Chapter 48
“……”
A silence so deep that even breathing could be heard filled the living room.
Nene stood with her head lowered, while Rei stood beside Mizuki with her usual composed expression.
Just as Mizuki was about to break the awkward silence, Nene moved first.
“S-sorry! I was just a little surprised!”
“Nene-chan, um…”
“Yeah, you know, Mikado-san was the first one to enter the Colony. Yeah, that’s right.”
With a light laugh, Nene turned toward the table.
“I’ll carry it.”
“Yeah… thanks.”
As Nene picked up the tray with the tea and sweets, Rei, standing beside Mizuki, gave a small bow.
“I believed we were alone, and I allowed myself to let my guard down. I apologize.”
“N-no, not at all! I mean, I’m the one who barged in! It’s not something Mikado-san needs to worry about!”
As she said that, Nene shot a brief glance toward Mizuki.
“M-Mizuki-kun, let’s go back to your room.”
“…Yeah.”
Following after Nene as she carried the tea and sweets, Mizuki headed back into the hallway.
Just as they reached the area right outside the room, Nene suddenly stopped.
“Nene-chan?”
As Mizuki called out to her, Nene turned around.
And then, something soft touched his lips.
“……”
It was over in an instant.
With quick, light steps, Nene went into the room, still holding the tray.
Left alone in the hallway, Mizuki stood there, unable to move for a while.
Chatting voices drifted out from inside the room, and only then did he move again.
“I wanna go somewhere like the beach or the mountains.”
When Mizuki returned to the room, Nene was in the middle of handing out snacks.
As soon as he sat back down, Suzu spoke up.
“We were talking about what to do after the exams. Toudou, do you have any plans?”
“You mean for summer break? I haven’t decided on anything yet.”
“Really? Then let’s all go somewhere together!”
Yura leaned forward.
In contrast, Miya cast her a slightly exasperated look.
“Aihara… if that’s the case, you’ll have to work harder at your studies.”
“I-I know.”
“Are there any places you’d like to go, Mizuki-sama?”
At Shizuku’s question, Mizuki paused to think.
Just then, a memory from his early childhood surfaced.
“A festival… I guess.”
“Did you go to the same one every year?”
“No, not really. It’s just something I vaguely remember going to when I was little.”
“Oh? Somewhere nearby?”
“I was really young, so I don’t remember the location at all. And since it was crowded, I couldn’t really go once I got older.”
The memory itself was hazy, but he remembered being taken around to various food stalls by girls he had been close to at the time.
A fleeting period from before he was taken in by his aide, Mikado Rei, back when he was still living with his mother.
“A festival, huh. That sounds nice. The crowds might be a problem, but if we secure a spot where we can watch the fireworks, we could still enjoy the atmosphere, don’t you think?”
“If we look into it, there should be reserved seating you can book. Yes, it’s certainly possible.”
With a bright smile, Isshiki Shizuku made her suggestion.
“If you’d like, I could make the arrangements for everyone as well. How does that sound?”
“Uh… um, about that, how much would it cost…?”
When Nene asked timidly, Shizuku smiled as if to reassure her.
“I’ll take care of the payment. Since it’s something Mizuki-sama wants, please don’t hesitate.”
“R-really? That helps a lot~!”
As Yura and the others let out happy cheers, Mizuki glanced over at Nagi.
As usual, her expression was restrained, but she seemed interested.
“Isshiki-san, then would it be okay to ask you to make reservations for everyone? If it seems difficult, you don’t need to push yourself.”
“Yes, leave it to me.”
Today, Shizuku seemed unusually cheerful.
As he ate his snacks, Mizuki found himself wondering why.
Was she just looking forward to the festival?
“Mizuki-sama… um, who did you go to the festival with?”
Miya hesitated for a moment before speaking up.
Nene, too, was watching Mizuki with obvious curiosity.
“Was it Mikado-san or someone like that?”
“No, it was with friends I was close to back then.”
“W-wait, does that mean… like, a childhood friend?”
Yura let out an excited squeal.
A childhood friend.
He’d never really thought about it that way, but when he thought about how to put it into words, that might be what it was.
“…I guess you could call it that.”
