Chapter 2 - The Road to a Proposal

Chapter 2: The Road to a Proposal

“Kyaaaahhh~!”

A high-pitched scream echoed through the Gouzanji house.

Kouta, who was buried in a pile of pocket tissues, opened his sleepy eyes.

(…There is a beautiful blonde girl in my house…?)

Kouta knew that he lived alone with his father.

But in the morning sunshine shining into the house, there is a girl with hair that looks like melted honey.

In a state of panic, she is turning over the contents of her suitcase. Every time she moves, the tips of her twin-tailed hair twitch and dance.

(Oh right, Dad’s chosen fiancée for me… I had a party with Chris last night and she stayed at my house…)

Now that he had an explanation for Chris’s presence, Kouta tried to fall asleep again.

He was about to fall asleep again when he felt a tremor shake his body.

“Kouta, wake up! There’s a problem!”

“Uuughh… I’m awake…”

“You’re not fully up! It’s important, my wallet is missing!”

(Wallet…)

The wad of cash Kouta had seen last night flashed through his mind.

“What────!? What do you mean you don’t have a wallet!?”

Chris was surprised to see Kouta get up from the pile of pocket tissues.

Kouta had woken up in an instant. He grabbed Chris by the shoulders with a fierce intensity.

“Hey, where’d you put your wallet?”

“Well, I put it under my pillow with my phone…”

Kouta left the fuming Chris alone and stood in the Japanese-style room.

Last night, he had Chris sleep here. The cloth futon was in disarray. An opened suitcase. There were Kouta’s and Tetsuji’s personal belongings around, but it was easy to tell when a wallet was placed there.

The wallet with the wad of cash was gone.

“…Just so you know, I didn’t go into the Japanese-style room while you were sleeping. I swear to you. I’m innocent! If you want, you can search the whole house!”

“I know that! This is outrageous. Do you really think I’m going to suspect you, Kouta?”

“Because last night it was only you and me in this house! The only thing I can think of is that I stole your wallet─”

As he was about to say this, Kouta’s eyes landed on the balcony.

The pot of small green onions that he uses when he needs a condiment had fallen over. In addition, the balcony was unlocked.

“…Chris, did you open the balcony?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“All right, call 110 right now.”

Kouta picked up the phone lying on the side of the pillow and pushed it to Chris.

“We’ve been robbed.”

The police would be coming to Gouzanji’s house soon.

Kouta left the burglary to Chris and went to school. Today was a weekday. It was a weekday, so even if his fiancée suddenly appeared or a thief stole a large sum of money, high school was still on as usual.

Still, at first, Kouta wanted to wait for the police with Chris because the security at the Gouzanji house was practically non-existent. He couldn’t help but feel responsible.

However,

“I’ll take care of this. Kouta, go to school.”

Chris put her hands on her hips and refused to budge.

“I’m the one who had my wallet stolen, there’s no need for Kouta to be late for school.”

“But your damage is worse than mine─”

”You know what,” Chris interrupted Kouta.

“Kouta, what was our relationship?”

As she said this, Chris pointed to the refrigerator.

There was a notepad from yesterday. I couldn’t help but read it.

“…Engagement Breakup Alliance.”

“Yes, that’s right. Our goal is to end the engagement. There is nothing more important than that.”

Chris held up her index finger.

“If we want to end the engagement, we have to make Kouta’s proposal work. If you’re late for school, then you’ll have less time to spend with your girlfriend. That’s not good for us. Do you understand?”

Kouta had no choice but to go to school.

Kouta changed into his uniform and put on his shoes.

“I’m off, then. Call me if anything happens.”

“Yeah, have a good day.”

Chris stood in the doorway to see him off.

But Kouta did not open the door for a long time. Chris tilted her head against his hesitating back.

“Kouta?”

“…I bought a wooden sword on a school trip when I was in elementary school.”

He could see Chris twitching behind him.

“The one with ‘Nikko’ engraved on it. It’s in the closet on the top right.”

“Well, um, why are you talking… about that right now?”

Chris seemed to be trying hard to hold back a gush.

”If,” Kouta said in a strong voice.

“If you’re alone and a suspicious person comes, use it. It’s better than nothing. Also, if you want to run away, leave my house and go left. There’s a shopping street on the left where you can get help.”

When Kouta turned around, Chris was in a daze.

“…Oh, are you… worried about me, Kouta…?”

“Of course I am! They’ve already snuck into my house. There’s no guarantee that the culprit won’t mistake us for a wealthy family and come back when they see the wad of cash.”

“That’s true, but Kouta, a wooden sword is…”

Perhaps she couldn’t take it anymore, “Fufufu”, Chris’ shoulders began to shake.

Oh, my God! Kouta racked his brains; even Kouta was embarrassed by the fact that he had bought a wooden sword as a souvenir.

“Anyway, I’ve told you where the sword is! Seriously, be careful!”

Kouta put his hand on the door, spouting the words like a throw-away line.

And then, “Kouta”, a voice can be heard.

“Thank you. Have a safe day.”

Chris looked through the door and squinted happily.

◆◆◆

The door to Gouzanji’s house slammed shut, and Kouta’s footsteps drifted away. When she couldn’t hear them anymore, Chris sat down slack-jawed.

“Haa~, what should I do…? I love him… I love Kouta so much──!!!”

Her heart was beating fast. She couldn’t stop the grin on her face.

Her heart, which had just discovered love, was running wild today as well.

(I didn’t think that Kouta would be so worried about me… The fact that he wanted to wait for the police with me means that he was worried that I might be attacked? Kouta, were you going to protect me from the thugs when the time comes? If that happens, Kouta would be so cool that I might die from ecstasy─)

Chris collapsed with a puff of steam coming from her face. The kitchen floor was cold and comfortable.

She wondered why he was so kind.

To Kouta, Chris is, shall we say, a “distraction”. If it weren’t for her fiancée Chris, Kouta wouldn’t be scrambling to break off the engagement. If something happened to Chris after the robbery, it would be a good reason to break off the engagement.

“Ahhh~, I love Kouta so much, but I can’t believe I have to send him off to school with her girlfriend─!”

“…Good grief. Why did you form an alliance to break off your engagement?”

