Rent-A-Boyfriend in A Reverse World

At Izumi's request, I followed after her. Holding her hand as she guided me out of school grounds and into a nearby street.

"So, why did you take me here, Izumi?"  I start. Standing opposite of me is Izumi. Her hands resting at her sides, standing stiffly straight, her cheeks a faint red. "Well, you see... I, uh..."  Her eyes dart back and forth between me and whatever is to her left. 

She purses her lips, pressing them together. ".... Thank you!"  Suddenly, she bowed her head deeply. Her forehead now at waist level. 

"No need to thank me, Izumi. I just did what you payed me to do. Even if it started from you blackmailing me." 

"! About that-"  Izumi raises her head and takes out her phone. After swiping and tapping a few times, she turned the screen to me. "Look! I'll delete the photo right now!"  she says. On the screen is the photo of me and Karina being affectionate on the train. 

With the screen still facing me, Izumi deleted the photo right before my eyes. "Thanks for upholding your promise."

"It's nothing..."  Izumi takes her phone back, sliding it into her pocket. "There's actually one more thing I'd like to ask you..."  Izumi says, her cheeks growing red. "What is it?"  I ask, curious as to what she wants to know. 

For a couple moments, Izumi stood straight, mustering the courage she needs. "I know we started on the wrong foot, but Adam, will you-"

"So his name is Adam, huh?"  An unfamiliar voice echoed somewhere behind Izumi. We collectively turn to the direction it came from.

From around the corner, the owner of the voice came out. Walking out is a tanned girl with orange hair tied into a messy ponytail. Wearing a short pleated skirt, black fingerless gloves, and a white buttoned-up blouse with the sleeves rolled up and the bottom tied up into a knot. Her powerful muscles exposed for all to see.

'Who is she..?'  I wondered. And in that instance, our eyes met. Her black eyes staring into mine. "Wuuut~"  the unknown girl whistled. "On a closer look, he's definitely a top-tier hottie."  she said. The corners of her lips raised into a proud grin.

"What are you doing here?! Kaede Aida!"  Izumi yelled, shielding me from her. 'Kaede... I remember only pure, innocent girls having that name. So to see that same name belonging to this... delinquent is certainly a shocker.'

Kaede took a step closer, and almost immediately Izumi tensed up. 'Wait... Izumi took the initiative to protect me?'  I thought, finally noticing the change. 'That's... pretty cool of her.'

"What am I doing here?"  Kaede repeats the question, which she followed with a scoff. "I was hanging around, minding my own business, when I picked up two voices nearby."  she says, glancing briefly at Izumi before shifting back to me. "I was going to leave..."  She trails off, and the corners of her lips rose again. "Until I heard the words "payed" and "blackmail.""  She says, a smirk etched on her face.

At her words, Izumi went wide-eyed. "Y-You heard-"

"Everything."  Kaede finished. "I. Heard. Everything."

Izumi flinched. Not because she's scared, but because she's worried what Kaede will do with that knowledge. "So? What are you gonna do with that information?"  I ask.

In response, Kaede narrowed her gaze on me. "Mm~ Speaking up in a situation like this? I'm not sure if you're oblivious, or... brave."  She paused. Taking a moment to observe my expression. "Judging by the look on your face, I'm leaning on the latter."  she says, her smirk transforming into an amused smile.

Izumi raised her arms, determined to protect me from Kaede. "Buzz off, Kaede. He's not interested."  she says, and I can't hide the surprise on my face when I heard her say that. 'She actually said it...'

At Izumi's words, Kaede shifted her gaze. In an instant, the look in her eyes changed. Her smile transformed into a frown. "I've been wondering this for a while now, but... who are you supposed to be?"  Kaede asks.

The question echoed through the empty street, and Izumi's expression cracked. "I, I'm..."

"What? You think you're actually his girlfriend or something?"  Kaede says, and the words cut deep into Izumi. Her eyes went wide, her jaw dropped. "N, No! But I-"

"Then fuck off. You're a nobody to him now. Your time is up, isn't it?"  At her words, Izumi froze. And honestly, even I was affected by what she said. Because what she said isn't entirely wrong.

