Chapter 68
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: Second Scenario (3)
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A few more days passed.
During that time, I focused on getting close to the protagonist of this game first.
To intervene in this event, I needed to build some rapport anyway.
To do that, I didn't put on a butt show... Instead, I took a very simple approach.
"Hey there!"
"Oh, hey. You're the guy Tarot mentioned, right?"
Right through connections.
For reference, the Tarot in question was this kid who became my fan back during break when I was on a losing streak with all those mini-games.
I ran into him on the street by chance, and when he said he knew Hiro, I asked him to introduce us.
It was a perfect example of how this whole mess was built on connections.
After making Hiro's acquaintance like that, I brought up topics he'd like.
Roughly cycling through games, soccer, and girls.
"Nice! You know your stuff!"
"Haha! You're pretty slick yourself, bro."
"I get by!"
We hit it off right away.
This wasn't just connections—it was my own skill.
I've met how many people just in the army alone?
With all that experience, bonding with a mere high schooler was a breeze.
After getting close like that, I tried to set up a meeting with Haru right away.
"Oh, right. When can I meet that girl you like?"
"Ahaha. Haru's been going through a lot lately. Might be tough to introduce you right now."
He gave that weird excuse and clearly didn't want to introduce her.
No. Even without asking her himself, deciding it's "tough" and refusing? What the hell.
And even if that wasn't the reason, I could tell from Hiro's eyes—he was reluctant to hook me up with Haru.
Thanks to that, I ultimately failed to get an introduction to Haru.
Tch. This is a problem.
My original plan was to get friendly with both of them, then keep that delinquent teacher in check while twisting the NTR event as much as possible to create an opportunity for Hiro and Haru to hook up.
So naturally, getting face time with both was key.
I tried for an intro, but...
Fuck, I never even said I wanted to NTR her, but he's acting all precious about it.
No. If I'd come out of nowhere wanting to meet Haru, maybe I'd get it.
But he'd already brought her up first during our love advice session.
And even then, the advice session had been frustrating.
"In that case, just grab her and fuck her!"
"Won't she hate that?"
"Girls play hard to get once or twice, but after that, it's real rejection. So be careful..."
"Is it okay to do that to a girl?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, that's a crime."
Of course the masochistic cuck would think like some Confucian boy.
And that wasn't all.
"Why can't we go to a gyudon place for a date?"
"Eh, can't you just say you're hanging out with friends and she'll let you go?"
"Well, you could train late with your coach."
I despaired knowing this guy was the protagonist.
No. Forget the rest—where's a female coach giving private late-night training? Human?
Instead of handing her to a loser like that, maybe I should just fuck her myself?
Maybe that's why, as the advice wrapped up, I couldn't help grinding my teeth with thoughts like that.
Of course, thinking of Miyuki's rewards forced me to drop it.
Plus, I figured NTR game protagonists aren't just anyone. In every sense.
So I tweaked the plan a bit.
Forget the guy protagonist. Target the heroine first.
To do that...
I glanced at the TIP on the screen.
[TIP 1. On a rainy day, head under a bridge—something good might happen?]
I had no choice but to wait for a rainy day.
A few days of waiting like that, and the rain finally came—about two weeks later.
-Rumble!!
The sky poured rain along with massive thunder.
It felt like a typhoon, but surprisingly, it was just heavy rain.
I watched the rainy scene outside the window, then turned back to the screen.
⚔ STATUS ⚔
【Status】
[Haru]
Corruption Level:15%
Lewdness:0%
Developed Areas▼
Strategy Progress:20%
Salvation Progress:0%
Scenario Progress:10%
In those two weeks, Haru's Corruption Level had risen quite a bit.
Which probably meant her situation wasn't great.
With that in mind, I decided I had to find Haru today no matter what.
"Takuya. Mom's picking me up today. Wanna come with?"
"Ah, sorry. Got stuff to do."
"Okay. Then let's go together, Momiji."
"M-Me? Is it okay if I go with you?"
"Of course! Plus, there's stuff I wanna talk about..."
I ditched plans with friends, threw on a raincoat, and scoured the neighborhood for Haru.
More precisely, just the bridges—but there were over ten nearby, and half were only safe from floods during typhoons, so it took even longer.
I don't think I searched this hard even on army recon missions.
How long had I been combing under bridges with those thoughts?
"Haa... haa... Finally found her."
I spotted a blue-haired beauty crouched under a distant bridge, wearing the world's most sullen expression.
Seeing her, I pondered my approach, then got inspiration from my sweat-soaked clothes.
I ditched the raincoat, stuffed it in my bag, let the rain drench my clothes and body, then dashed desperately toward the bridge.
"Huff! Huff! Ugh, of all days to forget an umbrella... Oh? Someone's already here."
I acted like a panicked student caught in the downpour.
"Ah, yeah. Hi?"
Haru looked pretty flustered seeing me barge under the bridge.
I got it. Anyone would freak if someone interrupted their ultimate brooding vibe.
"Wow. Hi there. Whew, soaked... Haha. Rain's really coming down today, huh?"
Of course, I played dumb like I had no clue.
As I wrung out my drenched clothes and spoke, she nodded and replied.
"Yeah, it is."
From how she glanced around and nodded, she'd clearly ignored the surroundings until just now.
I casually sat beside her and said,
"Mind if I hang out till the rain lets up?"
"Not my spot anyway. Do what you want."
I chuckled and replied,
"Haha. Thanks, sis."
"Sis?"
"You're in high school, right? Makes you my sis."
"Whatever... Sure..."
Haru shrugged indifferently at my words.
Seeing that, I smirked inwardly.
Alright... Now, what to chat about to break the ice.
How to pry open this wounded kitten's shell.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Haru wasn't feeling great today. Or more precisely, the last three days.
"Sigh... Haru, your scores at this tournament were pretty bad."
"Sorry..."
"Haa... Whatever. Do better next time."
"Yes..."
It was only natural. She'd bombed the qualifier tournament she'd been picked for.
That led to gossip from behind her back and to her face, plus her period starting right then, sending her mood on a rollercoaster straight to rock bottom and beyond. Major stress.
No. If it were just that, she could've handled it.
"Hey, Haru, you okay? You look rough."
Already pissed, seeing that dumb face made it worse.
He kept insisting he liked her, but this blockhead treated her like just a friend.
And that infuriated Haru to no end.
"I'm fine. Don't worry about it."
"Just tell me what's up..."
"I said don't worry!"
"Why won't you just talk—"
So on the way home from school today, Haru had a massive blowout with Hiro.
After the fight, as she calmed down on the way home and regained some rationality, Haru realized what she'd done.
She'd snapped at Hiro, who was just trying to comfort her, throwing a tantrum instead.
And that filled her with self-loathing.
She hadn't wanted to act like that...
Haa... Why am I like this...?
She knew the reason.
Her sweat-and-blood senior, clueless childhood friend, parents demanding top scores, creepy gym teacher ogling her.
All that stress piled up on Haru.
Or rather, it had accumulated until it finally exploded.
She knew she needed a break right now.
But her usual breaks were gaming with Hiro or chilling with manga at his place.
Impossible now that they'd fought.
So she'd come to this bridge—full of memories playing with him—for some "rest" that was really just wallowing in self-pity.
[Huff! Huff! Ugh, of all days to forget an umbrella... Oh? Someone's already here.]
That's when some guy in age-inappropriate clothes ducked under the bridge.