Why is the Demon King like this?

Keisuke Ao himself wasn't particularly moved by the film's content. To him, the male and female protagonists were both too clumsy, the kind of characters he neither liked nor disliked.

Asuka Arisugawa, on the other hand, had tears welling up in her eyes, looking completely absorbed in the story.

It wasn't until the very end, when the male protagonist fell from the building to save the female protagonist, that Ao Keisuke realized—this must be the place that Hoshino Fujiko had mentioned.

So, she actually wanted the male protagonist, Shoya Ishida, to die?

The fall was so powerful that it not only reversed the film's impending collapse, but also brought Arisugawa Asuka to tears. Even after the male lead miraculously survived and reunited with the female lead under the moonlight, she couldn't stop crying.

He complained that they were "two adorable idiots," but by the time the movie was almost over, he burst into laughter through his tears, sincerely thanking the director and screenwriter for sparing his life.

"I'm sorry, Qinggui-kun, I've made you laugh."

She shyly half-covered her face and took the tissue that Qing Guijie handed her.

"It's alright. What did you think of Arisugawa after watching this movie?" Ao Keisuke asked.

Arisugawa sniffed, thought about it seriously, and said, "Hmm... indeed, people should be kind-hearted, respect life, and not do bad things!"

And also, don't wait until it's too late to regret it and then suffer... right?

"After all, reality isn't a movie," Aokiji chimed in. Arisugawa's thinking was easy to understand. He then asked, "If we were to punish those who committed violence in the movie, what do you think would be the most appropriate punishment?"

"That's impossible!"

"It's just a hypothesis."

"Hmm... I really do want to give those annoying guys a good beating!"

Even Arisugawa Asuka uttered such outrageous remarks through gritted teeth, which shows the extraordinary presence of these supporting characters.

After the movie ended, it was already dinnertime, and Arisugawa Asuka got up to say goodbye.

She didn't notice as she left, and even took a tissue and sniffled all the way home until she saw her mother's strange look, at which point she suddenly stopped.

Mrs. Arisugawa was surprised and moved closer to her, even sniffing her nose hard.

"Did you do it?"

"Mother!"

……

On Monday, the atmosphere at Konghai Private High School became increasingly restless—the ball skills competition was about to begin.

Physical education classes were used to secretly practice competition events.

Keisuke Ao assisted Asuka Arisugawa with passing the ball, and the girl's confidence was unprecedented. She was determined to win first place in this event.

As for Keisuke Ao's own project (which even he himself didn't know what he had signed up for), he hadn't practiced at all—

The basketball game with the highest score was practiced by the other four official players on their own, and the tactic was: all tactics were transferred to Keisuke Ao.

Worried that Keisuke Ao would forget the match time, Yuto Nakagawa even asked the injured Yuki Hayama to temporarily act as his reminder secretary.

The single-minded Zaojian readily accepted the task, but after learning the news, Ao Keisuke specifically looked through the schedule of the ball skills tournament twice—there was absolutely no way to place any hope in this guy.

In the afternoon, Keisuke Ao told Hoshino that he wanted to go to the activity room, but whether the young lady ultimately agreed or not remains an unknown secret.

Anyway, Aoki Keisuke went.

Fujiko Hoshino sat quietly by the window, holding a small novel, showing no other emotion in response to his arrival.

"Good afternoon, President." Keisuke Ao smiled and put the table and chair that had been moved to the other side back in their original positions.

"That's strange, how can tables and chairs grow legs on their own?"

"Am I that captivating to you?" Fujiko Hoshino asked calmly. "You're so shameless in your pursuit of me, why don't you just conjure up a tail and fawn over me?"

"Is the president a Fu Rui fanatic?" Keisuke Ao asked back.

Seeing Hoshino Fujiko reach for her gun again, he changed the subject and asked, "Any progress on the investigation into Komatsu Ai-senpai?"

"If I remember correctly, this should be your mission," Hoshino Fujiko replied. "The contents of that notebook are for your support."

"How indifferent, President."

Keisuke Ao took out "The Moon and Sixpence" from his bag and turned to the page he was looking at: "Even though I was enjoying the investigation myself."

Hoshino ignored him once again.

This is how she is whenever a topic she's not interested in is brought up, or when she doesn't want to delve into it.

Keisuke Ao thought for a moment, then laughed again.

"I gradually discovered what made this book interesting. Stripping away the Western writer's instinctive, tedious descriptions and the occasional unpleasant arguments, Boss, would you choose sixpence or the moon?"

Choose between a blissful reality and a tragic ideal.

Fujiko Hoshino simply said, "I was born on someone else's moon."

"A beautiful answer."

Aoki praised him, his admiring expression making Hoshino feel nauseous.

She frowned her beautiful brows and scrutinized Aoki Keisuke: "I suggest you, Aoki Keisuke, don't make any wild pronouncements before you've finished reading a book, otherwise you'll just be showing off your stupid and arrogant monkey-like behavior."

"Yes, yes," Qing Guijie replied perfunctorily.

"Speaking of which, how about punishing that messenger by letting him suffer the consequences of his own actions?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's about making him send himself messages repeatedly in a state of unconsciousness," said Keisuke Ao. "This was the inspiration I got from watching a movie yesterday."

"Humans are perhaps most adept at punishing themselves."

Upon hearing Keisuke Ao's words, Fujiko Hoshino was unusually stunned. Her lifeless eyes closed slightly, and she opened them again after a long while.

"I'll consider it."

"President, guess what movie I watched that gave me this insight?"

"I don't think there's any need to know that such inhumane insights could be derived."

"But I think you've already guessed the name, haven't you?"

Hoshino Fujiko gently turned a thin page with her fingers, a barely perceptible smile playing on her lips. It was less a guess and more a direct statement from Aoki Keisuke.

He added, "And how can someone who expects the male protagonist to die have the nerve to accuse others of being inhumane?"

Please don't judge others by your own insidious assumptions, especially me.

"Yes, yes."

For the first time, Hoshino Fujiko took a serious look at Keisuke Ao's profile. His features were sharp and angular, his face was three-dimensional and handsome, and beneath his thick bangs, one could vaguely see his magically flying eyebrows. His eyes were bright, his nose was high and straight, and even his lips were very sexy. There was no denying that this man had a stunning appearance.

Of course, the more handsome someone is on the outside, the more annoying they are on the inside.

Bored.

After reading about two more chapters, Keisuke Ao received a message from Ai Komatsu.

"The poor senior has received another threatening letter. I'm going to check it out."

The aloof girl, in the afternoon twilight, merely tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, as if to say:

"understood."