Chapter 370: Hana Uzaki
Friday.
For once, he didn't receive any confessions and didn't have to wait foolishly under the bare cherry blossom tree. Haruto slung his backpack over his shoulder and left the classroom with ease.
Having chosen to temper his heart in the mortal world, he naturally wanted to live as closely as possible to an ordinary high school student's life.
The Occult Research Club's activities clearly had nothing to do with the word "ordinary."
After-school club activities were the most distinctive part of Japanese school culture, and now he wanted to experience them fully.
To be honest, aside from when his abilities first awakened and he visited various clubs to scout for talents, Haruto knew very little about high school club activities.
Unfortunately, with only a few months left until his third year, many clubs wouldn't accept him, and most that would were only interested in his body.
Kuoh Academy had been co-ed for two years, but the gender ratio was still heavily skewed. It was genuinely difficult for Haruto to have a normal club experience.
But then it occurred to him: wasn't true acceptance about embracing this very uniqueness?
Whether good or bad, he should accept it without forcing ordinariness.
Thus, Haruto ultimately chose to join the swimming club.
Since he was going to be taken advantage of anyway, he might as well be open about it and let the female students enjoy the view to their hearts' content.
After changing into brand new swim trunks, Haruto's perfect physique immediately made the girls in the swimming club swoon with heart-eyed expressions, their legs going weak.
Several bold senior students even went so far as to reach out and stroke Haruto's perfectly sculpted muscles.
Had Haruto not stopped them, those touching his Adonis belt would have tried to slip their hands into the bulging, tightly stretched swim trunks.
After sealing his true strength, his self-control had diminished somewhat. Combined with the high quality of the swimming club's female members, if he hadn't intervened in time, he might have really ended up having an orgy right then and there.
Haruto had joined the swimming club merely to experience club life, with no intention of participating in any competitions.
Given his current physical condition, competing against Olympic champions would be like an adult bullying children.
After a few days of experience and growing closer with the girls, he had nearly lost control several times. Especially when facing Hana Uzaki - that silver-haired beauty with a childlike face and ample bosom who felt strangely familiar - Haruto's desires burned particularly strong.
He had been drawn to Hana Uzaki from the start. Not only was she the heroine from his memories, but her figure and appearance perfectly matched his preferences. However, subsequent events had unfolded unexpectedly, and for various reasons, he hadn't pursued further contact.
Currently, Hana Uzaki had just met Sakurai Shinichi. At this time, she still wore shoulder-length hair, even more adorable and alluring than the short-haired version in Haruto's memories.
Sakurai Shinichi was also in the swimming club, but with his solitary personality, Haruto's observations suggested no romantic feelings had developed between them yet.
Though Hana Uzaki appeared outgoing, she was actually quite shy and somewhat tsundere. Even if attracted to Haruto, she would never take the initiative to confess.
In Haruto's memories, she and Sakurai Shinichi's relationship developed rapidly in college - they even slept under the same blanket, yet did nothing and never honestly expressed their feelings.
Though Haruto strongly desired to claim Hana Uzaki for himself, every time he considered making a move, he would recall Sakurai Shinichi practicing swimming alone in silence.
Even though it was something that hadn't happened yet, he felt like he had become the "homewrecker."
Haruto knew that if he spoke up, Hana Uzaki would definitely agree.
But this time was different from when he was with Rias and Mio Naruse.
Back then, for the sake of his talent, Haruto had to do it—but now it was purely for lust.
He couldn't shake the feeling that he was turning into the very type of "homewrecker" he despised, and an inexplicable sense of guilt weighed on him.
In short, he needed a reason; otherwise, he couldn't get past his own conscience.
After several days of inexplicable mental turmoil, before Haruto could figure out what reason or excuse to use to convince himself, his attention toward Hana Uzaki had already been noticed by others.
One day, encouraged by the girls in the swimming club, a cute, silver-gray-haired, large-chested beauty with shoulder-length hair took the initiative to approach Haruto.
