Akarenga club is a famous cafe in the town which serves non-Japanese food. Because of their aesthetic-looking food and the trendy setting, the Akarenga club has become a hot place among students and young generations in the town; from a popular spot for dating couples to a place for doing school assignments, to the most awkward one - blind date.

Goukon or group blind date is a pretty popular culture in Japan. This event is considered to be able to help someone communicate with the opposite sex they like without being haunted by the digital world. In fact, Goukon was not only limited to finding a romantic partner but also a perfect opportunity to make a friend. Still and all, for teenagers in puberty, all they can think about from ‘mixer’ is solely to find a girlfriend or boyfriend.

The girls before them can’t stop giggling, playing with their phones and once in a while peeking at Ren’s face. Unfortunately for them, Ren doesn’t seem bothered with their behaviour since he’s too preoccupied admiring his 3 layered tiramisus, savouring each bite of them solemnly like a monk having a taste of civilization after training in a mountain monastery for years. In his eyes, the tiramisu is thousands of times more tempting than the noisy girls he’s facing.

In contrast, Yami and Goro are sattisfied enough with having a one-line conversation with those girls, and though the answers they get are never more than yes or no, it doesn’t discourage them. The situation is so funny, Kaito is keen to laugh and cringe at the same time.

Sipping a lukewarm, too-sweet coffee with the loudspeaker blasting cherry pop inside the packed cafe, Kaito gladly enjoys the real-life comedy before him. He was glad he came.

“Hasegawa-Kun. I bet you're really popular. I heard you always get the first rank.” a girl with a ponytail looked at him under her green olive contact lenses.

“Ah, I also heard you're the swimming team captain,” The short hair one adds with a fake mischievous high-pitched voice, sounds like a rat pinched by the door for Kaito. “It’s must be pleasant to good at everything”

Ren blinks, doesn’t seem flattered by the praise, though his polite nature makes a faint smile still remain on his lips “Ah, I never feel that way. I just study like other normal students”

A smug smile formed on Kaito’s thin lips. /That’s right, that student should behave, study, perfect scores and…Ah wait I’m also a student but I’m not even near it/

“Aww…” The girls coo in a union like they've rehearsed that beforehand. “Not just cute but you are also humble. How cool~”

Kaito rolls his eyes.

“I’m surprised you’re not having a girlfriend yet” What was her name again? Right, Miho. Miho heaves a great and despondent sigh that would make everyone believe that Ren has wasted 17 years of his life being single.

“Right! right!” Mayu - another girl props her chin under her laced fingers on the table, staring with her fluttering lashes “I’m curious what your type is. cute one,  pretty one, or innocent one?” She pouts, acting all cute. 

“What are you talking about?!” Yui smacks his friend “He is definitely on the sexy side. right Hasegawa-Kun? with a violin-like waist and big boobs duh!”

Ren chokes on his milkshake. His ears are burning. His gasping mouth seems like about to say something, but the turmoil inside doesn’t let him say the words that he wants to. The girls, of course, don't notice and keep laughing inside their own little bubbles.

“It doesn't matter, I can be all the type you like,” Miho regards Ren with a coquettish wink, misinterpreting Ren flushed face as blushing, “As long as you don’t expect me to have adam apple, that’s it” she jokes, gaining a dying chortle from Mayu.

Kaito quirks his eyebrow /hell, no, is she just…/

He glances at Ren’s face which also seems to be frozen in horror. Though, he succeeds in covering it with a light chuckle “What do you mean?” He tries to sound indifferent yet the shaky tone at the end of his word is noticed by Kaito.

“I kid, I kid~” Miho waves her tapering fingers while giggling. “Isn’t that a popular joke recently? I saw the meme somewhere”

“Oh but seriously tho, you won’t believe me,” Mayu adds while rolling her eyes, disbelieving. “There was one time I stood up to some guy because I found out from a mutual friend of ours that he was gay.”

Kaito feels someone is just wrenching his gut. This is not about him, he’s not gay, but why does it make his blood boil? 

He quietly glances at Ren. The boy has lost his words a long time ago. Perhaps he can’t trust his own voice to speak without trembling. He hides his shaky hands under the table. Kaito isn’t sure whether he’s terribly afraid of being found out or he is just simply mad and disgusted with their behaviour. Ren is human after all, no matter how lenient he is, he still can feel a sort of human nature like feeling angry.

