Chapter 4: Katori’s Mistaken Day Duty

Ever since she got the hang of it, nailed the trick, and unlocked the achievement of greeting someone, Kotori had been exchanging hellos with others like a bird spreading its wings, no problem at all.

Her relationship with him seemed to be going pretty smoothly too.

They’d swapped contact info, so every now and then, she’d get casual messages from him with pics attached: 《Snapped a gorgeous sunset!》《Stopped by that gyudon chain after school and tried their infamous spicy dish—holy crap, it was fire!》《Borrowed the shoujo manga that inspired that trending movie from my little sis, and man, I bawled my eyes out!》 Meanwhile, Kotori, unsure how to respond, would either shoot back a curt 《Huh》 or 《Oh》, or just leave it on read, letting it hang indefinitely.

But there was that one time she managed to say “Morning” to him on her own. No routine beforehand, either. For Kotori, it was a earth-shattering triumph. Watching her climb one step higher on the ladder to adulthood right before his eyes, Takumi couldn’t help but let out a silent cheer in his heart—though it came with a pang of anxiety, like he was being left behind.

That day, Kotori, while keeping up her usual aloof Ice Princess act in public, was bombarding him with giddy messages during class: 《I was so nervous!》《I said it right, didn’t I!?》《I can’t believe I pulled it off!》 She was clearly over the moon. After school, they celebrated in her room with cheesecake they’d bought from Kinugyo Mall.

And so came the morning of her class duty.

With Kotori’s parents away on a business trip since the day before, Takumi had shown up at her place extra early. Naturally, it was to do their routine—better safe than sorry.

After a routine that took longer than usual, a tense, electric air hung in the room.

As Kotori pulled up her underwear, her voice, tinged with a hint of confusion, broke the silence with words she didn’t usually use, hesitantly directed at him.

“Takumi… today, um, didn’t it… feel good?”

“Huh?”

Caught off guard by her unexpected question, Takumi turned wide eyes toward her.

Kotori quickly looked away, her lashes trembling as she explained.

“The way you moved, it was… different from usual, I mean…”

She wasn’t wrong. This time, Takumi had deliberately changed things up, with a specific intent in mind.

Seeing her flustered, he cautiously asked, worried he’d miscalculated.

“You mean… I tried something different this time ‘cause I had a reason, but… was it, like, just painful or something?”

“N-No, that’s not it. It was different, like… too good, and I got kinda… overwhelmed…”

“……Got it. So it felt good. That’s a relief.”

Unlike their usual rough, monotonous routine just to get it done, this time he’d mixed things up—varying the pace, adding some circular motions, and shifting the points of stimulation.

It was all half-baked knowledge he’d scrounged from the internet, so he’d been nervous it wouldn’t work. But knowing he’d actually made Kotori feel good, he let out a quiet sigh of relief, a flicker of confidence sparking inside him.

For Kotori, the routine’s purpose was simply to get Takumi to finish, so her reactions were usually subdued. He’d never known if she felt anything from it, nor had he ever asked.

So why had he tried to make it good for her this time? It stemmed from that day at school when she’d asked for a routine, and he couldn’t deliver. Takumi had been itching to shake off that pathetic version of himself.

Meanwhile, Kotori, having let her true feelings slip, flushed bright red, her face practically steaming. Grabbing the cushion she usually buried her face in during routines, she hurled it at him, letting out a wordless shriek.

“~~~~, you idiot, Takumi!”

“Whoa, my bad, my bad!”

On closer inspection, her cheeks were flushed, and beads of sweat dotted her forehead. Clear proof she’d enjoyed it—and he couldn’t help but smirk.

Having ruffled her feathers, Takumi raised his hands in surrender and hightailed it out of her room.

After bolting from Kotori’s place, Takumi headed to school early.

It was earlier than usual, but the classroom was already half-full, with classmates chattering in their cliques. Normally, both he and Kotori showed up at the last minute since they had no one to talk to and ended up twiddling their thumbs.

He set his bag down at his desk and scanned the room. Toba wasn’t here yet.

“……yo”

A bit later, Kotori arrived, muttering something that sounded like a greeting.

The popular girls hadn’t shown up yet, so no one returned her hello.

Being swarmed with chatter would be overwhelming, but the silence seemed to sting too. Kotori’s face took on a complicated expression. She glanced around, noticing Toba’s absence, and let out a small, disappointed sigh.

It was the big day of her class duty, and despite all her prep, she’d been thrown for a loop. Unable to just stand there, she headed to her seat when a bright but flustered voice rang out from the hallway.

“Crap, I almost overslept!”

Bursting into the classroom was none other than Toba himself.

He threw his arms out in a dramatic “safe” pose, prompting jeers and jabs from the others. “What’re you even doing, man?” “You got here the same time as always, dude.” Toba just grinned sheepishly, scratching his head.

