The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side
Chapter 52: Ultimatum
Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well
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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ
Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki
Written by: wrathie
Author's Notes: Thank you, Kaiser dude for the beta-edit as always.
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The mood was definitely different from how it was like before and it was for the better thankfully as the girls and Keima left for the welcoming party together.
Their destination was naturally the karaoke despite Haqua and Chihiro busting their voices out earlier during practise as Ayumi insisted on it. Perhaps Ayumi wanted to to relieve some of her tension by singing as well?
Reassured by what she had heard from Keima, Elsi was in her usual jovial self, chatting eagerly and energetically with the rest of the girls and especially so with Ayumi; and just by seeing that, he felt a little more relieved at his chances at getting out of this situation unscathed and without any further repercussions.
Ayumi in particularly had bounced back quicker than he had expected and it seemed that his little pep talk with her had worked well and had only served as a big motivator for her to continue on in the path that he had laid for her.
There had been a brief moment that Keima had been worried that she would react negatively to his rejection of her but it seemed that she was patient enough to wait for an answer from him.
He felt a little guilty, just a little really at how unreasonable he was being as well as how the girls always seem to be so accepting of his ways.
Yes, he could probably find ways and means to justify his selfish actions but that does not mean that the girls would be be willing to humour or be obliged to accept him.
The way he asked them to wait, the many reasons that he gave to show that he wasn't able to make a decision, the excuses that he gave to make them hope and pray for the answer that he himself knew that it was impossible, all those reasons were weighing down on him and every new promise that he made was something that he...was not certain that he could commit to at all.
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He had been obliged to help out with the 2B Pencils due to his earlier promise with Chihiro that he would give a helping hand whenever she needed help after all.
It wasn't the first time that he had done so; he had offered a helping hand in assisting the four of them on their preparation for a pop quiz to secure an agreement for them to form a Light Music Club in the first place.
His obligation to help should have ended there but it seems that he was being too soft-hearted with the girls for him to be in the current situation right now.
Yes, his infiltration of the 2B Pencils was partly due to his desire and wish in searching for the culprit that caused everyone to regain their memories in the first place.
But now that he knew the truth, there was no further obligation at all for him to invest and put so much effort into the 2B Pencils as a whole, right?
Wouldn't it be more prudent and efficient if he actually placed emphasis on the root of the problem and to solve it instead?
The Capturing God couldn't come up with a single solid reason for him to keep assisting those girls but in all of honest,y does he really mind helping them at all in the first place at all?
The smiles from the girls as they thanked him for his help, their faith and trust in him as well as how in general his reputation had gotten better were all pluses for him thanks to his involvement with the girls.
That was just an addition to all the positive attention that he had been able to generate from his efforts in promoting the girls.
It... did indeed feel better to be acknowledged and accepted like this, that was one fact that Keima would readily admit to the world. Even if he was numb to the dirty looks and the insults that were whispered in private everyone else, they hurt too. Even if he was indeed above all of their abuse and their comments of him, it was something enjoyable to be recognized for his talent and skills too.
'Tsk...'
Keima was forced to look to the side as he cursed silently at how he was getting tempted by the prospects of being popular or at least, liked by the general public. It would indeed be different from what he was used to and there was really no need for anyone to tempt him, he himself was the sole beneficiary and his sharp and calculative mind was working against him as the possibilities were indeed endless if he did decided to nurture the 2B Pencils.
With his knowledge of human nature, gained through his games, it wouldn't be an impossible dream to really challenge Kanon in the regional stage. Stranger things have happened after all and so... why not, really?
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'Katsuragi-kun?'
Breaking him out of his inner debate, Keima looked up to see Terada Miyako looking at him curiously as he had apparently gotten separated from the rest of the group while he was deep in his thoughts and he apologized to Miyako as she shook her head as well.
'No, I should thank you for helping Ayumi through that difficult phase. I knew men were all perverts by nature... but I didn't know that they could stoop so low.'
Sniffing the air in discontent, Keima allowed some time to pass between them as Miyako settled down to walk beside him as he commented that it was true to some degree.
'People are naturally drawn to attractive people, people who are pleasing to the eye. We are built this way and in the end, looks really does matter even if the popular saying says that the inner self should be valued. One is always assessed by looks due to one having a lack of information to judge another person with other more relevant traits.'
