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Listening to Fujiwara Tooru's life plan, Hirasawa Shizuka hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I've never met anyone who set becoming prime minister as their life goal."
"That just means you haven't met enough ambitious people, Sensei. Don't any of your students have such lofty aspirations?"
"If someone said something like that, they'd probably become the laughingstock of the school."
"That would be bullying then, Sensei. It'd be your job to step in and educate them about respecting big dreams."
Fujiwara sighed deeply.
"Becoming prime minister isn't an easy task, after all."
Shizuka took another sip of her beer and nodded. "Exactly. If you want to be prime minister, the first thing you need is a good-quality bulletproof vestâand maybe even a helmet that protects your neck!"
Fujiwara paused thoughtfully before nodding with exaggerated seriousness. "You're absolutely right, Sensei."
Shizuka froze for a second, then burst into uncontrollable laughter. She slapped the table hard, tears streaming down her face. "Fujiwara-kun, you're hilarious! Thank goodness I wasn't eating anything, or I'd have choked to death. But listen, if you ever run for office, I'll definitely vote for you when you campaign for city councilor."
Wiping away the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes, Shizuka added, "Just promise me one thingâmake sure you survive long enough to get there."
"I'll take that as a vote of confidence, Sensei," Fujiwara replied with a grin. "And since you teach so many students, make sure they vote for me too when the time comes."
"I'll do my best," Shizuka teased back. "But remember, I teach in Chiba. Unless you plan to run for office in Chiba Prefecture, I can't guarantee much help."
Their banter continued, and by now, both were thoroughly relaxed, speaking freely without reservation. At this point, Shizuka couldn't quite tell whether Fujiwara was joking or being serious about his ambitions. This young man was enigmatic, but undeniably intriguing.
After a pause, Shizuka spoke again. "Fujiwara-kun, you're a freshman at Todai studying Political Science and International Relations. You might end up meeting someone I knowâa former student of mine."
Fujiwara looked surprised. "Sensei, didn't you say earlier that if even one of your students got into Todai, it would make your entire career worthwhile? Are you telling me that's already happened? You should be carefulâyou're still young and beautiful. Don't go achieving all your life goals too soon and lose your will to live."
Shizuka's eyes lit up. "You actually remembered what I said?"
There was something oddly touching about someone remembering her words so clearly. After a brief pause, she smiled and asked, "...Do I really look that young? Don't lie to me."
"Of course you do! Especially since you're also very beautiful. I don't believe for a second that you don't have a boyfriend. There must be plenty of men chasing after you."
"There were some suitors, but not many. Maybe it's because of my eccentric personalityâor maybe my standards are too high. None of them succeeded, and before I knew it, I'd turned into an old maid."
Shizuka sighed dramatically.
"It's common for men to assume women like you already have boyfriends. On top of that, they might feel intimidated. That's why they hesitate to approach you," Fujiwara explained calmly.
Shizuka chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment, Fujiwara-kun. You're quite the smooth talker. How many girlfriends have you had?"
Fujiwara shook his head. "Getting into Todai isn't easy. All my free time was spent studying. I didn't have room for romance."
Well, he thought privately, I did have timeâbut not for romance. Killing took priority.
To gain skill points and stat boosts, Fujiwara had been involved with women, but none of those encounters counted as relationships. Even Vermouthâthat wasn't love. It was mutual convenience, a fleeting warmth amid the coldness of their respective worlds. Women like Vermouth, who walked in shadows, craved genuine connection but rarely found true love.
As their conversation stretched on, the clock ticked past ten o'clock, nearing eleven. They lost count of how many beers they'd consumed.
"I can't handle any more. Boss, let's settle the bill!" Shizuka called out. Turning to Fujiwara, she added firmly, "This round is on me. Don't you dare pull out your wallet."
Fujiwara smiled and agreed.
"Your total comes to 8,600 yen!"
The owner handed over the bill. Between the two of them, they'd only eaten two bowls of ramen and a few side dishesâthe rest was beer. Spending nearly ten thousand yen meant they'd gone through quite a few rounds. Beer at a modest shop usually cost around 300 yen per glass.
Though Shizuka insisted on paying for the drinks, she ended up covering Fujiwara's meal as well.
She stood up unsteadily, clutching her head, and Fujiwara quickly moved to support her. "Let me help you. Be careful."
"Okay."
Shizuka didn't resist. As they left the ramen shop, the owner gave her a subtle wink, silently cheering her onâHere's your chance! Don't waste it!
Once outside, Shizuka took a deep breath to steady herself. After lighting a cigarette, she headed toward a sleek Aston Martin parked nearby and pulled out her car keys.
When Fujiwara first met Shizuka, he hadn't recognized her immediately. Anime characters from twenty years ago didn't always translate well into real-life appearances. But as their conversation progressed and familiar names came up, he realized who she was.
He had suspected she came from wealth, but seeing the Aston Martin confirmed itâshe wasn't just rich; she was filthy rich.
"You're drunk. You're not actually going to drive, are you?" Fujiwara asked cautiously.
"Of course not. I value my life. I just need to grab some cash. I'll find a hotel to stay at tonight."
"No designated driver?"
"I don't like other people driving my car."
Fujiwara understood completely. Most people felt protective of their vehicles, especially around strangers.
"Then let me escort you to the hotel."
"Thanks, handsome~" Shizuka purred, leaning heavily against him. Her cheeks flushed red, and she giggled softly, wrapping her arms loosely around his waist.
They walked slowly along the roadside, Shizuka's weight resting almost entirely on Fujiwara. Her figure was impeccable, and the faint scent of alcohol-laced perfume wafted toward himânot particularly pleasant, but not unpleasant either. His arm brushed against the softness of her body, though he remained unfazed. Such minor temptations wouldn't sway him.
This wasn't the bustling heart of Tokyo. By eleven o'clock, the streets were quiet and deserted.
As they passed a dimly lit corner, Fujiwara's gaze flickered briefly to a shadowy figure sitting alone. It was a petite girl dressed in a pristine white dress, her raven-black hair cascading down. Her head was bowed, obscuring her face. Curled up on her lap lay a small black cat, its golden eyes fixed intently on Fujiwara.
The contrast between the darkness, the girl's pale dress, and the black cat created an eerie atmosphere.
"Fujiwara, what are you looking at?" Shizuka murmured, noticing his distraction.
"There's someone sitting over thereâa student, maybe? It's late. I hope she's okay."
Shizuka leaned forward to peer in the direction he pointed. "What are you talking about? There's no one there."
"Huh?"
Fujiwara glanced back at the street corner. Sure enough, the girl in the white dress was still there, her cat staring directly at him with piercing yellow eyes.
Something was wrong. Shizuka wasn't drunkâFujiwara knew that perfectly well. Her earlier behavior had been an act. Yet she claimed to see nothing...
A chill ran down Fujiwara's spine. His scalp tingled as if doused with icy water. An inexplicable sense of dread washed over him.