The next day, I stepped out of the mansion dressed in the black uniform of Kikou Academy.
In the end, Ms. Shizune had been the one to carry Hinako back to her room last night. I had managed to discreetly retrieve my smartphone, which had been tucked back into my pocket after being confiscated.
A black sedan was idling in front of the gate. Hinako stood just before it.
"I want to go home."
"If you tell me the same thing eight hours from now, I shall grant your request."
"……Muu."
Ms. Shizune soothed the sulking girl with practiced ease.
"Itsuki-sama, please, this way," Ms. Shizune said, turning her attention to me.
Right—from this moment on, I was the heir to a mid-sized corporation. Hearing Ms. Shizune address me with such respect made it sink in: my public identity had officially shifted.
"Now then, Itsuki-sama. Which seat will you be taking?"
As I prepared to board, Ms. Shizune posed the question. This was clearly a pop quiz on the etiquette lessons I'd endured.
"……The back seat, behind the passenger side."
"Correct. When a chauffeur is driving, the order of precedence from highest to lowest is: behind the front passenger seat, behind the driver, the middle of the back seat, and finally the front passenger seat."
"And if the driver is a peer or colleague, the front passenger seat becomes the seat of honor, right?"
"Precisely. You have studied well."
Well, I was subjected to a Spartan education that defied all imagination, after all...
"Normally, escorting the Young Lady to the car would also be the caretaker's duty, but I intend to entrust you with your responsibilities in stages.……Now then, please enter the vehicle."
Hinako climbed in first, followed by me. Ms. Shizune took the front passenger seat.
"Sleeeepy…………"
You slept plenty... I barely managed to swallow the retort.
The car glided smoothly away from the mansion.
"Since the official story is that you live in separate residences, I will drop you off a short distance from the academy."
"Does that mean the two of us will walk the rest of the way alone? But if we do that, we might get kidnapped like yesterday—"
"There is no need for concern. We have security guards stationed in the vicinity at all times.……The incident the other day occurred because the Young Lady left the house without notifying us. As her caretaker, you must prevent such situations from occurring in the first place."
"……I understand."
My first real day on the job had begun. As her caretaker, I would exercise the utmost caution.
"By the way, I'm in the same class as Hinako...-sama, right?"
"Of course. As her caretaker, you will be expected to accompany the Young Lady at all times."
It seemed Hinako and I were to be classmates.
"Itsuki…… what happened to your tone?"
"Ugh."
She’d heard me.
However, I felt a certain resistance to addressing Hinako so casually in front of Ms. Shizune.
"Shizune. Change Itsuki’s way of speaking back to how it was."
"But, Young Lady. That would set a poor example for others."
"Then…… just when we’re alone, or when it's just Shizune around."
"……As you wish."
Reluctantly, Ms. Shizune complied.
"Good for you, Itsuki…… you can speak casually to me."
"……It’s not like it makes me particularly happy."
Ms. Shizune’s gaze was prickling my skin. Honestly, I didn't mind using polite speech. Having spent my life working part-time jobs, I was well-accustomed to hierarchical relationships.
"Itsuki-sama, to ensure you do not slip up, please speak politely as a general rule while at the academy. The heir of a mid-sized company holds a relatively low status within Kikou Academy, so maintaining that decorum will help avoid unnecessary friction."
"I understand."
The heir of a mid-sized company was considered low status here?……I had a feeling the polite speech would come out naturally even if I wasn't told to use it.
"Aaaahhh…… the academy is getting cloooser……"
Hinako groaned with pure lethargy.
"Itsukiii……"
"……What is it?"
"Hold me."
The car swerved violently.
What on earth was this Young Lady saying all of a sudden? Even the driver looked shaken.
"Young Lady. That is, truly, well…… an act lacking in the self-awareness required of a lady……"
"Itsuki smells really good, you know……?"
"……I-Is that so?"
Ms. Shizune’s eyes widened.
"……Itsuki-sama. Might I be allowed a sniff, for future reference?"
"No…… I really don’t think I smell like anything special. Please, give me a break."
"……You do, though."
As she spoke, Hinako leaned in, bringing her nose close to my sleeve.
I took a sniff myself, just in case.……No, I didn't smell anything in particular. At most, it was just the scent of the detergent used at the Konohana house.