A shadow fell in the room.

Where did it appear from? The jet-black maid was standing on the balcony, blocking the morning sun. It was as if night had fallen only there.

“…I suspect that encouraging a proposal to a third party will only strangle you, young lady.”

Hozuki advised with cold eyes.

Chris pulled herself upright and cleared her throat with a cough.

“Then, what other choice did I have not to form the ‘Engagement Breakup Alliance’?”

If they did not form an alliance─

“Kouta’s heart is currently with his girlfriend. No matter how much I try to appeal to him, he’ll probably keep me away because he has a girlfriend.”

Kouta is sincere. Because he’s sincere, he doesn’t actively try to get along with other girls since he has a girlfriend.

When he first found out that he was moving in with Chris, he wanted to move out of the house. Living with his fiancée, as decided by his parents, was unethical for him. However, when Chris became his ally instead of his fiancée, his guard was lowered considerably.

“I have to get Kouta to like me,” he said. That requires us to spend time together, right? Since Kouta didn’t fall in love with me at first sight, we’ll have to build a relationship steadily.”

“…In other words, the ‘Engagement Breakup Alliance’ is just an excuse to be with Kouta?”

“Yes. It’s not enough to just be together. We have to work together towards a common goal. It is a joint effort. That’s what’s important.”

Being in the same space in a random way will not change the relationship between two people. However, if there is a common goal, the result will be different.

It’s just like when a classmate you’ve never talked to before becomes a member of the same team at a school event, you start to interact with them more and more, and you instantly become friends.

“This is why I’ve decided to create the ‘Engagement Breakup Alliance’. As an ally, I can get close to Kouta, who has a girlfriend. I’ll even work with him to make him aware of my charms.”

Even if it means encouraging Kouta and her girlfriend to get together.

The more Chris gets closer to Kouta, the more she will be able to catch up and surpass her.

“I understand your thoughts… But if Kouta Gouzanji-san finds out about the incident, the plan will be─”

“That’s why we have to keep the matter away from Kouta until the very end.”

The jet-black maid and the blonde girl exchanged glances thoughtfully.

Haa~, Chris narrowed her eyes gloomily.

“The world is cruel. You can’t choose who you fall in love with.”

Because she couldn’t choose, she fell in love with Kouta, who already had a girlfriend.

But this is her first love.

It’s not the kind of love that you can give up on just because the other person has a girlfriend.

The intercom rang. Chris looked away for a moment and saw that Hozuki had disappeared.

Chris made an apologetic face and opened the door.

“I’m sorry, sir. It’s about my wallet being stolen, isn’t it? I searched carefully and found it. It seems that I was mistaken.”

＊＊＊

After nearly an hour of riding the crowded train, Kouta finally arrived at the school.

Tokiwa Central High School is a medium-sized prefectural high school. It has a long tradition, but there is nothing special about it, and in recent years, when the birth rate is declining, the school is struggling to secure enough students. The school seems to be trying to differentiate itself by attracting students who excel in one skill or another, but it is difficult to say that their attempts are going well.

The banners hanging on the school building show, at best, a sixth place finish in the prefectural tournament. A truly great student normally wouldn’t enter a school with no track record─.

Kouta walked through the school gates and surrendered himself to the flow of the sleepy students.

“I’ve always loved you, Tojo-san. Please go out with me!”

He heard an incomprehensible line of dialogue.

Kouta ran as if he had been hit by a bullet.

A crowd of people had gathered at the scene. Pushing his way through the thick wall of students, Kouta managed to get to a position where he could see the two in the center.

The moment he saw her, his heart skipped a beat.

She had waist-length, glossy black hair. Her white skin shining in the morning sunlight. Her quiet demeanor was full of grace. Her beauty, including her lack of facial expressions, was as complete as a doll’s. He thought that the term “Yamato Nadeshiko” was meant for her.

Also, her overwhelmingly ample breasts, which could be seen even when she was wearing her school uniform, were amazing. One of the boys in the class said that she was estimated to be a G-cup.

Kouta’s girlfriend, Hisame Tojo, was in the middle of the crowd.

The other guy seemed to be a senior. He was taller than Kouta and had waxed his hair.

Kouta unconsciously clenched his fists.

He was tempted to jump out of his skin and say that Hisame was his girlfriend.

The fact that Kouta and his girlfriend were dating was a secret between the two of them.

In the chilly morning air, a crowd of people were watching, gasping with bated breath.

Kouta’s hands were sweating as well, when Hisame opened her mouth.

“You’re in my way.”

A voice that felt like it was at absolute zero sounded scary.

It can be seen that some of the people in the crowd were trembling physically.

Hisame looked straight at the senior. It’s a good thing that Kouta doesn’t know how much killing power the rejection gaze from her beautiful eyes has.

“I refuse to have a relationship with you. Please don’t ever speak to me again.”

Hisame said firmly and headed for the entrance. The crowd quickly broke apart to make way for her.

The dejected senior didn’t seem to have the energy to cling to Hisame. There was an air of pity and resignation in the air. “You’re relentless today too, Tojo-san,” and “I bet you don’t care about us…” the boys lamented.

Kouta let out a deep sigh of relief.

How many times has this happened? How many times has he witnessed her girlfriend being confessed to?

Every time she did this, Kouta felt uncomfortable. This kind of pressure is also a part of going out with the school’s unreachable flower.

Kouta walked into the classroom, greeted the boys sitting near him, and quickly spread out pocket tissues on his desk. He was so tired that he had fallen asleep last night, so he hadn’t finished his part-time job.

He glanced at Hisame, who was in the same class as him, and saw that she had a hardcover book open in her seat, as usual. The title of the book was “Nash Equilibrium and Pareto Efficiency in Microeconomics.” Hisame was probably the only student in the school who could understand the book.

A boy in his class talked to Hisame. He seemed to be talking about a popular drama he watched last night. The boy seemed to be trying to get her attention somehow.

Hisame looked up from her book.

“I don’t know anything about that drama.”

Hisame’s tone was stern, as if to say, “Don’t talk to me.”

The boys, feeling uncomfortable, slunk back. The other boys who were watching consoled him by saying, “Don’t mind it.”

