Chapter 73: Let Envy Drive You Mad
Takahashi was trembling as he sat at the edge of the bed.
It wasn't hard to see why. Right now, he was in a love motel.
A love motel.
How did he end up in a place like this? After spending time with Yui earlier, she had suddenly suggested they go to a love motel. Why? That was a question he was about to find the answer to.
Yui was in the bathroom, washing herself. Washing herself… Why would she do that when they were already in this situation? Takahashi's mind couldn't help but wander to dirty thoughts. It wasn't like he was pulling these ideas out of nowhere. After all, what else could this mean if they were both here?
After a while, Yui finally stepped out of the bathroom. Her clothes were still on, but her hair was undeniably wet. She had definitely taken a shower.
"Senpai, aren't you going to take a bath? It's open now," Yui said, her voice dripping with sweetness, like honey laced with something dangerously seductive.
This is it, right? This is finally my moment, right? Takahashi thought, his heart racing.
Everything about this screamed one thing. He wasn't wrong to think something was about to happen. In fact, he'd have to be a complete idiot not to catch on at this point. There was no way he'd let this slip through his fingers.
Without missing a beat, Takahashi headed to the bathroom as Yui had suggested, but instead of going in fully dressed, he grabbed a bathrobe to wrap himself in.
When he returned, Yui didn't even blink at his choice of attire. That could only mean one thing—this was really happening.
He could feel the smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. He didn't even try to hide it. That's how excited he was.
"Takahashi-senpai," Yui called softly, patting the bed next to her. "Come here."
She wanted him to sit beside her at the edge of the bed.
He obeyed, sitting down right next to her. Yui turned to him with a cheeky grin that made his pulse hammer against his chest. Looking at her, he felt like he was staring at an angel.
"Senpai," she began, her tone playful yet intimate, "you know, there's someone I really love."
Takahashi's mind immediately jumped to one conclusion.
She's talking about me.
Of course, she was. They were in a love motel, for fuck's sake. What else could it mean? His heart pounded even harder in anticipation, beating like a drum echoing in his chest.
"Whenever I see him, my heart races, and it hurts, like I'm being tortured just by looking at him," she whispered, her words brushing against his ear, soft and sultry.
"I love looking at him. I love everything about him. The way he smiles, the way he moves… even the way his little breaths mingle in the air. It's so tantalizing that sometimes, when I'm alone, I can't help myself. I touch myself."
His brain short-circuited. He gulped hard.
"I think about him every time I masturbate," Yui continued, her voice dripping with a mix of innocence and sin. "I touch myself down there, imagining the air he breathes wrapping around my body like a wisp. Even now, just thinking about it—about the air he's exhaling—it's making me wet, senpai."
His breathing grew ragged.
Even though Yui had the face of an angel, there was something sinister hidden beneath that innocent exterior.
He couldn't resist it.
He was drawn to her.
Like a moth to a flame.
"Senpai, do you understand that feeling?" she asked, her voice soft yet intoxicating.
"I-I do…" he stammered. "I masturbate to my crush too."
He wasn't lying. There were times when he thought about Hina and jerked off to her image. But there was no way he'd admit that to Yui. Not now—not when this could ruin everything he thought he might get tonight.
"I see. So you do understand, huh?" Yui smirked, leaning closer. Her finger traced from his chin, gliding up to her cheek, before flicking the air with a playful strike. "That's why I brought you here, Senpai. Because you understand."
Her face moved closer, so close it felt like she was about to kiss him. But she didn't. She stopped just shy of his lips, letting the tension hang thick in the air between them.
"You understand the feeling of loving someone," she continued, her voice dripping with a mix of desire and something darker. "But my love, Senpai, it's overflowing now. I need you to help me relieve it."
She leaned in even further, her lips brushing against his ear, and grabbed the back of his head with just enough force to make his heart race. "I want you to help me get him, Senpai. I want…" she paused, her next words whispered so softly they almost disappeared into the air.
"Okumura-senpai."
Takahashi's mind blanked for a moment.
"Huh?"
His thoughts screeched to a halt, refusing to process what he'd just heard.
Did she just say… Okumura?
That wasn't his family name. No. More than that, hadn't he heard that name before? His mind scrambled to place it. It was familiar, but why?
And then it hit him.
That bastard.
