The Service Club room, once a quiet sanctuary, was now a stage for a new kind of drama. Yukino Yukinoshita, ever the diligent president, had already launched into her explanation of the first club activity. Ren sat quietly, his mind drifting back, remembering the original plot. The school festival. The Sagami incident. The brutal and self-sacrificing methods of Hachiman. He recalled how Hachiman's actions, though effective in resolving the problem, had created a deep, painful rift between the three of them. It was a climax of trust issues, a clash of philosophies that fundamentally changed their relationships.
Ren knew the story from start to finish. He knew about the popular, yet lazy, Sagami, who would be in charge of the executive committee. He knew about Yukino's plan to do all the work herself, a silent plea for validation. He knew about Hachiman's plan to become a villain to save the day, all while pushing everyone away.
As Yukino spoke, her voice calm and authoritative, Ren snapped back to the present. He had a choice. He could let the story play out as it was meant to be, or he could intervene. He had seen the way his own methods, his kindness and honesty, had worked on the Nakano sisters and the Yuragi-sou residents. He had to believe that a different path was possible, one where no one had to get hurt. He had the power to change things, and he was going to use it.
"...so we need to find a way to make sure the festival is a success," Yukino was saying. "I'll handle the initial tasks and you can assist if you feel like you can contribute." She looked at Ren, her expression still unreadable. She wasn't giving him an order, but rather an invitation, a test to see if he was truly serious about the club.
Ren simply nodded, a silent promise to himself that he would not let things go as they did in the original story. Hachiman, meanwhile, was silently contemplating his own cynical methods. He had already seen a few of the committee members shirking their responsibilities, and he knew a storm was coming. He wondered if this new member, with his popular good looks, would be a liability.
Yui, who had been trying to build up the courage to talk to Ren, found herself unable to speak. Every time she looked at him, her heart would race, and her face would heat up. Yukino noticed Yui's embarrassment and her heart sank a little. She had heard the rumors about Ren and his numerous girlfriends, and she didn't want Yui to get hurt. She resolved to be more protective of Yui, her suspicions of Ren growing.
The meeting ended without much more being said. Ren walked out of the school, lost in thought, when he stumbled upon a familiar figure. It was Harumu Yumesaki. She was leaning against the wall, her body trembling, her face pale.
"Yumesaki-sensei?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. "Are you okay?"
She flinched at the sound of his voice and looked up, her eyes wide with fear. "Don't come any closer!" she shouted, her voice laced with an uncharacteristic sharpness. "Please... just back away!"
Ren didn't listen. He knew why she was panicking. His system had given him enough information to know that Harumu was a half-succubus who couldn't control her powers when she was in a state of distress. He knew she was afraid of accidentally draining him of his energy. But his body, powered by the reality tickets, was different. It was a source of limitless energy, a fact she didn't know. He continued to walk towards her.
"I said step back!" she shrieked, her voice a mixture of fear and desperation.
He ignored her, and in a second, he was at her side. She tried to turn away, to hide her face from him, but it was no use. She was too exhausted. Her eyes, filled with a violet-hued energy, met his. A wave of force hit him, a powerful pull of energy, but he simply smiled. She was shocked. Her power, which had overwhelmed everyone else she had met, had no effect on him.
She tried to run, to escape the shame, but Ren grabbed her hand, stopping her. "It's alright, sensei," he said gently. "You're not a monster." He reached down and picked up her bag, which had fallen to the ground. "It's good that you're okay."
He handed her the bag and turned to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, Yumesaki-sensei."
Harumu stood there, completely dumbfounded. Her power, which had been raging uncontrollably, was now slowly subsiding. She looked at the retreating figure of her student. He was the most handsome boy she had ever seen, and for the first time in her life, she had found someone who could withstand her powers. She had no idea why, but her heart was pounding in her chest like a drum.