After we had breakfast, Emi grabbed not only her own plates but also mine and went to the elegant kitchen sink to wash them together, and I asked for permission to go to the bathroom to take a bath first in preparation for school, which Emi agreed to.

But before I could leave the kitchen and go to the bathroom, Emi suddenly spoke.

"Make it quick, Inzo. It's 6:50 am. At 7:30 pm, my driver will wait outside my house."

"Got it, Emi," I replied before heading to the bathroom.

When I arrived in the bathroom, I closed and locked the door. It's not that I don't trust Emi, but she has become clingy towards me, putting my pictures all around her room. So, it's just about privacy. Even though we're close friends, privacy is still important.

With that said, I was shocked to see the bathroom. The place is huge! It's elegant, luxurious, and aesthetic. Is this really a bathroom? I wondered to myself. The size seems more like a room than a bathroom!

In addition, this bathroom had wooden cabinetry where I could see the mirror and an expensive, high-tech toilet with many features. A few steps in front of me, there were glass partitions with a sliding door. I walked over and slid the glass partitions open, revealing a soaking tub in front of me. To the left side, there was a showerhead, and beside the soaking tub, there was a built-in shelf with two shampoos and two soaps.

The first shampoo was a white peach shampoo, tall and slender, with a frosted glass bottle and metallic gold accents on the labeling and cap. Next to it was a lychee soap packaged in sleek matte black with gold foil detailing.

Based on looking at these shampoos and soaps, I think the price of these luxurious products; more expensive than food. Despite their allure, I chose the regular shampoo and soap because the white peach shampoo and lychee soap seemed to be from Emi Shinohara. That's why I refused to use them. However, the familiar scent coming from the soaking tub confirmed my suspicion that it was also from her.

You might wonder how I knew the scent was from Emi Shinohara. It's simple: from the moment I met her, her scent, sweet and alluring, reminded me more of freshly picked peaches on a warm summer day.

After using the showerhead to take a bath, I slid open the glass partitions and made my way to the cabinetry. Inside one of the drawers, I found neatly arranged Hanayami Academy uniforms for males, along with a towel. Grabbing the towel, I dried myself off before putting on the uniform. Another drawer revealed a blue and pink toothbrush. Could these be mine and Emi's?

Without hesitation, I grabbed the blue toothbrush with my right hand, and with my left hand, I squeezed toothpaste onto its bristles and started to brush. After brushing my teeth, I covered the toothbrush and returned it to the drawer. I also found two cups—a blue one and a pink one. Assuming the blue was for me, I filled it with water from the faucet and gargled four times before returning it to the drawer.

Exiting the bathroom, I made my way to the kitchen, where Emi Shinohara was seated at the dining table. She stood up upon seeing me in my Hanayami Academy uniform, with my hair freshly washed.

"You look really handsome, Inzo," Emi said, blushing in her cheeks.

"N-no, I'm not that handsome," I replied, feeling embarrassed.

"Hmm, are you sure?" She walked over and approached me, leaning closer until our lips were inches apart.

"H-hey, you're too close, Emi," I said, blushing intensely.

"I don't care~," she replied playfully. "In fact, I like being close to you." Then, her tone turned serious. "But are you telling me my eyes have a problem if I see you as handsome?"

"N-no, ma'am, your eyes don't have a problem." I accidentally called her "ma'am," given her authoritative and intimidating demeanor.

"Ma'am?" She chuckled, still close to me. "I do like being called that nickname."

She backed away, and I sighed in relief as she grinned at my reaction. "Well, I'm going to take a bath now. While you wait for me, Inzo, you can sit in the chair at the dining table."

"Okay, see you later, Emi."

"See you later too, Inzo," she said as she walked away toward the bathroom.

I went to the dining table and took a seat, sighing as I waited for Emi. I couldn't help but wonder to myself, "Can our friendship with Emi and I last? I have a feeling in my gut that in the future, there might be problems that could strain our friendship, or worse, replace it. Wait, replace? What did I just say?"

The word "replaced" keeps echoing in my mind.

"What does 'replacing our friendship' mean? Could Emi and I become enemies? Or could our friendship evolve to the point where she becomes my girlfriend?"

"No, no, no, I shouldn't think about the possibility of Emi becoming my enemy or my girlfriend. I should think positively that whatever happens, Emi will always stay by my side."

————

I arrived at the bathroom, gazing at myself in the mirror within the cabinetry, my face flushed with excitement.

"Kyaa~! He looks so super duper handsome after taking a bath!"

