Everything had been perfectly normal up until that point.
I took my classes seriously, shared my lunches with Hinako, and spent my after-school hours in study sessions with Tennoji-san.
Then, everything changed.
After school, just as I was about to change my shoes at the locker, I spotted something I never expected to see.
It was an envelope, tucked inside my locker.
The moment I saw that white letter, I slammed the locker shut by reflex.
"You’ve got to be kidding me..."
A love letter.
It had to be a love letter!
No, no... that was impossible.
Why would a student at Kikou Academy ever fall for someone like me?
True, I made sure to maintain a proper appearance as a caretaker, but the Academy was filled with beautiful men and women. There was no way I’d be chosen for my looks alone.
Even my social standing was modest here; on paper, I was the successor of a mid-sized firm. In a normal high school, that might have made me a catch, but Kikou Academy was crawling with future CEOs of global conglomerates. There was simply no reason for anyone to go out of their way to choose me.
"W-What should I do? I should ask Ms. Shizune..."
My mind was racing, and I felt a desperate urge to consult someone.
If this were a normal high school, I’d have suspected a prank immediately, but the students here weren't the type to pull such stunts.
I took a deep breath and opened the locker once more.
I reached out a trembling hand and picked up the envelope.
—Letter of Challenge.
The words written on the front were the last thing I expected.
"...Huh?"
I stood there frozen for a full minute as my brain slowly processed the information.
So... it was a prank? Well, at least the love letter theory was dead. I felt a mix of relief and a strange sort of disappointment... no, I hadn't expected anything to begin with, so there was no problem. Let's go with that.
I opened the letter of challenge to find a time and place written inside.
There were no greetings or pleasantries. It simply read: After school, at the dojo.
"...Wait."
As I studied the elegant, fluid calligraphy, I tilted my head.
"This is... Tennoji-san's handwriting, isn't it?"
Since we studied together every day, I recognized her hand.
The masterful brushwork, looking as though it had been written with the focused intent of a calligrapher, was perfectly in character for the strong-willed Tennoji-san.
I headed toward the dojo as instructed.
At Kikou Academy, the dojo was located right next to the gymnasium. I pushed open the door and stepped inside.
In the center of the room, Tennoji-san was sitting in seiza, dressed in a formal hakama.
"So, you’ve arrived," she said, slowly opening her eyes.
"Um, Tennoji-san. What’s this letter of challenge about...?"
"First, please go to the locker room and change into a kendo gi."
Her tone carried a weight that brooked no argument. Despite my confusion, I followed her instructions.
Inside the men's locker room, I found a single kendo gi waiting for me. Having studied self-defense at the Konohana manor, I knew exactly how to put it on.
As I was leaving the locker room after changing, I noticed a single shinai leaning against the door frame. I wondered if I was supposed to bring it. Still unsure of her intentions, I picked up the bamboo sword and returned to the main hall.
"Tennoji-san. I’ve changed as you asked, but what exactly is—"
"—Itsuki-san."
Rising from her seated position, Tennoji-san reached into the folds of her hakama.
"What is the meaning of this?"
She pulled out three photographs.
When I took them and looked at what they captured, my eyes nearly bulged out of my head.
"T-This is...!"
The photos were from this morning, showing me and Hinako leaving the Konohana manor together.
They had been taken from three distinct angles, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that the people in the photos were me and Hinako.
"I had my subordinates take these this morning. It looks very much as though you are living in the same residence as Hinako Konohana."
I suddenly remembered Ms. Shizune shouting about an intruder.
We had written it off as her imagination at the time, but it seemed there really had been someone lurking.
"That... well, it’s a family connection, I had business at the Konohana house..."
"...Then let me ask you something else. Where and with whom did you spend your lunch break today?"
At that, I fell completely silent.
Her suspicions had clearly been confirmed this morning. That must have been why she was observing me and Hinako so closely all day. I thought I’d been careful, but my opponent was the Tennoji family, a house with power rivaling the Konohana family. Once they suspected something, simple excuses wouldn't work.
"I shall take your silence as an admission," Tennoji-san said, her gaze dropping.
"In other words... you have been betraying me all this time."
She glared at me, her eyes sharp and piercing.
"It wasn't a betrayal, I didn't mean it like that..."
"Take your stance!"
Tennoji-san pointed the tip of her shinai directly at me.
