Go, Anti-NTR MAN!

Yuuto's Terms of Service:

2. Major 75% discount for returning customers.

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AUTHOR HERE: Read all the way through here. Trust me :)

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Over the past two weeks since the incident, Yuuto had adhered to a peculiar routine. Part of his unique service involved vigilantly watching over his clients to ensure their safety. Whether this stemmed from genuine concern or merely fed into his detective fetish was a matter for debate.

Following school, Riko and Shun routinely boarded the train. Male1 and Male2, since two weeks ago, were conspicuously absent, having skipped school since the event. During this period, the bond between Shun and Riko had noticeably strengthened. On days when Riko was preoccupied with student council duties, Shun shared his lunch break with Yuuto. Yuuto was always careful to remain out of sight.

Their happiness was palpable. Their conversations flowed naturally, punctuated by genuine smiles and blushes on Riko's face.

From his covert position, Yuuto observed them with a slight grin.

Yuuto: "Good going..." He muttered to himself, donning his headphones and diverting his attention to his phone.

Yet, deep down, Yuuto sensed a looming disturbance and had mentally prepped for it.

The train halted at a station, and while many passengers embarked, two particular individuals caught Yuuto's attention. They wore sly, self-satisfied grins, and it seemed every woman they passed was immediately entranced, their eyes shimmering with fascination.

These two brushed past Yuuto, hardly acknowledging him.

Yuuto's grip on his phone intensified, his expression darkening.

Yuuto: "..."

His usually quick wit deserted him. A deep-seated anger welled up as they passed, though the exact reason remained an enigma.

Yato and Tatsu, the two males in question, made their way towards Riko and Shun, who were happily seated together. While the girls' heads swiveled in their direction, prompting the guys to do the same, there was something puzzling about the duo's allure.

Neither Yato nor Tatsu fit the mold of top-tier models. Nor did they have the kind of magnetism or looks that made them stand out among the average man.

Yuuto sighed, a realization dawning on him. "It's come to this after all. For now, I can't intervene. Sorry, cuck. You'll have to handle this one," he thought regretfully. "Acting now would ruin the plan. Can't draw attention here." He found himself wrestling with a mix of frustration and self-contempt, quite a fall from the pedestal he'd placed himself on as the Anti-Netorare Man.

Yato and Tatsu paused near the seated couple, causing visible distress to Shun.

Shun, attempting to muster courage, demanded, "What do you guys want?"

Tatsu replied with feigned nonchalance, "Relax, dude! Just a friendly hello."

"I'm not buying it," Shun retorted.

Unperturbed, Yato interjected, "Doesn't matter if you do. We're free to greet whoever we please, including your girl. Hey, Riko."

Having had enough, Shun snapped, "You've said hi. Now leave."

Yuuto, observing from a distance, tried to distract himself with his phone, but his frustration was evident in his ragged breaths.

"We're just tired and looking for a seat on this packed train," Tatsu reasoned. "Mind if we sit next to you? At least until we get to Shibuya?"

Yuuto internally grimaced, 'Shibuya's much further than the station Shun and Riko intend to alight at.'

But before Shun could protest, Riko interjected with an oddly enchanted tone, her eyes fixated on Tatsu with an unusual pinkish hue. "Shun, stop being so impolite. What's gotten into you?"

Taken aback, Shun, his anxiety escalating, tried to coax, "Riko, let's just move."

But Riko, now uncharacteristically confrontational, shot back, "Why are you being so rude to them?"

Shun's world seemed to spin, his heart racing as he teetered on the edge of panic.

Riko extended a warm, inviting smile towards Tatsu, completely sidelining Shun. "Of course, you can sit," she remarked with unexpected ease, patting the seat next to her.

"Thanks," Tatsu responded, winking at a visibly ruffled Shun as he took the offered seat. Yato, choosing to stand, positioned himself next to Shun.

Suppressing a surge of anger, Yuuto thought, 'I'll handle this oddity later. Can't draw attention now.' His fingers clenched tightly around his phone.

"Riko! What's happening?" Shun's voice edged with panic, his stomach churning in distress, a sensation all too familiar to him recently.

Yato gave Shun a dismissive pat. "She's simply not as controlling as you are."

With her gaze lowered and cheeks flushed, Riko tried to defend Shun, albeit feebly. "I allowed you to sit, so be kinder to Shun." Tatsu's every word stirred a mix of guilt and unaccountable attraction within her. 'Would it be so wrong if I preferred Tatsu's company now?' she wondered, a heat rising within her.

Yuuto's grip on his phone tightened further. 'This isn't my fight. And Shun's unaware of my presence. But I expected them here, and I'm prepared.'

Tatsu leaned in closer to Riko, intensifying her blush. Every fleeting moment made it harder for her to avert her gaze. He seemed in no hurry, enjoying her reaction.

"We're not antagonizing anyone," Tatsu whispered. "It's just a slight misunderstanding on your boyfriend's part."

