The Demon of Pleasure: Starting with Angel, Shiina Mahiru! Chapter 7 7: Kato Megumi

First period started.

Well—technically, it was just horoom.

Kirisu-sensei told the class to preview the material on their own and ntioned there would be a short quiz today, then headed out to prep her lessons.

Even teachers needed ti to prepare, after all.

"Hey, Hayashi Maki, what's it like getting hit by a car?"

Hayashi Maki had been casually scoping out the girls in class—so of them looked really familiar.

Suddenly, a flashy-looking guy with chin-length hair and a headband leaned over with a grin and tossed him that question.

Yeah… not exactly polite.

"Haha, co on, Kakeru-kun! Don't ask such rude stuff. It's not like Hayashi Maki wanted to get hit by a car, right?"

A handso blond guy sitting ahead of the loudmouth turned around and smiled apologetically at Hayashi Maki.

"Sorry about that, Hayashi Maki. Kakeru didn't an any harm—he's just curious."

"Nice to et you. I'm Hayama Hayato."

The blond guy reached out with a friendly hand.

Hayashi Maki smiled and shook it politely.

"No worries, Hayama-san. Honestly, it's not a big deal. Yeah, getting hit by a car on the first day was pretty unlucky."

"As for what it felt like… I think I blacked out. Just rember a loud thud and then… nothing."

Hayama let out a sigh.

"Actually, you're kind of lucky. Soone else got hit too—and they're still in the hospital."

There was a complicated look in Hayama's eyes as he said that.

"Wait, seriously? Soone had it worse than ? Who was it?"

Hayashi Maki asked, genuinely curious.

He still thought Aki Tomoya was the unluckiest of them all—choking on a sip of water and dying instantly, not even giving the doctors a chance.

Talk about unfair.

Hayama looked even more somber.

"Not sure if you know her… Yukinoshita."

"Huh? Yukinoshita?!"

Hayashi Maki was stunned.

As soon as he'd seen Hayama Hayato and the flashy guy behind him—Tobe Kakeru—he knew they were from My Teen Romantic Cody SNAFU.

And Yukinoshita Yukino? She was one of his all-ti favorite heroines.

And now Hayama was saying she was the one who got hit by the sa car and was still in a coma?

Are you serious with this?!

"Yeah… she's still unconscious in the hospital. No idea when she'll wake up."

Hayama clearly didn't want to say more.

He then introduced the flashy boy who'd spoken earlier.

"This is Tobe Kakeru. He can be loud, but he's a good guy. Try to get along."

"Got it. Nice to et you, Tobe-san."

Hayashi Maki didn't take offense. He'd already been joking about how unlucky he was—no big deal.

Still, it was probably better to keep his distance from soone like Tobe. Guy didn't seem like a brain trust.

After a few more words with Hayama, Hayashi Maki pulled out his textbook to start reviewing…

But his eyes kept wandering across the classroom, observing the students.

He was trying to spot characters he recognized.

Before long, he did.

A girl sitting right in front of Shiina Mahiru—pink twin-buns, school skirt rolled a bit short to show off her long legs.

Her loosely fastened bow tie gave a peek at her generous chest, making her stand out in the class instantly.

Judging by the vibrant energy and curves, she had to be Yuigahama Yui, another heroine from SNAFU.

Then there was the gorgeous blonde with wavy hair and a queen-like aura—Miura Yumiko.

Next to her sat a bespectacled black-haired girl—Ebina Hina.

All excellent candidates for future contracts.

Hayashi Maki's gaze continued sweeping the room… until it stopped at the desk directly in front of him.

A calm-faced girl with ear-length short hair sat there quietly.

"...Kato gumi?"

He blurted her na before he could stop himself.

But the girl had sharp ears—she turned her head and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Wow, Hayashi-kun. You actually rembered . I'm shocked."

"Uh… what do you an 'rembered'? Did we know each other? Wait—you really are Kato gumi?"

As in, that gumi—the one from Saekano?!

gumi looked at him with a blank expression, her voice flat but clearly tinged with sarcasm.

"We've been front-and-back deskmates since elentary school. And now you're acting like this? Even after saying my na?"

"Is my na really that forgettable?"

Her tone was neutral, but Hayashi Maki could hear the hint of bitterness behind it.

"Haha… of course not. I'll definitely rember it from now on, Kato gumi."

He smiled awkwardly and tried to sound sincere.

In her original setting, Kato gumi had an aura that made people subconsciously overlook her.

That was why she was the quintessential "background heroine."

Before, he hadn't rembered her because his transmigrated mories hadn't awakened yet—and her presence-suppressing "field" likely affected him.

But now? He was a transmigrator with full mory and demonic powers.

Kato gumi was an absolutely top-tier contract target.

She didn't respond to his vow. She just gave a small nod and muttered quietly:

"I hope you an it this ti."

She'd gotten used to being overlooked.

Can you imagine?

There were tis her own parents forgot she existed—leaving her locked outside the house.

Once, on a trip to the zoo, they straight-up left her behind. She had to be brought ho by the police.

That kind of deep-rooted invisibility…

Only gumi herself truly understood what it felt like.