It was difficult to get Hisame’s attention. Even if you want to get close to her, you can’t usually get close to her.

Kouta was relieved and went back to work on his part-time job.

By forming an alliance to break off the engagement, Kouta got a sponsor named Chris, but he was only borrowing money to pay for the date.

(I wonder what happened to the thief… will Chris be okay?)

It was while he was thinking about this that he was putting the advertisement paper between the tissues.

“Gouzanji, Gouzanji.”

Whispered in an urgent tone.

Kouta said, “Hmm?” and then turned his head. The boy in the nearby seat looked tense, indicating the front with only his gaze.

He followed it and gulped for breath.

Hisame was standing in front of him. Kouta wondered how long she had been there.

Her perfect good looks were expressionless. Her eyes, frozen like the night sky in the middle of winter, are fixed on Kouta.

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice you, Tojo-san!”

Kouta stood up immediately. The chair collapsed and made a clattering sound.

Hisame said in a clerical voice to Kouta, who was motionless.

“It’s the job of the class president.”

I’m sorry, my memory is terrible and I don’t know what Tojo-san meant by ‘class president’.”

“I just met with the teacher and she wants us to bring in a set of desks and chairs from the resource room before HR.”

“I understand. Let’s go to the resource room, shall we!?”

Hisame nodded and walked off on her own, and Kouta hurried after her.

As they walked down the corridor, Kouta noticed how famous Hisame was in the school. Every student they passed was looking at her. Their gazes were filled with respect and curiosity.

(That’s expected because Tojo-san is a true genius…)

Truly great students don’t enter schools with poor track records, but there are exceptions.

That is the genius that is Hisame Tojo.

She entered Harvard University when she was only twelve years old and graduated when she was fourteen. She got a degree in mathematics and went on to study for her doctorate, but when she came back to Japan, for some reason, she was admitted to Tokiwa Central High School. Incidentally, her entrance exam result was the first time since the school opened that she got a perfect score in all subjects. She is now the top student in their grade.

In addition to being a genius, she is also a good-looking girl. She was the center of attention for all the boys in the school, and there was no shortage of people who wanted to confess their feelings for her. Hisame is also quite harsh with them, so she reigns as a high flower that no one can reach.

(I still can’t believe that she’s my girlfriend…)

While Kouta was lost in emotion, they arrived at the resource room. In the dusty room, there were some extra desks, chairs, and lockers lying around.

Kouta was about to grab one of the desks when,

“…… Gouzan Zanji-kun.”

The voice sounded hesitant.

In the room where the two of them were alone, Hisame was squirming. Her aura of being unapproachable is gone.

When she’s alone with Kouta, she lets her guard down. Kouta was convinced that Hisame understood his respect for her, as she had been doing so since before they started dating.

“Last night, why did you send me that line…?”

Kouta’s eyes widened when he was asked.

(I sent her a rude line yesterday because of Chris─!)

“Please forgive me, Tojo-san!”

Kouta vigorously folded his back 90 degrees. A cold sweat broke out all over his body.

“It’s a miscommunication! I was supposed to send a polite message like I usually do, but my hand accidentally hit the line and it just became a short message─”

“I don’t mind that the text was short.”

“…Huh?”

“I think it’s better than the usual formal lines.”

(Oh, seriously…?)

Kouta was mildly shocked to find out that Chris was right and that his appeal method was disappointing.

“My question is, why did you doubt our relationship status?”

If your lover suddenly asks you, “We’re still together, aren’t we?”, anyone would be suspicious of it.

Ah-… then, Kouta looked around.

Hisame stared at Kouta, not wanting to miss even the slightest movement. It’s a very intimidating feeling when someone stares at you with a very well-formed face. Kouta managed to squeeze his voice out.

“I was told by a third party… I’ve been going out with you for two months and we haven’t dated yet, so I thought we weren’t dating anymore.”

“That’s unnecessary.”

Hisame raised her eyebrows in displeasure, and Kouta panicked.

“No, you see, I’ve been wondering why we haven’t dated in two months…”

“We are who we are. We can choose how we want to be in our relationship.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too! We should just go at our own pace!”

Kouta cut to the chase after seeing that Hisame’s eyebrows had returned to normal.

“So, you know, Tojo-san… can’t we tell anyone about our relationship─?”

“That’s pointless.”

The answer was immediate.

“What will you do if word of our relationship gets around the school?”

“What would I do… isn’t it okay? I don’t mind, but─”

“No way.”

The voice was filled with strong pressure. He immediately said, “Yes, I’m sorry!” because he couldn’t handle it.

(Tojo-san, I guess you don’t like rumors about me that much…)

He’s a little shocked, but it can’t be helped.

Hisame is the most talented and charming person he had ever met. Kouta, on the other hand, is just plain ordinary. He knows perfectly well that they are mismatched.

But as a lover, he had something to say.

“But you know, Tojo-san… you got confessed to again this morning, and I think if people knew that Tojo-san had a boyfriend, there would be fewer boys confessing to you.”

“Why is it necessary to reduce the number?”

“I’m worried about it! I hate it when I see Tojo-san being confessed to. It’s kind of like… Tojo-san is going to be taken by someone else…”

Kouta’s words were muffled as he revealed his inferiority complex.

Hisame watched him quietly. Curiously, she paused for a moment.

“No matter who confesses to me, I will refuse. It’s just as you saw this morning.”

“But you accepted my confession! There’s no way you’d turn down everyone’s confession!”

“I will correct myself. From now on, no matter who confesses to me, I will refuse.”

“Wha!? From now on, you’re going to refuse all confessions… which means that Tojo-san will forever be my girlfriend…?”

That’s when Kouta said it.

Hisame’s face turned red like it was boiling.

Hisame, who turned her head to the side, was spouting nonsensical words, “…Err, you see… Umm… that’s the… uhh… you know…” She was fiddling with her fingers and seemed to be in distress.

“Umm, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to embarrass you! I didn’t mean to say ‘forever’, yeah.”

“…I-I and Gouzanji-kun will forever… forever… uuuu~…”

Hisame says in a mosquito-like voice, whispering.

As Kouta’s ears perked up,

“I-I didn’t say anything!”

