Chapter 25: The End of the Obsession Station

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Translator: Soafp

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A bustling family restaurant during a public holiday. The laughter of children, the clattering of dishes, and the voices of waitstaff filled the air, but at a table in the back, an odd tension loomed.

Godai, Takamatsu, and Konatsu sat there, each wearing expressions of frustration as they sipped their drinks. Godai bit down aggressively on his cola straw, Takamatsu stopped stirring his café latte, and Konatsu sighed as she brought her straw to her lips.

“Damn it…”

Godai clicked his tongue and clenched his fist.

“Seriously… it was going so well, and then that introverted jerk had to get in the way…!”

The events of the previous night replayed in Godai's mind.

He had been carefully escorting Miyabi, setting up the perfect date course. He even staged a fake pick-up artist confrontation to create a moment of danger, positioning himself as the hero. He planned to seal the deal with a kiss in the park, making her his completely.

But—

“She really rejected me for real…!”

Godai barely restrained himself from slamming his fist on the table.

Barely managing to hold onto some sense of reason, he exhaled deeply.

At first, it had been a lighthearted challenge.

When he heard that the beautiful, popular Miyabi was interested in a dull, introverted guy, Godai had laughed. “What a waste,” he had thought.

But it would prove a point—if a woman like that stood next to him, it would look perfect. And to prove that point, he followed Konatsu's suggestion and decided to make Miyabi his own.

However, things didn't go as planned.

Miyabi's reactions were unlike those of the women he had dealt with before.

No matter how sweetly he spoke, no matter how much he tried to lead the situation, she didn't fall for him. In fact, there were moments when she seemed to look at him with a cold, detached gaze. And that angered him.

Why resist? Why cling to someone like him?

What had begun as a simple desire to possess her had twisted into something more as Godai continued his pursuit.

The fact that he couldn't get her only deepened his obsession. He had always been able to get any woman he wanted.

When he grew bored of them, he'd toss them aside—that was how he lived.

But—Miyabi was different.

“…I won't give her up.”

The words slipped from his mouth unconsciously.

“Because of you, our plan might get messed up too, you know?”

Takamatsu muttered beside him in a low voice.

“If Miyabi starts hating Godai, that could affect Aoi as well. They're pretty close, you know.”

Godai glared sharply at Takamatsu.

“Huh? Don't act like it's all my fault. You haven't even managed to get Aoi yourself.”

“What did you say?”

Takamatsu's eyebrow twitched.

“You've got to be kidding me. If you hadn't screwed up, things would've gone a lot smoother.”

A tense atmosphere crackled between the two, but Konatsu interrupted it with a small click of her tongue and a sigh.

“…How pathetic, listening to men bicker.”

Both men fell silent for a moment, then turned their gazes toward Konatsu. Calm and collected, she pulled out her smartphone and slowly showed them the screen.

“Well, things didn't go as planned this time… but we still have a chance, you know?”

Godai and Takamatsu glanced at the phone, frowning. What they saw was a photo—the moment where Godai had nearly kissed Miyabi in the park. The angle made it look like the kiss had actually happened.

“…When did you…?”

Godai gasped in surprise.

“I was actually there, hiding in the shadows during the whole thing.”

Konatsu smirked mischievously.

“I was originally going to take a video, but when I saw Hajime coming, I only had time for a snapshot. But this is more than enough to work with, right?”

“To work with?”

Godai grimaced.

“What am I supposed to do with a fake photo like this?”

Konatsu’s smile deepened.

“It's all about how and when you use it.”

“…What do you mean?” Takamatsu furrowed his brow.

“We’re not going to blackmail her directly—that’s too lowbrow. The key is when we use this.”

Konatsu whispered, spinning the phone in her fingers.

“We create a situation where Miyabi has no choice but to comply. Once we do that—she won't be able to escape.”

Godai caught his breath for a moment at her words, but he ignored the unsettling chill that crept up his spine.

As long as there was hope—

“…I see.”

Godai smirked wickedly.

“See? It's not over yet. Hang in there, will you, seniors?”

Konatsu chuckled softly.

But at that moment—

“…What are you guys doing?”

Suddenly, a girl's voice cut through the air.

The three of them quickly turned around, and there she was—Aoi Tachibana.

“…!”

Konatsu's expression stiffened for a brief second. She quickly hid her phone and forced a smile.

“Oh, Aoi-senpai! What brings you here?”

“That's what I want to ask. I'm just here with my family. I came to grab a drink from the bar and saw you…”

Aoi shot them a cold stare.

“We're just eating, that's all.”

Takamatsu quickly interjected to cover.

“We should get going anyway. You're here with your family, right? We wouldn't want to bother you.”

“Y-Yeah, that's right! We were just about to leave too, so enjoy your time, senpai!”

Konatsu responded in a falsely cheerful voice, swiftly standing up from her seat.

“…”

Aoi continued to stare at the three of them in silence, then finally let out a small sigh.

“…I see.”

As the three headed toward the register, Godai passed by Aoi and shot a sharp glare her way.

“…”

Aoi said nothing.

“…Let's go.”

Godai spat out the words, and together with Takamatsu and Konatsu, he left the restaurant.

Aoi quietly clenched her glass, watching their retreating figures the whole time—without a word.