“You’re talking about Makoto right?” Miho adds. Scoffing in disdain. “I can’t believe, that was my first time seeing someone who isn’t normal” Miho scoffs, disgust written all over her pretty face, and Kaito was caught between shrinking backward and feigning ignorance, or going off on an outraged tirade right there and then.

“I’m glad we weren’t having sex yet, can you imagine what diseases he might-”

“Pfftt…” Kaito spits his coffee on the table intentionally after failing in holding his laughter. “Gomen. The more I listen, the funnier it sounds.”

“Funny?” Miho regards him quizzically.

“I thought it's common sense that STDs are transmitted through unprotected vaginal, anal and oral sex regardless of their gender,” Kaito explains between his stifled laughs. Resting his back on the couch he meets the girls’ faces with his usual smug expression. “For example, if you ladies - doing ‘it’ with every random boy you met through a blind date. I suggest you make an appointment with the clinic soon”

The lingering silence adhered.  As Kaito expected he feels way more relieved after blurting out his thoughts. Therefore, it’s amusing to see Yami and Goro's facial expressions which look like they just witnessed their world crumble between their eyes and Ren barely closes his mouth from shock. But, what causes Kaito almost couldn’t refrain to laugh, is the girls’ horror-stricken faces.

“Ah don’t worry ladies,” Kaito adds nonchalantly. “Elegant-looking girls like you are impossible for doing something cheap like that. There’s no way! I mean if your standard is someone like Hasegawa, you guys have a classy taste for sure”

The girls respond with a humourless laugh. “Pardon us for not noticing you. But, who are you?” The bob-haired girl stares at Kaito with a judgemental look.

“That’s right!” Mayu joins her. “You kept glancing at Hasegawa. Are you his underling? I mean since Hasegawa is extremely popular it wouldn’t be weird if he has a bodyguard”

“WHAT??? I’M HIS UNDERLING? BODYGUARD? THIS TIMID GUY?” Kaito incredulously points at Ren. Since his arrival to this town - years ago, this is the most offending remark he heard from someone. He can accept being called a bully but a bodyguard of a pushover guy like Ren???

“No no no, you are wrong.” Yami intercepts frantically, waving his arms like a window wiper. “This is Sato. The strongest one in our school. Well, he’s basically our school’s boss. He once beat 10 people alone and shed their teeth in one punch. People would tremble on their feet just by hearing his name. He’s also the reason why no other school dares to mess with us!” He explains with a puffing chest, looking proud for some reason.

/When in freaking hell I beat 10 people alone??? School boss? Shedding whose teeth? Where does this peacock get the delusion from?/ Kaito almost lost his word after hearing Yami’s wild imagination. He sends him a signal by piercing a laser beam through his eyes but Yami mouths something ridiculous instead, “No-need-to-thank-me”

Face palming, Kaito makes a mental note to shed Yami’s peacock hair first once they get home.

“Oho~” Mayu whistles with a flirty smirk. “So you are the bad boy. Lucky for you I have a thing with a bad boy charm. So you are the one who conquers this area? Or even the whole prefecture?”

“Conquering? Are you crazy? You don’t know who’s our country's emperor now?”

“Kukuku~ I don’t expect you to have a good sense of humour,” The girls giggle to each other again.

“By the way, if you're not Hasegawa’s underling, then are you bullying him?” Mayu asks.

“Do you not even consider us as friends?” Staring at her with bored eyes, Kaito asks back.

“If you insist on being friends with him then I’ll pretend to believe you,” Miho replies, which is approved by Mayu.

“If you insist on looking pretty, then I’ll pretend to believe you.” Kaito fires back quick-wittedly.  

“Ha!” Miho scoffs. “All bullies are the same scum”

After their seduction doesn’t work on Kaito, the girls’ attention returns to Ren. Ignoring Yami who has been reciting the convo topic, he must be prepared since last night. “Oh no Hasegawa, what do I do? This guy must keep bothering you because he’s envious that he can’t be as perfect as you.”