'I guess so, that's why they all say that one should always 'dress for the part' as first impression always counts, right? It was just pure luck that Ayumi... met someone like that? I could just slap him now.'
Demonstrating how she would do so by giving the air a mock slap, Miyako nodded in understanding even as Keima explained to her.
'Yes, it was bad luck on her part. Ayumi was not wearing anything provocative and neither was she hinting nor flirting with the individual to encourage him. There were no justifications for him to do so besides his own lust... If I had to put it bluntly like that.'
Keima coughed discreetly even as Miyako nodded in understanding. The boy's action can really never be fully justified but that does not mean that he should get a free pass just because Keima could do that for him.
'Well... Ayumi-chan is really cute isn't she? I wouldn't... blame him for wanting to go out with Ayumi... but touching is a no-no and what he did was totally wrong! I hope he gets punished for it!'
Miyako said so sternly while crossing her legs and she smiled in gratitude when Keima offered to carry her instrument for her and she commented that Keima was really a gentleman after all.
'It would be difficult for one to do so without implicating Ayumi in some manner. It would be best to let sleeping dogs lie, I trust that none of you would want to have something like this brought to the spotlight for the while school to scrutinize... it is difficult to accept that he might be able to get away with this scot-free... but as it is...
Keeping the incident a secret has better benefits than bringing it out in the open. The expression 'airing one's dirty linen' would rather be avoided here... not only would it affect Ayumi in a negative light, it would just hurt your chances of being able to perform at the Mai-High festival.'
Taking a breath after he said so much, Keima quickly added on as Miyako nodded in understanding.
'Controversy is something that we should avoid right now, not encourage...'
Miyako fell silent after that, perhaps she ran out of things to say as the two of them followed the gaggle of girls who were chatting eagerly with themselves, probably about clothes.
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'Would it be alright if I ask you a question, Katsuragi-kun?'
Miyako suddenly asked as the other girls dropped by a shop all of a sudden, pulled in by Ayumi as the other two found themselves waiting for them outside the shop and looking in at the girls trying out matching clothes together with each other.
There really isn't a need to go all punk or gothic if they wanted to make a statement, summer was over after all... perhaps some bright clothes symbolizing themselves and reflecting their desire to project themselves as cheerful would suffice as well.
Keima was surprised and caught off guard by her sudden request as he was admiring how Elsi seemed to be picking out quite a decent outfit and Miyako had to tug at his shoulders to get his attention.
'Naturally I would answer it to the best of my ability.'
Clearing his throat and pushing his glasses up, Keima paid full attention to Miyako as she added on quickly.
'A personal question and a hypothetical one of course, just to indulge me.'
Miyako had a shy smile on her face and Keima frowned slightly, warning bells going off on his head as he nodded slowly, preparing a slew of possible responses on the back of his mind as he waited.
'What if I said that I liked you, would you go out with me at all?'
Keima did not make a face and he did not cough either, he was indeed surprised by her question but as he had just been confessed earlier, the shock factor from her confession was not high enough to register at all today.
With a completely straight face he watched as Miyako continued on.
'It's only a hypothetical one of course, assuming that you did like me back and you would go out with me~'
'That defeats the question in the first place, Terada.'
Deadpanning to the girl in front of her, Keima sighed as Miyako laughed at his response.
'Of course, of course... but I'm surprised that Katsuragi-kun did not even react to me saying that all of a sudden... am I not cute enough for you?'
Batting her eyelids, Miyako giggled again as Keima sighed once more in response, polite enough to say that was not it.
'There's no need to be so polite, Katsuragi-kun, I know you prefer girls like Ayumi-chan and Haqua-chan more, desho?'
Hitting the bullet on the head, Miyako did indeed pinpoint the archetypes that he himself prefer and Keima found himself raising an eyebrow as he asked why did she want to ask him that all of a sudden.
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'I wanted to know if that is even possible, for Katsuragi-kun to date someone who he is managing... I wouldn't think it be fair to the rest of the girls at all...'
Leaning against a wall, Miyako raised a perfectly valid argument and it simply made Keima respect the girl a little more as he answered with a shake of his head.
'That would be a conflict of interest like how you would imagine it to be and as such, I would not allow it, both in a personal as well as a professional level.'
Miyako smiled happily as Keima made his point and statement to her. She really hoped that was the case as she had heard of so many reports on celebrities having intimate relationships with people that they have a professional relationship with at the same time.
