Meiko Kurokawa Doesn't Make a Good Villain

Will you play the villain for me?

That single sentence from Meiko Kurokawa marked both the beginning and the end of everything.

In that moment, I found myself swept into her reckless scheme and impossible demands.

Why did I have to become the villain?

How did it come to this?

Just one hour ago, I was a perfectly ordinary, serious high school student . . .

Hey, whatcha doing?

The classroom was buzzing after orientation. I was looking at the class roster that had just been handed out, trying to memorize my classmates' names.

Hey!

If you wanted to make friends, remembering people's names was fundamental to building relationships.

You had to be prepared for everything and ready when the time came. That was how I'd always lived my life—seriously.

Rin! Are you listening?

It wasn't until she called my name that I realized she was talking to me.

Oh, hey, Hazuki.

When I looked up, Hazuki Hojo was pouting and glaring at me.

What do you mean, "Oh, hey"? I thought you were ignoring me.

Hazuki and I had been classmates in middle school, and by coincidence, we'd both ended up at Kaguyama High School—in the same class, no less. You could say we were old friends.

So, so, so, what're we gonna do now?

Just when I thought she was sulking, she suddenly crouched down and peered up at me from below. With her hands resting lightly on my desk, she looked just like a hamster begging for food.

Hazuki's unusually high energy was probably due to her excitement about starting high school. Honestly, she was so easy to read.

What do you mean what are we gonna do? I'm just going home.

To avoid getting caught up in Hazuki's energy, I gave her a straightforward answer, staying true to myself.

While feeling slightly put off by Hazuki's innocence, I was also a brand-new first-year, feeling constrained by my new-smelling uniform and unfamiliar necktie.

You're sooo serious, Rin.

Hazuki seemed exasperated with me, but being called serious was a compliment as far as I was concerned.

I couldn't do anything frivolous like taking detours or going to buy snacks on the day of orientation. Heading straight home was my only option.

What's wrong with being serious? Earnest and vigorous, grave and straightforward. Nothing wrong with that, right?

There you go with the fancy words again! You're in high school now, you should have more fun!

I am having fun. Reading new textbooks and learning things is incredible! Look, Rashomon explores human nature and egoism—

You're the only high school student who gets excited about reading textbooks, Rin! That's definitely weird!

Hazuki shook her head like she couldn't understand me at all. Hey, apologize to all the serious high school students in the world!

But . . . that's one of the things I like about you, Rin.

Hmm? Did you say something?

N-nothing at all!

Hazuki waved both hands frantically in denial.

Well, if you're just going straight home, that means you're free after this, right?

This time, she asked me with a completely carefree smile. Talk about being emotionally all over the place.

I'm not free. When I get home, I need to study for tomorrow's aptitude test and—

Y'know, I'm thinking of doing some club visits, so why don't you come with me, Rin?

As if ignoring my plans from the start, she cut me off eagerly with her invitation.

Club visits, huh . . .

Yeah, yeah, yeah! Serious guys should put their energy into club activities! It'll make your after-school life more fulfilling!

I couldn't help but react to the phrase "serious guys."

When she put it like that, it was hard to refuse.

Just by participating in club activities, I'd definitely come across as serious, and it would show I'm well-rounded and engaged in high school life. Tomorrow's test was on my mind, but in the bigger picture, club visits might not be a bad idea.

I suppose when you put it that way . . . Which club are you planning to check out?

The girls' volleyball club.

Hazuki answered while adjusting her bangs that hung neatly above her eyebrows.

Watching the girls' volleyball club would make me look like a total pervert!

That's true!

She gave me an innocent smile, as if she'd only just realized it.

I was the one in the wrong for wanting to be so serious about everything.

But if it's you watching, Rin, I wouldn't think you were being a pervert . . .

Hazuki muttered quietly. This girl doesn't even see me as a guy, does she?

Jeez. Doesn't matter what you think. Everyone else would care.

You're so boring. Are you not going to join any clubs, Rin? Come to think of it, you didn't do anything in middle school either, right? Actually, you were always so serious about your library committee work, weren't you? Oh right, have you read anything good lately? Should we stop by a bookstore on the way home? If you're going, I'll come with you!

Weren't you going to check out clubs . . . ?

This girl had always pried way too much into my business.

There were all kinds of things I couldn't tell anyone about.

Come on, you're in high school now, Rin, so get your spirits up a little! Come on, come on!

