Ch. 15 - Strange Shihou-san

[How does the law punish an underage high school boy who enters the girls’ bathroom…]

Standing at the entrance of the girls’ restroom, Harutaki was in the middle of searching this very question on his smartphone when his screen suddenly vibrated. A push notification appeared at the top—an update from one of his special follows on Twitter.

Wait, when did I even add a special follow?

He blinked, then quickly realized. Oh, right. It must’ve been from the old Harutaki.

Ever since he’d been reborn as Hoshikawa Harutaki, he’d barely touched any apps besides LINE and Google Maps.

And given what he knew of the old Harutaki, this so-called special follow was probably nothing wholesome. Still, his curiosity got the better of him, and he tapped the notification without hesitation.

Who cared about desks and chairs when there was something more important to investigate?!

The blue interface popped open, revealing a rather bold selfie—

Tsunako JK2 @PrivateAcct

The moment he saw the words alt account, Harutaki already knew what kind of content this was. But his thumb still kept scrolling down.

A photo filled the screen: a school uniform blouse stretched tight, buttons straining, cut off just below the lips.

Tch. That size is… impressive.

Harutaki couldn’t help but marvel at the incredible growth rate of JKs in this world.

Minako and Nogami, plus his own two younger sisters, and now this “special follow” Tsunako, supposedly also a second-year like him, if she wasn’t lying.

Wait. This uniform looks familiar…

And those tiles in the background… hadn’t he seen that pattern before? Like in a bathroom stall?

Just as he was comparing the details in his head, hurried footsteps echoed from inside the girls’ restroom.

“Eh? You’re…?”

“Shihou-san?”

The disheveled blouse and messy uniform didn’t match the graceful, noble image he had of Shihou Chouko at all.

In his mind, she was always elegant, polite, and perfectly composed. Not… flustered like this.

Don’t tell me… bad breakfast?

“Shihou-san, I’m Hoshikawa Harutaki from the same class. Nice to meet you.”

When in doubt, self-introductions never failed. At the very least, manners must be observed.

“H-hello. I’m Shihou Chouko. Pleased to meet you, Hoshikawa-kun.”

She bowed awkwardly, fidgeting for some reason.

But still…

Oi, Shihou-san, your ribbon’s undone, your collar’s gaping open—!

Proper manners dictated he shouldn’t stare, but his eyes were irresistibly pulled towards a tiny black mole on that snow-white expanse.

Damn. What a… gravitational pull.

Sir Isaac Newton’s law of universal gravitation, proven once again—by a schoolgirl’s beauty mark.

And wait—that mole looks familiar too…

But with her standing right in front of him, he couldn’t exactly whip out his phone and compare. That would be beyond rude.

“Um, Shihou-san, could I ask you a favor…?”

He remembered how she had effortlessly shut Nogami down the other day. Lady Luck was on his side; if there was anyone at school unaffected by Nogami’s influence, it was probably her.

“My desk and chair got moved into the bathroom. Could you help me get them out?”

He pointed toward the girls’ restroom she’d just stepped out of, speaking earnestly.

There was no shame in admitting to being bullied. No disgrace in asking for help—

Even if the girl before him was someone he admired. Someone he wanted to chase after.

Losing a rare opportunity over pride would be the dumbest thing imaginable.

“So… so those were yours, Hoshikawa-kun…”

Chouko lifted her head slightly, stealing a glance at his face before quickly looking away, only to sneak another peek a moment later.

She had sensed something was off with the classroom atmosphere that morning, and finding a desk inside the restroom was odd enough. Now that she’d heard his side of it, the picture was clear. She could already guess the culprit.

“It was Nogami, wasn’t it? Don’t worry. Leave it to me.”

Her Kyoto dialect, soft and refined, was like music to the ears as she nodded reassuringly.

A few moments later, with a screech of wood on tile, she emerged, pushing his desk with the chair stacked on top.

“…Huh?”

