In Tokyo: They are heavily dependent on me

Chapter 102. Dislike is a lie

First, let's clarify one point.

There were no other students eating lunch around, so the words I just heard couldn't have come from anyone else.

Secondly, there is another very important thing.

Kaoru stopped climbing the steps and turned to look at the young lady's face behind her.

They were very serious, giving the impression that they didn't have any intention of playing around, but rather that they were genuinely trying to confirm the questions raised.

Since that's the case—

"Does Mizukami really want to know about this?"

Kaoru's answer made her frown. If she was truly focused on figuring out the problem, and was instead met with a questioning response, such a reaction was to be expected.

"It's fine if Hoshino-kun doesn't want to answer. You're the kind of person who has absolutely no empathy anyway. I'm such an idiot for asking you such a pointless question. You probably avoid answering questions in front of other girls too, so why not just say it directly? Why change the subject?"

The facts were exactly as expected.

The reaction from the student was intense; the way he so eagerly wanted to express his own thoughts... perfectly confirmed the most important aspect.

—The young lady really wants to know the answer to this question.

In that case—

"I have no intention of running away. I asked the question just now simply to find out how seriously Mizukami-kun takes this matter."

"Whether you like it or not, does the final answer matter to you?"

Hearing his relaxed tone, Mizukami's furrowed brows quickly relaxed.

Since there was no lying, and one can perceive the truthfulness of the other person's words, such a reaction is perfectly reasonable.

"Hoshino-kun, I don't want to answer this question."

She squeezed out those words with a stubbornness about dignity and a reluctance against her own will.

"It's boring, and..."

"It's strange to say it out loud..."

"But—if you approach relationships with this kind of thinking, you'll only end up being deceived."

Kaoru ignored her reaction and continued to explain her point of view.

"Holding hands, hugging, kissing, and even doing Omega. From the initial physical contact to the final act of honesty, most girls think that hugging or kissing is their limit. However, as the relationship deepens, they inevitably end up doing Omega. The bottom line they initially held onto gradually collapses during the relationship, to the point that they are completely unaware of being deceived and still stubbornly trust the other person. In my opinion, girls like Mizukami-san, who lack assertiveness at crucial moments, often suffer this kind of pitiful treatment."

"Only by completely shedding the personality trait of failing at crucial moments can Mizukami find true love."

The young lady before him was so openly accepting criticism... Kaoru could clearly see her predicament.

but--

He loosened his tightly clasped hands on the water.

She spoke as if she were giving in to his words.

"So—if Hoshino-kun knew that I took this answer very seriously, would you still laugh at me so recklessly as before?"

"That's really terrible..."

Kaoru revealed a somewhat gloomy yet quite composed smile.

"My impression on my classmates on the water."

"Hoshino-kun, you really are such a nasty person..."

He stood up while muttering those words.

Just as her body was about to pass by Kaoru—

Time seemed to stand still as she heard the words she had most longed for yet least wanted to hear.

"Me..."

"I really hate Mizukami-kun, I can't bring myself to like you at all."

A wicked smile appeared on Kaoru's face.

------------

At the end of today's class, Kaoru could clearly sense that the young lady's attitude towards him had changed significantly compared to before.

Whenever his sixth sense detected that his gaze was fixed on her, he always happened to see the young lady engrossed in doing something else.

There was no eye contact between the two, or rather, one of them was deliberately avoiding eye contact. This change was quite obvious to Kaoru, who was perceptive in such matters.

So, the moment the two met in the shoe locker area after class, Kaoru grabbed Mizukami's shoulder and pinned her body to the locker as if she were a thumbtack.

"Hey, I confessed my feelings, don't you even have a chance to give me a reply?"

"So, in Hoshino-kun's words, saying 'I really hate this' can be considered a confession?"

"Damn it! You knew it was a lie, didn't you? You already knew it in your heart, didn't you?"

"That's not necessarily true, after all, my superpower isn't mind reading, Hoshino-kun."

Ugh... this is so troublesome!

Kaoru is now planning to destroy everything without reservation. It was his decision, but it has become the reason that binds him. He feels powerless to refute it and doesn't know how to start the conversation.

"Is it difficult for Hoshino-kun to tell the truth?"

With those hands pressing down on her shoulders, Mizukami had no intention of resisting at all. At that moment, she couldn't help but think that if another man had treated her like this, her death would probably have been quite tragic.

"I... I only said that for other reasons. I could have told the truth, but wouldn't that be so boring..."

Seemingly ashamed, Kaoru turned her cheek to the other side.

The red blush on top is clearly visible.

"Then, tell me why you did this, Hoshino-kun."

"No, absolutely not, I feel incredibly embarrassed to say it..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a smile that seemed to have been brewing for a long time appeared on Shui Shang's face.

"Ah, Hoshino-kun, so you're just like me, the type who 'can't help but mess things up at crucial moments'."

I was laughed at!

Kaoru knew this in his heart. He had thought about avoiding the matter, but doing so would completely prove that he was a coward, so it wouldn't work.

"Mizukami-kun...don't you think what I said back then...was pretty cool?"

"Handsome? Hoshino-kun, because I can detect lies, do you think it makes no difference whether I lie to you or tell the truth? If you think that way, then your mental age is really like that of an elementary school student."

He seemed to enjoy seeing Kaoru's flustered expression.

Even though it was in the bustling shoe store area, Mizukami brazenly moved closer to her cheek, her sweet smile making Kaoru's gaze unfocused.

Exposed so bluntly, Kaoru's body temperature had never reached such a level before.

So embarrassing... My thoughts have been completely exposed...

He turned his bewildered face to the other side.