“Besides, it’s just weird for a guy and a girl to bathe together!”
The Young Lady didn’t seem to get it, no matter how many times I told her.
“The swimsuit… Ms. Shizune was so persistent about me wearing it that I didn’t have a choice…”
Hinako looked annoyed as she pinched the edge of the swimsuit she was wearing underneath.
That defenseless gesture threw my thoughts into disarray again—
“…Wait a second.”
I felt like I’d just heard a word I absolutely couldn't let slide.
“…Does Ms. Shizune know? That we’re in the bath together?”
“Mm.”
Hinako gave a small nod.
And then, I realized.
How had I not noticed until now? The bathroom door was cracked open by about five millimeters. Through that gap, a gaze filled with pure murderous intent was boring into me.
“Ha, wha…!?”
My body trembled with sheer terror.
It was Ms. Shizune. How long had she been watching us?
As I broke into a cold sweat from the intense bloodlust, the bathroom door opened a little wider, revealing Ms. Shizune’s face. Without a word, she gestured for me to wash Hinako’s hair.
“Mnh… that tickles.”
“S-Sorry.”
Somehow suppressing my agitation, I continued washing Hinako’s hair.
I reached for the showerhead nearby and rinsed away the shampoo.
“I-I’m finished…”
I barely felt alive through the rest of it.
Despite being in a hot bath, I was drenched from head to toe in a cold sweat.
“Thanks.……I’m making this a daily routine.”
“Eh?”
“Wash it… every night, okay?”
With that, Hinako stood up and headed toward the changing room.
Wait a minute… do I have to endure this terror every single night from now on?
Ms. Shizune entered, switching places with Hinako.
Her eyes were freezing cold.
“Good work, Itsuki-san.”
“G-Good work.…Um, how long were you watching?”
“From the beginning.”
“From the beginning, huh…”
That meant she had seen everything—including me being toyed with by Hinako.
“I have prepared a change of clothes in the dressing room. Please use them when you get out.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you very much.”
“Also—”
Ms. Shizune placed a small medicine bottle beside me.
“Should you find yourself harboring carnal desires toward the Young Lady in the future, please take this in advance.”
“This is…?”
“It is a drug designed to intentionally cause drug-induced ED by utilizing the side effects of antidepressants and anticonvulsants. To put it plainly… it’s medicine to ensure you can’t get an erection.”
“Hieee!?”
If I took something like that, I’d end up becoming a maid myself.
I watched Ms. Shizune’s back as she left the medicine and walked away, my body trembling.
The second day of academy life.
The students had changed into gym clothes and were gathered in the massive gymnasium.
“Today, we will be playing badminton,” the female PE teacher announced.
Even at Kikou Academy, a place that groomed future business leaders and politicians, PE classes were part of the curriculum. The fact that two classes were held jointly and divided by gender felt the same as the public high school I used to attend.
Currently, the students of Class 2-A and Class 2-B were gathered together.
“Girls, please use the east side courts. Boys, move to the west side.”
“Alright, guys, let’s move it!”
The male teacher in charge of the boys’ class guided us to the courts.
Compared to the classroom lectures, this was a relief. Whether it was a prestigious private school or a mediocre public one, the physical activity was mostly the same.
“Tomonari. You’ve got a better physique than I expected.”
“Ah… I do some muscle training once in a while.”
I chatted lightly with Taisho as we moved. In reality, my body had been hardened by years of manual labor part-time jobs. I’d quit those now, but in their place, I was scheduled to receive self-defense lessons from Ms. Shizune. I wasn't going to be lacking in exercise anytime soon.
“Still, this is one hell of a gymnasium.”
“Well, it’s about 3,000 square meters. It’s on the large side for a gym, I guess.”
It felt more like a giant event hall than a gymnasium.
“After you finish warming up, we’ll start with rally practice.”
After a few laps around the court and some light stretching, badminton practice began.
Apparently, they had already held several badminton lessons before I arrived. The practice quickly shifted into a match format. While waiting for our turn, Taisho and I moved to the edge of the court.
“…Phew.”
Thanks to Ms. Shizune’s "training," my body hadn't gone soft.
—I should be able to keep up in PE, at least.
That was a relief. Academy life was proving to be a struggle in many ways, but PE was one area where I didn't feel overwhelmed.
“Hey there, Tomonari-kun.”
Suddenly, someone called out to me from behind. I turned to find Asahi-san standing there. It seemed she was also killing time while waiting for her turn.
