"Auntie, breakfast is on the table. Remember to eat it. I'm off to school."
April 23rd, Monday.
Early in the morning, Hoshino Jun woke up, made breakfast, prepared it for the vacationing Asu Mei, and left a note.
Then, Hoshino Jun opened the door, greeting the first morning of a new week.
Apartment 403 next door remained closed. Judging by the time, Aunt Yuki from next door should still be asleep.
After all, it was only a little past six, and the sky was still a gloomy gray. It was still very early for Aunt Yuki to go to work.
Because of another heavy rain last night, the ground was wet and covered with many small puddles.
They reflected the gloomy sky and the young man's figure.
He walked about five hundred meters in the opposite direction from the school to reach the train station.
It wasn't rush hour yet, so the train car wasn't crowded. There were only a few middle-aged men who needed to support their families, who had boarded the train early to earn a little extra for their three meals.
Hoshino Jun entered the car, passed the family breadwinners who were catching a quick nap during the train ride, and found a random seat.
The scenery outside the window sped by. Energetic students were already shouting loudly after waking up, and retired elderly men and women were already taking walks on the streets.
"Humans are truly a strange species. Children and the elderly, groups categorized as weak, are full of vitality."
"Conversely, the middle-aged and young, who are defined as strong, all have a sense of lifelessness."
Hoshino Jun sighed, his gaze returning from the train window to inside the car, intently observing the expressions and movements of every middle-aged person.
Some were tired, some were sullen.
He imitated and studied each one.
It was seven o'clock. Hoshino Jun, who had been riding for half an hour, got off at the station. He seemed to have contracted a disease called 'languor.'
Every step he took seemed as if he might collapse at any moment.
What a terrible young man, looking seventeen or eighteen but full of the weariness of a middle-aged person.
Even his Charm stat was affected, decreasing by 0.001.
The 'tired version' of Hoshino Jun did not leave the train station but waited in the waiting area for a train going in the opposite direction, towards the school.
At 7:10 AM, rush hour began to set in.
Hoshino Jun opened his eyes and scanned the arriving train car. There were no seats left, and the passengers who had caught the train didn't seem to be waiting for anyone.
So he continued to close his eyes.
At 7:25 AM, the morning sun broke through the clouds, showering warmth upon the world.
"Buzz—!"
The second train since Hoshino Jun arrived at the station approached from a distance with a buzzing sound, accompanied by the crisp, loud tapping of high heels on the floor.
"Tap ~ tap ~ tap ~ tap ~"
As the sound grew closer, a familiar figure swiftly passed by Hoshino Jun.
Through the slits of his squinted eyes, Hoshino Jun could just make out a full, perky backside, and eye-catching black translucent pantyhose beneath a bodycon skirt.
Hamasaki Mayu's figure was quite tall among Japanese women.
Her height of 170 cm, paired with black stiletto heels, accentuated her straight and slender beautiful legs.
Just standing there, she already invigorated many office workers, their dull eyes involuntarily drawn to her legs.
Among those watching Hamasaki Mayu, Hoshino Jun was also present.
However, his attention wasn't entirely on her attractive figure; he was also distracted by checking Hamasaki Mayu's profile.
[Name: Hamasaki Mayu]
[Stamina: 5]
[Intelligence: 7]
[Charm: 9]
[Occupation: Teacher]
[Affection: She currently owes you one D-rank Affection Debt. Please urge her to complete payment as soon as possible.]
[Payment Methods:]
[Money: 100,000 Yen.]
[Food: Three consecutive months of loving bento boxes.]
[Affection: One intimate contact.]
What exactly constitutes intimate contact?
Holding hands?
Physical touch?
I don't know; I'll have to try it.
"Click—!"
The train doors opened, and a crowd surged into the car. Hamasaki Mayu was among them, accompanied by several old men who looked, to Hoshino Jun, perverted.
Yes, perverted as defined by Hoshino Jun.
"To protect the beautiful Teacher Hamasaki from being taken advantage of by perverted old men."
"Now it's time for the upright, sunny, diligent, hardworking, and ambitious Hoshino Jun to rescue her."
Muttering to himself, Hoshino Jun also squeezed into the car with the crowd, and with his strong physique, he managed to push everyone aside and stand behind Hamasaki Mayu.
Teacher, don't turn around, I am the principal.
Of course, such a thing couldn't happen.
Hoshino Jun honestly held onto the handrail, quietly standing behind Hamasaki Mayu, successfully protecting her from the danger of being harassed by a train pervert.
"Teacher Hamasaki, living in an evil country like Japan, yet you have an upright young man like me protecting you."
"You'll have to repay me well in the future."
After muttering to himself for a moment, the train doors closed and it started moving. Hoshino Jun truly felt the pressure of rush hour.
Especially in the already crowded train, there were also 'Tiger Tanks' who were afraid of being touched but kept trying to squeeze next to the handsome Hoshino Jun.
This made the already narrow space even more cramped.
Under extreme circumstances, Hoshino Jun unconsciously took a step forward.
"Hmm?"
Immediately, Hamasaki Mayu frowned. She could feel the person behind her getting closer.
However, because she was standing in the very corner of the car, where there was no window, she didn't know the situation behind her.
'Is it this crowded today?'
She was already in a bad mood because of work, and being squeezed on the train made her mood even worse.
She silently moved a step inward, avoiding the person behind her.
As time passed, they quickly arrived at the next station. The train's inertia as it stopped caused the passengers inside to sway. Hamasaki Mayu lost her balance and took a step backward.
Because of that one step, her entire tall body crashed into Hoshino Jun's embrace.
"Sumimasen!"
Feeling the man's firm body against her back, Hamasaki Mayu instantly tensed, quickly returned to her original position, and blurted out an apology.
Just last week, she had heard teachers in her office discussing the recent 'Samurai Duel' incidents, where any physical contact between a man and a woman would lead to an intense confrontation.
Hamasaki Mayu did not want to be a woman involved in a duel, so her apology was very quick.
However, after her apology, the man behind her relentlessly pressed closer.
The man's broad chest once again made intimate contact with her back.
'Could this be harassment?'
'Damn it, I must call the police and have him arrested.'
Hamasaki Mayu had an idea and reached into her LV bag to find her phone.
But suddenly, a somewhat familiar young voice reached her ears.
"I apologize, madam, I was really too sleepy, so I accidentally bumped into you."
Huh?
Was it him?
Hamasaki Mayu turned her head and saw none other than Hoshino Jun, the most handsome boy in her class.
She immediately dismissed the thought of 'encountering a pervert.'
After all, how could such a well-behaved and good-looking boy be a pervert?
What was somewhat strange, however, was why Hoshino Jun was here, and why his demeanor and actions showed such fatigue.