Chapter 204: Do as I say and run as I instruct
Imari stuck her head closer to peek at Noah's name list. It's as if she wanted to see who Noah picked as his Duo.
"Right, who are you planning to make your Duo?"
Noah shrugged.
Truth be told, Noah didn't want anything to do with the Absolute Duo program. He didn't even think about choosing a Duo candidate.
His reasoning is very simple, he doesn't have a lot of friends.
Because of his overwhelming power, the students in his class distanced themselves from Noah. Almost none of the male students in his class talked with him.
Almost anyway. He also rarely talked with Tooru and Aoi who he got to befriend. The most they did was greet each other or talk briefly after the duel they had the other day.
Tooru and Aoi paired up as Duo.
Noah just lost two viable candidates.
It's also the reason why he adopted a wait-and-see approach.
After the weekend, those without a Duo will be automatically assigned a Duo.
Noah decided it was better to follow whatever the school had in store for him.
Noah just glanced over the names on the list: roaming his gaze past names like Miyabi, Tomoe, Imari, and Julie.
"Imari and Julie?"
Noah placed his arms behind his head. He casually asked the comrades on his side.
"You two already decided on your Duos?"
"I am partnering up with Julie!"
Imari said matter-of-factly.
"We spent the past three days together, I feel like we are the perfect Duo."
"Ya~"
Julie bobbed her tiny head.
"I like Imari too so there's no issue here."
"I like Julie too!"
Imari giggled. If Noah wasn't sitting between Julie and Imari then she would have most likely glomped Julie by now.
Noah also sighed in relief.
Living in the same room as two beautiful girls had him on edge.
Forget about the times he saw Imari and Julie in their birthday suits, the ladies lowered their guard around Noah and talked about things Noah had no business hearing or seeing.
For instance, Julie likes to sleep in a large white t-shirt. She also pranced around in that attire despite Imari's strong protest, Noah lost count of the times he saw her porcelain legs.
Julie knows about the difference between males and females. However, her knowledge in this field is rather limited. As long as she's not seen naked or touched then Julie's chill as a cucumber.
Imari is more cautious when it comes to this. However, she still slips up from time to time.
For example, when she's doing her laundry, Imari couldn't hide her undergarments properly, Noah still got to see them. He knows her entire wardrobe after multiple exposures. Imari almost teared up when Noah pointed this out.
It's very tiring to live while raising his guard like this. There are only two outcomes: One, endure the temptations in torture or, two, morph into a wolf and go wild.
It's hard to live a normal life using the way of the priest.
It's even worse to abandon oneself to the devil's temptation. If he really unleashed himself then he would most likely be socially executed the next day.
Noah wants to avoid the second outcome.
Hence, he chose the first choice by process of elimination.
After this week, with Imari and Julie properly partnered up as Duos, Noah can finally live like a normal dude.
Why isn't he glad?
Imari narrowed her eyes at Noah. She asked something that almost sparked a heart attack in Noah.
"Are you seriously glad that you don't have to share a room with us?"
Noah almost jumped.
"Uwa."
Imari read Noah's mind, she sounded a bit hurt.
"I get where you're coming from but that kinda hurts my pride as a girl."
Julie also looked at Noah with her puppy eyes. She looked nonchalant but she's giving off a sad-puppy vibe.
"Noah doesn't like living with Imari and me?"
Noah bitterly chortled.
"Does Julie want me to keep living with you two?"
Unexpectedly, Julie nodded instantly.
"Living with Noah felt good."
"Felt good?"
Noah and Imari flinched.
"Ya~"
Julie explained herself.
"Noah and Imari are both so warm, almost like Papa and Mama."
"Papa?"
Noah sighed while grabbing his face.
"Mama?"
Imari looked like she was conflicted.
Noah and Imari are truly like Julie's parents, they looked after Julie when they lived together.
Usa-sensei who was bouncing around the room suddenly clapped her hands. Her sweet voice echoed across the room.
"Okay! Think about your Duo during recess! We are about to start another physical enhancement class! Everybody gather up at the entrance! Let's go!"
The students sighed in dejection while following Usa-sensei.
Noah noticed something when he was getting up.
Miyabi looked like she might cry for a second there. She returned to her dark look soon after.
The students gathered near the school entrance after donning their PE clothes.
The students were whispering and murmuring.
"We have three years of this ahead of us?"
"How are we going to last until then?"
"I think I am at my limit."
"There are probably a few more students going to tender their dropout applications, right?"
Imari didn't feel well when she heard this.
"Everyone did their best to get in. It's going to get so lonely if they leave one by one."
Julie's ahoge twitched without energy, she's feeling down too despite her face saying otherwise.
Someone also whispered near them.
"Miyabi looks like she's at her limit, no?"
Everyone started looking at Miyabi.
She flinched before lowering her head, she almost buried her head into her huge knockers. Everyone could see she was trembling hard.
"What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Tomoe told off the students near her.
"Miyabi can do this!"
The students exchanged looks silently. Nobody believed Tomoe.
Noah also narrowed his eyes. He bit his lip before sighing after taking a look at Miyabi.
Although he didn't get a lot of chances to speak with Miyabi, she stuck around Tomoe when she came to Noah for battle tips. Noah's used to seeing Miyabi.
Noah made up his mind to help Miyabi out.
"Miyabi."
She wasn't far so she heard Noah.
"Later, you will run as I instruct, you got that?"
Julie, Imari, Tomoe, and the other students gasped.
Miyabi's panicking, she's not sure how to react.
"E-erm..."
"Don't say anything if you don't know what to say."
Noah beamed at Miyabi.
"Trust me, I won't hurt you."
Miyabi gazed blankly at Noah. Next, she nodded albeit anxiously.