Chapter 31: Jealous Nozomi

Alan stood on the dojo floor, gripping his bamboo sword with both hands, waiting for Nino Kitagawa to finish fastening her headgear. His thoughts were still tangled, unable to figure out what she was really trying to do.

Earlier, he had refused for two reasons. First, he knew far too well how vast the gap between them was. There was no point in comparison. Second, he had brought Nozomi Sakura with him today. He didn’t want her to learn too much about his past.

Of course, he didn’t care about the opinions of others. He rarely put any effort into socializing within the club anyway. To most of these people, he was little more than a familiar face. Even if he were beaten badly today, he wouldn’t care what they thought. Anyone who stepped onto this floor was prepared to have their bamboo sword beaten so hard they’d question their life choices.

But when Nino said something like “a request for a lifetime,” it became impossible to refuse.

In his memories, Nino almost never asked him for anything. Even on her birthdays, she never made wishes, let alone asked for gifts.

The bracelet and wooden sword he had given her were treasured like priceless heirlooms. She would clutch the wooden sword and grin foolishly for an entire day. But if there was one thing he’d given her the most, it was shoes.

Her athletic talent was absurd. Once she started training, she could run from morning until night without stopping.

What mattered most was the force she exerted when her feet struck the ground. If the shoes weren’t good quality, the soles would fall apart within a day or two.

Her greatest hobbies were eating and sleeping. She had almost no desires beyond that. Aside from being a little clingy, she was incredibly easy to take care of.

On the other hand, she never refused any of his requests.

When he told her to practice kendo seriously, she did so every single day, rain or shine, without ever slacking. When he told her to study, she would stare at test papers until her eyes turned red.

Even so, she rarely got many answers right. It was as if God had opened a door for her, only to slam the door shut immediately after.

In short, no matter what he asked of her, Nino Kitagawa would give two hundred percent effort. She would struggle with everything she had.

No one worked harder than her.

Alan had always believed that someone as pure as her existing in this world was a blessing.

Simple and Adorable.

It had been a long time since they last met. Memories surged back like a tide, stirring complicated emotions within him. He believed that if they had reunited somewhere else, under different circumstances, things would have been far more pleasant.

Yet he was also confused.

Why was someone as pure as Nino acting so stubborn today?

Did she really want to beat him up?

They had been broken up for over three years. That didn’t seem like something she would do.

Just then, Nino Kitagawa finished adjusting her gear and stood opposite him.

She’s coming.

Alan gathered his thoughts.

Even though Nino was a head shorter than him, simply standing in front of her made an overwhelming pressure crash down on him like a tidal wave. Witnessing her terrifying presence firsthand was enough to make his breathing tighten.

“Hu…”

Alan took a deep breath.

Following protocol, they bowed to each other, then firmly gripped their bamboo swords.

“Beep!”

The whistle sounded. Alan’s muscles tensed as his eyes locked onto her feet and the movement of her hands.

Even if he couldn’t win, he would at least give it everything he had.

Swoosh!

The instant Nino Kitagawa moved, a violent gust of wind rushed straight toward him.

Alan’s heart sank. He immediately raised his bamboo sword to block.

But just as Nino closed in to within a step.

Her footwork faltered.

Then Alan felt a light tap against his bamboo sword.

“…?”

There was no fierce impact. No overwhelming strike.

Nothing.

Alan froze.

What is this?

He didn’t remember such a technique in any kendo style he had ever exchanged with her.

Before he could make sense of it, he suddenly felt weight press against his body.

The girl had already pounced onto him, her bamboo sword resting against his arm.

“……?”

Makoto, acting as referee nearby, widened his eyes. For a moment, he didn’t know whether to raise the white flag or the red one.

(In kendo, the cloth strips on each player’s headgear—red or white—indicate which side scores.)

“…Huh? Are we part of your private play too, Alan?”

The entire dojo fell silent for two full seconds.

Then, murmurs erupted everywhere.

Alan’s eyelid twitched. He reached out and gently pushed the girl in his arms, whispering urgently,

“Nino, what are you doing?”

“My foot slipped.”

“….”

Alan opened his mouth, but the excuse was so flimsy he didn’t know how to respond.

“Get up. Quickly.”

“I can’t get up…”

Nino said softly, rubbing against him as she took a deep breath.

Alan’s heart clenched. He lowered his voice, stern now.

“If you don’t get up, I’m leaving.”

“Oh!”

That finally worked.

Nino nodded slightly, steadied herself, and stepped back two paces.

“Beep!”

Makoto, clearly enjoying himself, waited until she had fully stood up before blowing the whistle again.

Alan shot him a vicious glare through his mask.

Did this guy have even a shred of referee ethics?

Absolutely shameless. A complete disgrace to the spirit of kendo.

“White side foul. Prepare for the second round.”

At Makoto’s declaration, both returned to their starting positions.

“Beep!”

The whistle sounded again.

Nino dashed forward like a shooting star.

This time, Alan was prepared. He sidestepped and thrust his bamboo sword toward her throat.

Pop!

Nino’s bamboo sword slid along his blade. She pressed down sharply with her palm, forcing his sword aside.

As Alan tried to readjust his stance, the girl flicked his bamboo sword away with a backhand and closed the distance.

Again?!

Alan was shocked. Just as he tried to turn and evade—

She was already in his arms…

The spectators erupted.

“What are they doing?! Even if they’re throwing the match, isn’t this too obvious?”

