Mash-Up Anime: Teenage Assassin Enrollment.-Chapter 19 - Gaming Buddies

Shun stood at the meeting spot, dressed casually yet stylishly—a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled just enough to show off his strong forearms, and shorts that highlighted his powerful calves.

His spiky hair had been slicked back into a curtain-style that softened his usual sharp edge. As he waited, he glanced at his phone, checking the chat group he made with his gaming friends who were Kyoh Goshoin, Ako Tamaki, and Yanagi Uzaki.

He sent a quick message:

[ Shun: "Plaid shirt, shorts, looking like I walked out of a dating sim. Try to find me.]

Moments later, a soft voice approached from behind.

"U-Um... Sergey?"

Shun turned around, immediately recognizing the gentle, familiar tone. There stood Ako Tamaki, her expression shy but glowing with recognition.

"Ako?" he smiled. "And they thought there was never a girl online."

Ako's lips quivered into a smile. "It's really you... Sergey?"

"That's me," Shun replied warmly. "Who knew my in-game wife would turn out to be my real-life classmate?"

Ako stepped forward without hesitation and embraced him. Her arms wrapped around him tightly, her face pressing softly against his chest as she breathed him in.

"I'm so glad it's you..."

Shun chuckled lightly, wrapping one arm around her.

"Nice to see you too, Ako. Looks like we've been closer than we thought."

Just then, a familiar teasing voice chimed in.

"Geez, you two are already doing this in public? I feel like I should start charging an audience fee."

Shun looked up and grinned as Yanagi Uzaki strolled over, her casual jacket fluttering a bit in the breeze. She wore her signature smirk, the playful glint in her eyes unmistakable.

"Well, if it isn't the troublemaker," Shun said.

"Didn't expect Master Zaki to be a classmate and a brat in real life."

Yanagi rolled her eyes. "Brat? Please. You're the one letting your in-game wife cling to you like that. Should I start calling you Mr. Popular now?"

Ako just held on tighter, her cheeks lightly flushed, but she remained silent, clearly content where she was.

"Not my fault I've got that dependable party leader energy," Shun said smugly.

Yanagi stuck out her tongue. "More like smug party leader energy."

As they traded playful jabs, another voice joined the group—a calm, confident one that carried a gentle maturity.

"Ah, are you Sergey? You two must be Ako and Zaki."

Kyoh Goshoin approached with grace, her long hair pinned back neatly, wearing a modest yet stylish outfit. She gave off a composed, big-sister vibe that contrasted nicely with the group's chaotic energy.

"Apricot?" Yanagi said.

"Yes, That's me. But I'm Kyoh Goshoin."

Shun greeted with a warm nod. "Glad you made it. I'm Shun Satsujin. Or Just Shun"

She gave a soft smile. "Of course I did. Can't leave you kids unsupervised."

Yanagi crossed her arms. "Oi, who are you calling a kid?"

Kyoh just chuckled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You, obviously."

The group shared a laugh as Shun looked around at the girls—each one familiar from the game, now even more vivid in real life. Ako still clung to his arm, Yanagi was nudging him with light teases, and Kyoh stood slightly apart with an amused smile, as if watching over the group.

"All right," Kyoh said, grinning.

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"Let's go eat. I know a great place."

"Nice, I'm already hungry." Shun said.

"You won't be able to eat if Ako doesn't let go of your arm." Yanagi said with a teasing grin.

"She's fine." Shun replied.

"Unless you want the other arm?"

Yanagi blinked, smirked, then snorted. "Cocky."

Kyoh rolled her eyes fondly.

"Just don't get us kicked out of the restaurant."

The group led by Kyoh arrived at the restaurant, the gentle hum of conversation blending with the smell of grilled food. Ako still refused to let go of Shun, her arms wrapped around his like a magnet, eyes sparkling with joy.

Yanagi Uzaki gave them a teasing grin. "You know, Shun, all of our female classmates are gonna be devastated when they find out Ako's already married to you in-game. And don't even get me started on a few of the teachers."

Shun smirked, eyes glinting with playfulness. "Oh? Are you one of them, Yanagi?"

She shrugged with a grin. "If you're a real man, you'd take me into your waifu catalog too."

