Youjin, the Cautious: After all, the Girls are No Longer be Trusted

Author's Note: Here is the chapter about MC Youjin going back to school. ENJOY READING, YOUJIN FANS!

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Youjin Kinoshita's POV

The summer break is over, so today marks the start of the second semester.

I wasn't supposed to go back to school since I had declared myself expelled, but the high school principal convinced me otherwise. I had no choice. It wasn't for her, but for me. Why?

Because I thought I would see the reactions of everyone who tormented me and believed those b*tches' false accusations. Like some false-accusation-related web novels I had read, I imagined myself returning to school and watching everyone regret their actions and apologize to me. It also gave me inspiration for the web novel I'm currently writing.

Speaking of which, I got some little income for my web novel I published online. It's based on my own tormented life, with some alternative plots I had imagined and some inspired by other novels. Not to mention my predictions might happen to me. Also, the story has a high average rating and almost a thousand comments, but I don't bother replying to them.

As I changed into my school uniform, a knock came at the door.

"Can I come in?" It was the landlady Hayashi-san's voice outside.

"Yes." I replied, finishing up.

The door opened and she stepped inside.

"Good morning, Hayashi-san."

The landlady giggled that caught me off guard.

"Huh?"

"Sorry, Youjin." She cleared her throat. "You already greeted me earlier during breakfast."

Oh, right! I forgot about that.

"But anyway, good morning to you too." Hayashi-san smiled warmly. "So… are you ready for school, Youjin?"

I sighed. "Yeah, I'm ready."

She looked at me. "You look healthy now."

"It's all thanks to you and healthy meals every day, Hayashi-san." I replied with a smile.

"And you're even looking muscular, Youjin."

I glanced at my arms.

"Yeah, but not much." I nodded. "Three months of exercise since I moved here. Totally worth it."

"Keep it up, Youjin. Stay strong and don't let the stress get to you."

"Of course! I just hope no one at school tries anything."

Then I grabbed my school bag and we headed for the door.

"And one more thing." The landlady said, stopping me. "If you see those girls, just ignore them."

Girls? Oh, right! It was them.

"Yeah, I know, Hayashi-san." I nodded. "I gotta go."

Then I finally left the apartment.

"See you later, Youjin!"

All right! Time to face the school!

Few meters from home, I pulled out the glasses I bought a month ago. My glasses weren't ordinary ones, but they were photochromic glasses that darkened in sunlight and protected against blue light from phone and computer screens.

My new look, especially being muscular, isn't just for my summer debut, but also to wear photochromic glasses. I thought to myself that being muscular and wearing glasses made me look cool, but honestly, I didn't care what everyone thought of my summer debut. After all, my life had been changed by enemies like my family, friends, teachers and students in high school, and the trusted person like the landlady Hayashi-san.

Minutes later, I arrived at the school gate. Students were streaming in, and as I approached, I noticed some murmurs around me.

"Who is that guy?"

"Wait, I think that's–"

"Could it be?"

"Is that Kinoshita-kun?"

I glared at the school building, muttering under my breath. "I'll destroy this place's reputation soon."

It was obvious that I was a hot topic in this school since I got revenge on them.

Walking toward the entrance of the school building, I noticed some students glancing at me, but their whispers with each other continued. Some looked scared and others seemed regretful.

I swiftly turned my head to glare at them through my glasses. Although my eyes obscured, my intimidating aura was enough to make some students flinch and step aside. Of course, I would never forgive them if they apologized to me in person.

"Tch!" I scoffed.

Entering the school building, I went to my shoe locker to change my shoes. But I was relieved to find my shoe locker clean, with my shoes untouched. After changing, I walked through the hallway, noticing more students staring.

'Fear me, a**holes!' I said mentally.

Just as I expected, everyone is afraid of me.

"Youjin?"

The familiar voice sent a chill down my spine, but that made me angrier.

I turned to see my former childhood friend and girlfriend Nonaka-san with a happy expression on her face. But she wasn't alone. The former Student Council President Susami-san who was also my former friend and my step sisters Hana-san and Sakura-san stood beside her.

"I'm so glad you're back, kouhai." Susami-san said.

"Welcome back, Nii-nii/Onii-chan!" Hana and Sakura chimed in.

But my anger turned into fury while I clenched my fist.

'Just ignore them.' Hayashi-san's advice echoed in my mind.

Right! The landlady told me that before leaving my apartment a while ago.

I was about to walk away when other students stepped in to block those girls.

"Hey, leave Kinoshita-kun alone!" One shouted.

"Yeah, don't talk to him." Another added.

More students joined in, glaring at girls.

"It's all your fault for making him plan to ruin this school's reputation!"

