Wakaba Mutsumi.
She used to be the guitarist for the all-girl band Sakiko had created, CRYCHIC... no, wait, Crychic.
From his first glance, Rinto recognized her as a seriously skilled hardcore rocker.
It wasn't just her top-tier technique—even the guitar she held wasn't a typical six-string, but a seven-string guitar.
Only real hardcore rockers—especially metalheads—used instruments like that, designed to extend the low-end range.
At a glance, Rinto could see what lay beneath this obedient-looking girl's surface—she definitely wasn't as expressionless as she appeared.
"...Since it's our first lesson, let's avoid anything heavy. Why don't we just get to know each other a bit?"
The three moved to a bright, spacious living room, sitting apart on three different sofas—keeping a polite distance.
Besides Wakaba Mutsumi, the only other person present seemed to be the attentive maid, coming and going as she handled chores.
Rinto also noticed the maid passed through the living room roughly every ten minutes, either intentionally or not, checking in subtly.
Which was completely understandable.
The young lady of the house was just fifteen, the same age as her childhood friend, Togawa Sakiko.
Two girls alone with a "private tutor" barely a year older—
Unless Rinto had known them since childhood, no sensible parent would let them meet unsupervised.
With that thought, Rinto observed the two girls' reactions.
Since entering the Wakaba residence, Sakiko had become colder and more proper than usual—clearly putting on airs, acting especially serious.
Wakaba Mutsumi sat perfectly still, quiet on the sofa, sipping mango juice the maid had brought her.
Taking in the atmosphere, Rinto spoke first:
"I'm currently sharing an apartment in Kawasaki, and I'm a second-year at Shujin Academy. I've moved around a lot, so school's never been stable for me. But thanks to that, I've met all sorts of people and picked up experience in different languages—it's pretty much how I make a living nowadays."
"Sakiko and I got close at school. She's a talented, adorable kouhai and a fantastic pianist—I was hooked the moment I heard her play. She wanted to learn another language, and that's how she ended up recommending me for this job, right?"
"—That's right. Rinto-senpai is someone with talents and experiences far beyond his peers. He'll definitely be a great help to you, Mutsumi."
Sakiko followed Rinto's lead perfectly, shooting him a grateful glance.
Rinto had only mentioned they "got close" at school—not where they'd met.
He was covering for Sakiko, keeping her part-time job a secret and preserving her pride in front of her friend.
"..."
Still doll-like, Mutsumi glanced back and forth between Sakiko and Rinto without a word.
She sensed that the closeness between the two was genuine; their easy atmosphere couldn't be faked.
...I'm so jealous.
She murmured to herself, too quietly for anyone else to hear.
Encouraged gently by Sakiko, Mutsumi finally introduced herself:
"Wakaba Mutsumi... Tsukinomori Girls' Academy, first-year Class A... I'm in the Gardening Club."
Very good. That was an earnest attempt at an introduction. Well done.
Watching Wakaba Mutsumi's blank expression, lips barely moving as she spoke, Rinto felt strangely paternal warmth.
She was clearly the introverted type you could recognize instantly.
But her introversion wasn't like Iseri Nina's or Bocchi's.
Those two were shy mainly because they worried about others' opinions—they'd panic and self-destruct, but their emotions stayed near the surface, just hard to express.
Wakaba Mutsumi's introversion was different—as if she'd entirely withdrawn from outside contact.
Refusing to react, hiding within her own shell.
In terms of difficulty, this kind of introvert was definitely tougher to deal with.
Rinto considered what topic might open her up.
He spotted the maid walking through again—best not to seem too deliberate.
He leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice:
"Mutsumi, you like rock, right? Actually, I'm learning bass myself. If we have the chance, I'd love for you to teach me."
"...Eh?"
For the first time, Mutsumi seemed genuinely surprised, her amber eyes widening just slightly.
This girl had remarkably long lashes.
Combined with her blank expression, she truly resembled a doll.
Rinto kept smiling gently:
"Don't worry, I'm on your side here. Sakiko mentioned how much pressure your parents put on you—they want you to go into acting, right?"
"I can't exactly help with that, but at least we can talk about things you genuinely enjoy during our lessons. I've got a kouhai who's an incredible guitarist—she even has a dog named Jimi Hendrix. You've probably seen her videos online; she's a pretty famous guitar influencer."
Togawa Sakiko: "Eh? Senpai, you mean Bocchi-chan? ...Wait, Bocchi-chan's actually famous online?! What's her username, how many followers does she have? ...Hey, Senpai~! Don't just smile, spill it already!"
Sakiko, forever dreaming of building a galaxy-level band, immediately took the bait—of course she'd go nuts learning Bocchi was secretly a superstar.
And Wakaba Mutsumi, seeing Sakiko's reaction—seeing her lean right into Rinto, playfully grabbing and shaking his arm—was completely stunned!