Izumi slowly turned her head. Looking at me with pleading eyes. Begging me to say something. Anything. "... Even if our time is up, I won't forget the time we spent together. Because I genuinely enjoyed being with you, Izumi."  I say, and that is how I honestly feel. Sure, I don't think this with every rental date I've had, but this, I- "I'll treasure the memories we made together."

At my confession, Izumi's eyes widened. Her lips trembling. "Adam..."  she muttered. The corners of her lips curving into a smile.

Meanwhile, Kaede stood there. She doesn't know why, but Andy's words resonated with something inside her. And a newfound desire arose from it. "I want him..."  she muttered. Her lips slowly curl into a smirk.

"Oi."  Kaede called out, catching our attention. She raises her gloved hand, and point a finger at herself. "Let me have a turn."  she says, gazing at me with amusement, and... interest. Undeniable, genuine interest.

"! I told you to buzz off didn't I-"

"Oi."

"!?!" 

In what looked like an instant, Kaede closed the distance and appeared right in front of Izumi. And before she could react, Kaede grabbed Izumi by the collar and tossed her aside with relative ease. "Augh!!"  Izumi grunted as she scraped against the floor.

"Izumi!"  I call out, worried for her wellbeing. "Hey, eyes over here."  Kaede speaks up. "!?!"  My eyes widen once I realized how close she is. Close enough that I feel her breath on my skin. "How do I rent you? Do I gotta talk to someone, or just pay you straight up?"

From behind, Izumi stood back up. She locks on to Kaede with a determined gaze. "Stay away from him!"  she yelled, charging at Kaede.

Hearing her, Kaede whipped around, her expression shifting from a playful smile to a manic, teethy grin in an instant. She cocks her arm back. The leather of her glove stretching as she clenched her hand into a fist. The veins on her arms bulging with violent intent.

"NO!"  I screamed. Reaching out, I grabbed Kaede's arm. Clutching it against my chest. "Izumi stop!"  I yelled out. "-!?"  And luckily, Izumi did just that. "Adam? What are you-"

"Izumi, you don't have to protect me. Kaede is right, our time is up. You don't have to get yourself hurt because of me."  I say, hoping she'll listen. Her expression fell, looking almost betrayed. "But I, I want to-"

"Please, Kaede. You said our date was a dream come true, right? Then don't ruin it by getting beat up."  I say. I'm practically begging for her to listen to me. 'Please, don't do it, Kaede. I don't want to see you get hurt for no reason.'

"Yeah. Listen to your fake boyfriend-"  Kaede taunted. And I whipped back to look at her. "Shut up, Kaede."  I growled, unintentional, on reflex. 

In response, Kaede went wide-eyed with surprise. And I'm not sure if it's because I told her to shut up, or because I called her by her first name.

"... Alright."  Her lips curl back into a smile. "I'll listen to you, Adam~"

I turn back to Izumi. Her face a complex mix of emotions. Unsure of what she should do. "Izumi."  I call out to her. 

At my voice, she raised her head and looks me in the eye. "If we ever see each other again..."  I curl my lips into a smile. "I hope you've become someone cool and strong."  I say, expressing my earnest wish for the girl named Izumi.

"!!!"  Izumi went wide-eyed once more. Her pupils shaking with me in the center. Her jaw dropped, leaving her mouth agape. "A-Adam...."  she muttered.

But I didn't wait for a response. I turn to Kaede, her arm still in my grasp. "Let's go, Kaede."

"....."  Kaede doesn't respond immediately. She glances at me, then at Izumi. Staring at her for a couple seconds before looking back at me. "Alright. I'll leave her be."  she says with the air of a predator granting mercy to a hare.

We turn around, and begin walking away. Kaede has her hand placed firmly on my back. She looks over her shoulder, and sends a victorious smirk back at Izumi.

"!!!"  Izumi grit her teeth. Her nails digging into her palms from how hard she's clenching her fists.

'... I will. I'll become someone worthy of you, Adam. Someone who can protect you...'

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