Mark had taken the long way around the school building again. He wasn't sure why—maybe instinct, maybe luck—but the moment he passed the gym, he heard hushed voices. Familiar ones.
He froze.
"…I know what you've been doing," the man said calmly.
Mark narrowed his eyes. That was Coach Ryuji. The school's gym teacher. A strict but usually respectable man.
Then came the reply, a voice just barely holding back anger.
"You misunderstood," Akane Nanao said. "This is none of your business. My private life is mine."
Mark peeked around the corner, his back pressed to the wall. He could see them clearly—Coach Ryuji standing way too close to Akane, his arms crossed, his expression smug. Akane's body was tense, her eyes sharp but weary. This wasn't the Akane who ruled the school as student council president.
This was someone being cornered.
"I wonder what the school board would think," Ryuji said, voice laced with threat. "You—top student, leader of your class—involved with another student? You wouldn't want that news getting out, would you?"
Mark's hands clenched.
So that was it.
He'd heard whispers before—rumors that Akane had someone she was close with, but nothing was ever confirmed. And now, a man old enough to be her father was using that to pressure her. Even if this was Ryuji's first time doing it, the way he moved, the confidence in his voice—it wasn't innocent. It was calculated.
"You think I'm scared?" Akane said, but even Mark could hear the crack in her voice.
"I think you're smart," the coach replied. "And smart girls make quiet deals."
Mark had heard enough.
He pulled out his phone.
Record.
He angled it just around the corner, the lens focused perfectly. Their voices, the tension, the truth—captured. He stayed quiet, though his heart pounded hard in his chest.
The coach took a step forward.
"I'm not asking for much. Just a little company. Someone to help keep the gym organized. You show up after practice, no one will ask questions."
Akane stiffened. "You think you can use this against me?"
"I don't think—I know," he said with a smile. "This is how the world works."
Mark's blood boiled. God, why are hentai characters always so stupid? he thought. Just record the bastard and report him. It's not that hard.
He waited for the coach to push his luck just a little further.
When Ryuji's hand lifted toward Akane's arm, Mark stepped out from behind the wall.
"Touch her," he said loudly, "and you'll be in court by morning."
Both heads turned sharply.
"Mark?" Akane's eyes widened in shock.
Coach Ryuji frowned, surprised but not yet afraid. "This isn't your business, boy."
"Oh, but it is now," Mark said, raising his phone. "I've got everything. You threatening her. You blackmailing her. You being a complete scumbag."
He played a snippet of the recording aloud:
> "Just a little company. You show up after practice, no one will ask questions…"
The coach froze. That one line was damning.
Mark took a step forward, his voice calm but dangerous. "First time or not, that's enough to get you fired, arrested, and plastered across every news site in the country. You really wanna see what happens when I send this to the school board?"
Ryuji's jaw tensed, but he didn't move.
Akane looked like she was holding her breath.
"You think they'll believe you?" the coach said after a beat, his voice a little less sure.
"Believe me?" Mark smirked. "They won't have to. They'll believe you—because I have your voice, your words, and your face all recorded."
The man took a slow step back. "Delete it."
"No," Mark replied bluntly. "And if you even try anything stupid, the next place this file goes is straight to the police."
Akane finally spoke. "Mark… thank you."
He gave her a quick nod but kept his eyes on Ryuji. "Walk away. Now."
Coach Ryuji lingered a moment longer, staring at Mark with a look that mixed resentment and disbelief. But then he turned, muttering something under his breath, and disappeared into the side entrance of the gym.
Silence fell over the two students.
Mark lowered his phone and exhaled.
"You alright?" he asked quietly.
Akane nodded, but her eyes were still wide. "I didn't know what to do. It all happened so fast."
"He hasn't done this before?"
"No," she said quickly. "This was the first time. But the way he spoke… it sounded like he thought he could keep going."
Mark nodded. "That's how guys like him operate. One time turns into ten if nobody stops them."
She looked at the phone in his hand. "You really recorded it all?"
"Every word," he said.
She managed a faint smile. "Smart."
"Thanks," Mark said. "Guess all those weird anime finally taught me something."
Akane let out a short laugh, still shaken but visibly relieved. "I thought I had to deal with it on my own."
"You don't," he said simply. "Not anymore."
She looked away for a moment, then met his eyes again. "I'm going to report him. With the recording… I think I can do it."
"You can," Mark said. "I'll back you up."
Akane smiled, this time more genuinely. "Thanks, Mark. You just saved me."
He shrugged. "One less pervert in the world. Happy to help."
They stood in silence for a moment longer before walking together toward the gate, the shadows of the gym behind them.