I merely forgot to say goodbye in advance.

“I’ve already apologized, so please forgive me.”
“I don’t want to dwell on what happened before either…”
“But I didn’t mean to cheat on you. I just forgot to tell you about breaking up in advance. Can you understand that?”

In Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward, near the ward office, at a vintage round table inside a street-facing café-bookstore, Tsukasa Harano sipped from his slightly chilled iced Americano with his head bowed. After setting the cup down, the ice cubes clinked softly against the plastic.

Condensation formed on the cup’s surface, dampening his palm. He pulled out a tissue and wiped it off.

Opposite him sat a striking woman wearing a beige baseball cap. Though her expression carried a faint plea for sympathy, her feet restlessly tiptoed under the round table.

Bunkyo Ward is a hub for universities in Japan.

With so many college students, it’s also a hotspot for couples. The hot summer breeze fluttered the pleated skirts of passing girls. Nearby, groups of girls chattered excitedly, some holding cushion compacts and eyebrow pencils, exuding an unmistakable youthful vibrancy.

Yet, Masami Kato, sitting across from him, occasionally glanced around nervously, as if feeling guilty.

What set her apart most from the surrounding female students wasn’t her attire or makeup, but the distinct rounded bulge pressing against her dark green long skirt.

“I understand.”

Tsukasa Harano carefully wiped his palm again with the tissue, then cleared the condensation from the plastic cup before putting it away.

His gaze lifted from his hands to Masami’s beautiful face, then lowered to sneak a glance at the belly she was trying to conceal.

Relieved at his answer, Masami’s anxious tapping of her toes ceased, and she shifted her crossed legs under the table.

But it wasn’t over yet.

There was still something she needed to confirm.

“So… Harano-kun, can you help me?”

Leaning forward slightly, Masami’s voice was earnest, her lower lip bitten as she fixed her eyes on his.

This tactic had always worked on him before.

Even though they had barely kept in touch for two years after graduating from college, she had a clear impression that this man would always agree to any unreasonable request she made. Yet this time, things didn’t go as smoothly as she expected.

Harano looked at her intently. His fingers, resting on the wooden table, began twisting a solid black pen. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Forging a paternity test is illegal. If we get caught or reported, I could lose my job.”

They were not husband and wife.

Nor were they exactly ex-lovers.

To be precise, the original owner of this body had once been her backup option.

During their university years in Tokyo, the original owner had pursued Masami relentlessly for four years, checking on her every day without fail, quietly caring even when she had a boyfriend.

It wasn’t a case of him pestering after being outright rejected; rather, Masami had been giving him subtle hints throughout college.

When she didn’t have a boyfriend, she said she needed time to consider.

When she got a boyfriend, she said Harano could find a better girl and that they could just be friends.

Eventually, she ambiguously agreed.

But just three days later, before he could even enjoy the excitement of being officially together, Masami regretted it, found a new boyfriend, and walked arm-in-arm right past him.

They gradually lost contact after graduating and pursuing separate careers. Eventually, he heard she got married and gave up on his feelings. Until their meeting two years later.

The original owner had chosen charcoal suicide under the weight of work and life pressures. Harano had been reborn in this body just a week before. He hadn’t expected to encounter such a disgusting affair, but after seeing the faint blue light behind his eyelids, he decided to stay and hear her out.

“But I really have no other way!” Masami suddenly grew desperate. She reached across the table, grabbing Harano’s hand, her composure faltering.

Realizing her lapse, she took a moment to regain her composure, her eyes moist as she said, “Though we never ended up together, you don’t want to see my life fall apart, do you? I truly cherish my current life. Even though it’s hard to say, that’s why I came to you.”

“Knowing it’s hard to say, you shouldn’t have said anything!”

What does it matter to me if your world falls apart?

A classic tale of a sycophant and a heartless woman.

“So, whose child is this?” Harano withdrew his hand and asked the crucial question.

Masami’s voice caught.

Her eyes darted away, clearly reluctant to answer, but under Harano’s steady gaze, she lowered her head and said, “I was drunk that night…”

As if feeling that answer didn’t garner enough sympathy, she gathered her courage and hoarsely added, “Actually, I’m also a victim. But I’m afraid to tell Watanabe-kun. I’m scared he won’t accept it and want a divorce…”

She truly feared her husband leaving her.

