Starting Over • Kyojuro Rengoku

|Chapter 19|

CHAPTER NINETEEN:

As (Y/N) and Elias walked to the grocery store, Elias couldn't help but sense that something was bothering her.

He noticed the change in her demeanor and the sad vibe she seemed to exude. Concerned for his friend, Elias decided to ask her what was wrong.

"(Y/N), is everything okay?" Elias inquired gently, trying to convey his genuine care.

(Y/N) tried to shake off the sad feeling and forced a smile, saying, "Oh, it's nothing, really. No biggie."

But Elias could tell that something was bothering her, and he wasn't willing to let it go.

He responded firmly, "It's not nothing. I can tell something's bothering you."

Feeling cornered, (Y/N) hesitated for a moment before Elias continued, "I know about your crush on Rengoku-Sensei."

Baffled by his statement, shock filled (Y/N)'s face, and she immediately asked, "Who told you that?"

Elias shrugged nonchalantly, wearing a proud look on his face, and said, "Inosuke never keeps secrets from me."

Blushing even more, (Y/N) felt a bit embarrassed by Elias' straightforwardness.

She tried to downplay her feelings once again, saying, "Well, it's just a small crush, really. I don't want to make a big deal out of it."

But Elias wasn't convinced and insisted, "Come on, (Y/N). Everyone knows it's more than just a small crush. You've been practically swooning over him for a while now."

Feeling a bit flustered, (Y/N) wanted to change the subject, but Elias continued probing.

He asked why she wasn't doing anything to make Kyojuro fall for her. Confused by his question, (Y/N) asked him to clarify.

Elias elaborated, "I mean, we're practically adults now. We're graduating next week. If you really want to be with Kyojuro, you could totally go for it. It's not like there's anything holding you back."

(Y/N) took a moment to think about Elias' words. She considered the possibility of pursuing her feelings for Kyojuro, but a sense of unease washed over her.

"I appreciate the thought, Elias, but it's not that simple," she replied, to find the right words.

"What do you mean?" Elias asked, genuinely curious.

Taking a deep breath, (Y/N) hesitated before confessing, "I... I think Rengoku-Sensei already has someone else."

"Oh, (Y/N). My sweet adorable simp friend." Elias started, "But if you're thinking about my cousin and Rengoku-Sensei together, just-Please don't. It's giving me the icks."

(Y/N) listened intently as Elias shared his thoughts about Vivian's infatuation with Kyojuro.

She was taken aback by what she heard and felt a mix of relief and concern.

"So they're really not dating?" (Y/N) asked, seeking clarification.

Elias shook his head vigorously, looking slightly horrified at the thought.

"Oh, Jebesus no. I don't think Rengoku-Sensei likes delulu women," he replied with a shudder.

(Y/N) shrugged, letting Elias continue. "I'm for reals, girl-friend. Vivian has been obsessed with him since—I don't know. Forever, I guess? She's always trying to get his attention and be close to him. It's honestly a little creepy, and even I get scared sometimes."

"Well, at least that clears things up," (Y/N) said, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders. "I'm glad to know that he's not dating Vivian."

"Of course you are." Elias wiggled his brows suggestively, a smirk playing on his lips. "You know what you need?"

"What?"

"A hard core plan. Make sure Rengoku-Sensei only has eyes for you."

(Y/N) looked at Elias with a curious expression, not quite sure what he meant.

"Make sure no one else has Rengoku-Sensei's attention? How am I supposed to do that?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.

Elias grinned mischievously and leaned in closer, as if sharing a secret.

"You just need to be your charming self and show him how great you are," he replied with a wink.

"That's lame." (Y/N) stated, "I remember how you used to come up with all this elaborate and en grande shenanigans. Where is that plan loving boy I used to know?"

Elias chuckled at her statement, "He's still here. I just thought that since we're older we should be more mature about this-But hey, you asked for it." He continued walking forward, "I have a brilliant plan."

As they reached the grocery store, Elias continued elaborating on his plan to catch Kyojuro's attention.

He seemed quite enthusiastic about it, going into detail about how he thought it would work perfectly.

However, (Y/N) couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy about the idea of deceiving Kyojuro or trying to manipulate his feelings.

"Elias, I appreciate your effort to help, but I'm not sure about trying to make him jealous or anything like that," (Y/N) said gently, voicing her concerns.

Elias paused for a moment and looked at her with a thoughtful expression.

"Touché. But I hate seeing you feeling down about this whole situation with Kyojuro and Vivian. I thought if we could show him how amazing you are, maybe he'll realize what he's missing out on," he explained.

"It's a good idea. But us pretend dating?" (Y/N) did a fake gag to purposely annoy Elias, "What a fantasy."

"Oh, shut up." Elias waved a hand at her dismissively. "I like dicks, not clits. I only suggested because—One, I love you and I want to help. Two, I wanted Vivian to have a taste of reality, and Three, I'm bored."

"You're bored?"

"Yep, Life's been so bland. And you know how much I love drama."

With a mix of excitement and nervousness, (Y/N) agreed to go along with Elias' plan.

While she was still a bit unsure about the idea of trying to make him jealous, she trusted Elias' intentions and believed that he only wanted to help her.

They decided to start the plan the next morning, giving them a week to execute it before their graduation and the start of their vacation.

Elias was full of enthusiasm, eager to see how everything would unfold. "Fufufu~ This is going to be so fun."

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