Those relationships never last and it usually affected their profession to some degree, not to mention how it would actually create tension in the group as a whole.
'Not even if it was kept a secret?'
Miyako pressed on and she seemed satisfied as Keima made it clear to her that there was no way that he would allow that to happen.
'I'm relieved and glad... if Ayumi-chan had really confessed to you then...'
Covering her mouth as she slipped up, Miyako watched as Keima seemed uncomfortable about talking about it and her mouth dropped in shock.
'N-no way, did she really do that? W-what did you say, Katsuragi-kun? I knew Ayumi-chan wanted to confess to Keima-kun after the audition bu-'
Seeing Keima raise an eyebrow at the juicy details that she was giving out, Miyako covered her mouth once again and cursed herself for being such a blabbermouth at times. This time she was not giving out details purposely, she really did slip up and it might have some consequences for her and Ayumi as Keima seemed to be reflecting on what he have been just told.
'N-neh, K-katsuragi-kun... p-please don't tell Ayumi that I told you that... but if she had confessed already...'
Playing with her fingers, the two of them did not hear the retreating footsteps from the front of the door, they belonging to a certain girl that was holding on to her stringed instrument as she retreated back to the shop after hearing their words.
A certain short-haired girl that was breathless and unable to speak for a few seconds as she composed herself while looking at herself in a mirror.
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'What did you tell her? A-are you going out with her then? W-what did you say!'
Miyako had to ask that question even though the answer was clear, perhaps she imagined that Keima would give into one of the seven sins, lust and said yes? She was giving him too little credit and Keima shook his head.
'I did not give her the response that she desired...'
'S-so you rejected her?'
Miyako did indeed seem genuinely surprised; did she believe that Ayumi would have the highest potential to go out with him after all? It made Keima feel a little complicated that the truth was that Nakagawa Kanon has actually the highest chance to be with him, her willingness to give up everything for him made it difficult for him to fully reject her after all.
'Not quite, I told her that it was not time yet... that it would be a conflict of interest if I did say yes.'
'So there's a chance that you might actually say yes then? Why wouldn't you do that, Katsuragi-kun? Ayumi-chan is cute, she's popular and there are so many guys who would die to have a chance to go out with her! And having a girl confess to a guy is breaking the rules anyway!'
Miyako seemed cross that he would actually say that and Keima responded patiently, keeping tabs on the girls in the same time to make sure that they were still in the store as he moved his body to face Miyako again.
'I told her to be patient... that I would give her an answer after the Mai-High festival... nothing is set in stone yet.'
It was more to appease Miyako than anything else as Keima knew that the girl was making a scene as he quickly added once again.
'I am a firm believer in gender equality, if a person likes someone and who he or she feels that they wish for the person to know, there is no 'rule' stating that they cannot confess on their own.'
Crossing her arms and looking a little indignant that Miyako would even follow those outdated 'rules of dating', causing the girl to be a little flustered as she admitted that it was true.
'But a gentleman never lets a lady wait! Isn't that right? So why are you making her wait? If you do like Ayumi, why won't you go out with her?'
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If only it was that simple and Keima explained once again about the conflict of interest that she had pointed out earlier and Miyako nodded in frustration, repeating to him that she DID get the point but... but...
'But... what? Are you implying that I should just go out with Ayumi, causing tension in the group and eventually making all of you fail the audition because of the subsequent falling out with the other girls?'
'No, Not that! B-but that means- Oh! You KNEW! You knew that Chihiro like you too, right?'
It seems that there was another accidental slip up in Keima's part and it was Keima's turn to flinch and for Miyako to stare daggers at the Capturing God as the girl pointed an accusing finger at him.
'You're not my type so I have no idea why they like you... but if you do know that they do like you... why are you helping us when it's just making the situation worse... I've always thought that you were oblivious... but this...'
'I made a promise to help her when she was in need of help... that is why I'm here as your manager.'
Keima replied with a straight face and although Miyako seemed to find that answer to be insufficient, she nodded in acknowledgement.
'Fine... but you shouldn't keep the two of them waiting... or else...'
Slapping the air again, Miyako fell silent while waiting for the girls to come out to fetch them, not knowing that someone from amongst them had heard the earlier part of their conversation, which contained content that was easy to be mistaken.
Author's Notes: I'm dropping hints everywhere... and I'll cut down on my plot deviations.
