Inuyashiki Kogane: In the Case of the Gyaru Who Looks Down on the Otaku

"Hey, hey, Otaku-kun," Tsukishiro chimed in.

"Hm? What is it, Tsukishiro?" I asked, looking up.

Just another typical school day, during an ordinary break between periods.

And, just like usual, the gyaru sitting next to me was completely bored out of her mind.

Except today, one single thing was different.

Every time Tsukishiro shifted her body along with the rhythm of our chatter, a sweet, fruity scent tickled my nose.

For some inexplicable reason, whenever she spoke to me today, she dragged her entire chair right next to mine.

She sat so close that our shoulders would brush if either of us so much as twitched.

My heart was hammering violently against my ribs, yet Tsukishiro acted as breezy and nonchalant as ever. Sure, I was probably overthinking things, but when an absurdly cute girl gets this close, wouldn't any guy react like this? I really, truly wanted to believe I wasn't just being exceptionally creepy.

"What kind of underwear do you like, Otaku-kun?" she asked out of nowhere.

"Underwear? Talk about out of the blue. Look at me—I couldn't care less about fashion. If I don't even care what I wear on top, there's no way I'm picky about what's underneath."

"Oh, come on. I'm not talking about yours. I mean g-i-r-l-s' underwear," she replied with a playful smirk.

Her grin practically screamed that she knew full well I was playing dumb.

Apparently, her usual teasing routine had officially begun.

"Do I really have to answer that?" I sighed.

Who in their right mind would willingly confess their fetishes to a girl right in the middle of a classroom?

"Yep. You have to," she declared firmly.

"Even when I can clearly see the punchline where you make fun of me right after?"

"If you tell me, as a reward, I'll wear your favorite kind of underwear to school just for you."

"Say what?!" I gasped.

Tsukishiro brought a hand to her lips, casting a teasing, calculating glance my way.

This was psychological warfare of the highest caliber.

I scrambled to scrape together every last shred of wit I possessed.

The absolute worst-case scenario would be laying bare my fetish, only for her to shoot me down when I asked for the reward with a disgusted Nobody actually takes that seriously. Gross. Far from gaining anything, that data might get leaked among the popular crowd, turning me into a total laughingstock. For instance, if I confessed to being into thongs, rumors would spread, and my nickname might transform from Otaku-kun to "Thong-kun." I would literally cry.

Well, to be fair, I trusted Tsukishiro enough to believe she wasn't the kind of girl who'd participate in mob bullying like that.

Even so, the best move to avoid becoming Thong-kun while still claiming my reward was—

"All right. But before that, Tsukishiro, tell me what underwear you're wearing today."

"Huh? Why?" she blinked in confusion.

"It's not impossible that, by pure coincidence, you're already wearing my favorite kind right now. If that's the case, your reward of 'wearing my favorite underwear' would be null and void. In other words, I'd be spilling the beans for nothing."

"Ah, good point! Sorry, sorry, I didn't think of that," she giggled sheepishly.

Tsukishiro gave a lighthearted laugh as if acknowledging her oversight, and in the very next heartbeat, she leaned her body in close—

"Ta-da," she chirped.

Tugging down the collar of her uniform shirt with one hand, she flashed me her bra just like she had once before.

"Whoa, hold on—what are you—?!" I squeaked.

A sleek, seductive purple bra wrapping two hidden treasures as pure and fair as fresh snow filled my entire field of vision. The sheer shock of the unexpected sight instantly short-circuited my brain.

"The bottoms would be embarrassing since everyone in the classroom might see, so I'd rather show you somewhere we can be alone later," she murmured.

Straightening her posture, Tsukishiro scratched her cheek with a bashful chuckle.

You should've been embarrassed about showing the top part already! Wait, are you saying you'd show me the panties if we were alone?! Seriously, what is going on with gyaru morals?!

Not that I was complaining about the free eye candy, but still...

Just as I was grinning inwardly over my stroke of good fortune, I suddenly froze as I realized the fatal flaw in what I thought was a foolproof strategy.

Wait a second... Now that she actually showed me her bra, haven't I completely lost any excuse not to tell her?!

"So, how was it? Was what I'm wearing your type, Otaku-kun?" she asked.

With flushed cheeks and a hint of bashfulness creeping across her features, Tsukishiro waited eagerly for my verdict.

Guess I have to bite the bullet.

"To be honest... I'm a huge fan of gyarus wearing leopard-print underwear," I confessed.

"Heeey... Leopard print, huh? So that's what you want me to wear, Otaku-kun," she teased, drawing out her words.

Tsukishiro's cheeks softened into a smug, teasing grin that practically screamed, You pervert.

"Yeah, exactly! It's not an exaggeration to say that design exists solely for gyarus! That sexy, alluring vibe has insane synergy with the open, experienced image gyarus project. There's even some spicy fan art of Tsubaki wearing leopard print, and let me tell you, it's like cheese-topped hamburger steak curry—a glorious mash-up of two of the absolute best things ever. If a girl I liked seduced me looking like that, I'd purge my rational thought entirely and ravish her right on the spot!"

"R-Ravish?!" Tsukishiro squeaked, her voice cracking.

"Ah," I froze.

Her shocked gasp instantly brought me crashing back to reality.

Oh crap, I totally blew it. My bad habit reared its ugly head again.

No matter how much she'd asked, if you stopped to think about it calmly, having an opposite-sex classmate enthusiastically lecture you with a wall of text about his underwear fetish was nothing short of terrifying.

I timidly peeked at Tsukishiro to gauge her reaction.

Sure enough, her face had flushed as red as a boiled octopus, and she was burying it in both hands.

"Tsukishiro..." I ventured tentatively.

"Eep?!" she squealed, startled.

"I'm sorry. You're completely right. That was so creepy you probably can't even look at me right now."

"N-No, not at all! Ah-haha... You're a boy, so it's totally normal to think about stuff like that, right?" she stammered.

She considered that just "thinking about stuff a little"? Just how broad-minded was this girl?!

"Still, you really do love gyarus, don't you, Otaku-kun?" she giggled with a teasing grin.

A distinctly pleased smile spread across Tsukishiro's face.

"Well, obviously. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that a gyaru who's nice to otakus is the ultimate dream of every otaku on the planet."

"Yeah, yeah. I bet, I bet," she nodded in agreement.

Why is she looking so happy about that?

"Thanks! Honestly, I've never picked out underwear from the perspective of what guys like before, so this is super helpful."

"Wait, what?! Don't tell me you actually have plans to show your underwear to some guy?!"

"Ah?!" she gasped.

Tsukishiro clamped both hands over her mouth as if realizing she'd said too much.

"W-Well, yeah... Eventually, at least... Though that day might actually be pretty close," she mumbled softly.

Blushing all the way to the tips of her ears, Tsukishiro looked down shyly, twiddling her fingers together as her voice grew fainter and fainter.

My chest tightened with an ache. Sure, I never entertained any delusional hopes that a gorgeous, sweet girl like Tsukishiro and a gloomy otaku like me would ever end up together. Even so, feeling lonely was still feeling lonely.

"S-So, um, if you don't mind... could you come help me pick out some underwear after school today? I thought about it a bunch on my own, but I really feel like having you pick them out would be best, Otaku-kun."

She looked up at me through her eyelashes, her upturned eyes brimming with hopeful anticipation.

Still, as the saying goes, leave it to the specialists. If erotic appeal was what she was after, asking the opposite sex made total sense. I'd heard before that underwear drawn by male artists often felt much sexier to men. In that respect, Tsukishiro's decision was actually pretty smart.

And then, is she going to wear the underwear I picked out in front of some mystery guy?

What kind of twisted, next-level NTR is that?!

Well, even if it was a thankless, painful role, as long as Tsukishiro ended up happy, I could live with it...

"...All right. If you're fine with me, sure," I relented reluctantly.

I gave my begrudging consent.

"Really?! Yay!" she cheered, beaming brightly.

Tsukishiro burst into a radiant smile. Dammit. Whoever this lucky bastard is, he doesn't know how good he has it. If he ever makes her cry, I swear I won't forgive him.

"—Or so I'd love to say, but I actually already have plans today, so I can't."

"Huh? Really? Aw, what a bummer," she pouted, her shoulders slumping.

"Come on, don't look like that. I'm down to go whenever our schedules line up, so just hit me up anytime."

"Promise, okay? By the way, what kind of plans do you have? Don't tell me you're going on a date with a girl or something!"

She brought an exaggerated hand to her mouth, shooting me a playful, teasing smirk.

"Yeah, actually. I've got a promise to meet up with a girl," I replied, puffing out my chest.

I nodded with utter conviction.

"Huh?" she froze.

Just kidding. Inuyashiki works at my part-time job, so technically I'm not lying.

"Otaku-kun... What kind of stupid joke is that? It's not funny in the slightest," she said coldly.

In an instant, all warmth vanished from Tsukishiro's face.

"You're lying, right? It's a lie, isn't it? Hurry up and tell me you're lying."

The highlights drained completely from Tsukishiro's eyes as she leaned forward, pressing in close with an utterly deadpan expression.