With a gush of steam, Hisame cut off the conversation. She grabbed a chair and ran out of the resource room.

The only thing left behind was the very nice smell of shampoo.

Kouta held the desk, not knowing what Hisame thought of him, but he hoped that he would always be her lover.

A set of desks and chairs were brought into the classroom.

Kouta didn’t understand the meaning of this when he went to the materials room.

It was only when the morning HR started and the homeroom teacher said, “I’m going to introduce the new student,” that he realized what she meant.

Then the new student walked into the classroom.

She was a beautiful girl with twin-tailed blond hair.

“Nice to meet you all, I’m Christina Westwood. I’m from Las Vegas. Everyone, take care of me, okay?☆.”

The classroom was filled with deafening cheers and excitement at the appearance of a celebrity they had seen on TV.

Amidst all this, only Kouta was shouting in a different way.

“Wha─────!?”

He didn’t know that they were supposed to go to the same high school. He hadn’t heard anything about it.

Chris was fully dressed in his high school uniform. She even had a stylish cardigan peeking out from under her blazer, making her look like a modern day JK. [TLN: JK = Joshi Kousei, female high school student.]

She is a model, so her proportions are excellent. Her breasts are firm and assertive, and her waist is so narrow that it’s hard to believe she’s eating pizza and cake at the same time. Her long legs stretched out from her short pleated skirt, attracting the attention of the entire classroom.

Chris walked gracefully between the desks and took the seat that Kouta and the others had brought in.

She smiled at Kouta, who was sitting next to her.

“Nice to meet you, neighbor-san.”

“…Oh, nice to meet you too.”

Seriously, what’s going on?

The morning HR was over and the first period class started without a moment’s delay.

『Kouta, you’re too surprised! You should have known that I was going to transfer to a new school.』

While the teacher was writing on the board, Chris began to take notes. They were seated close to each other while he showed her his textbook. It’s easy for him to show her his notes.

『I had no idea! I never heard a word about you transferring schools.』

『Why did you think I drove to the school yesterday?』

『Ah─! Even if you ask me, I don’t know! So why!?』

『I was picking up my uniform.』

“Let’s try the next problem, Gouzanji-kun.”

He was freaked out by the sudden call.

As Kouta was panicking, Chris secretly told him the answer. He was saved from English grammar class. He whispered, “Thank you,” and got a wink in return.

『So, what happened with the thief? Did you find your wallet?』

Chris gave a small shrug of her shoulders.

『No clue, you see. The police will just contact us if they find it.』

『Oy, oy, there’s a lot of money at stake here! Are the police searching with a sense of urgency!?』

『Honestly, I don’t care about the cash.』

『You rich bastard.』

『The problem is, I don’t even have my credit cards or ID which I had in my wallet.』

『In short!?』

『I can’t stay in a hotel, I’ll have to stay in Kouta’s house.』

“Eh─?”

He shouted, and Kouta hurriedly coughed and cleared his throat to cover it up.

『Huh? Isn’t that a bad thing if my girlfriend finds out about it?』

『You can’t tell your girlfriend that we’re living together. Don’t tell your classmates either, because you never know where they might leak it.』

『You want me to hide something from my girlfriend!? I’m not confident on that!』

『And that’s why I’m sorry. I can’t lend you money for dates for a while. You’ll have to earn it yourself.』

Sponsorship terminated!

As soon as recess came, Chris was surrounded by a pile of classmates.

She’s a transfer student and a celebrity. Chris seemed to be treating her classmates in an affectionate manner.

As Kouta listened to her while working on her part-time job,

“Hey, I was just told by the teacher to ask the class rep to show me around the school, who is the class rep?”

Chris said in a clear voice.

A pile of students cracked open to show Kouta.

“Class rep-san, show me around the school building.”

The tone of voice was commanding. Kouta stopped his part-time job.

“In that case, I’ll go”

As soon as Chris got up from her seat, her classmates seemed to have no choice but to disperse. When Kouta was leading Chris out of the room,

His arm was pulled firmly.

“!?”

“Hey, why are we trying to leave with the two of us only, Kouta?”

Chris’ lips were close to him. Her breath grazed his ear, but that tickle of the breath was more than enough to make him wonder what Chris meant.

“Where’s the girls’ class rep? I’m providing the opportunity for us to work together.”

He realized.

“You… don’t tell me, you’re doing this for…?”

“If Kouta wants to go on a date with me alone on campus, I’d be happy to go along.”

Fufun~, Chris lifted her chin.

“No, I’m─”

“I’m just kidding.”

Chris pushed Kouta’s back with both hands, saying, “Here, let’s go!” She was so strong that Kouta was on his knees.

“Hurry up and ask the other class rep to join us!”

When he thought about it, he thought he had told Chris that Kouta and Hisame were on the class rep. If that was the case, the reason she asked, “Who’s on the class council?” in a deliberate manner.

Prompted by his trusty ally, Kouta looked at Hisame’s seat.

Hisame was reading a book.

“No, I can’t. I’m afraid to interrupt Tojo-san’s reading.”

“Huhh!? What do you mean you’re afraid?”

“Listen, Tojo-san is a genius. She’s a genius, and she reads, and she gets smarter and smarter, and that’s how humanity─”

“But she’s Kouta’s girlfriend, isn’t she?”

Shhh, Kouta put his index finger to his mouth. He looked around, but no one seemed to have heard what Chris had said.

“That’s a real top secret!”

“Oh, so it’s a secret? Why is that?”

“Tojo-san and I are not a good match. Tojo-san’s reputation would be tarnished if word got out about me.”

Chris raised an eyebrow, “What’s up with that?”

“Then why is she going out with Kouta? I don’t get it!”

“I’m telling you, it’s a miracle I got together with Tojo-san.”

“Huhh? I don’t get it at all, but it’s true that you’re going out with her, isn’t it? If it were me, I’d be happy if my boyfriend asked me out while I was reading.”

“Is that true…?”

“You want to be with your lover, don’t you? Is Kouta different?”

“No, I want to be with my girlfriend.”

“Moreover, you became close with her because you two were the class reps, right? It would be a shock to your girlfriend if you didn’t ask her out here.”

