Chapter 1: Ojou Gives It Her All

“I wonder what it’s like to commute by train.”

It was morning. Inside the car taking us to Tenjouin Academy, Ojou suddenly brought it up.

“Are you dissatisfied with the car service? If you have a request, please just say so. I will accommodate it immediately.”

“It’s not that, really. It’s just that some kids in my class were talking about their train commute, and it made me a little curious.”

So, in other words, her interest was piqued.

Perhaps because Ojou has such sharp intuition and is capable in so many things, she has a very curious streak. She’s easily drawn to the unknown. This time, it seems that interest was directed at ‘commuting by train’.

“…Come to think of it, you don’t usually use the train, do you, Ojou?”

“If there’s somewhere I want to go, I’m driven there. When it comes to commuting by train, I have absolutely no experience. Since I have the chance, I wonder if I should try it at least once.”

“Even if you say that… it’s not particularly interesting. As the name ‘train commute’ suggests, you just get on a train to go to school. The morning hours are especially crowded, so I imagine it would be a rather cramped experience for you.”

“Cramped?”

“It’s not just students; working adults use the trains as well. Because of that, there are more people, and depending on the time, you often can’t even get a seat.”

“Hmm. It sounds like quite the hassle, just as I’ve heard.”

“Especially on a packed train, you’re forced into close contact with others, so for you, Ojou—”

“Let’s go home by train today.”

“Were you listening to me?”

“Of course.”

“In that case, today—”

“Let’s go home by train.”

“Ojou!?”

What’s going on? Did she mishear me?

Just in case, I should probably explain it one more time.

“Ojou. I don’t think going home by train will be as pleasant as you’re expecting.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. If we get caught in the evening rush, you’ll be pressed so close to other people you won’t be able to get away easily.”

“Even if a cataclysmic event happens and the world turns upside down, we are absolutely going home by train today.”

Why…?! Why is Ojou so fixated on the train…?!

“Eito. You will ride the train with me today as well.”

“Of course, that was my intention, but… Ojou. I don’t know what you’re expecting, but please don’t push yourself too hard.”

“I’m not pushing myself at all. In fact, my chest is swelling with anticipation, so don’t you worry.”

The reason wasn’t clear, but it seemed Ojou wanted to ride the train no matter what.

This time, Ojou’s whim had certainly taken a strange turn.

…Well, that’s part of her charm. As her attendant, my job is simply to grant her wishes.

I have the route from the station near the academy to the mansion, as well as the average congestion levels for each time slot, all memorized… The weather is fine, too. All that’s left is our departure time. I’d like to adjust it to avoid the rush hour, but… that depends entirely on Ojou’s mood, so I can only pray.

As I was mentally assembling our after-school schedule, Ojou was typing a message into her phone with a very serious expression.

…That’s rare. Ojou is both multi-talented and a hard worker. Because of that, her overall specs are high, and while it might have been different in the past, she now handles most things perfectly with a cool expression (though, of course, there’s effort behind it). For her to have such a serious look on her face must mean it’s an exceptionally important matter.

I want to say something, but… I might break her concentration, so I’ll just watch over her for now.

All our classes ended without incident, and after-school arrived.

She was in such a good mood she looked like she might start humming, and she joined the students heading straight home, walking directly toward the station.

…Isn’t this the first time you’ve walked the path from the academy to the station, Ojou? She walked as if she had memorized a map beforehand and perfectly grasped the route.

“Ojou, have you walked this road before?”

“This is my first time. I’m usually in the car.”

Then why is she proceeding so smoothly without any hesitation?

Could it be that she actually studied a map and drilled it into her head…? No, no matter how interested she was in taking the train home, she wouldn’t go that far.

“Oh, it’s Eito-kun and Tendou-san.”

“What are you two doing today? You’re usually in a car, aren’t you?”

Seeing me and Ojou, who usually commute by car, walking home together must be a rare sight.

Some female students from our year called out to us.

“Hello. We decided to change things up today and go home by train.”

They’re students from the class next door, I see. We were never in the same class during our middle school days.

They don’t have a connection with Ojou, but that might change from now on.

I made sure to keep a pleasant smile that wouldn’t make them uncomfortable. I can’t be the cause of any damage to Ojou’s reputation.

“…………Uh… I-I see! Just like us, then!”

“So… why don’t you come home with us? We’d love to hear some stories from you, Eito-kun.”

“Ojou. How shall we—”

“I’m sorry. We’re in a hurry today.”

Flashing a perfect smile, Ojou grabbed my arm and started walking briskly away.

“O-Ojou? What’s the matter?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’s the matter’? What was with that smile just now?”

“My intention was to be careful not to damage your reputation, Ojou…”

“I’d rather you smash my reputation into the ground than have them act like that!”