Masami came from a small mountain village in Ibaraki Prefecture, with two younger brothers; she was the eldest sister.

Had she not persisted through high school and university entrance exams, she might have been stuck in that village for life, commuting two hours just to reach the city.

But she was never satisfied.

Especially after coming to Tokyo for university and seeing the dazzling nightlife of the most prosperous district in Asia.

Determined to stay, Masami used her beauty and growing cunning to get close to wealthy young men she thought could support her—a lifelong plan she began right after starting university.

Finally, near graduation, she chose a Tokyo native graduate student.

She passed exams to become a literature teacher at a national elementary school in Bunkyo Ward. Her husband, through family connections, worked for a large shipping corporation. Though often away on business, his salary was several tens of millions of yen.

Their household was enviable compared to her hometown friends and university peers.

But recently, she had gone too far.

As for the child’s paternity…

There were too many people that night; she wasn’t even sure who the father was.

“If that’s the case, there’s no need to forge a paternity test. Why didn’t you just have an abortion before?” Harano asked calmly.

Normally, a woman like Masami, despite her reckless ways, would know better than to cross certain lines. Especially since she was so afraid her husband would find out the child wasn’t his, she should have been more cautious.

Like taking medication afterward.

Or having an abortion immediately upon realizing.

Masami knew all that, but the thought made her furious.

Do you think I didn’t want an abortion?

And I did take the medicine, but who could’ve predicted this bad luck? I just didn’t take enough. If only I’d taken a few more pills.

If it weren’t for Harano working in the ward’s Health and Welfare Department and being the most cost-effective, no-charge, discreet option, Masami wouldn’t have had the patience to sit down like this.

She thought Harano had changed a lot in two years—he didn’t immediately agree to her request. Though inwardly annoyed, she forced herself to plead through tears, “Watanabe-kun really wanted a child. When I first showed signs of pregnancy, he happily told the whole family. Even though I later wanted to abort…”

“Understood.” Harano nodded slightly.

Seeing he still hadn’t fully agreed, Masami covered her chest, lifted her head with reddened eyes, and said, “Harano-kun, you promised to take care of me for life.”

“Help me just this once more, please?”

The one who promised to take care of you for life is not me.

If you insist on my care, then your life is as good as over.

Harano slowly nodded under the hopeful yet anxious gaze of the beautiful woman. “Alright.”

In any case, he planned to hand over the recording device to her husband and parents later, letting those capable handle the mess—that was his idea of care.

Or perhaps find the fathers of the eight or ten possible suspects and have her explain in person.

“Thank you.”

Relieved, Masami’s lovely face lit up with a smile, especially because he hadn’t demanded she sacrifice her body, which made her even happier.

She glanced at her wristwatch, seemingly unwilling to stay any longer after receiving his agreement.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.” Masami stood, slinging her bag over her arm, clasping her hands over her chest. “I won’t disturb your work. I’ll treat you to a meal when you’re free. You’re a huge help.”

“Goodbye.”

Harano nodded and waved.

He then pressed the button on the recording device left on the wooden table, stopping the recording and putting it away.

After a brief farewell, the pregnant Masami bowed once more in thanks and, wearing flat shoes, left promptly, apparently unwilling to speak further.

Her figure soon merged into the crowd.

Within moments, she vanished completely. Harano sat back at the street-facing round table, finishing the last sip of his coffee, his gaze fixed on the faint pink light screen before him, where clear words appeared:

[Malicious Intent Wish List Assistant Activated]
[Full Series Reward System Activated]
[Malicious Intent Monitoring System Activated]
[Malicious Intent Target: Masami Kato]
[Malicious Intent List as follows]
[1. Make Tsukasa Harano agree to forge a fake paternity test, or I’ll have to spend a fortune (white)]
[2. Really want to slap my mother-in-law’s face (blue)]
[3. The neighbor’s dog is so annoying, maybe I’ll buy some poison tonight to get rid of it—no cameras, so no one will find out. So frustrating (white)]
[First malicious intent fulfilled]
[Basic rewards randomly distributing]
[First malicious intent achievement unlocked]
[Achievement rewards issued]
[Reward: Automatic Salary Increase Card (0.1 yen/s)]
[Reward: Random Achievement Card (stored)]
[Automatic rewards passively activated; accumulated amount can be withdrawn in full—please check regularly]