“I was watching! You’re actually really good.”
“I’m not bad at sports. Speaking of which, you look like you’d be pretty athletic too, Asahi-san.”
“Ah, did you catch that? You’re right, Tomonari-kun. I’m actually pretty good at this stuff.”
As Asahi-san spoke boastfully, Taisho chimed in.
“Asahi’s good at skating, too.”
“I have a lot of confidence in my sense of balance. What were you good at again, Taisho? Golf?”
“Yeah, I’m good at golf. My old man’s been dragging me along since I was a kid,” Taisho said with a laugh.
Listening to their conversation… I felt a wave of dread.
“Um… do you guys actually learn skating and golf at this academy?”
“Yeah. And in the second year, we do polo, too.”
“P-Polo…?”
“It’s an equestrian sport. You ride a horse and hit a ball with a mallet.”
Ride… a horse…?
I’d never even touched a horse in my life.
—I was naive.
I’d thought I could keep up as long as it was PE, but I had zero experience in golf, skating, or polo. It looked like there was no escaping Ms. Shizune’s private lessons after all.
I let out a sigh and watched the courts. It looked like there was still time before my turn.
“…Come to think of it, the design of these gym clothes is pretty fancy, isn't it?”
“Ah, these? Apparently, they were designed by one of our graduates,” Asahi-san said, pinching her collar.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. That person is an apprentice to a world-famous fashion designer now. I bet these designs will be worth a lot of money soon.”
Wow, what a different world this is.
I wanted to escape reality. As I thought, I was incredibly out of place at Kikou Academy.
“Oh, there’s Konohana-san.”
Asahi-san pointed toward the center courts.
There was Hinako, gripping a racket. She delivered a sharp smash to a shuttlecock that had been lobbed up. The shuttlecock hit the corner of the opponent’s court, securing Hinako’s victory.
“Konohana-san really can do everything, can’t she? Brains and brawn.”
“Yeah. She’s an idol to us girls, too.”
Not just Taisho and Asahi-san, but all the other students were casting admiring glances at Hinako.
I’d heard she excelled in both academics and athletics, and she was clearly living up to that reputation.
“Well, but when it comes to PE, it’s not just Konohana-san…”
Taisho looked away from Hinako and shifted his gaze to another girl.
“Yeah… Narika Miyakojima is amazing, too.”
Asahi-san nodded, focusing on a different student.
At the end of their gaze stood a girl with black hair that reached down to her thighs, tied back.
She had a slender build compared to Hinako and was quite tall for a girl. Her features were as striking as Hinako’s—she was undeniably a beauty.
The girl returned a shuttlecock with effortless footwork, slamming it down into the opponent’s court.
“You probably don’t know her, Tomonari-kun. That’s Narika Miyakojima. She’s not quite as famous as Konohana-san, but she’s pretty well-known here.”
“…A celebrity?”
“As you can see, she’s a natural at sports. Her PE grades might even be higher than Konohana-san’s. Plus, well, she’s one of the academy’s top ‘cool beauties.’”
“Cool beauty, huh…”
She certainly had a dignified, sharp presence that suited the description.
“But her most defining trait is… well, that.”
Asahi-san muttered as the practice ended.
The girl stepped off the court. Two female students who had been watching the practice approached her.
“U-Um! Miyakojima-san! Good work!”
“You were so amazing!”
The two girls praised her, looking somewhat nervous.
However, the girl stared at them with eyes as sharp as daggers and barked—
“—Hah?”
“Hieee! S-Sorry!”
“I-It’s nothing!”
Intimidated by her low, menacing voice, the two girls turned pale and scrambled away.
Watching the scene, Asahi-san let out a sigh.
“I don't really want to say things like this, but… Miyakojima-san is a bit scary. she’s usually silent, and her expression is always so stiff.”
“I’ve heard all sorts of rumors,” Taisho added with an exasperated look. “Like she’s secretly in a biker gang, or her family is yakuza.”
“Well, those are just rumors. There's no reason to believe them… but either way, she definitely has a wall up. I’ve tried to talk to her a few times, but she always brushes me off saying she has things to do.”
“…I see.”
Kikou Academy was a place for elite students. Bullying and discrimination were rare. But even here, it seemed there were students who ended up isolated.
“Tomonari, it’s our turn.”
Taisho called me, and I headed toward the court. PE class eventually finished without any other incidents.
On the way back to the classroom after changing into my uniform.
