Bab 20: The Truth About Alan

Hayashi Sakura clapped her hands together over her mouth as she looked at Nakano Yuna's cell phone screen. How in the world did this happen? She knew it was the right choice to reject that guy's bike ride offer in the first place!

Finally, Sakura regained her composure and put her hands aside. "How am I in trouble? I swear to God we only met by coincidence inside the mall while I was about to shop for my groceries."

It was then when Sakura caught a glimpse of Mori Ken's figure entering their classroom, but she only ignored it afterward and shifted her gaze back at her friend. Tanaka Ryo, on the other hand, is currently standing behind Yuna while playing something on his phone.

"Sure, you are. But girls in this goddamn school are obsessed with him as well." Then Yuna looks at Sakura eagerly, making the girl slightly feel uncomfortable with her sudden stare. "Wait, do you have any idea who this guy is?"

Judging by Sakura's blank look, Nakano Yuna immediately figured out that she has no idea who this guy is, to begin with. Sighing, Yuna shakes her head in disbelief and clicks her tongue thrice.

"This guy right here is the sole heir of the Yamaguchi Group- the clan who is famously known all throughout Japan as the group who manages almost all business establishments of the country… From malls, resorts, restaurants, even some of the casinos here are owned by their family. And he seldom appears in public, I must add. But you happened to see him inside the mall?!"

"Y-yeah…" Sakura is now beginning to stutter. This person, this Yamaguchi Alan who resides in the same apartment where she also lives, is crazy richer than she had ever thought of! Again, what on earth is an heir doing in a cheap apartment like that?!

"A-at the Hikarie Mall…" she added, still can't believe what she is now hearing from her friend.

That also makes her wonder, why does an heir like him want to be friends with a common type of girl like her? What does he even want to begin with? And what will he gain for befriending her? This whole friendly scheme of his doesn't make sense to Sakura at all.

"Wow! That high-rise mall is also owned by their company, did you also know that?"

Sakura only shook her head slowly. So that restaurant where they have lunch must also be theirs. No wonder he doesn't need to pay and only needs to present a membership card, or whatever that thing is actually called.

"What's that?"

Suddenly, Sakura snaps back to reality when she hears the voice of Mori Ken. She hadn't realized that the guy was already settled down in his seat next to hers. Mori Ken, on the other hand, now leans his head as he tries to read carefully the caption flashing on Yuna's phone screen.

With a straight face, Mori Ken looks at Sakura and says, "What is this all about?"

But Sakura can't answer him, afraid that tears would spring up in the corner of her eyes once she starts to utter a word. She already experienced this kind of treatment during her high school days, so she should be used to this by now. But no, it still makes her weak and she hates it.

Seeing that the girl seated right next to him is silent, Mori Ken clenches his hand into a fist and suddenly declares. "Whoever posted this sh*t, I'll make sure to make him or her pay for this."

Sakura lifts her head up, surprised by Ken's declaration. But the lad immediately adds his statement, "I don't want my good name to be involved with such crap." and Sakura secretly curses at herself for ever assuming that Ken still cares for her well-being.

Nakano Yuna then chimes in, "I think I might know who did this," and secretly glances towards the direction where Watanabe Rin and her other ugly friends are seated and laughing.

***

During lunch, Sakura could still feel it as well. Those judgmental looks that people in this school are throwing at her make her sick that she chose to eat at the student lounge instead of the cafeteria where only a few people hang out. And once she opens her locker to get something, several hate letters start overflowing from the inside which she eventually throws the whole bunch into the nearest trash can.

And just like that, Sakura's hopes of experiencing a peaceful college life have immediately shattered into tiny, million pieces.

Beep! Beep!

Suddenly, Sakura's head shot upward as she suddenly felt the phone vibrate inside the pocket of her faded jeans. They will be receiving their school uniform set by the end of this month, and from then on they will be required to wear it at all times. But for now, they are still allowed to go to school in their civilian clothes.

Sakura's face lit up as soon as she saw Sushi Roll's name appear in her notification bar. Swiftly, she clicks the unread message, and a smile instantly appears on her face as she finally reads his message.

---

Sushi Roll

-> "Smile. Everything will be alright."

---

Sometimes it confuses her how come Sushi Roll seems to have an idea if something is bothering her when in fact they seldom talk to each other since the start of classes. But whatever the case is, Sakura is glad that someone out there is looking out for her… whoever this person in real life is.

As quick as lightning, she speedily types her reply,

---

NekoNii

-> Thank you :)

---

And she smilingly hit the send button before putting it back in her right pocket.

***

Sakura called in from work, telling her boss that she can't be at the cafe today because she is not feeling well, which Ms. Cookie approves immediately without a question. She knows Sakura as one of the hardworking maids at her cafe, and she seldom takes her leave even if she has the freedom to do so. So whenever this situation happens, Ms. Cookie doesn't need to question her at all.

As soon as Sakura walks past the apartment lobby to get to her room, she happens to cross paths with Yamaguchi Alan, who is now walking downstairs in his casual clothes already. He stops in his tracks for a while as he meets the girl's gaze.

"I saw the fake news," Alan tells her directly without beating around the bush. With a straight face, he adds, "I'll see to it that I will take down the post immediately, as well as that rubbish site."

But Sakura couldn't care less about the post anymore. What bothers her more is the fact that this gorgeous guy standing across from her is the sole heir of the Yamaguchi Group, and yet why does he even bother to be friends with her in the first place?

"I thought friends don't keep secrets with one another," Sakura says suddenly, her gaze still fixated on Alan. "Why didn't you tell me the truth in the first place?"

Instead of answering it directly, Alan now continues to walk until he is a few feet away from Sakura. Hesitantly, he answers her question.

"Because… you were the first person I encountered who didn't consider my personal status in life. And I wanted it to remain that way."