Ninagawa Mika had just thrown out an absolute curveball, catching Haru completely off guard.
Especially the way he could feel Kato Megumi's gaze behind him—there was something playfully mischievous about it, as if she were just here to enjoy the drama.
Just as he was about to answer, the "official girlfriend," Yukino, stepped forward.
"It's me."
She was calm and composed, taking a step closer to stand shoulder to shoulder with Haru. While declaring her position, she also met Ninagawa Mika's gaze politely.
Utaha's expression remained unchanged, though a faint sense of disappointment flickered in her heart.
Kato Megumi, on the other hand, withdrew her gaze from Haru, her face as serene as ever—almost as if nothing had happened.
"I see, so my guess was right. You two are really dating," Ninagawa Mika said with a teasing smile.
She didn't seem to notice anything unusual and simply made a few lighthearted remarks before offering words of encouragement about the drama. Then, just as unexpectedly as she had arrived, she left with her assistant, not lingering any longer.
The moment she was gone, Yukino turned to Kato Megumi with a sharp gaze.
"Kato-san, care to explain that look you gave just now?"
Haru wasn't surprised that Yukino had caught on—she had always been perceptive.
Utaha, however, looked confused. "What do you mean?"
Yukino didn't answer and instead kept her gaze fixed on Kato Megumi.
"...Since everyone else was staring at Amamiya-kun, I simply played along. Otherwise, it might have raised suspicion with that woman," Kato Megumi responded smoothly, her tone completely unshaken.
But Yukino clearly wasn't buying it. "Just that?"
"Mhmm."
Kato Megumi nodded softly, looking as if she could be pushed over with a gentle breeze.
"Wait, what are you two even talking about?" Utaha, feeling left out, frowned.
Someone who wanted to stir up drama might have spelled things out here and now.
But Yukino was different.
She shot Utaha a brief glance and said coolly, "Think about it more."
"...That's not an answer!"
Sensing another argument brewing, Haru rolled up his sleeves and spoke with determination.
"I'm going to do something productive now. Are you guys sure you want to stay here?"
As expected, that caught their attention.
"Something productive?" Yukino raised an eyebrow.
Haru pointed toward a blond-haired boy nearby, who looked visibly troubled.
"He's still struggling to loosen up in front of the camera since it's his first time acting. My job now is to help him get into character and bring out his natural performance."
Then, he gestured toward another equally tense-looking figure.
"Him too."
The three girls immediately went silent. Their eyes practically said, GID! ("Hurry up and get it done!")
Without wasting time, Haru spoke briefly with the director before bringing the two leads back.
"Amamiya, I don't think we can pull this off…"
Both of them looked apologetic and embarrassed.
To them, Haru had given them a well-paying part-time gig and even made their families proud, but they were struggling to perform.
"I know you're nervous, but first, let's not rush things," Haru raised a hand, signaling them to calm down.
The two hesitated for a moment before asking, "You have a plan?"
"Probably."
"Then what do we need to do? Just tell us."
"It's simple. Just listen while I walk you through the scene."
Holding up the script pages, Haru prepared to break it down for them.
The two exchanged uneasy glances. "The director already explained it earlier, but as soon as we step in front of the camera, we can't stop overthinking everything."
"Was it like this yesterday too?" Haru asked, still calm.
Tanaka hesitated. "Yesterday was a bit better since those scenes weren't as…"
The blond-haired boy coughed. "…abstract."
"Got it. Let me handle this. Don't worry, I know a thing or two about this kind of thing," Haru assured them confidently.
Perhaps it was his unwavering tone, but the two decided to put their trust in him and adjusted their mindsets.
Meanwhile, Yukino and the others stood nearby, watching without interfering.
However, as Haru started explaining the scene to the two leads, their expressions grew puzzled.
"I thought he had some kind of special trick… but this is exactly what the director did earlier," Utaha murmured in confusion.
Yukino was also deep in thought. "He's good at teaching us, but Tanaka and the others aren't struggling with understanding the lines—they're struggling with nerves. He should be addressing their anxiety first."
"Amamiya-kun must have his own strategy," Kato Megumi said, sounding like a devoted fan.
Yukino's eye twitched. "You trust him that much?"
Kato Megumi simply tilted her head. "Don't you?"
Yukino and Utaha both fell silent.
They had nothing to say in response.
With the way they felt about Haru, both of them instinctively believed in him without hesitation.
Yet, Kato Megumi had skillfully used that trust as a shield, dodging the real question while subtly shutting down the conversation.
Yukino couldn't help but recall something her sister had once said: "Kato is playing at a high level."
She was starting to feel that more and more.
