Chapter 3 | July 27^th

And so, with summer vacation having begun, we found ourselves at a beach in a certain place in a certain prefecture.

It’s a relatively minor spot, a small sandy beach carved out of a rias-style coastline where mountains jut out into the sea, and to top it off, the transportation access is far from convenient, so it’s not exactly swarming with beachgoers.

But on the flip side, the beauty of the sand and the high-level contrast between the blue of the sea and the green of the mountains make it a place that’s apparently used with extreme frequency for movie shoots and gravure idol photography.

“It’s the perfect balance, you see.”

The one passionately emphasizing this is none other than Miss Saeki Shizuka.

“Not too many visitors, but not too few either. If the access were just a bit better, it’d be overrun with people, and if the scenic beauty were just a bit more average, it’d be a ghost town. It’s precisely because it sits right in the middle that this miraculous beach was born—that’s what I believe.”

The assistant homeroom teacher of Class 2-A at St. Liliana Academy—or rather, in this context, perhaps it’s better to say the owner family of the beachside café ‘Shirahama,’ where we’ll be working—anyway, Saeki-sensei, with her sharp and dignified beauty softened by a smile, proudly extolled the virtues of her hometown to us.

“No kidding, I completely agree.”

At that, our student council president, Nikaidō Arashi, nodded enthusiastically and said,

“It’s neither steeped in vulgarity nor desolate. What a beach needs is exactly this kind of moderation. Man, we really lucked out. Who’d have thought that Saeki-sensei’s family would be running a beachside café in such a perfect location?”

“Oh, no, the thanks should really come from me.”

Sensei chuckled lightly and continued,

“This year, the recruitment for part-timers didn’t go so well, you see. Just when we were short on help, you all came forward with your wonderful offer.”

“Oh, not at all! For us, it was a godsend, really,” Nikaidō replied. “Finding a job in such a great location is pretty much unthinkable under normal circumstances. And on top of that, with Sensei’s family as our employer, there couldn’t be a more reliable job out there. Truly, thank you for accepting our offer.”

“No, no, that’s my line,” Sensei said. “Unlike other schools, ours actually encourages part-time work, you know. And if it’s under the supervision of a teacher, there’s no room for delinquent behavior. Plus, if you’re willing to help out with our family business for modest pay, I have no reason to refuse. And to top it all off, every single one of you is a stunning beauty. I’m certain our sales will double this year.”

“We’ll do our best to live up to your expectations!”

And so, the president and Saeki-sensei laughed heartily together, exchanging cheerful banter.

Indeed, it was quite a stroke of luck.

Being able to work under the official approval of a teacher is as safe and secure as it gets, and we can expect a certain degree of flexibility in emergencies. As long as you don’t mind the low hourly wage, you’d be hard-pressed to find a whiter-collar job than this.

If there’s one thing that concerns me, it’s that the personalities of the president and Sensei overlap a little too much… but, well, that’s fine, right? I’m probably the only one who’d even notice something like that.

Oh, right, speaking of which.

If there’s one other thing that concerns me,

“Hey, Shizuka, I’m fine with you putting the student council kids to work, but please refrain from overworking Akito-kun, okay? He needs to prioritize my manu—er, I mean, the work he’s doing with me.”

“Sorry, Kaoruko, but you’ll need to discuss that directly with Himenokōji Akito, not me. As low as the pay may be, if he’s going to work and live at ‘Shirahama,’ he’ll need to do work commensurate with his compensation.”

“Just a little bit is fine, just a little! If you could just lighten his workload even slightly compared to the others, Akito-kun would have time to dedicate to my work!”

“Well, I wouldn’t know anything about that. As someone on the management side hiring him, my job is to use him as efficiently as possible.”

“Don’t say that! Aren’t we friends!?”

“Unfortunately, sometimes money trumps friendship. Our family business isn’t exactly thriving, you know, and while we’ve been friends for a long time, I can’t just bend the rules for you.”

“Muuuuhhh!~”

…Exactly.

My editor, Jinno Kaoruko-san, is also accompanying us on this occasion. Apparently, she’s taking advantage of her accumulated paid leave to stay at a friend’s house while simultaneously putting in extra effort to collect my manuscripts.

And as you can tell from the exchange just now, Saeki-sensei and Jinno-san are old acquaintances, both being graduates of St. Liliana Academy. What a strange twist of fate—connections are such a curious thing, aren’t they? The world feels vast yet oddly small at times.

But, uh… to think she’d come all the way out here just to chase me for work makes me a bit nervous, especially since it feels like the nature of my job might get exposed. Well, I guess there’s no helping it. I’ve been dragging out deadlines, and on top of that, I’m doing a live-in part-time job like this, so of course my editor would be on edge. I’m truly sorry from the bottom of my heart.