“I can’t just smash it!?”

“Anyway, we’re hurrying! Right now! We’re getting away! From this danger zone!”

And so, after walking briskly for a while, we arrived at the station.

It wouldn’t be crowded at this time. Let alone a packed train; that would be impossible unless the heavens and earth were turned upside down. The only people here were academy students like us, likely on their way home.

“Eito. I don’t see any bento for sale anywhere.”

“You’ll only find those at major stations where the Shinkansen passes through. At the very least, they don’t sell them at a station of this size.”

“I see. I wanted to try one, so that’s a shame.”

“Let’s save it for another time. I’ll arrange it for you then.”

“No, that won’t do. I want to buy a bento at a station.”

As we were having that idle chat, the train arrived right on schedule.

The doors opened, and I entered with Ojou. As expected, the car was sparse at this time.

Other than students from our academy, there were almost no other passengers.

“Ojou, please have a seat. There are plenty available.”

“I’m fine standing.”

I couldn’t possibly sit while my master, Ojou, was standing. Inevitably, I too ended up standing in the middle of the nearly empty train car.

I hope this will satisfy Ojou’s curiosity about trains, even just a little…

As I stood by her side, swaying with the train, it stopped at the next station.

The doors opened, and people began boarding one after another from the platform… boarding?

“Hm?”

For some reason, a flood of people poured in from the station platform. While I was still trying to process it, the car became packed in an instant, and sitting was out of the question.

W-What’s going on? It’s not even rush hour, so why are there so many people…?

While at the academy, I had drilled all the information about the areas around the stations on our route home into my head.

There weren’t supposed to be any major events. At most, there were just small things like a lottery drawing or balloon giveaways…

“Oh my. It’s gotten quite packed, hasn’t it?”

“Y-Yes, it has. My apologies, Ojou. This is my mistake.”

“It’s not your mistake at all. It’s just a coincidence that so many people happened to gather in this car. You can’t possibly keep track of every single person’s movements, so there’s no need to worry about it.”

“But, to cause you such a cramped experience, Ojou…”

“I’m fine. It’s not cramped at all.”

As expected of her. Ojou wasn’t the least bit fazed by the suddenly packed train and was even smiling.

I need to learn from her. Getting flustered by a few unexpected events shows I still have a long way to go.

“Whoa…”

As the car swayed, so did the wave of people. I tried to secure as much space for Ojou as I could, but with this many people, that didn’t seem possible.

“My apologies, Ojou. Please bear with it for a little while…”

“Don’t mind it. More importantly, you don’t need to hold back. Protect me properly.”

☆

I never thought that after advancing to the high school division, a thieving cat would appear so soon.

To be honest, I was starting to panic. I had to do something. But no matter how much I thought, no good ideas came to mind… and then it hit me. It’s like they say, sometimes you can’t see what’s right in front of your nose. The answer was right there all along.

A packed train. To think I’d overlooked that option… I still have a ways to go.

Normally, one might think there’s no advantage to a packed train.

Yes. That’s right. It’s not like I enjoy riding them either.

But… what if there is an advantage to it? What if there’s an unparalleled advantage?

“Especially on a packed train, you’re forced into close contact with other people, so for you, Ojou—”

“Let’s go home by train today.”

Close contact. Yes. Physical contact might just be effective.

I don’t mean to brag, but I’m quite well-developed for my age (my chest felt a little tight just the other day).

…And what’s more, on a packed train, I can press up against him subtly, naturally, inevitably. It’s the perfect situation to make effective use of my assets. Plus, it makes me happy.

The moment I thought of it, I immediately put my plan into action.

I took out my smartphone and sent a message through the Tendou family’s exclusive app (a custom-made one I built myself, by the way). The plan came together in two seconds. All that was left was to secure the personnel. And with the power of the Tendou family, that would be a simple task.

What needed to be done was utterly simple.

All they had to do was board the train car I specified, at the time I specified. That was it.

…Well. The fact that another thieving cat appeared because Eito was uncharacteristically taking the train home was unexpected… but it’s no problem. I just have to seal the deal on this packed train.

Eito was confused when the personnel I’d arranged boarded the train, but I was satisfied. No. Not satisfied. The real battle starts now.

“My apologies, Ojou. Please bear with it for a little while…”

“Don’t mind it. More importantly, you don’t need to hold back. Protect me properly.”

“…I understand.”

Pushed by the personnel I’d arranged, the distance between Eito and me closed. Eito put his arm against the train wall to try and shield my body, but because of the crowd, our bodies ended up pressed against each other.

…Mm. Having our bodies this close is, well, a little embarrassing.

But this might be the trigger that makes Eito even slightly more aware of me.

…Fufu. Too bad for you, all you thieving cats aiming for Eito.

