Chapter 66: So What If I Forcibly Kissed You?

…

Himekoji Akito was stopped as he walked out the school gate.

He didn’t even need to think. What met his eyes was unmistakably that head of golden hair, a perfect match for its owner’s queen-like aura.

Under the sunlight, it felt glaring and annoying.

Miura Yumiko had clearly been waiting at the gate for a long time. Arms crossed, she looked thoroughly fed up.

“You’re so slow! What were you messing around for?”

Slow? What’s it to you? I didn’t even have an appointment with you!

Besides, guess whose fault it was that I stayed late? Yeah, writing that extra twenty-thousand-word self-reflection essay for you!

Himekoji couldn’t be bothered to even acknowledge this foolish girl. With a quick sidestep, he smoothly slipped past her side.

“You stop right there! I’m talking to you! Stop!”

Seeing Himekoji dare to ignore her, Miura Queen flew into a rage instantly. Her delicate brows shot up as she shouted angrily.

Like heck Himekoji was going to listen to her. He pretended not to hear, not pausing his stride for even a second.

“Don’t you understand human language?”

Completely out of patience, Queen Miura took big strides to catch up. She grabbed the strap of the backpack slung on Himekoji’s shoulder.

Oh? Talking didn’t work, so she switched to using force.

Himekoji tried to pull away slightly, but couldn’t break free. His smooth exit plan was obviously ruined. Unwillingly, he turned his head. Curling his lip, he shot back:

“Human language? My memory might not be the best, but since when did you ever speak human?”

“You! You… You…”

Miura choked suddenly. Eyes wide and mouth open, she seemed completely lost for words on how to fight back.

Well, it had been said before. Miura wasn’t much good with words. Awkward at kissing, and completely useless at arguing or bickering.

“Enough with the ‘you you you.’ Spit it out if you have something to say. If not, let go of my bag.”

Himekoji gave the strap on his shoulder a frustrated tug, signaling her to stop wasting everyone’s precious time.

“You!”

“Still ‘you’?”

“Then I…”

“‘I’ isn’t allowed either!”

“Himekoji! Don’t go too far!”

Miura’s face flushed completely red with anger.

Seriously! Who did he think he was? How dare he treat her with such an awful attitude!

“I’m going too far? You’re the one going too far! After kissing me without permission, you pushed the blame onto me? Do you know how many people chased after me this morning?”

Strictly speaking, it was completely Himekoji’s fault that Miura ended up kissing him. Yet, Himekoji argued righteously.

Because justice belonged to the completely shameless side!

“K-kissed without permission? I don’t remember anything about that!” Miura panicked visibly at the mention.

“Funny. You already did it, and now you play dead, deny it, and fake amnesia? That excuse is way too lazy. Didn’t any eyewitnesses tell you what happened? Want me to repeat the whole thing for you?”

Himekoji curled his lips with mockery, faking a throat-clearing:

“At that time…”

“Enough! I don’t want to hear it!”

The girl shook her head miserably, her glorious golden hair flying everywhere.

The smooth, bright, golden strands danced chaotically before Himekoji Akito’s eyes.

Then, at one moment, as if finally exhausted, Miura’s head-shaking stopped abruptly. Her head, always held high and imposing like a queen’s, suddenly drooped weakly.

“It was you who kissed me…”

Her voice was low, as small as a mosquito’s. All the dominance and forcefulness befitting a queen had vanished. Her tone sounded almost like a plea.

Would Queen Miura ever beg?

“I confirmed with all the eyewitnesses… it was you who kissed me. That’s the truth…”

Her expression was hidden by her bangs. But Miura Yumiko’s shame-faced, furious, burning red cheeks weren’t hard to imagine.

…

She confirmed with all the eyewitnesses?

So that’s how it was. He should have guessed that was why Miura Yumiko was waiting for him here.

The implied meaning in her words was probably this—

“To be blunt, all the witnesses are on my side now. If you, the pervert, just admit your crime, everyone will be happy. I can go on being my queen, high and mighty. And you? You’ll just add another shameful episode to your perverted history. Isn’t that nothing to you? After all, in everyone’s eyes, that’s exactly what you are—a pervert!”

…

“Did Totsuka say the same?”

For some reason, the first person Himekoji thought of was those clear, clean, deer-like eyes.

Anyone else could side with Miura. Anyone else siding with Miura was fine. But at least, let Totsuka stay on his side!

“A statement or two being wrong won’t change the result… it’s only a few people lying…”

He could hear a faint struggle in Miura’s tone. This Miura, who didn’t even dare to raise her head, was this the same high-and-mighty queen from earlier?

Was it important if she was queen? Anyway, judging by her words, Totsuka hadn’t betrayed him?

That was great!

A weight lifted from Himekoji’s chest. Only then could he continue speaking.

“However, even you—whose brain clearly doesn’t work well—should know that the opposite is true. Lies in the hands of the few aren’t that powerful. But once used by the majority, they instantly become a powerful weapon that twists the truth.”

“But that weapon doesn’t affect you, right? It can’t hurt you…”

Ever since stating her purpose, Miura kept her eyelids lowered.

…

Doesn’t affect me? Can’t hurt me?

Hearing this, Himekoji was stunned at first. Then he couldn’t help but let out a laugh:

“Hah. Well put. How could a pervert possibly get hurt?”

“If I don’t do this… I’ll… I’ll… Anyway, please… I’m begging…”

Mid-sentence, Miura was cut off as Himekoji suddenly reached out and covered her mouth.

That was enough.

Himekoji didn’t have the hobby of ripping off someone’s crown and stomping it into the dirt.

If Miura really admitted at school that she was the one who kissed Himekoji, then her queen’s dignity and pride would turn to ashes in an instant.

Despite being at the peak of female normie status, Miura’s nature had long made enemies everywhere. It wasn’t hard to imagine the attacks those jealous girls, or the girls who disliked her, might launch using this incident.

Ultimately, Miura was just another victim of some useless System messing around.

All negative influences and consequences created by the choice options should be borne by Himekoji Akito alone.

…

“You applied lip balm properly again today.”

Expressionless, Himekoji hooked a finger under the girl’s chin, lifting her face.

Forced to look up, Miura instinctively avoided his gaze.

Hey, was he really that scary? Himekoji noticed Miura’s eyes were already rimmed with red.

Maybe the so-called queen was only strong on the outside.

“You said it was me who kissed you?”

Himekoji stared at her.

The girl fidgeted, wanting nothing more than to look down.

Himekoji wouldn’t let her. Himekoji Akito cupped Miura Yumiko’s exquisitely made-up face with both hands in a teasing manner.

“Yes or no? Answer me.”

Miura pressed her lips together, silent.

“I’m asking you the last time. Yes or no?”

“Tell me!”

Himekoji’s voice suddenly rose sharply. Miura seemed frightened, her mouth opening instinctively.

“Y-yes…”

“Fine. Then I kissed you.”

Before the words even faded, Himekoji bent down.

He meant what he said!

“Hey! What are you do… Mmmph… Mmmmmph…”