"Um... Haruto-kun..."
Hana Uzaki's delicate face flushed red as she nervously tapped her index fingers together, whispering, "Everyone says you suddenly joined the swimming club because of me..."
Haruto didn't make things difficult for the shy girl.
"Well, at first, it really wasn't."
He looked at Hana, who was wearing a tight swimsuit that accentuated her alluring, sexy figure, and admitted honestly, "But now, I do have some thoughts about you."
As if she had just been confessed to by the boy of her dreams, Hana didn't feel disgusted at all. Instead, her fair face grew even redder.
The petite girl felt her heart racing, completely overwhelmed by immense surprise and happiness.
Hana's reaction was within Haruto's expectations—this was probably the privilege of being handsome.
Especially for a handsome guy with a special charm, even if he was widely known as a playboy or a scumbag, there were still plenty of delicate flowers willing to be "played."
Hana's initiative seemed to give Haruto a reason to make a move, but before he could make up his mind, a question from the youthful, large-chested beauty left him stunned.
"If that's the case... then why didn't you say anything to me sooner, Haruto-kun?"
A hint of confusion appeared on Hana's adorable face. "Isn't it said that if you like someone, no matter who she is, whether she has a boyfriend or a husband, you'll decisively pursue her?"
Haruto's mouth twitched, feeling offended once again. He had no idea who was spreading such rumors—most of the time, he was the passive one.
But the next moment, he suddenly felt something was off, as if he had noticed something.
Yet, upon careful thought, nothing seemed particularly unusual.
Seeing Haruto lost in thought, Hana thought he was angry and quickly apologized.
"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way... It's just what everyone says..."
"It's fine, I understand. Though it's a bit exaggerated, my personal life is indeed messy."
Haruto skillfully comforted the cute girl in front of him. "So, Hana-chan, now that you know, are you willing to go out with me?"
"Go... go out, go out..."
Hana's small head seemed about to emit steam. After repeating the words nervously a few times, she finally nodded gently, her face still flushed.
"Haruto... kun, then from now on, we're boyfriend and girlfriend."
The girl's tender voice rang in his ears, pleasant as it was, but the words "boyfriend and girlfriend" seemed to trigger Haruto's PTSD.
Instinctively, he immediately said, "We're not boyfriend and girlfriend, just dating."
Hana Uzaki's small head sprouted several large question marks, her clear, innocent eyes looking at Haruto in confusion. "Isn't dating the same as being boyfriend and girlfriend?"
Haruto was once again at a loss for words, wanting to refute but not knowing where to start.
That ambiguous feeling surfaced again, but he still couldn't grasp it.
One can't see the true face of Mount Lu because one is standing on the mountain itself.
Perhaps inner demons are much the same.
If an observer could see into Haruto's heart, they would likely bluntly call him out:
You're just a playboy, already acting like such a scumbag, yet you keep making excuses all day long—it's like being a prostitute but still wanting a monument of chastity.
Unfortunately, no one could jolt Haruto awake with harsh words. Only when he figured it out himself would he truly accept his own abilities.
All mental exhaustion and inner demons would then become insignificant.
Though his heart was clouded by inner demons, fortunately, it didn't stop Haruto from claiming the 'prey' that had come to him.
After giving himself a mental pep talk—that he was about to conquer his inner demons and shouldn't fear admitting to having a girlfriend—Haruto took a deep breath and said seriously, "You're right. From now on, we're boyfriend and girlfriend."
The moment the words left his mouth, he felt a sudden lightness in his heart, while the lurking malice around him intensified noticeably.
Sure enough, having a girlfriend amplified the negative effects.
It was like adding fresh fuel to a burning fire—not only did the flames grow fiercer, but they would also last longer.
Haruto's strength was far beyond what it used to be, so this malice didn't frighten him.
If he hadn't sealed his power, he probably wouldn't even have noticed this malice.
After all, if a threat couldn't even scratch his skin, his sixth sense wouldn't bother warning him.