"I-It was actually just my part-time job! I swear!" I blurted out, a sudden chill of dread washing over me.

Seized by an inexplicable terror, I immediately spilled the truth.

"Geez, Otaku-kun! If it's just work, say so from the start! That sounded so impossible it totally freaked me out! You silly boy, you!"

Laughing breezily, she was right back to the cheerful Tsukishiro Juria I knew.

"Ah... Ahahaha..." I forced a dry chuckle.

What in the world was that just now...?

○

"So this is the next collab merchandise, huh?" I murmured to myself.

After clocking in for my shift and changing into my staff uniform, I was flipping through the new campaign manual laid out on the office desk.

Apparently, ordering the featured collab dish—the pork steak combo—came with a free blind bag containing a character keychain.

The contents were totally random, and supposedly there was even a secret chase item in the mix. "Secret"—they really knew how to prey on an otaku's greatest weaknesses. If this had been a collaboration with Tsubaki Tendo, I would've been trapped in an infinite grind loop right about now. It would've been the beef bowl nightmare all over again. Not that those beef bowls weren't delicious in their own right, of course.

Even so...

I picked up one of the sample keychains sitting on the desk, my face twisting into an utterly complicated expression.

Dalpig. A listless, cheeky-looking pig mascot with a smug, obnoxious scowl. That was our collaboration partner for this campaign.

Dalpig was one of those so-called "creepy-cute" characters that shot to fame on social media after going viral under the caption Look, it's you guys.

While it enjoyed considerable popularity primarily among women, its polarizing aesthetic also meant it had a fair share of haters.

To be perfectly blunt, I couldn't fathom in the slightest why girls found creepy-cute mascots endearing.

Take the whole "ugly-cute" trend, for example. The moment you applied that logic to actual human beings, it immediately defaulted to as long as he's handsome. Seriously, what was the deal with that?

Whoa, bad habit, bad habit. My ugly otaku elitism is slipping out again.

I shook my head vigorously to rein in my cynical thoughts.

Trashing what other people love just to validate your own tastes is a classic otaku trap. Take the VTuber sphere I'm so fond of: there are two giant corporate powerhouses that dominate the landscape, yet for some reason, fans from both camps are constantly at each other's throats, bickering on social media day in and day out over which agency is number one in the industry. The VTubers themselves get along splendidly across agency lines, so what on earth is everyone else's problem?

Nobody likes having their passions dismissed. Inflicting the very behavior you despise onto others is terrible, and I had to make sure I never stooped to that level.

That being said, the collab dish itself looked mouthwateringly good: a thick, tender pork steak smothered in fragrant garlic sauce—a veritable fast track to packing on the pounds.

All right, it's settled. That's what I'm having after my shift today. With my employee discount, it's forty percent off. Gotta love the job perks!

Right after I made up my mind, it happened.

"Hm?"

I thought I caught the rustling of movement coming from somewhere nearby.

Turning toward the sound, my eyes landed on the storage room.

That room was stuffed haphazardly with discarded banners from past campaigns and promotional merchandise, to the point where there was barely any floor space left to walk on. Nobody ever went near it unless strictly necessary. That went double for this time of day, right when the shift changeover was about to happen and everyone was winding down; nobody in their right mind would go hunting for extra chores.

Could there be a burglar in there? The news has been reporting all kinds of shady break-ins lately.

The moment that unsettling thought crossed my mind, another rustle echoed from inside.

My hunch was fast turning into certainty: something abnormal was definitely in there. The only other people here right now were the middle-aged part-time lady, our timid Store Manager, and Inuyashiki.

By process of elimination, handling this fell squarely on my shoulders.

Steeling my resolve, I crept forward on tiptoe and cautiously eased the door open.

And there, right before my eyes—

"Uhehehehe~!"

Her usual intimidating aura completely evaporated, the blonde gyaru herself—Inuyashiki Kogane—sat there with a thoroughly melted, blissful expression, doting on a Dalpig keychain.

"Gaaah, you are seriously way too cuuute!" she squeaked in adoration.

Inuyashiki rubbed her completely relaxed, mushy face against the Dalpig mascot over and over.

Every time she swayed, her clothes brushed against the cardboard boxes packed with campaign supplies, producing that rustling sound. So that was what made the noise.

No, you're the one being cute here! Seriously, who even are you right now?!

"Nuhehehe~ Things have been crazy busy lately, so I totally need my healing fix... Mmm, Dalpig power, chaaaarge! Just kidding. Oh, Dalpig-san, you're so naughty~"

After pressing the Dalpig keychain snugly against her prized bust, she brought it back up to eye level, continuing her solo play in a syrupy-sweet voice.

What is this?! What is this?! What in the world am I looking at?!

The queen-bee gyaru at my part-time job is so absurdly cute it's dangerous!

I fought with everything I had to shove the urge to scream bloody murder back into the depths of my soul. Fortunately, Inuyashiki was so thoroughly absorbed in fawning over Dalpig that she hadn't noticed me at all.

Yup. There's nobody here. I didn't see a single thing. Not a thing. Got it? Good.

Repeating that mantra to myself, I resolved to tiptoe away as quietly as possible.

Just then—

"Hey, Ashida-kun! There you are. I need to talk to you about next week's shift, so could you come here for a second?"

Our Store Manager, a meek-looking middle-aged man, called out to me at the top of his lungs.

Of all the terrible, atrocious timing, Boss, why nooow?!

Naturally, there was no way Inuyashiki wouldn't notice.

"Huh?" she gasped.

She snapped around, and our eyes met dead-on.

Inuyashiki's jaw dropped slack, her brain clearly struggling to process the situation.

Meanwhile, cold sweat poured down my neck in the face of imminent catastrophe.

"Heeey, Ashida-kun! You can hear me, right?"

The Store Manager's tone-deaf voice called out again, completely oblivious to the atmosphere.

"Yes, sir! I'm on my way, just give me a second!" I called back, knowing I had to defuse at least one crisis.

I gave a quick response to buy some time.

"D-Did you see that?" Inuyashiki asked timidly, hastily tucking the keychain behind her back.

Figuring that a clumsy lie would only make things worse, I gave an honest nod.

"Sorry. Yeah, I did."

"This is literally the worst. Of all people, the otaku had to see me..."

With a deep, theatrical groan, Inuyashiki hung her head like a criminal in a detective drama who just had their trick exposed.

"Look, um... You don't have to act like it's the end of the world, do you? It's not like the whole world found out."

"Of course I do! I've been calling you an otaku and making fun of you this whole time, and now you went and saw my own otaku side! Go ahead and laugh if you want!"

"I'm not gonna laugh at you. Everyone's got one or two things they love, right? Heck, look at me—I'm wearing my oshi's merch right this second."

With a proud grin, I pulled open my uniform shirt to show off the Tsubaki T-shirt I was wearing underneath.

"Excuse me, but I really resent being lumped into the same category as that," she snapped, knitting her brows in blatant disgust.

Her scowl made her displeasure abundantly clear.

"I'm trying to help you out here, so why are you kicking away the ladder yourself? Besides, I don't think there's anything weird about a girl liking cute things."

"Because I don't want people thinking I'm childish, okay?" she pouted, a stark contrast to her usual mature demeanor.

Seeing such a rare, sulking expression on her face, I silently cursed myself for finding it undeniably adorable.

"Besides, the only things that truly make my heart skip a beat are creepy-cute characters like Dalpig. The super-famous mainstream ones don't do anything for me."

By "famous," did she mean the kinds universally beloved by all ages that had their own theme parks and lands?

"See? It's not normal. That's why I decided I was going to quit loving them! But then I show up to work, and this was sitting right there on the desk like it was taunting me! How was I supposed to ignore that?!"

Her voice was full of petulant resentment, insisting it wasn't her fault. Ah, so there were originally two samples on the desk, huh?

"'Normal,' huh? Is that really something you need to stress about so much?" I asked.

"Of course I do! What are you even talking about?"

My naive question was shot down instantly by Inuyashiki's dead-serious glare.

"Listen to me. Being not normal gives people an excuse to ostracize you, pure and simple. And if that happens, everything I've worked so hard to build up goes straight down the drain. Just thinking about it gives me the chills."

"What are you talking about, 'worked so hard to build up'?" I asked, tilting my head, not quite following her train of thought.

Inuyashiki let out a weary sigh before answering.

"I'm what you call a high school debut. You know what that is, right? Reinventing your entire image when entering high school by studying fashion and trends. That's me. Surprised?"

"Well, yeah, I guess..."

To be completely honest, it was wildly unexpected.

"I said goodbye to the boring, plain middle school me whose only redeeming quality was being serious, and now I'm living as a top-tier girl in class, respected by everyone for being on top of trends and fashion. I bust my butt memorizing hit songs and dating reality shows, even when I couldn't care less about them."

"Why go that far for stuff you're not even interested in?"