“I’ll ask her out right now.”

Kouta went to Hisame’s seat.

He cowered in front of her as she read with good posture.

(Damn it, I can’t even speak when I’m in front of her…!)

There have been countless boys who have tried to talk to Hisame while she was reading, only to be shunned. Kouta has never committed such a foolish act before. The only time he is allowed to talk to her is during committee meetings.

Ruminating on what Chris had said, Kouta mustered up the courage to do so.

He took a deep breath and shouted from his gut.

“Excuse me while you’re reading!”

Hisame raised her eyes.

Before her gaze could penetrate his, Kouta bowed deeply. This way, even if Chris’s assessment is wrong, he won’t die under the gaze of the frigid cold.

Looking at his own shoes, Kouta raised his voice.

“It seems that the teacher has asked the class rep to show the new student around the school. I’d like to ask for Tojo-san’s cooperation in this matter, but I’m not sure if you’re available. If you you’re not available, it’s fine even if it’s just me─”

“Let’s go.”

He heard the sound of a book being put down.

When Kouta looked up, he saw that Hisame was standing quietly.

“It’s our job as class reps.”

(Yay…! I succeeded in getting Tojo-san to join us!)

Kouta turned to Chris with glee on his face. He even sneaked a thumbs up to his ally.

“…Stupid…?”

Chris bared her white eyes and shook her head.

Kouta, Hisame, and Chris left the classroom.

There was no point in introducing the classrooms of the upperclassmen, so the main guide would be the special classrooms.

“This is the science lab. We’ll probably be using it for biology this week.”

“This is the music room, we meet here every time we have music class.”

Hisame led the way down the corridor, showing the way in a smooth manner. There was no room for Kouta to intervene.

(Ah, as expected of Tojo-san, she’s so precise and thorough. What an ideal school building guide…)

As he was listening to the guide, his foot was squeezed.

“Ouu─!”

Hisame turned around in response to Kouta’s voice.

“Gouzanji-kun…?”

“I-It’s nothing! Please continue guiding us!”

Hisame gave him a dubious look, but she quickly moved her face back to the front.

Kouta looked to the side. Chris, who had stepped on his foot, looked unconcerned.

“…What are you doing?”

Kouta kept his voice low so that Hisame wouldn’t hear, and Chris whispered back.

“…That’s supposed to be my line.”

“…What did I do?”

“…I’m mad at you for not doing something. Why do you think I created the job for you two as class reps?”

It was for Kouta and Hisame to get along.

So far, there was no indication that this goal would be achieved at all.

“…But I don’t want to interfere with Tojo-san’s excellent guide─”

“Miss Westwood.”

Hisame stopped abruptly.

“I know it’s a little late for this. Sorry, but should I have given you the tour in English?”

Kouta and Chris were caught off guard by the fluent English that came out of Hisame’s mouth.

After a moment of silence, Chris responded in real English.

“I’m surprised. I can’t believe you’re a Japanese high school student.”

“I lived in America for about eight years.”

“No wonder. But you can show me around in Japanese. I’ve been studying Japanese since I was five years old. As well as Japanese culture.”

“I see. Okay then, I will continue to guide you in Japanese.”

“Tojo-san was it? Only use English when we’re having girls talk. The guy beside me can’t understand us that way.”

Chris gave a small shrug of her shoulders and smiled at Hisame.

Hisame glanced at Kouta and said, “Okay,” without expression. Again, Hisame turned away and began guiding her in Japanese.

“…Oy, what did you tell her?”

Kouta couldn’t understand because it was too fast for him. He had never been good at English. Even if he knew the words, he couldn’t understand them unless they were pronounced slowly.

Chris chuckled.

“I think I can get along with that girl.”

As soon as she said that, Chris stood next to Hisame. Then she asked, “What kind of cosmetics do you use?” and “What brand of clothes do you like?” such questions were asked.

Kouta was genuinely surprised. Most people were hesitant to even talk to Hisame, but Chris was not afraid of her at all.

(I guess it’s because Chris doesn’t know how awesome Tojo-san is…)

With that conclusion, Kouta followed them.

“That’s it for the special classrooms that might be used for classes.”

Hisame had just concluded the tour.

“Hey, what’s this room?”

Chris looked at the entrance, which was clearly different from the rest of the classrooms. There were wooden steps and a shoe box.

“That’s the Japanese-style room. The tea ceremony club and flower arrangement club are active there.”

“Wow, I want to see it!”

Hisame seemed to hesitate a little at Chris’s words.

“Normally, you need a teacher’s permission to use the Japanese-style room, but I think it’s okay if you just want to look at it…”

”Please take off your slippers here,” Hisame said, taking them off herself.

“It’s a good thing Tojo-san is in the flower arrangement club.”

It was Kouta’s first time entering the Japanese-style room. Outsiders were not allowed to enter the room, so it was not unusual.

“Eh, really?”

“Yes.”

“I see, club activities huh. I wonder what club I should join. Is the flower arrangement club fun?”

“There’s no harm in learning how to arrange flowers.”

When Hisame opened the fusuma sliding door, there was a nice smell of tatami mats.

Uwa~, Chris shouted with joy, and Kouta let out a sigh.

It was a nice Japanese room for a high school facility. There was even a small Japanese garden on the other side of the shoji, which was quite authentic. If Hisame, the personification of a Yamato Nadeshiko, was arranging flowers here, it would look like something out of a painting.

Chris, who had been scurrying around the Japanese room for a while, smiled.

“Tojo-san, thank you for showing me the Japanese-style room. It was really nice.”

“No need to thank me, it’s nothing special.”

“I think I’ll join the flower arrangement club. I like this Japanese-style room. It’s so spacious, unlike a certain place.”

“I’m sorry that our Japanese-style room is so cramped.”

This is when Kouta unintentionally made a comment.

He felt a sense of dread and trepidation.

(…What the? The air is freezing…?)

When he looked over at Chris, he saw that she had a straight face. She seemed to be saying, “Oh, no.”

As for Hisame─

“Gouzanji-kun?”

Her voice resembled a snow storm blowing over Siberia.

Hisame’s sharp gaze pierced Kouta’s flank. It was painful. He was scared. He wanted to run away from here right now.