"I shall beat that twisted heart of yours back into its proper place!"
The shinai came whistling down.
"Whoa!"
The strike was incredibly powerful, far more than I would have expected from a girl.
I dodged it by a hair's breadth, the bamboo blade grazing the tip of my nose.
"Wait! Wait, Tennoji-san!"
"I will not wait!"
She swung again, a vertical strike aimed straight at my head.
We were only wearing hakama and gi—we had no protective armor. If this continued, one of us was going to get hurt.
I hurriedly brought my shinai up to block, but Tennoji-san snapped her wrist, changing the blade's trajectory mid-swing.
"Kote!"
"Ugh...!"
A sharp pain shot through my wrist.
Tennoji-san was serious. But even so, I couldn't exactly fight back in earnest. She was the young lady of the Tennoji family. If I caused her even a minor injury, it would turn into a massive incident.
"You...!" she cried out as she swung her sword.
"You...! You’ve been making a fool of me this whole time!"
Her eyes were brimming with tears.
"While I was so focused on my rivalry with Hinako Konohana... you were pretending to help me... while laughing at me behind my back the entire time!"
Hearing those words, spoken in a voice that trembled with hurt, I finally realized the truth.
Tennoji-san was completely misunderstanding the situation.
"No, you’re wrong!" I shouted, blocking her next strike.
"It’s true that the Konohana family looks after me! I apologize for keeping that from you! But the reason I spend time with you is because I want to be here! Hinako has nothing to do with it!"
"Empty words! I cannot trust a single thing you say! You traitor!"
Tennoji-san shoved back with her shinai.
I couldn't believe the strength hidden in those slender arms. A cold sweat broke out all over my body.
I had lied to her. That much was true, and in a way, it was a betrayal.
I had lied about my status and my background, hiding my true self. Even though Tennoji-san had trusted me enough to reveal her secret about being adopted... I had betrayed that sincerity.
"Tennoji-san... you're wrong. I never once laughed at you."
"Excuses are useless!"
She was right. Everything coming out of my mouth sounded like an excuse.
I understood why she was so angry.
It was because she had truly believed in me.
And what about me?
I claimed I hadn't betrayed her and that Hinako wasn't involved, but as long as I was keeping up the lie, I wasn't actually trusting her.
Was Tennoji-san someone who couldn't be trusted?
No. In fact, there were few people more trustworthy than her. No matter what happened, she always maintained her integrity.
"I admit it. I lied," I said, parrying her strike.
"I admit that I’ve been hiding things from you. But... it was never meant to hurt you."
"I told you, no more excuses!"
Tennoji-san was in a state of panic and confusion. My words weren't reaching her.
I was sure that if she calmed down, she’d see the truth. She probably suspected I was part of some cruel joke, but who would spend every afternoon studying and taking harsh lessons just to play a prank?
"This much is the truth."
"I told you, I can't believe—"
Tennoji-san went to swing her shinai down again.
A split second before it hit, I thrust my right arm forward and gripped her blade, stopping it dead in its tracks.
"...I'm telling you the truth."
I spoke in my natural voice.
Gripping the bamboo sword, I finally made my decision.
I would tell her everything.
Just as she had trusted me, I wanted to trust her.
"Very well. I shall hear your explanation."
Having regained some of her composure, Tennoji-san looked at me with a steady gaze.
In the center of the dojo, the air between us as we sat facing each other in seiza was thick with tension.
"The truth is—"
I explained my circumstances with complete honesty.
I told her I wasn't the successor to some mid-sized company, and that I worked as a servant at the Konohana manor. I laid it all out.
However, I didn't mention anything about Hinako’s true personality.
I couldn't. That involved the secrets of the entire Konohana family, and while I was willing to expose my own secrets, I couldn't bring myself to reveal Hinako's without her consent.
"I see... I see, I see, I see..."
As she listened, Tennoji-san nodded several times.
"So, you are not a corporate heir, but the eldest son of a poor family currently employed as Hinako Konohana's attendant. Your enrollment in Kikou Academy was merely an extension of that role. And you kept this a secret because you didn't want to cause trouble for the family that took you in. It is... difficult to believe, but the facts do align."
Tennoji-san seemed to accept the explanation.
Then, she fixed me with a sharp, piercing look.
"A con artist."
She stated the word flatly.
"You are nothing more than a con artist."
"...I can't argue with that."
