suddenly she just smiled and hugged my arm like nothing had happened, and that's when a thought occurred to me."
He reached out and lightly brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, his voice lowering. "That delinquent guy might still target you… and I don't ever want anything bad to happen to you again."
Natsuha's cheeks flushed faintly at the touch, the suspicion in her eyes didn't fully disappear but it also sparkled with something darker.
She looked down at the sidewalk.
"…Just don't let her get too close." She muttered quietly, with venom in her tone. "She doesn't deserve it."
Adrian let out a soft sigh, his fingers lingering for a moment near her ear before he lowered his hand.
"She might be difficult, Natsuha… but she's not beyond change." He said calmly, almost gently. "I know you hate her. I know you loathe her. After what she did to you that day, you have every right to."
He paused, letting his words sink in as they stood in silence.
Adrian tilted his head slightly, his tone gentle and sincere. "I'm not defending what she did. Not even a little. If she ever steps out of line again, I'll deal with her properly. You have my word."
Natsuha glanced up at him, her expression still conflicted, but the sharp edge in her eyes had softened just a bit. The gentle reassurance seemed to ease some of the tension in her shoulders.
"…Fine," she muttered, still sounding bitter. "But I still don't like it."
Adrian gave her a gentle, reassuring smile.
"Don't worry," he said softly, his voice warm and sincere. "I won't leave you. Ever."
The rest of the walk continued in a slightly heavier silence, but it wasn't entirely uncomfortable. Natsuha stayed close to his side, her shoulder occasionally brushing against his, as if reassuring herself that he will always stand by her.
==========
AN: Ngl I'm losing momentum and it sometimes feel like the story is writing itself up instead of me, a weird feeling I might say. Might be because idk how to write drama. Anyways I'm going to take a bit of break for now.
So yeah, see you again in 3 days.