Volume 1 - Prologue

“…… don’t look at me for a second.”

I said, “Well, you’ve got your foot in a gutter ditch again.”

“I didn’t go into the gutter because I wanted to! Oh my god, that sucks! The best way to get a good look at the newest trends in the industry is to look at the newest trends in the marketplace. I’m going to work at …… and I can’t go dressed like this.”

“…… part-time job? What time?

“……starts at 5:00.”

“I’m not sure how much time I have left. Why don’t you just go home once?”

“It takes me an hour each way by train. I’ll never make it in time.”

“I see. That’s impossible. I see.…… Then, do you want to come to my house? It’s just around the corner. I can at least lend you a shower.”

This was the first time that I, Sandai Fujiwara, talked to Shino Yuizaki. It was on her way home from school when I saw Shino with her foot in a ditch.

–At the high school that I attend, there is a gal who is considered to be one of the most beautiful girls in the world.

She is a female student named Shino Yuizaki.

And then…

By some coincidence, this Shino, whose good looks make everyone look back, is also the student sitting behind me.

We have never had a conversation with her during our school life.

Not even a single word was exchanged when handing out handouts from the front to the back of the class.

Sandai was a rather ordinary student, with many nerdy hobbies, and was at the bottom of the class caste.

Shino, on the other hand, is a beautiful young gal and is also at the top of the caste.

No matter how one looks at it, it is impossible for their lives to intersect, and this was true in fact.

The fact that they never talked and never made contact was the result of their different worlds, which is the reason for their segregation.

But that is precisely why.

Sandai Fujiwara was surprised to find himself the one who approached Shino, and he accepted the suggestion with a straightforward tone, “I understand ……”(This must be just a coincidence.) Shino’s answer was also a surprise.

(This must be just a coincidence. It had to be.)

Since it was an unbelievable event in so many ways, Sandai decided not to think too much about it.

He lent her a shower, asked her to leave, and that was the end of it. Nothing more, nothing less.

☆

“Thanks for the shower. It felt good.”

Shino appeared from the changing room, having changed into a sloppy outfit.

“I’ll give you a paper bag, so you can put your uniform in it and take it with you. If you ask for express dry cleaning on the way to your job, you can pick it up on your way home.”

“God’s help!

“Okay. Well then, goodbye.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about that……Ah, okay!”　

“You’re thinking about what you’re going to do if your parents come over, right?　And they would’ve thought, ‘What were you doing bringing a girl over?’ I’m not sure, but maybe they’re out working or shopping and will be back soon?”

Shino’s teasing words caused Fujiwara to let out a sigh.

He said, “My……parents won’t be coming over. I live alone.”

Fujiwara had started living alone in an apartment as soon as he entered high school.

So Shino’s prediction was completely misplaced.

She may have meant to tease him, but it was a complete no-no.

Thus, when Sandai cowered his shoulders and insisted that he was unharmed, Shino’s mouth instantly twitched.

It seems she was not amused at not being able to tease him.

However, she immediately thought of something else funny and suddenly grinned.

She said, “It’s awesome living alone at……But, then, maybe there are some ecchi books around here and there? If you don’t have your parents’ eyes on you, you can collect all you want?”

Shino said and began to rummage around inside the house on her own.

Sandai is not very happy to have his house searched.

“Don’t tell me it’s …….”

“No matter how many erotic books you look for, you won’t find any. You have already washed your body and that’s enough. See you later.”

“Don’t be so disgusted. Moo.”

“What do you mean, “Moo”? Have you turned into a cow? What are you?”

He pushed Shino out of the house and before she could even catch her breath, he locked the door behind her.

(Well, that’s okay. Tomorrow we will be the same as before, never saying a word to each other, and that will be the end of it.)

That’s what Sandai thought.

However, the world is strange, and it did not turn out that way.

The situation took a somewhat unexpected turn.

☆

The next day.

Sandai was receiving a concentrated stare from all of his classmates.

The cause was Shino.

She said, “I’m going to return the clothes I borrowed from your room yesterday!　And I’ll give you some of the sweets I make at the café where I work part-time!”

She said this in a loud and proud voice in front of everyone and proudly offered the clothes and the sweets as a thank-you.

Seeing this, classmates, both girls, and boys, started whispering about it.

“I don’t mind if you return what you lent me.”

However, she should consider the time and place, and Fujiwara felt very uncomfortable.

“I don’t think so, but are you harassing me in a roundabout way?”

It was a situation that I could not understand at all.