Discord link: [discord . gg / 4y5QVPj]

Disclaimer: I don't own Rent a Girlfriend, or any of its characters...

One Month Later

"Thank you, Kaji-san. Really. I don't know how I can pay you back for everything."

Kazuya stood before his mentor/instructor/friend with a grateful smile on his face after another rigorous workout session. The reason why he was thanking Kaji like this, however, was because today was his final day in the gym, at least when it came to working out with Kaji.

During Kazuya's third day in the gym, the two had an agreement where Kaji will take him under his wing for a month, relaying various regiments for the boy to follow. Once a whole month passes, Kazuya would be on his own to go through those said workout regiments without needing to return to the gym again.

They did this after Kaji found out about Kazuya's desire to apply for a part-time job; not wanting to be the reason why the kid might collapse on any random day, he came up with this arrangement so that Kazuya won't push himself doing so many things in one day.

Kazuya himself didn't see any problem with it and agreed, although it also meant that he was going to miss going here everyday after school.

Starting next week, the young man would only need to worry about attending school and his job in the evening, while his exercise drills will be completely in his hands.

Kaji only smiled back before waving his hand in a nonchalant way. The kid always seemed to place him in high regard, even though he didn't see his actions as something to be made a big deal about.

But alas, he wasn't going to stop Kazuya from thinking what he wants to think.

"Don't worry about it, Kazuya. It's always a pleasure to help out the young cubs find their way to becoming big strong lions. You're no different than that when you first stepped inside this place.

Kazuya shook his head happily.

"No, you didn't just help me with that. Thanks to everything you taught me, I learned how to take care of myself a lot more, how to tell my problems to the people I'm close to, and how to make myself strong all on my own. Now, I suddenly feel like I can deal with whatever life throws at me."

"Just don't get too overconfident, kid. You never know what might happen, and having big muscles isn't always the answer. But, if you ever get in a big funk again, don't forget that it's not a bad thing to feel weak about it. You can always come here to tell me about it if you want, and I'll help you in return. It's never too late to start over again, after all."

Kazuya nodded, swearing to himself that he would never make that mistake again. If he ever felt sad about something, he wouldn't keep it to himself and instead confide his problem to someone whom he could trust.

Of course, he wouldn't let other people see him cry, but the thought still counts!

"I know."

Things were silent between the two men for a few moments until Kaji took a couple of chairs and gave one to Kazuya. Eager to rest his legs, the younger boy took his seat and Kaji did the same.

While Kazuya was confused about what was going to happen, what he had in mind was that they were just going to have a talk of some sort.

"You know, you never told me the real reason why you came to my gym in the first place. I know you told me it's because you wanted to change yourself, but I feel like there's something more than that. Do you mind if I ask what it is? It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," Kaji asked, causing Kazuya to feel surprised.

So this is what they were going to talk about.

If this had taken place a month ago, back when he was just starting in this gym, Kazuya would feel uncomfortable about sharing this information with someone else but ever since he told his friends about his ex-girlfriend, he felt indifferent towards the very issue itself.

In other words, he didn't see anything wrong with telling Kaji about his past relationship. Plus, he owed a lot to the guy, so it only felt right that he knew the truth.

"Uh no, it's okay. It doesn't really bother me anymore," he admitted, before clearing his throat so he could start properly. "The reason is because I… well, my ex-girlfriend broke up with me, and I didn't want to spend a long time locked up in my home doing nothing but mope around. That's it."

Kaji's eyebrows shot up, becoming more interested in this conversation.

"A girl, huh? Let me guess, she dumped you?" he asked, drawing the most obvious conclusion as to why Kazuya's ex had broken up with him, at least according to what Kaji thought in his mind.

Kazuya blinked, looking at his mentor in surprise.

"Uhm… yeah… how did you know?"

The older man chuckled, leaning back on his chair with his arms folded behind his head.

"The same thing kinda happened to me years ago. I was going to propose to my girlfriend but when she saw the ring, she suddenly froze up and when I asked her to marry me, she just apologized and walked away. I didn't follow her because I was just confused why she left. I tried calling her after that to check on her, but she didn't answer any of my calls."

Kazuya's eyes widened. Kaji went through a similar experience like him but in his case, it was something worse. While his relationship with his ex was just a pointless college romance, his mentor had a girlfriend whom he was planning to propose to.

That alone spoke volumes of how big this problem must have been at that time.

"I'm sorry for what happened," were the only words that Kazuya could offer for the older man, thinking that he brought back a sad memory for his mentor.

Kaji waved his apology off, looking amused instead.

"Nah, don't worry about me. I didn't let it bother me for too long and just to let you know, that was what got me into this thing!"

"Really?"

"Yep! This gym was born because yours truly didn't want to spend the rest of his life moping around after he got dumped by his fiancée! So, I bought some equipment using the money I've earned from my past job and eventually started a business as an instructor."

Kazuya did nothing but listen to Kaji as he recounted more of his tale and he realized that they were more similar than what he thought. Like him, his mentor had no intention of letting a heartbreak take advantage of him and instead worked hard in order to pull himself out of his own misery.

