Chapter 4: Saving the Rebel Girl

Dusky sunlight filtered through the window, casting a faint glow over the modestly furnished living room. A fiery, alluring young woman sat on the sofa, her gaze fixed on the plump boy who kept shoveling food into his mouth. The scene was tinged with a peculiar sense of unease.

Mirei Kiriyama’s slender neck rose and fell; she had swallowed countless times already. She desperately wanted to leave this place, but her legs felt as heavy as if they were shackled with lead weights, refusing to budge.

There is nothing more despairing in this world: you are famished, and someone right before you is devouring delicious food, yet you cannot have a bite.

As if steeling herself, she took off her phone case, extracted a coin wedged inside, and with a loud smack, slapped it onto the coffee table.

In the dim sunlight, the coin gleamed faintly. One hundred yen.

The gesture was so dramatic, it might have seemed to a stranger as if Mirei had just put down a million yen, startling Haruhi, who was in the midst of his meal.

“I didn’t bring money when I left today, this is all I have. Tomorrow at school, I’ll repay you,” Mirei said calmly, her gaze unwavering as she looked at Haruhi. Her eyes seemed to say: if you refuse, I’ll hammer you.

“Ding! Reward attribute points: 5.”

Hearing the system prompt, Haruhi flashed a benevolent smile, then gestured for Mirei to help herself to rice.

One hundred yen—barely five dollars—couldn’t buy much of anything tasty outside.

With Haruhi’s permission, Mirei walked briskly to the little kitchen and soon returned with a heaping bowl of rice.

Haruhi pulled another floor cushion from beneath the coffee table and handed it to her.

Mirei hesitated for a moment, then accepted the cushion and sat cross-legged upon it.

To Haruhi’s surprise, this delinquent girl, Mirei Kiriyama, before starting her meal, stretched out her slender arms, pressed her palms together, closed her eyes, and softly murmured, “Thank you for the meal.”

The gesture caught Haruhi off guard—he hadn’t expected the school’s notorious bad girl to display such an out-of-character act.

“What are you staring at? Do you want to die?” Mirei snapped, noticing Haruhi’s gaze. Even though he’d just provided her dinner, her eyes showed no gratitude, only a hint of disdain.

Now that was right—this was the school’s queen bee. Haruhi glanced at the tattoo on her arm, suspicion gnawing at him, a startling idea flickering through his mind.

But he kept it to himself, lowered his head, and focused on his food. In the brief distraction, Mirei had already snatched several pieces of lamb.

Seated on the cushion, Mirei took a delicate bite with her chopsticks, then eagerly grabbed a piece of lamb sprinkled with cumin seeds.

She placed it in her mouth and chewed slowly—the gaminess of the lamb masked perfectly by the cumin, the meat tender with a hint of spicy heat. As she ate, her eyes sparkled with delight.

Then she quickly scooped up two mouthfuls of rice, utterly unconcerned about her image in someone else’s home, eating with wild abandon.

Watching the girl savor her meal so heartily, Haruhi couldn’t help but smile.

Neither spoke, and within ten minutes, the dishes had been emptied; only one piece of cumin lamb remained.

Quick as lightning, Haruhi reached out with his chopsticks, but Mirei’s reflexes were equally sharp.

Both chopsticks clamped onto the last piece of lamb, locked in a stalemate.

“Hm?” Mirei looked up, long lashes trembling, glaring at Haruhi in annoyance.

If it were any other matter, Haruhi might have backed down, but when it came to cumin lamb, no compromise could be made.

He straightened his back, widened his eyes, and stared right back.

Mirei was stunned—she hadn’t expected the chubby boy to resist. At school, she would have kicked him without hesitation.

They held out for a while, and perhaps embarrassed, Mirei released her chopsticks.

After the meal, Haruhi cleared the dishes into the kitchen. Neither spoke, but it was understandable; since enrolling, their worlds had never collided enough to share conversation.

Satisfied, Mirei grew restless. She wandered around the small living room, peering here and rifling there, finally casting an eye toward the tightly shut bedroom door.

Hearing Haruhi busy in the kitchen, Mirei smirked mischievously, reached out, and swung open the bedroom door. Daring to compete with her for meat—she’d catch him off guard and make him submit to her whims.

Click. The door opened.

No messy tissue balls, no strewn manga, no odd toys or peculiar girlfriends. Mirei was disappointed—the bedroom retained its clean, simple style: a double bed, a desk, a wardrobe.

The window beside the desk was half-open, the night breeze fluttering the small curtain. Tonight, Tokyo seemed to be windy.

Mirei shifted her gaze to the space beneath the bed, preparing to investigate. Just then, Haruhi emerged from the kitchen, saw the dim living room, and flicked on the light.

Instantly, the room was illuminated. Mirei gripped the wooden door handle, her bright eyes fixed on the bedroom’s interior.

“What’s wrong with you? Just barging into someone else’s room?” Haruhi exploded, seeing his bedroom laid open to Mirei. Luckily, he’d hidden his treasures under the bed—if this delinquent girl found them, he’d be socially doomed.

Caught red-handed, Mirei showed no sign of guilt. Instead, she smirked, sauntered up to Haruhi, grabbed his collar, and with a wicked grin, said,

“Haruhi, what do you do when you’re home alone? Hand over your toys, now!”

A faint, pleasant scent wafted from the girl, and the two were so close that Haruhi could distinctly sense Mirei’s unusual presence.

“What are you talking about? What toys? Mirei, we’re sixteen, way past the age for playing with toys,” Haruhi feigned ignorance.

“You don’t mean you go to those kinds of places?!” Mirei gasped in mock surprise, stepping back.

“Oh, come on, can’t you—” Before he could finish, Haruhi felt a gust of fragrant air.

Good thing he was prepared; when her long leg was still ten centimeters away, he quickly grabbed her smooth calf.

“Damn it, you violent girl,” Haruhi grumbled, annoyed by her tendency to resort to violence.

If he’d reacted any slower, she would have finished him off.

[Event triggered:]

[You kindly invited her for dinner, but not only was this delinquent girl rude, she even tried to take you down. If not for your quick reflexes, even with the powerful system’s aid, you’d end up like a passive saint unable to enjoy anything. You decide to give this unruly young lady a lifelong lesson. Your choice:]

[A. Drag her into your room right now, let her know who’s boss here! (Mission reward: attribute points: 5)]

[B. Put Mirei Kiriyama across your lap and, in a stern tone, spank her ten times! (Mission reward: attribute points: 10)]

[C. Let her off the hook and express concern for her well-being. (Nice guy route, dog at the end.)]

Choice countdown: 120, 119, 118...

[Exclusive mission unlocked.]

[Exclusive Mission: Rescue the Girl – Mirei Kiriyama, deprived of family affection since childhood, resorted to transforming herself into a rebellious girl to catch her family’s attention. Sadly, all eyes remain elsewhere. Please help Mirei Kiriyama turn her life around and walk the right path.]

[Stage One: Raise her favorability towards the player to 40, and change her attitude (form of address). Mission reward: attribute points: 10]

[Stage Two: Raise her favorability to 70, and earn her deep trust. Mission reward: a legendary novel with copyright worth ten million euros.]

[Stage Three: Help Mirei Kiriyama gain admission to the University of Tokyo with outstanding results. Mission reward: mysterious.]