“Work starts tomorrow.”

Saeki-sensei said, holding back Jinno-san, who was still trying to press her case.

“Your rooms are already prepared, so take today to rest up thoroughly. You won’t be able to do good work if you’re still tired from the trip, after all.”

◆◆◆

Saeki-sensei’s family home was built on a scenic hill a short distance from the beach.

The house, which doubled as a guesthouse, was surprisingly grand for an old mansion, and I heard that the Saeki family used to be the headmen and landowners of this entire area. That certainly explains why they own such an impressive estate.

By the way, we’re not just working at the beachside café; we’ll also be helping out at this guesthouse. It’s the peak season right now, the busiest time of the year, so it looks like we’ll really need to roll up our sleeves and get to work.

We were welcomed by Saeki-sensei’s parents (a surprisingly gentle and mild-mannered couple—what a shock), exchanged brief greetings, and just as I thought our group could finally catch a breather—

A small problem came up.

“We could only prepare one large room.”

Saeki-sensei shrugged apologetically.

“Basically, you’ll all have to sleep together in one big room. I know you’re all from prestigious families, so I feel a bit bad about this… but, well, that alone isn’t a huge issue. The real problem is—”

She glanced at me and continued,

“There’s a single male student mixed in with the group. As much as I’d like to, I can’t exactly let boys and girls of your age—especially students of our school—sleep in the same room. I could prepare something like an attic or a storage shed, but that would be a bit pitiful—”

“Oh, no, Sensei, what are you saying?”

Akiko said with a bright smile,

“There’s no need to hesitate. Of course Onii-chan should sleep in the big room with everyone else. It wouldn’t do to exclude him alone. And if it were a proper separate room, that’d be one thing, but an attic or a storage shed? As his little sister, I absolutely cannot allow that.”

“I’ll admit it’s our fault as the employer for not preparing adequately. However, I’m also a teacher in charge of student guidance at St. Liliana Academy, so I have to nip any potential trouble in the bud.”

“Oh, come now, Saeki-sensei, what are you saying?”

The president stepped forward and added,

“Everyone here is a member of the student council, the elite of the prestigious St. Liliana Academy, right? Even Takanomiya Arisa, young as she is, serves as the dorm manager. We’re all in positions where we need to set an example for others. There’s no way—not in a million years—that any mistakes would happen.”

“Exactly, just as the president says! I, Himenokōji Akiko, swear to God that I’ll do my utmost to ensure no mistakes happen. So please, rest assured and let us all stay in the same room!”

“…The two I trust the least are precisely you two, though?”

Saeki-sensei gave them a skeptical look and said,

“Himenokōji (Akiko) is a genuine brocon, and Nikaidō is the ultimate pervert. I can’t imagine nothing happening if you two sleep in the same room as Himenokōji (Akito.”

“Ehehe, flattery won’t get you anywhere, Sensei.”

“Exactly. What are you trying to make us do by buttering us up like that?”

“I’m not flattering or buttering anyone up, you idiots. In any case, as long as you two are around, I can’t guarantee Himenokōji (Akito)’s safety.”

“You say that, Sensei, but we all live under the same roof in the student dorms, you know. And, regrettably, Onii-chan and I still haven’t had our first night together, which is a proven track record. Don’t you think it’s odd to make a fuss about it now?”

“Besides, Sensei, you’ve got the wrong idea about me. Sure, I’ve got a thing for good-looking guys and gals, but I can read the room, you know? For starters, sneaking around in a big shared room under everyone’s noses isn’t my style. If I’m going to do it, I’d pick a time and place where I can do it openly and boldly, wouldn’t I?”

“Even if you say that…”

Sensei then turned her attention to Nasuhara-san and Ginbei,

“You two have been acting all aloof and disinterested this whole time, but what about you? Surely you’re not thinking of taking advantage of this situation to do something to Himenokōji(Akito), are you?”

“I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, Sensei.”

Nasuhara-san tossed her hair and snorted,

“I can understand Himenokōji-san and the president being treated that way, but why on earth should I be lumped in with them? If anything, I’d rather actively object to Akki sleeping in the same room as us. But, well, he is our comrade, even if he’s just a lowly one, so I do intend to make things as convenient as possible for him so he doesn’t end up sleeping in an attic or storage shed.”

“I agree with Nasuhara-kun’s opinion.”