“Whoa! Wow! That’s just like in a movie! So that really happens!”
“And what happened after that? Are you still in touch?”
It was a story from his early childhood, and he couldn’t even remember their names anymore.
To Mizuki, it was nothing more than something from long ago.
“Hmm… we lost contact. I didn’t even know how to reach them…”
“Huh… so that’s how it is. Good for you, Kaminari.”
“Huh!? M-me?”
“You looked kind of worried, didn’t you?”
“T-that’s not true at all!”
At Nene’s obvious reaction, laughter broke out.
“It seems it’s about time to wrap things up.”
Shizuku glanced at the clock.
“Oh, wow, it’s already this late.”
“Sorry for sticking around for so long.”
That seemed to be the cue, and everyone started getting ready to head home one after another.
“Did everyone grab everything? Nothing left behind?”
Each of them picked up their bags and stood.
“Alright, let’s call it a day.”
“If we keep at it again tomorrow, we’ll manage somehow.”
“We actually got a lot done, didn’t we?”
Chatting noisily, Mizuki saw the group off to the front door.
“See you later, Mizuki-kun!”
“Thanks for having us!”
“See you tomorrow.”
He waved as they left one by one through the entryway.
In the end, only Shizuku remained.
“Thanks again, Isshiki-san. For preparing the handouts, too.”
“There’s no need to thank me. As class representative, it’s simply my responsibility. If there’s anything else you need, please feel free to ask.”
After saying that, Shizuku seemed to remember something and took out a paper bag.
“Come to think of it, Mizuki-sama, there’s something I’d like to give you.”
“What’s this?”
For a souvenir, the paper bag felt unusually light.
It wasn’t the weight of snacks.
When he peeked inside, he found neatly folded underwear.
They were Mizuki’s.
“…Huh?”
It felt as though time had stopped.
He reflexively lifted his head.
Her golden eyes were fixed on him.
“I bought them back.”
Shizuku said it with a bright smile, just as she always did.
“I understand your noble sense of integrity very well. However, should you ever find yourself in need of money, please rely on me. I would gladly draw upon the Isshiki family’s fortune if it means being of use to you, Mizuki-sama.”
“Uh… um…”
His throat felt dry.
The underwear inside the paper bag was familiar.
“It’s all right. I’m the only one who knows.”
His first experience with community service since entering high school.
There, he had met an elderly woman who would die the next day, and in trying to scrape together some money, he had sold his underwear at an adult shop.
And now, it was right in front of him.
“Of course, I’ve also retrieved the photographs. The Isshiki family has taken care of everything, so there’s no need for concern.”
“…Um… that was…”
“It’s all right. I understand your intentions completely, Mizuki-sama. With that, please excuse me.”
Leaving the stunned Mizuki behind, Shizuku turned on her heel.
Just before leaving, she showed a smile that looked genuinely happy.
“And also, you really did remember. I will do my best as well, so that I may live up to your fair and upright heart, Mizuki-sama.”
Then, with a heavy sound, the front door closed.
Character Summary (non-official)
- Toudou Mizuki (藤堂 瑞樹) — Main protagonist. A boy with androgynous looks, pale skin, delicate features, and gentle eyes. Had a traffic accident and past trauma. Once feared women, causing him to not attend Middle School for most of the time, and it is the reason he is placed in Class K, the lowest class.
- Mikado Rei (御門 玲) — Very busty, early 30s. Mizuki’s assistant and caretaker, who manages his daily life. Maternal, affectionate, and deeply attached to him—sometimes possessive and openly jealous. Mizuki’s first pairing.
- Isshiki Shizuku (一色 雫) — Beautiful girl with long jet-black hair tied in a half-up style, sharp almond eyes, and the refined grace of someone raised in a noble household. calm, intelligent, and composed member of the Isshiki family (Eighteen Houses). Observant, level-headed, and quietly protective of Mizuki.
———Houjou Group———
- Houjou Noa (北条 乃愛) — Tall and well-endowed, heir of the Houjou family (Eighteen Houses). Charismatic and confident, raised under her mother’s strict education to embody leadership. From an early age, she was taught how to command and guide her many followers, mastering the art of controlling people not out of cruelty, but to ensure mutual benefit and stability for herself and those loyal to her. Mizuki’s third pairing.
