It's a crisis! Wedged between Ren Xiao Qin and this female pervert, my entire body burned from head to toe. What is this humiliating-yet-weirdly-thrilling feeling?!
Knock it off, you pervert! Stop touching me already! Can't you see how close I'm standing to Ren Xiao Qin? Don't we look like a couple right now? You're literally groping someone's "boyfriend" right in front of her—have you no shame?
Or… is that exactly what you like? Do you enjoy the thrill of snatching something right out of another person's hands?
What was that fetish called again? I remember seeing it in some adult manga my dad sells… Oh, right—NTR. Are you into NTR?!
But when NTR is the main hook in some H-manga, the victim is usually a weak girl, or she's being blackmailed… What does any of that have to do with me, a guy who's nearly seven feet tall?!
Damn it, I guess I'll have to handle this myself, even if everyone thinks I'm the molester. Screw it!
Just then, the train screeched to a stop. The female pervert pretended to lose her balance and leaned her perfume-drenched face right up to my ear.
"We'll see each other again at school, little boy…"
Then she gave my butt one last twist before hopping off the train in high spirits.
I stood there soaked in cold sweat.
What did she mean? Did she recognize my uniform from 28th Middle? "See you at school"? How come I've never seen her before? Is she… a newly hired teacher fresh out of college?
No way! This is a huge problem! How can someone who molests guys on the subway be allowed to teach?! What if she ends up standing at the podium? How am I supposed to face her—me, one of her victims? This is unbearable!
Will she continue executing her NTR plan? Will she only rest after she's stolen me from Xiao Qin? After class she'll probably drag me off for "extra tutoring" and do this and that…
Why is this my life?!
"Haruya, what are you thinking about? The next stop is ours!" Xiao Qin still had no idea she'd just been NTR'd.
Her eyes were wide, innocent, clueless.
Why aren't you watching your stuff properly?! And you still have the nerve to act cute?! You're worried about being molested yourself, but I'm the one who got assaulted in the end!
Wait… since I'm not actually Xiao Qin's boyfriend, I don't technically "belong" to her, so the key ingredient of NTR wasn't even there… then why do I feel so humiliated?
Why am I even mad at her for not helping me?
Before I could think it through, the subway stopped again. Xiao Qin tugged my arm and we both stepped out.
"Haruya, thank you for protecting me this whole way." She bowed politely.
"No problem. It's good that the pervert didn't show up." I lied—she did appear, and she touched my butt.
"Haruya… I'm sorry!" Xiao Qin bowed even deeper, though I had no idea what she was apologizing for.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry, Haruya. Just so I could stay with you a little longer, I tricked you… Actually, the gross old man who groped me this morning won't show up again."
"…Why do you say that?"
Xiao Qin fidgeted, bangs covering her eyes, cheeks red.
"Because… Even though I was a tiny bit happy at first when I got groped, after thinking it over, my body belongs to Haruya…"
STOP SAYING THAT OUT LOUD! There are so many people around!
Let me guess—your next line is that my body also belongs to you?
Well, guess what—just now, your territory was violated! You didn't even notice it! And the one who violated it might actually be a teacher at our school! She's an NTR enthusiast—so the more you try to cling to me, the more she'll try to steal me just to admire your miserable expression afterward!
What kind of soap opera nonsense is this?! I want to be a martial arts star, not the lead in some twisted romance drama!
Xiao Qin had no clue what I was thinking and continued, "That's why I thought that if I allowed anyone else to touch me, it would be an insult to Haruya. So…"
She paused. For an instant, I saw a chilling smirk—cold as a midnight blizzard sweeping across frozen earth.
"So… he probably won't be able to use his index and middle fingers for a month."
Her warm smile returned instantly.
"Explain. Why his fingers?!"
"Don't worry about the little details!" Xiao Qin stuck out her tongue playfully.
Enough! You could set a world record for switching expressions that fast!
And that look just now was terrifying! What exactly did you do to break his fingers? In a packed subway car, even I couldn't pull off that kind of move.
It must be a family technique. All that talk about staying home for three years, your muscles atrophying, and giving up violence—total lies. Even as a girl, you're still an overpowered fighter, a perfect balance of power and skill. If you got serious, you'd probably snap bones like twigs.
If one day I push you too far and you snap, would you tear me apart?
I can already see my tragic ending. Looks like I can't slack off on my training anymore!
If I insist on using bullying to push her away, I'd better prepare for the day she snaps my neck and I die a pathetic death!
I'm sorry, Dad! You worked so hard raising me! I didn't die pursuing my dreams—I'm going to die because I rejected Xiao Qin!
Xiao Qin, oblivious to my inner crisis, bowed again.
"Because I lied about the pervert, I reflected on my actions and felt really ashamed…"
I couldn't tell at all. You looked like you were having the time of your life teasing me!
"Since things turned out like this, if I still asked you to walk me home, that would be too greedy…" she said softly, sounding like she might cry. But with her bangs covering her eyes, I couldn't tell.
"Haruya, this is far enough. If you walk me out of the station, you'll have to pay for another ticket when you come back."
She had a point. If we split here, I could just take the train back on the opposite line.
"Haruya is already fed up with me, and I made him waste money… I feel ashamed. I should go home and cut myself as punishment…"
That's unnecessary—it was only two dollars. I can't even buy a soda with that.
"I'll treat you to a big meal next time to make it up to you…"
No, please don't. That "meal" might cost me my life. Just go!
"Haruya, let's part for now. Please be careful on your way back."
Why did she emphasize "for now"? I want to part forever!
She waved goodbye and rode the escalator up. Out of basic politeness, I waved back. Her figure vanished into the crowd.
I shoved my hands in my pockets and waited for the return train.
It arrived soon. I stepped in and stood in a corner.
The train started.
City lights blurred past the windows.
Feels like I forgot something important…
Since I got on the subway, I was first teased by Xiao Qin, then assaulted by the female pervert, then distracted thinking about becoming a martial arts star. My brain was completely overloaded.
Would Xiao Qin really give up the chance to walk home with me just because she felt guilty?
Shouldn't she be scheming ways to spend more time with me?
It feels like she planned something.
Did she have another reason for cutting things short at the station?
What was it…
Ah—!!!
REN XIAO QIN, YOU DESPICABLE BASTARD!!!
—WHERE'S MY OPTIMUS PRIME YOU PROMISED TO RETURN!?