Ginbei raised both hands in a gesture of agreement,

“Of course, as Akito’s best friend, I’ll act in ways that benefit him as much as possible. But to be suspected of having ulterior motives beyond that is, I must say, extremely regrettable. If you insist on casting suspicion, I’d like you to provide appropriate evidence.”

“Well, when you put it in terms of evidence, I suppose I don’t have any…”

Saeki-sensei grimaced,

“This might not be something a teacher should say, but I just can’t seem to trust you all when it comes to this particular matter. Of course, I have no concerns about your abilities, and outside of this issue, I actually trust you all immensely, but…”

I understand, Sensei, I thought to myself.

As expected of someone in the student guidance department. You’ve got good instincts.

Of course, there’s no way I could say this out loud, not even if my mouth were torn open… the fact that there’s something like the “right to sleep naked with me” that actually exists and holds real power.

“In that case, how about I help out?”

The one who spoke up was Kaoruko-san.

“I was supposed to sleep in the same room as Shizuka, but if I sleep with Akito-kun and the others instead, wouldn’t that solve the problem?”

“…You, Kaoruko?”

“Yes, exactly. I may not look it, but I’m much older than everyone here, you know. If I take on the role of supervisor, nothing outrageous will happen. And since everyone here is technically my adorable juniors, that kind of work wouldn’t trouble me in the slightest. I’ll even give up my paid leave to step up!”

“Ah, um, sure. Maybe some other time.”

“Hey, what’s with that, Shizuka? Why are you making such a weird face?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’s with that’?”

Saeki-sensei’s grimace deepened as she said,

“You’re a good friend and plenty capable, but you’ve got a certain… airheadedness, shall we say. Honestly, I don’t think you’re at all suited for this kind of job.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You can’t trust me, your longtime friend?”

“There’s a difference between trusting someone and using them appropriately, Kaoruko. From the perspective of putting the right person in the right job, this isn’t your moment to shine.”

“Muu… Fine, how about this, then? If you, Shizuka, sleep in the big room with everyone else, that would solve the problem, wouldn’t it?”

“Sorry, I’ll have to decline.”

“Why not!?”

“Why not, you say? Why should I have to go through such trouble even after coming back to my family home? Besides, our school’s tradition is to value the independence of students. It’s not commendable for a teacher to stick their nose in more than necessary.”

“Then the matter’s settled, isn’t it? The conclusion’s already been reached.”

“…Well, I suppose so…”

With a deep sigh,

“Fine, no choice, then. Including Himenokōji(Akito), everyone will stay in the big room.”

“Got it, understood!”

“A natural outcome, indeed!”

The president and Akiko nodded triumphantly, but Saeki-sensei interjected with a stern, “However,”

“Depending on the availability of guest rooms, we should be able to free up one more room. In that case, we’ll move Himenokōji(Akito) there, so keep that in mind.”

“…Which means the opportunities won’t be that many, huh.”

After confirming that Saeki-sensei and Jinno-san had left, the president licked her lips and said,

“If we don’t know when a room might open up, the window of opportunity could be just one day, or maybe two… Either way, if we’re going to act, sooner is better than later.”

“I won’t let you, President. Onii-chan’s chastity is destined to be taken by none other than me, Himenokōji Akiko.”

“Kukuku… To think you’d dare challenge me, the one they call the Predator? Not bad guts you’ve got there. How about a contest, then? Let’s see who can claim your dear brother first.”

“I accept your challenge. This is a perfect opportunity to prove that I, who truly loves Onii-chan, am the embodiment of absolute justice.”

“…Um, if that’s the case, should I just sleep somewhere else starting tonight?”

“Hahaha, kidding, kidding!”

“Exactly, Onii-chan, don’t take it seriously!”

The president and Akiko tried to laugh it off with obviously forced smiles.

“Alright, then, let’s rest up properly today to prepare for work starting tomorrow!”

“First, let’s decide the order of the futons! Naturally, Onii-chan and I should be next to each other—”

“I can’t fathom what’s so ‘natural’ about that. Do you really think we’d approve of an arrangement that actively encourages incest?”

“Exactly. If anyone’s going to sleep next to Akito, it should be me, his best friend. After all, Akito and I have slept side by side before. In terms of experience and precedent, it’s only fitting.”

“Um, uh, Arisa would also like to sleep next to Akito-niisama, if possible! This time, I’ll absolutely make sure not to strip in my sleep!”

Watching everyone get as excited as if this were the first day of a school trip, I let out an inward sigh.

Our employment period is set to last about two to three weeks until the Obon holiday, but I can’t help but wonder if we’ll be able to get through it all peacefully without incident… Feeling anxious yet determined to hold it together as the only guy in the group, I mentally prepared myself in more ways than one.