Spotting Kotori setting her bag down, he flashed a goofy smile and sidled up to her.

“Yo, Nabata! Good timing—you just get here?”

“……”

Kotori tried to respond but froze, managing only a small nod.

“Sweet, then we haven’t swapped the vase water yet, right? I’ll zip over and handle it!”

“!?”

Toba shot her a grin, tossed his bag onto his desk, rolled up his sleeves like he was ready to show off, and headed to the back of the classroom.

Probably trying to impress her.

But Kotori’s whole goal was to do class duty together. His unexpected solo act left her flustered and panicking.

Takumi, equally stunned, locked eyes with Kotori, who was silently pleading for help.

Meanwhile, Toba was already reaching for the vase. No time to waste.

Snapping out of it, Takumi typed 《Together!》 on his phone, signaling the line she needed to say.

Kotori checked her phone, flinched, then looked back at him. He gave her a firm nod, urging her to act.

After a brief moment of hesitation, she shouted at Toba in a voice louder than anyone expected from her.

“T-Together!”

“Huh?”

Toba froze, caught off guard. Kotori, riding the momentum of her outburst, hurried to his side and rattled off in an uncharacteristically rapid-fire tone.

“Let’s do it together.”

“Oh, uh, sure…”

Overwhelmed but pushing forward, Kotori marched out of the classroom toward the sink area.

Toba, momentarily stunned, rebooted and scrambled after her.

As their figures vanished, Takumi let out a massive “Haaa~” of relief.

Despite the unexpected hiccup, they’d pulled it off—for now.

But he wasn’t the only one sighing. From all over the classroom, murmurs tinged with curiosity floated up: “See, I knew it.” “Totally confirmed, right?”

……What?

Takumi’s mind let out a dumbfounded squeak.

Eavesdropping, he realized they were gossiping about Kotori and Toba.

Another unexpected twist. Takumi’s face scrunched up in unease.

From there, Kotori and Toba handled their class duties without much issue.

As planned, Kotori suggested tasks with rehearsed lines. They split the chalkboard cleaning duties evenly, handled the keys for moving to the physics room together, and stayed focused. Kotori was dead serious about meeting her goals.

To Takumi, there were a few nerve-wracking moments, but she was holding her own admirably.

The rest of the class, however, saw things differently.

Every time Kotori worked with Toba, whispers followed: “Look, they’re together again.” “Didn’t expect that.” “You can totally tell from how Nabata’s been acting lately.”

Apparently, everyone thought Kotori had a thing for Toba.

Takumi tried to think back objectively.

Sure, Kotori, who usually kept to herself, had suddenly started engaging with one specific guy out of the blue. In hindsight, things like changing the vase water, cleaning the chalkboard, or handling the classroom keys didn’t need two people. They could’ve just taken turns.

Yet Kotori was the one suggesting they do it together. No wonder it looked like she was making a move on him.

She was so focused on her goals that she hadn’t considered how it looked to Toba or anyone else.

As for Toba, he was eating it up, practically grinning ear to ear.

If you watched closely, he’d casually touch her shoulder or arm while chatting brightly. Sometimes he’d even try to slide a hand around her waist—moves you’d make with a girlfriend or someone close.

Kotori, for her part, didn’t push him away. She just kept her usual deadpan expression, plowing through the tasks. That only egged Toba on, letting him flaunt a smug look to everyone else.

Takumi knew she was just grinding toward her goal, but the class clearly didn’t see it that way.

Now he was anxious for a whole different reason.

Toba was a cocky guy with a knack for action. If he was misreading things, who knew what he might try with Kotori?

Then came lunch break.

Their class duty included returning props from the previous history class—models of Jomon-era tools, pottery, and hunting gear—to the storage room.

“Nabata, let’s knock this out quick!”

“Mm.”

Toba hefted the wooden box of materials with ease, nudging Kotori along. She nodded as usual, following him into the hallway with his goofy grin in tow.

By lunchtime, their classmates were more focused on food than on Kotori and Toba’s every move. Without everyone’s eyes on them, who knew what could happen?

Unable to sit still, Takumi slipped out quietly and tailed them.

◇◆◇

Kotori walked beside Toba, her face tense, weaving through the hallway against the flow of students heading to the cafeteria or school store.

She thought back on the day’s duties.

Sure, she’d stumbled a bit with the vase water, but the chalkboard cleaning, the classroom keys, and now this storage run—she’d managed. In the past, class duty meant getting sidelined by her partner, stuck doing everything alone while they gave her the cold shoulder. Compared to that, this was going way better.

“Man, that video in class with the guys in suits building a pit dwelling replica? Had me cracking up.”

“Yeah.”

Despite her nerves, Kotori was managing to keep up casual chatter on the surface while getting through her tasks. Feeling a spark of confidence and a bubbling joy threatening to make her giddy, she forced herself to stay focused.

