District 7, a street corner café.

Anzen, Ruiko, and Misaka Mikoto sat together in the corner, each with a very different look on their face.

Anzen looked calm, a faint smirk at his lips. Ruiko, sitting next to him, looked stiff and awkward.

Misaka sat across from them, her gaze sharp, like she was staring at a cheating husband and his mistress.

After a long silence, Ruiko finally forced herself to speak. "Misaka, I think… we shouldn't have this kind of relationship."

She wanted to make things clear: she didn't like girls, she only liked guys like Anzen. Her orientation was perfectly normal, and she didn't want any misunderstandings.

"So you know it's wrong." Misaka's voice was heavy. "Then why are you still with him…"

Crap.

Ruiko's mouth twitched. Misaka had completely taken it the wrong way. What she meant was that she and Misaka weren't supposed to be in that kind of relationship—but Misaka thought she was saying she and Anzen shouldn't be together.

This was painful.

And to make things worse, the boy next to her had sneakily started a live broadcast in the group chat. Was he trying to get her socially killed?

Doujin Artist: Ruiko-chan! Say something! Why aren't you saying anything?

Machete Girl: Yeah, respond! Misaka looks like she's about to cry right there in front of you!

Curly-haired Guy: Ding ding ding, "I shouldn't have seen you two hugging in the corner café. This is my fate, my punishment from heaven. And later, you're all alone again…"

Wig Guy: Those are breakup song lyrics. Can't believe you still remember them, Gintoki.

Curly-haired Guy: Hmph, of course I do! Back then, my title as King of Karaoke started with that song!

Amegakure Village's Angel: Singing now? That's just cruel.

Doujin Artist: Hahaha, they're totally roasting poor Ruiko-chan alive.

Soul Society's Villain: The one really suffering is Misaka. She must feel like she's being cheated on. It's rough.

Lin Fengjiao: Love between two girls… can it really work out?

From the memory list, Lin Jiu had already learned a bit about everyone in the group. But it was only surface-level.

As a Maoshan disciple with a pretty traditional mindset, a lot of things in this group still confused him—like two girls being in a relationship. It just felt strange to him.

Doujin Artist: Whether it works out or not doesn't matter. What's important is the process.

Amegakure Village's Angel: There's still a way. Anzen-san just needs to give a little help from the side.

Machete Girl: Sister Konan, this "help from the side"… is it even proper?

Soul Society's Villain: Proper or not depends on what kind of result Ruiko and Misaka Mikoto want.

Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Enough already, don't go too far!

Saten Ruiko really couldn't hold it in anymore. The more they talked, the wilder it got, making her start to picture things without meaning to! Evil, this kind of scene was way too evil. She had to stop it!

Thinking that, Saten Ruiko's eyes grew firm. "Misaka, you misunderstood me. What I mean is that you and I should only be…"

"You must be Misaka Mikoto, right? Ruiko told me about you." Before she could finish, Anzen suddenly spoke up. "Thank you for looking after our Ruiko and making her so happy every day."

Misaka Mikoto's attention was quickly pulled to Anzen's words. With a puzzled look she asked, "Your Ruiko?"

"That's right." Anzen's voice was gentle, his smile relaxed. "My name's Anzen. I'm Ruiko's cousin."

Skirt-Flipping Maniac: ?

Doujin Artist: Pfft! Hahaha! A cousin, huh!

Machete Girl: First that "thank you for looking after her," and now "cousin." Ruiko's been cornered—no way out now.

Scarlet Lotus Fairy: Young Master An really lives up to his name. Nobody can trap someone better than him.

Soul Society's Villain: True. If Anzen ever really wanted to scheme, it'd be terrifying.

Cousin?

On screen, Misaka Mikoto froze for a moment, her face going blank. "So you two aren't… that kind of relationship?"

"Exactly!" Saten Ruiko panicked, blurting out loud: "He's not my cousin, he's… the one I like!"

"Ha, looks like you got the wrong idea." Anzen ignored Ruiko's protest, still calm as ever. "Ruiko's a bit mischievous. Please don't take it too seriously."

"N-no! I'm the one who—!" Misaka Mikoto's face turned red, looking flustered.

Curly-haired Guy: She totally looks like a girlfriend meeting the family for the first time.

Shark-Faced Guy: Makes sense though. Even though Anzen looks like a young boy, his presence and the way he talks are way beyond most adults.

Curly-haired Guy: Kisame, are you basically calling our president old?

Wig Guy: You bastard, are you insulting our president's honor?

Shark-Faced Guy: …

Doujin Artist: Damn, that was one heavy accusation. Kisame-san, feeling the pressure yet?

Machete Girl: Kisame-san already gave up on talking.

Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Anzen-san, what did you do! Why does it feel like Misaka can't even hear me anymore!

This is an Actor: It's not that she can't hear you. It's that, in Misaka's eyes, you've just been shyly sitting there listening to us talk the whole time.

Lin Fengjiao: So Ruiko can see things Misaka can't?

Doujin Artist: Damn, Kyoka Suigetsu? Anzen-san, you actually used Kyoka Suigetsu for something like this!

Machete Girl: You can use Kyoka Suigetsu's power without even drawing the sword?

This is an Actor: At my level now, yes.

Anzen had already merged his Zanpakuto completely into his body.

The blade could appear as a real weapon, or not at all. As long as Anzen wanted, he could use Kyoka Suigetsu's power anytime.

Soul Society's Villain: I don't even know what to say. Kyoka Suigetsu must be crying right now.

This is an Actor: Nope, she's enjoying it too.

Doujin Artist: So Kyoka Suigetsu is just as twisted, huh. Guess the sword really does reflect the master.

Skirt-Flipping Maniac: Anzen-san, you're a demon!

Saten Ruiko was furious—using Kyoka Suigetsu's power for something like this was insane! Completely shameless!

This is an Actor: Thanks for the compliment. But even if I'm a demon, today I still have to play the role of savior.

Scarlet Lotus Fairy: ?

Doujin Artist: What's that supposed to mean?

This is an Actor: The gods of destruction have arrived.

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