"Huh? Because I refuse to have a gray, miserable youth, obviously! Someone attending Kinmei like you wouldn't understand, but just being serious didn't make me particularly smart. Nobody looks twice at a bland, worthless nobody of a girl. I'd rather die than live a boring life like that. Believe it or not, I put in real effort to have a sparkling, fulfilling youth straight out of manga or TV dramas—unlike you, who just runs away into anime and video games."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. On the surface, you act like you're too obsessed with games and anime to care about romance, acting like it's too early for you. But deep down, you want a girlfriend, don't you? Yet you won't lift a finger or make any real effort to get one. Because if you fail, it'll hurt, and you'll be embarrassed. Well? If I'm wrong, go ahead and argue back."

Faced with Inuyashiki's provocative words, I couldn't muster an immediate rebuttal.

She hit the nail so squarely on the head, it was as if she possessed the power to read minds.

Even though I openly owned up to being an otaku, at heart, I still wanted a girlfriend. And if anyone asked whether I was actively doing anything or making any effort toward that goal, the answer was a flat no. I was practically just praying for a miracle.

"Sure, every now and then you see an idol who's into anime, and everyone praises their charming gap and accepts it. But that's a privilege reserved exclusively for people born blessed. People like us who don't have that have to sacrifice something to gain something else. Even my friends say Dalpig is totally out of the question. So trying not to be seen as weird is just common sense."

To me, Inuyashiki seemed like one of the blessed ones, but according to her own words, she felt completely otherwise.

Still...

"Can you really call a life where you can't say you love what you love 'fulfilling'?" I asked.

The question slipped out from the bottom of my heart—my unvarnished reaction to Inuyashiki Kogane's philosophy.

Living your entire life trapped inside a cage of your own making sounded like an impossible challenge run to me. Surely, sooner or later, you'd break down.

Inuyashiki glared at me, her eyes flaring with irritation.

"Shut up! Of course someone who's never put in an ounce of effort for real life wouldn't understand!" she spat out scornfully.

Her expression dripped with contempt.

"You've always been a gloomy loner living a boring-as-hell school life, so you wouldn't get it. But once you see the light, you know whether you like it or not. You know which side is right, and which side is wrong."

"Hey, who decides what's right or wrong anyway? A youth that depends entirely on other people's approval sounds way more boring to me."

"What is that supposed to mean? Sounds like pure sour grapes to me," she scoffed.

Neither of us gave an inch, and an awkward silence fell between us.

The one who finally broke the standoff was—

"Um... what are you two doing in a place like this?"

It was our timid Store Manager.

Crap. I completely forgot he called for me.

"Are you having a fight by any chance? Oh dear, that won't do! You need to get along. We're planning to hire someone new soon, you see, and we wouldn't want them thinking this is a toxic workplace, right? Come now, play nice, play nice."

Sensing the tense friction between us, the Store Manager nervously stepped in to mediate. Sorry, Boss. Didn't mean to drag you into something so outside your comfort zone.

As I apologized inwardly, Inuyashiki gave an irritated "Hmph!" and stormed off toward the dining floor.

"Sorry about that, Boss," I offered, apologizing on her behalf as well.

I felt obligated to smooth things over for both of us.

Even so, I really couldn't believe social standing was worth suffocating your own true feelings for.

Well, that was just my personal outlook, and I had no right to force it on Inuyashiki. Besides, it was also undeniably true that I'd been neglecting any real effort in the real world.

And so, our shift began under a somewhat awkward cloud.

That being said, work was work. We maintained all the necessary professional communication, and she didn't ignore orders out of spite or pettiness.

At her core, she was fundamentally diligent.

I didn't have to worry about petty malice; she knew where to draw the line and did her job properly.

In the first place, it wasn't as if we had always chatted whenever there was a lull in work.

We had started working here around the same time over six months ago. Weathering crazy rushes where we needed every spare hand and dealing with unreasonable customer complaints had forged an odd kind of camaraderie and mutual trust between us.

At least, that was how I saw it.

Naturally, there was no casual banter between us today, though.

Incidentally, the collab pork steak combo sold far better than I'd anticipated, and Inuyashiki fidgeted restlessly every time she caught a customer opening their blind bag.

Honestly, I'd underestimated the campaign at first, thinking it wouldn't impact our workload much, but reality set me straight in no time. Palette was a major family restaurant chain after all; their market research was clearly top-notch. On top of that, the savory aroma of garlic sauce wafting from the kitchen and dining floor completely won over my stomach. My post-shift meal had officially been narrowed down to a single choice. Could it be that corporate had even factored in sales from their own employees? Mega-corporations truly were terrifying.

Finally, our shift came to an end.

In the break room, I sat down to enjoy the collab combo whipped up as my employee meal.

The pork steak was tender and succulent, practically melting in my mouth. I devoured the entire plate in no time flat.

All that remained was the blind bag with the keychain. Might as well open it, right?

Wait a minute... isn't this one missing from the lineup? Just to be sure, I pulled out my phone and checked the official website. Sure enough, it wasn't among the six standard designs.

Don't tell me... Did I actually pull the secret rare?!

Was this what they called the victory of having zero desire? Why was it that using up your luck on something you didn't even care about left you feeling strangely cheated? It was another classic otaku dilemma: you'd get paranoid that blowing your luck here meant you were doomed to fail your target gacha pull in your favorite mobile game.

As I stared at the Dalpig keychain, agonizing over my own petty narrow-mindedness—

...Hm?

I noticed Inuyashiki, who was eating her employee meal of pasta a few seats away, staring intently in my direction.

The moment I met her gaze, she whipped her head away. When I straightened up, she immediately began stealing peeks back at me—

Wait... After everything she said, could she actually want this?

"Looks like I pulled a secret rare," I remarked casually, deciding to cut the nonsense and show her the Dalpig keychain.

I held it up so she could get a clear look.

Her eyes locked onto it like a hawk catching sight of prey, but a second later—

"I-It's not like I care or anything," she huffed, looking away.

Her reaction was straight out of an old-school tsundere handbook. She might as well have handed me an answer key.

"Fine by me. Well, I'm heading out first. Good work today."

With that, I stood up to clear my dishes.

"Huh?"

On my way past, I stopped by Inuyashiki's table and gently placed the keychain on the surface in front of her.

"It's not like I have any use for it. If you don't want it, just toss it in the trash."

Leaving her with only that, I turned toward the exit without waiting for her reply.

"This is just me talking to myself, but bottling things up is ultimately nothing but poison for your health. Look at politicians: they do whatever they want with arrogant smirks, and they all live crazy long lives. So wherever you don't need to hold back, you're better off not doing it. Like in front of someone completely inconsequential who doesn't require any tact—namely, a guy like me."

Pausing just before stepping out of the break room, I voiced the thoughts that had been lingering in my mind throughout the shift.

"...I'll say thanks, at least. T-Thank you," she muttered softly, her face turned away in embarrassment.

It was a faint, bashful expression of gratitude from a girl refusing to look me in the eye.

Good grief, when Inuyashiki drops her guard, she really is cute.

Not that I'd ever say that to her face if my life depended on it.

○

"Yo. Good work today, Shounen-kun," a familiar voice greeted me.

After finishing my shift and arriving back at my apartment building, I ran into Arisaka-san, who was out enjoying her usual cigarette break.

"Good evening, Arisaka-san. Thanks," I replied politely.

"Say, Shounen-kun... Am I really such an uncharming woman?"

Arisaka-san asked with the cigarette still dangling between her lips.

"Huh? Where on earth did that come from?"

"Well, I attended an after-party for an economics seminar today..." she began, exhaling a plume of white smoke along with her words.

She trailed off into a pensive pause as the smoke drifted into the night air.

Ah, right. Arisaka-san mentioned she'd been attending various networking events to build connections for starting her own business. I guess this was one of them.

"Some guy was enthusiastically bragging about his business plan, and it was so full of holes that I couldn't help pointing them out. In response, he threw a sore-loser tantrum and called me an uncharming woman."

Pressing a hand against her cheek, she wore an expression as if she had just swallowed a bitter bug.

"I'm surprised you let that get to you. I always pictured you brushing off stuff like that as the barking of small fry with a completely indifferent face."

Watching Arisaka-san furrow her brows in displeasure, I couldn't help letting out a wry chuckle.

"Is that a crime? I'm human too, you know."

Clearly unimpressed by my reaction, Arisaka-san leaned her face in close, puffing out her cheeks in a sulky pout. Having a stunning woman suddenly enter my personal space sent my pulse racing. A faint trace of alcohol mingled with her soothing, sweet lavender scent.

Wait... Arisaka-san, are you drunk?

"What men call 'charm' is always that nonsense, isn't it? Being gentle and obedient, always walking three steps behind to inflate their egos... As if any woman in the Reiwa era fits that dinosaur Showa-era fantasy! They should put whatever tiny brain they have into overdrive and think for once!"

"W-Well, telling me that isn't gonna do much good..." I murmured awkwardly.

"All I did was offer constructive advice to improve his proposal! With so many glaring flaws, failure was inevitable. Since he was there with a purpose just like me, having a productive discussion should've been ideal. But instead, that jerk threw the debate out the window and resorted to purely emotional attacks!"

