As Taisai Tensei let out that resigned "Mm," a strange silence settled over the car. Only the steady hum of the wheels rolling over the asphalt filled the stillness.
Kitagawa leaned against Taisai Tensei's shoulder, basking in the faint warmth from him while feeling the icy atmosphere radiating from the other side. The little person inside her heart was already doing a full victory dance, hands on hips. She shifted closer and rubbed against his shoulder, letting out a satisfied sigh.
"Mm~ This is much more comfortable."
She shot a triumphant glance at Kaguya Shinomiya from the corner of her eye.
Kaguya's posture remained immaculate, not a single gesture out of place—like an elegant, exquisite ice sculpture. Her signature smile had returned, perfectly curved, eyes directed calmly at the seat in front of her, as though unmoved by anything around her.
But beneath that flawless veneer, a storm raged.
A strawberry mark.
That infuriatingly bright red mark had burned itself into her vision like a cruel brand. That blonde bombshell—Kitagawa Marin.
She actually dared—They actually had the audacity—?!
A mix of bitterness, humiliation, and fury crashed violently against the walls of her carefully maintained elegance. Her hands, folded gracefully on her lap, were trembling slightly, nails nearly piercing the silk fabric of her dress.
Reclaim.
Yes, reclaim. Taisai Tensei was supposed to be within her sphere. Her domain. She remembered those first two years of high college vividly. Back then, before he awakened his memories, Taisai had been a sensitive, introverted boy—his parents always away on business trips, leaving him with quiet loneliness despite his delicate features.
A teenager who sat silently in the corner, almost invisible, carrying a faint melancholy and a fragile, untouchable aura.
Kitagawa? Though in the same class, she had barely attended college due to her modeling work and obsession with cosplay. A beautiful girl, yes, but always absent.
Until that turning point—the third-year high college festival.
Kaguya remembered it with painful clarity: the moment he stepped onto the stage, complete silence fell over the entire venue. It wasn't just the white hair.
It was as if Yamato's blade and Ryūjin Jakka's flames had reshaped him, transforming him completely. His once gentle features sharpened, his presence intensified, turning into something overwhelmingly captivating.
When he sang "Inverse Light," a song that tore open the shadows, his explosive voice and breathtaking profile ignited the entire auditorium. Backstage, Kaguya Shinomiya had watched the white-haired young man gripping the microphone with raw confidence, and her hands clutching the program booklet tightened again and again.
After that performance, Taisai Tensei became the school's sensation, later even scouted and rising into a popular idol. Whenever he returned for classes, girls crowded hallways and classrooms, surrounding him excitedly, their faces full of admiration.
Kaguya, as Student Council President, cleverly used her position to interact with him often—inviting him to school events, asking for his participation in council tasks, creating chances for conversation. During those moments, when his gentle replies contrasted with his usual coolness, her feelings deepened, and their relationship grew naturally closer.
She maintained elegance, composure, and grace every time. She believed that, when the time was right, Taisai would surely confess to her.
But fate was cruel. That bright day beneath the cherry blossoms—
Kitagawa Marin's voice rang like a silver bell: "Taisai Tensei, I like you! Be my Boyfriend!"
Kaguya had frozen, stupefied. And then she watched him—after a stunned pause—give Kitagawa a gentle smile and nod.
Her world collapsed. Expectations shattered. She was left as a defeated classmate in love's battlefield. Inside the car now, recalling everything, Kaguya's fingers dug deeper into her dress, knuckles whitening.
This time, I will win Ten-kun back.
———
When the car stopped at the college gate, Kitagawa hopped out like an excited little fawn. She spun around and made a smug little face at the car, her golden hair glinting in the sunlight.
Taisai emerged slowly, hands in his pockets. His black jacket hung loosely open, revealing a crisp white shirt. He looked up at the college gate—the gilded sign of Tokyo Musashi University gleaming beneath the morning light.
A fusion of his previous world's Tokyo University and Musashi University, this was the top university in this world's Japan. Luckily, it was a comprehensive university with performing arts–related majors. Kitagawa had gotten in thanks to her modeling work and stunning appearance.
(The college is fictional—no need to take it too seriously; everything serves the plot.)
Otherwise, academically… she would never have made it.
"Ten-kun." Kaguya's voice floated gently from behind. She was already standing to his right, maintaining an elegant, appropriate distance. "There's a Student Council meeting this afternoon—"
"Hey, hey~" Kitagawa slipped in from the left, latching onto Taisai's arm. "My Boyfriend-kun is coming with me to look at cars after college."
She emphasized my with lethal precision. Students passing through the gate kept sneaking glances. A trio like this was simply too eye-catching—an idol, the Student Council President, and a famous campus beauty.
Kaguya's expression was unchanged. "It's a routine meeting. It won't take long." She tilted her head slightly, lashes casting a delicate shadow. "It's about the college anniversary planning—"
"Oh! Speaking of the college anniversary!" Kitagawa suddenly cut in, ruby eyes sparkling. "Our club's doing a cosplay show! Boyfriend-kun, will you come help?"
She tiptoed up to whisper into his ear, "If you help, I'll give you a ~re~ward~"
Taisai's mouth twitched. Was she not avoiding people anymore?
Kaguya's gaze darkened. She stepped forward half a pace and drew a gilded envelope from her briefcase.