Ever since that cruel fake confession, Kotori had sworn to reinvent herself in high school.

She’d taken action, bit by bit, and was seeing some real results.

If I put my mind to it, I can do this.

She had a clear image of who she wanted to be.

Acchan, her childhood friend, came to mind. Despite Kotori’s standoffish demeanor and clumsy words, Acchan, ever the lonely heart’s ally, had pulled her into the circle of friends, showing her a world of fun. Acchan was her benefactor, her role model.

If she could unlock the achievement of “nailing class duty,” maybe, just maybe, she’d take another step toward becoming like Acchan.

She owed Takumi a lot too.

They called it a “routine,” but let’s be real—she was dragging him into sex on her terms, like some slug hiding in the classroom’s cleaning closet. Every time they did it, it proved she could satisfy someone, that she could function as a woman, boosting her confidence.

But this morning… that was a bit much…

Her cheeks burned as she recalled being swept away by pleasure for the first time.

The routine was supposed to be about making Takumi feel good.

Yet she’d ended up enjoying it too, and that sparked a weird pang of guilt.

It was a ridiculous routine to begin with, so why should he care about her feelings? She just wanted him to enjoy himself and not worry about her. Honestly, she kinda resented him for it.

“Here we are.”

“Mm.”

They’d reached the storage room. Still flushed, Kotori followed Toba inside.

The room was lined with shelves packed with plaster statues, file binders, and wooden boxes like the one they’d brought. In a corner, there were easels for art class, torsos for home ec, and stacks of cardboard boxes.

The shelves were labeled, sorted by subject. They split up to find the “Japanese History” section, sliding the box into an empty spot.

Task complete.

Just get through the afternoon, and the mission would be cleared.

Time to head back for lunch. But as Kotori turned on her heel, Toba suddenly grabbed her arm.

“H-Hold up, Nabata.”

“……?”

The job was done—what was this about? Kotori blinked in confusion.

Toba’s face was oddly red.

His usual carefree, jokey vibe was gone. His expression was tense, and she could feel his nerves through his grip on her arm.

“…………”

The guy who never shut up was strangely silent.

The quiet stretched on.

Kotori, baffled, started to worry she’d screwed something up.

Just as anxiety crept in, Toba, mustering his courage, flashed a shy grin and tried to sound casual—though his words were impossible to miss.

“So, uh… wanna go out with me?”

“……Huh?”

Her mind went blank in an instant. The void was flooded with memories of that fake confession, overwhelming her.

“Use some common sense. Who’d ever be into a girl like you?”

The unforgettable scorn in his eyes, the mocking laughter of him and his friends.

Kotori’s eyes widened, staring at Toba.

He wasn’t that guy.

But it was so sudden, just like back then.

Her heart pounded like it might burst.

Am I about to be humiliated again, like that day?

The trauma hit hard, tearing at her heart, leaving her frozen.

Then Toba placed a hand on her shoulder.

She flinched, trembling with fear, and instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.

“……!”

“Uh, so, does that mean… you’re into it?”

Her world went dark, literally.

She could sense Toba getting closer.

No, I’m scared, someone, help!

Her voice wouldn’t come, screaming only in her mind.

Her body was paralyzed, not moving an inch.

After all her efforts, had she really not changed at all?

As despair sank in, a sharp, commanding girl’s voice cut through.

“Hey! You’re scaring her!”

“Ow—!?”“!?”

Her arm and shoulder were suddenly free, followed by a loud thud on the floor.

Cautiously opening her eyes, Kotori saw a petite, cute girl—smaller than her—tossing Toba, who was way bigger, and kicking him while he was down.

She couldn’t process what was happening.

As Kotori blinked in confusion, the girl turned to her, voice now soft and concerned, like the chime of a bell.

“You okay? He didn’t do anything weird, right?”

“Kotori! Akira-senpai!”

“Hashio-kun, you’re late!”

“……Ah.”

Takumi burst into the storage room, panting, clutching a few rolled-up posters, looking frantic.

He gaped at Toba, muttering.

“He’s completely out cold… Akira-senpai, you did this?”

“Haha, c’mon, you think a delicate maiden like me could do that? Look, he was pushing himself on a girl—probably just tripped and got what he deserved.”

“Uh, right…”

“What’s with that look?!”

“……Nothing. Just glad Kotori’s okay.”

“Hmph.”

Kotori watched, stunned, as the girl bantered with Takumi so casually.

So this was the senpai he could talk to normally—not some imaginary figure. Someone unafraid of Takumi? What a strange senpai.

Even stranger, words of gratitude slipped from Kotori’s mouth, natural as breathing.

“Th-Thank you for helping me…”

“I’m Akira. Second-year, Ikoma Akira. Call me Akira, ‘kay?”

“Yes, Akira-senpai.”

“Yup, glad you’re safe. So, who’re you?”

“I-I’m Nabata Kotori, first-year.”