Convenience Store Manager: Ran entered at the Start

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 Mori Ran witnessed everything that had just happened in the dark alley!

She saw a masked robber wielding a steel blade, aiming it at Akira. Then, in a swift move, she

watched as Akira counterattacked and subdued the robber.

But...

Because of the distance, she couldn't hear their conversation.

The scene before her left Ran completely confused.

Was this guy a good person or a bad one?

The more she thought about that whole "dine and dash" incident at CLOVER convenience store, the

more she was convinced Akira did it on purpose—his goal being to get her alone in the storage

room.

But now…

He clearly wasn't in cahoots with criminals.

"Crap!"

"He saw me…"

Ran snapped out of her daze and suddenly realized Akira was already walking toward her.

At that moment—

Her heartbeat sped up, her legs went weak, and she even felt her body clench in panic.

Run! Run now!

Without a second thought, Ran turned to leave, determined to act as if she had never been here, as

if she had never seen Akira on this night.

However—

Just as she turned around, he was already standing in front of her, blocking her path.

"Mori-san."

"Don't tell me you've forgotten me so soon?"

If she counted the time carefully…

It hadn't even been 24 hours since their last encounter.

"What do you want?"

"If you try anything funny again, don't blame me for fighting back."

Last time, she had been wrongfully accused of "dining and dashing," forced into submission in the

convenience store's storage room. But this time, she hadn't done anything wrong!

"You wouldn't be that heartless, would you?"

"Don't forget—I erased all the evidence of you 'dining and dashing.' Shouldn't you at least feel a

little grateful for that?"

Ran frowned.

This guy…

With just a few words, he made it seem like she was the one being ungrateful.

"That's in the past."

"We have nothing to do with each other anymore. I'd appreciate it if you forgot everything that

happened."

Her voice was firm and unwavering.

Whether it was Akira's tricks or the misunderstandings surrounding the situation, she had already

"compensated" him last night.

"Well, in that case…"

"Let's start over."

"My name is Akira."

For some reason, when he reached out his hand, Ran instinctively wanted to shake it. But her

rational mind immediately smacked some sense into her.

What was she thinking?!

If she took his hand now, wouldn't that mean she was opening the door to more entanglements in

the future?

"Move."

"Or I won't hold back."

Ran didn't want to resort to violence.

But seeing Akira standing there, completely unfazed, and remembering what she had lost last night…

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

She decided it was time to show him what she was capable of.

Lowering her stance, she twisted her waist and launched a powerful kick toward Akira's chest.

BANG!

She was sure she had landed a clean hit.

But the unexpected sensation from her foot told her otherwise.

Crap!

Her ankle was caught—firmly gripped by Akira's right hand.

The strength of his grip was overwhelming, making it impossible for her to break free.

Only now did Ran realize—Akira had been holding back when he fought the robber earlier.

This guy… was way stronger than she thought!

And then—

Akira countered.

Still holding her ankle, he stepped forward, pressing her against the wall in a perfect standing split

position.

"Mori-san."

"This is what you meant by 'not holding back'?"

"There's no need for us to be so tense with each other."

"Wouldn't it be better if we got along—like last night?"

As he spoke, Akira leaned in and kissed her.

The familiar sensation made Ran's body freeze.

The pleasure she had experienced in the second half of last night's encounter in the convenience

store flooded her senses once again.

She wanted to resist, but Akira's skill was simply too good.

Within minutes, her resistance turned into compliance… and then into full-on submission.

In the dimly lit alley of Beika Town's Fifth District…

Mori Ran fell once again.

…

The whole encounter lasted half an hour.

When her right leg was finally released, her eyes were clouded with exhaustion.

She was completely spent.

Her body slumped to the ground, every bit of strength drained from her.

"Mori-san."

"Now we officially know each other."

"Oh, and one more thing…"

"I never really thought you were the type to dine and dash in the first place."

"…"

As soon as he said that—

Ran felt like her brain was about to explode.

She knew it!

From the moment she picked up that bottle of mineral water, she had fallen into Akira's trap.

This guy had been after her from the start.

And now…

Now that she was left weak and slumped on the ground, what was the point of telling her this?

…..