Trying to break through my indifferent attitude, Hazuki started poking me in the ribs.

Stop trying to get my spirits up! Damn it, I have to endure this.

Hey, Hazuki, do you have a minute?

While Hazuki and I were going back and forth, several girls came over to talk to us.

Way to go, Hazuki. Our classmates already knew her name, which meant I needed to get to memorizing theirs too.

Oh, what's up?

Hazuki turned around with a bright smile, her voice taking on a slightly higher, more polite tone.

I straightened up in my seat, not wanting them to think I was getting too excited about being a first-year.

We're all thinking about going out for tea together.

Oh, really? Um, what do I do?

Hazuki looked over at me with a troubled expression.

Hazuki, do you already have plans with your boyfriend?

A girl with a small but well-shaped chest asked Hazuki while glancing over at me.

Oops, this wasn't the time to be checking out a girl I just met. They said girls noticed that kind of stare. Not good.

What?! Rin's definitely NOT my boyfriend! No way, never!

Hazuki delivered an emphatic denial.

Right. A serious guy like me didn't engage in impure relationships with the opposite sex. A student's main job was studying, after all.

Well then, I'm going home. We have a test tomorrow.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and stood up with an overly serious expression.

It's totally not like that! No way, no way, absolutely not!

Behind me, Hazuki continued frantically denying any relationship between us.

Hazuki always seemed happy, which was nice.

Haahh.

I let out a sigh as I left the classroom.

Suppressing my true self all the time was exhausting.

Being serious all the time is so tiring.

That's me, Rintaro Chono.

A high school first-year constantly struggling with his overly serious approach to life.

The reason I became so obsessed with being serious stemmed from an incident that happened when I was in fourth grade.

I'd been a pure and innocent boy back then, but around that time, my sexual desires had begun to awaken. I'd constantly suppressed my frustrated feelings—basically a closet pervert.

One day, a boy named Tanaka had transferred into our class.

Hey there, Tono. Nice to meet you!

Tanaka couldn't pronounce the "ch" in my last name, so he called me "Tono" instead of "Chono." He was bold, insensitive, stupid, and above all, perverted—we quickly became best friends.

After that, we started doing what we called "perv play"—peeking up girls' skirts from under the stairs and messing around with recorders—finally releasing all the perverted desires I'd been bottling up.

Tanaka, are you sure this is okay? Won't we get in huge trouble if we're caught?

It was a summer afternoon during vacation. Tanaka and I were trying to sneak into the swimming club's changing room.

Don't worry about it! I'm gonna treat you to the girls' changing room! You wanna try on girls' panties too, right? It'll be incredible!

Tanaka voiced his desires without any shame.

I desperately wanted to have a summer panty fest in that changing room too. But this kind of stuff required careful planning, and I needed to keep things from getting out of hand.

Come on, if you keep dilly-dallying, the panties will get cold!

Tanaka, absolutely ravenous for the warmth of panties, ignored my concerns and was the first to sneak through the girls' changing room window.

Wait up, Tanaka!

In the end, I gave in to temptation too—the allure of girls' panties won out over the risk. The moment I put my foot on the changing room window, determined not to let Tanaka have all the freshly-removed panty warmth to himself . . .

What are you boys doing?!

In an instant, we were busted by a teacher making her rounds.

Since it was summer vacation, our stupid stunt didn't immediately spread to our classmates—at least that was the one silver lining.

As I sat there feeling dejected after getting thoroughly chewed out by the teacher, Tanaka turned to me.

Don't worry about it, Tono. This is nothing! Just a fatal wound!

A fatal wound was definitely bad! I didn't want to die yet.

This'll be our secret, just between you and me. We'll have to carry this burden for the rest of our lives. But if we carry it together, the weight is only half as much. No wait—one-fiftieth!

It's one-half, you idiot. You're confusing it with fifty percent.

Even though he was stupid and hopeless, having the eternally optimistic Tanaka around made me feel so much more confident. I thought that with Tanaka by my side, I could overcome any difficulty.

Then came the opening ceremony for the second semester. I walked into school worried sick that news of our changing room fiasco had spread to our classmates. Then, during homeroom that morning . . .

And so, Tanaka will be transferring schools. Tanaka, give your farewell speech.

I was speechless at the teacher's sudden announcement.

Well, a lot's happened, but I guess this is goodbye. Thanks, everyone.