Sakiko had always been a leader among her peers, never acting cutesy around anyone.
Yet in front of this Senpai, she was defenseless, even childish—
From Mutsumi's perspective, it was like Rinto had suddenly started to shine with color.
Standing out from the monochrome haze around her, Wakaba Mutsumi truly saw him clearly for the first time.
Meanwhile, Rinto kept gently fending off Sakiko, steadfastly refusing to reveal Bocchi's online identity.
At the same moment, he noticed Wakaba Mutsumi's gaze.
His smile softened even further:
"Allow me to reintroduce myself, Mutsumi. My name is Asakura Rinto—it's from the German word for 'rose,' though I'm not German myself."
"If you want to learn a language, I'm happy to help. Even if you're not interested, I'll still do my best to help you handle your parents."
"And in exchange, I'd love if we could talk more about rock. I really want to start a band, and I could use a pro like you—someone with that perfect combination of cute and cool—to show me the ropes~"
Sakiko: "Senpai! You've never said anything like that to me! Why do you praise Mutsumi's skills so openly but never mine? What about me, huh? ...What? You think I'm too obsessed with grades and probably put too much pressure on people? ...Nngh, nngh, nngh~! ( ?ω? )"
Pouting, Sakiko poked Rinto's side repeatedly, grumbling playfully.
Wakaba Mutsumi was stunned again.
Seeing this elegant, perfect young lady being so familiar with a boy—
she'd never imagined Sakiko could act so spoiled.
But after the shock faded, she felt relieved.
...That's good. Sakiko has a boyfriend now.
She was genuinely happy for Sakiko, a faint smile appearing on her typically blank face.
But as soon as she murmured those words, Sakiko exploded!
"He's not my boyfriend! Listen, Mutsumi, this is exactly where you go wrong! You have to think before speaking. If you just blurt things out, you'll cause all sorts of misunderstandings!"
Sakiko was embarrassed and anxious, lecturing Mutsumi while glancing nervously at Rinto, carefully observing his reaction.
Rinto remained Zen-calm, simply relieved the ice had finally broken between them.
...
That afternoon at 5 p.m.
Rinto wrapped up his work exactly on schedule and left the Wakaba mansion with Sakiko.
For a first meeting to get acquainted, he felt the day had gone pretty well.
Though Wakaba Mutsumi obviously wasn't talkative—most of the conversation had been carried by Rinto and Sakiko.
Still, at Sakiko's gentle prompting, Mutsumi had at least brought out her homework.
Her grades were upper-middle, giving Rinto a sense of the academic standards at Tsukinomori—that elite, closed-off girls' school.
How to describe it… Perhaps due to its isolated education style, Tsukinomori's assignments really did seem different from other schools; apparently, they even made their own tests.
Starting with casual school gossip, and moving onto guitars and bands, they'd finally coaxed the usually mute Mutsumi into conversation.
Rinto realized that, despite her deadpan exterior, this girl definitely had her own interests.
She might never say it aloud, but she clearly loved guitar and music.
She also liked gardening—growing cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, and other crops at school.
You'd never guess it just by looking, which Rinto found fascinating.
Getting her to open up even slightly had already made today's effort worthwhile.
Rinto felt confident; if he kept at it, next week they'd surely talk even more—maybe even have real lessons, enough to satisfy her parents.
"...Senpai, you really are smooth. Making a tough case like Mutsumi laugh so easily… Just how many people have you seduced?"
Rinto: "Mmm. Sakiko, I'm getting fonder and fonder of that sharp tongue of yours. Keep going—I love hearing it."
Getting teased by his refined kouhai gave Rinto a strange sense of satisfaction… he was starting to enjoy it.
Sakiko, realizing she'd played right into his hand, blushed and shot him a huffy little tsundere glare.
But that cold façade only lasted a moment.
Soon Sakiko couldn't help herself, shoulders shaking with laughter:
"You might be a playboy, but you're a good one. It's been ages since I saw Mutsumi talk so much—we really owe you thanks, Senpai."
"Thank you for indulging my selfish request. Not only did you take this tutoring job, but you genuinely made Mutsumi happy."
Rinto: "No need to thank me—it's all part of the deal. Besides, I'm the one who should thank you for such generous pay."
Rinto waved the envelope in his hand.
Four hours—from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Before he'd left, the Wakaba family maid had discreetly handed him an envelope with his pay in cash—he hadn't expected same-day payment.
And the Wakabas were seriously generous—inside were four crisp ten-thousand-yen bills!
Ten thousand yen per hour—this was by far the highest hourly wage Rinto had ever earned.
To top this, he'd practically have to sell his body.
He was very satisfied.
But honestly...
For a hardworking girl like Sakiko, Rinto actually wanted to give her the full pay.
He didn't really need the money.
Working part-time was mostly for satisfaction, just something meaningful to do.
