LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 202: A Fairytale
Haruto placed the dishes down, tapping Ayaka's shoulder gently. "It's fine. I'll handle it."
She looked up at him, worry evident in her eyes, but he only gave her a reassuring smile.
"Stay inside. Don't show your face."
With that, he turned and walked toward the front door, where Ren's furious screams echoed through the house.
The door rattled under his pounding fists, each bang growing more violent.
'Perfect timing to beat him into the ground.'
Haruto cracked his knuckles, anticipation thrumming through his veins.
"FUCKING OPEN THIS DOOR! I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!" Ren's voice was hoarse with rage. "OR I'LL BREAK IT DOWN MYSELF!"
The next moment, Ren rammed his shoulder into the door—just as Haruto calmly twisted the knob and swung it open.
Ren stumbled forward, completely off balance.
And that was when Haruto's fist met his face.
A sickening crack echoed through the air.
Ren collapsed backward onto the pavement, clutching his nose as blood poured between his fingers.
"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! YOU BASTARD!" His voice was a mess of pain and fury as he glared up at Haruto.
But Haruto? He only grinned, leaning lazily against the doorway like he had all the time in the world.
"I KNEW IT! THAT BITCH WAS CHEATING ON ME WITH YOU!" Ren snarled, pointing a shaking finger.
Haruto chuckled. "Oh, she did."
He stepped forward, and Ren instinctively scrambled back to the ground.
"I was the one who answered your call the other day," Haruto continued, voice smooth and taunting.
"And I was the one fucking your girl so hard she was moaning my name all night."
Ren's face twisted in fury. His hands balled into fists as he shot up, roaring, "FUCK YOU!"
He swung.
Haruto merely stepped to the side, letting Ren's punch fly harmlessly through the air—before Ren lost his balance and ate the pavement again.
Haruto burst into laughter, his voice laced with amusement.
"Pathetic."
Before Ren could push himself up, Haruto's boot slammed down onto his back, pinning him in place.
"YOU ASSHOLE! GET OFF ME!" Ren struggled, his voice a mix of rage and humiliation. "I'LL KILL YOU!"
Haruto pressed down harder, his tone dropping to something cold and deadly.
"Why would I?" he murmured. "You'll never win against me."
He leaned in slightly, his grin widening. "I stole your girl, and after tonight, I'm going to make your life hell."
Ren thrashed beneath him, but it was useless.
Haruto sighed mockingly. "Ah~ I'd love to kill you right now, but my friends want a piece of you too. Wouldn't be fair if I took all the fun."
He finally lifted his foot, allowing Ren to roll onto his back, groaning in pain.
The moment Ren caught his breath, he spat at Haruto's feet, seething. "Bastard… I'll fucking kill you first and take my bitch back!"
Haruto's eye twitched in irritation.
Without warning, he crouched and drove another fist into Ren's face.
Ren choked on his own blood, his head snapping back against the pavement.
Haruto smirked, wiping his knuckles on Ren's shirt. "Your bitch?" He tilted his head. "She's mine now, and you know it."
He stood, dusting off his hands. "But if you're so desperate to prove me wrong… fight me in the underground ring."
Ren let out a dry, rage-fueled laugh. "FINE! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU IN THAT RING!" his mind was full of anger as he didn't think straight and just agreed.
Haruto turned, stepping over Ren like discarded trash. "Good. Try it."
Then, just before shutting the door, he added, "And if I win… I'll take you somewhere. Just once. Then we'll be even."
With a final click, the door locked behind him.
Ren's pathetic screams continued outside, but Haruto didn't spare him another glance.
As Haruto stepped inside, Ayaka rushed to him, her face full of concern.
"Haruto, what happened? Why are you bleeding?" She cupped his cheek, her fingers trembling slightly.
He simply caught her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "It's not mine."
Ayaka exhaled a breath of relief. "Oh, thank God… I thought there was a huge fight. I heard a loud thud and… a crack."