It looks like I’ll be declaring victory in the near future.

“Ojou, are you being crushed?”

“I’m fine. In fact, you could even get closer—”

I looked up.

-…Ah

Eito’s face was closer than I’d thought.

I felt like I was being drawn into his eyes, as beautiful as the night sky, and all the plans, the composure, everything I’d been thinking in my head went blank.

He’s close… Much closer than I thought… and this position… it’s kind of…

I’ve seen this in the dramas and manga I’ve studied for research.

It’s that thing, right? A ‘kabe-don,’ isn’t it? I can’t believe I’m getting one from Eito, even if it’s just by circumstance…

H-Huh?

My face suddenly started to feel hot. My heart is pounding, too…

“Ojou.”

“Eek…! Y-Yes, what is it?”

“Your face seems flushed. Could it be that you’re not feeling well…?”

“N-No, that’s not it! I’m fine. I’m fine, so…”

…………It seems I didn’t have a firm grasp of my own limits.

“For now… please don’t look at me so much.”

I only realized that fact after we got off the train and I found I couldn’t move.

 

Incidentally, a few days later.

I heard a rumor had circulated that Eito had protected a girl with a kabedon, and his fanbase had grown a little. I felt like punching a wall.

☆

Class 1-A of Tenjouin Academy’s High School Division.

That’s the class Ojou and I had been assigned to starting this spring.

By this point, a month after the entrance ceremony, distinct groups had already formed within the class.

Among the students, those like Ojou and me who came up from the middle school via the escalator system are called ‘internal students.’ Those who came in from the outside through entrance exams are called ‘external students,’ and the groups are mainly divided along these lines.

It’s only natural for ‘internal students’ to stick together, since they’ve known each other since middle school. In turn, ‘external students’ find it hard to break into those established circles and inevitably band together.

And one of the current issues I’m dealing with is,

Ojou doesn’t have any friends…

About a month has passed since we entered high school, but Ojou still hasn’t made a single person she could call a friend. In fact, this has been an issue since our middle school days.

It’s not that she’s being avoided by those around her. If anything, she’s the target of admiring gazes, and she responds normally if spoken to. Just the other day, some female students we didn’t know even approached us on the way home.

However, there are almost no students she is close enough with to be called a friend.

I suppose you could say she treats everyone equally, for better or worse. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, and there’s no need to force friendships, but I worry it might be narrowing her world. That’s my only concern.

“What’s with the serious face, Eito? …Don’t tell me, are you lost in thought about the sight of the girls in their gym uniforms, breaking a healthy sweat in the gym right about now? I get it. I totally get that feeling, Eito. Especially Tendou-san’s gym uniform, which must hold a violent sort of charm…”

“If you open your mouth any further, Yukimichi, go and repent for your sins.”

“You’re as scary as ever when it comes to Tendou-san…”

Brown-dyed, slightly long hair. A slender but well-proportioned body with just the right amount of muscle. If I had to compare him to something, it would be a friendly dog. His words and actions have a casualness that makes you feel like he’s slipped into your personal space before you know it.

The male student, who usually wears his uniform sloppily but is now in his gym clothes with his hands up, is Kazami Yukimichi.

Because our parents… that is, Ojou’s parents and Yukimichi’s parents, are on good terms, he’s been an acquaintance of mine and Ojou’s since childhood. In addition to his high academic ability—though not on Ojou’s level—his communication skills are so good that he’s blended in with the ‘external students’ in less than a month. He’s got high specs all around, something you wouldn’t expect from his flashy appearance.

“For you to be worrying with such a serious look on your face, it’s gotta be about Tendou-san, right?”

“…You’re as sharp as ever.”

You could call this guy one of Ojou’s friends. At the very least, they’re on good terms.

Currently, Ojou has almost no students she’s close enough with to call a friend. The ‘almost’ is because this guy is included.

“You know a lot of people, don’t you?”

“I guess. It’s not something to brag about, but I’m confident I’ll be the first to complete my collection of the ‘external’ girls’ contact info. I reckon I’ve got about a week left.”

“That’s really not something to brag about.”

“Well, if you’ve got something on your mind, just spill it. I’m pretty much the only guy you can casually talk to for advice, right?”

He’s definitely a handful, but his communication skills are not to be underestimated.

…Maybe it’s worth consulting him. If it looks like it’ll have a negative effect on Ojou, I can just put a stop to it on my end.

“Actually—”

Half-expecting it to be useless, I tell Yukimichi about my concerns.

“…I see. It’s true that Tendou-san doesn’t really have any female friends at the academy. Unless you count the ones from the same upper-class circles.”

“And even with those upper-class connections, finding a family that can rival the Tendou house is…”

“You get some who don’t know their place every now and then, though. …Well, putting that aside. I get what you’re worried about.”

