Chapter 198: Nozomi wants Noah.

Noah remained still while Nozomi kept standing at the end of the hallway smiling, and that was what worried him the most.

She wasn’t angry, nor did she look surprised, and she didn’t seem in a hurry either, but she was there.

As if running into Noah inside the high school was something completely normal.

"Nozomi."

She tilted her head a little.

"I’m glad you still remember my name."

Noah frowned.

"It’s hard to forget."

Nozomi smiled wider.

"That sounds better than you think."

Noah looked at her.

She was wearing discreet clothes, way too discreet for her, without any of the flashier elements he normally remembered her by.

Even so, she was still recognizable, which raised a pretty obvious question.

"How did you get in?"

Nozomi blinked.

"Into the high school?"

"That’s right."

"Well, by walking in, dummy."

Noah stared at her in silence and she answered calmly.

"I walked here."

"Nozomi."

"What?"

"This high school has security."

"I know."

"And access controls."

"I know that too."

"Then..."

Noah pointed around.

"How are you here?"

Nozomi smiled.

"Maybe they’re not as good as you think."

That didn’t help.

Noah glanced discreetly to the sides and the hallway was practically empty, since most students had already left.

There were no teachers nearby and no security staff either.

’Perfect.’

Nozomi took a step toward him, at which Noah immediately slipped a hand into his pocket.

He needed to warn the group, but without drawing attention, so he could send a short one-word message.

’Nozomi.’

That would be enough for Yume and Luna to understand.

Noah slowly moved his hand inside the pocket, but Nozomi stopped.

"What are you doing?"

Noah stopped too.

"Nothing."

She smiled.

"So you want to lie to me."

Noah kept his hand where it was.

"I was just..."

"Taking out your phone."

Noah looked at her and Nozomi continued.

"To call those bitches you call girlfriends?"

Her tone was still calm, but Noah immediately recognized the problem.

"No, I just..."

Noah sighed.

"I just wanted to check the time."

Nozomi watched him for several seconds and then smiled.

"Then do it."

Noah didn’t move.

"What?"

"Take out the phone."

Noah frowned and Nozomi held out a hand.

"Check the time."

"I don’t need to know it anymore."

"But you wanted to see it a moment ago."

"I changed my mind."

"How convenient."

Noah left his hand inside the pocket and Nozomi started walking toward him again one step after another while Noah stepped back.

She noticed and her smile faded just a little.

"Noah."

"What?"

"You don’t need to move away."

"I’m comfortable here."

"I’m not."

Noah frowned.

"That’s not my problem."

Nozomi looked at him and for a few seconds her expression stayed calm, but then she spoke in a lower tone.

"Yes it is."

Noah felt an immediate unease and Nozomi kept getting closer.

"After everything I did to see you again..."

"You kidnapped me."

"That was before."

"You also tried to force me to marry you."

Nozomi smiled.

"I had the documents ready."

"That doesn’t make it any better."

"I thought it was romantic."

"It wasn’t."

"It was for me!"

Noah stepped back again and Nozomi stopped advancing.

"You’re avoiding me again."

"Yes."

The direct answer seemed to surprise her, but not much, so Noah continued.

"Because every time you show up, you try to kidnap me."

"That’s an exaggeration."

"No, it’s the truth."

"Last time I just wanted to talk."

"You took me to a locked room."

"I wanted privacy."

"It had no doors."

"Because I didn’t want you to run away."

Noah brought a hand to his forehead.

"Nozomi."

She smiled.

"I like it when you say my name."

Noah lowered his hand.

’I can’t reason with her.’

He needed to buy time, that was all, so someone would show up, but Nozomi held out her hand again.

"Come with me."

Noah refused.

"Of course not."

"I just want to talk."

"You can talk here."

"I don’t want to."

"Then I don’t want to listen."

Nozomi’s smile faded a little.

"Noah."

"What?"

"Don’t make this difficult."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Me?"

"Yes."

Noah opened his arms.

"You showed up inside my high school."

"Because I wanted to see you."

"Without warning."

"I wanted to surprise you."

"And it definitely worked."

"Then it went well."

"Not in the way you think."

Nozomi sighed, then took another step and Noah stepped back, at which she smiled again, but now the smile was different, more tense.

"Just come with me."

"No."

"We can go somewhere quiet."

"I already told you no."

"Talk."

"I don’t want to."

"Spend time together."

"Nozomi."

"And if you want..."

She tilted her head slightly.

"...I can make sure no one interrupts us."

Noah fell silent, since that sounded exactly like something he shouldn’t accept.

"Definitely not."

Nozomi looked at him.

"You still think I want to hurt you."

"You tried to take me to the Great Mother."

"That was an order."

"You also wanted to force me to marry you."

"That was personal."

"That’s worse."

Nozomi looked offended.

"Why?"

Noah watched her and didn’t even know where to start, so he decided not to.

Instead, he looked toward one of the hallway cameras and an idea appeared.

"You know someone’s going to stop you."

Nozomi followed his gaze and Noah continued.

"There are cameras."

"I know."

"So there’s also security."

"Of course I know."

"And teachers."

"..."

Nozomi looked back at him, but she didn’t seem worried and Noah tried to stay calm.

"You can’t just take me from here."

"Yes I can."

"Someone will notice."

"Maybe."

"And then they’ll chase you."

"That doesn’t worry me."

"It should."

Nozomi smiled.

"Not when you’re with me."

Noah frowned.

"That doesn’t make sense."

"It does to me."

Noah slowly shook his head.

"I’m not going with you."

Nozomi’s expression changed again and for the first time something clearly unpleasant appeared in her gaze, but not toward Noah, rather toward the people who could stop her from taking him.

"Is it because of them?"

Noah stayed silent.

"Because of your girlfriends?"

Noah didn’t answer and Nozomi tightened her fingers a little.

"They’re always around you."

"Nozomi..."

"Every time I try to get closer, one of them shows up."

"Because you try to kidnap me."

"That doesn’t matter."

"It matters a lot."

Nozomi took another step.

"I could take you very far away."

Noah felt the tone had changed.

"Where none of them can bother us."

"I don’t want that."

"We could be at peace."

"Stop."

"I could take care of you."

"Nozomi."

"I could cook."

"I told you to stop."

"Protect you."

"I don’t want that."

"Get you everything you want."

The smile returned.

"Except leaving."

Noah stared at her fixedly.

"That doesn’t help."

Nozomi seemed to seriously consider his words.

"You could get used to it."

"That doesn’t help either."

"I would treat you well."

"Locked up."

"You’ll be safe."

"And locked up."

"But protected."

"Locked up for life."

Nozomi paused for a moment.

"...a little."

Noah sighed.

’She’s completely crazy.’

Nozomi raised a hand.

"Come."

Noah shook his head, so she took another step.

"Please."

Noah stepped back, so Nozomi lowered her hand.

"Then I’ll have to..."

"Don’t you dare!"

A new voice appeared from one of the side hallways, so Noah turned his head along with Nozomi, seeing that Ayane was walking toward them.

Her expression wasn’t friendly, but Noah felt relief.

’Finally.’