Haruto grinned. "Oh yeah, that was me breaking Ren's nose."
She frowned, pressing her fingers against her temple. "I swear, I can't with you…"
He yawned, stretching his arms. "Why don't we just sleep? It's already late."
She sighed but nodded, leading him upstairs.
As they walked down the hallway, Haruto noticed a slightly open door, a warm glow spilling from within.
He caught a glimpse of candlelight flickering inside, illuminating several strange statues he'd never seen before.
Curious, he leaned in to get a better look—
Click.
Ayaka abruptly shut the door in front of him, her expression unreadable.
"That's not my room," she said, eyes narrowing slightly.
Haruto blinked, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry. The light was on, and I got curious."
She didn't say anything, just grabbed his wrist and pulled him toward her bedroom.
Inside, they settled into bed, Haruto wrapping his arms around her from behind.
"You really like being the little spoon, huh?" he teased.
"It's comfortable," she murmured, intertwining her fingers with his.
A brief silence settled between them before Ayaka suddenly asked, "Can you read me a fairytale?"
Haruto blinked. "What?"
"A fairytale. I can't sleep."
"At this age?" He chuckled, only to yelp when she pinched his hand. "Alright, alright, I'll find one."
Reluctantly, he got up and scanned her bookshelf. His fingers landed on a thin, well-worn book with a princess on the cover, standing on a balcony while a prince waited below.
Returning to bed, he opened it and began reading.
"The Tale of the Abandoned Princess."
Ayaka's eyes lit up in anticipation.
Haruto cleared his throat.
"Once upon a time, a princess was abandoned by her father, locked away in a tower."
"She wept every day, hoping a prince would come and save her from her suffering."
"As the years passed, she grew tired of waiting. To distract herself, she began knitting a long scarf."
"When she finally looked at it, the scarf was as long as the tower itself."
"One day, a bird flew to her window and said, 'Why don't you use the scarf to climb down?'"
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"But the princess shook her head and said, 'No, I must wait for my prince to save me.'"
"And so she waited."
"Days turned to years. Her beauty faded. Her body withered."
"On her deathbed, beneath the pale moonlight, she whispered, 'Why did no prince come for me? Why has the world abandoned me?'"
"As a single tear rolled down her cheek… she breathed her last."
Haruto frowned, flipping the page. "Wait, that's the ending? That's dark."
Ayaka smirked. "Fairytales have always been dark. Ever heard of Bluebeard? A wealthy man who murdered his wives for disobeying him?"
"At least he died in the end," Haruto muttered.
"Still dark, though." Ayaka traced the book cover with her fingers. "Fairytales always have meanings. This one is about loyalty. The princess waited until the end, proving her devotion."
Haruto scoffed. "No, it's about stupidity. She could've saved herself."
"Maybe she just wanted to prove she wasn't truly abandoned," Ayaka murmured, gazing at the moon through the window. "But in the end… she was."
A small smile tugged at her lips as she turned to him. "I'm glad I'm not like her. Because I have you."
She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
Haruto smirked. "Don't provoke me, princess, or I will eat you alive."
"Aww~ I'm so scared." She teased, sticking out her tongue.
Chuckling, Haruto tossed the book onto the nightstand before pinning her down, his fingers mercilessly tickling her sides.
Laughter filled the room as Ayaka squirmed beneath him, breathless from giggles.
Once they finally calmed down, they lay facing each other, warmth lingering between them.
Ayaka smiled, her voice a soft whisper. "Thank you for everything, Haruto. Goodnight, my prince."
She closed her eyes, drifting into sleep.
Haruto watched her for a moment before pulling her closer, his arms tightening around her.
He never noticed the shadow lurking outside the window.
A woman in a hoodie stood in the darkness, her gaze cold as she stared at them through the glass.
In her hand, her phone screen glowed with a message:
Kuro Usagi: Sorry, but I have a family dinner tonight.
Her grip on the device tightened.
"Tch. What a cheater."
Without another word, she turned and disappeared into the night.