I kept an eye out for Hinako, but she was moving with a group of other girls. Her "popular girl" persona was serving her well. At least during the short breaks between classes, I didn't have to worry about her since she was always surrounded by people.
“…Ah.”
“What’s wrong, Tomonari?”
“Sorry. I think I left my shoes in the locker room. I’ll go grab them.”
I parted from Taisho and headed back.
I’d been so focused on Hinako that I’d neglected my own things.
“Found them.”
I opened the locker room door and spotted my gym shoes sitting on the table.
The next class was starting soon. I hurried out—
“!?”
“…Whoa!?”
Just as I stepped out the door, I nearly collided with a girl.
We both jumped back, surprised, and locked eyes.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. I’m sorr…”
As I apologized, I looked at the girl’s face—and froze.
Narika Miyakojima. The girl we had been talking about earlier was standing right there.
“T-Then, excuse me…”
Trying to act as natural as possible, I turned on my heel.
I tried to walk away, but the girl suddenly grabbed my sleeve, stopping me in my tracks.
“Hey.”
Her voice was low.
“You… could you be……………… Itsuki?”
A chill ran down my spine.
I opened my mouth, my voice trembling.
“WRONG-PERSON.”
“No… no, no, no! It is Itsuki! You’re Itsuki! I knew it!”
Her face brightened, her voice practically leaping with joy.
The girl stared at me, her eyes sparkling with light.
“Uwah, uwaah… Itsuki…!!”
With tears welling up in her eyes, she spread her arms and lunged at me.
“I’ve wanted to see you so badly! Itsuki!!”
“Gueh!?”
She hugged me with incredible force.
Let’s talk a little bit about the past.
A long time ago, I was once taken care of by the Miyakojima family.
The Tomonari family’s finances were always a disaster, but my parents had only actually attempted to divorce once. It seemed that two useless people felt a certain comfort in being useless together, and they shared a messy but compatible life.
However, when I was ten years old, a major divorce scare happened.
Over some trivial trigger, my father and mother began blaming each other for their poverty.
The fight escalated to an unprecedented degree for our family, and eventually, my mother decided to move out. I was forcibly dragged along with her.
Even though she was running away, my mother had long since been disowned by her own parents, so we had nowhere to go.
So, she went to a relative’s house instead.
That was the Miyakojima family.
I found out later that my maternal grandmother had been a daughter of the Miyakojima family. However, because she had lived a self-indulgent life just like my mother, she was passed over for the inheritance and eventually disowned.
My mother, however, used the logic that “the one who was disowned was my mother, not me!” and forced her way in as a live-in dependent. Surprisingly, the plan worked.
Thus, at ten years old, I was suddenly brought into a luxurious Japanese-style mansion and welcomed as a "guest."
But we were uninvited guests. The Miyakojima family clearly saw my mother as a nuisance, and the same went for me. I still remember the cold stares we received.
Then, on the second day of our stay.
I met Narika Miyakojima.
“W-Who are you!?”
The girl was swinging a bamboo sword in a dojo.
I had been fascinated by the sight and accidentally approached her, which led to her shouting at me.
“Um, I’m Itsuki Tomonari. I’m staying here starting yesterday.”
I didn't know the first thing about proper etiquette, but I gave the most polite greeting I could manage.
The girl narrowed her eyes at me.
“Listen here, Itsuki! I hate weaklings!!”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard about you from the servants! You guys don’t do any work and just eat our food!”
“…Yes.”
I hadn’t expected to be told that so bluntly by a girl my own age, and it stung. But it was the truth.
“So, I’m giving you a job! From now on, you’re going to take care of me!!”
“…Huh?”
As she puffed out her chest proudly, I could only tilt my head in confusion.
I didn't really understand what the "job" entailed, but as a freeloader, I didn't have much choice. If I was given work, I had to do it.
From then on, for as long as I stayed at the mansion, I was almost always by her side.
She summoned me more than ten times a day.
“Uwaaaah! Itsuki! A bug appeared in my room!”
“Yes, yes. I’ll take care of it.”
In her place, I would calmly remove the shiny black intruder.
“Uwaaaaaah! Itsuki! Father is mad at meeeee!”
“Yes, yes. That sounds tough.”
I would pat her head as she sobbed to calm her down.
In reality, her father was glaring at me with such intensity that I was the one who wanted to cry.
“Itsuki… you’re stronger than me, aren’t you?”
“You think so?”
“Yeah. Because unlike me, you don’t cry at bugs, and you don’t care when adults get mad at you.”