Harutaki noticed water stains dotting the surface and immediately worried about the books inside.

“Shihou-san, this water…?”

“Forgive me. I thought the restroom might be dirty, so I took the liberty of using tissues and tap water to wipe it down.”

She bowed apologetically.

“I also made sure your books inside didn’t get wet.”

Wh-why did it sound like he owed her something?!

Through the eyes of love, a girl became a goddess. He already thought of Shihou as a princess, especially after Nogami’s venomous display a few days ago. But this… this gentle, considerate act…

No. Goddess was the only word for it.

He was so touched, he almost forgot about the Twitter account he’d been trying to verify.

In the working world, he’d learned just how rare such simple kindness truly was.

And from a girl he barely knew, no less.

“You’re too kind, Shihou-san. I should be the one thanking you.”

Bowing deeply, Harutaki forced himself past his embarrassment before adding, “Would you be free after school? Please, allow me to treat you as thanks.”

“T-that would be too much.”

She waved her hands modestly.

“Your gratitude is more than enough.”

“There may be times I’ll need your help again… especially with Nogami around.”

Seeing his sincerity and thinking of Nogami’s troublesome nature, she hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.

“If it isn’t anything too expensive…”

“Starbucks? I’ll wait at the gate at four o’clock.”

“Then… I’ll accept.”

She dipped her head in agreement.

But as she turned to leave, Harutaki hesitated, then called out:

“Ah, Shihou-san, one more thing…”

He didn’t spell it out. Too sensitive. Instead, he simply gestured toward his own collar and tie.

Thankfully, she understood instantly. Graceful as always, she adjusted her uniform without fuss, offering only an awkward smile before quickly departing, footsteps just a little too hurried.

A girl who valued propriety could be troublesome at times, but that innocence only made her cuter.

If anything, the real anomaly was someone like Nogami coming from a noble family at all.

…

Thank goodness… thank goodness Hoshikawa-kun didn’t suspect anything…

After rounding two corners into a deserted corridor, Chouko leaned against the cold white wall, breathing heavily.

Even as her heart thundered like it might explode, she reminded herself of her ladylike composure.

But recalling how she’d forgotten to button up and tie her ribbon properly, seen by such a handsome boy, her face burned as she covered it with both hands.

S-so embarrassing… so thrilling…!

Shihou Chouko. First time doing something like that at school. And of all moments, she’d bumped right into a male classmate. Nearly exposed herself.

…Still, should she be glad the desk belonged to him?

If she’d been caught using the desk corner of some greasy, disgusting guy, she would’ve been nauseous for weeks.

The guilt of being caught by its owner, though… that was different.

Which was why she hadn’t outright refused his invitation. But now, thinking it over… was it really appropriate to go to a café alone with a boy she’d only just met?

His reasoning and sincerity had been flawless. Refusing now would be outright rude—

Unless she could find a suitable excuse.

Hmhm. I’ll ask Onii. If he doesn’t mind, then going on a “date” with Hoshikawa-kun should be fine, right?

With that, she opened LINE and tapped the pinned chat labeled “Onii.” But the latest messages froze her in place.

[Onii: Good news first thing in the morning!] – Read

[Onii: (Image)] – Read

[Onii: One of my seniors from the club finally got published in a magazine before graduation! Amazing, right? We’re all heading to an izakaya to celebrate tonight. Don’t worry, I won’t drink. (Pink Bunny Thumbs Up)]

Staring at the blinking cursor in the empty text box. After a moment’s hesitation, she typed a brief reply, then quickly locked her phone and tucked it away.

[Chouko: Have fun celebrating. :)] – Unread

Idiot…

What a total idiot!

Who cares about your club or your senpai?!

Her frustration bubbling, she yanked her phone out again, switched to her alt account on Twitter, and began furiously tapping out a vent post.

Tsunako JK2 @PrivateAcct

Idiot with nothing in his head but his senpai, just get lost already!?? 😡

#love #club #school

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