Arisaka-san fumed, accidentally crushing her cigarette in frustration. She's the type who gets surprisingly emotional when she's had a drink, huh?

"Tell me, Shounen-kun. From a man's perspective, is an equal opinion from a woman really that offensive? When I'm trying to engage logically, why do they have to brandish their fragile little egos and throw tantrums? Are they stupid?"

After venting her frustrations with a scowl, she pulled a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and lit another one. It seemed Arisaka-san had her fair share of hardships and baggage that came with being a capable, independent woman.

Unfortunately, as a second-year high schooler with virtually zero life experience, there was no way I could offer an authoritative answer to that.

"Ah... well, that tendency might exist, yeah," I offered tentatively.

So, I decided to share my thoughts based on the world I knew best.

"This is something from the VTuber world I always talk about, but... when VTubers stream gameplay, there are always viewers in chat barking orders like 'You should buy that gear' or 'Clear that quest first,' completely ignoring what the streamer wants to do. They're commonly called 'backseat gamers.'"

"Backseat gamers...?" Arisaka-san tilted her head, cigarette still between her lips, unfamiliar with the term.

She eyed me curiously through the haze of smoke.

"And when those backseat gamers get ignored, they start spamming chat or post manifestos on social media bashing the VTuber. They're a massive pain."

"I see. So in other words, they're throwing a hissy fit because the girl they like won't pay attention to them. How pathetic," Arisaka-san scoffed, exhaling white smoke with a disappointed look.

She shook her head in disdain.

"Right, exactly. But don't you think that sounds a bit like what happened to you just now?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, blinking.

"Depending on how you look at it, of course. Maybe he wasn't mad because he lost a debate to a woman; maybe he threw a tantrum because he failed to impress you. Instead of you lacking charm, he found you so attractive he desperately wanted you to look his way, and when that blew up in his face, he lashed out. In other words, what I'm saying is that you were dazzling enough to make his brain short-circuit."

They say love and hate are two sides of the same coin. Just like with VTubers, most virulent anti-fans are actually former devotees whose unrequited affection warped into obsession.

"Hmm, I see. In short, always looking on the bright side is the best policy. Heh-heh, you really are a master of sophistry, Shounen-kun. In a good way, of course," Arisaka-san said with a grin.

Her lips curved into an amused smile.

"You bet. Otakus are practically wired to overanalyze everything from twisted angles anyway."

"Fufu. Thanks to you, I feel a lot better. Besides, it seems that in your eyes, I'm quite the captivating woman. I'm honored."

Snuffing out her cigarette in the portable ashtray by her feet, Arisaka-san flashed an alluring, seductive smile.

"Huh?" I faltered.

"Now, now, why the dumbfounded look? The interpretation you just laid out only works if you operate under the premise that I'm cute. In short, that means you personally find me attractive and charming, don't you?"

Grinning mischievously, she leaned her face in close once more, playfully putting me on the spot.

"Uh... Well, I mean, that is technically true, but..."

Flustered and thoroughly embarrassed, I instinctively took a step back.

"Come to think of it, that girl you're obsessed with—the one you bought an engagement ring for—her name is Tsubaki Tendo, right? Say, Shounen-kun... If she and I made a move on you at the exact same time, which one would you choose?"

"Huh? Tsubaki Tendo, obviously," I answered almost reflexively to her devilish, teasing inquiry.

There wasn't a single shred of hesitation in my response.

"Hey! Couldn't you at least pretend to agonize over it a little?! That was totally the vibe we had going!"

Arisaka-san pressed forward, visibly indignant at being rejected so flatly.

"Are you kidding? Having your oshi hit on you?! Of course I'd welcome that with open arms! I wouldn't need anything else in this world. My life would already be complete!"

I leaned forward passionately, professing my devotion without shame.

Besides, the idea of Arisaka-san ever actually hitting on me was far more unthinkable than anything else.

"You really are something else, Shounen-kun," she muttered, letting out an exasperated chuckle.

A gentle amusement softened her features.

"Yeah, yeah. 'In a good way,' right?" I quipped.

"Still, you might've missed out on quite the prize, Shounen-kun. If you'd answered that you'd pick me right then and there, I might've gotten pretty serious about it. At the very least, knowing you find me charming and cute didn't feel bad at all."

Averting her gaze, Arisaka-san spoke slowly, looking genuinely bashful.

"Huh...?" I breathed.

Wait... for real?

"Pfft— Ahaha! Shounen-kun, look at your face! Of course I was joking!"

Arisaka-san burst into raucous laughter, clutching her stomach with tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

Meanwhile, having fallen for it hook, line, and sinker, my face burned crimson, and I wished the ground would swallow me whole.

Think about it rationally, you idiot! A woman like her who probably gets hit on by wealthy, elite men at events like tonight's would never look twice at a younger high schooler like me! God, how embarrassing...

Still, to think she had such a playful, mischievous side to her.

Watching Arisaka-san continue to laugh, a strange warmth bloomed in my chest.

Because I had a feeling I might be the only one who ever got to see this side of her.

"Phew... Man, I haven't laughed that hard from the bottom of my heart in ages. That really cleared my head," she said, wiping a tear.

"Glad to be of service, your majesty," I grumbled dryly.

On the flip side, I'm left feeling completely mortified.

"Come on, don't make that face, Shounen-kun. I'm truly grateful. Thanks to you, I feel completely refreshed, and I'm ready to throw myself back into building my business tomorrow."

Seeing my sullen pout, Arisaka-san looked momentarily apologetic before breaking into a confident grin.

"Oh, by the way, I've been wondering about this for a while. You don't have a specific industry you're dying to work in; you just want to develop a solid business idea and launch your own startup, right?"

I voiced a simple question that had been on my mind. For example, Tsukishiro and Inuyashiki had clear visions of what they wanted to achieve—walking the runway, or living in a massive house with a huge dog and a happy marriage.

It had always bugged me that Arisaka-san's dream seemed to lack that specific end goal.

"Ah, you're right. Embarrassing as it is to admit, I don't possess any singularly outstanding technical skills. On the flip side, given my personality, I doubt I'd ever last long working as a cog in a corporate collective. That's why I'm searching for my own answer—so I don't have any regrets."

Her proactive drive was genuinely cool, and I respected her for it.

Which was precisely why I felt compelled to speak up.

"Don't you already have one? That singularly outstanding skill, I mean."

"Me? Come now. Didn't I literally just explain that I don't? Don't tell me you think you understand me better than I understand myself?" she chuckled derisively.

Undeterred by her mocking laugh, I pressed on.

Because I genuinely believed what I was about to say.

"When it comes to this specific point, maybe I do."

"Huh?"

"Think about it. You go to all kinds of gatherings and parties like tonight to build connections, right? In my book, that's already an incredible talent far above the average person. You treat it like second nature, so you probably don't notice it, but even if I tried doing the same thing, there's no way I could integrate myself into a crowd like that."

For a gloomy introvert like me who had zero desire to approach strangers, it was an utterly impossible feat.

In Arisaka-san's case, beyond the insane initiative and communication skills typical of gyarus, her composed demeanor made her look like she was already on her second playthrough of life, creating a powerful synergy.

An expert on television had once declared that when all was said and done, people judged a person's worth almost entirely by their looks and aura.

Having spent my life on the receiving end of cold stares as an otaku, that truth resonated with me all too painfully.

Arisaka-san was the exact opposite of me: simply standing there, she radiated the aura of an accomplished professional. It was hard to put into words, but she carried an atmosphere that made people feel they stood to gain just by being on good terms with her.

Of course, that was probably why she attracted petty jealousy like the guy tonight, too.

"That's why I feel like focusing on that could be your shortcut to what you want. Instead of making connections to start a business, what if you started a business designed to expand connections?"

As a mere high schooler, I had no concrete blueprint for how that would look. But thinking it might serve as a helpful clue, I spoke purely from the heart.

"Well, that's just a naive thought from a clueless high schooler, though," I added with a self-deprecating chuckle to hedge my bets.

I wrapped up with an embarrassed grin.

"I see..."

Arisaka-san rested a hand on her chin, furrowing her brow in deep contemplation, and then—

"Yes! That might actually be a fantastic idea, Shounen-kun!"

In the next instant, an elated Arisaka-san threw her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Wh-Whaaat?!" I squeaked.

A mature fragrance—a blend of alcohol, tobacco, and perfume that was somehow entirely pleasant—enveloped my senses.

The soft, intoxicating warmth of her body filled me with pure euphoria.

My eyes practically bulged out of their sockets, my brain completely short-circuiting in pure shock.

"Whoops, my apologies! I let my excitement get the better of me. Seems I'm a bit more drunk than I realized."

Poking out her tongue playfully, Arisaka-san offered a gentle smile and stepped back.

"A business built around the weapon of networking... Wow, I never would've thought of it from that angle. Talk about out-of-the-box thinking!"

While my mind was still reeling from the sudden embrace of an older woman, Arisaka-san was already back to business as usual, crossing her arms and nodding thoughtfully. Well, of course. There's no way she sees me as a romantic prospect. So don't go getting your hopes up, me.

