MTLNOVEL Chapter 18: 18
Sagiri stopped abruptly in front of Ren, her sharp eyes scanning the area around him. "Where's the monster?" she demanded, her voice laced with urgency. The powerful spiritual surge she had felt moments ago could only mean one thing: a formidable spiritual entity had attacked the school.
Ren, maintaining his innocent facade, simply shook his head. "Monster? I didn't see anything, Sagiri-san." He kept his newly acquired power a secret, not wanting to reveal the true extent of his abilities just yet.
Sagiri frowned, her confusion evident. Had she imagined it? The spiritual pressure had been undeniably real, yet Ren, a known psychic, claimed to have seen nothing. She dismissed it as her imagination, a trick of her senses. She was about to turn and leave, when her eyes met Ren's.
A sudden, overwhelming surge of emotion, powerful and unfamiliar, washed over Sagiri. It was a feeling she couldn't name, a magnetic pull that made her heart pound. It was… love. This was entirely new, unsettling. Without another word, she turned and fled, the intensity of the feeling driving her away.
Ren felt a flicker of surprise at her abrupt departure, but he didn't dwell on it. He simply returned to his classroom, his mind already shifting back to his plans.
Sagiri burst into the comfort room, leaning against the cool tiles, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her heart, which had been hammering against her ribs, slowly began to calm. A thought, clear and undeniable, pierced through her confusion: she was in love with Ren. But why? This wasn't like her. She was a disciplined exorcist, not one to fall so easily. Had Ren done something? Used some kind of curse? Yet, another part of her, the part that was truly in love, vehemently denied it. This feeling was real, genuine, unbidden. The conflicting emotions warred within her.
She made a decision. Until she could understand, until she could "cure" this inexplicable curse, she would avoid Ren. Even at Yuragi-sou, she would minimize their interactions. She would go home later and consult her grandmother, searching for a way to break free from this inexplicable enchantment.
Back in the classroom, the afternoon lessons began. Ren could still feel Chisaki's gaze on him throughout the class, a constant, curious presence. He smiled inwardly. His plan was working. His dramatic rescue and mysterious departure had clearly piqued her interest, just as he had intended.
When the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, the classroom slowly emptied until only Ren and Chisaki remained. Unlike other classes that assigned cleaning duties by surname, their class used a raffle box, drawing names for the year's cleaning monitors. Their pairing was purely coincidental.
Ren wanted to talk to Chisaki, but he still needed one more chore to earn another Reality Ticket. His chore progress was currently 4/5. He realized that sometimes, pushing too fast wasn't the best approach. He decided to engage Chisaki, to let their interaction unfold naturally.
However, Chisaki seemed to have already finished her assigned cleaning. She stood before him, her hands clasped, her gaze fixed on him with an intensity that made Ren pause. Earlier, after lunch, Chisaki had been hit by a sudden, overwhelming surge of emotion. A clear, undeniable realization had dawned on her: she was in love with Ren. She had no idea why this feeling had taken root so suddenly, so powerfully, but it had pushed her to make a move today.
Now, standing before Ren, Chisaki steeled herself. She was going to confess. The feelings she had felt yesterday, the confusion, the fear, had somehow solidified into this undeniable truth.
Ren, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, the sudden romantic tension that filled the empty classroom, knew exactly what was about to happen.
"I like you, Ren-kun! Please, go out with me!" Chisaki blurted out, bowing deeply before him, her voice trembling with emotion.
The silence in the empty classroom, on the deserted floor, stretched taut. Then, Ren's voice, calm and clear, broke the spell. "I have a lover." He didn't specify Nonko, knowing Chisaki didn't know her.
Chisaki's world shattered. Her first love, her first confession, met with immediate rejection. Her eyes welled up with tears, a sharp, agonizing pain piercing her heart. She was about to break down, to cry, when Ren spoke again.
"You can be my second lover, Chisaki."
The tears that had been about to fall instantly evaporated, replaced by a surge of pure, unadulterated anger. Chisaki's hand shot out, connecting sharply with Ren's cheek. The slap echoed in the quiet room. She snatched her bag, her face flushed with fury and humiliation, and stormed out of the classroom.
Ren watched her go, a faint sting on his cheek. He didn't regret his words. He wanted to be as honest as possible, and second, he genuinely hated seeing a girl cry. He had offered her a solution, a way to be with him. It wasn't his fault she didn't accept it. Despite his joking thought, Ren knows no woman wants to share her man. After all, he doesn't want to share his woman with another man either. With a sigh, Ren too, turned and headed home.