I tightened my grip around the basin. "His scent after bathing has improved, becoming even more intoxicating to me. And the way he blushes... Ahh, I can't stop! My heart is beating so fast right now." I placed a hand over my chest, feeling the rapid thump and thud as I thought of Inzo. "Why are you so irresistible, my beloved Inzo?"

Five minutes had passed, and I managed to calm myself down. Then, I retrieved my phone from my pocket and scrolled through my contacts. I dialed a specific number, eagerly awaiting the response from the man on the other end, who picked up immediately.

"Good morning, Harashino-sama."

"Good morning," I replied, my tone cold. "Can you bribe the homeroom teacher of Class 2-B at Hanayami Academy?"

"How much, Harashino-sama?" the man asked.

17 million yen?" I suggested.

"Such a huge amount, Harashino-sama."

"Was it really that huge? We could also lower it down to 16 million yen to bribe that homeroom teacher."

"I don't have a problem with the price as long as it's your wish, harashino-sama, but I want to ask: is this about your future lover?" 

"Yes, it's about him."

"Then I will make a call directly to the principal of Hanayami Academy. But what changes do you really want to happen, Harashino-sama?" 

"The homeroom teacher of Class 2-B should know that I and Inzo will be..." 

I told the man the whole reason for it, and I could hear the wide grin in his voice. "Heh... as I expected of Harashino-sama. I'll make this happen immediately, Harashino-sama."

"Don't disappoint me. Goodbye."

I ended the call, and I put the phone in the cabinetry. The man I had called earlier was someone I had met seven years ago after my parents passed away. He was a friend of my father, who was the former president and CEO of Harashino Group.

————

Ten minutes had passed, and Emi Shinohara entered the kitchen. She looked refreshed after her bath, her hair still slightly damp and fragrant from the white peach shampoo. She wore the Hanayami Academy uniform: a blue blouse, a navy blue skirt, and black stockings.

"Let's go now, Inzo," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, let's go then," I replied, standing up from the seat at the dining table.

We walked together, and as we reached the exit of her house, the massive door automatically opened. It was the first time I had seen a door open like that in a house. I had seen similar doors like this in a big company buildings, but never in a house.

In front of us, there was a fountain with water flowing, and beyond that stood a black car, luxurious and mysterious.

Emi walked forward and opened the car door, looking at me. "Get in, Inzo."

"R-right!" I said, still a bit shocked, and entered the car. I took a seat on the sofa in the backseat of the car; it was incredibly soft. Emi then got in and sat beside me, then closed the door of the car, and after that, she held my right hand tightly, causing me to feel embarrassed.

"H-hey, we're in the car, Emi."

"It's my car, though," she replied with a playful smirk.

"But the driver..." I said, glancing at the front seat to see the professional driver, who seemed unfazed by our conversation.

"F-fine..." Emi let go of my right hand and turned to look at the driver with her cold, blue-grey eyes. "School."

With just one word, the car began to move, exiting through the large gate of the mansion. I looked back once more at the mansion as we drove away.

"Your house is so big, Emi," I said while still gazing at the mansion's rear.

"As it should be, since I'll be keeping you there forever soon."

Upon hearing her words, I turned back and sat properly on the car's seat, facing her. "What do you mean, Emi?"

"What I mean is that my house is our little world," she said, gently holding my left hand with a playful smile. "Do you understand now, Inzo?"

"Yeah, I understand, Emi," I nodded in agreement.

"Good boy, good boy~" Emi said playfully, patting my head with her right hand, causing me to blush and look down at the sofa.

While staring at the sofa, I remembered something important. I had special quizzes and assignments later because I had been in the hospital for a month. That one-month absence from assignments and quizzes is really going to beat me up later. Nooo! It's going to be a long day, I thought to myself, and my expression saddened.

Emi noticed my expression and stopped patting my head, tightening her grip on my left hand. I raised my head and looked at her.

"Is there a problem, Inzo?" she asked worriedly, her blue-grey eyes filled with concern.

"I have special quizzes and assignments in all subjects, and I might be staying until 5 p.m. at school."

"Hmm, so you're worried that I will leave you after classes?"

"Yeah, because I will be alone taking the special quizzes, which makes me nervous, especially with the assignments."

"I told you, didn't I, Inzo?"

"W-what do you mean?"

She released my right hand, which was holding hers, and cupped my face with both her hands.

"That I am your one and only friend, and that means I will stay by your side and help you with your assignments and cheer you on during your special quizzes."

