After school that day, Rinto first escorted the Yoshizawa twins back home as usual.
He watched the sisters walk upstairs, waving back three times in a row to reassure the anxious Sumire before finally turning to leave.
However, instead of going home afterward, he took the subway to the old district of Yongen-Jaya.
Only two stops away from the bustling Shibuya, this neighborhood still preserved the nostalgic charm of the previous century. Narrow alleyways barely wide enough for two people intertwined endlessly, lined by densely packed, low-rise buildings—both homes and converted storefronts. It was like fitting an entire world into a snail's shell.
The private clinic where Rinto frequently visited was also located here, though today he wasn't coming to see the doctor.
Instead, he stopped at a quaint little café tucked inside an alley, its name stylishly written on the awning above the entrance.
[LeBlanc].
Rinto pushed open the door.
With the gentle chiming of the wind chime, the café's owner greeted him lazily from behind the counter.
"Welcome. Meeting someone today?"
"Yes," Rinto replied politely.
He'd visited this café a few times before, usually invited by the female doctor next door.
Apart from the bar counter, the café had only three small booths—quite cramped indeed.
At the farthest seat sat a dignified-looking middle-aged man dressed in a tan suit.
Taking a deep breath and mentally bracing himself, Rinto approached.
"Good afternoon, Yoshizawa-san."
"Ah, welcome."
The twins' father offered a slight, reserved smile, radiating an air of quiet authority—like a dignified old professor.
It was he who had summoned Rinto here by text, saying he had something to discuss.
This man's name was Yoshizawa Shinichi, 53 years old—a presiding judge at Tokyo's High Court.
Given his occupation, Rinto naturally felt a significant pressure around him… to say nothing of the fact that this man's two beloved daughters were deeply involved with Rinto himself.
After ordering a house blend coffee, Rinto opened the conversation:
"I didn't expect you frequented LeBlanc too, Yoshizawa-san. Quite a coincidence."
"Well, I've known the owner, Sojiro-san, for a long time." The refined middle-aged man explained gently. "Back when he was working for the government, I recall him saying he'd open a café after retirement. I even joked I'd invest in it. Who knew he couldn't wait until retirement and rushed into it mid-career?"
"Hey now, stop talking about me like I'm not right here," Sojiro Sakura chuckled gruffly as he brought over Rinto's steaming coffee.
Rinto knew firsthand how delicious Sojiro's coffee was. The café's other specialty—curry rice—also intrigued him.
Coffee and curry rice sounded like an odd combination, and truthfully, it was odd.
But somehow, the taste was so good Rinto considered asking Sojiro-san for some cooking tips.
...However, pleasantries ended there.
As soon as Rinto sipped his coffee, the twins' father began speaking directly.
"Not long ago, just before school started, Sumire came to me with a request. She asked me to look into a certain teacher named Kamoshida, claiming she'd heard he might be involved in abusive behavior toward students."
"My daughters understand well that my work-related information cannot be casually disclosed. They've never made such gossip-fueled requests before. But this time, she was clear, specific, and insistent."
He paused, gaze steady:
"Rinto-kun, this was your request, wasn't it?"
"Yes… Sumire asked on my behalf."
Rinto faced the judge's powerful—though not aggressive—gaze head-on.
Yoshizawa-san seemed unsurprised.
He clasped his hands gently on the table and spoke candidly:
"Let me be blunt. I can't reveal the specifics of my investigation. However, when I say this, you'll probably understand."
"Kamoshida Suguru is indeed a disgraceful teacher. Over the years he's taught at Shujin, the school administration has consistently shielded him, forming a web of oppression from the top down. Even numerous PTA members know about it, yet they've chosen to cover it up as well."
A scandal of massive proportions, decisively confirmed by this judge himself.
But strangely enough...
Despite hearing this powerful figure confirm the truth, Rinto felt no satisfaction.
He already anticipated what the judge would say next, prompting him deliberately:
"That's great to hear. I know a girl in the volleyball club who's been harassed repeatedly by Kamoshida. Now that we know he's truly guilty, shouldn't we take legal action?"
"No." Yoshizawa-san immediately refused.
He adjusted his glasses and took a sip of his coffee:
"Such egregious behavior, and hidden for so long... If exposed publicly by student accusations and media coverage, Shujin Academy's reputation would suffer dramatically."
"At least until Kasumi and Sumire graduate, I can't allow that to happen."
As expected, Rinto thought bitterly.
This judge was also a father—one who clearly doted upon his two daughters.
He was open-minded enough to respect his daughters' choices, even allowing them to visit a young man's house regularly.
Yet he was also old-fashioned in his own way, determined to pave what he considered the best possible path for his daughters.
Still, protecting Shujin's reputation didn't mean he intended to shield Kamoshida either.
The judge's tone became decisive.
"I'll personally ensure Kamoshida disappears from Shujin. It's my oversight for not catching this before Kasumi and Sumire enrolled. Such filthy things shouldn't exist within my daughters' sight."
"Conveniently, it seems he's been on sick leave since school began, right? I'll arrange for his indefinite leave—by next week, it'll be done. This matter will be resolved."
"Then I can rest easy, Yoshizawa-san."
Rinto flashed an impeccably polite, innocent smile—the type of courteous smile that adults universally adored.
No matter the gender, every adult who met Rinto would be charmed by his obedient demeanor, maturity far beyond his age, and would readily declare him an exemplary young man.
Though Kamoshida fancied himself a king in his palace of delusions, in reality, he was just a regular PE teacher.
Many people far outranked him in terms of power.
For someone like the judge in front of him, making Kamoshida quietly vanish was barely more difficult than ordering changes from a subcontractor.
...But is this really acceptable?
To protect Shujin Academy's reputation, Kamoshida's crimes would never come to light publicly, resolved only behind closed doors.
All those higher-ups who had covered for him for years, the parents who blindly trusted his prestige, the adults who effectively became accomplices in his crimes—
They'd simply breathe a sigh of relief, grateful that no one knew of their wrongdoing. As long as it remained undiscovered, everything was fine.
Was that truly enough?
Rinto betrayed none of his thoughts outwardly.
Instead, he smiled warmly and continued.
"My friend in the volleyball club will definitely be relieved now. She's a talented athlete who could've made it to nationals but was so tormented by Kamoshida that she almost quit entirely."
"Hmm."
Yoshizawa-san gave a slight nod of approval, then regarded Rinto thoughtfully again.
Assuming that Rinto had accepted his arrangement completely, he casually changed topics.
"You're not calling me 'Ojisan' anymore? Did you change your mind?"
"Huh?"
Rinto blinked, momentarily stunned. "Of course not, it's just… Yoshizawa-san—I mean, Ojisan, I thought you didn't like me..."
"I never said I didn't like you."
The judge adjusted his glasses again, sounding almost offended.
"Besides, what does it matter if I like you or not? You think that would change how my daughters feel about you?"
—Pfft.
Before Rinto could laugh, Sojiro, secretly eavesdropping behind the bar, burst out in laughter first.