章 1: Romance
An obscure street in Tokyo, Japan.
1 AM.
"Damn it, you'll remember this!" echoed the stereotypical villain's line through the night. A middle-aged man in a suit suddenly appeared at the end of the street.
With Kato Yusuke at the periphery of his vision, he shielded his eyes with one hand while pointing at a nearby young man with the other, cursing with a face full of resentment.
"Fuck off!"
The young man clenched his fist and replied coldly, stepping forward to pursue.
"Shit—!"
The middle-aged man's face morphed into an expression of terror, and he quickly fled.
As the thick clouds dissipated, a handsome youth with sharp features emerged under the moonlight. His black hair and eyes, high-arched eyebrows, and striking gaze complemented his tall stature, clad in a white shirt and jeans.
"Hey—"
He spoke, his dark eyes fixating on a girl under the telephone pole. She had long, nearly black brown hair, slender eyes with amber irises, and a beautifully sculpted nose with a rounded tip. Her look wavered between 'cute' and 'beautiful.' She was dressed in a dark blue suit jacket and a gray plaid skirt, which, due to her squatting position, revealed too much.
"What's your name?" Kato Yusuke inquired.
"Eh?" The girl seemed taken aback by the sudden question but responded instinctively, "Sayu... my name is Sayu."
"Why are you here at this hour? It's dangerous," Kato Yusuke pressed on.
"Um..." Pondering briefly, Sayu looked up at him with those amber eyes, then shrugged. "There are no trains running anymore."
"Do you plan to stay here till morning?" he asked.
"It will be cold," she admitted.
"Then go to a hotel or a nearby internet café."
"That's not possible," she countered.
"Why not?"
Sayu flashed a troubled smile, gestured to an empty coffee can at her feet, and confessed, "I've just spent my last bit of money."
"What about your family?" Kato Yusuke's tone softened.
Silence fell as a mixture of sadness and aversion crossed her face. "There are... reasons I can't discuss," she murmured.
Kato Yusuke nodded thoughtfully. "I see..."
She looked particularly desolate, looking like an abandoned kitten, she forced a small smile at him.
"If that's the case, come to my place," Kato Yusuke offered calmly.
"Huh? But I don't have any money, is that okay?" Sayu's voice mixed hope with anxiety.
"Well, that doesn't matter," Kato reassured her, nodding affirmatively. "You've already paid your dues, so don't worry."
Just then, an electronic female voice that only Kato could hear announced in his mind:
"Task completed: [The Runaway Girl (1/1)]"
"Rewards issued: 5,000 points."
[Character: Kato Yusuke]
[Age: 15 years old]
[Physical Strength: 7]
[Intelligence: 5]
[Charm: 7]
[Item: None]
[Skill: None]
[Points: 5000]
[Money: 47300 yen]
The average attribute value of ordinary people is 5.
"Ding, it is detected that the remaining points are greater than zero, the store has been activated, and the host can view it by himself."
...
He knew then. His actions had earned him something valuable, beyond the ordinary.
"Probably so," Kato Yusuke concluded as he led her into his modest 1LDK apartment. The open-plan kitchen blended into the living space, featuring a bathroom that maintained privacy. The place was small but sufficient for one.
"So, you're just letting me stay here without any rent, and you're only 15 years old? You're still in high school!?" Sayu exclaimed, overwhelmed.
"That's correct," Kato Yusuke confirmed. "I've been on my own since childhood after my parents abandoned me. My grandfather who raised me passed away two years ago. The only legacy he left was this apartment. You can stay here without worry."
He paused, then added, "Just as I don't pry into your past, I expect you not to inquire about my reasons for helping you. Just know there is a reason."
"Even so..." Sayu muttered, confused, "But I haven't given you anything."
"I see you feel anxious about this uneven exchange," Kato observed her expression and sighed. "I've received what I needed... Even if you don't believe it, why question something beneficial?"
He looked thoughtful for a moment before suggesting, "From tomorrow, you should handle the housework."
"Huh? But..."
She looked around. The bare apartment was lit by a bright yellow light, furnished only with a single bed and a low table. The lack of any personal touch was stark.
"Is it really necessary to clean this place?" she asked, skeptical.
Kato Yusuke understood her but did not answer immediately. He first took a sip of the water on the table and then said lightly in a calm tone.
"Why not?"
"As you see, I'm just an ordinary high school student juggling part-time jobs. If you could take care of the household, including cooking, I could get some relief. Let's use that arrangement instead of rent,"
He was just talking nonsense. How can someone who can live alone for more than a year and still go to work need someone else's care?
The person who was taken care of in turn was actually herself, Ogihara Sayu instantly thought of this, but the rebuttal words could not be spoken. She only felt that the other party's plain words suddenly hit the softness in her heart.
She lowered her head, her long hair covered her face as she replied softly, "If that's okay with you, Kato-kun..." Her voice trembled slightly.
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