"Um, Hinako. I am technically a guy, so having you get that close is……"
"Your tone."
"……Hinako."
"Veeery gooood……"
It felt like no matter what I said, it would be in vain.
As I let out a sigh, Ms. Shizune let out an even deeper one from the front seat.
"Young Lady. It is almost time……"
"……Nn."
About thirty minutes later, the car arrived at our destination.
Hinako and I were dropped off in a quiet, deserted alley. There wasn't a soul in sight, but apparently, numerous Konohana family guards were lurking in the shadows.
"Itsuki-sama. I shall leave this with you."
Ms. Shizune handed me a black bag whose contents were hidden.
"This is……?"
"Should the Young Lady prove to be exceptionally unreasonable, please use this."
I gave a vague "I see" in response to the cryptic instructions and accepted the bag.
"Well then, have a pleasant day."
I gave a slight bow to Ms. Shizune, who bowed respectfully in return, and then we started walking toward the academy.
"……I want to go home."
"Don't you need to keep up the act?"
"No one is looking yet…… so I can relax."
Apparently, Hinako was equipped with a radar that sensed the gaze of others.
That was what she claimed, but as her caretaker, I had to protect her image as a refined lady. I headed toward the academy while keeping a careful eye on our surroundings.
"……It's huge."
I couldn't help but mutter as I stood before the solemn, mansion-like school building.
One of Japan's leading prestigious schools—Kikou Academy. The name sounded almost absurdly grand, but in reality, it was a world-class educational institution.
I found myself hesitating to take even a single step forward.
Beside me, however—
"Good morning, Konohana-san."
"Good morning."
The girl with amber hair fluttering in the breeze responded gracefully to the greetings of passing students.
"Konohana-san…… she’s as beautiful as ever today."
"Yes. She is so noble……"
I could hear whispers like that coming from all directions.
I stole a glance at the profile of Hinako, who had slipped into her persona before I’d even realized it. She looked like a completely different person. This girl, carrying herself with such intellect and poise, was impossible to associate with the girl who had been drooling in her sleep in my room last night.
"Is something the matter, Tomonari-kun?"
"Whoa!"
Hinako stared at my face with a look of concern.
I was genuinely startled. I hurriedly covered my mouth and told her it was nothing.
After entering the school building, we first headed to the faculty office.
Fortunately, Hinako and I were the same age. Therefore, we could belong to the same grade without having to falsify my age. With Ms. Shizune making further arrangements, we had been placed in the same class.
"I’ve been expecting you. You must be Itsuki Tomonari-kun."
When I entered the faculty office, a female teacher called out to me.
"I am Misono Fukushima. I will be the homeroom teacher for Class 2-A. I look forward to working with you."
"Likewise, I look forward to working with you."
I bowed my head slightly.
"Tomonari-kun, are you an acquaintance of Konohana-san?"
"Ah, well……"
An easy lie didn't come to mind immediately, and I found myself hesitating.
Then, Hinako, who was standing beside me, spoke up.
"Our families are quite close, so we have been acquainted for some time. Because of that connection, I have been tasked with showing him around the academy."
"Oh, I see."
The teacher was convinced by Hinako’s explanation, delivered in a polite tone.
"Tomonari-kun, having Konohana-san as your guide is quite a luxury."
"Hahaha…… I suppose so."
Teacher, do you have any idea?
This girl would probably get lost in her own school if she were left alone.
"We have a transfer student joining this class today," Ms. Fukushima announced after we entered the classroom.
I stood in front of the blackboard and introduced myself.
"I’m Itsuki Tomonari. It’s nice to meet you all."
There was no applause, but the students' gazes were friendly enough.
At the high school I used to attend, transfer students were unheard of, and if one had arrived, it would have been a major event. But there was no such buzz here. They seemed mature, creating an atmosphere of calm tolerance.
"Tomonari-kun, please take that empty seat over there.……Everyone, I know you’re curious about our new student, but it’s time for class. Let's switch focus."
Ms. Fukushima said as she scanned the room.
I took a seat in the second row from the window at the back and immediately pulled my textbook out of my bag.
The first period was math.
"Now then, let's begin the lesson. Today, we will be studying integration by substitution."
Wait, wasn't integration by substitution something we were supposed to learn at the end of the third year at my old school……?
Apparently, at Kikou Academy, it was part of the spring curriculum for the second year.