He felt glad that Kaji was doing fine even after a heartbreaking incident, yet he couldn't help but wonder what happened to his girlfriend.

Did she regret what she did to him or something?

"Well… what happened to her, then? The woman you were going to marry?" he asked slowly, his voice becoming somewhat nervous because it might be a sensitive topic for Kaji.

Fortunately for him, the older man didn't seem to mind the question and it even brought out a big smile from him.

"Oh, Misato? You're not gonna believe this, but we actually met again earlier this year and we've been hitting it off from there! Ah, it brings back many memories…"

While Kaji started laughing at remembering how he reunited with his girlfriend after many years (in more ways than one), Kazuya started to become confused, particularly at the older man's demeanor.

He got dumped by his girlfriend whom he wanted to be his bride and after they met again, he's happy about it?

Kazuya didn't understand why he wasn't angry or sad about it. Okay, he can understand that Kaji isn't the type of person to get angry or emotional from the time they spent doing drills together, but he was at least expecting some kind of reaction from his mentor.

"Wait… you still like her after all these years?" he asked, wanting to confirm if he heard Kaji right or if his ears were playing tricks on him.

"Yeah, I mean, this gym was just a way for me to get my mind off Misato for a while, but… I never really stopped loving her," Kaji shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal.

As expected from the guy, he doesn't let anything phase him!

"I don't understand…" Kazuya said in confusion.

Kaji laughed heartily before sending a wink at the young man.

"You don't need to, kid. You're still too young to understand things like marriage and stuff like that, so enjoy your youth while you still have it. Plus, you just experienced your first relationship which is way different from what happened to me. What you went through is just the tip of the iceberg, but you'll learn about new things along the way. You shouldn't rush yourself, alright?"

Kazuya stared at the older man for a few moments, as though he was taking those words to heart, only for him to shake his head while chuckling in amusement.

"That's okay, Kaji-san. I'm not planning on pursuing any relationship from now on, anyway."

Now that was something that caused Kaji to feel genuinely confused.

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"I don't want to date anyone, nor do I wish to fall for someone. I only want to focus on myself and look forward to being a better man. You already helped me become this strong, and I promise that I'll keep on doing everything you told me. Now I also have a job that I really enjoy! I don't need a girl to be happy, Kaji-san."

"If you say so," Kaji shrugged, choosing not speak about the strange tone in the kid's words.

Just from the way Kazuya was speaking, it sounded like he was taking out his frustrations regarding his ex and now he was trying to prove that he didn't need anyone to be happy. This might be bad for the young man in the future regarding new people might meet along the way, but Kaji didn't say anything. He chose to follow his own advice and would simply let Kazuya learn about this on his own.

He can only hope Kazuya can see the error in his way of thinking before it's too late.

"Speaking of which, it's going to be your shift tonight, right?" asked Kaji, wanting to change the topic before it escalates into something bigger.

"Yeah, I'll be working late tonight since we don't have any classes tomorrow. Why don't you come over by the club for a drink? Since I'm hired as security, it comes with a few special privileges."

A smile found its way to Kaji's face once again, as he was fully aware of the kid's part-time job but this was the first time Kazuya invited him to the club where he was working at.

Plus, he had to admit; having a drink after a whole day of continuous drills and exercises sounded really good.

In the end, though, his answer was different.

"Hmm… the idea is tempting and I wouldn't mind having a drink, but I'll have to pass. Misato's coming over later on and I gotta prepare this place when that happens."

Kazuya didn't let it bother him and simply nodded. It was Kaji's private life and it's up to him regarding what he wanted to do.

"I understand. I should get going then, so you can have some time to yourself."

With that, the younger man bowed his head out of respect before turning to leave, only to get stopped by Kaji's voice once more.

"Hey, Kazuya. Don't forget to do your exercises everyday, got it? This may be your last day training under me, but it doesn't mean you should slack off."

Kaji spoke with an amused smirk, before Kazuya turned to him with a smile in return.

"I won't, don't worry. It actually feels good that I'm doing these workouts everyday because I feel like I can work for hours without getting tired. I'll keep on doing everything you taught everyday when I wake up and get ready for school. All the hard work pays off, right?"

"Heh, I remember the first day you were here. You couldn't even get out of this place without my help."

The two shared a laugh at that memory, especially Kazuya who found his early days in this gym amusing. Back then, he was an average teenager who had a death wish by choosing to work out in a gym right away, but he didn't let that hinder him.

Fast forward several weeks later, and here he was, laughing along with his mentor after a whole day of pushing himself yet again and to add to that, it's like he only spent half of his energy the whole time.

"Yeah, my legs were absolutely destroyed back then but now, I feel like I can take much more," Kazuya said sheepishly, before stretching out his legs to prove his point.

"Then I'll see you around, kid. You can still come by here whenever you want, by the way. I'll be sure to make time for any young cub who needs help."