"Man, I'm so glad I talked to you, Shounen-kun. To think I'd get such an unexpected epiphany on top of venting my complaints."

Flashing her pearly white teeth, Arisaka-san grinned with a level of high spirits I rarely saw in her.

"I-I'm glad I could be of help," I stammered.

"Indeed! And if you ever have any worries or need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to come to me, Shounen-kun. This experienced big sister of yours will guide you to a solution in a jiffy."

Arisaka-san placed a hand over her chest, puffing it out with supreme confidence.

"Th-Thank you very much."

Right at that moment, my phone chimed with a message notification, so I pulled it out to check.

It was a LINE message from Tsukishiro.

"Whoa?!"

The second my eyes registered the screen, I couldn't help crying out, my eyes bulging in disbelief.

Nobody on earth could blame me for reacting like that.

Because—

[Good work at your job today, Otaku-kun! Here's a reward for working so hard.]

Attached right alongside that message—

Was a selfie of Tsukishiro clad in leopard-print underwear.

She didn't send the wrong photo by mistake... did she?

The message came right after the photo. If it was a misfire, she would've realized it immediately.

Wait, how in the world am I even supposed to reply to this?!

"What's the matter, Shounen-kun? You look like a deer caught in the headlights," Arisaka-san noted.

"Um... can I actually take you up on that advice right now?" I pleaded.

"Hm? Oh, by all means! As your mature big sister with plenty of life experience, allow me to provide you with an insightful answer."

"If a female classmate suddenly sends you a selfie of herself in her underwear, what on earth is going through her head?"

"...Oh, so this is about some anime or manga. What a waste of my serious attention."

Her confident, smug expression plunged straight into total apathy.

Well, I couldn't blame her. In her shoes, I would've assumed the exact same thing.

"You might think I'm making this up, but it's an actual true story," I insisted.

It was painfully hard to explain with words alone.

It wasn't like I could shove Tsukishiro in her underwear in Arisaka-san's face and say, Here's my proof!

"Uh-huh, sure, sure. Good for you. She's totally into you, so why don't you just go ahead and confess already?"

Pulling out a fresh cigarette, her reply was utterly flat and dismissive, not believing a word I'd said.

If I actually believe that and get shot down in flames, you're going to take full responsibility, right?

○

About a week had passed since then.

Tsukishiro was still working as hard as ever toward her dream, and it sounded like she even had her first modeling gig coming up soon.

Ever since we exchanged Line info, Tsukishiro had been sending me daily updates on how she was doing. And it wasn't just about her modeling aspirations either. Whether it was about some delicious food she'd eaten or how she went to karaoke with her friends, she faithfully kept me posted on even the smallest everyday details, almost out of a sense of duty.

Before I knew it, we were exchanging around one hundred messages every single day.

Not that it really mattered, but on Line, Tsukishiro was constantly sending stickers plastered with heart icons and phrases like "I like you" and "I love you." Having never texted a girl before, I had no reference point, but that sort of thing had to just be par for the course among gyarus.

Or maybe she was just picturing my flustered reaction and getting a kick out of teasing me.

Either way, the fact that it left me feeling a little warm and fuzzy inside meant I'd already lost.

As for Inuyashiki, she was as sharp-tongued as ever toward me, but she no longer hid what she loved around me. Whenever there was downtime at work, she'd chat about the ongoing Dalpig collaboration, and during breaks, she'd gaze at the Dalpig keychain I'd given her to recharge her batteries.

That didn't mean I'd become someone special to her by any stretch—if anything, it was the exact opposite. Whenever she was around the good-looking college guy working the kitchen, she stubbornly kept her Dalpig obsession completely under wraps. What was more, unlike the attitude she gave me, she always treated him with a beaming, charming smile.

To top it off, when I was walking downtown the other day and ran right into Inuyashiki and her clique, she pretended she'd never laid eyes on me before in her life.

Well, fine by me. It wasn't like our lives were ever going to intersect beyond our part-time shifts anyway.

Arisaka-san must have been busy, because I hadn't run into her outside our apartment building at all lately.

I didn't have her contact info, and bumping into her so frequently by sheer chance had probably been a miracle in the first place, but it still left me feeling a little lonely.

And then—

Man, this is beyond awkward...

Right now, it was after school on a weekday, and I was riding the train to my shift.

Where I had the sheer misfortune of running right into the high school girl squad Inuyashiki belonged to.

They had piled onto the bench directly across from mine.

Led by Inuyashiki, this flashy bunch of high school girls was completely immersed in their own world, chattering away loudly without a single care for anyone around them. Why do high school girls always project such an air of invincibility the moment they form a pack?

Inuyashiki was clearly the centerpiece of the clique, planted firmly in the middle and steering the conversation with absolute authority.

The sight fit my mental image of her to a tee. And considering she'd told me this was all the fruit of relentless effort, it was undeniably impressive. I genuinely respected that about her.

Naturally, Inuyashiki glanced my way for a split second before going right back to acting like I was a total stranger. If I dared to speak to her, she'd probably look at me like I was some suspicious creep. Not that I had any intention of trying.

Incidentally, since Inuyashiki was heading to work as well, we were stuck on the train together until our stop. In other words, this deeply uncomfortable atmosphere was going to drag on for the entire ride—

What should I do? Just move to another car? No way, I fought for this seat. Considering I'd be on my feet for hours during my shift, I wanted to relax on the train at least.

While I was agonizing over my options, a voice piped up.

"Hey, look, isn't that a Dalpig?" one of the girls with Inuyashiki asked. "Wow, so people who actually like those things really do exist."

One of the girls sitting with Inuyashiki cast a mocking, curious look at a plush keychain hanging from the bag of another high school girl sitting on my side of the train.

It was merchandise from the exact franchise that Inuyashiki—with her fierce, intimidating aura—loved so much her expression would melt into pure mush. Naturally, she'd noticed it before anyone else in the car, and I'd caught her stealing sidelong glances at that Dalpig the entire time.

"Does she genuinely think that's cute? As if! She's totally being brainwashed by the hype," another girl chimed in.

"Totally! Hey, Ganecchi, you think so too, right?"

Their voices carried with zero shame. Strutting with triumphant arrogance as if they were indisputably in the right, they sought agreement from Inuyashiki, the queen bee of their pack. Despising anyone who belittled other people's passions, I felt an intense irritation boiling within me.

Tell them, Inuyashiki. Hit them with an "Objection!" or "No, you're wrong!"

Channeling iconic catchphrases from a certain courtroom game, I pinned all my hopes on Inuyashiki.

"Seriously, for real. Like, isn't she mortified flaunting something like that out in public?" Inuyashiki sneered.

Yet the words that slipped from Inuyashiki's lips, accompanied by an utterly frigid expression, were pure venom.

Her face went completely blank, as if she were smothering every ounce of her own feelings.

Having secured the queen bee's stamp of approval, the barrage of mockery only intensified.

In the middle of their ridicule, the girl with the keychain grew so visibly uncomfortable that she fled into the next car to escape.

What a sickening thing to have to witness.

"......"

Was it just my imagination, or had Inuyashiki looked heartbroken for a fleeting second?

Before long, we arrived at our destination, and Inuyashiki waved goodbye to her friends on the platform.

Naturally, since we worked at the same place, I got off at the same station, which meant—

"—Hey. Don't you think that was a little uncalled-for back there?"

Once we exited the station and were heading down the road, I called out to Inuyashiki, who was walking a few paces ahead of me.

This was a quiet street running along the riverbank. Even if we had a bit of an argument, we wouldn't be bothering anyone around here.

"What?" she snapped, halting in her tracks.

Turning around, Inuyashiki glared at me with hostile daggers in her eyes.

"What's your deal anyway? Stop following me. What are you, a stalker?"

"We work at the exact same place, so telling me not to walk behind you is a bit ridiculous. But more importantly, just because something isn't your cup of tea doesn't give you the right to mock or tear down what someone else loves. You went way too far back there."

I called her out in a firm, unyielding tone.

Never become someone who denies what others love.

As an otaku, that was something I'd been making a conscious effort to live by lately.

Because of that, I simply couldn't let Inuyashiki's behavior back there slide without saying something.

"Besides, I don't know about your friends, but I know for a fact you don't actually feel that way. Which makes what you did even worse, doesn't it?"

"I told you before, didn't I? Where I come from, how those girls acted is completely normal. How on earth was I supposed to say anything in an atmosphere like that? It would've totally killed the vibe!"

"Ha! If a relationship is so fragile it crumbles over something like that, I'd want no part of it. At that point, it's questionable whether you can even call them friends."

"Hmph. And what about you, then? Say the people in your class were totally bashing your favorite anime character. Would you still be able to stand tall and puff out your chest about your precious oshi in that kind of situation?"

"I would."

I answered Inuyashiki's question without a moment's hesitation.

"Because I don't have a single shred of shame about loving Tsubaki."

Pulling back my uniform to flaunt the Tsubaki T-shirt underneath, I declared it with absolute pride.