I had no defense. I bowed my head.
"...That way of speaking."
"Eh?"
"Isn't that way of speaking also an act? I felt your tone shift the moment you stopped my shinai."
"...Well."
It wasn't exactly an act, but my usual tone was definitely different.
It wasn't like every student at the Academy was required to use formal speech. My classmates Taisho and Asahi-san were perfectly frank with everyone they met.
"Go back to your original way of speaking."
"...But."
"I am telling you to go back."
Her voice had an intensity that wouldn't take no for an answer.
I realized there was no point in trying to maintain the facade anymore.
"...Fine."
When I gave up and spoke in my natural tone, Tennoji-san’s eyes widened.
"So that... is how you truly sound."
After making that observation with a solemn expression, she looked at me again with sharp eyes.
"Swear to me. From this moment on, you will not lie to me. Not with your words, and not with your attitude."
She continued.
"If you can keep that one vow, I promise that our relationship will remain exactly as it has been."
"...Is that really okay? For things to stay the same?"
"I told you before. I have confidence in my ability to read people. In the end, you maintained your lies out of loyalty to the Konohana family rather than for your own gain. I cannot simply condemn you for that."
Even in this situation, Tennoji-san was a paragon of character.
In reality, she was the type of person who wouldn't do anything to put someone else at a disadvantage. She knew how to distinguish between what needed to be said and what was better left unspoken.
"It can't be helped that you have secrets. But from now on, if there is something you cannot tell me, simply say that you cannot say it. That is what it means to be honest."
"...I understand. I won't lie to you anymore, Tennoji-san."
As I said that, a thought seemed to strike her.
"Since we’re being honest, why don't we change how we address each other? When we are alone, you may call me Mirei."
"Eh?"
"...What’s with that look? You should feel honored."
She pouted slightly.
"I shall call you Itsuki-san in return. Let that be our signal for when we are speaking to your true self."
That was actually quite convenient.
When others were around, we’d use our usual titles, and when we could relax, we’d use our personal names. Ironically, I already had a similar arrangement with Hinako, so it felt natural.
"Alright then... Mirei."
I tried calling her by her name as a test.
Immediately, her face turned a deep shade of crimson.
She fell silent, looking as if she were desperately trying to suppress her shock.
"Mirei?"
"A-Actually, let's not!"
"Wait, what?"
She toyed with a lock of her golden hair, her gaze darting away.
"I... I can't keep my composure like that. You can keep calling me what you always have. But I shall still call you Itsuki-san."
I gave a vague nod. If she was okay with that, then I was too.
"In any case, no more lies from this day forward. To keep things fair, I won't lie to you either. If there is anything you want to know, you need only ask."
"Anything? Well..."
Now that she’d offered, I couldn't think of many questions.
However, there had been one thing about her that had bugged me for a while. I hesitated, wondering if it was a good time to ask.
"...I don't really have anything."
"Your eyes just darted. I saw that."
She didn't miss my momentary hesitation.
"Honestly. Why are you being so reserved now?"
"No, it's just... I didn't think it was that important..."
"No more lies, remember? Besides, if you hold back now, it will only bother me more. Please, just say it."
"...Fine."
If she was going to be that insistent, I’d be honest.
"Your hair... you dye it, don't you?"
"─!"
A strange, sharp gasp escaped her lips the moment I asked.
"W-W-W-What an incredibly insensitive question...!"
"...Sorry. I've been curious about it for a long time."
"T-To think I would end up digging my own grave this quickly... you really are a con artist...!"
I didn't think this one was on me.
"...I do."
"Eh?"
"I dye it! Do you have a problem with that!?" she shouted, her face glowing red.
I shook my head, having no problem with it at all. Seeing that, she seemed to calm down, and the flush on her face began to fade.
"I wanted to look like the proper eldest daughter of the Tennoji family, so I’ve been dyeing my hair blonde since I was a child. My way of speaking is the same."
"Ah, so you were intentional about the tone of voice, too."
"Of course I was. And now, I’ve reached the point where I can no longer stop."
She looked at me with a complicated expression.
Knowing her as I did, it was hard to imagine a black-haired Tennoji-san speaking normally. It would probably make me worry she’d eaten something bad.
"...Let me ask one more thing."
I realized there was one more crucial point.
"Is there anyone other than you who knows I’m with the Konohana family?"
