Don’t Look Back, Megumi Kato [3]

[You try to ignore the narrator’s barking, but deep down, you’re already tempted. In a secluded place like this, no one would know what you did. No matter what you do to this small, helpless, delectable girl, there won’t be any real resistance. In fact, the more she struggles, the more excited you’ll—]

Wow. At least you know what you're suggesting is predatory.

Izumi Yuu sighed. Right now, he felt like he was the one who needed saving—not Kato Megumi.

This scumbag narrator haunted him every day like a parasitic conscience—but in reverse.

Worse still, sometimes he nearly agreed with the damn thing.

Thankfully, his moral compass and self-control were still intact. If not, he wasn’t sure where he’d be now… or what he’d have done.

“Izumi-kun, is something wrong?” Kato Megumi looked over with concern, noticing he’d slowed down.

“It’s nothing,” Izumi quickly replied, snapping back to attention. Noting her worried gaze, he frowned slightly and said, “But if we keep going at this pace, we’re going to be late. We’ll need to run.”

They’d just exited the alley and returned to the main road.

Based on his mental map and typical pace, Izumi calculated that they’d definitely arrive late unless they picked up the pace.

“But… I’m not really good with stamina...” Megumi said apologetically. “I probably won’t last more than a few minutes.”

“Let’s just try it,” Izumi replied, brows drawn together in thought.

“Okay!”

Kato nodded and started jogging beside him.

...

“...Haa…”

Just as she’d warned, two or three minutes later, sweat had started to bead on her forehead. Her steps slowed, and she was clearly running out of breath.

“Izumi-kun… I can’t keep up. Sorry, you go ahead,” she said between breaths, watching him pull ahead.

That line sounds like it’s straight out of a shounen manga, Izumi thought.
Like a side character sacrificing themselves so the protagonist can move forward.

“Today’s the first day back after break. Being late probably isn’t a great look,” he said, slowing his pace to match hers.

“So… what should we do?” Megumi asked, visibly troubled.

Even if she barely registered in most people’s minds, Kato Megumi didn’t want to start the term with a bad impression.

[You look at the girl’s flustered face and an idea sparks in your mind: “Kato-san, you don’t want the whole school thinking poorly of you for being late, do you?” You know this line by heart. From there, it’s just a few more steps—say this, do that—and soon, the desperate girl will offer you her loyalty, willing to do anything you ask. Even become your personal living toy…]

“How about I pull you along? That way, we might just make it.”

Izumi completely ignored the narrator’s pervy monologue and kindly offered the solution.

“Really?! Thank you, Izumi-kun!” Megumi replied softly, a faint but unmistakable trace of joy in her voice.

She extended her small, pale hand without hesitation and slipped it into his.

Izumi had been worried she might reject the idea. After all, holding hands right after properly meeting? That felt a little fast.

First day: hand-holding. Second day? He didn’t even want to imagine.

But to his surprise, Kato Megumi was entirely unguarded—completely unbothered by the gesture.

As he held her soft, slightly cool palm—damp with sweat and laced with the subtle fragrance of her shampoo and natural scent—Izumi Yuu, a two-lifetime veteran of being painfully single, felt a ripple in his heart.

[You hold her delicate hand, gaze at her flushed, sweat-slicked face—so tender and glistening. Your heart stirs. It’d be such a waste not to use that beautiful hand for something... rewarding. If you help her a little more, surely a few personal favors wouldn’t be too much to ask?]

“We’re off.”

Izumi, now fluent in the art of ignoring the trash narrator, took her hand and broke into a run toward school.

“Mm...”

Feeling the warmth of his palm, Megumi’s fair cheeks turned slightly pink. It was her first time touching a boy like this.

But something about Izumi Yuu made it easy to relax. There was a natural gentleness about him that lowered her guard.

By the time the school gates appeared in the distance, there were less than three minutes left before class started.

Only a handful of students were still trickling in, all in a hurry.

“Phew... thanks to you, Izumi-kun, we actually made it,” Megumi said, still breathing heavily.

They had stopped running a few minutes ago, but neither had let go of the other’s hand. It simply hadn’t occurred to them.

“No big deal,” Izumi said casually. “We’ve got plenty of time to get to class now.”

“Mm.”

Just as they stepped through the school gates, a surprised voice called out from behind them.

“Eh?! Kato, are you two... dating?!”

Izumi and Megumi both turned around. Behind them stood a guy with thick black-rimmed glasses, the classic look of an indoor-dwelling otaku.

“Tomoya-kun?!”

Megumi blinked in surprise. Clearly, she hadn’t expected to bump into him.

“Izumi-kun and I aren’t dating, don’t say things like that—it’ll lead to misunderstandings. It could trouble Izumi-kun.”

A flicker of amusement passed over Izumi’s face.

So this was him.

Aki Tomoya—the very name mentioned in his mission log.

He hadn’t expected to meet this clown so soon.

To Izumi, a guy who manipulated girls’ feelings, used their affection for personal gain, and discarded them without a second thought was scum of the lowest order.

“Then why are you two holding hands? And looking all cozy? I’ve never seen you with him before,” Tomoya snapped, glaring at their intertwined fingers.

That was… surprisingly confrontational for a guy like him.

“Calm down. It’s not what you think,” Izumi replied with an easy smile, gently letting go of Megumi’s hand.

“I ran into Kato-san on the way to school. We got delayed for a bit and were at risk of being late. To make it on time, I had to pull her along. There’s nothing improper between us.”

Izumi’s voice was calm, composed, his tone unfailingly polite—completely unruffled by Tomoya’s interrogative tone.

“That’s exactly what happened, Tomoya-kun. Don’t get the wrong idea,” Megumi said, clearly troubled by the tension between them. “Besides, we’re just friends. If you act like this, people might think we are a couple.”

She had worried that Tomoya’s intense reaction might provoke Izumi, but to her surprise, Izumi remained calm, unfazed.

Tomoya, on the other hand, looked frazzled.

The contrast between them couldn’t have been more obvious.

Why had she even felt the need to explain herself?
Maybe she didn’t want Izumi to misunderstand.
Or maybe Tomoya’s tone had simply rubbed her the wrong way.
Maybe both.

“I just saw the two of you holding hands when you walked in, so I assumed...” Tomoya mumbled, clearly realizing he’d overreacted.

“Besides, you’re supposed to be the heroine of our game. If you start dating, it’ll affect the whole project timeline. That’s why I was worried.”

The fact that Megumi had explicitly stated she and Izumi were just friends... left a sour taste in Tomoya’s mouth.

And his gaze toward Izumi now carried a clear hint of hostility.

[You can feel the jealousy in this nerd’s eyes. He’s clearly lusting after your prey. You let out a soft chuckle. No one’s ever taken what’s yours—not then, not now. Sure, it might look like their relationship is farther along than yours… but stealing someone else’s prize? That’s your specialty. The fire in your chest flares to life. You’ll teach this little gremlin what it means to hunt properly. Show him the legacy of Henry VIII! You’ll take what was his… and to soften the blow, you’ll let him watch while you enjoy it, right in his precious clubroom—]

Izumi listened to the narrator’s voice in his head.

For once, it didn’t sound entirely awful.

Aside from calling Kato “prey,” the suggestion was... surprisingly tempting.

---

T/N: holy this narrator is a fucking gooner :sob:

This is a fan translation of 加藤惠别回头，我是伦也君 by 故人归 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!