"B-but, Emi, it would be a—"

"It wouldn't be a bother for me, Inzo. After all, I'm the top student in Class 2-B and also the class representative, so I can help you."

Emi was right. She was the top student in our class, and there were rumors that she would move to Class A in the third year. She was also our class representative, always active and supportive. Even when I sang, she was a fan and always supported me. And now she was showing the same care and kindness to me.

"Thank you, Emi." I smiled, feeling grateful that she would stay after classes to help me.

She smiled back. "Your smile is really beautiful, Inzo."

"My smile is not beautiful, Emi."

"It is to me. You may not see it that way because you're not confident in yourself, but to me, it's beautiful and a gift from heaven. Since you smiled at me like that, you deserve a special reward."

"A special reward?" I asked, tilting my head in curiosity.

“Mmm, yes, a special reward, my beloved Inzo~" She smiled playfully at me and gently placed my head on her left shoulder. As I leaned against her soft skin, I felt safe and secure. I could smell her sweet scent, which made me feel sleepy. My eyes began to close and open continuously, and Emi's grin widened when she noticed me being sleepy.

"Just close your eyes, my beloved Inzo," she said softly, patting my head gently. "I'll wake you up when we arrive at Hanayami Academy."

"Mhm... Okay," I murmured softly as I closed my eyes to sleep.

Suddenly, I found myself being tossed into the sea, and I saw white peach blossom flowers beside me. I tried to move to escape, but my hands and legs refused to obey, like I was being paralyzed.

There, the chains suddenly appeared on my hands and legs; this was the reason why I couldn't move. Now that I found myself drowning in the depths of the sea, I realized there was no chance for escape; therefore, I accepted my fate, and before I was about to close my eyes, a woman with long, dark wolf-cut hair with grey-blue eyes just appeared in front of me. She caressed my face, then moved to my eyes, and finally stopped at my lips, touching them as she widened her grin.

I couldn't see her face clearly. Who was she? What will she do to me? Was she a goddess guiding me to heaven?

"You belong to me because we are fated to be together," she declared.

"W-what? Just who are you?" I asked, still drowning in the depths of the sea.

"Me?" She smiled, but that smile of that woman seems familiar, like I have met her before. "My name is..."

Before she could answer, I heard a kind voice in my ear.

"Inzo, wake up now."

"Waah!" I shouted as I opened my eyes and quickly backed away from Emi, putting some distance between us.

"You had a bad dream again, Inzo?" Emi asked, her expression filled with concern.

"Yeah, I thought it was real."

"Well, what did you dream about?" 

I couldn't tell Emi that my bad dream was about a girl, as she might get jealous. 

"It was just a horror game I played back in middle school," I lied.

"A horror game, huh? Sounds pretty interesting," Emi replied.

"Did we arrive now at the Hanayami Academy, Emi?" I asked as I quickly changed the topic.

"Yes, we're here, Inzo."

"Then we should go now, Emi," I said, eager to end the conversation now before she could ask more about my bad dream.

Emi then opened the car door and extended her hand as an invitation for me. "Come on, Inzo, let's go together."

"Okay," I replied, taking her hand and going out of the car. In front of us, we saw the towering blue gates of Hanayami Academy. Entering through them, we continued on towards the academy building.

As Emi and I ascended the stairs going to the second floor and  as we arrived to the second floor and we walked together, I noticed some students glancing at us.

"Look at Shinohara-san; she's with Hayashi-san," a girl whispered to a boy nearby.

"Yeah, they're holding hands," the boy replied.

I suddenly realized that we had been holding hands, which seemed to attract the attention of the students in the second-floor hallway. The whispers grew louder as we kept walking.

"No way Shinohara-san is dating a guy like Hayashi-san, right?"

"Yeah, there's no way. Maybe Shinohara-san is just letting him hold her hand."

"And she's our class representative. She wouldn't really go out with a guy who's broken and can't even sing."

"He's nothing."

"Yeah, you're right; he's also trash and worthless."

Their words cut deep into my heart, and I couldn't bear it. I stopped to walk, and Emi noticed it. But before I could let go of her hand, she held onto it tightly, surprising me.

"H-hey, Emi..." I said softly, speaking only for her to hear.

Emi remained silent; she took a deep breath before speaking in a cold tone loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Why are you disrespecting my boyfriend?"

The students in the second-floor hallway were shocked into silence, unable to respond. I leaned closer to Emi's ear, hoping she was just joking to protect me.