"No, just me. I handled the investigation privately. My mother was the first to suspect you, but I’ll find a way to handle her on my end."
"...I see."
I went to say thank you, but the words caught in my throat.
"Is something wrong?"
"No... I just realized that now that my identity is out, I might not be able to stay at the Academy."
"─!"
Keeping this from Hinako or Ms. Shizune wasn't an option.
I trusted Tennoji-san. I was certain she wouldn't go around spreading what she’d learned.
But Kagon-sama probably wouldn't see it that way.
As I thought about that, I noticed the look of genuine sadness on Tennoji-san’s face.
"I... I am so sorry. I was so focused on questioning you that I didn't think that far ahead."
"...No, it’s not your fault."
I corrected her immediately.
She had absolutely no responsibility for this. Because—
"I decided I didn't want to lie to you anymore, Tennoji-san."
I wasn't sure if I was managing a convincing smile.
Whether this would lead to disaster or not... I’d find out the moment I got back to the manor.
"Itsuki-san, thank you for your hard work with Tennoji-sama today."
Ms. Shizune was there to greet me when I returned.
I had a duty to report everything that happened. My heart was pounding, and I clenched my fists as I took a deep breath.
"Um... Ms. Shizune. There’s something I need to tell you."
"What a coincidence. I have something for you as well."
"Eh?"
Apparently, Ms. Shizune had business with me too.
I couldn't imagine what it was, but surely my news was more important.
"Well then, let’s hear your business first, Itsuki-san."
"...Yes."
I told her everything.
I told her that Tennoji-san had discovered my identity, and that it had been my own choice to tell her. I explained it all in detail, feeling as though I was confessing my sins.
"I didn't mention Hinako’s true nature. But other than that... I told her almost everything."
"...I see."
Ms. Shizune nodded with a solemn expression.
"I appreciate your honesty."
"...Wait, what?"
I had been bracing myself for whatever punishment was coming, so I was stunned when Ms. Shizune looked almost impressed. I stared at her, not understanding her reaction.
"Earlier, I received a phone call from Mirei Tennoji-sama. Her request was that we do not expel you."
I was floored.
"I’ve heard the basic circumstances. Mirei-sama expressed regret, saying she had been overly suspicious because she couldn't keep her cool. She insisted that the responsibility for this entire situation lies solely with her."
"That’s not..."
She must have made the call the moment we parted.
That was exactly the kind of person she was. Even as I was reeling from the news, part of me found it perfectly expected.
"She truly is the young lady of the Tennoji family. Knowing that I am aware of your status, she specifically reached out to me. She likely realized that reporting directly to Kagon-sama would have put your position at risk. I shall speak to Kagon-sama myself. Normally, this is a blunder that would get you fired instantly, but since the daughter of the Tennoji family pleaded so earnestly on your behalf, Kagon-sama cannot simply ignore it. At this point, firing you might actually create a rift with the Tennoji family."
If she hadn't called, I probably would have been fired for deceiving her. But because she had gone to such lengths to protect me, the Konohana family had concluded that firing me would actually cause more trouble than keeping me.
"You’ve been spared."
"...Yes."
"I feel some responsibility for this myself. It seems even our information control has its limits when dealing with a house like the Tennoji family. We’ll need to step up our countermeasures."
Ms. Shizune spoke with a serious expression.
Then, I noticed Hinako watching us from down the hallway.
"Hinako?"
At my call, she walked over with her usual small steps.
"What happened... with you two?"
"Actually, it seems Tennoji-sama discovered Itsuki-san's true identity."
"...Eh."
Hinako's sleepy eyes slowly widened.
"What’s going to happen to Itsuki...? Is he... going to be fired...?"
"There shouldn't be any need to worry about that," Ms. Shizune said calmly.
At that, Hinako walked right up to me and...
"Ow!"
She gave me a sharp kick in the shin.
"...Don't make me... worry like that."
"...Sorry."
I apologized as she pouted at me.
"But... how did she find out...?"
"...I decided I didn't want to lie to her anymore. Tennoji-san isn't the type of person who would use that information against someone... I decided I could trust her."
"...Hmph."
Hinako made a disgruntled sound.
"You certainly... trust her a lot."
"Yeah. But you know she’s that kind of person too, don't you, Hinako?"
"...I suppose."
She made a complicated, thinking face.