But with Sakiko's stubborn pride, he knew directly offering her money would only hurt her.
So Rinto took the offensive, stepping quickly in front of her.
Putting on a completely serious air, he bowed slightly and extended his hand:
"Sakiko-ojousama. Thanks to you, I've landed this undeserved job. Such generous pay fills me with guilt—I'd like to repay your kindness somehow."
"So, would you do me the honor of joining me for dinner? How about that family restaurant with the great tea? I'd love to see that beautiful smile of yours again."
"...Hmph~. You sweet-talker."
Sakiko blushed, lips pursed into a haughty pout.
Of course, she saw through Rinto's intentions perfectly, knowing he just wanted to repay her.
But this deliberately roundabout approach—well, it made Sakiko happy anyway.
He really did know how to cheer her up.
She tried keeping her composure but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at her lips.
Imitating his formality, she placed her small hand into his:
"Well, if you insist, I suppose I have no choice. I'll graciously accept your offer and let you treat me to tea."
Rinto: "Whoa, just tea? That won't do. I saw great reviews for their cakes and donuts—why don't we order a bit of everything…"
Convincing a girl to indulge in dessert at dinnertime—Rinto's wicked intentions were completely obvious, truly villainous!
He just wanted to ruin her waistline, earning himself a few more jabs in the ribs from Sakiko.
...So, anyway.
That night, the whole "Rinto family" gathered together.
Rinto and Momoka both had the evening off work, leaving Super Part-Timer Subaru to cover for them.
After his "date" with Sakiko, Rinto brought home a huge box of desserts to share with everyone—to spread the joy of his newfound wealth.
Yet, strangely, after learning he was tutoring a 15-year-old kouhai, Momoka and Nina both gave him these oddly chilly, indifferent looks… But surely that was just a misunderstanding, right? Yeah.
Anyway—
At the moment, the "Rinto household"—the three of them, plus Morgana—were gathered with serious expressions in the living room.
With Morgana sitting on his lap, Rinto spoke solemnly:
"All right, is everyone ready?"
"Momoka, you handle it."
Momoka took out her phone.
She opened the Metaverse Navigation App that had automatically appeared, entering the destination Morgana had indicated:
"[MEMENTOS]."
The next moment, the entire group was whisked into the Metaverse.
When the dizzying sensation faded, they were somewhere else entirely.
It was the square near Shibuya Station—busy, bustling Tokyo, even late at night.
But in the Metaverse, everything warped into a terrifying nightmare, bathed in swirling red and black, buildings streaked with vein-like sludge.
Nina, trembling, ducked behind Rinto's back:
"I—I didn't get a good look before… But now that I see it clearly, this really looks like a horror movie. It's creepy."
"Exactly!" Momoka instantly chimed in.
She and Nina, one on each side, clung tightly to Rinto's arms:
"Yesterday, those Shadows dragged me into the subway station, remember? If you hadn't rescued me, Rinto… I'd probably have subway-phobia for life!"
Rinto: "Don't exaggerate. If I hadn't saved you, Momoka, you would've died yesterday, so there wouldn't even be a 'later.'"
He said it so casually that Momoka, flustered and blushing, retaliated by biting his ear.
Seeing their closeness, Nina felt a pang of jealousy herself.
She was at that age, after all—just last night, they'd had a very "rock'n'roll" jam session for three!
She was still sore from it, and Momoka had teased her from behind so much that her waist ached even now.
Facing her idol, Momoka, Nina wasn't about to let her monopolize Rinto.
Imitating Momoka, she latched onto Rinto's other ear… gnawing until he yelped in pain!
The one who finally saved Rinto was his official girlfriend.
Kasumi: "Rinto-nii~? I look away for one minute and you're already full of surprises~? I don't mind you having a harem, but moving this fast—should I put you on a leash?"
Sumire: "Exactly… Senpai's always so slow and distant with us, yet with other girls… Oh, hello, Nina-san. I'm Yoshizawa Sumire, and this is my sister Kasumi. We're both Rinto's girlfriends, just so you know~"
The official Yoshizawa twins approached Momoka and Nina directly, radiating the powerful aura of "main wives!"
Even someone as outwardly bold (but secretly hopeless) as Momoka felt completely outclassed facing these two top-tier gymnast beauties.
And Nina, the introverted dropout, instantly short-circuited the second they spoke:
"Uh, h-h-hi… I'm, um, Shrimp-and-Celery—you can stir-fry me, I taste great! I like veggies cooked until soft, sorry for being weird and awkward! (＞人＜;)"
Truly a world-class anxiety performance.
Smiling fondly, Rinto gently patted the silly girl's head, finally calming her down just a little.
---
T/N: this has been dropped by me :(((((( im sowwy for the readers
maybe you'll find something else interesting in one of my other tls? perhaps WiseTL's tls? or maybe this new kid called ClayTL! oh i guess SpyTL but he sucks