“You understand?”

“I get it, but… it’s gonna be tough. Especially since she’s been on high alert recently.”

“…The reason?”

I can’t imagine this guy would declare it ‘tough’ without giving it any thought.

“Let’s see… Before that, there are a few things I’d like to confirm.”

“Confirm anything you want. When it comes to Ojou, I know pretty much everything.”

“Alright, first. A little while ago, a girl confessed to you, right?”

“She did.”

“Did you tell Tendou-san about it?”

“I did.”

“I see. That explains everything.”

“What could you possibly have understood from just that!?”

“I don’t know any man as careless as you.”

“Am I that bad…!? Did I really do something that terrible…!?”

Dammit. I don’t get it… not at all…!

What in the world did I do…!?

“By the way, there’s something I heard concerning you.”

“Me? Not Ojou?”

“That’s right. Not Tendou Hoshine, but Yagiri Eito. It’s about you. …Eito. Did you happen to walk alone through the plaza in front of the station a little while ago?”

“…I believe so. I had to do some shopping, and I remember passing through that area.”

“At that time, did you happen to see a female student being harassed by some men?”

“Ah. I saw that, yes.”

“…Did you step in and get hit by the men?”

“Don’t underestimate me. There’s no way a punch from a complete amateur could hit me. They came at me swinging without even listening, so I just lightly parried them.”

“………………………………I see.”

“…………Why are you looking up at the heavens?”

“Nah. As her childhood friend, I just feel really sorry for Tendou-san… Her guard is probably going to stay up for a while now.”

Before I could ask for the details of Yukimichi’s words, the gym teacher’s whistle echoed.

“Next batter, hurry up and get in there!”

“Hey, you’re up, Eito. Go on.”

“O-Oh…”

Unfortunately, today’s class was baseball. I had no choice but to step into the batter’s box.

Just like that, our conversation was cut off, and I missed the chance to get the details from Yukimichi.

☆

“U-Um. Tendou-san… do you have a minute…?”

Right after gym class ended and I’d changed and left the locker room, the girl called out to me. We weren’t acquainted. I didn’t even recognize her, so she was probably from another class… maybe an ‘external student.’

If I had to say one thing… yes. She’s as adorable and cute as a small animal. She probably doesn’t have a very assertive personality. It must have taken a lot of courage for her to talk to me, a stranger.

“Yes. I don’t mind. What is it?”

“I have something I’d like to give to Eito-kun…”

“…………Something you want to give him?”

Someone please praise me for not freezing up. I really don’t care who.

“Yeah. He helped me out a little while ago…”

“…I’m sorry. I’m not aware of that. Could you tell me the details?”

The girl told me everything in detail.

About how she was harassed by some men while walking through the plaza in front of the station.

How they were aggressively trying to get her to go with them, but she was too scared to get away.

How Eito appeared and saved her.

How he was cool, like a knight in shining armor… Ah, this girl seems like a bit of a dreamer. So it’s this type this time…

“Ohh—… So that’s what happened… I had no idea. Thank you for telling me.”

Yep. I really had no idea. I knew absolutely nothing about such an important event.

“So, what is it you want to give to Eito?”

“This… it’s this…”

What the girl took out was a cute pink package.

This texture… baked goods. Cookies. Probably homemade.

“This… is a thank-you gift for helping me… could you give it to Eito-kun for me?”

“…………Are you sure you don’t want to give it to him yourself?”

Again, someone please praise me for not freezing up. I really don’t care who.

“Ugh… If I see him in person, I’ll remember what happened and get embarrassed… But, I wanted to give him my thanks as soon as possible…”

“I-I see… Well then, I’ll give it to him for you.”

“Thank you so much…!”

☆

“Ojou, how was your gym class?”

“It was alright. …More importantly, here. This.”

“What is it? Cookies…?”

“A thank-you gift for helping a girl in the plaza in front of the station, apparently. Be sure to savor them.”

“Ah, from that time…”

“…Eito. We’re making a detour on the way home today.”

“I don’t mind, but… where are we going?”

“Let’s see. How about the plaza in front of the station?”

“I don’t believe there was anything new there…”

“It’s fine. We’re just going………… I can’t afford to lose.”

 

This is bad. If I’m not careful, he might suddenly drop a faint-inducing report on me one day like, “I have a girlfriend now.” I have to act, and fast. But a normal approach will just be the same as before. If I don’t change my pattern, there’s a high chance it will end in another swing and a miss. I need an unprecedented change… like borrowing someone’s help? If I’m going to do that, I want a different perspective… not a girl’s like mine, but a boy’s, like Eito’s. Moreover, someone who knows the Eito who’s with his friends, not the one who’s with me. If only I had a collaborator like that—