Ignoring the guy, I tried to walk away but he was persistent. Even when I hastened my steps to leave him behind, he followed.
There's no reason for to answer an interview that will surely be full of rumors about or the girls. It's one thing to be curious about it but to write it in an article for the whole school to read? That's a no.
"Again, I'm
'm not interested," I sternly said without breaking my stride.
I'd rather spend my ti eting the other girls who sit down for an interview with this guy.
"Wait, wait! Onoda, please!" The newspaper guy pleaded, nearly tripping over his own feet as he tried to keep up. "This ti, I'll stick to the facts. No embellishnts, no sensationalism. Just a straightforward interview about your rise to popularity!"
I paused mid-step, turning slightly to look at him. His determination was evident, but so was the desperation in his eyes. He probably had a deadline or was under pressure to get so "scoop."
"I didn't rise to anything. People just can't mind their own business. You included." I narrowed my eyes, close enough to feel like I was glaring at him.
If he couldn't be reasoned out with words then threatening him should suffice.
Obviously, he might just write about that. The headline would probably be, "Onoda: The mysterious playboy is a delinquent?!"
Such stupidity.
The guy's face fell as he braced himself against the pressure of my gaze. He's clearly older than and he probably had received the sa treatnt before. Hence, he quickly recovered.
Holding up his notepad, he continued, "Then let clear the air! You can set the record straight, Onoda. Think of it as damage control. Don't you want to stop the rumors?"
I tilted my head, pretending to consider his words. "Hmm... Nah. Rumors are like background noise. You either tune them out or let them fade on their own. Either way, I don't care about rumors. Let them buzz. Will they even know the truth?"
At that answer, the guy was stumped.
I faced ahead again to enter the sa alley I was using to reach that cafe I now frequent with my girls.
However, the guy really didn't know how to give up, with gritted teeth, he followed again and said, "Alright... Onoda-kun. One question. I only needed you to answer one question. After that, I'll leave."
I sighed and stopped again. I could feel my patience wearing thin. If not for this guy being soone who could just write anything as his article if things didn't go his way, I would've buried him right away.
Turning to him, I crossed my arms and fixed him with a skeptical look. Since he would probably not get off of my back if I didn't even give him a bit for his scoop, I decided to entertain this just so I could extricate myself from his hounding.
"One question, huh? Fine. Make it count. But if it's sothing ridiculous, not only will this be the last ti you approach , but I'll make sure you'll also shake on your knees the next ti you try to do so."
The newspaper guy's face lit up with relief and excitent, clutching his notepad like it was his lifeline. "I promise! I swear on my na as a journalist!"
"Journalist, my ass. I bet your newspaper is filled with shit because you keep chasing rumors."
"Wow. So you have that keen insight, huh? Not bad, Onoda. I knew I didn't make a mistake picking you as my subject for my article."
"I'm not praising you, genius."
"Co on. This is standard journalism. Do you think the news you hear on TV is always filled with truths? Most of those are also born from rumors. More often, they're even writing those rumors themselves while basing on one fact!"
"Heh. So, what one fact do you have on ?"
"The fact that you're dating Shimizu and the amount of evidence regarding how you keep getting spotted by the other students with another girl. Are those enough?" The newspaper guy proudly announced as if he had just found the cure to cancer.
I shook my head at him and said, "Oh. If that's the case, shouldn't you be writing one now? You have evidence. You could spin your tale from there. You don't need to interview anymore."
The newspaper guy's face fell, realizing I had led him on without giving him anything. "But... but those are just rumors! I needed better material. One that ca from the source!"
"Well, I don't have the luxury to give you that," I said, starting to walk again. "And I don't appreciate you following around like a stray dog."
"Wait. You said one question! I promise I won't bother you after this," the newspaper guy pleaded, his voice trailing after as I walked away.
I stopped and turned around. With my eyes narrowing to a slit again, I urged him to start.
"Alright, shoot your shot. I don't guarantee I will be telling you a face but the mont I read your article and see how you twisted my words, you should find yourself a hole to crawl in," I warned, my arms still crossed as if I was holding back the urge to just grab him by the neck. The newspaper gulped down as a bead of sweat trailed down his forehead. He took a mont to gather his thoughts before he blurted out his question.
"A-alright. Here goes... Why do you think so many girls are drawn to you, Onoda? Is it your confidence, the way you carry yourself, or sothing else entirely?"
Of all the things he could have asked, this was what he picked? So, he was already convinced that I was related not just to Akane. He's just here to confirm it. What a sly bastard. "Drawn to , huh? I never thought I was so popular that you think they're drawn to . But anyway, it's none of those things," I answered flatly. "People are just nosy, that's all. They see soone who stands out a little and they can't help but make it their business. Simple as that. Say, if you see standing here and a girl approaches , will you think she's drawn to because I'm attractive?"
The newspaper guy nodded eagerly, his pen poised over his notebook. "I-I suppose so. You do have that... certain charm, Onoda."
"See, you can't rationalize it yourself."
"What do you an? Will they have another reason to approach you?"
"Exactly. They might want to borrow notes, ask for help with a project, or just say hello because they recognize . It doesn't always have to be about attraction. Or you know, they're my close friends. Have you thought about that possibility?"
He nodded as he scribbled down my words. This guy... he's really not catching on. I couldn't decide if he was playing dumb or genuinely thought he was getting sowhere.
Anyway, I should end this here.
"Alright, that's all I'm giving you. If you have any more questions, save it. I have a schedule to keep," I told him firmly.
His pen froze mid-scribble, and he looked at with a mixture of confusion and disappointnt. "Wait. That's it? You're not even going to acknowledge that you have... I don't know, charisma or sothing?"
"I'm narcissistic enough to claim I have the charisma to draw the flies in. But you do you. You'll write it in your article anyway." I smirked, watching the newspaper guy's shoulders slump slightly. Then I suddenly rembered sothing, "Oh, wait. I might have a scoop for you. You should hang out at the third-year area, you'll catch a cuck trying to justify his kink." The newspaper guy looked up with sparkling eyes, eagerly waiting for the juicy details, but I just walked away, leaving him hanging.
With Ohori-senpai and the girls leading the charge, it wouldn't be long before that cuck exposed himself. But with this guy also going there, it might even eclipse the article he would
write about .
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