"I-it's a joke, right, Emi? To protect me?" I whispered to her.

But Emi ignored me and continued to speak. "Don't treat Inzo like a trashcan or a broken toy just because he lost the singing contest."

Some of the students exchanged glances, their faces filled with disappointment.

"I can't believe Shinohara-san is defending Hayashi-san."

"Shinohara-san deserves better than him. He doesn't deserve to be her boyfriend!"

"He's trash, Shinohara-san. Nothing can change that."

"Isn't it just pitiful? The class representative of class 2-B, Shinohara-san, has such low standards. Who would've thought her ideal boy would be nothing more than a broken toy?"

Laughter filled the hallway, but suddenly, someone approached us. It was the blond-haired man who had beaten me up yesterday. I held Emi's left hand tightly in fear, leaning closer to her to whisper.

"It's him, the one who—"

"Who would've thought you'd come back after I beat up and stomped your head, Inzo?" he interrupted with a smug grin.

Fear gripped me even more, my eyes trembling and my legs shaking. But I held tightly to Emi, seeking comfort and protection. I had lost my confidence after losing my singing voice, but being with Emi made me want to rely on her and be protected by her.

"Look at your legs trembling. Are you scared that you can't even stand straight? And do you really think you deserve Shinohara-san to be your girlfriend? You're just a coward and trash who shouldn't be alive," he taunted before lunging toward me. "That's why you may now die, Inzo Hayashi!"

I closed my eyes, seemingly accepting what was about to happen to me. It seemed like everyone at Hanayami Academy hated me after I lost my singing voice.

But then, the punch I expected to come never arrived. I didn't feel it on my face. Where did it go? So I opened my eyes to see Emi standing in front of me, her right hand stopping the punch from the blond-haired man.

"I may be thankful to you right now that you've shown up to us," Emi said, tightening her grip on her left hand, which had caught the blond-haired man's fist. "I wouldn't have had the hassle of finding you and teaching you a lesson."

"W-what did you say, Shinohara-san?!" the blond-haired man asked with a tone of anger.

Emi didn't reply to the blond-haired man; instead, she let go of my left hand, which was holding her right hand, and then she punched the blond-haired man with her right hand. It was a strong punch that knocked him down, leaving him kneeling on the floor with his mouth bleeding.

He had been defeated by just one punch from Emi.

"Stand up. I'm not done yet," Emi said coldly, her blue-grey eyes filled with anger and determination.

The entire class remained silent, shocked by what they had just witnessed. Emi's actions had taken them by surprise, and they were unsure how to react.

The blond-haired man stood up again, only to be met with another barrage of punches from Emi—left, right, left, right, followed by an uppercut and a punch to the gut, causing him to vomit blood. Finally, Emi delivered a powerful side kick, sending him crashing to the ground in defeat.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Could Emi really be this violent? She had always been kind to me, but this side of her was unexpected.

Emi approached the blond-haired man and stepped on his head with her left shoe.

"Apologize to Inzo," she commanded, her voice firm.

"Why would I?" the man retorted, still clinging to his pride.

Without hesitation, Emi stomped on his head four times, causing his head to bleed continuously. 

"Now say you're sorry, Inzo, and that you won't harm him again," she demanded.

"I-i'm sorry! I'm sorry, Inzo! I won't harm you again!" the blond-haired man cried, tears streaming down his face.

Satisfied to hear the blond-haired man's apology, Emi let go of his head. She turned to me and extended her right hand. "Let's go to our classroom, Inzo."

Still in shock, I simply nodded in agreement. "Y-yeah, let's go," I replied, taking her right hand.

We continued to walk to the second-floor hallway, heading to our classroom, Class 2-B. The students fell silent and watched us walk.

I couldn't help but ask Emi, "Aren't you worried about getting suspended for your actions earlier?"

She stopped walking and looked at me. "They can't suspend me, Inzo," she said firmly. Before she could continue, a gust of wind blew in from the window near us, tousling her long, dark, wolf-cut hair and causing it to wave gracefully around her. With a sweet smile, she added, "As long as I'm here, no one will hurt you, Inzo. I will protect you."

"Thank you, Emi. Thank you for being my knight," I said, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

 Shinohara-san is really so cool! It was supposed to be a 2.5k word count chapter, but I extended it because I myself want to really see Shinohara-san in action! hahaha! my bad! But I'll leave you with two questions: What do you think of this new chapter, and who is the woman that appears in Inzo's dream? See you in the next chapter!