Ako pouted and clung even tighter to Shun, cheeks slightly puffed. "No fair, Yanagi-san..."

Kyoh blinked, slightly confused. "Wait—waifu catalog?"

Yanagi chuckled and leaned over, whispering like it was a juicy rumor.

"Shun's been at school for one week and already has every girl in our class—and even some of the teachers—falling for him. I'm guessing there might be even more."

Kyoh raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"That so? I didn't expect that. You must be something else, Satsujin."

Shun laughed and decided to steer the conversation. "Alright, time to formally introduce myself—since Kyoh-san here doesn't fully know me yet."

He offered his hand with a casual but polite smile.

"I'm Shun Satsujin. Originally from Russia, recently transferred to Shuchiin Academy. My hobbies? Gaming, anime, and action flicks."

Kyoh accepted his handshake firmly, her expression calm but with a spark of curiosity.

"Kyoh Goshoin. Third-year at Shuchiin and part of the Disciplinary Committee."

Yanagi gave a playful wave. "Yanagi Uzaki, your favorite classmate-slash-agent of chaos."

Ako smiled shyly, still holding onto Shun's arm.

"Ako Tamaki... also Shun's classmate... and in-game wife."

After some time, once everyone had settled in and food was ordered, the conversation naturally shifted to their shared love: gaming.

"So about last night's raid," Shun started, leaning back and crossing his arms.

"Yanagi, can you please stop rushing into the boss fight like it's a shounen anime opening?"

Yanagi grinned mischievously. "Hey, I was creating space! You were too busy monologuing in chat to notice!"

"I was giving instructions!" Shun shot back, a teasing glare in his eyes.

"It's called strategy. You might've heard of it."

"Yeah, and I call my approach 'winging it with style,'" Yanagi said proudly, tossing her hair back.

Kyoh gave a small chuckle as she sipped her tea. "You two are like an old married couple. Honestly though, Yanagi—next time just let Shun kite the boss before jumping in. We wiped three times because you aggro'd early."

"Traitor," Yanagi gasped, dramatically clutching her chest. "Et tu, Kyoh-nee?"

Ako, who had been quietly leaning against Shun's side, looked up with her soft voice.

"I liked the part when we worked together... even when we failed, we were still a party." Her hands fidgeted slightly before she added.

"As long as I'm with Sergey—I mean, Shun—I'm happy..."

Shun smiled down at her and gave her a light pat on the head. "You're the team MVP, Ako. No complaints about the heal queen."

Ako blushed furiously and quietly squeaked,

"T-Thank you..."

Yanagi gave a small pout. "She gets head pats while I get scolded? No justice."

"That's because you caused three wipes," Shun replied with a smirk.

Kyoh leaned her elbow on the table, chin in her hand, watching the scene unfold with an amused smile.

"You all are a mess—but I can see why you're close. It's kind of cute, honestly."

Yanagi rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Alright, alright, next raid I'll behave. Maybe. No promises."

Ako tugged on Shun's sleeve. "Um... maybe I can craft potions for everyone before we start? That way, even if Yanagi jumps in, we'll be okay..."

Shun and Kyoh chuckled at Ako's soft attempt at peacemaking, while Yanagi gave her a big grin and a thumbs-up.

"See? Ako believes in me. That's all I need."

Shun shook his head, but a warm smile lingered. "We'll make it work. Just like always."

Hidden nearby, Ai Hayasaka quietly adjusted the brim of her cap and focused her gaze on the group inside the restaurant.

She had followed Shun discreetly, intent on observing his interactions and habits. She wasn't doing this out of mere curiosity—this was a calculated mission.

Shun Satsujin was suspicious, and if there was even a slight chance he could pose a threat to Kaguya-sama, Ai had to know.

Her eyes narrowed as she observed him laughing with three girls—Ako Tamaki, Yanagi Uzaki, and an unfamiliar older girl who exuded a composed aura.

Judging by her demeanor and posture, Ai suspected she was someone with a high position—possibly a senior. What caught Ai's attention more, however, was the easy way Shun conversed with them all.

