Honkai Impact 3rd, But I'm Ren Amamiya!

No, that’s not right.

The lead bully called out her name before leaving. My name. Mei.

Maybe the junior already knew who she was and was now regretting stopping the punishment of a criminal’s daughter...

The more Mei thought, the more afraid she became. Her slender body trembled uncontrollably, and a pain far worse than the bullying itself clenched her heart.

"Are you okay? You’re shaking. Are you hurt somewhere?"

Hearing the junior’s voice behind her, filled with a concern she hadn’t experienced in so long, only made Mei tremble harder. She kept her head lowered, unable to turn and face the boy who had defended her.

"Th-thank you for your help, but... it’s better if you don’t get involved with me."

Mei had fallen from the clouds into a vicious mire. Every student at Chiba Academy treated her with malicious coldness and bullying. The teachers turned a blind eye, ignoring her plight.

If someone tried to save her, they wouldn’t succeed. Instead, they’d be dragged down with her into the cold, miserable whirlpool, becoming the next target.

The transfer student, Kiana Kaslana, had already proven that. Thankfully, Kiana was strong-willed and possessed monstrous strength far exceeding any adult man’s, allowing her to befriend Mei without getting caught in the crossfire. Even so, Mei felt immense guilt knowing Kiana was being isolated by classmates because of her.

Whether it was being stared at with disgust by this kind junior or dragging him down with her—both were outcomes Mei desperately wanted to avoid.

So, after offering that warning, she bolted forward without looking back, her posture so frantic and panicked she looked like she was fleeing for her life.

"—Wait! What exactly happened?"

Mei was exceptionally athletic for her age, even stronger than many adults. Among her peers, only Kiana consistently surpassed her physically. Fueled by the turmoil in her heart, Mei fled at a full sprint.

Yet, even at top speed...

Mei was stunned to feel a warm, strong grip suddenly fasten around her slender white wrist. Her lithe body was pulled back forcefully, halting her escape completely.

"...Huh?"

Mei let out a surprised gasp. Pulled back by her wrist, she instinctively looked over her shoulder at the earnest junior right behind her, firmly holding her arm.

Her purple ponytail swayed with the turn of her head. Her amethyst eyes reflected the image of the junior who had grabbed her.

Seeing Ren Amamiya’s face clearly, Mei’s pupils dilated for a moment, and a blush like a sunset spread across her delicate, pale features.

Only then did Mei understand why the girls bullying her had suddenly backed off, so deliberately maintaining their composure as they retreated.

It was because this junior who had stepped in for her was simply... devastatingly attractive!

Fluffy, slightly curled black hair like ink, dark yet clear eyes. His face wasn’t just handsome in a conventional way; it was captivatingly alluring, almost bewitching. His entire being exuded an aura that struck directly at the heart.

Staring at the junior holding her wrist, Mei felt as if she were looking into the eyes of an entrancing black panther. Her mind went blank, and her heart began to pound fiercely.

"Are you really okay? Should I take you to the nurse’s office?"

Ren held the purple-haired girl’s wrist, frowning slightly. Seeing her clearly dazed state, he waved a hand in front of her face, asking with concern.

Ren had planned to unleash his legendary online forum debating skills to verbally obliterate the bullies. But to his surprise, the moment he opened his mouth, the girls acted strangely stiff and deliberately retreated, giving him absolutely no chance to flex his rhetorical muscles.

Their retreat didn’t really matter, just leaving Ren slightly disappointed.

However, letting the purple-haired girl escape was absolutely unacceptable! He had finally found a wild Palace leader who met his criteria; he had to secure her, no matter what!

"Th-thank you for asking, but I’m really not hurt. There’s no need for the nurse’s office..."

Mei snapped back to reality, blushing even harder as she realized she’d been spacing out. Her amethyst eyes darted around, unable to meet Ren’s gaze directly.

"Glad to hear you’re not hurt... But, why did you run away? I wasn’t going to bully you like those girls."

Seeing Mei return to a semblance of normalcy, Ren relaxed slightly. He then asked the crucial question. To deepen his bond with this purple-haired girl, to raise her Confidant rank, he needed to start by talking to her. If she ran away every time she saw him, he’d never be able to increase her rank, let alone implement his plan to use her Palace as a safe zone.

"Junior... you don’t... know who I am?"

Noticing Ren acting as if he didn’t recognize her, Mei, who had kept her head bowed, finally mustered a little courage. She timidly lifted her delicate face, carefully seeking confirmation.

"...Are you famous, senpai? Sorry, I’m not really the type to keep up with campus celebrities."

Ren faltered slightly at Mei’s question. He had no memories of being a Chiba Academy student.

Even if this purple-haired girl was some campus sensation, Ren had no clue. Fortunately, based on how the other girls addressed him and his own observations, he’d noticed subtle differences in the uniforms marking different grade levels.

Being in different grades, it was perfectly plausible for someone who didn’t pay attention to school gossip (like him, supposedly) to not know this upperclass-woman, right?

"Regardless of how famous you are, senpai, let’s get acquainted first. My name is Ren Amamiya. And you are?"

Confirming Mei no longer intended to bolt, Ren slowly released her delicate wrist. He offered a friendly smile and extended his hand towards her.