Rent a Girlfriend Fanfic: Stepping Out of the Shadows Part II

Chapter 9:

Akane pauses for a moment to collect her thoughts before opening the door. She is perplexed as to how Kazuya ended up here with another girl. Jealousy attempts to seep in, but she knows she should not make assumptions before hearing the whole tale. She takes a deep breath and opens the door with a calm expression.

The door swings open, revealing Ayumi standing there. Ayumi approaches Akane and asks, "Hey, are you Akane-san?" Her tone is warm and relaxed.

"Yes, that's me," Akane nods and smiles. "Please come in." She moves aside to allow Ayumi to enter.

"Kazuya-kun didn't want to go back to his own apartment tonight, so I asked him where to drop him off," Ayumi says as she walks in. He suggested it, so here we are."

"I see," Akane says, nodding in agreement. So, let's get him settled." She and Ayumi walk up to Kazuya and carefully lift him and set him on his futon.

After Kazuya has been settled, Akane asks, "So, where are his friends?" "Why did they abandon him?"

Ayumi sighs softly, "Well, his friends thought it would be a good idea to take him to the bar to cheer him up after his breakup. They were hoping he might find a new girl there. They kind of got the impression that he had a fun time with me, so they decided to leave us alone."

Akane raises an eyebrow, curious, "Oh, really? They thought you two hit it off?"

"Yeah, I think so," Ayumi giggles, shaking her head, "but I'm not interested in dating right now. I'm concentrating on living freely and improving myself."

Akane nods, understanding Ayumi's perspective. "I see. Well, it is nice of you to look out for Kazuya-kun. He's been going through a tough time."

Ayumi, still perplexed by the scenario, inquires of Akane, "So, why did Kazuya-kun want to be dropped off here?" "What's the backstory?"

Akane pauses for a time before responding, "Well, it's a little complicated." Kazuya-kun still lives next door to his ex-girlfriend, and he has not found a new place. So, for the time being, he'll be staying here."

Ayumi raises an eyebrow, suspecting there is more to the story. "And what's your relationship with Kazuya-kun?" she asks.

Akane flushes slightly and responds, "We're close friends right now, but.." She is about to reveal her genuine sentiments when she notices Kazuya shifting in his sleep, leading her to pause in mid-sentence.

Kazuya finally calms down, and Akane takes a deep breath, visibly agitated by the interruption.

Akane's reaction is noticed by Ayumi, who smiles knowingly. "I get it," she responds light-heartedly.

"N-no, it's not what you think..." stammers Akane as she tries to refute it.

"Akane-san, it's okay," Ayumi interrupts, chuckling. It is there in your eyes. "Don't you like him?"

After a brief pause, Akane says, "Yeah, I do." She stares at Kazuya, who is still sound asleep. "But it's complicated, you know?"

Ayumi nods in agreement and smiles encouragingly. "Well, the best things in life are sometimes a little difficult. You two would look great together. "I hope everything works out for you."

Monday, April 22nd

Kazuya groans as he slowly awakens, a tremendous headache pounding inside his skull. As he tries to sit up, the room swirls, and he quickly discovers he has a severe hangover from the night before.

Akane comes over and hands him a bucket just as he leans over the edge of the futon, feeling queasy.

After a few painful seconds, Kazuya begins to feel better, his headache lessening significantly. Akane sits alongside him, a worried expression on her face. She inquires, "Why did you drink so much last night?"

"I was trying to forget about Mizuhara-san," Kazuya admits with a sigh. Ayumi-san and I had a good time, and I simply needed to get away from it all for a minute."

"You can't just drink your problems away. You need to look out for yourself."

"Yeah I know, but I was at the bar, and I had a fun time with Ayumi-san, so yeah." Kazuya expressed regret.

He rubs his temples, still suffering from the aftereffects of the hangover. "I need to move out of my apartment, away from Chizuru-san, as soon as possible," he continues.

"You're in no condition to make that kind of move right now," Akane softly advises, gazing at his current situation. Why don't you remain a few days longer? It will give you some time to prepare things."

