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"Class is about to start. Go down and change your clothes," Blake said flatly, glancing downward. "Also… how's your knee?"
The girl's long white socks stretched over her slender, straight legs. Under the sunlight, they carried a faint, almost sacred glow—like a flawless work of art that made you want to take a closer look without even realizing why.
"Should I take you to the nurse's office?"
"No need!" Gokō Ruri quickly shook her head, pressing her legs together shyly. "It doesn't hurt that much anymore. I'll just ask the teacher for leave later."
Her knee still hurt, but it was bearable. Class was starting soon anyway—she couldn't keep causing trouble for Blake.
"That's good then." Blake didn't insist. He turned to leave. "I'll head down first."
"W-wait a second…"
Ruri hurriedly reached out and grabbed the corner of his shirt again. She turned her face away, her pale skin flushed bright red as she spoke nervously.
"We… we still haven't formed the contract yet."
"Contract?"
Blake tilted his head in confusion.
"The sacred contract magic," she explained seriously. "Once it's formed, we can communicate remotely…"
While talking, she pulled out her phone and held it in front of him.
"Hurry up and form the contract!"
Blake: "..."
It's just exchanging contact info. You don't need to make it sound so dramatic.
Expressionless, he took out his phone and swapped contacts with her.
"If anything comes up, message me immediately."
With that final reminder, he turned and left the rooftop.
"Phew…"
Watching his figure disappear, Ruri finally let out a quiet breath of relief. She looked at his default scenic wallpaper on her phone and frowned slightly.
"A landscape photo… that's like an old man's wallpaper."
"And it's not even a couple's matching icon… so Mr. Blake probably doesn't have a girlfriend."
Blushing, she quickly edited his contact name.
"Stupid two-legged creature Mr. Blake… as the first male to form a contract with me, I'll grudgingly pin you at the top."
"…Hmph."
After changing into his gym clothes, Blake headed to the class meeting area.
"Blake!"
Anna Yanami's smile was bright and dazzling, like it could rival the blue sky outside the window. She jogged over to him, leaning forward slightly, her voice sweet.
"Hey, hey, let's team up for tennis class!"
Blake replied flatly, "No."
"Eh? Whyyyy?" Anna clutched her chest dramatically, looking deeply wounded. "Back in elementary school we always teamed up for PE! Blake, you've changed… so heartless!"
Who's heartless?! Tennis class splits boys and girls anyway—you can't even choose teams!
"Ehehe~"
Anna stuck out her pink tongue and lightly tapped her head with a fist, flashing a goofy grin.
"I forgot~"
"The teacher's coming. Get ready."
"Okay okay~"
"..."
Anna clasped her hands behind her back and returned to the girls' group. Her gaze quietly drifted toward a blonde girl not far away.
Stare—
Defense successful!
(Since coming back to class after lunch, I never once let Shiina leave my sight.)
(So the so-called "loser future diary"… ugh, I mean future diary… that stuff definitely won't happen anymore.)
(Childhood friends never lose to homewreckers!)
After school.
Blake packed his bag and stood up quietly, ready to head home.
Humans had limits.
Even though he had a "skill proficiency panel" in his mind, he still needed to invest massive time and effort to grind skills. That's why he didn't join any clubs—he was a full-on homebound student who went straight home after school.
"Poke poke~"
A slender finger suddenly poked his waist.
Blake turned his head.
Anna's bright smiling face appeared in his vision. She had a chocolate stick between her lips, grinning brightly.
"Blake, Blake! My friend said a new beef offal restaurant just opened in the shopping district. It's super good—wanna go eat together?"
Beef offal? Not interested.
Unless it's cooked by a purple twin-tailed offal chef, maybe he'd consider it.
"You go with your friends," Blake shook his head. "I've got things to do at home."
"That's exactly your problem," Anna muttered with her hands behind her back. "You used to join clubs in middle school, but now you're a loner in high school. You don't join clubs, you don't go karaoke with everyone… that's why you don't have any friends."
Lonely homebound students were everywhere. A flashy extrovert like you is the rare one.
Blake didn't care at all.
"Sheep gather in herds. A beast walks alone."
"Hmph~"
Anna lifted her chin, revealing the elegant curve of her pale neck.
"For someone like you to call yourself a beast… you can't even beat me at arm wrestling."
"Stop bringing up elementary school."
"No way. That's precious memories between us."
"..."
They walked into the hallway together. Anna glanced toward the classroom where the blonde "angel" was still sitting and lowered her voice.
"I'm going shopping with my friends. Text me when you get home. And if you run into that homewrecker, don't talk to her!"
Shiina was still at school, so there was no way they'd cross paths now.
Which meant… the "homewrecker" must've been someone he met at noon.
But Anna had already blocked that route. The cursed fate had already been cut off.
The loser future had definitely been rewritten!
"Homewrecker?"
Blake looked at her in confusion.
"Ahahaha…" Anna stepped backward slowly with her hands behind her back. "You just hallucinated that word, Blake."
"I heard it clearly."
"Anyway, see you tomorrow! Don't forget to text me when you get home!"
"..."
No more conversation after that.
"I'm home."
Blake opened the door with his key and stepped into the entrance.
The next second—
A small silver blur launched itself straight at him.
Bang.
Instinctively, Blake opened his arms and caught the flying girl.
In his arms was a silver-haired girl with dazzling long hair. Her deep blue eyes were as clear as a sky after rain. Because she rarely went outside, her skin was so pale it looked almost translucent. Her delicate, doll-like features made her cuteness dangerously overwhelming.
"Sagiri Izumi… you actually came downstairs?"
Blake rarely showed surprise.
Ever since their parents died in a plane accident, Sagiri had shut herself inside the second floor of the house. Her world never extended beyond that room. She barely ever came downstairs—let alone ran out to greet him.
What's going on today?
Not only did she come into the living room… she even jumped into his arms.
This shut-in little sister is definitely acting weird!
"....."