(What did I just say earlier…?)

Thinking back, Kouta finally realized. He realized that he had made a terrible mistake.

“No, that’s not it, Tojo-san! There’s a reason for this, Chris is─”

“Chris?”

He thought his life was over.

(This was a short life… I hope the next me will be a little bit smarter… Even if I’m not a genius like Tojo-san, I’d like to have a brain that doesn’t dig a grave at times like this…)

Kouta escaped reality by replaying the end roll in his brain.

Chris approached Hisame in place of Kouta, who had become motionless with vacant, depressed eyes.

“Tojo-san, don’t tell anyone about this. I’ve been in a homestay at Gouzanji-kun’s house since yesterday.”

“Homestay…?”

“Yes. It’s just the three of us, his dad, Gougozanji and me.”

Chris smiled carefree.

“Gouzanji-kun is just from the host family. There’s nothing for Tojo-san to worry about, okay?”

“─”

Hisame was staring at Chris.

The stare was piercing, but Chris was unfazed. She just smiled and accepted Hisame’s gaze.

“…I understand.”

It was Hisame who looked away first.

“Let’s go back to class.”

Hisame flipped her black hair and hurriedly left the Japanese room.

Kouta noticed this and blinked.

(Huh…? I was saved…?)

Chris tapped Kouta on the shoulder.

“I’ve saved your life. You should be grateful.”

“Are you a god…!?”

The regular class rep meeting after school.

For Kouta, it was supposed to be the happiest time he could spend with Hisame.

“─”

In the middle of the committee meeting, Kouta repeatedly checked on Hisame next to him.

(Oh no, today’s Tojo-san is emitting white cold air all over her body… It’s like a frostbite… If you touch her, you will definitely get burned or scalded from how cold it is…)

The reason why she has become like this must be because of the incident in the Japanese-style room. Although she didn’t break up with him, Hisame still hasn’t forgiven Kouta.

After the strenuous meeting of the committee, Hisame cleaned up the pens and pencils.

(Is this a pattern that she won’t even leave school with me?)

Kouta was worried, but Hisame, who had finished preparing to leave, remained seated and did not move. She seemed to be waiting for someone, even though she was letting out cold air.

Fearfully, Kouta called out to her.

“Tojo-san… would you like to come home with me?”

Hisame looked unhappy, but she still said, “Yes.”

When the two of them leave school together, they take the back way to avoid the eyes of other students. As soon as they entered the back way, Kouta started to speak.

“Tojo-san, I don’t want you to misunderstand me, so I’m telling you.”

Hisame, covered in frostbite-like aura, kept her eyes forward.

“I don’t really have anything to do with Chris. She’s just using our Japanese-style room as a homestay. Yesterday, it was suddenly decided that Chris would come to our house… I was against it! But Dad wouldn’t listen─”

“Nothing is as it should be.”

Hisame said firmly.

“I know you’re not being dishonest.”

“Thanks for believing me, Tojo-san…!”

“The third party who interfered was Westwood-san, wasn’t it?”

For a moment, Kouta was dumbfounded, not knowing what she was talking about.

Hisame continued in a confident tone.

“That’s why Gouzanji-kun texted me last night.”

“…Ah. Yeah, that’s right, but…?”

Hisame breathed softly.

“Westwood-san seemed to know about our relationship. She took care of us in the Japanese-style room.”

”Ah!”, Kouta exclaimed.

“You see, I’m sorry! I didn’t know Chris was transferring to our school last night… even I thought it would be better if she didn’t go to the same high school as ours…”

What the heck, Kouta had unintentionally ignored Hisame’s intentions. It was no wonder she was angry.

Kouta was fuming, but Hisame replied in a hurry.

“I’ve learned Westwood-san’s secret, so I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

“Chris’s secret…?”

“She said it was a secret that she was staying with Gouzanji-kun.”

”Oh,” Kouta nodded.

If anyone found out that Chris was at Kouta’s house, he would be in a lot of trouble. After all, there had been a lot of onlookers around Chris during breaks and lunch today. It’s not easy being a celebrity, he thought.

“As long as we keep each other in the dark, we won’t have to worry about anyone blowing the whistle.”

“I see, Tojo-san is right!”

Kouta clapped his hands.

Next to him, Hisame turned her head down. She gripped the school bag on her shoulder tightly.

“…Gouzanji-kun, isn’t it about time you stopped calling me that?”

“Call you what?”

“Why is it that you use Westwood-san’s nickname and you call me by my surname…?”

The strained voice poked him in the chest.

The silver grass, tinged red by the setting sun, rustles. Hisame stopped, a deep shadow falling over her face.

“It is said that a person’s affection for another person is expressed in their name. So, for Gouzanji-kun, Westwood-san is more─”

“Hisame-san.”

Interrupting her words.

Kouta called out her name for the first time. His whole body instantly became hot. Unable to bear the embarrassment, Kouta continued.

“…Can I call you that…?”

“No way.”

“No!?”

It was NG. [TLN: NG = No Good]

Hisame looked at Kouta intimidatingly.

“You didn’t add ‘-san’ to Westwood-san, right”

”Ah, yeah,” Kouta mumbled. That was pretty harsh.

“All right, let’s see… Hi-Hisame.”

He did his best to call her, but before he knew it, she had turned her head away. Her ears, peeking out from her dark hair, were bright red.

“And by the way, can you please change the way you call me…? I’m embarrassed to be the only one who calls you by your first name.”

“I know. I’ll change it too.”

Although she said so, Kouta’s name did not immediately come out of Hisame’s mouth.

Gazing into the evening sun, she repeatedly opened and closed her well-shaped lips.

Eventually, a faint voice was heard over the rustling of the silver grass.

“…K-Ko-kun.” [TLN: Basically, Ko-kun]

The moment she said that much, Hisame turned redder than the evening sun. One could see the steam rising from her head as she puffed.

Hisame gave off a sense of accomplishment.

”I’m at a loss”, Kouta said.

“I’m sorry. I’m very sorry.”

“W-What is it…?”

“I could hardly hear you because of the rustling of the silver grass. Please try again.”

“~~~~~!!!”

Hisame lets out an inaudible scream.

