Chapter 4: Oh? Trying to Get a Free Meal?

“Sakura, dear — eat more of this —”

During dinner, Yuuma Mariko kept piling food onto Akiba Sakura’s plate.

In her heart, the more she looked at her ‘daughter-in-law,’ the more she liked her.

This was especially true because when she opened the door earlier, she had actually seen Akiba Sakura using her Special Move on Yuuma Tsugumu.

‘Maybe…’

The corners of Mariko’s mouth curled up slightly.

‘She’s already won him over…’

“Ah, thank you, Auntie —”

Sakura smiled as she held out her bowl to receive the food Mariko offered, but she was inwardly left scratching her head.

‘What’s going on…? Why does Auntie Mariko’s gaze suddenly seem so much warmer? Is it just my imagination?’

Sakura ate cautiously, her eyes darting back and forth between Yuuma Tsugumu and Yuuma Mariko.

It had to be said… the change in attitude was glaringly obvious.

Even while eating, Yuuma Mariko kept stealing glances at Sakura, her expression resembling that of a teenage girl who had just spotted a handsome boy.

Yuuma Tsugumu, however… had the exact opposite attitude.

‘If only Tsugumu was as easy to win over as Auntie Mariko… I don’t know when I managed to charm her, but I suppose this counts as one small step forward, right?’

“Auntie, isn’t Uncle coming home today?”

Sakura suddenly remembered that the smiling man who was always at Tsugumu’s house didn’t seem to be home today.

“Him? He went fishing with your Dad. It sounds like they won’t be back until very late —”

“Huh?” Sakura was stunned. “What about… work?”

“It seems he took the day off —”

Mariko replied without hesitation.

‘Damn, skipping work to go fishing!’

Sakura felt like crying.

‘I want to go too! Ever since I became a girl, I haven’t gone fishing once. In my past life, besides teasing the Victim, fishing was my favorite thing. Waaaah!’

“What’s wrong, Sakura? Is the food Auntie made not to your liking?”

Seeing Sakura looking ready to burst into tears while chewing on a Cola Chicken Wing, Yuuma Mariko couldn’t help but feel worried.

“No, no, Auntie. It’s delicious —”

“If it’s not good, just go back and eat at your own house.”

Tsugumu’s cold remark immediately triggered Sakura’s ‘retaliation.’

She lifted her small foot and stomped down hard on Tsugumu’s foot.

Unfortunately, since she wasn’t wearing shoes, the damage was essentially zero.

“Tsugumu, how can you say that? That is very rude, you know?”

Although Mariko scolded him, she didn’t actually believe Tsugumu hated Sakura.

After all, the two of them had always been close.

Close friends liked to joke around like this; they were just childhood friends who hadn’t learned how to hold their tongues.

—

After dinner, Sakura began helping Yuuma Mariko clean up the mess.

According to Sakura’s Netorare Plan, getting on the good side of Tsugumu’s family would certainly help her win him over in the future.

Thus, every time she came over for a meal, Sakura would help Mariko with various chores.

Tsugumu, meanwhile, went straight back to his room and shut the door.

He didn’t want this person taking advantage of any opening to sneak into his room.

Once back in his room, Tsugumu picked up a manga from his desk and began reading.

It was a Pure Love Manga, the sweetest of its kind.

The interactions between the male and female leads always made Tsugumu break into a silly grin.

Because of this, he personally longed for a mutual romance where both parties were in love.

Whenever he saw NTR Manga or novels online, he avoided them immediately.

As for those NTR stories disguised as pure love, he would strike back with full force, leaving long ‘blood letters’ in the comment sections.

This guy would stop at nothing for the ’cause of pure love.’

In short, Yuuma Tsugumu — was a genuine Pure Love Warrior “tears”.

“Achoo!”

Tsugumu’s nose suddenly itched for no reason.

‘I feel like someone’s thinking about me…’

Although he yearned for a sweet romance, he didn’t know how to dress up or communicate with others.

Consequently, he didn’t have anyone he liked, nor did anyone like him.

Starting from the summer break before high school, he, who had zero romantic experience, had placed one specific person on his ‘Future Dating Blacklist.’

Sakura: Hey, you’re actually getting picky…

Who was that person?

Of course, it was our protagonist, Akiba Sakura.

Before that, through elementary and middle school, Tsugumu and Sakura’s relationship was better than average.

They were practically inseparable wherever they went.

While they were still inseparable now, it was more like Sakura was a piece of gum that he couldn’t shake off.

The difference was simply Tsugumu’s perspective.

Before that summer, Tsugumu had even considered whether he should confess to Sakura.

After all, they had been Childhood Friends since they were three years old; their bond was extraordinary.

Sakura’s looks and behavior had hit all of Tsugumu’s sweet spots.

He had even dreamt of innocent scenarios with Sakura multiple times in his wet dreams.

‘She is… my enemy.’

But now, Sakura was purely an enemy in Tsugumu’s mind.

The perfect girl from his heart had suddenly turned into a monster with twisted limbs and a hideous face.

She had gone from his crush to his enemy, leading this boy who pursued sweet romance to categorize Sakura as the one person he could never, ever date.

‘Even if I starve to death, die in the streets, or jump off a cliff, I will never date a wicked woman like Akiba Sakura!’

The catalyst for this change was that summer break.

Something had happened during that summer…

—

“Hey, you there?”

Just then, Sakura’s voice drifted in from outside the door, abruptly interrupting Tsugumu’s train of thought.

‘Why hasn’t she gone home yet? Shouldn’t she leave right after getting a free meal?’

“Tsugumu, open the door —”

‘Disgusting!’

A wave of revulsion rushed into his mind, followed by a flicker of anger.

“Why haven’t you gone home? Why are you still hanging around here so shamelessly?”

Outside the door, Sakura’s cheeks flushed red.

However, it wasn’t from embarrassment; it was from rage.

‘Fine, fine — how can there be a boy who speaks so harshly to a beautiful girl! Good grief, if you weren’t a vital part of my Netorare Plan, why would I care so much about a gloomy guy like you!’

“Tsugumu… if you don’t open the door, I’m going to force my way in.”

Suppressing her inner fury, Sakura tried her best to use a gentle voice to plead with him.

“Force your way in?”

Tsugumu gave a cold laugh after confirming the door was locked.

“If you can get in, I’ll eat this stack of manga right here on the spot —”

At that moment, with a soft click of the handle turning, Sakura’s slender figure appeared before Tsugumu.

“????”

“Oh ho, trying to score a free meal?”