Finally, she opened her lips and said,
"...Itsuki, you idiot."
"Wait, what!?"
She turned on her heel and walked away.
I stood there, completely baffled, as I watched her go.
"M-Ms. Shizune. Does... does Hinako hate me now...?"
"No, I wouldn't say that, but..."
Ms. Shizune put a hand to her forehead and sighed.
"...I wonder what I should do."
Night fell. After finishing my usual studies before bed, I took a moment to stretch my back.
When I checked the answers for the problems I’d solved, I noticed my accuracy was lower than usual.
I hadn't been able to focus at all today.
"...I really made them worry."
Ms. Shizune, and Hinako. I felt a heavy sense of responsibility for causing them both such anxiety.
This wasn't Tennoji-san’s fault. I was the one who had lied, and I was the one who had been sloppy enough to let her catch on. It was all on me.
I was about to close my textbook when I decided to open it again.
Maybe I’ll give it one more push... Just as that thought crossed my mind, there was a knock on the door.
"...? Come in."
It was rare for anyone to visit me this late.
The door opened to reveal Ms. Shizune and Hinako.
"Hinako?"
"...Yeah."
Hinako, who seemed to have been escorted by Ms. Shizune, stepped into my room with quiet footsteps.
Ms. Shizune gave a silent nod from the doorway, then turned and left. It seemed she had only been helping Hinako get here and had no business of her own.
The door closed, leaving me alone with Hinako.
She came to my room often enough to sleep on my bed as she pleased, so I wasn't particularly nervous, but—
"So, uh, what are you here for?"
"...Nothing special."
Apparently, she didn't have any specific reason.
She didn't seem to be in a bad mood, but now that we were face to face, the events of the day came rushing back, and I bowed my head.
"I'm sorry for making you worry today."
"...Mmm."
With a small nod, she climbed onto my bed and lay down.
"If Itsuki... got fired... I'd be in trouble."
She hugged my pillow as she spoke.
If I were fired, I’d be in trouble, of course. But it wasn't just me; Hinako would be just as stuck.
I had to be more careful.
What could I do to make sure I was better prepared from now on?
"...By the way, Hinako, how do you usually handle your acting?" I asked her.
"...Why?"
"I was thinking I need to be more careful with how I carry myself from now on. You always seem so natural here, but you act like a perfect Young Lady at the Academy. I wanted to know how you make the switch, just for reference."
Once she understood the question, Hinako nodded.
She thought about it for a while before answering.
"Hmm... I don't really do anything special. It just... became part of me."
Was that how it worked?
I had half-expected some secret Konohana-style technique.
I wasn't sure if I should be impressed or saddened that she’d adapted so naturally. Had she done it of her own will... or was it just the environment she’d been raised in?
At the very least, she didn't seem to mind it.
"So, can you act like you do at the Academy right now if you wanted to?"
"Yeah... I can."
With a small nod, she slowly stood up.
I sat in my chair as she approached me.
When she was at the exact distance she would be in a classroom, she suddenly straightened her posture.
"Good morning, Tomonari-kun."
"Whoa."
Her tone, her voice, her every gesture—everything changed in a heartbeat.
I was so startled by the sudden appearance of her public Young Lady mode that she pouted at me.
"What’s with the 'whoa'...?"
"S-Sorry. It just surprised me..."
I apologized quickly to the annoyed Hinako.
The transition had been flawlessly smooth.
"You can really switch that easily..."
"Mmm. The Academy is suffocating... but I can do it here without any trouble."
It seemed playing the part here didn't carry the same burden as it did at school.
That was a relief.
"...Ah, but this isn't the Academy... so I can call you by your name."
Hinako seemed to realize something and muttered to herself.
Then, switching back into her Young Lady mode, she looked me directly in the eye.
"Good morning, Itsuki-kun."
"─!"
I felt my heart skip a beat.
She’d only called my name like she always did, yet I was completely thrown.
"Is something wrong, Itsuki-kun? You look a bit pale..."
"N-No..."
I shouldn't let it get to me.
Hinako at the Academy was under constant stress because she was forced into this role.
I absolutely shouldn't think this, but—
(The sheer impact is... overwhelming.)
It was the first time she’d ever called me by name while in that mode. It felt as though a perfect, untouchable flower from the highest peak had leaned down just for me.
In that moment, I truly understood why she was known as the "Perfect Young Lady."