‘Chu… Chu Xin’s girlfriend?!’
Upon hearing this, Hasegawa Ten’i’s eyes narrowed. Her mind felt as though it had been pierced by those words, and the world around her blurred into a surreal haze.
This had to be a lie, didn’t it? Impossible… it surely had to be a lie.
Yet, no matter how vehemently she denied it in her mind, a part of her subconsciously accepted the truth.
No… no, this couldn’t be right. All of this had to be false. It was merely her own delusion, wasn’t it?
How could she even entertain such a fantasy?
Unfortunately, there was no one to answer her question.
Her breath caught in her throat, as if Ji Yue Xuan, standing before her, was mocking her with a condescending gaze. In that instant, Ji Yue Xuan’s remarkably striking and exquisitely delicate face seemed to twist into something utterly repulsive.
They had just shared a meal over the weekend. She had long since resolved to ‘do anything for Chu Xin,’ prepared to give her all.
Just this morning, she had accepted his offered drink. And at noon, she had even walked with her arm linked through his.
Was this the retribution for her presumptuous actions?
Even with her earlier preparation, even having known there was a woman who called Chu Xin ‘Darling’… even after having just deluded herself with fantasies…
Hearing those words, she still felt as though she had plummeted into an abyss.
She felt her body plummeting, spiraling down into an endless void of darkness.
Within that encroaching gloom, one thought echoed relentlessly: ‘Could someone as timid as I truly be worthy of Chu Xin’s kindness…’
An inexplicable cocktail of weightlessness, frustration, and a tearing sensation enveloped Hasegawa Ten’i, a relentless nightmare pressing in from all sides.
Had she arrived… too late?
‘Should she give up?’ The question echoed in her mind.
Was it enough to simply cling to the delusions festering in her mind?
Should she abandon her desires for the sake of so-called ‘morality’?
Should her ‘timidity’ condemn her to merely watching from the sidelines?
Years from now, if she were still in this city, would she truly be content to feign happiness at their wedding, offer insincere blessings, and simply watch them exchange vows?
No… it was not!
Chu Xin’s voice resonated in her mind: “Do you abandon what you love simply because you’re scared? I believe that no matter how timid or weak you may be, you must protect the person you cherish! If it doesn’t work the first time, or the second, or even the third, then grow stronger and try again!”
As his words faded, a book materialized in Hasegawa Ten’i’s mind, its pages filled with the question: ‘Should I give up?’
She seized a pen and scrawled a resounding ‘No!’ across the page.
‘Why… why should she give up?!’
Now, didn’t she have but one adversary?
As her resolve hardened, a faint ‘crack’ echoed in her mind—the sound of her delusions shattering.
What she yearned to grasp was the tangible potential of a future with Chu Xin.
Were delusions wrong? No!
Delusions were hers alone; there was no need to flee from them, no need at all!
All she had to do was transform these dreams into reality.
Even if Ji Yue Xuan’s words had completely disarmed her, even if her heart still ached with unbearable pain.
But she would return the favor.
She would reclaim Chu Xin.
On the internet, wasn’t it called ‘NTR’?
When that time came… all the anguish in her heart would be repaid to you.
Ji Yue Xuan…
Just as her resolve solidified into unwavering conviction, the ‘Delusion Manifestation Diary’ nestled within her handbag underwent a subtle transformation.
Yet, to the outside world, this profound shift of thought was but a fleeting instant.
To Ji Yue Xuan, the spirited girl before her, with long hair obscuring her eyes, had merely darkened her expression for a fleeting moment… and then, nothing.
All trace of emotion had vanished in an instant.
‘Oh? This one seemed interesting,’ Ji Yue Xuan mused. She had, however, caught that subtle shift, confirming her suspicion: Hasegawa Ten’i, standing before her, was clearly a schemer, intent on poaching.
Whenever Chu Xin was concerned, her usual cynical demeanor would instantly dissolve, replaced by an acute sharpness and unwavering seriousness.
Even her household’s ‘Head Maid’ would remark on her potential as a ‘first-rate assassin.’
But now, it seemed the upper hand was hers, didn’t it?
She maintained her serene smile, despite the palpable tension in the air, which had settled into an unsettling quiet. Even Shimizuma, Chu Xin’s class monitor, who stood at the forefront, had uncharacteristically fallen silent.
Yet, Ji Yue Xuan remained unsatisfied. This, after all, was merely the gentlest approach to deterring the two girls from their affections for Chu Xin.
And… she also recognized the young girl behind her, whose eyes were obscured, as the very one who had helped Chu Xin out earlier.
How disingenuous.