Inuyashiki's irritation only flared hotter.

"Yeah, yeah. You're just that kind of guy, aren't you? God, otakus piss me off! You don't put in any effort whatsoever, yet you go around acting like you're enjoying life just fine. Why do I have to suffer when I'm the one actually trying?! It makes no sense!"

Her voice grew rough and heated, hurling words at me as if desperate to prove she wasn't in the wrong.

"And what about this creepy shirt of yours anyway? Normally, you're supposed to feel embarrassed about what people think!"

Furious, she grabbed the collar of my T-shirt, bunching up the fabric as if crushing Tsubaki's face in her fist.

"Cut it out. I don't want someone who lives a lie touching this. You'll defile my precious Tsubaki."

Almost reflexively, I forcefully swatted Inuyashiki's hand away.

My reaction must have caught Inuyashiki completely off guard.

Stunned, she stood frozen for a second before snapping back to her senses, her hostility flaring up all over again.

"Trying to have a real conversation with an otaku was my first mistake," she spat. "It's like trying to communicate with a pig and failing miserably."

She forced a hollow laugh, as though severing some lingering attachment.

"Basically, you're pissed because I lied about hating something I actually like, right? Fine, then as of today, I hate Dalpig! You don't have any complaints with that, do you?!"

"Huh?"

Ignoring my dumbfounded confusion, Inuyashiki reached into her bag and pulled something out.

It was the Dalpig keychain I'd given her the other day.

"...I don't need this junk anymore," she muttered.

"H-hey, wait!"

With a tense, stiffened expression, Inuyashiki wound up and hurled the Dalpig keychain toward the river with all her might. With a soft rustle, the keychain vanished deep into the dense undergrowth.

It was an unkempt area completely overtaken by wild, tangled weeds. Trying to locate a palm-sized keychain in a place like that would be an absolute nightmare.

"Aaah, what a relief! You don't have any right to complain now, do you?"

Carefully keeping her face turned away from me, she stretched her arms as if putting on a show of how unburdened she felt.

"Anyway, I'm heading ahead."

With that, she briskly marched away.

But during those brief seconds, I hadn't missed it.

I'd seen how Inuyashiki's face had crumpled, completely belying the flippant words she'd just spat out.

Aaargh, damn it! This pisses me off so much!

—It was roughly two hours past my scheduled shift when I finally showed up at work.

Needless to say, I wasn't just late—I was extraordinarily, astronomically late.

"Ah, you finally made it, Ashida-kun," the store manager said with an exasperated sigh.

Entering through the back door, I was greeted by the store manager, who looked up from some paperwork with an utterly dumbfounded expression.

"I'm so sorry, Manager. I know I'm late."

First and foremost, I'd screwed up big-time. I bowed my head with all the sincerity I could muster.

"You call me out of the blue, tell me you're 'taking a massive dump so you're gonna be late,' and then hang up. You didn't actually think that excuse would fly, did you?"

"Ahaha... I'm really sorry."

Knowing a no-call no-show would be disastrous, I'd called him immediately. But feeling that even wasting seconds trying to invent an excuse was time I couldn't spare, I blurted out the first random thing that popped into my head and hung up before he could recover from his shock. It made complete sense that he wouldn't let me off the hook for that.

"So, what's the real reason—"

"What on earth were you thinking?!"

Cutting the manager off, Inuyashiki stomped over, radiating pure indignation as she cornered me.

"What, was this some kind of passive-aggressive jab at me?! Dragging the rest of the staff into your drama and inconveniencing the whole restaurant is completely out of line!"

So she was angry on behalf of everyone else. She really was conscientious at heart, and I supposed traits like that were precisely why I could never bring myself to truly hate her, even after she tore me to shreds.

"W-What's going on here? Does Ashida-kun being late have something to do with you, Inuyashiki-san?"

As the manager timidly stepped between us, Inuyashiki scratched her head in annoyance.

"...Manager. I'll give him a stern talking-to, so why don't you cover the floor for me and handle the customers?"

"Huh? But as the manager, I really should—"

"Just go!"

"Y-yes, right away!"

Cowering before Inuyashiki's fearsome glare, the manager scurried off toward the dining room. Seriously, don't let a high school girl bully you, grown-ass man!

"Now then. I hope you're prepared for what's coming," Inuyashiki demanded, turning back to me.

"Before that, hold out your hand."

"Huh? What are you babbling about? Do you even realize what kind of position you're in right now?"

"Just do it, just do it. Once you do, you can lecture me for as long as you want. Deal?"

Looking suspicious, Inuyashiki reluctantly held out an open palm.

"Here you go. You left this behind."

I gently placed the Dalpig keychain into her hand.

"Huh?"

Inuyashiki's eyes went as wide as saucers, struck completely speechless as if she'd just seen a ghost.

"Finding that took a whole lot longer than I expected. Anyway, I'm gonna go get changed. If you're gonna chew me out, could you wait until after I'm in uniform?"

Pressing my palms together in an apologetic gesture, I turned on my heel toward the locker room.

I was already late enough as it was. Even though it was normally a slow hour, dinner rushes had a nasty habit of suddenly exploding out of nowhere. If things got crazy, I needed to be on standby ready to work twice as hard to make up for lost time.

"W-wait!" Inuyashiki cried out in a panic.

She rushed to stop me in my tracks.

"I told you I didn't want it! Why would you go out of your way to do something so completely unnecessary?!"

"Even if you ask me why... If you truly didn't want it, you wouldn't be crying like that, would you?"

Feeling awkward, I turned my face away from her.

Because right now, a steady trail of tears was streaming down Inuyashiki's cheek.

"Huh? Wait, no way... What is this? I didn't mean to..."

Fiercely rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hand, Inuyashiki tried to deny that the tears were coming from her own will.

Once she regained her composure, she looked back up at me, only for her eyes to shoot wide in utter shock.

"Wait, taking a closer look, you're filthy?!"

"Ah, yeah. This."

Having scrambled blindly all over the muddy riverbank, I was caked in grime from head to toe. To tell the truth, that was another big reason I'd wanted to change so quickly. Standing around a restaurant in this state felt like a severe sanitary hazard.

"That T-shirt was your favorite, wasn't it?! A limited edition or something! You blew a total fuse earlier just because I barely grazed it!"

"Of course I did. Do you have any idea how many beef bowls I had to choke down over two months just to earn the points for this thing? This shirt is an absolute treasure to me."

Whenever I washed my Tsubaki shirt, I painstakingly laundered it entirely on its own just to prevent any risk of colors bleeding onto it from other clothes. That was how precious it was to me.

"Then why?! If it was that precious to you, why would you go that far for someone like me...?!"

"Because... I didn't want to regret it, I guess."

I simply spoke the honest thoughts that had crossed my mind back then.

"What?"

"Sooner or later, you were definitely going to regret throwing that Dalpig keychain away, Inuyashiki. And being right there beside you, failing to stop you would've haunted me with regret forever too. Once that hit me, my body just moved on its own—so basically, I just did it for my own selfish peace of mind. As for the shirt, well, I'm hoping it'll wash out, but if it's permanently stained, that's my own fault. If it was really that precious, wearing it out in the first place was my mistake."

Flashing a cheerful grin, I tried to show her there was no reason to feel indebted.

"...Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why would you do that much for me? Let's be real here... there's no way you like me enough to go to those lengths..."

"Well, come on. When a girl as pretty as you is making such a heartbreaking face, how could I just walk away?"

"Wha...?"

"You might not have realized it yourself, but ever since you trashed Dalpig on the train, you've had this gloomy look on your face the entire time. And yet those friends of yours didn't even notice. So naturally, caring about you as much as I do, I had to object. I couldn't help wondering if that's where your true happiness really lies."

"I'm... precious to you...?"

"And besides, as an otaku, I'm a total sucker for the word 'secret-rare.'"

"Huh?"

"I looked it up afterward, and apparently that secret-rare has an insanely low pull rate. People are reselling it on flea market apps for around eight thousand yen! As an otaku, I couldn't bear to let such a rare collectible vanish before my very eyes."

Even if it wasn't a franchise I personally followed, the mere mention of words like 'secret' or 'premium' triggered my collector instincts. That was just the nature of an otaku.

"So in short, about half of this was just me satisfying my own ego. Don't worry about it."

"What kind of logic is that?"

When I nodded with an exaggerated solemnity, Inuyashiki couldn't hold back a wry chuckle.

Seeing Inuyashiki smile for the first time all day brought a wave of relief over me.

All right. Time to ham it up a little more and banish this serious mood once and for all.

"And honestly, the face you made when you were fawning over that keychain earlier was super cute. A classic case of gap moe. Losing the chance to ever see that face again would be on par with a national crisis for me. So as far as I'm concerned, I want Inuyashiki Kogane to stay true to who she really is."

Or something like that.

♦: Inuyashiki Kogane POV

W-what kind of line was that?!

Right before my eyes, this otaku was smiling like he'd just delivered the smoothest line of his life.

Hmph! Putting on airs when he isn't even that good-looking!

