Leon’s POV
I had some weird dreams just before this. In that dream, I was back in my former self. No, more than a dream—it felt more like a vivid memory. Right, a memory of what had just been. A memory of my past life.
In it, I was walking with my childhood friend. Our homes were just a few blocks away from our school, so we usually walked there together. Almost every day, since kindergarten, we had walked this path side by side. It was our usual routine, a comforting familiarity.
The morning air was crisp, and the streets were bathed in the soft, golden light of the rising sun. We could hear the distant sounds of the city waking up—the hum of cars, the chatter of early risers, and the occasional bark of a dog. The scent of fresh bread from a nearby bakery wafted through the air, mingling with the fragrance of blooming flowers from neighborhood gardens.
“You know, Tsubasa,” Kaori, my childhood friend, said, breaking the comfortable silence, “now that we’re in our third year of high school, do you think we should start thinking about which university to attend and what courses to choose?”
“You still haven’t picked one, Kaori?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You already chose one?!” she exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Uh, yeah. Didn’t I tell you? I’m planning to go to X University,” I said. “That’s why I’ve been busting my ass studying so hard to get a scholarship there.”
“X University?! Uuuu, do I have the smarts to get in there?!” she whined, clutching her head in distress.
“Based on my observations over the last 15 years, I can honestly say you don’t.”
“You’re so mean!” she shot back, pouting and crossing her arms, her cheeks flushing with frustration.
“If you just study, then you might have a chance.”
Despite my reassurance, she still pouted. “There’s no way I can pass the exam there. I’m not smart like you,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration as she looked up at me with those big, pleading puppy eyes.
“So, you’re saying you want me to teach you?”
“Exactly!” she exclaimed, her face lighting up with hope. “I knew you’d get it. That’s why you’re my best friend in the world.” She threw her arms around mine, pressing her soft breasts against me. The familiar warmth and pressure were something I had grown used to, so I kept my composure, not giving in to any awkward reactions. “Hmm? I wonder which university Amakawa-kun will be going to? Oh, speak of the devil!”
As soon as she spotted him, she let go of my arm and darted towards the young man surrounded by a group of people. Her excitement was almost tangible as she sprinted, her ponytail bouncing with each step.
“Amakawa-kun!” she called out, her voice carrying over the chatter. She waved enthusiastically as she closed the distance.
When she reached him, slightly out of breath, she beamed up at him. “Good morning!”
“Ah. Good morning to you too, Asada-san,” Amakawa replied, his voice calm and polite amidst the bustling crowd.
“Hehe…” she giggled, a blush spreading across her cheeks.
The way she blushed hit me with a sudden realization, a feeling I quickly shoved to the back of my mind. I had a habit of escaping reality back then.
I slowly made my way over to them, trying not to draw too much attention.
Amakawa noticed me approaching and waved, his smile as warm as ever. “Good morning to you too, Ichinose-kun.”
“Yes, good morning, Amakawa,” I replied, my voice steady.
“Are you both heading to the room now? If so, can I join you?”
“Sure,” said Kaori with a radiant smile. I could tell right away that this smile wasn’t like the ones she usually gave me. It resembled the ones she gave to many people, yet this one was distinctly different. It was warm, inviting, and directed solely at him.
A sharp pang of pain struck my chest. This was jealousy. I could feel my heart darkening with the emotion, like black ink spilling across a pristine white page. The sensation was overwhelming and deeply unpleasant, a mix of bitterness and longing that gnawed at me from the inside.
Kaori was a liar. Yes.
She was a damn liar. She swore she wanted to join me at the same university. So, I busted my ass teaching her, thinking we’d be in this together, passing exams, maybe scoring scholarships. But when she caught wind that Amakawa was heading elsewhere, she did a complete one-eighty and decided to chase after him. She never disclosed her change of heart. And I kept on teaching her, fool that I was, convinced she wanted to stick with me, not him. Turns out, it was all just a big fat lie.
I learned from a woman named Chihara Akane that Kaori harbored the desire to attend the same university as him. It wasn’t Kaori who confided in me, but someone else’s revelation. If only Kaori had been forthright, maybe the pain wouldn’t have cut so deep. But she kept her intentions hidden, and it was someone else who spilled the beans. That moment crystallized the realization that Kaori had been using me, leveraging my knowledge to boost her own chances of getting close to Amakawa at the same university.
And now, standing before me, this woman was a mirror of Kaori. A liar. Why was I so certain, even though Charlotte and I weren’t particularly close? Because she echoed Kaori in every way. The way they talked, the way they lied through their teeth, the way they tried to manipulate you with their beauty. Just like how they both batted their eyelashes, trying to play cute to get what they wanted.
That’s why I couldn’t help but chuckle when she tried pulling the same old trick on me. It was like a worn-out page from the playbook. That was the final nail in the coffin.
I didn’t harbor any desire for revenge against Kaori, despite her deceiving me all the way through our third year of high school. I didn’t hold any grudges, and I had no inclination to retaliate. The past was the past, after all. But I couldn’t deny that I still felt bitter about it.
Now, I found myself confronted with her again, this time in the guise of Charlotte. If I hadn’t been so adamant in denying the possibility, I might have even entertained the notion that she was Kaori reincarnated. The resemblance was uncanny, almost eerie. But she wasn’t Kaori. That was the undeniable truth. Yet, her presence stirred up memories and emotions that I had long tried to bury.
To banish the lingering essence of Kaori from my mind, I knew I had to take action with Charlotte. I couldn’t let Kaori’s ghost continue to haunt me. I needed to face this head-on.
That’s right. I would make Charlotte submit entirely to me, erasing any remnants of the woman I once knew. I would dominate her, leading her into a realm of pleasure where only I held control. That’s how I would rid myself of Kaori’s memory once and for all.
I held up my phone, its bright screen casting an intense glow that seemed to sear into her eyes. In that moment, her gaze was transfixed on the image reflected in the screen.
It was a snapshot captured by Gladys, the room attendant at the inn where Titania and I had spent the night. But Gladys was more than just a hotel staff member; she was also one of the women I’d engaged in wild sex with, along with the two MILFs, after indulging in intercrural pleasure with Elise.
Before Titania and I went to our room that we rented, she approached me and whispered. She had requested me to fuck her the morning following my night with Titania, and so I obliged, but not without a bargain. I desired her to keep a watchful eye for any action between Professor Sesillian and Charlotte, should they ever end up in bed together. She obediently consented, and the next morning, as I fucked her, she relayed her findings. She disclosed that Charlotte and the Professor had indeed shared a bed. Fortunately, their rendezvous remained platonic. Charlotte attempted to seduce Sesillian, but he didn’t take the bait. Two possible reasons lingered as to why he resisted, and I was privy to both. Though they were more like educated guesses, given that Gabrielle had ceased her cockblocking and allowed them their space, it seemed my suspicions held some merit.
Well, it could be quite entertaining if those turned out to be true. Imagine Charlotte stumbling upon them herself. She’d be in for one hell of a shock.
After our session, Gladys handed me some photos. They depicted Charlotte and Sesillian together, with Charlotte starting to undress in front of him. It seemed like a waste not to use them, so I decided to take a page out of Shredica’s playbook and leverage this against her.
Using them as blackmail, essentially. So that I could get what I wanted from her.
