Esper Harem in the Apocalypse

Chapter 1040  Under the Schoolʼs Stairway

Now that the bell has rung, the countdown has begun. Most teachers already wait outside the classroom and enter as soon as the previous lecturer leaves, but Rize was different.

Not only was she an intern, but she had the most lectures in the school. Of course, she was paid accordingly. Since Rize always had lectures, she takes about two minutes to enter the classroom. Sometimes, she would go to the staffroom to get her stuff, sometimes to her office to grab the books related to the classes.

Both Rudy and Janet were aware of that and they had to get back to the classroom before Rize.

”Canʼt we talk about this later? We are getting late!” Janet suggested an idea that benefited her.

”No. It wonʼt even take a minute for you to answer all of my questions. Just answer them honestly and I will let you go.”

”You know that this can be considered sexual harassment, right? If someone were to see us, you will be suspended, or in the worst case, expelled.”

Since the pleading didnʼt work, Janet resorted to threatening. But of course, Rudy had already thought of each and every excuse Janet might make.

”Donʼt worry. We canʼt be seen unless someone is thinking of doing the same thing as us.” Rudy casually shrugged off Janetʼs threat.

”And even if someone were to see us, I would change their perspective,” he added immediately.

”Huh? What do you mean?” Janet asked with a curious yet confused look on her face. She understood what Rudy said, but couldnʼt understand how he would do that.

”Simple.” He smirked slightly and continued, ”I will turn you around and kiss you on the lips. So if a student sees us, they will simply walk away. And if a teacher sees us, they will warn us and possibly shout at us.”

”Like they would believe you if they see you forcing yourself on me,” Janet chuckled. ”I would scream if you even tried to do that. I can even go to the cops with that and get you arrested.”

Rudy slowly moved his face close to Janetʼs ear from behind and whispered, ”Does that mean you donʼt want to kiss me?”

Janet was continuously trying to break free from Rudyʼs grip, saying, ”When did you become so strong?”

However, when Rudy whispered those words to her, she stopped struggling and submitted herself to Rudy by leaning on his chest.

”You are so cruel..” she muttered.

Rudy turned her around and looked into her eyes. He felt bad for pulling a move like that, but he couldnʼt apologise to her. After all, she had never apologised for the stuff she had done to him in the past.

With somewhat teary eyes, Janet looked at Rudy and said, ”You have changed. Itʼs like you are a completely different person.”

Rudy lowered his gaze and thought to himself, ʼI would have thought the same if I hadnʼt confirmed that I am in the same world and simply time travelling.ʼ

”You have changed too, Janet,” Rudy responded.

”I havenʼt. I have always been this way.”

”Thatʼs a lie.”

”If you are referring to the days I bullied you, then all that was just an act to save you from the real bullies,” she confessed. ”I never physically assaulted you or harmed you.”

ʼThatʼs true and I am aware of that. I used to get physically bullied by my seniors, but all that stopped when Janet started bullying me. That didnʼt happen when Eric beat up the bullies for me— in fact, the bullying had gotten even worse. They had begun to bully me even outside the school.

I donʼt hate Janet. Otherwise, I wouldnʼt even be talking… no, I wouldnʼt even be looking at her. Alice was also aware that Janet bullied me, but she still became friends with her—which is an anomaly in this Worldline as it didnʼt happen in others— so that means that Alice knows that I am okay with having Janet around.

Well, I didnʼt know about this until I got to the university and became friends with Janet, so I always ignored her. Yes, I didnʼt hate her, but I just couldnʼt bring myself to forgive her. However, after learning the truth, I became close with her.ʼ

”That is indeed a change to me,” Rudy uttered calmly. ”I never blamed you for your actions, so I simply expect the same.”

”...” Janet took a moment to ponder.

Witnessing the hesitation on her face, Rudy softly said, ”Look, I donʼt want to do something you donʼt want me to do. I just want my answers and I will let you go.”

Janet, back to her senses, squinted her eyes and said, ”Whatʼs the point now? We are already late for Ms. Rizeʼs class. Even if we go now, we will get scolded. I see no benefit in this.”

”What if I promise you that you wonʼt be scolded?”

After pondering about Rudyʼs offer for a few seconds, Janet asked, ”What was your question again?”

”How did you know that I was waiting for you outside the girlsʼ washroom?”

After a silence of three seconds, Janet reluctantly replied, ”Alice texted me.”

She showed her phone to Rudy with the chats open.

Alice had texted- [Rudy just left for the washroom.]

- [Idk but he was acting weird.]

- [I think he might be coming after u. Donʼt leave the washroom until the lecture ends.]

- [cuz even Rudy wonʼt dare to miss the next lecture.]

After reading the chats, Rudy couldnʼt believe his eyes.

”The way she talks to you in texts is completely different from the way she talks to me…” Rudy muttered.

”Duh! She speaks to you formally!”

”Argh, forget it.” Rudy looked into Janetʼs eyes with a serious expression on his face and asked, ”Now, tell me. Why am I being ignored by Alice?”

A confused expression appeared on Janetʼs face. With a puzzled look, she asked, ”Do you seriously not know that?”

”No…? Why would I ask if I knew?”

Janetʼs gaze sharpened, as though she was angry.

”You already have a girlfriend, and yet you kissed her and started dating her. She is feeling guilty about this!”

”...”

ʼSo the guilt was eating her…ʼ

”Uhh… I broke up with my girlfriend, actually.” Rudy thought of the best way to get out of the situation. After all, he didnʼt know who his girlfriend was.

”Donʼt lie!” Janet suddenly shouted. ”I just talked to her this morning, and she was talking about returning to school soon to spend more time with you!”

ʼWait a damn minute… My so-called girlfriend studies in this school? Who the hell is it?ʼ

Since Janet had told him that she had talked with his girlfriend in the morning, he decided to check her recent calls.

ʼIf my girlfriend studies in this school and everyone knows her, her contact must be added by the name. I will see who it is. Maybe I will get some clues? I donʼt see anyone absent in my class, so is she a senior or a junior?

Wait, no… the school was closed because of the apocalypse and the only senior batch we had has already graduated. We donʼt have seniors! I canʼt see myself dating a younger girl… but she could also be from a different class, though!ʼ

Rudy checked the list and there were only three people on Janetʼs recent call list.

First one was Rachel, Janetʼs mother. Second was Alice. And the third was… Erika.