Chapter 15: The Trash Scion Persona Resurrected

When I arrived at school the next day, every student I passed chuckled as they looked at me.

After all, I had blurted out a harem declaration in front of the entire student body, only to be spectacularly rejected. Under normal circumstances, this would be a deeply humiliating situation.

For me, however, it was actually convenient. It gave me the perfect excuse to keep a low profile under the guise of being shocked by the rejection and reflecting on having ruined the anniversary party.

Of course, no one suspected that I wasn't the real Hoshimiya Eitarou.

I had already called Kaede to apologize for making her worry.

But it was probably best not to speak to her at school for a while. If people thought she was having friendly conversations with a guy like me, it could drag down her reputation too.

When I entered the classroom, Touka was already in her seat.

"Good morning, Touka," I said.

"Morning..."

She gave an awkward reply to my greeting and averted her eyes.

I hadn't told Touka about my plan for the anniversary party. The sudden turn of events must have confused her.

She probably thought I was completely devoid of common sense.

But I was a shadow double. This was how much distance there was supposed to be between us in the first place.

During lunch, I stood in the hallway holding my bento bag, wondering where to eat.

"Hey, Hoshimiya, that speech yesterday was something else! Just what you'd expect from the Harem King!"

One of the male students called out to me.

It seemed a faction of the boys viewed my harem declaration at a school event as heroic.

"I might have messed up a little yesterday, but I'm not going to give up over something like that. I'm going to keep hitting on girls until I build my harem," I replied.

I played along with frivolous bravado, but today, I just wanted to be alone.

I made up a random excuse to get away from him and started walking again.

I wandered around the school, and before I knew it, I had found my way to the front of the Equipment Storage Room in Building No. 3.

Was Touka spending her lunch break here again?

I wanted to check, but it felt like things would be awkward if it was just the two of us.

There was no need for me to explain myself about yesterday either.

I turned my back on the Equipment Storage Room door and retraced my steps down the hallway.

After school, I headed toward the main gate to go home.

Touka was standing by the gate. I tried to walk past her with a quick greeting.

"See you tomorrow, Touka—"

"Hoshimiya-kun, it would be a problem if you forgot."

"Did I forget something?" I asked.

"The umbrella. My umbrella."

Touka checked to make sure no one was nearby and lowered her voice so others wouldn't hear.

"I lent it to you when you went home from my house the other day, didn't I?"

"Oh, right. It's not that I forgot about it, exactly."

I had borrowed it when I took shelter from the rain at her house last Sunday.

"How should I return it? Do you want me to bring it to school tomorrow?"

"It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow too, so it'll just be extra baggage. Can I come pick it up from your place?"

"Wait, r-right now!?"

"What are you acting so shocked for? Don't get the wrong idea. I'll head home as soon as I get the umbrella."

If she's just coming to get the umbrella, maybe it won't be too awkward, I reasoned.

I left the school grounds with Touka and we started the walk home.

Unsure of what to say, the dry sound of our footsteps was all that echoed along the path.

"...Are you mad, Touka? About the party?" I finally asked.

"Of course I am. Putting on an act like that for my sake, what were you thinking?"

"I knew you'd be mad... Wait, huh?"

I suddenly caught what Touka had just said. For my sake?

"Did you figure out that I did that for you?"

"It was completely obvious. Honestly, putting on such an idiotic performance in front of so many people and ruining the party... I really did think you were total trash in that moment."

"A-Ah... well, you see..."

I was at a loss for words and could only mumble.

But Touka's tone was somewhat gentle. Rather than angry, she seemed more exasperated.

"The second Kei-kun started going on about a harem, I figured the whole thing out. You knew I couldn't break off the engagement myself, so you put on that show for my parents, right?"

"Did your parents say anything to you?" I asked.

"It was a disaster after the party. Both my father and mother were desperately scolding me, furious that 'you must not associate with a man like that!'"

Touka let out a soft chuckle as she recalled the memory.

"But I never expected them to worry about me like that, so I was actually a little happy."

As we spoke, her expression brightened into something radiant.

"What a relief. I was completely convinced that you hated me now," I sighed.

"Everyone thinks Hoshimiya Eitarou-kun and I had a falling out, so it would be weird if we made up right away, wouldn't it?"

"Now that you mention it, yeah."

"Also, there's just one thing I want to check."

Touka stopped in her tracks and turned to face me.