"We hurt him because of you, and we regret it!"

What the heck?! Who said I needed their help to protect me? But those students are the same as those girls, aren't they?

I shook my head in disbelief. Those students were no different from the girls I despised. Ignoring them all, I entered my classroom. The room fell silent as my classmates turned to stare at me.

"Kinoshita-kun, is that you?"

"I thought you weren't coming back."

"Guys, I heard Shinohara-sensei convinced him to go back to school."

"Wait, what?!"

"For real?"

"Is that true, Kinoshita-kun?"

Taking off my glasses, I rolled my eyes in disgust without reply. Then I found an empty seat near the window and sat down. The opening ceremony would be in any minute. I hoped no one would approach me and apologize.

"Kinoshita-kun?"

Or so I thought.

"What?" I glared at a girl from my class who called me, but with her friends.

"Um… we wanted to apolo–"

The bell rang to cut her off. Perfect timing!

I stood up and left the classroom immediately, heading to the gym for the opening ceremony for the second semester. Inside the gym, everyone, even the teachers, seemed surprised to see me.

"No way!"

"Kinoshita-kun is here!"

"I have to apologize to him."

"Me too."

"Look at his appearance."

"He's changed."

"With his new look, I want to date him."

"It's all those girls' fault."

"I hope he won't report to the Board of Education about us."

"Yeah. If it wasn't for those girls, everything wouldn't happen."

More unnecessary noises? Give me a break!

The principal Shinohara-sensei took the stage and began her speech.

While listening to the principal's speech, I closed my eyes as I felt that some students were staring at me. But I didn't mind. I don't want to cause trouble with them during the ceremony, anyway.

"And finally, Youjin Kinoshita…"

My full name was suddenly called that caught me off guard. But why did the principal call me? All eyes in the gym turned toward me.

"On behalf of the students, I want to apologize."

She bowed deeply. The teachers behind her bowed as well.

"We are sorry!" They said in unison.

Embarrassment and anger boiled within me. The students around me murmured, some even sniffling. But I don't see their feelings as genuine at all.

"Are you done for your speech, Shinohara-sensei?" I said coldly. "It's time for class, you know."

The gym fell into awkward silence.

"I gotta go back to the classroom." I turned and walked out. "Apologies not accepted, by the way!"

While leaving the gym, I immediately grabbed my headset and started listening to the music from my phone, so I couldn't hear the noise anywhere, especially the students and teachers who tried to call me.

Back in class, the day passed uneventfully. No one dared to approach me. During recess and lunch, I went to the rooftop alone, but I didn't eat. I told Hayashi-san not to make bento for me and I would buy my own lunch.

In truth, I would never buy anything, especially from the cafeteria and vending machines inside the school. I stopped buying food and drink since the day after my suspension. And I didn't care that my stomach would growl during afternoon class. My only plan was to grab a snack from the convenience store on my way home.

After school, as I prepared to leave, one of my classmates made an announcement.

"Hey, everyone! Who wants to join karaoke with me?"

My male classmate, who had bleached hair, said that. To be honest, I don't know what the names of my classmates are, including his.

"I will invite Kinoshita-kun since he is back!"

Excuse me?!

"Yeah! I'll join."

"Me too!"

"Let's cheer Kinoshita-kun up!"

"All right!"

Are you kidding me?! Why would they want me to join them for karaoke? Are they planning to do something worse?

"Hey, Kinoshita-kun. Join us for karaoke. We'll make you feel better."

Karaoke with them? Like hell I join!

I was about to decline their offer when I suddenly got imaginations. Or rather, predictions in my mind, with those classmates who joined for the karaoke.

'Wait a minute. Are those what-if scenarios?' I asked myself in my mind while blinking my eyes multiple times and shaking my head.

Before rejecting them, I asked them about my visions.

"What if you guys pretend you didn't have money, so I will pay the karaoke fee, foods and drinks myself for you all?"

I crossed my arms while raising my right eyebrow.

Everyone was confused.

"Huh? What are you talking about? We'll pay for you." The bleach-haired classmate said.

"Yeah, it's our treat! So you don't have to pay for us, you know."

Everyone around him who didn't answer nodded silently.

I doubt that.

"What if you guys plan to spike my food and drink at karaoke? Are you planning to poison me?"

That next question made them pale.

"What? No, we would never do that, Kinoshita-kun!"

"We already regret hurting you. We don't bring any poison!"

More doubt for me.

"And finally, what if you plan to bully me again just like before in the karaoke?"

Those three questions I made were based on the what-if scenarios in my mind. But the final question made everyone gasp in shock.

"Kinoshita-kun, please! You're thinking too much!"

"Yeah, we're trying to be nice."