"Shouldn't I be a lion now since you're done teaching me?" Kazuya smirked.

Kaji grinned in return, before he started laughing. "Ha! You're a long way from reaching me, Kazuya. But if you keep up the good work and never miss a day of exercise and working out, then maybe you'll get to where I am soon."

Kazuya smiled one last time at his mentor before waving his hand in farewell.

"Goodbye, Kaji-san."

"Take care, kid."

And thus, Kazuya's last day in the PRIDE Gym finally ended.

After leaving the gym, Kazuya wasted no time and headed home since he had about four hours before his shift would start after checking his phone for the time. Plus, he would be working overtime tonight which meant that he'll likely get home sometime after midnight.

With that in mind, he knew that he had to be prepared because it's going to be pretty hard to stay awake considering his job…

Several weeks ago, Kazuya was complaining about his legs aching after a day of working out with Kaji and if it wasn't for his friends, he wouldn't have gotten home unless he crawls all the way. But now, the young man was completely fine and was walking with an aura of confidence, as though he was prepared for anything like he told Kaji.

His hard work had paid off, big-time.

"Gotta take a nice, long bath then eat something for dinner. I don't want to skip a meal today because my break isn't until 9:00, and I'm pretty sure my stomach won't last that long. Now… what should I—"

Kazuya pulled himself out of his own thoughts when he noticed a girl with long brown hair walk past him with a small smile on her face. She was wearing a red tank top, a purple plaid skirt, and wooden sandals on top of her already-beautiful appearance.

In other words, she was immensely beautiful and what made things weird is that she seemed oddly familiar in his eyes, like he already saw her somewhere.

"Wait… isn't that the girl I saw from that rental girlfriend ad a while ago?"

Kazuya asked himself as he stopped walking momentarily, before blinking a few times in realization. His mind went back several weeks ago, the day when he told his friends about his breakup with Mami. It was also when Kuri had sent him an ad for a rental girlfriend agency which he had laughed at upon checking it out.

"Huh… who was she again? Chiz…something Miyahara…?" he thought, before shrugging it off. This had nothing to do with his job. He quickly shook his head to get his mind on track before continuing on his way.

"Bah, forget it. It's not important. I need to get home and get ready for my shift."

Kazuya was completely unaware of what was happening behind him, where the girl had also stopped in her tracks and was staring at his back as he walked away.

Chizuru Ichinose, or more commonly known by her alias, Chizuru Mizuhara, prided herself as a competent and experienced rental girlfriend who knew everything in the rulebook of her profession, which brought her considerable success as the top rookie in her agency.

She knew exactly what she needs to say when faced with a customer that it was almost like she memorized some kind of script that changes depending on the person she's with.

She knew when to draw a line whenever a customer gets too comfortable with his privileges and yet despite that, she never lost her good reputation and stayed at the top of her game.

She also knew how to stay professional all the time while at work, putting her personal feelings aside for the sake of putting on an act.

Underneath her exterior, however, Chizuru Ichinose knew where her priorities lie, and that was to finish college, earning money for her grandmother in the hospital, and to become an actress. Her third goal is the exact reason why she became a rental girlfriend in the first place and she had done a very good job with it so far, managing to put on an act without letting her personal feelings get in the way.

However, those feelings were suddenly brought to life when a certain young man with short orange hair walked past her, which actually broke her 'rental girlfriend' persona at the moment and got her to turn towards him with a look of surprise on her face.

"I feel like I've seen that guy before… but where…?"

Chizuru pondered to herself, staring at the boy's back for a few moments before shaking her head to get rid of her current thoughts.

"Never mind, he probably just goes to the same school as me and I saw him somewhere…"

With that, Chizuru continued on her way to her next and last customer for the day. While she was walking, she couldn't help but think of that person whom she saw one more time, particularly his appearance.

Chizuru knew that she saw him somewhere because his face looked familiar, and she wasn't sure if it was really at the university. When she was finally convinced that she couldn't remember where she first encountered him, she sighed in defeat.

Looks like she really can't remember when and where exactly she saw him first. Too bad, because if she did, she would've called out for him and who knows? They might've even talked for a bit to introduce themselves to each other.

She had to admit, though, that guy looked kinda cute and—?!

Chizuru quickly stopped her train of thoughts once she realized what she was about to tell herself, her eyes widening in surprise.

"W-Where did that come from…?" she asked herself, feeling incredibly flustered from thinking of such a thing about a guy, which was literally the first time that it happened to someone as professional as her.

Unable to get rid of the blush on her cheeks, Chizuru simply held her head down and hoped that her embarrassment would die out before she meets her customer.

And behold! Chizuru makes her first appearance although she and Kazuya haven't exactly met yet! Don't worry, she will appear again and ohoho, would you look at this? Chadzuya's charms are already working that he managed to get Chizuru to think of him while in 'Mizuhara' mode. Are we seeing a crush forming here?

MINASAN, YONDE KURETE ARIGATŌ! AISHITEMAAAAASUUUUU! *starts playing air guitar*

-Lance