Chapter 57: Young Man, Show Some Restraint
Kouya was in a terrible mood right now.
Every inch of him was irritated, not because of what was said, but because of the way it was said—mocking, smug, playful.
That tone. That glint in the other person's eyes.
Mockery.
Yes, that was it—pure, deliberate mockery.
The kind that reduces others to toys, used just to pass time or relieve boredom. And Kouya could recognize that tone perfectly well.
Because once upon a time, he used it himself.
And he hated being on the receiving end of it.
Anyway, let's not get sidetracked.
So what does someone like him do when pissed off?
Simple—make the other person even more pissed, until satisfaction returns like balance to the world.
He'd already made up his mind. If that black-hearted, sharp-tongued angel kept provoking him, then even if it meant breaking the seal, he would teach her exactly what true fear felt like.
...
"Alright, that's enough, don't fight." Vigne's voice trembled slightly as she bit her lip, quickly stepping between them. She tugged Kouya's sleeve gently, trying to shift the tension into something lighter. "When's Gabi-chan getting up? She must've stayed up all night again yesterday, right? I swear, even ringing her doorbell won't wake her up..."
"That's easy," Kouya replied, a smirk flickering on his lips.
"Eh? How easy?"
Kouya leaned toward the desk, flicked on his computer, logged into the game, and immediately found the blonde angel's username glowing online. Without hesitation, he hit the mic icon and sent a short voice message:
"Wake up. Time to queue."
Three seconds later, her voice burst through the speakers, half asleep but full of energy:
"Up! I'm up! Let's go, boss! Carry me, pleeease!"
Vigne's eyes widened. "You can actually wake her up like that?"
"Conditioned reflex," Kouya replied. "Like training a puppy. Ring the bell, the puppy comes. Simple science."
He chuckled to himself. It really wasn't that complicated. After all, if you tap the food bowl before every meal, eventually, even without food, the sound alone makes the puppy rush over.
So the three of them went next door to wake Gabi-chan properly. Under Vigne's sharp watch, the lazy angel reluctantly washed her face and brushed her teeth, dragging her feet the entire time.
Still, Kouya noticed something—no matter how lazy a girl might be, when it came to getting ready, she somehow took forever.
By the time they were all done, it was already seven-thirty.
The group of five finally left the house, making their way to the train station. The air outside was crisp, sunlight filtering through the station roof. When the train arrived, they boarded quickly. Since the amusement park was in the suburbs, there weren't many passengers, and they managed to find an entire row of seats free.
They sat shoulder to shoulder. Gabi-chan, still half-asleep, slumped against the rail in the front seat with her eyes closed. Next came Vigne, then Kouya in the middle. To his surprise, Raphael chose the seat on his right. The red-haired little demon Satania plopped herself at the far end, claiming she wanted to face Gabi-chan.
Kouya ended up in the dead center—flanked by girls on both sides. Every guy on the train seemed to notice. Envy, jealousy, hate—it was all written across their faces.
The distance between them was so small that Kouya could smell the faint, pleasant aroma coming from their skin and hair.
Not perfume—but the natural, subtle scent of girls.
He had to admit—it was intoxicating.
The train rolled quietly through the city. No weird incidents, no creeps, nothing dramatic. But that didn't stop the other passengers—especially the men—from sneaking glances their way, unable to hide their curiosity and envy.
After all, beauty always drew eyes.
Even with their quirks—one lazy, one black-hearted, one airheaded—they were undeniably attractive.
Then, halfway through the ride, Raphael broke the silence. "I'd like to apologize for my earlier impulsive behavior, Kouya-kun."
Kouya froze.
Wait, what?
Did she just apologize?
No way—this devil of sarcasm, the queen of mockery, actually apologizing?
Raphael continued in a calm, almost saintly tone. "The reason I showed Kou-kun my panties this morning was partly to confirm the depth of his... inner perversion."
Shut up! I already told you I'm not a damn pervert!
"And partly," she continued smoothly, ignoring his glare, "to test Kouya-kun's preferences. Now, judging from the reaction—or rather, the lack of one—things seem quite concerning."
Concerning my ass!
My preferences are fine! My stamina's top-tier!
If this weren't a train full of people, I'd have shown you exactly how 'fine' I am right now!
Raphael sighed, resting her slender finger against her lips, her eyes shimmering with fake sympathy. "So it's just as I feared. Kouya-kun, having too many girls at once, has exhausted himself to the point that he can't even react to something as simple as a cute girl's panties."
"Pfft—"
Kouya nearly spat blood.
So this was her trap all along!
She knew damn well he couldn't 'prove her wrong' in public. She wanted to humiliate him right here, in front of everyone!
You just wait, Raphael... I'll get you for this!
Her voice wasn't loud, but it was perfectly audible to the passengers across the aisle.
A woman covered her mouth, gasping in disgust. "What a scumbag! A player juggling multiple girls!"
Another chimed in angrily. "Cheaters deserve to be shot!"
A young mom quickly covered her toddler's ears. "Don't listen, sweetie! Bad man!"
The kid couldn't have been more than two. Kouya resisted the urge to yell, What the hell is she supposed to understand at that age!?
Even an old man with glasses joined in, shaking his head. "Ah, youth. Young man, you must learn restraint. Restraint! Or you'll regret it one day."
Regret your own life, old man!
There's nothing wrong with me at all!
And those guys nearby—those traitorous bastards—the way their eyes turned from jealousy to smug amusement made Kouya want to punch every last one of them.
"Okay, let's change the subject," Vigne said at last, visibly embarrassed. Her cheeks were red, but she forced a small smile. "We're heading to Glorious Amusement Park. The ride takes about forty minutes."
She glanced at her phone, scrolling through a map. "Student tickets are 1,500 yen. Some attractions inside cost extra, though."
...
Forty minutes later, the train slowed to a stop. The group stepped off onto the platform, and in the distance, the massive Ferris wheel came into view—its glimmering steel catching the sunlight as it turned slowly.
The morning air smelled of popcorn and fresh grass from the park beyond.
"Looks like that's it. Let's go," Kouya said, stretching his arms.
"Yeah!" the others replied.
Because it was the weekend, the amusement park was packed—families laughing, kids running, couples holding hands. The lively chatter filled the air.
But someone like Kouya—one guy surrounded by four pretty girls—stood out like a beacon.
Eyes followed them everywhere. Whispers spread through the crowd.
If looks could kill, Kouya would've died a thousand times over.
They queued at the ticket booth, waiting behind several families. The sun was warm on their faces. Finally, after a few minutes, Kouya bought five tickets from the smiling clerk and exhaled in relief.
But even while waiting, he couldn't help overhearing the muttered comments behind him:
"Unbelievable. One dude with four girls? That's insane! His kidneys won't survive."
"I can't even get one girlfriend, and he's flaunting four? Screw this guy."
"Total normie move. Bet he's one of those."
"I hope all normies explode, seriously."