Each of the three girls had their own thoughts, completely unaware that while Haru appeared to be merely explaining the scene, he was actually cheating the system.
By exuding absolute confidence and casually chatting with the two leads, he subtly guided them into placing their faith in him.
And once they did—his [Hypnosis] skill could take full effect.
Ten Minutes Later
The two male leads had completely changed.
Gone were their nervous, self-doubting expressions. Now, they stood tall, chins lifted, walking with a newfound confidence and ease.
Haru hadn't done anything excessive.
All he had done was use [Hypnosis] to implant a simple suggestion:
"You are now Deuk Pal and Jang Byung-Chul—the protagonists of this show. Just embody their energy and bring out the raw, carefree spirit of high schoolers."
"That's it?"
The girls immediately gathered around.
Even Kato Megumi didn't bother to hide the curiosity in her eyes.
Haru smiled, exuding the mysterious aura of a seasoned expert from a drama series.
"Want to know the answer? Then—please watch the VCR."
Yukino and Utaha both shot him matching eye rolls.
What VCR?
Still, they turned their attention back to the shoot.
As the cameras rolled again, shock gradually spread across their faces.
Because Hidenori and Yoshitake… were absolutely killing it.
Their exaggerated facial expressions, the bizarre yet oddly captivating body movements, the sharp comedic timing—it was all executed flawlessly.
They weren't just doing well.
They were owning their roles.
The girls couldn't help but glance at Haru.
He had already expected this. With an air of casual wisdom, he muttered to himself,
"As I thought… as long as they just act like themselves, this show is no challenge at all."
Yukino and Utaha instantly recalled that King's Sword incident.
The two brilliant young women exchanged a glance, reaching the same conclusion at the same time.
The essence of this show—was the raw, chaotic energy of high school boys just being themselves.
During Breaktime
The director eagerly rushed up to Haru, practically beaming.
"How did you do that just now? Their performance was incredible! I'm seriously tempted to keep you on the production team."
Haru chuckled. "I just helped them tap into their true nature."
"True nature? Oh, I see—you mean the boundless energy of high school boys, right? Makes sense. My nephew's a second-year too, and he's always brimming with energy. He can stay up gaming all night with his friends like it's nothing. Meanwhile, I can barely last past midnight before feeling like death."
With that well-placed bit of flattery, Haru left the director satisfied and rejoined the girls.
Dinner, as always, was lavish. The ingredients were picked out by the three girls, and even Kato Megumi chipped in to cover the bill.
Afterward, only Utaha was still basking in the bliss of post-meal satisfaction, sprawled lazily on the sofa.
Meanwhile, Yukino and Kato Megumi followed Haru into a study session.
By 6:30 PM, Utaha and Kato left for the night.
On his way back upstairs after seeing them off, Haru picked up a case of drinks—better to stock the fridge now than have to run downstairs later when he wanted something cold.
As he walked into the living room with the drinks, he locked eyes with Yukino, who was cradling an orange cat in her arms.
Surprised, she asked, "I thought you rarely drank stuff like this?"
"Yeah, but sometimes I get the urge for some ice-cold juice."
"Oh."
Yukino understood that feeling.
She, too, occasionally got cravings.
"Meow~"
Suddenly, the orange cat leapt from her arms.
To Yukino's surprise, the cat trotted over to Haru and stared intently at the orange juice in his hands.
With soft paws, it batted at his pants, meowing persistently.
It was so adorable that Yukino nearly let out a doting "Aww~", but she quickly reined in her expression.
Instead, she teased, "Looks like Jelly wants some juice too. What are you going to do?"
"That's easy."
Haru crouched down and began opening the packaging.
Yukino panicked. "Wait—you're actually giving juice to a cat?"
"Yeah."
His nonchalant response made Yukino move immediately, pressing down on her skirt as she knelt to stop him. "No, you can't."
Haru ignored her, finished unpacking the drinks, and placed them into the fridge under the curious gaze of the cat.
Then, he casually pulled out his phone, opened an app, and pointed the camera at the eager feline.
Yukino frowned. "What are you doing?"
Holding up his phone, he smirked. "As you can see—giving it a drink."
With a few taps, a special filter applied itself to the live feed.
Now, on the phone screen, the orange tabby appeared to be holding a bottle of juice—complete with a straw.
Yukino's mind went blank for a moment.
She covered her forehead and let out an exasperated sigh. "You've somehow managed to hit a new low of stupidity in my eyes."
Haru pouted, ready to argue his case, when his phone suddenly rang.
The caller ID flashed: "Haruno-san".
Yukino saw it too.
She had been about to pick up the cat and leave but stopped.
"Go on. Let's hear what she has to say."