"Ten-kun, Father hopes you can attend next week's—"
"Wow! So pretty!" Kitagawa snatched the invitation instantly, flipping it over. "Is this the Shinomiya family banquet? I heard we need formal attire~" She smirked. "But are you sure you want to invite 'commoners' like us? We might not—live up to it~"
Gasps rippled among nearby students. This was an open declaration of war. A blush of anger colored Kaguya's cheeks, though her voice remained poised. "Kitagawa-san, our Shinomiya family isn't as noble as you claim. Especially since Ten-kun is still—"
"I know, I know~" Kitagawa waved, then grabbed Taisai's wrist and yanked him toward the gate. "We'll be late! First period is with the demon professor!"
Taisai stumbled after her, glancing back at the elegant girl standing alone. Her knuckles clutched her handbag so tightly they were white, but her perfect smile had returned.
Only—this time, the smile had no warmth.
"Ten-kun," her voice drifted softly, cold enough only the three could hear, "we will see each other this afternoon."
Kitagawa stuck out her tongue and pulled him away faster. They jogged until they rounded the corner of the building and were out of sight from the gate. Only then did Kitagawa finally stop.
She let go of Taisai's hand, turned, and looked up at him with a bright yet slightly nervous expression. Her earlier combativeness deflated like an air-leaking balloon. A faint anxiety shimmered in her ruby eyes.
"Ten-kun…" Her voice softened, hesitant. "Just now…did you think I was…?" She struggled for the right word, brows furrowed. "A bit too much? Or…too aggressive?"
Taisai stopped and looked down at her.
Her golden hair was slightly ruffled from running, her cheeks rosy, her usual energetic eyes now tinged with worry. The contrast between her fierce possessiveness earlier and her timid insecurity now was striking.
Seeing that expression, Taisai's lips curved slightly. Instead of answering, he reached out and gently placed his warm hand on her fluffy golden hair, ruffling it naturally, like calming a startled kitten.
"Think what?" His voice carried a lazy warmth. "Overbearing? A show-off?"
He twirled a strand of her hair between his fingers.
"No, Marin."
Kitagawa instinctively shrank her neck at the head-pat but immediately looked up, eyes fixed on his expression.
"Just now, you—" Taisai met her gaze steadily, voice gentle yet sure, "were simply protecting your food."
No blame, only understanding. Almost indulgent.
"Protecting…food?" Kitagawa blinked, the word rippling through her like a pebble dropped in water. She mulled it over—childish, yes, but perfectly accurate. She was protecting her most precious thing. She couldn't let anyone snatch her Ten-kun away.
The anxiety faded. The word settled sweetly in her heart.
A moment later, amused and thoroughly soothed, she bared two tiny fangs and made a playful "rawr," as if saying, Exactly! Mine!
Then her expression blossomed into a radiant sunflower smile—bright, warm, bursting with vitality.
"Hehe~!" She hummed happily— But suddenly her nose twitched, alert like a puppy.
She leaned close to Taisai's arm and sniffed.
Her face immediately scrunched. "Eww! Ten-kun, you have that soy milk smell! So sweet and sticky! I hate it!"
She waved her hand dramatically in front of her nose, as though fending off poisonous fumes.
Taisai sniffed his sleeve, resigned. "Do I? I don't smell anything."
"Yes! Absolutely!" Kitagawa declared. Her ruby eyes gleamed with mischief. "It must be because Lady Shinomiya was too close just now! Come on—let's hurry to class! Away from that sugary smell!"
She grabbed his wrist again—not dragging him, but with eager, territorial affection—and pulled him along.
As Taisai followed, his gaze passed the large glass windows of the teaching building. Far in the distance, near the college gate beneath the cherry blossom tree, a dark skirt hem flickered in the shadows and then disappeared.
Kitagawa dragged Taisai Tensei along, half-jogging toward a tall teaching building marked "Faculty of Visual Arts." Just as she was about to pull him through the doors—
The tug on her wrist stopped.
"Huh?" She turned back, puzzled. Taisai Tensei stood at the bottom of the steps, feet firmly rooted, looking up at her with a helpless expression.
"Marin," he said softly, eyes shifting to her slightly red, expectant ones. He lifted his hand, curved his index finger, and flicked her smooth forehead with a light pop. "Did you forget something?"
"Eh?" Kitagawa held her forehead, brows scrunching as her mouth formed an adorable pout. She looked genuinely confused—like a small startled creature. "Forget what? My backpack? My phone? I have everything!"
Seeing her expression — utterly clueless yet earnest — Taisai couldn't help the faint smile tugging at his lips. He reminded her gently, "You and I aren't in the same major anymore."
They were university students now, no longer high college classmates glued to the same classroom all day.
"Ah—!" Realization hit her like lightning. Her eyes widened, and a bright blush spread across her cheeks.
"Right! Ten-kun, you're in the Faculty of Economics and Management!" she said, sticking her tongue out in embarrassed defeat.
But the embarrassment lasted only a heartbeat. Her vibrant energy returned instantly. Her eyes curved like crescents as she wrapped her arms around Taisai's neck, rose onto her toes, and planted a loud "chu!" right on his lips.
Before he could react, she sprang away from him and dashed toward the doors like a lively fawn. At the glass entrance, she skidded to a stop, turned back, and flashed him a smile brighter than the morning sun. She waved wildly.
"Then it's settled! Come find me after class!" she called.
A beat later, her lips curved mischievously. "Or I'll come find you instead! Wait for me, Boyfriend-kun~!"
Her laughter echoed like wind chimes as she pushed open the door and skipped down the hallway, disappearing from view. Taisai Tensei remained where he stood, the warmth of her kiss still lingering.
The glass door swung gently, catching strands of sunlight that spilled at his feet—light that still felt filled with her presence.
He lifted his hand, brushing his fingertips over the corner of his mouth before letting out a quiet breath. A soft tenderness glimmered in his eyes. Then, turning away, he walked alone toward the Faculty of Economics and Management building.