But she wasn’t foolish enough to confront them directly, not in front of others.
After two or three minutes of stifling silence, Hasegawa Ten’i made the first move. She approached Ji Yue Xuan, completely disregarding the still-dazed Shimizuma.
Extending her hand, she spoke with a noticeable lilt, “Ah… you must be Chu Xin’s girlfriend, aren’t you? It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Chu Xin’s deskmate—my name, as I just mentioned, is Hasegawa Ten’i.”
Ji Yue Xuan paused, a faint frown creasing her brow. Was this girl trying to provoke her? With her somewhat delinquent demeanor…
Moreover, her expression seemed to convey a condescending “Yes, yes, I’ll believe whatever you say” attitude.
Yet, what significant waves could a mere deskmate possibly stir?
Mirroring Hasegawa Ten’i’s manner, Ji Yue Xuan offered a polite smile and shook her hand. “It’s a pleasure, Hasegawa Ten’i. Since you’re his deskmate… then allow me to thank you for taking such good care of *my* Chu Xin.”
‘My “Chu Xin”?’ Hasegawa Ten’i’s body involuntarily trembled, and she inwardly commanded herself to regain composure.
‘Calm… she absolutely had to remain calm… not fall into Ji Yue Xuan’s trap.’
Though her tone had returned to its usual steady cadence, she still managed to speak: “It’s nothing, really… it’s… it’s what I should do.”
Ji Yue Xuan continued to smile outwardly, yet a faint vein throbbed on her forehead, betraying her true feelings.
As the two exchanged saccharine smiles, their silent battle continued.
Shimizuma, finally snapping out of her daze, did not launch into a machine-gun-like recitation of Maria Academy’s “regulations,” as she often did with Chu Xin.
Instead, she merely narrowed her eyes, her gaze lingering on the deceptively smiling Ji Yue Xuan for a single second before her usual serene smile returned. “Ah… it’s Ji Yue Xuan-san… a pleasure to meet you.”
She made no mention whatsoever of Ji Yue Xuan’s claim to be Chu Xin’s girlfriend.
Ji Yue Xuan turned, offering a sweet, “A pleasure indeed~”
Just as she was about to add something more,
In truth, Shimizuma was the one Ji Yue Xuan found most inscrutable.
She still couldn’t decipher whether Shimizuma’s collision with Chu Xin on Sunday had been a deliberate act or a mere accident.
Even now, she remained clueless. None of the reactions Ji Yue Xuan had anticipated—the two girls angrily exposing their feelings, or at the very least, showing some physical sign of distress—had materialized.
There had only been Hasegawa Ten’i’s fleeting change of expression, while Shimizuma simply gazed blankly into the distance, appearing as composed as ever.
‘Tch,’ Ji Yue Xuan clicked her tongue inwardly. ‘These two were truly impenetrable.’
And so, the three girls remained seated in silence around the makeshift table of joined desks, awaiting the club president’s so-called “handover ceremony.”
Shimizuma rested her head on the desk, lost in thought.
Hasegawa Ten’i, meanwhile, stared blankly at Chu Xin’s chat window, deliberating whether to send a message.
Ji Yue Xuan, for her part, was engrossed in a literary work Chu Xin enjoyed, a book she had “borrowed” from his very own room.
Neither of the other two inexplicably began to introduce the club, despite Ji Yue Xuan being an infrequent presence.
Of course… Ji Yue Xuan had no need for such introductions; she would uncover everything herself.
Yet, after a prolonged wait, no one else arrived.
She glanced at the time; it was nearing 3:30, and the club group chat remained utterly silent.
However, her icy expression instantly melted upon seeing Chu Xin’s message.
[I’m done here, about to come find you.]
‘Still so formal with his “good brother,” Darling~’
Yet the smile that blossomed on her face now was unlike her previous polite one; it was far more natural, more genuinely heartfelt.
[Wait for me downstairs in the main building… Darling~]
There was no longer any reason to remain here. She couldn’t deal with the two girls at present, and she certainly had no desire to resort to anything unlawful.
Besides… going home with Darling was, by far, the most paramount concern.
She rose to her feet, her eyes narrowing as she observed the two girls. She noticed Hasegawa Ten’i clutching her phone, lost in thought, but before Ji Yue Xuan could make out what she was doing, the device was quickly tucked away.
She gave no outward reaction, merely stating her departure, intending to further emphasize her connection to Chu Xin: “I’m leaving now, ladies, to go find my—”
Before she could finish, Hasegawa Ten’i softly mumbled, “Looking for… your Darling?”
This time, it was Ji Yue Xuan’s turn to be utterly astonished.
‘How… how did she know?’