“This is clearly throwing!”

“Did they switch players? Is that really the same monster from earlier?”

“What the hell is Alan doing?”

Miyuki’s mouth fell open.

She felt as if the sky itself had collapsed.

Nino, what are you doing?!

Is this really what you wanted?

She had guessed that Nino Kitagawa liked this Alan guy, but she never imagined she would go this far.

***

In a corner of the dojo, Nozomi Sakura bit her lip.

Her narrowed eyes stared coldly at the two figures on the floor.

Her slender fingers pressed hard into the foam board beneath her, leaving faint nail marks.

After a long moment, she took a deep breath, pulled her phone from her pocket, and took seven or eight photos.

She selected two and sent them to Akari Hojo’s chat window.

“……”

Some men were the mysterious type.

You had to peel them open layer by layer to discover that even their bones were beautiful.

Nozomi Sakura felt that Alan was probably one of those men.

The longer she stayed by his side, the more extraordinary he seemed.

When they first met, she had been shocked by his financial resources.

She couldn’t understand it. Among people their age, she was burdened with over two million in debt, yet he seemed to have money to spare.

Only one explanation made sense.

He's a rich second generation.

Yet he never mentioned his family background. Even when his words were occasionally irritating, he never bragged.

That first meeting, when he drove her to high-end places, it wasn’t to show off. She was absolutely certain of that.

His eyes. His movements. His manners. His tone.

Nothing about him felt fake.

Nozomi Sakura knew she was attractive. Out of vanity, she had bought plenty of luxury goods—jewelry, celebrity-endorsed handbags, designer shoes.

But all of them had been purchased online.

That day was her first time shopping for high-end items in person.

She felt like a village dog stepping into the city, anxious and terrified of saying something foolish.

No one would laugh at her openly, but a hint of disdain in their eyes would have been even more humiliating.

Yet reality completely overturned her expectations.

Following Alan, she barely had to say a word. He arranged everything effortlessly.

He named styles and models for every outfit and pair of shoes. Even at the salon, she realized he had booked the appointment in advance.

She didn’t understand what he said to the stylist, but it was clear he knew exactly what he was doing.

And the most embarrassing part…

He even knew her measurements.

How long had this jerk been watching her?

At first, she thought he had secretly observed her for a long time. The thought filled her with both delight and fear.

Even though he said there was no need to do those “S” things…

What else could he possibly want from her besides her looks? They barely knew each other. Saying he liked her personality sounded absurd.

Two days later, she realized he truly had no such intentions.

At this point, Nozomi Sakura was certain.

Though she had never been in love, she wasn’t naive. She had seen enough couples, enough tearful faces, enough desperate lovers who wanted to devour each other’s souls.

She knew what love looked like.

And the way Alan looked at her…

There was no love in his eyes.

She didn’t understand what he wanted, and that uncertainty frightened her.

Would he sell her out?

Though she hadn’t entered society yet, she knew how cruel the world could be.

She felt like a fledgling bird, nervous and fragile.

Then he suddenly said he wanted to train her into a star.

That single sentence dragged something long buried out from the abyss of her heart.

He had seen through her completely.

And he wasn’t just all-talk.

He take actions for her

His execution was terrifyingly precise, as if he had planned everything for her long ago.

While she was still stunned, her heart was already drawn toward him.

Then, before she could process it all, she learned that the idol she had admired for years was actually his girlfriend.

It took great effort to accept that truth.

Bitter, she convinced herself that maybe their relationship wasn’t real.

Maybe it was just like hers with him.

But reality was cruel.

Akari Hojo’s gaze toward him was filled with unmistakable love.

Not only that, her younger sister clearly adored him just as deeply.

As a woman, Nozomi Sakura was sensitive to emotions.

The hostility in their eyes when they looked at her was matched only by the depth of their love for Alan.

Alan was full of secrets.

Each revelation was more shocking than the last.

Like a star in a dark sky, he drew her in relentlessly, making her want to peel him apart layer by layer and see what kind of man he truly was.

She had to understand him.

She absolutely could not lose to Akari Hojo.

Since Honne hated her, she would let that hatred fester, turning it into envy and jealousy.

Just like she once had.

With that resolve, Nozomi Sakura decided she needed to understand Alan completely.

If he wouldn’t speak, she would learn through every small detail.

Confirming today that he practiced kendo made her unexpectedly happy.

It felt like she had caught a glimpse of his past.

She had planned to cheer him on.

But when she saw his opponent was a girl, she froze.

Even without knowing much about kendo, she knew girls were usually at a disadvantage, especially since competitions were normally separated by gender.

For a moment, she didn’t know whether she should cheer.

Then she saw the girl throw herself into Alan’s arms, nuzzling him like a little bird.

She was stunned.

Hearing the crowd whisper about the girl deliberately throwing the match, her mind recalled Alan’s words at the café, that the other party had insisted on seeing him.

She had her answer.

Her expression darkened completely.

So that’s how it is.

Another woman entangled with you?

Is that why you learned kendo?

Just how many women like you, Alan?

Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, Nozomi Sakura took several more photos and sent them to Akari Hojo.

She refused to suffer alone.

If she was miserable, then Akari sisters—who loved him even more—must suffer too.

Perhaps she could even learn something about the woman beside Alan from Hojo or Honne.

From past experience, Akari Honne was extremely scheming.

If this woman had gone this far, her feelings for Alan were probably no less intense than Honne’s.