It wasn’t being nasty, he really couldn’t hear her. Maybe it wasn’t because of the noise of the silver grass, but rather, because Hisame’s voice was too quiet.

Hisame’s eyes were rolling and her mouth was puckering up like she was out of oxygen.

“W-Well then, I’ll call you one more time…”

“Yes, please!”

“…K-K-Kouuu~…!”

She clenched her fists and shook her body. She’s trying to call him Kouta.

Is it really that embarrassing to call me by name? I think the reason she is so embarrassed is because she loves the person.

At least, that’s what Kouta thought.

He could call Chris by her name easily, but he couldn’t call Hisame right away.

If that’s the case, doesn’t the fact that she’s taking such pains to do so proves that Hisame loves Kouta that much?

“……………… Kou-ta-kun.”

It was when he could barely hear her.

“I-It’s nothing.”

Hisame immediately counteracted with a strong voice.

“No, that wasn’t nothing, right!? You called me by name!”

“It’s nothing. Forget it!”

Hisame said stubbornly, and walked off on her own.

Ehhhh… Kouta was confused. The moment when Hisame called him by name is already permanently stored in Kouta’s brain. Besides, what happened to the conversation about calling each other by name?

A woman’s heart and the autumn sky. Kouta stared in amazement at her long hair being snatched away by the wind.

Hisame glanced back at him.

“Aren’t you going to go home…………… Kou-ta-kun?”

Hisame’s cheeks were dyed, but she tried her best to call him by his name, and his heart was choked up at the sight.

Kouta hurriedly rushed to Hisame. That’s when he suddenly realized.

(Oh, the icy prickly atmosphere is gone…)

The distance between Kouta and Hisame, who was walking beside him, seemed to be closer than ever. The two of them went straight to the station─

“─So, you and her were satisfied with the name-calling and dispersed at the station without taking a detour?”

At the dining room table in the Gouzanji house.

Chris, who was sitting on the other side of the table, had a completely dumbfounded look on her face.

Kouta then, “Yeah, so what?”, and tilted his head.

“Don’t take it for granted. If you were a normal couple, you would invite them to a park or beach or somewhere with a nice view and spend some sweet time alone together.”

“I’m in a serious relationship. I wouldn’t want my girlfriend to come home late and worry her parents.”

“Stupid…,” Chris said, looking up at the sky.

“You’re too serious, Kouta. That’s where you should be more aggressive. Are you really trying to make progress with your girlfriend?”

“There has been progress! Finally, Tojo-san, no, Hisame, and I are now calling each other by name!”

“Is that ‘progress’ you can proudly say…?”

“Of course it is. My girlfriend finally called me by my name. It’s a big step, on par with the first man landing on the moon!”

“You know what?”

Chris was rubbing her brow like she was facing a difficult problem.

“Let me confirm; what was Kouta’s goal again?”

“To propose to Hisame.”

“Yes! That’s right, a proposal! How far do you think it is from name-calling to proposing?”

“Uhh… Earth to Sun?”

“If the name-calling is from the Earth to the Moon, the proposal is outside the solar system, and Kouta will never get there!” [TLN: I swear, the raws said in this line ‘Earth to the Moon instead of ‘Earth to Sun’]

Chris put her face close to Kouta’s.

“Think about it. Even my friends call each other by their first names! We’ve been together for two months and we’re no closer than friends!”

“We were on summer vacation for more than a month out of the two months. It can’t be helped.”

“What? You didn’t see your girlfriend even once during the summer vacation…?”

“I was working all summer, and Hisame was on a family vacation─”

“No way─!?”

A scream echoed through the Gouzanji house.

“Summer vacation is full of events for couples! I can’t believe you’re ignoring all of that!”

As soon as she said that, Chris plopped down on the table. With her cheek on the table, she looked up at Kouta.

“…Hey, Kouta, would you like to have a trial relationship with me? To understand the relationship between lovers.”

”What!?” Kouta’s eyes paled.

“Oi, you’ve got to be kidding me, I can’t go out with you when I have Hisame!”

He was even angry at Chris for saying such a ridiculous thing.

“To begin with, what the heck is a trial!? I can’t go out with you with such half-hearted feelings─”

“I’m kidding.”

Chris said wryly.

“Ahhhh, a joke! Of course I’m just joking! You think I don’t know that Kouta would never go out with someone else even on a trial basis?”

“What’s the matter with you…?”

Kouta was more puzzled by Chris’s sudden bewilderment. She was messing up her twin-tails with her hands.

“I knew that! You don’t want to be in a serious and healthy relationship. And on top of that, you don’t want to ignore your partner’s feelings one bit. You can’t even tell the difference between leading and forcing, and you haven’t made any progress with your girlfriend, so I know everything about Kouta!”

“Y-Yeah…”

Is that so? He thought. Maybe it is. He couldn’t even explain the difference between leading and forcing.

“Anyway, this is not the time to get carried away with name-calling. I went to school today and found out that Kouta and your girlfriend are still in the realm of classmates, not just lovers. We need to hurry up and raise your intimacy level with her until you can propose to her!”

“That being said, how can I even do that…?”

“I’ll take care of that. I’ve got a plan for you.”

Chris grinned thinly. The expression on her face looked like she really had a plan.

Kouta cooked dinner that night.

Originally, Kouta was in charge of preparing dinner since Tetsuji was busy at the restaurant, so Kouta prepared dinner for the two of them as usual.

“Okay, it’s ready. We’ve got boiled bean sprouts, hemp bean sprouts, bean sprout gyoza, bean sprout salad, and bean sprout miso soup!”

“All are bean sprouts!”

Chris was shocked when she saw the plates on the table.

“Wait, there’s going to be some kind of meat dish or main course after this, right…? You’re not going to tell me it’s just bean sprouts for dinner, right…?”

“That’s it for dinner tonight.”

Ehhhーーー Chris almost had a stroke.

Kouta crossed his arms.

“Don’t be fooled by the bean sprouts. They’re only a few dozen yen a bag, but they’re also very nutritious. They are the soul food of the common people!”

“H-Hmm, maybe so, but… I’ll still eat it…”

Her shoulders slumped, and Chris took a mouthful of the bean sprout dish.

