Don't Rent a Girlfriend: High School

Chapter Eight

Disclaimer: I do not own Rent a Girlfriend

"W-wait Kazuya, what are you-" Chizuru flinched and took a step back as Kazuya glared at her. "Who the hell are you, calling me by my first name?" He growled.

A tick mark appeared on her forehead as she walked to the counter with threatening strides.

"Did you hit your head and lose some screws? What's with the attitude?!" She yelled in his face, trying to fill some senses to his empty head.

Kazuya shook, tried his best to control his stupid mouth but the image of her and Umi walking in with his hand on her wrist just... simply, triggered him.

"Stop yelling, gorilla! Get out of my shop!" He yelled back, breathing erratic and hoarse as he let his emotions turn into rage.

"G-Gorilla?! How dare you?!" She jumped on top of the counter, making him gasp and quiver in fear as she pulled his hair in an attempt to grab him.

Umi stood there, unable to speak, unable to understand, or move. 'What the heck am I watching?' He felt embarrassed as he looked around, thankfully no one was at the store. "G-Get off me!"

"Shut up, stupid Kazuya!"

...

'Ah... is this the delicate flower I have been chasing?' Umi wondered, a depressed aura surrounding his perfect posture.

Kazuya managed to grab both her arms under his clutches in an attempt to stop her assault but somehow managed to trip her over the counter as she fell face flat on the wooden floor, thankfully cushioned on the floor mat.

...

A growing fear sent shivers through his body thinking of the possibility of a pissed off Mizuhara. "M-Mizuhara, I am s-sor-"

She stood up, brushing off the dust from her perfectly ironed dress.

"What is wrong with you... why are you acting this way? Why?" As she faced him, eyes blurred in tears, he shut up.

"I..."

"Fine, if you hate me so much. I will leave." She wiped off her tears as she turned around but was soon stopped as he pulled her harshly to face him.

"You!" He poked his fingers on her chest with force, making her move a step back on impact. "Got some nerves to say that?! Do you have some screws missing?"

She took another step back. "W-what?"

"Tch... acting so brainless. You do understand what is going on don't you?" He glared at her oblivious face.

She tried to take an angry step towards him but didn't have the guts to do so under his intense glare. She had never seen him this mad. It was as if he was not even the same person that she grew to like over the months. She was genuinely scared of him.

"First you tell me to get lost. Then you start acting like nothing happened. When I tried to be nice to you, you just blew me off. Now you come to my shop with that dumbass, hand in hand, fully

knowing it will piss me off and now you have the audacity to blame me on how I am acting?" He breathed all at once but didn't stop as he took a whole gallon of air in to power up his throbbing heart. "What do you have to say, huh?!"

Her lips shook, unable to overcome his hateful words. "Why do you care? What if I am with Umi kun? I had no idea you worked here, okay?!"

This just did it. "Are you actually stupid? Why do I care? Can't you understand?"

"No! You are acting like an idiot. You were fine just a few days ago and since that party you started being a total dick!"

...

"If you can't understand that much, then I will fucking spell it out for you." He took a deep breath as he yelled out loud, forcing all his self doubt and fears out of the way.

"Because I am fucking jealous! I don't like to see you with that idiot! Got it?" He held back his breath as she looked at him with wide eyes. Her face crestfallen and confused which further irritated him.

"You dumb woman..." He pulled her by her shoulder and stood in front of her, eyes confident and intense as he spoke. "I am hopelessly in love with you. Romantic love. Got it? Not friends, the type where I want to do ecchi stuff with you. Squish your boobs, kiss you." His fingers dug on her shoulder with growing frustration.

He pushed her off and took a step back.

"Don't you dare pretend you don't understand what is wrong with me. Now get lost." He finished.

Chizuru looked like a fish out of the aquarium, mouth open wide as if trying to gasp for air as she stared at him. She was confused, overwhelmed, simply, what the fuck moment.

"Oi Umi, take her out of here. Complain to the manager tomorrow. I am quitting anyway." Kazuya spoke to Umi who had finally woken up from his shock, startled by being addressed.

"Y-yes." He managed to reply as he walked to Chizuru.

"Chizuru-san, let's go." He grabbed her wrist but immediately got her hand pulled out of his clutches. She didn't even look at him, all her attention was at Kazuya.

"A-Ah ah, look at you, all high and-"

"Shut up Mizuhara." Kazuya shut her off instantly, making her flinch. "I meant every word I said. You don't need to say anything. I know my limits."

She had no idea what he meant. She opened her lips yet again to speak but fell silent once she looked at his face. The anger long gone, replaced with agonizing sadness as he looked down.

"It took me everything to accept that I loved you. But I always knew it was impossible." He let out a dry laugh. "You made things painfully obvious from the day we met."

She swallowed the dryness on her throat as she looked at him, confused as always. Clueless as always. Stupid as always. In denial, as always.

"We live in two different worlds. I can never attain 'Mizuhara'. I know that already, so please stop messing with my head any further. I have no self esteem left in me. I can barely contain my tears... as a man." His eyes are moist with all the emotions, whether anger or sadness.

Seeing her completely shocked face, he sighed, calming his nerves as he looked at her. "So please, just leave. You can do that much for me right?"

She didn't say anything. She didn't know what to say at that moment. She could only do what he had asked.

"Hm." She nodded and turned on her heels before slowly walking out of the shop as his words buzzed through her mind.

...

"Idiot, at least go after the woman you love." Kazuya's words brought Umi out of his thoughts. "Don't let her trip over some truck or something. Now, get lost."

Umi soon left not knowing what else to do just like Chizuru, leaving Kazuya to stand alone in the empty shop.

Sigh...

'Is there no customer today? What a pathetic joke...' He went back to cleaning the already cleaned up plates.

'Can't believe I finally said it.' He wasn't going to panic. He made his mind up to face this like he should have from the beginning. The childish chase ends here.

(Scene Change – Next Day)

Spring, often known as the time of renewal, awakening. The air held a tint of warmth, mixed with a faint odor of growth as the Sakura trees painted the entrance of the academy with a pink hue.

If I was in a romcom manga, this would be the perfect atmosphere for a new beginning where I become a complete badass and build up a harem of beautiful maidens after my first rejection... correction, second rejection. The internal monologue should perhaps show some sort of character development... ah yes, those character development arcs where I just start being serious with my studies, join the gym, attain the ability to hit a homerun with a fork... if only life was the same.

The truth is, nothing actually changed. The atmosphere today was the same as yesterday. Me? Forget yesterday, I am the same as the day I got rejected by Mami-chan. There are no maidens waiting for me on the other side of the gate nor do I have an urge to suddenly find a new hobby and chase after it. In all honesty, I just want to go to sleep. I couldn't sleep last night, my eyes feel dead. How am I even walking? Ah, is this my awakened super power?

"That's enough monologue, baka."

Kazuya grinned at his friend who had just popped out of nowhere.

"That's also a cliche, you know?"

"Huh? What the hell are you on about?"

Kazuya shook his head. "Nothing, just thinking about joining NASA."

"Huh?"

"Kazu-kun!"

Kazuya sighed as he tiredly turned to face Mami, facing him with the perfect smile as always.

'It actually used to make me all giddy. Perhaps this is my character development?' He wondered as he stared at Mami.

"Kazu-kun? Is something on my face?"

"Not really. In fact, something is missing." He spoke more to himself than her as he began to walk away leaving the two confused.

"What's wrong with him?" Mami wondered.

"He wants to join NASA." Kibe deadpanned.

"Huh? Also, stop being so close to me. Insect."

To be continued...