"That's all for the first period. Everyone, don't forget to review."
Ms. Fukushima dismissed us just as the bell rang.
After the final bow, the students transitioned into their break.
"……I really need to thank Ms. Shizune."
I had managed to keep up with the lesson, but only barely. The content was punishingly difficult. Even though only one period had ended, I felt the kind of mental exhaustion usually reserved for a full day of exams.
Now then—how was the Young Lady doing?
Recalling my mission, I checked on Hinako.
"Konohana-san. There was something I didn't understand in the lesson……"
"I would be happy to help, if I can."
In public, Hinako wore the mask of a perfect lady. For now, there was no sign of the facade cracking.
"Yo, rookie!"
I was suddenly hailed from the side.
Turning around, I saw a large male student standing there.
"You've got some nerve, not greeting me when you're the new guy. C’mon, hand over your tribute."
"……Eh."
What kind of introduction was this? I couldn't even tell if he was joking or being serious.
"Hey!"
"Ow!?"
As I stood there bewildered, a petite female student dropped a hand-chop onto the boy's head.
"You're scaring Tomonari-kun!"
"S-Sorry. That was a joke just now."
The boy said while rubbing his head.
"Itsuki Tomonari, right? I'm Taisho. Katsuya Taisho."
"I'm Karen Asahi. Nice to meet ya~"
I gave a vague "I see" to their introductions.
Apparently, the bit about the tribute had been a joke.
"Tomonari. You were struggling to keep up with that lesson just now, weren't you?"
"……How did you know?"
"Hahaha! Don't sweat it. All transfer students end up like that at first."
"All of them……? Are there others besides me?"
"Doesn't seem to be anyone else right now, but transferring isn't that rare here. Students at this academy sometimes start late or graduate early due to family circumstances. You transferred in because of family stuff too, right?"
"Well, something like that."
It seemed the students were well aware that their academy was unique.
"But I've never heard the name Tomonari before. What does your family do?"
"An IT company. It's not that big, though……"
I answered Asahi-san’s question while recalling the cover story Ms. Shizune had crafted. The general premise was that my family owned a mid-sized IT company and I was being groomed as the successor.
Hearing my response, Asahi-san and Taisho looked at each other and nodded.
"I could have guessed from how you were struggling in class…… but Tomonari-kun, you've lived a life that's more on the commoner side, haven't you?"
"……I suppose so," I admitted as Asahi-san flashed a teasing smile.
"There are two types of transfer students. The first are the geniuses who were top of their class elsewhere and came here for the prestige. The second are those who weren't necessarily academic stars but were forced to attend due to family circumstances. The former usually come from old-money families, while the latter are closer to commoners."
"It's tough to suddenly dive into this curriculum when you're coming from a normal school. That's why students in similar situations tend to stick together and help each other out. Since Asahi and I are from more common backgrounds, I think we can be of help to you, Tomonari."
"……I see."
I nodded. In short, they were offering to show me the ropes as fellow "commoner-tier" students.
As expected of Kikou Academy students…… what remarkably decent people.
"Thank you. That would be a huge help."
"Drop the formal talk. We're classmates, aren't we?"
"Because of my family's situation, I have to keep up this way of speaking."
"Ah—…… well, I guess it can't be helped then. Typical noble house stuff, huh?"
In my head, I was already calling him Taisho.
A live-in job with three meals and twenty thousand yen a day. For that, I would play the part of the corporate heir to perfection.
"By the way, there's one thing I want to ask you, Tomonari," Taisho said, his expression turning slightly grave.
"You and Konohana-san…… what's the deal?"
The moment the question was asked, the air in the classroom seemed to freeze with a sharp crack.
What was this tension? For a split second, I had a flash of myself standing on a guillotine.
"You came to school together today, didn't you?"
"A-Ah…… our parents are connected, so we've known each other for a while. Because of that, she was kind enough to show me around."
"Is that really all?"
"That's all, but……"
"It's not like you're engaged or anything, right?"
"Engaged……? Nothing like that."
To a guy like me, the idea of an arranged engagement was something out of a period drama.
When I shrugged my shoulders, Taisho trembled for a moment—then broke into a massive grin.
"Man, don't scare me like that!!"
"Whoa!?"
I let out a groan as he slapped me hard on the shoulder.