“Nnngggh!?”

She took a bite and her eyes rolled up in her head.

“Huh? It’s surprisingly good…? Rather, it’s quite tasty!”

She had been reluctant to try it before, but now she was gobbling up the sprouts. It looks like she liked it. As a cook, he was also happy when other people liked it.

“Well, I’ve been cooking for a long time. That’s why I’m good at it.”

Kouta himself took a seat and picked up his chopsticks. If he left her alone, Chris would eat everything.

“Do you want to open your own restaurant in the future, Kouta?”

“Well, I’m planning to take over Dad’s noodle shop.”

“Fuuun~, if Kouta opens a restaurant, I’ll promote it on social media.”

“It would be nice to have a celebrity to promote us.”

Chris was in a good mood as she ate all the bean sprouts.

“By the way, Kouta, what about dessert?”

“Dessert? There’s none.”

Her smile froze.

“You made dinner and didn’t make dessert!? How is that possible!?”

“Don’t think that dessert is mandatory! We don’t have dessert.”

“What the heck! We have to hurry up and order a cake.”

In a panic, Chris started searching for a delivery service on her phone.

Kouta raised an eyebrow.

“Wait a minute. Who’s going to pay for that cake?”

Silence fell over the Gouzanji house.

Chris kept her eyes on the screen of her phone and did not move a muscle.

Kouta, sitting across from her, stared at Chris. He knew she had lost her wallet and was now broke.

Chris looked up at him in an indulgent way.

“…………Kouta’s pocket money?”

“No way!”

”Uwaaaa,” Chris cried out to Kouta.

“Buy me a cake! I’ll pay you back later! I’ll even pay you back tenfold!”

“Wait, Chris, stop it…”

Chris grabbed Kouta’s shoulders and shook him, causing Kouta to rock back and forth violently, and something hit him in the face with a thud.

(Oh, it’s so soft─)

Kouta hurriedly pulled Chris off of her. Apparently, she was the type to lose weight.

“Fueeeeeee, cake!” Kouta ran out of the house to get away from Chris, who was clinging to him like a zombie.

◆◆◆

“It was a miscalculation…”

Chris sat alone on a bench in the children’s park at night, groaning.

After all, Kouta hadn’t prepared dessert after dinner, and Chris’s wallet was now at the bottom of the ocean. She regretted that she should have left some cash on hand, but it was too late.

“Uwaaaaa~, desseeeeeeert─!”

Chris cried out like a young child.

“…Japanese chestnut and pear cake.”

A delicious looking cake appeared in front of Chris.

Turning her head, Chris recognized the person.

“Hozuki!”

A jet-black maid appeared out of nowhere, standing beside a bench and offering a plate of cake.

“…I’ve come to give you a mid-term report on the background investigation of Hisame Tojo.”

“I’ve been waiting for you. Let me see your report.”

Hozuki handed the young lady a thick stack of papers.

As she quickly took a bite of her cake, Chris looked over the information.

“Hee~, her family is the landlord of the Gouzanji Ramen Shop huh. I wonder if Kouta knows about it?”

A building owned by Hisame’s grandfather. On the first floor of the building was the Gouzanji Ramen Shop.

Chris shook her head as she considered the possibility that Kouta was uncomfortable with Hisame because she was the granddaughter of the landlord. Probably not. He was just being silly and serious. He just doesn’t know how to be a lover.

“The only other connection she had with Kouta was that they went to kindergarten together. It’s crazy that she graduated from Harvard and went to high school in Japan. What the hell was she thinking?”

“…I’ve been in contact with someone who was close to her at Harvard. They told me she had a fiancé in Japan.”

“Did you just say fiancé!?”

The cake almost went down her windpipe.

Hozuki patted Chris on the back when she nearly choked.

“…It seems that Hisame had a fiancé that her parents decided to marry. The identity of the other party is currently under investigation.”

“So she’s in the same situation as me and Kouta. ….Hmm, I can kind of see why she’s hiding her relationship with Kouta from everyone.”

She had a fiancé, but it would be inconvenient for her parents to know that she had a lover. If her parents heard, they might force her to break up with Kouta.

“That means Kouta’s proposal will never be successful.”

Chris gave a faint smile.

“It doesn’t matter how hard Kouta or I try, the end result will be the same. That’s convenient.”

“…Why don’t you just break them up, instead of making them propose? If the young lady had not followed up in the Japanese-style room earlier with the words “the three of us live together,” the two would have remained tangled.”

Kouta, Hisame, and Chris were the only ones in the Japanese-style room at the high school. Chris arched her lips at the talented maid, who knew the conversation there as a matter of course.

“Hozuki, have you ever been in love?”

“…………”

“Giving up on someone you love is not an easy thing to do.”

That’s what Chris found out when she fell in love herself.

Even though she understands that Kouta’s heart is with Hisame, Chris still couldn’t give up on Kouta.

And the same thing applies to Kouta.

“Even if you try to break them up now, Kouta’s heart will still be in favor of Hisame Tojo. It would be meaningless.”

He’s not going to marry anyone but the one he loves.

For Chris to reach her goal, she must first get Kouta’s heart away from Hisame.

“…Well then, what prompted Kouta’s gaffe in the Japanese room was─?”

“It’s to incite his girlfriend, and if she knows that there’s such a beautiful girl by his side, she’ll feel threatened, even if he doesn’t like that girl.”

In fact, that’s how they made progress. Although it was a very poor progress of name-calling.

“Anyway, I have to make Kouta do everything in his power to propose to her. I have to make him do everything he can to make him think he can’t do anything else anymore. He’ll try his best to approach Hisame, and then she’ll reject him in the end.”

Licking the whipped cream off her fork, Chris held out the empty plate to the maid.

“People give up when they give it their all and it doesn’t work, don’t they?”

“…Indeed, milady.”

Hozuki accepted the plate with a reverent grin.

“It’s a joint effort between Kouta and me. The more successful it is, the more Kouta will accept me. And when Kouta gets his heart broken, I, his ally, will be there for him.”

The path to victory was clear.

Chris stood up from the bench and smiled at the moon above her.

“─Come on, let’s get to work.”

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