Chapter 86: 86: No way, sir, you’re carrying a gun?

"It's me, Ryuju-san, save me!" Takashi didn't care how Ryuju Momo recognized him—his top priority now was escaping. Hearing his voice, Ryuju Momo's gaze became even stranger. Oh? It really was him? She had almost thought she had mistaken him for someone else. "Auntie, he's with me. Go find someone else." Her tone was flat, revealing no emotion, just like her ever-indifferent expression, as if she had little interest in anything in this world. Her face rarely showed much fluctuation. "Miss Ryuju, I specifically picked him! Isn't it a bit too much for you to swoop in halfway?" Sanka Ariya clearly recognized Ryuju Momo. She was obviously on the list of people she couldn't afford to offend. Even her drunken eyes regained some clarity upon seeing her. However, letting Takashi go just like that? She was unwilling. At this point, it was no longer a matter of whether she liked him or not—it was a matter of pride. "Are you trying to reason with me?" Ryuju Momo slightly raised her eyelids and stared at Sanka Ariya with an unwavering gaze. Under that stare, Sanka Ariya felt an inexplicable pressure. It felt like Ryuju Momo was about to draw a gun the next second. Ryuju Momo lifted the hem of her denim jacket and reached toward the back of her waist. In the dim lighting, Takashi and Sanka Ariya vaguely saw something—was that a gun? No way, sir! You're actually serious? Even Takashi hadn't expected Ryuju Momo to actually go so far as to draw a gun. Wasn't Japan supposed to have some of the strictest gun control laws in the world? Where did she even get that? "Aaaahhh!!!" Sanka Ariya screamed, her well-maintained face contorting in terror. She turned and fled in a panic. "Him—him, I don't want him anymore! He's yours!" Sanka Ariya had wanted to argue with Ryuju Momo. The problem was that, right now, the truth was in Ryuju Momo's hands. She was afraid that if she kept talking, Ryuju Momo would just empty a magazine into her with a Mozambique Drill. Crazy woman. This lunatic. As she ran, Sanka Ariya kept cursing Ryuju Momo in her heart. Honestly, Takashi himself was completely stunned. He had seen guns plenty of times in movies and dramas. But in real life? This was his first time. If that gun had been pointed at him, could his so-called swordsmanship proficiency cut bullets out of the air? Ryuju Momo noticed Takashi's face had turned ghostly pale, sweat dripping down his forehead, his entire body drenched in cold sweat. Her eyes flickered with amusement. As he watched her nervously, she pulled out the gun from her waist and aimed it directly at him, pulling the trigger. "Bang!" Takashi instinctively shut his eyes. Nothing happened for a long time. Moreover, that "bang" just now hadn't sounded very loud—it almost seemed... like a sound effect someone had made. He cautiously opened his eyes just a sliver. And right in front of him, poking out from the barrel of the "gun," was a lollipop. "Not gonna try it? It's pretty good." This time, Ryuju Momo's androgynous voice carried a hint of teasing. Takashi finally took a good look at her "gun." It turned out to be nothing more than a candy dispenser. He and Sanka Ariya had both been tricked. Thinking about it carefully, of course. Even if Ryuju Momo was reckless, she wouldn't be stupid enough to actually pull out a real gun and shoot someone in public, right? Right, Abe-chan? Takashi and the terrified Sanka Ariya had both fallen for it because they had assumed things about Ryuju Momo based on her background. This was what you'd call a stereotype. "You scared the hell out of me." Takashi bit down on the lollipop and refused to let go, looking at Ryuju Momo with an aggrieved expression. "What are you thinking? I'm a law-abiding citizen." Ryuju Momo flashed her neat, white teeth, yanked the lollipop stick sharply, leaving the candy in Takashi's mouth, then spun the candy dispenser in her hand before tucking it back into her waistband. "Alright, Kitahara the Honor Student," Ryuju Momo crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, looking at him sideways. "What are you doing here? Are you working as a host now?" To be fair, she looked really cool like this. There was a certain bold and heroic charm about her. Takashi mimicked her and leaned his back against the wall. "I came with a friend. Now it's my turn to ask—how did you recognize me?" "I just thought you looked kind of like him, so I called out. I didn't actually recognize you." Ryuju Momo had only guessed based on his silhouette. Seems like his disguise skills were working pretty well. As for why the other women hadn't recognized him, maybe they were all too confident. Each of them thought they were the one Watanabe Akari loved the most. It never even crossed their minds that he might be deceiving them. "Haven't seen you in a while, and you've gotten so washed up. Did your 'pretty boy' trial period expire?" Ryuju Momo looked at Takashi for a moment before shifting her gaze away. Maybe her first impression of him had been too dazzling. The more she looked at him now, the more she felt disappointed. Takashi pouted. "I just put on makeup." Looking good on campus has nothing to do with how I look outside of school, okay? "Makeup?" Ryuju Momo looked surprised. This was the first time she had seen someone make themselves uglier with makeup. "Nice job. Next time, don't bother." Ryuju Momo offered him some friendly advice. "Don't worry. Next time, even if I stand right in front of you, you won't recognize me." Takashi was confident. Today's face was too similar to his real one. If he switched to his "Aki Tomoya" or "Tanuma Tsubasa" disguise, he was sure Ryuju Momo wouldn't recognize him at all. "By the way, what are you doing here? Out for some fun?" Ryuju Momo shot him a deadly glare. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting? You think I'd be into these sissy boys?" Growing up in a yakuza family, Ryuju Momo hated effeminate men. She liked real men—muscular, tough guys. Not to brag, but if she fought any of the hosts here one-on-one, she could easily pin them down and beat them to a pulp. "Also, didn't you say you were gonna enroll in Shuchiin? Why the hell did you end up at Aoba instead?" Takashi and Ryuju Momo's friendship went back to the entrance exams. Back then, Takashi had been alone when he ran into Ryuju Momo wandering around campus. He didn't know his way around, nor did he know who she was, so he went up and asked for directions. In the end, she had given him a tour. Even though she looked scary, she was actually a good person. "What if I got bullied at Shuchiin?" Although Aoba and Shuchiin were both prestigious private high schools known for their high university acceptance rates, Aoba had a much better atmosphere despite also having its fair share of rich kids. Shuchiin, on the other hand, had students who had known each other since elementary school. Cliques were already formed, and outsiders weren't welcome. He'd be just like Shirogane Kei's brother if he went there. Aoba was different. There, he wouldn't be treated as an outcast. Ryuju Momo raised an eyebrow. "With me backing you up, who'd dare mess with you?" ___ 20 Advanced Chapters available on p@ tr eon (.) com/HalflingFics Also, please point out my mistakes in the comment, thank you! Don't forget to leave a review too~ Check out the other translations too ___