Tanaka tried to look serious as he bid farewell to our classmates.

Oh, and Tono. Thanks for everything. I'll never forget how you and I snuck into the girls' changing room and got yelled at by the teacher! That was the best memory ever, right?!

When Tanaka said that, I flipped over backward—desk and all—and fainted.

Whatever happened to that summer promise we made to support each other through life?

That bastard Tanaka dumped a load of crap on me and transferred away!

Left behind, I had to carry the burden of being labeled a pervert—way too heavy a cross for any elementary school kid to bear—and ended up being hated by every girl in class.

All because I couldn't say no to Tanaka's invitation and made that mistake, my elementary school life took a dark turn.

I absolutely cannot let anyone find out I'm a pervert! If they do, my life is over!

I'd begged my parents to let me attend a distant private middle school where no one knew about me.

I'd resolved to leave behind my past as the class pervert, hide my perverted side, and become serious.

It was what you'd call a middle school makeover.

Since I was naturally serious at heart, I took it to unnecessary extremes and became very selective about my friendships.

If I were seen as serious, no one would think I was a pervert. I'd vowed never again to make the mistake of letting my perverted side show.

Here at Kaguyama High School, I'd already confirmed during the first-year roll call at orientation that there was no one from my elementary school. No one knew about my past anymore.

The courage to refuse with purity and integrity.

That was my motto. I was the embodiment of an ordinary, serious, average high school student you could find anywhere.

That was the way of life for me, Rintaro Chono, a first-year at Kaguyama High School.

Hey, isn't your skirt a little short?

I heard that voice just as I finished changing my shoes and left the school building.

Instinctively reacting to the erotic phrase "short skirt," I looked over to see a girl being scolded by a teacher about her uniform.

The girl wore a skirt that was above her knees, exposing her thighs. She was well-developed with quite a provocative figure. I almost found myself staring, my mind wandering to all sorts of perverted thoughts, but I steeled myself and looked away.

I can't react. I have to ignore this . . .

To avoid being thought of as a pervert, I had sworn to follow the Three Principles of Unperviness.

Don't be perverted. Don't be seen as perverted. Don't come close to anything perverted.

That was my solemn vow.

I needed to appear serious right from the start, so I couldn't be having such perverted thoughts. As a guy trying to pass for earnest and reliable, controlling my desires was absolutely crucial.

Whaaat, this is totally normal. Knee-length skirts are so out of style now!

Uniforms aren't about following fashion trends! Jeez, make sure you dress properly starting tomorrow!

Thanks, teach!

With that unexpectedly light warning, the girl ran off without showing the slightest bit of remorse.

Even though I knew it was wrong, I couldn't help but watch the short-skirted girl as she ran away.

What a sexy girl. Oh, I could almost see her panties. Black? White?

The fact that I was having such thoughts was probably because I'd gotten careless—overconfident from successfully making it through my first day of high school as a serious student.

Little Rintaro, who controlled the perverted side of me, began stirring and waking up.

Hey, stop it! Don't wake up in broad daylight like this!

Just as I was focusing on my lower body, trying to put Little Rintaro back to sleep . . .

Um, excuse me.

Huh?

A sudden voice behind me made me turn around on reflex.

There was a girl standing there.

Ahem, can I help you with something?

I cleared my throat and instantly switched back to serious mode. Little Rintaro also instantly went into hiding.

Her uniform ribbon was blue. She seemed to be a second-year. Moreover, she had an armband wrapped around her left arm.

Candidate . . . ?

I unconsciously read aloud the word written on the armband and looked up at the face of the girl who had called out to me.

Beautiful.

She was a girl with lustrous, graceful black hair.

Unlike Hazuki, she seemed calm and mature—like an adult woman. Even though she was only one year older, I felt overwhelmed by her presence.

Wh-what is it . . . ?

As I cowered under the intensity of her stare, the girl suddenly brought her face close to mine.

Was she going to kiss me—

For a moment, my lower body felt a little thrill, but of course, such a convenient fantasy wasn't going to come true.

I saw what you were doing just now.

The mysterious candidate girl whispered those words right in my ear.

Huh?

Saw what I was doing?

She didn't catch me checking out that girl with perverted eyes, did she?

In that moment, all the blood drained from my face.

Will you play the heel for me?

She said this while wearing the most natural smile.

I had no idea at the time that these words would become the turning point of my serious high school life.

