A strong sense of impatience surged from the depths of Keita's heart.
This emotion stemmed from two sources—first, physical pain; second, mental annoyance.
The sting in his temples was urging him to get away from Yanami Anna.
Yanami's behavior further transformed Keita's pain into pure annoyance toward her.
Yanami Anna naturally took him for a trash can where she could dump her negative emotions at will, without even asking if he was willing.
Keita even foresaw that if he tacitly allowed all this today, she might entangle him in even more matters.
Who told him to be one of the few people who knew about her embarrassment? That's how it's always written in novels...
He didn't want to accept this development now.
So, it would be best to make Yanami Anna leave directly right here.
With this thought in mind, Keita put down his fork.
The noise of the cutlery clashing abruptly interrupted Yanami's non-stop talking.
She looked up in some bewilderment: "Imaizumi-kun, I..."
"I don't want to hear it."
Keita spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly made the atmosphere oppressive.
"Eh?"
"I said, I don't want to hear it."
Keita repeated himself, looking at her with eyes full of indifference. "Nanami-san, your romantic relationship with Hakamada Sousuke and that Himiya Karen—no matter how messy it is—has absolutely nothing to do with me."
He didn't consider Anna's feelings, so his words were very blunt.
"Besides, don't you think you're being very rude?"
Keita leaned forward slightly, forcing Yanami to subconsciously shrink back.
"In a situation where we aren't familiar at all, you suddenly sit across from me and treat me like your emotional trash can. Have you considered my feelings? You've ruined the good mood I finally managed to build up."
Anna's face flushed red at a visible speed, her expression filled with helpless embarrassment...
Why is he treating me like this...
She had probably never been scolded so mercilessly to her face before.
"I... I just..."
Anna swallowed the words, "I just subconsciously looked for the person I felt closest to."
In this situation, saying something like that would be absolute nonsense.
"Just what? Just because you're sad, the whole world should make way for you?"
Keita's tone carried a hint of mockery. "Who taught you that logic? Your parents? Or those friends of yours who revolve around you?"
"Even... even if you don't want to listen, you don't have to be so harsh!"
Anna remembered why she had sat there, and aggrieved tears began to well up in her eyes again.
Even though she was somewhat in the wrong... he could at least give her a chance to explain...
"When a girl is this sad, as a boy, you should at least offer some comfort! That's basic manners!"
"Manners?"
Keita shook his head, completely ignoring Anna's logic.
In fact, being able to sit here and reason with Anna was already a waste of time...
He even slightly regretted not just standing up and running away...
In those short videos, when men encountered unreasonable women, they would just stand up and do a hundred-meter dash...
"Nanami-san, you've misunderstood something. So-called 'comforting' isn't absolute, but most of the time, it's an investment. A man shows kindness to a woman largely for the purpose of developing a deeper relationship and obtaining 'warmth'."
Keita looked at the shocked expression on Anna's face, as if her common sense had been overturned.
"And I," he said word by word, "have zero interest in you or in developing any form of 'further relationship' with you. We aren't even friends; we've barely spoken. So, why should I waste my time and energy on an investment that is destined to have no return?"
Anna was left completely speechless by what Imaizumi said.
Her "girl's privilege" was smashed to pieces in front of this man.
Good, she should know to back off now and run away crying.
Keita thought to himself that this way he could regain his peace.
He didn't want to give up his spot just to avoid trouble...
However, to his surprise, Anna just sat there blankly, with no sign of leaving at all.
She's not leaving?
Keita's brow furrowed even tighter.
He realized that while his words had crushed her psychological defenses, they might have also sent her into a state of shock.
She probably didn't know what to do anymore...
Speechless.
Continuing to wait would only make him more miserable.
He couldn't stay any longer.
"Even so... you shouldn't... make it so hard for me to save face..."
Anna was still being stubborn, but her words lacked any strength.
Looking at her like this, Keita only felt the relief of having decided to get rid of the trouble.
He was truly fed up; he gave up.
He raised his hand and waved to the Waiter who was still waiting to take an order nearby.
"Waiter, check please."
The Waiter walked over quickly, a professional smile on his face.
"Certainly, sir. Shall I include the vegetable salad and large order of fries this young lady just ordered on your bill?"
The dignity Anna was trying to maintain nearly shattered in this situation.
She frantically pulled out her wallet, wanting to explain that she would pay for her own order, only to find that she might not have enough money.
The bill from the table with Sousuke, plus the vegetable salad and large fries she just ordered...
However, Keita completely ignored the panic that suddenly surfaced on Anna's face. Without even looking at her, he said to the Waiter:
"That has nothing to do with me. That's her own business."
After saying that, he stood up, grabbed his bag, and taking advantage of Yanami's daze, handed the cash to the cashier and left without stopping once.
He walked out of the restaurant.
The cool evening breeze blew against his face, and the needle-like stinging pain in his temples quickly receded.
But this wasn't the end.
A sense of comfort, as if his spirit were being soaked in warm water, spread from deep within his brain.
His vision became clearer, and his thinking became sharper than ever before.
He let out a long sigh of relief, feeling that the whole world had become quiet. He even... felt like he wanted more.
Only...
Keita's footsteps suddenly stopped.
He subconsciously rubbed his temples and found that the persistent stinging pain that had plagued him all afternoon had now completely vanished.
Before it was just "relieved," but now it was "gone," replaced by an addictive sense of comfort.
Keita thought back and realized the stinging began to weaken exactly when he started confronting Anna.
It was as if her intense emotions of shame and humiliation had been uncontrollably absorbed by him.
Why didn't it work before?
Was it because Hakamata Kusagari was still there, and the emotions Anna produced were all caused by Hakamata Kusagari?
Keita remembered the name of the ability, 'Succubus Aura'.
Since it's a succubus, it should be about stirring up the target's desires and then consuming them.
He looked back at the Family Restaurant, his gaze seemingly piercing through the glass window to land on the figure still sitting blankly in her seat.
After figuring this out, Keita felt that Yanami's image in his mind had been beautified quite a bit; she was no longer just a troublesome woman.
After all, he actually quite liked Anna's usual energetic and lively self.
Who isn't a fan of a pretty face...