While most days were noisy, there were times when she showed her vulnerability.
Looking back, she probably just needed someone like that. As the only daughter of the Miyakojima family, she had no one else she could show her weakness to.
She was strong physically—her kendo skills at age ten were already better than most adults—but her heart was a different story. It was even more fragile than a typical child her age.
“Listen, Itsuki. As a woman of the Miyakojima family… I want to be strong.”
She spoke to me with a solemn expression one day.
“But I don’t have any courage.”
“Courage?”
“Yeah. Even though I’m ten, I can’t even go outside by myself.”
Apparently, she was raised under extreme protection. Since infancy, she had been taught that “anywhere outside the house is dangerous,” and she had grown to fear the world. But then she had seen a classmate walking to school alone from her car window and felt a deep envy.
“Well, do you want to try going out with me?”
“…Eh?”
“I think it’ll be okay for a little while.”
To me, having grown up in a normal household, the outside world was just where life happened.
With that thought, I took her hand and we slipped out of the mansion.
“Amazing!”
She was ecstatic. It was her first time being outside with just another child and no adults.
“Amazing! Amazing, amazing, amazing! I’m—free!!”
She laughed and skipped down a perfectly ordinary road as if she were in a field of flowers.
“Hey, Itsuki! What’s that!?”
“A candy shop. Want to go in?”
“Yes!”
Fortunately, I had a bit of pocket change, so I treated her to some snacks.
To be honest, I hated the cold stares of the servants back at the house, so being outside was a relief for me, too.
“Itsuki, what is this!?”
“An Unmai-bo.”
“It’s so unmai!”
“Well, yeah. It’s in the name.”
She ate the snack with wide-eyed curiosity.
Our secret excursions continued for a few days. Since she was terrified of her father finding out, we would sneak out when the servants weren't looking and spend just enough time outside that it wouldn't seem suspicious.
But eventually, we were caught.
I was severely reprimanded by her father.
“How do you plan to take responsibility if something happens to Narika!? I don't care if you're a child, I won't tolerate you seducing my daughter! Get out at once!”
I didn't understand it then, but taking the daughter of the Miyakojima family out so casually was a major taboo. As punishment for putting her in "danger," my mother and I were kicked out.
They probably intended to get rid of us soon anyway. The servants packed our bags with clinical efficiency, and we were tossed out of the mansion.
“Itsukiii!!”
As we left, she cried out my name through her tears.
“I promise I’ll become strong!!”
Those were the last words I heard from her.
That girl was the student standing in front of me now, Narika Miyakojima.
In other words, Narika Miyakojima and I were second cousins.
“Itsuki! Itsuki, Itsuki, Itsukiii!! I’ve wanted to see you for so long!!”
“…Yes, yes.”
I patted Narika’s head as she clung to me, while casually scanning our surroundings.
Fortunately, the hallway was empty. If anyone saw this, it would be the end of me. I’d be branded for improper conduct on only my second day.
“Narika, calm down for a second. What if someone sees us?”
“U-Uuu… m-my knees have gone weak…”
“Huh?”
“I’m so happy my legs gave out…!”
Tears streaming down her face, Narika slumped to the floor right there.
She hasn't… become strong at all.
Because of the emergency situation of Narika being unable to walk, I hurriedly carried her to the infirmary.
“Is the nurse… not here?”
She might have been called away.
I borrowed a bed and sat Narika down on it.
There wasn’t much more I could do, so I tried to leave for class, but…
“Uuu, wait… please don’t leave me…”
“…Fine, fine.”
Implored by her teary eyes, I had no choice but to skip class and stay with her.
I rubbed my forehead. Fortunately, it was during class, so Hinako should be in the room. In a classroom setting, Hinako could play the "Perfect Young Lady" perfectly, so her being alone shouldn't be an issue.
“…Itsuki. What happened to you after you were kicked out of my house?” Narika asked from the bed.
“My parents just made up like they always do. Everything went back to normal.”
“That’s good.…But you could have at least reached out. I was so worried about you after that.”
“I’m… sorry. But I didn't have any way to contact the Miyakojima family.”
“…I suppose that’s true.”
Even if I had tried, the family would likely have blocked me. My mother and I weren't exactly well-liked there.
“It’s a bit late, but sorry for back then. I was reckless, taking you outside like that…”
“W-What are you apologizing for!” Narika said, sounding flustered. “If anything, I’m grateful to you! If I hadn't gone out with you that day… I’m sure I’d still be a coward even now.”