Kaito cries out from laughing out loud. /Does she even realises the one who’s bothering Ren here are you girls?/

“There’s a lot of bright students in our school,” Ren begins while looking everywhere but the girls’ eyes. “Sato-Kun is one of them. His karate trophy is the biggest one in our hall of glory”

“Oh.” Kaito regards him in surprise. He doesn’t know Ren, even noticing something rarely noticed by other students.

“Still, a good personality and excellent grades are also required. After all, we are going to school to study,” The long-haired girl glares at Kaito, “And obviously not to build muscle or learn fighting”

The compliment doesn’t make Ren feel better, if anything, he looks has lost his appetite from his half-eaten meal.

The reason why Kaito keeps glancing at Ren is that the boy is so hard in hiding his uneasiness, only fortunately, the others are also too busy with their own agenda to notice Ren has been squirming like he’s been sitting on the hot needles since they arrived.

“Say it Hasegawa-Kun,” Changing her tone, Mayu leans closer at Ren from across the table. Speaking in a seductive whisper. “My house is empty tonight, you wanna come and have some…milk?”

Kaito is appalled. /Was she for real? Was that a line supposed to be said by a high school girl?/

“Can I come too?” Yami and Goro inquire at the same time. The two goons don’t wanna lose this opportunity either.

“Oh, my~, of course, you are welcome. But you need to wait on the outside first until Hasegawa is finish-”

“Sorry, but I need to go to cram school after this,” Ren quickly cuts her off with a pale face as if he is just hearing an obituary.

“Ah too bad~” Mayu doesn’t yield. “Can you not come a bit late? I promise it won't take that long. You see…I’m very skilled at that.” she winks.

Kaito who sits next to Ren notices his condition has gotten worse. Now he’s drenching with sweat despite the air conditioner inside the cafe being just perfect, his breath heaves unrhythmically, his eyes shaking - unfocused; He looks like the shiest student who was dragged to the front of the class, forced to present something he hasn’t prepared.

Utterly panic.

Then when Kaito leans back and carefully inspect the source of Ren’s terror - since a word from the girl alone must be not enough to cause Ren in this state, Kaito finds Mayu's leg playing with the hem of Ren’s trouser - trying to slip them in. She must think that seductive tricks will work on every guy she meets. 

“Ha!” Kaito scoffs out loud. He slams the table without even being able to stop himself. Sending everyone who sits on them, and some table around them jolts and looks their way. Kaito seriously should do something with his anger management, but he really can’t stomach it.

“What’s wrong with you?!” Miho screams, ready to throw her hairbrush.

“Has an all-girl school never taught you about gender equity?” Kaito stands, glaring down at them. “Sexual harassment not only could conduct by a male to female but vice versa. What you were doing right now by talking while implying sexual content and touching someone without their consent has filled two descriptions of sexual assault both verbal and physical. Not even girls from our school who stick to this guy every day have ever crossed the line.” Kaito points at Ren.  Despite his harsh tone, Kaito doesn’t show any sign of rage. He’s just stating those facts with a flat face. “Seriously…I wonder what this guy’s fan club would do if they find out about this. You have no idea how scary they are. Not even me could hold them back if they are coming at you.”

The girls stiffen, “What did we do?! We didn’t do anything!” 

Still as cool as cucumber, Kaito snatches his bag. “Anyway, I gotta go now,” he announces coldly and looks in Ren’s direction beside him. “Hasegawa, what are you doing? Not coming?" Kaito intentionally makes it sound like an order instead of asking him, knowing Ren can't say no and he positively can't endure that toxic environment anymore.

"Ye- yeah, coming!" Ren gets his bag fast.

"What? We aren't done yet!" Mayu protests, glaring at Kaito like he just stole her toy. "Hasegawa should take us home! Get lost you bully!" She looks at Kaito with a threatening look. 

/This little entitled brat…/

"Yo," Kaito refers to both Yami and Goro. "You can take them home right?"

“YES, BOSS!” They salute in amazing solidarity. 

“Since when I was your boss, you bastard?!” Kaito’s box of patience has run out of ammunition now, he’s ready to give them a smack in the head but Ren has pulled his hand, dragging him outside. Of course, Kaito doesn’t miss shouting his parting gift to the girls on the way out. “AND LADIES! YOU SHOULD REALLY NEED TO CHECK ON YOURSELF AT THE CLINIC! Matane~”