Let's go.

With those words, the mysterious girl took my hand.

Huh? Wait, hold on! What's this about?

What the hell was happening to me right now? This was way too sudden!

What did she see me doing? And . . .

Wh-what's a heel?

A heel is a heel. Now come on, let's go!

She brushed off my questions as she grabbed my hand and dragged me into the school building.

W-wait, could I at least get your name?

I was so confused I sounded like some damsel in distress from an old movie.

Meiko. Meiko Kurokawa.

After introducing herself, she strode purposefully down the hallway.

Wait, Meiko! Where are we going?

You'll find out when we get there.

That thing on your arm—what is it? What's with the "candidate" armband?

It means I'm a candidate.

Well, you don't have to tell me that!

The mystery only deepened, and I couldn't make sense of anything.

Wait, what did you mean by "heel"? You're not wearing high heels, right? Is this some kind of healing magic?

Hey, be quiet! By heel I mean villain!

V-villain?

Meiko answered in a low voice and began climbing the stairs of the special building.

What do you mean, villain? What's this all about? Where are we going?

Suddenly feeling scared, I fired off question after question, but Meiko wouldn't answer anymore.

A villain—like a bad guy? What was this girl talking about?

Still confused, we reached a classroom at the far end of the fourth-floor hallway.

I-is this our destination?

Meiko turned around and stared straight at me with those dark, expressive eyes.

She had black hair and translucent white skin. She wasn't flashy, but there was something graceful about her modest beauty.

She really was beautiful . . . though her chest was small.

When I realized I'd been holding hands with someone like her, I suddenly got nervous.

Um . . . Meiko? About that villain thing . . .

Fidgeting nervously, I tried asking once more.

You're going to play the villain for me.

The mysterious beauty Meiko Kurokawa tucked her hair behind her ear and declared this matter-of-factly.

Huh?

I couldn't wrap my head around what she was saying, and no other words would come out.

I was supposed to play the villain? Huh?

Get in.

Meiko opened the classroom door and gestured for me to enter.

I had no choice but to comply. The sign overhead read "Earth Science Classroom."

The moment I entered that classroom, I was hit by the smell of dust.

Inside, desks were scattered sparsely in uneven rows. Wooden boxes were stacked on the teacher's platform, and mineral posters on the back wall were peeling off, giving the place an uncomfortable atmosphere of ruins.

All the curtains were drawn, and it felt lifeless—I could immediately tell this was a classroom that wasn't used very often.

Click.

The sound of the door locking behind me made me instantly anxious.

When I turned around, Meiko was looking me up and down as if appraising my worth.

Wh-what's going on? Please explain.

I got dragged to this place out of nowhere, and this Meiko girl just kept repeating incomprehensible words like "heel" and "villain" without properly answering my questions. I had no idea what was going on.

What's your name and class?

Huh? Rintaro Chono . . . Class 1-4.

Caught off guard by the sudden question, I answered seriously.

I see . . . Perfect.

Meiko smiled slightly as if she was satisfied.

No, not "perfect"—please explain! What's this about being a villain? Why do I have to play the villain? For what purpose?

I'm running for student council president in next year's election.

Huh? Was she just completely ignoring my questions?

But wait, she was running for next year's student council election already? It was ridiculously early for that.

Um, I understand that you're running for student council president, Meiko, but . . .

Wait. I'm not finished talking yet. Just listen first.

Huh, there was more? What about my questions . . .

I believe I'm the only one who can guide Kaguyama High School down the right path as student council president, but there's one other candidate besides me—a girl named Kana Shirasagi.

So Meiko wasn't the only one running this early? Were there a lot of impatient people at this school?

Hey, are you listening?

She furrowed her brow and gave me a cold stare.

If I interrupted, I got silenced, and if I stayed quiet, this happened. How totally selfish.

I-I'm listening. There's another candidate named Kana Shirasagi, and she's running as well, right?

Completely overwhelmed, I swallowed my questions and decided to go along with Meiko for now. I didn't have much choice—she'd just get angry if I pushed back.

I'm explaining this for your benefit, so you could at least show some reaction.

Yes, thank you . . .

Meiko crossed her arms and looked down at me with complete condescension.

Why did I have to be the one walking on eggshells here?

That Kana Shirasagi girl is really just a thoughtless attention-seeker who's treating this like some kind of popularity contest, but her approval ratings are high . . .

