I will sell my car to invest in you.

"Ah, Shizuka, you idiot. You really went and got drunk again. Aren't you afraid of some creep picking you up and taking you home?" Miki Okudera complained as she looked at the intoxicated Shizuka Hiratsuka.

"Hehe, if anyone actually dared, I'd knock them straight to the hospital with one punch," Shizuka muttered, leaning against Miki with a silly grin as she threw a clumsy straight punch.

Surprisingly, even with her consciousness thoroughly blurred by alcohol, the punch still produced a faint whistling sound in the air, making it look deceptively powerful.

"Shizuka, you drove here today, didn't you?" Miki asked.

"Yeah, my car is parked in the lot just behind," Shizuka mumbled, her head spinning heavily. Normally, if she were by herself, she would never drink this much. But today, with Miki around, coupled with the ongoing conversation with that punk Hojo, she had unconsciously let herself have a bit too much.

"I'm sorry, Kyosuke-kun. I'm going to need to call a designated driver to take Shizuka home now. I'll have to return your jacket another day," Miki said.

"Why don't I accompany you to take her home first, and then I'll see you back to your place? It's the middle of the night—there's no way I could just let two intoxicated women head home alone," Kyosuke Hojo said, reaching out to firmly grasp Shizuka's arm and steadying her weight.

"That's right, Kyosuke-kun didn't drink anything. But do you even have a driver's license?"

"I don't, but I have friends nearby. I'll contact them right now to come over."

With that, Kyosuke took out his phone and began typing in the Violent Angels group chat. He didn't have a license himself, but among his underclassmen in the high school division, there were definitely older ones who had already obtained theirs.

"Would I be putting you out too much?" Miki asked, looking apologetic.

"Not at all. Besides, I should be thanking Hiratsuka-sensei for treating me to food."

That was true—while she was still sober, Shizuka had already paid the bill. Kyosuke had wanted to say something about it, but Miki had stopped him with a smile, telling him that Shizuka was practically a millionaire and that keeping her company while she drank was the best way to show he cared.

By the time they finished talking, four of his subordinates had already "accepted the order."

When the three of them stepped out of the bar, the four subordinates and two motorcycles were already waiting outside.

"Kyosuke-kun, are they—?"

At the entrance of the bar, Miki looked curiously at the four individuals who were respectfully bowing and greeting Kyosuke.

"They're my underclassmen from school. Well, motorcycle art enthusiasts," Kyosuke explained.

The aesthetic sense of these bastards was truly beyond comprehension, each motorcycle customized to be more bizarre than the last.

Kyosuke quickly assigned the tasks:

The subordinate who could drive would accompany him, Miki, and Shizuka to retrieve Shizuka's car. The other three subordinates would ride the two motorcycles they brought along with Kyosuke's own bike and follow behind. Once they arrived at Shizuka's place, the four subordinates could return the exact same way.

The reason for mobilizing so many people was simply because Kyosuke still planned to ride his motorcycle to take Miki home afterward.

Besides, these subordinates were all quite free at night; if he didn't use them, what was the point? Wasn't the whole reason for becoming a leader in the first place to enjoy these kinds of conveniences?

In the parking lot, Miki clicked her car key, and the lights of a massive white vehicle flashed.

"Hiratsuka-sensei actually likes this kind of car?" Kyosuke supported Shizuka as they approached the white SUV. Even with Kyosuke's meager knowledge of automobiles, he recognized it as a Toyota Land Cruiser.

"Haha, you probably could have guessed it just from knowing Shizuka loves martial arts," Miki said with a smile as she opened the car door and helped Kyosuke settle Shizuka into the backseat. Perhaps because Miki was right beside her, Shizuka immediately drifted into sleep with a serene expression.

"I suppose so." Remembering the imposing aura Shizuka had displayed when throwing that punch earlier, Kyosuke nodded in agreement.

"Though Shizuka also has a red sports car; she drives that one more often in her daily life," Miki said as she climbed into the back as well, letting Shizuka's head rest comfortably in her lap.

"She really is loaded."

Kyosuke sat in the passenger seat, repeatedly instructing his subordinates to drive slowly on the road, warning them that if anyone dared to speed, they would be forced to spar with him for a hundred rounds during kendo practice the next day.

As for the three riding motorcycles, Kyosuke had already sent them the address. Unsurprisingly, it was a high-end apartment complex. It wasn't far away—located in Bunkyo Ward, right next to Shinjuku.

According to Miki, the apartment was purchased for her by her family because Tokyo Metropolitan Sōbu High School, where Shizuka worked, happened to be situated in Bunkyo Ward.

Since both wards belonged to the inner core of Tokyo and sat right next to each other, it only took a drive of a few kilometers for them to reach their destination.

Dismissing his subordinates, Kyosuke carried Shizuka and joined Miki in the elevator. Miki clearly visited often; she skillfully fished the keys out of Shizuka's pocket, unlocked the door, and directed Kyosuke to place Shizuka onto her bedroom bed.

Kyosuke considerately walked out to the living room and sat down, passing the time on his phone while waiting for Miki. He had previously asked Miki if she needed to stay the night to take care of the drunk Shizuka, but Miki had simply smiled and told him that every time Shizuka got drunk, she would obediently sleep straight through until dawn with zero issues, save for maybe having to worry about oversleeping for work.

"Let's go, Kyosuke-kun. I'm really sorry for all the trouble."