Kazuya nods gratefully. "That would help a lot," he says, happy that he will not have to face the onerous chore of moving right away.

"How are you going to afford a new place?" Akane wonders, concerned about his financial predicament.

"I'll ask my boss for some salary in advance," Kazuya adds after a brief time of thought. It may not cover everything, but it is a beginning."

"If you need any help with the move, don't hesitate to ask," Akane says, nodding in agreement. "I'm here to help you."

Kazuya musters a feeble smile. "Thank you, Akane-san. I appreciate it, but it is better if Chizuru does not see it. I'll probably ask the help of my friends as well."

Wednesday, April 24th

Akane stood alone in the gym, sweat, and resolve wafting through the air. The constant, almost peaceful background noise was given by the repetitive thudding of punches and kicks on sandbags. She had come with a purpose, a goal in mind: to compete in her first kickboxing tournament.

She could not help but feel a flutter of excitement mixed with a good dose of trepidation as she wrapped her hands with care. She was not a seasoned competitor, so the prospect of competing in a tournament was both exciting and terrifying. Nonetheless, she had made a decision and was determined to follow through on it.

"This is it," she reflected as she tightened her gloves. "A chance to see if I've truly improved over these years of training."

Akane had always been a dedicated kickboxing student, committing herself to the discipline, refining her techniques, and pushing herself physically. But working out in the gym was one thing, and facing an opponent in the ring was a whole different task.

Her thoughts strayed as she went through her training regimen, picturing herself in the ring, the crowd cheering, and excitement running through her veins. In her daydream, she saw Kazuya in the crowd, his eyes beaming with joy as he watched her fight. Her cheeks flushed at the thought, and she hastily shook her head to refocus.

"Stay on track, Akane," she reprimanded herself. "You're here to train, not to daydream."

She increased the intensity of her training, pushing herself harder. She was well aware that success in the competition would necessitate unwavering work and commitment. She needed to improve her talents, fine-tune her approach, and prepare her body for the rigors of competition.

She felt sweat drip down her brow as she performed her punches and kicks with precision. The repetitive sounds of her strikes rang throughout the gym, each one carrying the weight of her commitment and ambition. She was no longer merely practicing; she was prepared for the battle that lied ahead of her.

Akane understood deep down that this contest was more than simply a test of her physical ability. It put her inner strength, drive, and capacity to overcome obstacles to the test. She wanted to show herself that she could confront hardship head on, just like she did the heavy bag in front of her.

Akane felt herself becoming stronger and more confident with each punch and kick. She was prepared to enter the ring, to take the stage, and to show the world what she was made of.

Friday, April 26th

Chizuru sat at her table, surrounded by textbooks and notes. The only sound in the room was the rustling of pages as she flipped through her notes. Her mind was wandering while she concentrated on her studies.

Kazuya

His name resonated in her mind, a persistent presence even when she was meant to be focused on her studies. It had been a good week since their squabble, since he had blocked her messages and refused to communicate with her. Chizuru missed him badly, and she felt a gnawing sense of regret in her heart.

But she knew it was not going to be that easy. Relationships were difficult, and emotions did not always follow a logical course. She knew she had badly hurt him, and she knew it would take time, work, and understanding to restore what had been damaged.

An unexpected commotion outside her window attracted her attention as she reflected on her own actions and alternative ways to make atonement. Chizuru stood up and walked to her window, her curiosity peaked. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw what she saw.

Outside, a moving truck was parked, and two people were bringing boxes from Kazuya's apartment to the truck. She quickly recognized Kazuya; his familiar features etched against the backdrop of packing boxes. Kibe and Kuri were beside him, helping him with the task.

I regret to inform you that this story will most likely be put on hold for an unknown period of time. Arjunanubose, a fellow writer who also writes Kanokari / Rent a GF fanfic, urged me to continue his work due to a life-threatening condition. It is not set in stone yet that I will continue his work, because he can still survive his operation, but if he sadly passes away, I will be the one who finishes his work. If the unfortunate situation happens, I will focus first on his fanfiction before I continue with my own work. Hope you guys understand.

Greetings, Falenator.