Meiko's voice, which had been confident and spirited until now, began trailing off.

Sensing her discomfort, I tentatively spoke up.

Does this Kana Shirasagi person have higher approval ratings than you, Meiko?

That's right. Unfortunately, you could say I'm losing by a bit.

By how much?

About nine to one, I'd say.

You're the one?

Yeah.

It was worse than I'd imagined. It was like being down by fifty points in the fourth quarter and already planning the consolation speech.

Do people hate you or something, Meiko? I can't think of any other reason for such a huge gap—

The moment I said that, Meiko shot me a murderous look.

You could try being a little more tactful.

S-sorry.

She was genuinely terrifying. I felt a pang of guilt.

It's because Kana Shirasagi is using dirty tactics to inflate her approval ratings! Honestly, if we had a fair fight, I'd never lose to that girl! She's nothing but some airhead with big boobs!

Some airhead with big boobs? Talk about being tactful.

Meanwhile, flat-chested Meiko was furiously pounding the desk. Please don't tell me this was all about her chest complex.

So, you're not giving up, right?

Of course not! That's why you're going to become the villain!

Wait, wait, wait! How does that lead to me becoming the villain?! That's the part that makes no sense at all!

In the end, we were right back where we started.

You become the villain, and that raises my approval ratings.

Huh? How does me becoming a villain raise your approval ratings? That makes no sense!

Before I knew it, I was having a heated argument with Meiko.

This wasn't good. Shouting wasn't like me. I'd hate for people to think I was some kind of hothead.

This whole serious act where I couldn't even speak my mind was really getting to me.

Huh? You still don't get it? Really?

Meiko widened her eyes and brought her face close to mine.

Don't stare at me like that . . . It was making me nervous.

I-I don't understand. Could you please explain it more clearly?

Is this what they mean when they say kids are getting dumber? I'm really feeling the generation gap here.

And then she started looking at me with pity.

We were only a year apart . . .

Listen carefully. You become the villain and . . . break school rules. Then I . . . reform you. If I defeat the villain, naturally, my reputation will improve. Get it now?

Meiko spoke slowly and deliberately, like she was talking to a child.

This condescending treatment was really getting on my nerves. I felt completely looked down on . . .

You want me to deliberately break school rules? For you? And then let you reform me?

That's right. You'll play the role of a villain who breaks school rules. A villain for my sake. Simple, right?

Meiko smiled brightly and waited for my agreement.

Wait just a minute. Are you trying to win the student council presidency using such underhanded tactics?

"Underhanded" is quite the word. So what if I am?

Meiko didn't show even a hint of guilt. If anything, there was something refreshing about her boldness.

That's like hero syndrome, isn't it?

Hero syndrome was when someone manufactured their own catastrophe just so they could play the hero—like a firefighter arsonist. It was a manipulative tactic often used in politics and business.

You created a problem yourself, then solved that same problem to receive credit and rewards.

In recent years, it'd been proven that you could easily achieve results online through things like stealth marketing and manufactured controversy, but I didn't think these methods were worth praising.

Well, I guess some people might call it that.

Some people might call it that, my ass. Anyone would call it straight-up hero syndrome.

Didn't you say you wouldn't lose if you fought fair and square against this Kana person? But now you're using such underhanded methods, even dragging me—someone you just met—into it.

She's the one who started using underhanded tactics first, so I'm just fighting back. You know the saying "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," right?

I knew the saying, but couldn't she find some more age-appropriate campaign tactics?

That's just putting on an act, isn't it? Wouldn't doing something like that make you the villain instead, Meiko?

I'm telling you, you're the one who's going to be the villain! Don't try to change the subject!

We were not understanding each other at all! Someone get us a good translator!

So why do I have to be the villain?!

I could tell she was assuming I'd be the one playing the villain, so I tried to set the record straight.

After all, I was in the middle of living a completely serious life.

Playing the villain and breaking school rules was completely unacceptable.

You came here, which means you're okay with it, right? Don't tell me you were lying to me!

It's not about lying to anyone! I was just dragged here against my will—if anything, I'm the one who got tricked!

I found myself shouting.

This wasn't good. Calm down. I needed to handle this rationally.

Why me, anyway? There are plenty of guys who already break school rules and would be perfect for the villain role.

True evil can't fulfill the villain role. You have the right qualities for it.

Villain qualities? No way I have anything like that.