- Gobai Miya (御倍 美弥) — One of Noa’s followers; She wears her black hair tied back in a practical ponytail. Comes from a family of martial instructors who have run a kendo dojo for generations.
- Shinonome Yukari (東雲 由香里) — Noa’s closest follower and aide; often supports or enforces Noa’s decisions.
- Sakura Sanae (佐倉 早苗) — One of Noa’s followers chosen as the Class K PE committee member.
———Kaminari Group———
- Kaminari Nene (神成 寧々) — Tall, athletic, and kind. A sports-recommend student who is gentle yet insecure about her height. Mizuki’s second pairing.
- Aihara Yura (相原 由良) — Cheerful, friendly girl from Hokkaidō. Down-to-earth and unspoiled by city culture, known for her warmth and sincerity.
- Minaki Suzu (皆木 鈴) — Short, pragmatic, and sharp with golden-highlighted hair as her signature appearance, so she wouldn’t be underestimated because of her height. Comes from a fallen noble family. Level-headed, observant, and strategic; tends to watch situations calmly rather than intervene emotionally.
- Otonashi Nagi (音無 凪) — The smart, quiet, and timid girl who sits by the window, keeping her long hair over her eyes to avoid attention. Ever since she was young, she has had a tendency to completely freeze up whenever she’s confronted or put under pressure, unable to move or speak. The condition never improved, and combined with her perfectionist nature, she devoted herself to studying rather than making friends. Thanks to her grades, she earned the academic qualification to enter the prestigious Shirayuki Academy, but she failed the interview due to her symptoms and was placed in the lowest class, Class K. Believing she would never be able to interact properly with a male, she had long given up on romance—until she met Toudou Mizuki.
———Kurosaki Group———
- Kurosaki Ren (黒崎 蓮) — Kurosaki Ren is the leader of the delinquent group in Class K, easily recognized by her bleached hair and sloppily worn uniform. She’s confident and proactive, often taking the initiative and responsibility for her friends, guiding the group when situations get tense or uncertain.
- Himura Ririka (緋村 梨々花) — The quietest member of Kurosaki Ren’s group, but also the bluntest. Often absorbed in her smartphone searching for recipes, she has little awareness of social atmosphere and asks whatever she’s curious about, even if it’s rude or uncomfortable for others. Her family runs a pastry shop, and her dream is to one day make it bigger.
- Aoyama Haruka (青山 遥) — The timid and easily overwhelmed member of Kurosaki Ren’s group. Her deeply tanned, sun-kissed skin gives her a striking appearance, and she is objectively beautiful despite her shy demeanor. She mostly follows Ren’s lead during conversations, rarely speaking up on her own.
- Momohara Nao (桃原 奈緒) — The cheerful, energetic, and bold member of Kurosaki Ren’s group. With her pink hair, flashy appearance, great figure, and bright smile, she stands out immediately. She shows interest without hesitation and talks to Mizuki with open, genuine enthusiasm.
———Class A———
- Nanase Hikari (七瀬 光) — Class A representative from the Nanase family (Eighteen Houses), responsible for law enforcement among the Eighteen Houses. Proud, ambitious, and calculating.
- Kichijouji Susumu (吉祥寺 進) — A tall boy from Class A. He has high ambition, cold, and pragmatic. Though highly capable, his detached and demanding personality makes him difficult to work with, reflected in the unusually high turnover of aides assigned to him. He values efficiency over sentiment, treating every task as a matter of logic and order rather than emotion.
———Class B———
- Hanamori Karen (花守 加恋) — Someone who prides herself on being the cutest girl at Shirayuki Academy and wears her hair in twin tails. She is scared of ending up like her mother, which drives her to seek out a man she believes will never abandon her.
———Class C———
- Shirakawa Kento (白川 健斗) — Tall, slender, with short blond-dyed hair. Class C male student, cheerful and talkative, but emotionally volatile. Has undergone Ideological Reconditioning following past trauma. Knowledgeable about the Promotion Act and often surrounded by Class C girls.