For starters, the guy's a total otaku. And I have zero interest in anime or video games in the first place.

Our hobbies and fashion sense couldn't be more mismatched if we tried.

And yet—

Why does he have to be so ridiculously cool?!♡

My heart was pounding like crazy, thumping so violently against my ribs I thought it was going to burst right out of my chest.

All for my sake.

For someone like me, who'd looked down on him all this time.

He'd gone out of his way to act for my sake, even sacrificing what he loved most in the process.

Without caring that he was showing up late to work, without caring that he got filthy and battered, he fought to protect what I loved.

More than anyone I'd ever known, he had truly thought about me, facing me with more earnest dedication than I'd ever given myself.

After something like that...

How could I not fall in love with him...?!

The instant I realized my own feelings, heat rushed to my face in an overwhelming blaze.

Besides, hearing what Otaku said finally made me see the light.

The ideal youth I'd longed for was something I could never reach as long as I was merely copying someone else.

Chasing trends and tracing over the textbook examples of youth posted on TikTok and Instagram was never going to be the right answer for me, which was why I could never find true satisfaction in it.

A place where you could simply be yourself. That was the one absolute requirement, and because each person was completely unique, there was no cookie-cutter answer. I'd had it all wrong from the start.

I'd told myself that deceiving who I was was what it meant to grow up. If I wasn't normal, society would ostracize me and laugh at me. I'd convinced myself of that.

That was why, even though from an outside perspective I was supposed to be living a glamorous youth, I'd felt this persistent undercurrent of anxiety, like I was always being chased by something.

Of course I couldn't puff out my chest and claim I was living my best life when I was suffocating the things I loved.

Still... an otaku? Seriously, him?

Even as I muttered begrudgingly to myself, my contrarian heart couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear.

While I went along with the crowd and claimed I was looking for a boyfriend, deep down I'd always believed that since it would be my very first relationship, it had to be someone who gave me that genuine, heart-stopping spark.

Who would've thought that person would turn out to be the very otaku I'd written off as an absolute impossibility the moment we met?

Come to think of it, though, the person I felt most comfortable around lately had been Otaku during our shifts. Unlike with the crowd in my class, I didn't have to read the room or walk on eggshells around him. He spoke his mind without any reservations, allowing me to be completely natural and at ease.

I understood now. When I got sick of being suffocated by the label of 'diligent' and dyed my hair to become a gyaru, what I really wanted wasn't a glitzy world, but someone who would accept me for who I truly was. Seeking freedom for my heart only to end up chaining it down—how stupid could I get?

"I'm gonna do what you said and stop," I announced. "No more lying to myself and burying the things I love. Tomorrow, I'm telling those girls the truth."

"Are you sure about that?" Otaku asked, looking concerned.

"Huh? Why are you making such an anxious face? You're the one who was throwing objections at everything I said earlier!"

"Well, yeah, but you know... things can get complicated."

Seeing the hesitant look on his face, knowing he was genuinely worrying about me made my chest swell with happiness.

Sadly enough, I doubted anyone among my current friends cared about me that deeply.

"Honestly, I'm a little scared. But just like you said, if our friendship is fragile enough to collapse over that, it wasn't going to last much longer anyway. Well, if things go south, I'm holding you responsible!"

As long as Otaku was on my side, I felt like I could find the courage.

"...Got it. Honestly, I won't know what I can actually do until the time comes, but... I promise I'll have your back."

Though he started off looking a bit bashful, Otaku concluded with an incredibly gentle expression.

Looking at him, my heartbeat leaped right into my throat.

Oh no, no, no! This guy is way too freaking cool, isn't he?!

Normally, nobody wants to shoulder other people's messy baggage. To be completely honest, my friendship drama had absolutely nothing to do with him.

And yet, without a second thought, he offered me such steady, reassuring support—that was just unfair! How could any girl not fall for that?!

"H-hmph. I've got your word on that. No taking it back later, got it?"

Overwhelmed by a whirlwind of shyness, joy, and embarrassment, I turned my burning face away from him and muttered under my breath.

Because right now, my face was in no state to be seen by human eyes...

—Wait, I literally just promised not to lie to myself, so I can't start waffling around already! Get it together, Kogane!

Giving myself a firm mental kick in the rear, I turned back to face Otaku once more.

"Otaku, I'm really sorry for everything. I ended up dragging you all over the place because of my own mess. I'm truly grateful for what you did."

Clutching the Dalpig keychain tightly in my hand, I bowed my head with all the sincerity in my soul.

If we were going to continue our relationship moving forward, I had to draw a clear line and make this right.

"Don't sweat it. I only did it because I wanted to."

How many people in this world could say something like that with a straight face, and actually pull it off without a second thought? Otaku clearly had no clue how rare he was.

"And thank you for finding my keychain. I'll never throw it away again, I swear. I'm going to treasure it for the rest of my life."

Holding the keychain tight against my chest, I stared intently into his eyes with absolute earnestness, pouring every ounce of my feelings into the gaze.

"H-hey now, the rest of your life is a bit much, isn't it?" Otaku laughed nervously, trying to brush off his embarrassment.

He flashed an awkward chuckle to hide his flustered reaction.

"It is not an exaggeration! I'm definitely treasuring it for the rest of my life!"

It was the very first present I'd ever received from the boy I loved. Of course I had to cherish it forever!

"How about this? Once a year, give me a surprise inspection and ask if I'm still taking care of this keychain. And if I still have it, you have to treat me to something as a penalty for doubting me!"

"Hold on, that assumes you and I are gonna be hanging out for years to come. You made that up on the spot without realizing the whole premise of your game is totally broken, didn't you?"

Otaku burst out laughing as if that was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard.

Mm, but that's exactly what I'm planning.

Well, whatever. That could wait for now.

♠: Ashida Masato

"Um, excuse me, Otaku-kun?"

"Hm? —Wait, what?!"

The next day, during our shift at the family restaurant.

Inuyashiki had called out to me just like she always did, but picking up on something entirely different from her usual tone, my eyes shot wide.

"Uh, what's with that face?" Inuyashiki asked, tilting her head.

"Unless my ears are playing tricks on me, didn't you just add '-kun' to my name?"

"Ah, that. Well, you know, just calling you 'Otaku' can sound like an insult depending on how people take it. Having people around us misunderstand when I don't mean it that way just felt wrong, you know?"

Her eyes darted around, twirling a strand of her bangs around her finger as she explained with obvious embarrassment.

"I-is that so? I mean, I never really cared either way."

"Well, I care. Wait... don't tell me you actually hate being called Otaku in the first place?"

Looking up at me timidly through her lashes as she waited for my answer, Inuyashiki seemed utterly unlike her usual self.

"No, not at all. It just caught me off guard, that's all. It doesn't bother me."

Besides, I already had another acquaintance who called me the exact same thing.

"Oh. Good, then. Honestly, I considered whether I should just call you Ashida-kun, but given our dynamic, that felt even weirder."

Her cheeks softened, and Inuyashiki let out a relieved breath before continuing.

What was with her? Her expression was so much gentler than usual... Wait, wasn't she looking kind of cute?

And was it just my imagination?

Had she always stood this close to me?

In my memory, she usually kept a buffer of about two people between us. Today, she'd leaned in so close our shoulders were practically touching. Something had to be off. As proof, I could catch the deliciously sweet scent of her perfume wafting right under my nose.

"A-anyway, moving on to the main topic. Mind if I give you a little progress report?"

"S-sure."

She probably talking about yesterday's situation. I felt a knot of tension tighten in my chest.

"So today, I went ahead and attached the keychain you gave me to my bag for school."

"And? How'd it go?"

"Well... to cut straight to the chase, it turns out those girls actually like Dalpig too."

"Huh?"

"I knew you'd make that face. Trust me, I had the exact same reaction."

"Of course I'd make this face! I was sitting right across from your friends listening to them drag Dalpig through the dirt!"

"Apparently, they saw my sour scowl back then, assumed I hated Dalpig, and thought they had to chime in and agree with me. Pretty unbelievable, huh?"

"It's like something out of a comedy sketch," Inuyashiki muttered with a shrug.

I see. So it wasn't that Inuyashiki's friends hadn't noticed something was off with her. It was just that her default aura was so intimidating that their misunderstanding ended up triggering a full-blown loyalty test. Well, I could see how that might happen.

"I guess at the end of the day, everyone's the same," she continued. "Desperately reading the room, bottling up their real feelings, and conforming just so they don't get kicked out of the group."

She flashed a wistful smile, looking both somewhat relieved and somewhat saddened.

"Oh, by the way! While we were on the topic, it turned out even Hasegawa-kun is into Dalpig! The whole classroom went wild over it. A guy with looks like that who loves cute things—isn't that crazy?!"

Inuyashiki squealed excitedly, her voice pitching up in delight.

Who the hell is Hasegawa-kun? Praising 'looks like that' tells me absolutely nothing.

Ah, right, now I remember. He was the good-looking guy in Inuyashiki's class she'd compared me to before.