I spoke in a deliberately cold, dismissive tone.

I'd worked so hard to maintain a serious image until now, so there was no way I had such qualities.

You just started here, so you can reinvent yourself however you want, right? It's the perfect opportunity to play the villain.

That's completely unfair! Doesn't that mean any new student would work?

I didn't want someone I'd just met deciding what kind of person I should be.

No. There's another big reason I chose you.

A reason?

Exactly. Earlier, there was a girl getting warned by a teacher about her uniform, right? . . . Do you remember?

Meiko asked with a dramatic pause, trying to refresh my memory.

Of course I remembered. That girl with the short skirt.

I was . . .

You were staring at that rule-breaking girl, weren't you?

Exactly. I was sneaking glances at that sexy girl, wondering if I could catch a glimpse of her panties . . .

The Little Rintaro inside me had woken up for just a moment.

Wait, did she figure out that I was a pervert?

N-no! I wasn't looking at her in that way or anything . . .

I broke out in a cold sweat, and my heart started pounding wildly.

That was your true self, wasn't it? You don't need to hide it.

So that was what she meant when she said, "I saw you"!

She figured out that I was a pervert, and now she was using that weakness to trap me into becoming the villain!

I didn't mean it like that . . .

How careless of me!

Back in elementary school, I'd gotten caught sneaking into the girls' changing room by my classmates and got stuck with the reputation of being a pervert. To avoid repeating that dark chapter of my past, I'd desperately tried to hide any sign of my perverted tendencies.

That was why I'd drilled the Three Principles of Unperviness into my soul and worked so hard to live a respectable life—but now one careless moment had blown my cover!

I just had a moment of weakness . . . My immature side slipped out!

Meiko was an influential figure—she was running for student council president. If she spread this around the whole school, I'd be branded as a pervert from day one of high school.

The pervert label would destroy my high school life!

Please don't tell anyone about this!

I buried my face in my hands. On the very first day of high school, I was staring into the abyss of despair.

Don't be modest . . . It's admirable.

I'm not being modest . . . Huh? Admirable?

In my anguish, I couldn't help but do a double-take.

Being perverted was admirable? What kind of paradise was this?

You couldn't stand seeing that girl break the school rules, right? And you couldn't stand the teacher who just let it slide either.

Huh? What was she talking about?

When I saw that stern look in your eyes back then, I was certain. Someone who truly cared about this school had finally arrived.

Meiko had a solemn expression. She didn't look like she was joking.

That's why I chose you. Your sense of justice that won't tolerate rule-breaking and your serious character—those are exactly the qualities needed to play the villain! Let's protect this school's order together!

Meiko seemed confident in her analysis, but she'd made a huge mistake.

Did she think I wasn't a pervert but rather some kind of saint filled with righteous indignation toward rule-breaking students?

Well, um, I don't know about that . . .

Being seen as serious was exactly what I wanted, but she had completely misunderstood why I was staring at that girl with such intensity . . .

If a rule-breaking villain gets defeated, the school will be peaceful. Plus, my approval rating will go up—it's perfect, isn't it? This is a villain role that only someone as serious as you can handle.

What was perfect about it? It sounded like nothing but bad news for me.

And saying that my serious personality was exactly what was needed to play a villain? The irony was incredible.

D-do you really think I'm that kind of serious person . . . ?

I asked her nervously. I still couldn't believe it. This might be a scheme to make me let my guard down so she could rope me into being the villain.

I don't joke around. I genuinely want to work together with someone as serious as you to make this school better.

But leveraging a hero syndrome scheme to win the student council election . . .

Sometimes you need to embrace necessary evil to achieve victory, and some things can only be protected through such means. You're the only one who can do it.

Meiko tried to convince me with a completely serious expression.

But . . .

With Meiko being so sincere, I was at a loss for how to respond.

First of all, I was not even thinking about changing the school. I didn't have any sense of justice whatsoever.

I'd learned from the Tanaka incident that getting swept up by emotions and making rash promises led to terrible consequences.

Being a villain . . . I can't . . .

I tried to refuse firmly. But, wait a minute.

How was it possible that she mistook me staring at that sexy girl for being a serious guy?

Wouldn't it make more sense to assume she'd figured out that I was a pervert?

I was overthinking it and getting paranoid.

Are you saying you can't do it? There's no reason for you to refuse, right?

Meiko smirked and confidently demanded an answer.