He was charismatic, that much she had already confirmed during their first interaction. But here, Ai could see more clearly how he could switch tones between playful, sincere, teasing, and caring without missing a beat.

Her ears perked up as Yanagi teased him. Ai quietly noted how he teased her back without crossing any lines—he had finesse. He kept control of the group without being dominant, and yet, everyone naturally followed his rhythm.

Then there was Ako—clinging to his arm like it was the most natural thing in the world. Ai raised an eyebrow. That girl wasn't just a classmate—she was deeply emotionally attached to Shun, and based on the conversation Ai had partially overheard, they were online gaming partners... possibly more.

And Yanagi's comment about Shun already being popular among all their female classmates—and even teachers? That confirmed Ai's earlier investigation.

She mentally reviewed the list she'd compiled: Miku Nakano, Lilysa Amano, Komi Shouko, Marin Kitagawa, Ako Tamaki, Maria and Alya Kujou, Sumire Yoshizawa... and now Yanagi Uzaki, Ako, and this Kyoh girl. Shun was gathering affection like a magnet, and yet...

'He doesn't seem like he's manipulating them,' Ai thought with an inner frown.

'Not overtly. But the effect is the same.'

Still, she couldn't detect malice. There was no hint of him exploiting them or setting traps. If anything, his control came from genuine connection—and that made it harder to pinpoint his intentions.

Suddenly, Shun looked up for a moment and smiled—not at his friends, but seemingly in her direction.

Ai's breath caught, and she immediately ducked further behind the pillar, heart racing.

'Did he see me...? No. I was careful... wasn't I?'

What she didn't know was that Shun had noticed her long ago. He had simply allowed her to watch, to study him. Letting her feel as if she was peeling back his layers—when in truth, he was guiding her to the ones he wanted her to see.

Still observing, Ai continued taking mental notes. Her brows knit together as she thought: 'Is this really who he is? Or just the persona he wants everyone to believe?'

For now, she didn't have an answer. But one thing was becoming increasingly clear—Shun Satsujin wasn't an ordinary student. And Ai couldn't afford to let her guard down.

Not even for a second.

Shun didn't need to turn his head to know someone was watching him. He felt the presence the moment he arrived near the restaurant—light footsteps, precise breathing, and the subtle rhythm of someone trained in surveillance.

'Ai Hayasaka.' He thought with an amused smirk.

She was good, better than most spies he'd dealt with during the "other" side of his life. But not good enough to go unnoticed by him.

He casually glanced toward the glass wall of the restaurant, his reflection giving him just enough to confirm her silhouette. Still wearing a cap. Still watching.

'She's really going all in, huh?' he mused, then sipped his drink.

"Shun~ pay attention to me too," Ako whispered, tugging on his sleeve and pressing herself closer, her cheeks slightly flushed.

He smiled, gently patting her head. "How could I not, Ako? You're the only one who's ever called me husband before we even met in person."

Ako giggled, her voice soft. "Because you're mine, Sergey..."

Yanagi snorted, setting her drink down with a grin. "Geez, Ako, don't cling too hard. You're making the rest of us single girls look bad."

Shun raised an eyebrow. "The rest of you? So you're admitting you want a spot in my harem?"

Yanagi leaned on the table, eyes glinting with mischief. "Maybe. If you can handle me."

Shun chuckled. "Challenge accepted—if you're okay with being part of the catalog."

Kyoh blinked at the exchange, then shook her head, lips curling into a faint smile. "Are you always like this?"

"Only when I'm surrounded by beautiful women," Shun said with a wink.

Kyoh chuckled. "I see. No wonder Yanagi said you're already popular with all your female classmates. Some of the teachers too?"

"Mmhm," Yanagi nodded eagerly.

"You should've seen their eyes during lunch breaks. It's like they were watching a K-Drama lead walk in."

Shun simply smiled, letting the conversation flow, careful to remain charming but respectful.

And all the while, he let Ai watch.

He wanted her to see how he operated—not by force or manipulation, but with sincerity and insight. She was still trying to determine if he was a threat to Kaguya-sama. That was fine.

'Let her gather her data. The more she sees, the more she'll understand... and the more she'll question her judgment.' Shun turned back to the group, this time giving friend his full attention.