Chapter 19 – The Arrow and the Fury
The morning sunlight poured softly through the classroom windows, catching in the strands of my silver hair as I leaned back on my desk. The teacher's voice faded into the background, something about history, but my mind was elsewhere.
I wasn't really focused on the lesson. Instead, I was thinking about Reina.
Her apology yesterday still lingered in my mind. The same girl who had looked at me with disdain not long ago had suddenly bowed her head, offered me a gift, and spoken with sincerity I never expected.
I glanced sideways — Saeko sat beside me, quietly scribbling in her notebook, and two desks away, Reina was sitting straight, pretending to focus on the board.
Should I add her to my harem or not? I thought, tapping my pen against the desk.
It sounded like a joke even in my own head, but I wasn't exactly kidding. Reina was… interesting. Proud, sharp, stubborn — but honest. And after seeing her fiery side yesterday, protecting me like that, she seemed even more unique.
Yeah, I decided with a quiet grin. Reina will be the second member of my harem.
---
The class ended with the familiar sound of chairs sliding and papers shuffling. The teacher announced, "Alright, everyone, we'll take a short break. After that, we'll move to the field for your physical activity class."
A chorus of groans filled the room.
Physical activities meant one thing: archery day.
---
A few minutes later, we all gathered on the wide green field. The air smelled of fresh grass and the faint tang of waxed bowstrings. The female instructor, tall and muscular, stood before us with a confident smirk.
"Today we'll be practicing archery!" she declared. "Remember, focus, balance, and patience are the keys to hitting your target. Now—everyone, line up!"
The girls cheered lightly, though most of them were visibly nervous. Archery was not easy, especially for those who had never handled a bow.
As for me… I was calm.
In my previous life, before I died and woke up in this crazy world, archery had been my favorite hobby. It wasn't just a skill — it was something that gave me peace. I could still remember standing at the training range after long office hours, shooting arrows under the city lights.
Now, standing here in the reverse chastity world, I held the bow in my hand again — and it felt natural.
---
The first few girls took their turns, shooting arrows that barely reached the target. Saeko's arrow flew sideways into the grass. Reina's missed by a full meter, landing with a thud far to the right.
"Ah—no! I-I almost had it!" Saeko said, pouting adorably as she tried to pull another arrow from the quiver.
I had to hold back my laughter. They were both trying their best, but the results… were kind of tragic.
The other girls weren't any better. Some missed completely; others fumbled their bows, and one even dropped the string and yelped when it snapped against her wrist.
Despite their struggles, every single girl glanced at me between turns. Their eyes sparkled with the same unspoken thought: If I can just impress Haruya-sama, maybe he'll notice me.
---
Then came my turn.
"Alright, Haruya," the teacher said, folding her arms with a smirk. "Let's see what you can do."
I stepped forward, taking a deep breath. My fingers brushed against the bowstring as I drew the arrow back, posture steady, eyes focused. The world went quiet for a moment — no noise, no chatter, just the faint whisper of wind.
Aim… breathe… release.
Thwip!
The arrow cut through the air, striking dead center.
A perfect bullseye.
For a second, there was only silence — and then, the sound of astonished gasps filled the field.
"Wha—he hit it perfectly!"
"In one shot!"
"Oh my god, he's amazing!"
Even the teacher's eyes widened slightly. "Impressive. You have a natural talent, Haruya. You could become an athlete easily."
I smiled politely and shook my head. "Thank you, but I don't plan to pursue sports. My dream is to become an actor."
The teacher blinked in surprise. "An actor? With your looks and presence, I suppose that makes sense."
Behind me, I could hear the girls whispering and giggling like I'd just confessed my dream on live TV.
---
Saeko came running over, her face glowing with excitement. "That was incredible, Haru-kun! I've never seen someone shoot like that before! You looked so cool!"
She clasped her hands in front of her, practically sparkling with admiration.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Reina watching me. Her lips were slightly parted, her emerald eyes shining not with envy — but with quiet pride.
He's… amazing, she thought. Not just talented, but humble. He didn't even brag about it.
And yet, her chest tightened a little as she noticed how close Saeko was standing to me.
Why does it bother me? she wondered. It shouldn't. I'm not… jealous. Am I?
---
Meanwhile, the rest of the girls had gathered into small groups nearby, talking in excited whispers that weren't exactly subtle.
"Oh my god, he looked so good holding that bow!"
"I want to hug him so bad!"
"Forget hugging — I want him to look at me just once like that!"
"I'd pay any price to get him!"
Their giggles and whispers grew louder until the air was practically vibrating with excitement.
---
I turned to Saeko and Reina, smiling. "Thank you both for the compliments."
Saeko beamed. "You deserve it!"
Reina nodded slightly, her usual calm returning. "You were impressive, Haruya. You handle a bow like a professional."
I chuckled. "Maybe all that practice in my old—uh, I mean, maybe I just got lucky."
Reina raised an eyebrow. "That wasn't luck."
---
I didn't notice the girl creeping up behind me until it was too late.
A light touch brushed against me — then grabbed.
"Eh—what the—?!"
The hand that had grabbed my butt froze. The air went silent.
For a split second, my mind couldn't process what just happened.
The girl, short-haired and smirking nervously, stepped back with a fake laugh. "Ahaha, I-I'm sorry, Haruya-sama! I didn't mean to—uh—touch you there! I just tripped!"
Tripped? I thought, blinking in disbelief. You tripped into a perfect grab? This reverse world's logic is getting worse every day.
But before I could even respond, a blur of motion appeared in front of me.
Reina.
Her hand caught the girl's wrist midair and twisted it sharply away from me.
"Touch him again, and you'll regret it," Reina said, her voice low, her eyes glowing with fury.
The other girl yelped in pain. "R-Reina! I-I said I didn't mean to—"
Her sentence was cut short by the sound of Reina's fist connecting with her cheek.
The entire field went dead silent.
The girl hit the ground with a loud thud, holding her face in shock.
Every student froze, their eyes wide. Even the teacher stared, speechless for a moment, before rushing over.
"Reina! What happened here?!"
Reina straightened, her expression cold and unwavering. "This girl tried to grope Haruya-sama without his permission. I stopped her."
The teacher turned her stern gaze to the trembling offender. "Is that true?"
The girl's silence was answer enough.
The teacher nodded firmly. "Then you'll be facing disciplinary action. Harassment against a boy is a serious offense. You'll be expelled immediately."
A few gasps rippled through the class. The girl was escorted away by two staff members, her protests ignored.
The teacher turned back to Reina and bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Reina, for protecting one of our male students. You did the right thing."
Reina just nodded, though her hands were still shaking slightly.
---
I stood there, still half-stunned.
"Reina…" I said softly.
She looked at me, her usual confidence replaced by something fragile. "I—are you okay, Haruya?"
I smiled gently. "I am. Thanks to you."
Her eyes widened a little. "I… I just did what anyone would do."
"Maybe," I said, "but not everyone did."
She looked down, her face turning slightly pink. "Don't make a big deal out of it."
Saeko giggled from beside us. "You're amazing, Reina! You punched her so fast even I didn't see it coming!"
Reina sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I wasn't thinking. It just happened."
I chuckled softly. "Remind me not to make you angry."
For the first time, she smiled — a small, genuine smile that caught me completely off guard.
She's changing, I thought, watching her. And maybe… this world isn't the only thing that's upside down anymore.
---
To be continued…