The sudden friendliness was jarring. Looking around, I saw that the tension had evaporated, and my classmates were back to their relaxed chatting.
"Wow, talk about a heart-pounding moment."
"What do you mean, Asahi-san……?"
"Well…… Konohana-san is a massive celebrity here. She’s the daughter of the Konohana Group, she’s at the top of the class, and then there’s that face of hers."
I nodded, prompting her to continue.
"But Konohana-san has never had a single romantic rumor. We all assumed she probably had a fiancé somewhere outside of school…… but then you showed up with her today. Everyone was thinking, 'Could this guy be Konohana-san's fiancé!?'"
"……I see.……So those things actually exist here."
"Not for me. But with a family like hers, it wouldn't be weird at all."
Come to think of it, I hadn't actually asked if Hinako had a fiancé. Since they were still looking for suitable candidates, maybe she didn't…… or maybe she was troubled precisely because she already had one.
"For the record, I don't have a fiancée either. If you ever meet any cute girls, Tomonari, you'd better introduce me."
"I'll see what I can do."
I laughed it off. As I talked with them, I felt a wave of relief. When this transfer was first decided, I’d been worried, but it seemed I might actually fit in here.
When the lunch bell rang—
"Tomonari, what are you doing for lunch?"
"We're heading to the cafeteria, but……"
Taisho and Asahi-san called out as I was packing up.
"Sorry. I have some business to take care of during the break……"
"Business?"
I explained to the curious Taisho.
"I’m supposed to check in with my parents during lunch. So I'll just be having a lunch box."
"I see.……Are your parents that overprotective?"
"Something like that."
This was another part of the script Ms. Shizune had written. When I’d first heard it, I wondered if anyone would actually buy it, but they didn't seem to doubt it for a second.
"Now that you mention it, Konohana-san is the same. She always vanishes during lunch."
"Yeah…… rumor has it she's helping with the family business. Conference calls and the like."
Listening to them, I stole a glance at Hinako.
"Konohana-san, would you like to join us for lunch?"
"I'm sorry. I have family matters to attend to during the break, so……"
"O-Oh, of course. Sorry for asking."
After politely turning down the invitation, Hinako took a lunch box from her bag and left the room. I stood up shortly after.
"Well, see you guys later."
"Catch ya later."
"If you ever want to hit the cafeteria, just let us know!"
After parting with them, I immediately went to find Hinako. She was walking down the hallway alone. I followed her, maintaining a discreet distance.
She was stopped several times while near the classroom, but by the time we reached the connecting corridor, the number of eyes on her had dropped.
The Old Student Council Building sat just past the garden. It was no longer used because of its age, but it was still cleaned regularly for the sake of the academy's appearance.
I went up the stairs to the rooftop. After checking that we were alone, I opened the door.
"Good job today~"
Hinako, sitting on the roof floor, greeted me with a completely blank expression.
"……Good job, Hinako."
"Your tone."
"Yeah, yeah."
I sat down next to her.
"You always eat here?"
"Nn. No one’s here."
As her caretaker, I had to stay close to her. It looked like my lunch breaks would be spent on this roof from now on.
"How was school……?"
"As expected of a top-tier academy. I studied like crazy yesterday, and I'm still barely hanging on."
"Keep working hard.……If your grades are bad, they might fire you."
"……That would be bad."
If I hadn't met her, I’d be homeless and out of school right now. I was in an incredibly lucky position, and I had to work to make sure I wasn't thrown out of it.
"Let’s eat?"
"……Yeah."
We opened our lunches. The food prepared by the servants was stunning—a luxurious spread using ingredients I didn't even recognize.
"This is incredible…… I've never seen a lunch box like this."
"Nn. But the cafeteria food is even fancier."
"Is that so?……Why don't you eat there?"
"I hate having people look at me."
I guess she didn't enjoy the price of fame.
"Besides…… my lunch box only has the things I like."
"Are there things you don't like? Like what?"
"Carrots, peppers, green peas, shiitake mushrooms, pickled plums, tomatoes, pumpkin……"
"That's a massive list. You just hate vegetables."
"Busted."
She gave me a floppy smile. She was a completely different person from the girl in the classroom. If Taisho or Asahi-san saw her like this, their hearts might stop from the shock.
Hinako reached for her food, but as she used her chopsticks, bits of food kept falling.