It was the name of that guy from his class. The one everyone called "Otaku." Takahashi had called him that so often he'd never bothered to learn his real name. Most of the class hadn't either, which explained why it didn't click right away when Yui said it.
"Okumura-senpai…" Yui repeated, as if the name itself was laced with honey. "Let's see... Right. Actually, we're childhood friends. Yes, let's just say that. And I've been in love with him ever since. Love so deep that I'd call it obsession."
Takahashi's hands curled into fists.
"But sadly," Yui continued, her voice softening as though reminiscing, "we parted ways when my parents moved for work to another town. We didn't see each other for years. So when I found out he was attending the same school I'd be transferring to, I was overjoyed. And when I finally saw him again… it felt like my heart would burst. It was like I was being given permission to love again. I was so happy."
Her expression turned almost angelic as she shared her story, her words drenched in bittersweet nostalgia. But for Takahashi, her "confession" was a gut punch.
That bastard.
That fucking otaku.
He's stealing everything from me!
First Saonji, and now even Yui-chan?!
Takahashi's blood boiled, his jealousy burning hotter and fiercer than ever.
I swear, he thought, teeth grinding in anger, I'll rip that otaku apart the first chance I get.
Yui's golden eyes glinted with something darker, a malevolent shine that sent chills down anyone who dared to look too closely.
Her thoughts turned sinister.
Let jealousy consume you, Senpai. Let it rot you from the inside. I want it to eat away at your very soul. Let envy drive you mad. Be consumed by it all. Let your jealousy over Okumura-senpai take over.
Envy was a poison that every man carried, lurking just beneath the surface. It was one of the seven deadly sins for a reason—its touch could corrode even the strongest of minds. Once envy had its claws in you, uncontrollable resentment followed, a festering wound that wouldn't heal.
And Yui, a fallen angel, reveled in it. She wielded envy like a weapon, using her powers to push Takahashi closer to the edge. His descent was inevitable now.
I don't have anything against Okumura-senpai, she mused, her lips curling into a devilish smirk. But watching humans fall to temptation? That's always been my favorite pastime. And Takahashi-senpai… oh, he's practically drowning in envy. If this ends up destroying him—or even Okumura-senpai—then so be it. Either way, it's entertaining for me.
Yui didn't even realize that Okumura was the child of the anti-prophecy. It didn't matter to her. This wasn't about destiny or some grand purpose. This was her idea of fun. She thrived on manipulating mortals, tempting them, and watching them crumble under the weight of their sins. Envy, lust, greed—it didn't matter. Corruption was her game, and she played it masterfully.
Fufufu... look at him. Takahashi-senpai's so mad he looks like he might burst any second. Good. With this, my work here is done. Now, let's put him to sleep and leave. I can't wait to see how this unfolds.
And just like that, Yui set the stage for chaos. She had turned Takahashi into a ticking time bomb, his envy so volatile it could only lead to destruction. He would stop at nothing to get what he wanted and strip it away from Okumura, no matter the cost. All that remained was to light the fuse and enjoy the show.
The next day, she made her move.
Takahashi watched from the shadows as Yui approached Okumura, her expression soft and her body language inviting. She spoke to him like they shared some unspoken connection, all while Takahashi's blood boiled hotter and hotter.
His jealousy reached its breaking point.
"Why not me?!" Takahashi screamed, his voice echoing with raw emotion. "Why the fuck is everyone choosing this loser otaku over me?! Have you all lost your minds? Are you blind?! I'm obviously better! How the hell does he get everything?!"
His rage exploded, an aura of pure malice radiating off him like a suffocating fog. Every ounce of envy, jealousy, and frustration poured out of him in a way that felt almost tangible, a force that couldn't be stopped.
Yui stood at a distance, watching the scene unfold with a wicked grin.
Fufufu... this is better than I imagined. Takahashi-senpai looks like he's about to rip Okumura apart. Just beautiful. But what's this?
Oddly enough, Okumura wasn't reacting the way most people would in the face of such fury. He wasn't running. He wasn't fighting back. He just stood there, with someone else standing beside him.
The girl beside Okumura stepped forward, her voice commanding. "Kou-kun, stay behind me!"
Yui's eyes widened slightly as the girl's aura surged to life, a dark, oppressive energy that could only mean one thing.
"A demon?" Yui murmured, her smirk growing wider. "Ufufufu… oh, now this is fantastic."
The fallen angel tilted her head, her cheeky smile splitting her face once more.