"Putting your arms around Mizuki-san and Hiou-san... that was acting, right?"

She leaned in closely, practically interrogating me.

Her eyes weren't smiling. She was dead serious.

"O-O-Of course it was acting! I was just playing the part of a ladies' man!"

"Good. I'll forgive you just this once."

Touka's face reverted to a pleasant smile, and she resumed walking.

...Wait, forgive me? For what, exactly?

☆

Standing in front of the luxury apartment building where I lived, Touka looked up at the structure.

"You live in quite a luxurious place..."

As a refined Ojousama, Touka also lived in a splendid residence with solid security, but this apartment was impressive enough to awe even her.

"Chairman Genzou arranged it for me. I was surprised at first, too. I've only ever lived in normal apartments before, so I'm still not used to it. It feels like I'm permanently staying in a hotel," I said.

"This is the kind of place where corporate presidents and people of that status live. I don't think there's a single person at our school who lives in an apartment like this."

"According to the chairman, that's exactly why he prepared this room. If there are no students from our school living nearby, the risk of my true identity being discovered is much lower."

When we opened the front doors and entered the lobby, a row of mailboxes greeted us.

Naturally, the nameplate for my room read "Hoshimiya."

Inside the delivery box was a cardboard box about the size of an armful. It seemed a package had arrived while I was at school.

"I wonder who it's from... Oh, it's from my mom."

"From your mother, Kei-kun?"

"She sends me canned food and daily necessities every now and then. Chairman Genzou covers my living expenses, so I keep telling her I don't need it."

"Isn't getting canned food nice? It adds another dish to your meals."

"It does help when I'm too lazy to go grocery shopping, but still."

Carrying the package in both hands, I made my way to the inner doors. These doors had a security lock, so they wouldn't open unless I entered a passcode on the keypad next to them.

Just as I was about to set the package down on the floor, Touka reached out with both hands.

"The bottom will get dirty, so let me hold it for you," she offered.

"Thanks. It's not that heavy."

I handed the package over to her and pressed the number buttons.

Opening the door, I invited Touka inside, then took the package back and walked to the elevator.

We rode up to the fifth floor, stepped out of the elevator, and arrived in front of my door.

I had Touka hold the package one more time while I unlocked the door with my key.

Befitting a luxury apartment, the entryway was spacious. Since I lived alone, having only my own shoes sitting apologetically off to the side made it feel a bit lonely.

"I'll just put the package down here," she said.

She stepped into the entryway as well and set the package on top of the shoe cabinet.

Then, Touka peered into the apartment with deep interest.

"Curious about something?" I asked.

"I was just wondering what kind of place you lived in."

I wanted to tell her she could come in, but the promise today was strictly just to return her umbrella.

Inviting her inside could make it seem like I had ulterior motives, so I decided not to risk it.

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, she turned back to face me.

"I'll be heading right back home today," she said.

"Yeah. Your umbrella's completely dried off."

I reached for the umbrella stand, about to grab the umbrella I had borrowed.

Suddenly, she placed her hands on my shoulders, as if to stop me.

Standing directly in front of me, she stared straight into my eyes.

"Touka...?"

"Kei-kun..."

She murmured my name, then let out a soft laugh.

"Since no one's watching, I can call you by this name as many times as I want."

"It is a relief not having to hide my identity anymore," I chuckled.

I smiled back at her.

Then, Touka pressed her body closer, bringing her face right up to mine.

Her large eyes, now at point-blank range, were faintly moist and trembling.

Using the hands on my shoulders for support, she stretched onto her tiptoes, bringing her face even closer.

I could feel her warm breath washing over my skin.

She quietly closed her eyes. And then—

Touka's soft lips were pressed against my own.

Unconsciously, I closed my eyes as well, surrendering myself to the sensation.

I could smell the scent of her skin. Her breath slipped through the slight gap in her hesitant, shy lips. I could feel the thrumming vibrations of my own heart beating wildly, as if from somewhere far away.

Like a small boat rocking on the waves, my mind simply drifted through the overwhelming presence of Touka.

It felt like a single instant, yet also like an eternity.

It seemed to last mere seconds, yet also felt like hours had passed.

After that mysterious stretch of time, her lips parted from mine, almost reluctantly.

When I slowly opened my eyes, she quietly opened hers as well.

We stayed like that for a while, gazing into each other's eyes with completely blank minds.

