I was just standing there with a towel around my neck, hair half-dried and still dripping a little.
Kana Kobayakawa sat across from me, her gaze subtly drifting in my direction. She probably thought I didn't notice—but I did.
Her eyes were tracing me. From my damp hair clinging to my neck… down to my bare collarbone… across the shape of my chest…
I caught the moment her breath hitched.
My upper body was exposed—just smooth, lean muscle, the kind that comes from years of swimming and daily training. Nothing too bulky, just taut lines that caught the light in all the right places.
Damn it...
She's staring again.
Kana's expression flickered—like her brain was caught in a feedback loop of admiration and panic.
I gave her a little smile, towel in one hand. She turned red and immediately looked away.
'No, no, no! Stop it, Kana Kobayakawa!'
'You're a grown woman, he's your coworker! You're just a bit older—okay, quite a bit older! And divorced! And weird!'
She was clearly having some kind of mental breakdown while sipping her tea.
The way her shoulders tensed up was adorable.
'Ginjo-kun is younger. And hot. And kind. But this is just coincidence. A neighbor from back home...'
'At best, we're coworkers… maybe friends if I stretch it. That's it! That's the line!'
Her eyes lowered slightly, and she clutched the cushion on her lap.
'Still… I'm just a 23-year-old woman. I want to be wanted. Desired. I want someone to think of me that way...'
'And if that someone was... Ginjo Sousuke...?'
"...If you've got any good channels about reptiles," I suddenly said, "Send them to me later. I'm kinda curious now."
Her head jerked up like I'd shattered her internal monologue.
"Ah—uh, yeah! Okay! I'll send them to you, haha!"
She scratched her cheek nervously and laughed, eyes darting around as if trying to reset her emotional state.
"Well... um... it's getting late. I should go. See you tomorrow at the store, Sousuke."
She stood up suddenly, fidgeting with her shirt.
I asked confusedly, "Eh? That early? You didn't even open the chips yet."
"You can have them. Oh—and the snacks too. If you liked them, I can make more next time."
"Sweet deal." I smiled. "By the way, you might need to come to work a bit later tomorrow. Got something to deal with at school."
"Oh. Sure, no problem." She waved it off without even asking what it was.
Then she practically fled the room.
As the door clicked shut behind her, I leaned back and bit into another puff pastry.
Outside, the night was calm. The moon hung high in the sky like a slow-burning lantern.The air was quiet... just me and my thoughts.
"You ran off like your heart was going to explode, Kana…"
"...Do I make you feel that way?"
The next morning, wind was a little fiercer than usual when I cracked open the window.
Cold air rushed in with the scent of last night's rain. You could still see water streaks trailing down the courtyard.
The apartment complex had a quiet, almost sleepy air to it.
Something was missing.
...Where's Tomoko-san? She's usually sweeping the yard by now.
I made my way to her door and knocked lightly.
After a short delay, it creaked open—and there she was.
Tomoko Matsumoto stood there in a half-buttoned vest and tiny white shorts, her long black hair cascading down her chest in a glossy, tangled mess.
Her eyes widened.
"Ah! Sorry, Sousuke-kun. I overslept..."
Her cheeks flushed slightly. "I think yesterday took more out of me than I thought..."
Was it because of last night...? We didn't go that hard. Or maybe... she just hasn't done it in a while.
I quickly shut down that thought.
"Come in, come in," she said, brushing her bangs out of her face. "I'll make you breakfast."
"No need, Tomoko. I can grab something on the way to school."
Even as I said that, my body screamed traitor!Her cooking had completely reprogrammed my taste buds. Convenience store meals just didn't cut it anymore.
Today, she was wearing a tight beige tank top that hugged her figure too well—too many curves trying to escape a too-small space. Her shorts barely reached mid-thigh.
She didn't seem to care how much skin she showed in front of me anymore.
After last night… I guess she had no reason to.
"I just didn't see you in the yard and got a little worried."
"Oh?" She smiled, brushing imaginary dust off her chest. "That's so sweet of you, Sousuke-kun."
I made myself comfortable on her couch like it was my own place.
"I'll head back and get ready. Gotta get to class soon."
"Actually, wait," she said. "I need to go to the market. I'm running low on groceries. Let's walk together."
"Sure, I'll wait for you."
She went into the bedroom to change.
She left the door wide open.
I saw her from behind—a flawless back, pale as porcelain. She wasn't wearing a bra. The line of her spine, the subtle dip of her waist…
Tomoko… you really don't see me as a kid anymore, do you?
After she brushed her hair and changed, I grabbed my schoolbag and we headed out.
The sky was overcast, the air thick with the scent of moisture and lingering rain.
Puddles spotted the road, reflecting the gray morning light.
"What do you want to eat tonight, Sousuke-kun?" she asked, glancing over with a teasing smile.
"You decide. I'll eat anything you make."
"You're too kind," she chuckled, lightly smacking my arm. "Maybe… creamy king oyster mushrooms tonight?"
I didn't even know what that was, but if she made it, it'd be amazing.
We reached a fork in the road. The vegetable market was in the opposite direction of my school.
"See you later, Tomoko."
"Take care, Sousuke-kun."
We split paths.
I swung by the convenience store for a rice ball and started walking toward school.
I took the first bite. Then, the second and the third. Yet, it tasted the same. Like wax.
These used to be my go-to. But ever since I moved in and started eating Tomoko's meals…
She's totally ruined my taste buds. In a good way.
As the school gates came into view, a familiar feeling returned—the subtle shifting of eyes.
Girls. Lots of them.
Whispers followed me like a gust of wind.
"Isn't that the sophomore transfer student... Takuya Ginjo?"
"Takuya Ginjo?"
"What kind of name is that?"
I sighed, rubbing my forehead in exasperation.
Why does everyone keep calling me Takuya? I literally introduced myself as Sousuke.
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