"……You're spilling."
"Nn?"
"Don't just 'Nn' me……"
I was beginning to see the "care" in "caretaker." It was less about social management and more about basic life support. For some reason, she was perfect in public, but catastrophically helpless in private. She’d done the same thing with that drink when we were kidnapped.
"Feed me."
Hinako held out her lunch box and opened her mouth.
It would be a crime to waste such good food by letting it fall on the roof. No one was around, so…… whatever.
"……Fine."
I picked up a side dish and held it to her mouth.
"Umu…… not bad."
She looked thoroughly satisfied.
"You should eat too, Itsuki."
"I'm on it."
I reached for my own lunch. I decided to start with the dashi-maki tamago.
"Whoa! This is amazing! What even is this!?"
Once I started, I couldn't stop. The meat, the fish, the salad—everything was unimaginably delicious.
"Which one do you like best?"
"My favorite?……It's all great, but I think the dashi-maki was the winner."
"Then, you can have mine."
"Eh?"
"A gift. Say ahhh."
Hinako picked up a piece of dashi-maki and held it to my lips. Being on the receiving end was embarrassing, and I felt a flash of resistance, but Hinako didn't look shy at all. I gave in and ate it.
"……Is it good?"
"……It's great, but are you sure?"
"I’m your master. I have to keep you well-fed."
"Tame me, you mean?"
"I'd be in trouble if you got tired of me."
Her voice sounded just a little more serious than usual. It might have been my imagination, but I couldn't ignore it. I decided to ask something that had been on my mind.
"……You had another caretaker before me, right? Why did they quit?"
"Who knows."
Hinako tilted her head. Her father had said it was stress, but I didn't know what the specific trigger was.
"How long did the last one last?"
"……Maybe two weeks."
"What?"
That was way shorter than I thought.
"The one before that was three weeks, I think.……The longest was a month."
"……Any idea why they left so fast?"
"Who knows."
"Who knows?"
She tilted her head again. She didn't seem to be playing dumb; she just seemed like she didn't care. She probably hadn't felt any connection to her previous caretakers at all.
"……I don't think you could find a job with better terms than this, though."
"……Better terms?"
"Yeah. Living in, three meals, and twenty thousand yen a day. There’s pressure, sure, but it’s a dream job. Even the schoolwork is fine since it’s a top-tier education."
There were plenty of people who wanted to study but couldn't. I had almost been one of them.
"What about me?"
"……Huh?"
"Better terms…… what about me?"
I wasn't sure what she was getting at.
"……What do you mean?"
"Muu."
Hinako puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
"Marrying into the family…… not interested?"
"Well…… that’s……"
Was she talking about being a "trophy husband"? Interest aside, it was a totally unrealistic dream. I wasn't in a position where a commoner like me should even be talking to the Konohana heiress like this.
"Don't you quit, Itsuki."
"……I don't plan to."
When I answered, Hinako gave me a soft smile and then flopped over.
"I’m sleeping."
"……You want a pillow?"
"Nn."
We’d had this exact exchange during the kidnapping, so I knew what she wanted. I cleared a spot on my lap, and her head landed on it immediately.
"Ehe…… best pillow ever……"
"……Glad to hear it."
With her head on my lap, Hinako was out like a light. Looking down at her, she really was strikingly beautiful. She still had some childishness in her features, but she was more stunning than any professional model.
Any normal high school guy would be losing his mind right now. But for some reason, I felt more calm than excited.
"Our sense of distance is just…… weird."
It didn't feel like a man and a woman. Sometimes I’d be conscious of her as a girl, but she clearly didn't see me as a guy in that way. That made it easy to keep myself in check.
I was officially a "caretaker," but this felt like something much more unique. And yet…… it didn't feel bad at all.
"……Hm?"
The phone in my pocket vibrated.
At Kikou Academy, devices were allowed only during breaks. Some of the students were involved in their family businesses and needed to be reachable. During the break, I’d actually heard some kids talking about day trading.
"Ms. Shizune……?"
I muttered the name on the screen and answered.
『You were slow to pick up. Please answer within five rings from now on.』
"……That's surprisingly lenient."
『I understand that you may be occupied while at the academy. I will show some consideration.』
Ms. Shizune wasn't just cruel. She was simply a professional who demanded results.