Redo of a Romanceless Author’s Life Devoid of Love; Another Chance at Youth

Chapter 38.

Chapter 38. A Date? (2/13)

As if she’d forgotten what her wallpaper was set to, she quickly covered up the screen with her hand in a fluster. She peeked at me with upturned eyes and asked, “You saw it?”

“You were careless enough to put it on full display for me to see. Of course I saw it.”

“What a blunder.” She covered her mouth with her hand to hide her embarrassment and averted her eyes to the side.

“... I got so used to it being my wallpaper that it slipped my mind. I really liked the picture I took of you on the roof a lot. Don’t worry though, I don’t give my phone out to anyone or ever let anyone see it. You’re not mad… are you?”

“Yes, I’m quite mad. Delete it.”

“Ugh… okay. I’m sorry.”

“I’m kidding. You know, I’m your enemy. Why would you go and delete it when you’re the one who has the upper hand and know my secret.”

“Ah. You’re right! Why would I?” Struck by sudden realization her eyes opened wide.

“Maybe having an enemy isn’t as bad as I thought.” She suddenly mused to herself while scratching her cheek.

“You aren’t supposed to be thinking that being around your enemy is something pleasant you know.”

“Oh, you’re right. I want to be friends. I can’t be tempted and led astray by the words of my self-proclaimed mortal enemy.” She said it so innocently, but it sounded condescending in my head because I put a filter on in my mind to transform her into a demon lord. Though she’d still be the kindest demon lord I’ve never met.

“You’re secretly mocking me, right? Thinking things along the lines of ‘this foolish mortal thinks he can be my enemy,’ or ‘Does this fool not know how high the sky is?’ or maybe even ‘You’re not even a worthy adversary.’” I joked.

“No, not at all! I’d never think that!” She raised her hands and waved them from side to side frantically refuting my claims. 

“Well, in truth... I was thinking the last one.”

“...”

“I’m kidding! I’m just kidding! Please don’t look at me like you're about to throw a white glove in my face and challenge me to a duel to the death!”

“I know you’re kidding. You’re too nice to even think those sorts of things.”

“Don’t tease me like that then.” She looked at me reproachfully while gently pushing my shoulder back a bit with one hand.

“So, do you mind explaining what is really going on here on this cold winter day? What exactly are we waiting for inside this cafe?”

“Well… the thing is… it’s a double date.” She had a troubled expression on her face as her shoulders sunk down.

“A… double date? I’m leaving. There’s no chance in hell, I’d rather be caught dead than be seen by students from our school on a date with you.”

She grabbed onto my arm to hold me down and prevent me from leaving while begging. “Please! I’m begging you. No, wait. That’s right, we’re enemies… I’ll reveal your secret to everyone if you leave now.” The realization that we were enemies and she could blackmail me donned on her in the middle of begging me to stay.

“If I’m seen with someone as popular as you on a date by students from the school, my peaceful quiet life will go straight down the drain. I’d rather drop out of school than face the backlash that I’d face from it.”

“They’re not students from our school! It’s one of my close girlfriends from middle school and her new boyfriend who she’s overly conscious around.”

“Students not from our school… if that’s the case… I guess it should be fine. They wouldn’t know me.”

“Plus you also came in disguise. So there shouldn’t be any way for this to go wrong.”

I’d styled my hair differently from how I had it at both work and school, but I still used the same colored contacts. I’d thought it over carefully. In the miraculous event we somehow bumped into Yuna while I was on this date with her, it would be strange if my eye color was different. If it was just my hairstyle that was different, that would just be seen as me trying to make myself look presentable for the date. With my hairstyle different, if I ran into customers or students from the school, it was unlikely that either would recognize me. Neither would recognize me as the worker at that convenience store, or a student at high school.

I let out a sigh and obediently remained seated.

“So, the reason for this date was because you couldn’t turn that friend of yours down when she asked you because you’re too kind and a total pushover?”

“Uh… yeah, pretty much.” She wore a troubled face.

“And the reason you didn’t ask any of the guys you are friends with is because you didn’t want to lead any of them on and give them the wrong idea, is that correct to assume as well?”

“Yes.” She slouched into her chair a bit when I hit the nail on the head, seeing through her so easily. 

“And the reason you could ask me, is because I consider you an enemy and won’t get the wrong idea?”

“Yes.” She slouched even further into her chair like she wanted to disappear.

“Good. That is the proper way to think of your enemy.”

“Ugh. But I want to be your friend.”

I waved my finger left and right as I said, “We are enemies. There’s no need to show mercy to your enemy. In fact, I completely approve of your actions to make use of your enemy in such an underhanded way.”

“You’re not mad?”

“Not at all. If you treated me as a friend, I’d be quite mad. That would be like you looking down on me. The fact of the matter is, if I want to escape my current situation, I need the chance to uncover the deepest darkest secret you’re hiding near and dear to your heart. I need to find your greatest weakness if I’m to turn the tables on you as your mortal enemy. To do so, I need an opening or opportunity. This date is quite the chance to achieve my own objectives. There’s a saying that people often say, do you know what that saying is?”

She shot me a perplexed glance unsure what saying I was referring to.

I grinned with my eyes narrowed as I moved closer to her ear and whispered, “Young lady, it would do well for you to remember this. You should keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.”

When I backed away from her, she had a somewhat dazed expression on her face as she repeated my words, “Your enemies even closer?”

I nodded.

“Uh… if you keep your enemies even closer… wouldn’t they be closer to your lover or something.”

“Well, the line between love and hate is quite a thin one after all. Some might even confuse hate for love and vice versa.”

“I suddenly don’t know how I feel about you calling me your enemy now.”

“Haha, don’t worry, I don’t think of you as one would a lover. I’d be more of a snake trying to get close to you to grab a hold of your weakness so I could crush you while laughing to myself maniacally.”

“Should you really be telling the person you consider your mortal enemy all this?”

“No, I probably shouldn’t. But because you’re too kind and naive, I figured I’d give you a handicap by telling you the truth to your face.”

“You intend to crush me by getting closer to me?”

“Precisely, that is the game plan.”

She had a complicated look on her face after she heard me out.

A sly look crept onto my face as I opened my mouth again, “Now then, since you’re such a kind girl, and you know my secret, why not obediently tell me your weakness? You’re trying to be my friend, right? Wouldn’t you tell your friend about your weaknesses?”

“Mm, true. My weakness is my little brother.” Without the slightest hesitation, she easily informed me of her weakness with her unwavering pure steel blue eyes staring directly into my own.

I’d only asked that to taunt her, I hadn’t expected her to just come out and tell me so easily just like that. I’d once again underestimated how nice she was.

“Uh… did you not hear anything I said before? Is there anything inside that hollow skull of yours? Why would you seriously go and tell me something like that when you know I intend to crush you?”

“I’ll keep my enemy closer to me this way. If we both have something to hold against each other’s throat, then we’re on equal ground. I said I want you to be my friend. But I won’t be able to if only I have something on you.”