"Well, one thing led to another, and I feel like I'm closer to those girls than before—like we've finally become real friends. I can't remember the last time I laughed that genuinely at school."

"Well, that's great to hear."

"Yeah. And for making that possible, I really want to thank you again, Otaku-kun. It bugs me to just be on the receiving end, so let me treat you to something next time."

"Much obliged."

"And there's one more update. You know how I mentioned a while back that I was taking applications for a boyfriend?"

"Hm? Ah, yeah, I feel like you did mention something like that."

"Well... applications are closed. Basically, the candidate I want to hire has become crystal clear, so I won't be accepting any public applications for the foreseeable future."

With her eyes wandering and her cheeks flushed a bright vermilion, Inuyashiki fidgeted shyly as she mumbled the words.

Which basically meant she'd fallen for someone.

Given the flow of the conversation, it was almost certainly that Hasegawa guy.

A handsome guy who shared her passion and got hyped over the same mascot. Who wouldn't fall for that? After all, that was the exact male equivalent of the 'gyaru kind to otaku' every nerd dreamed of.

"O-oh. Is that... so?"

"What's with that reaction? Are you disappointed or something?" Inuyashiki asked, covering her mouth with a teasing smirk.

Placing a hand over her lips, she beamed at me with a mischievous grin.

"As if! It's just like the 'Otaku-kun' thing—it came out of nowhere, so I'm just surprised."

Keeping my eyes averted, I talked a little faster than usual to brush it off, trying to banish the strange pang of loneliness welling up inside me.

It wasn't because it was Inuyashiki specifically. But when you hear that a girl you know got a boyfriend, feeling a bit dejected—that wasn't just me, right?

Still, her unusually animated, floaty demeanor today made total sense now. That whole saying about girls getting prettier when they fall in love—it really was true.

And because her head was in the clouds, she hadn't even noticed how excessively close she was standing to me. I see. Every change had a reason behind it.

Why was it that seeing an acquaintance grow up was supposed to be a happy thing, yet it left me feeling left behind and strangely sad?

"Oh, but don't go prioritizing romance and ditching your shifts, okay? We're short-staffed as it is. I need you here, Inuyashiki."

To avert my eyes from the hollow ache in my chest, I tossed out my usual lighthearted banter.

"Fweh...?"

♦: Inuyashiki Kogane POV

D-d-did Otaku-kun just say he needs me?!

Did he just propose to me?!

C-c-calm down, Kogane!

Oh God, I can't stop grinning! My face is in no condition to be seen in public right now!

Get a grip! This is just his usual banter. Normally, this is where I'd snap back with a "gross."

Wait, but what should I do?

It didn't feel gross at all. If anything... I kinda want him to say it more...

"......Idiot."

With my face flaming red, that single word was all I could manage to squeeze out.

"A-anyway, don't worry, there's no way I'd ever cut back on my shifts! ...If anything, I was thinking of picking up more."

Because I want to spend way more time with Otaku-kun!

"Same goes for you, Otaku-kun! No bailing on your shifts to go on dates with girls, got it? Demanding it from me while letting yourself off the hook is a total double standard, and I hate double standards!"

"Let me ask you the reverse of that reverse: do you honestly think there's any chance in hell that I would have a date lined up that would keep me from working?"

He puffed out his chest with such refreshing confidence that I couldn't help offering a dry smirk in return.

"Heh, right. Good point."

Thank gooooodness!

To be honest, I'd actually been a little worried.

I mean, deep down, Otaku-kun was genuinely an attractive guy.

If you spent every day in the same classroom with him, it wouldn't be weird at all if someone else noticed his charm just like I did.

Judging by his reaction, though, he clearly didn't have any close girl friends, which was an enormous relief.

Besides, that VTuber girl on his T-shirt had a total gyaru vibe. On top of that, Kinmei High School, where Otaku-kun went, was the top prep school around here. With a student body full of straight-laced honor students, there probably wasn't a single girl there who matched his exact type. What a lifesaver!

"...By the way, what kind of girl is your type if you were to date someone, Otaku-kun?"

"Huh? Where'd that come from all of a sudden? What do you stand to gain from asking that?"

"Just killing time, obviously."

Of course I want to know! It's the type of the boy I'm in love with, after all...

"Well, it's not like I'm trying to hide it, so I guess I can tell you. But no calling me gross after asking, all right?"

"I won't, I won't."

"Let's see. If I had to say, someone who doesn't criticize or complain about my otaku hobbies. That's probably number one. I can't imagine things working out with someone who looks down on what I love."

"Totally. I wouldn't want a boyfriend who makes fun of Dalpig either."

I was truly grateful to Otaku-kun for opening my eyes to that. Living a lie would only end in regret somewhere down the line.

"After that, someone modest, gentle, and kind, I guess... Yeah, yeah, I know. It's just an otaku's pathetic fantasy."

"I didn't say that! Stop being so cynical on your own!"

"...And if possible, someone without any experience, you know? Experiencing all our firsts together, sharing the fun times and the hard times, deepening our bond, and eventually making it all the way to marriage—that'd be true happiness, I think."

Otaku-kun gazed off into the distance as he said that.

"Wait, my bad. That was genuinely creepy, wasn't it? A romantic zero who might die alone without ever getting a girlfriend, babbling about lofty ideals like he's hot stuff."

"I didn't say anything..."

"Well, that's why I bury my head in otaku hobbies instead of facing reality."

He gave a self-deprecating laugh.

Just then, a table chime rang, and Otaku-kun headed off to attend to the customer.

Left behind, I mentally reviewed his ideal type.

Accepting of otaku hobbies, modest and kind, and zero romantic experience with guys.

Wait. Doesn't that mean—

Doesn't that basically describe ME?!

I pointed a finger at myself in my head.

It totally did!

First: accepting of his hobbies. That was already an absolute check!

As long as he paid attention to me, I wouldn't complain no matter how much money he blew on his hobbies.

I might look tough, but I get lonely easily, so saying it wouldn't bug me at all to see him obsess over other girls would be a lie. But drawings couldn't physically touch him, so I'd let it slide as barely not cheating.

Second: modest and kind. That was me too!

People always told me how caring and attentive I was. And as for modest—sure, people misunderstood me because of how I dressed, but dirty jokes and... l-lewd talk? I was way too embarrassed to even participate in that stuff!

And of course, the final condition was me too!

Forget 'that kind of experience'—I had literally zero dating experience to begin with!

See?! I fit every single criteria to a tee!

I desperately fought to keep the massive grin from spreading across my face. Sorry, Otaku-kun, but I might be completely useless at waiting tables right now!

Otaku-kun had brought it up expecting to be judged, but honestly, I completely resonated with him.

I wanted the first person I ever dated to be the one I ended up marrying too.

In a high school culture where racking up dating experience was treated as the ultimate trophy for winners, that was the exact reason I never felt like getting a boyfriend.

I mean, having tons of dating experience just meant you had just as many breakups under your belt, right? To me, that wasn't something to brag about at all.

In other words, my search for a boyfriend was practically no different from looking for a husband. Everyone around me thought that was weird, so I'd never breathed a word of it to anyone.

But knowing Otaku-kun felt the exact same way makes me so unimaginably happy!

It had to be destiny that brought us together.

Sharing all our firsts together, turning them into precious memories, and looking back on them fondly once we were married—

Yes! That is so incredibly perfect!

Still, raising my hand and yelling, "Your dream girl is right here!" didn't quite sit right either.

I was a girl after all.

I'd much rather be confessed to than do the confessing.

I mean, the look in Otaku-kun's eyes when he was being dead serious was lethal.

I wanted him to look at me in that mode and say, "Kogane, I love you. Please go out with me."

Just him casually saying I was "precious" to him earlier packed that much devastating power.

If he actually confessed his love to me, I'd probably die of heart failure on the spot!

All right, it was decided. I was going to make Otaku-kun head over heels for me and set the stage for him to confess, and that was that!

Wait, this was insane. I was genuinely living out my youth right now!

Choosing a family restaurant for my part-time job out of admiration for my favorite shojo manga had paid off big-time.

...Looking back, though, I probably had plenty of chances to develop feelings for Otaku-kun way earlier.

We could talk without holding back, laying our likes and dislikes completely bare. There was no question that I'd felt more comfortable around him than around any of my friends at school.

It was just the prejudice that having an otaku for a crush would invite judgmental stares from those around me that had cast a thick, impenetrable filter over my heart.

I'd assumed only gorgeous men and women were allowed to be the protagonists of a love story.

Thinking about it that way, I finally understood why school power couples and celebrity pairings so often broke up without a second thought, even after being praised as the perfect match.

It was the inevitable result of prioritizing what everyone else thought over how you actually felt.

I'd learned the hard way just how utterly ridiculous it was to pine after a labeled, commercialized youth.

Calling it 'smart' or 'mature' to deceive your own heart was completely wrong.

So I wasn't going to lie to myself ever again.

From now on, I'm going to live out a special, one-of-a-kind youth meant for just me and Otaku-kun, and that's that!

Nihihi♡

ToC