"—Huh?"

As my consciousness returned, I felt the pounding of my heart echoing loudly in my chest.

What... just happened...?

All I could do was stare at her in absolute shock.

She took a step back, as if being pulled back to reality.

"S-So, I'll be taking my umbrella back now," she stammered.

With that, she grabbed the umbrella from the stand.

"See you tomorrow, at school."

Touka opened the front door and stepped out into the apartment hallway.

Leaving behind a joyful smile, she shut the door behind her.

The sound of her bouncy, retreating footsteps lingered in my ears for a long, long time.

★

That night, Touka received a call on her smartphone. It was from her mother.

"—I'm fine. Really, I'm okay. He and I were never that close to begin with."

Her mother had called out of concern, worried that Touka might be in shock after being betrayed by Hoshimiya Eitarou.

Playing along, Touka assured her mother that she was doing perfectly fine.

"You want to introduce me to someone else? I appreciate the thought, but... mmm..."

Touka found herself in a tough spot. Her mother was offering to introduce her to a much more respectable partner.

She rattled off name after name—scions of corporations the Rindou family did business with, up-and-coming young entrepreneurs who were drawing attention, and the like.

In the past, Touka would have believed it was her duty as a daughter to accept her mother's kindness.

However, Touka's reply today was very different from before.

"I don't need anyone. I can find someone on my own."

When her mother continued to insist, Touka stated firmly.

"I'm an adult now, Mother."

With a final warning to "just don't get involved with a bad man," her mother ended the call.

That's right. I'm an adult now...

Touka murmured in her heart, pressing her fingertips against her own lips as she recalled the day's events.

After spending some time in her room, her bedtime approached.

She opened her closet to change into her pajamas.

Stripping off her clothes, she looked down at herself in her underwear and pondered.

Maybe I should go buy some new underwear soon...

What kind of design would be best? A cute one? A practical one? Or maybe something a little sexy...?

I wonder what his type is. Will he be put off if it's too sexy? He's not actually used to girls, so it might surprise him. But maybe I should pick something that'll make his heart race like crazy...

Noticing a smirking grin forming on her lips, Touka gasped and snapped back to her senses.

I-I'm not buying it just to show it to him! J-Just because we kissed doesn't mean I've given him a free pass for everything!

Fuming indignantly by herself, she changed into her pajamas.

She walked over to the window to check the locks.

When she pulled back the closed curtains slightly, a quiet nightscape spread out before her.

A short distance away, she could see the lights of the apartment building where he lived.

I really... kissed him...

She hadn't intended to do any such thing before going to his place. She hadn't even thought about it.

Yet, as they stood together in the entryway, something had spurred her on, pulling her body toward him as if drawn by a magnetic force.

It was a sudden event even to her, but she knew it was what she had desired from the bottom of her heart.

However, a faint trace of anxiety crossed her mind.

He still had his duties as a shadow double from here on out.

As long as he was at their current school, he had to remain "Hoshimiya Eitarou."

He wasn't in a position where he could just date someone normally.

Even if her romance with him didn't go the way she hoped moving forward, Touka would have no regrets about today's kiss.

Because she had been able to convey her true feelings.

Because she had learned that it was okay to freely take that step forward.

After double-checking the locks and drawing the curtains shut again, Touka slipped into her bed.

As she wrapped herself in her blanket and relaxed, that sliver of anxiety melted away.

She planned to respect his mission and cooperate to ensure it succeeded.

At the same time, she wasn't going to give up on her own feelings either.

"I won't be able to stop myself anymore," she whispered.

With a grasping motion, Touka hugged her own chest tightly.

"Fufufu, just you wait, Kei-kun. —And,"

Touka thought of his real name.

Today, when heading to his room, she had helped carry the package from his family's home.

It had been written on the shipping label attached to the box.

He was living under the name Hoshimiya Eitarou, but his mother probably hadn't wanted to send it to her son using a fake name. So she had written his real name, and written Hoshimiya Eitarou in parentheses beneath it for delivery purposes.

He hadn't even tried to hide it.

He might have forgotten the simple fact that he had never actually told Touka his real name.

For now, she would play along and pretend she didn't know.

Drained of energy by her deeply fulfilled emotions, she slowly sank into the depths of sleep.

"────kun..."

The name Touka whispered was softly enveloped in her dreamy state, seeming to melt entirely away.