Her heart racing, Riko managed a timid response, "That might be true, but still..." Her voice trailed off, the weight of Tatsu's presence seemingly blurring her rational thoughts. The world around her was fading, replaced by a whirlwind of inexplicable emotions and impulses.

To Shun, the scenario felt nightmarish. Looking for an anchor in his disorienting surroundings, he noticed every female passenger's unwavering attention on the two newcomers.

In a frantic attempt to pull away from the situation, Shun said, "Riko, we need to leave! Something's not right!" He tightly gripped her arm, urging her to rise with him.

However, before they could make their move, Yato intervened, forcefully pushing Shun back by his shoulder.

"Shun! You're hurting me!" Riko exclaimed, her voice tinged with exasperation. She felt a magnetic pull towards Tatsu, his allure overwhelming her senses, making Shun's presence seem insignificant in comparison.

With a mixture of amusement and condescension, Yato commented, "Looks like you've overstepped now."

Shun's eyes darted between his tight hold on Riko and her anguished expression, a whirlwind of confusion and anxiety consuming him.

As the tension escalated, Yuuto's grip on his phone became unrelenting. The device shattered, shards of glass digging into his flesh, but he held on, as if trying to anchor himself from tumbling into madness.

With a fierce intensity, Riko retorted, "I knew you were scared, but this? If you want to leave, go! Leave me here!" The affection and warmth that once defined their relationship had now been replaced by a stark coldness, an inexplicable obsession with Tatsu taking over.

Amidst the charged atmosphere, Tatsu nonchalantly retrieved a small bottle, presumably water, from his bag.

The bonds that Shun and Riko had fostered over time seemed to evaporate, leaving behind an echoing void. The palpable connection they once shared felt distant and hazy, like memories slipping away from the grasp of someone suffering from Alzheimer's. The gravity of the current situation overshadowed even the distress of the last two months.

Riko's words resonated in Shun's mind, an unshakeable testament to what he had long feared. Each syllable affirmed his insecurities, painting a vivid picture that she never truly believed in him. Rather, she had stayed out of mere convenience. As the reality of his fears solidified, Shun felt the energy seep from his grasp, his world fragmenting before him.

Without missing a beat, Tatsu tenderly cradled Riko's face, guiding her gaze towards his own.

Attempting to bridge the widening chasm between them, Shun reached out, a voice choked with desperation: "Riko...!" But Yato effortlessly held him back, further emphasizing the imbalance of power.

Leaning in, Yato whispered chillingly into Shun's ear, "Careful now. You wouldn't want the same fate for your dear mother, would you? Stand down, ex-boyfriend."

In that moment, Shun's world dimmed, his hope extinguished. The bystanders interpreted the situation through a skewed lens, deeming Shun the unreasonable one. To them, his desperation painted him as a possessive, delusional suitor; perhaps someone who had been in the friend zone and had simply lucked out for a brief moment. Their judgments weighed heavily on him.

Looking at Riko, now seemingly spellbound by Tatsu, a realization crystallized in Shun's mind: 'I am powerless.'

Resignation set in, and he ceased resisting Yato's hold.

With a sly grin, Tatsu teased, "Don't be too hard on him. He's just protective. But then again, someone as captivating as you would attract such attention."

Stammering, a hint of her old self peeking through, Riko responded, "T-that's no excuse..." However, her moment of clarity was fleeting, and she quickly succumbed to Tatsu's enigmatic allure.

Tatsu unscrewed the cap of the bottle he held.

Tatsu: "I'm parched. But perhaps you're thirstier." Taking a sip, he held the water in his mouth, moving his face inches from Riko's.

Riko: "S-stop... Shun will notice..." A desperate plea, the last remnants of her defenses wavered at the thought of Shun.

With a widening smirk, Yato remarked, "How thoughtful of you. Despite the scene Shun created and your rebuke, Tatsu just wants to help you unwind. It's merely water. Surely, your boyfriend wouldn't object, would he?"

As Shun, a shadow of his former self, struggled to voice a response, Yato leaned in, whispering maliciously, "Isn't that so?"

Mumbling, Shun admitted, "I... don't object..." His gaze downcast, fixated on the floor.

Yuuto mentally chanted, 'Maintain composure...' However, as blood dripped steadily from his hand, the pressure on his sanity intensified.

Tatsu inched even closer to Riko, the water still held captive in his mouth.

Tilting her head slightly, Riko whispered, "If Shun agrees... I am quite... thirsty..." The atmosphere thickened with tension, and all eyes aboard the train were riveted to the scene unfolding.

Before their lips met, a voice cracked the silence.

Shun, his voice hollow, murmured, "You were wrong... About everything... Zimbabwe..." Desolation clouded his gaze.

A sigh escaped Yuuto's lips, and he released the shattered remnants of his phone.

Yuuto: 'How could I forget?'

Abruptly removing his headphones, he cast them aside, swiftly rising to his feet, and thundered,

Yuuto: "HEY! MALE2!!"

'I'm supposed to protect them.'

TO BE CONTINUED...