"But again, we already regret hurting you."

"Besides, we are not like Nonaka-san, Susami-san and your sisters. We won't betray you."

Their replies made me skeptical. I still don't believe them at all.

"Then I decline your offer. Goodbye!"

I was about to reach the classroom door when someone tried to grab my shoulder.

"Kinoshita-kun, please, wa–"

Being touched by my enemies makes me pissed off, just like what happened in the café with the two girls.

I turned while gritting my teeth in anger and punched him in the face with all my might, sending him flying into the wall, then his body was slammed with a loud thud.

That scene made everyone inside the classroom gasp in disbelief as what they had just witnessed. Before they approached him, I moved forward to him and grabbed his collar. But I noticed he was still weak conscious and his face was in bad shape, thanks to my punch.

"Listen, you a**hole!" I growled at him. "I remember you were the first person to attack me for your idol Susami-san before. Consider this payback!"

He tried to open his mouth to speak, but he let out his groan in pain instead.

"If you want yourself or anyone here to report to the principal about this…" I continued. "Go ahead! I don't mind. But if Shinohara-sensei will punish me or you will tell your parents that I punched you…"

I took a glance at everyone, including the other students who were outside the classroom.

"I WILL NOT HESITATE TO REPORT TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION ABOUT ALL OF YOU IN THIS SCHOOL! YOU UNDERSTAND?!" I shouted out loud at him.

Still unable to speak, he nodded at me.

"Good." I let go of him and faced the other classmates while clenching my fist. "Now then…"

My classmates were scared as they stepped backward from me.

"Kinoshita-kun, please don't hurt us!"

"Yeah, we beg you."

"We won't hurt you again."

A bunch of noises from them, especially saying 'please' and 'I am sorry', that made me sick. They expected I would attack them back, including first year and third year students, but not this time!

"You all are lucky, except him, today." I told my classmates. "I don't need any of you to be friends with me and protect me from those four b*tches who betrayed me. And I don't want any of you to get along with me. We're extreme mortal enemies, after all."

I didn't mention the new Student Council President Onimatsu-san who was the newest false accuser since I was unsure that everyone in school already heard the incident with her last month.

But I'm sure those two girls, who made the disaster in the café with me, didn't tell everyone about Onimatsu-san.

"No matter you will invite me anywhere, just like he did..." I continued, pointing at that bleach-haired classmate who was still on the floor. "…I do not accept your invitations, all right? But mark my words! Those four girls who ruined my life and you all, I mean, all of you are the same. So…"

I gave them an intimidating look.

"DO NOT MESS UP WITH ME!" I roared.

Everyone trembled at my rage in fear. Some of them nodded, but others were in awkward silence.

"Goodbye and see you tomorrow, you fools!"

I left the classroom as I grabbed my photochromic glasses and wore them. And the students in the hallway ran away in fear.

'Sorry, Hayashi-san. I can't help it.' I thought while looking at my fist I used to punch one of my classmates earlier.

As I finally left the school, my stomach growled since I didn't buy food a while ago. Instead of buying a snack in the convenience store today, I bought crepe before dinner. Each bite helped me to calm my nerves and made me satisfied.

Few minutes after snack, I finally returned home.

"Oh, welcome back, Youjin!"

The landlady was outside.

"Yeah, I'm back, Hayashi-san."

I smiled at her.

"So… how was the school?"

That question made me hesitate, but I stayed calm.

"It's fine, Hayashi-san."

It seemed she doubted me.

"But the teachers and some students apologized to me." I continued. "I didn't forgive them. Sorry, Hayashi-san."

She sighed.

"No need to be sorry, Youjin. But I don't blame you. Forgiveness doesn't come easy."

But I still refuse to forgive everyone in school.

"Anyway, I'm gonna make dinner, Youjin. Oh, your glasses look great on you, by the way."

Oh, shoot! I forgot to take off my photochromic glasses.

"Thanks, Hayashi-san." I nodded, heading upstairs to my apartment.

"I'm home!" I greeted as I entered.

I put my school bag on the chair, took off my glasses and changed into my usual clothes.

Then I laid down on my bed to take a rest while waiting for dinner.

'No matter those students and teachers won't hurt me anymore, I will destroy the school's reputation soon.' I thought while smiling wickedly like a villain.

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Author's Note: Fun fact - Like Youjin in this chapter, I also wear photochromic glasses to protect my eyes from sunlight (during my travel), phone and computer screens I'm using for my hobby and work. So those of you who are obsessed of using phone and computer, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND wearing photochromic glasses. Those glasses are not expensive, by the way.

For the next chapter, I'm not sure when I will publish next either February or March (or so) since I'm always busy at work. But still, STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!