Miki emerged from the bedroom. She had just given Shizuka a quick wipe-down, changed her into pajamas, and placed a glass of water on the bedside table. Having finished this string of chores, a thin layer of fine sweat now glistened on her forehead.

"Do you want to rest for a bit first? I'm worried that catching a draft right after sweating might make you catch a cold," Kyosuke asked with genuine concern.

"I'm not that fragile. Besides, didn't Kyosuke-kun lend me his jacket?" Miki said with a smile.

"Then let's get going."

They rode down to the ground floor, and Kyosuke retrieved his motorcycle, carrying Miki out of the complex.

The two soon arrived below Miki's apartment building.

"Kyosuke-kun, would you like to come up for a bit? I can grab your clothes and give them back to you—they've already been washed," Miki stood by the motorcycle, using one hand to press down hair that had been blown loose by the night breeze, speaking with a hint of nervousness.

"Then I'll intrude," Kyosuke said as he efficiently parked the motorcycle. Considering that most residents here were likely students, the apartment building thoughtfully provided a covered shed specifically for bicycles and motorcycles.

"You even washed the clothes? I've really put you out."

Inside the elevator, the two stood side by side as Kyosuke broke the silence.

"It's no trouble at all. Would you mind if I returned this jacket to you after washing it as well?" Miki adjusted the brown jacket she was still wearing and asked.

"Then I'll leave it in your hands." Naturally, Kyosuke wasn't tactless enough to say something mood-ruining like "Don't bother, I can wash it myself at home." If not for the excuse of coming up to collect his clothes, how else would the two of them be standing together in this elevator right now?

"Please come in. Sorry, since not many people usually visit, I only have disposable slippers prepared." Miki unlocked the door and retrieved a pair of disposable slippers from the shoe cabinet.

"It's fine." Kyosuke put on the slippers and sat down on the sofa.

"I haven't tidied up these past few days, so the place is a bit of a mess."

Seeing Kyosuke observing her living space, Miki said with an embarrassed smile.

"What's messy about this? It's easy to see that Okudera-senpai really puts effort into her studies."

It was also a single-person apartment, but the most striking feature was the kitchen. Having such a massive kitchen in a space this small practically felt like a crime committed by the interior designer.

A double-door refrigerator, an oven, a high-speed blender, a stand mixer... various cooking utensils, both familiar and unfamiliar to Kyosuke, were arranged methodically across the kitchen. A corner was even set aside exclusively for chemical apparatuses like test tubes and graduated cylinders.

A large stack of books rested on the low table in front of the sofa, covering chemistry, biology, traditional Chinese medicine, and, of course, the largest number of books containing the word "nutrition."

The area adjacent to the living room was partitioned off by a curtain, likely serving as the bedroom.

"I've loved cooking ever since I was a child, but my family insisted that I attend a university, which is why I chose this major. Originally, my career path was aimed toward places like the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries or the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, or perhaps joining a food and beverage corporation. But deep down, I still want to open my own restaurant after graduation, serving food that is both nutritious and delicious."

Miki brought a glass of water over to Kyosuke, her eyes shining with longing as she spoke.

"I'm sorry, I just started rambling on my own."

"Not at all. Okudera-senpai is truly amazing, steadily moving forward toward her own dream," Kyosuke said.

"It's not as great as you make it sound. My family isn't very supportive of the idea. When the time comes, I might only be able to rent a tiny shop in some out-of-the-way neighborhood and probably go out of business right away."

Miki spoke with a self-conscious laugh. Since the single-person armchair was occupied by Kyosuke, she parted the bedroom curtain and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Kyosuke quickly swept his gaze across the bedroom environment. If the living room and kitchen belonged to a dedicated, hardworking female college student, the bedroom belonged to a romantic, love-struck young maiden.

An mature beauty truly deserved to be a match for a high school girl—there were delightful surprises to be found everywhere.

"In that case, let me invest in you when the time comes. I'm certain Okudera-senpai's restaurant will be a huge success! Who knows, maybe even the Prime Minister will have to wait in line just to eat there."

Kyosuke said with a smile. There was no reason someone who worked this hard wouldn't succeed. In any other world, maybe failure was an option, but Okudera-senpai carried the aura of a protagonist—she was the special type of person who was bound to succeed the moment she ignited her passion.

"Even I don't have that much confidence in myself," Miki chuckled. Though Kyosuke's words touched her heart, she didn't genuinely believe a high schooler could pull something like that off.

"Okudera-senpai, I'm not joking. I'd sell Rocket 33 in a heartbeat to support your dream!" Kyosuke jingled the motorcycle keys in his hand.

"Hahaha, Rocket 33? What kind of name is that? It's so cute."

Just as Kyosuke had anticipated, even if Rocket 33 didn't sound as intimidatingly cool as Renjiro's Crimson Lotus ZII, it was guaranteed to win over a girl's affection.

"It's getting late, I should be heading off." Kyosuke finished the remaining water in his cup, picked up the jacket that still carried the scent of laundry detergent, and stood up.

"It really is getting late, isn't it?" Miki glanced at the frog wall clock hanging in the bedroom and let out a soft exclamation of surprise.

"If Kyosuke-kun comes back next time, I'll prepare a meal to treat you."

In the entryway, Miki crossed her arms and smiled warmly as Kyosuke laced up his shoes.

"Then I'll definitely look forward to it." Kyosuke lifted the jacket in his hand and gave it a light wave.

The two exchanged a knowing smile of tacit understanding.

"Watch your step on the road."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Okudera-senpai."

"See you tomorrow."