When Aragaki Jun finished preparing breakfast and the two of them sat down at the small dining table, Takada Mitsuru's cheeks were already flushed pink. Her eyes flicked downward, staring hard at her rice bowl, as if it could swallow her whole.
She said she was fine. Still, Jun leaned over slightly, placed a hand on her forehead.
"No fever," he murmured. "Alright."
He didn't press. He could guess what embarrassed her, but pretending not to know was the kinder move. For now.
They ate in quiet. The rain had stopped, and the sun outside was trying to pierce through the cloudy morning. After finishing her meal, the wild cat girl quietly slipped into the bathroom and changed into her uniform. When she came out, she was dressed neatly—an oversized blazer swallowing her petite frame, a bag clutched tightly in both hands.
"I'm heading out," she mumbled.
Jun blinked. "Wait. Do you even know the way?"
She froze.
That answered the question.
Jun sighed and walked over to the table, scribbled down the route on a piece of notepad paper, complete with landmarks. "Here. This'll get you to the station. Don't mess it up. It's easy."
"…Thank you."
"And ask for lunch money next time, idiot," he added with a frown. "You planning to starve?"
"I-I didn't want to bother you…"
"That's what bothers me."
He placed a 5,000 yen note into her hand. She tried to protest—"One thousand is enough…"—but Jun just shoved her toward the door.
"Don't be cheap. Eat something decent. That's an order."
"I see…"
The girl lowered her head and stepped out, her short curly hair bouncing with each hurried step. She looked more like a lost middle schooler than a high school student. The bag on her shoulder seemed too big for her, like she was playing dress-up.
Jun leaned against the door frame, watching her disappear down the stairwell.
"…Like a kid."
He rubbed his temples. She was difficult to read, difficult to deal with, and far too quiet for her own good. But that made her honest. She didn't know how to act fake. And that honesty… it made you want to protect her.
"I should get her a phone soon."
School could wait one more day.
With the day wide open, Jun lazily flopped onto the secondhand sofa and opened his system panel. The dull interface glowed before his eyes.
He still had one attribute point from yesterday.
"Let's put it in Constitution."
[Constitution : 7 → 8]
A surge of warmth spread through his body, like his blood was replaced with hot iron. Jun sat up a little straighter, flexed his fingers. His breath came easier. That strange tightness in his chest he'd ignored since the accident vanished.
"...This system is insane."
He scrolled through the panel again. One skill point left.
"Let's not hoard it."
—Click.
[Financial Management Lv1] → [Financial Management Lv2]
Now he received 10,000 yen per day, transferred directly to his card. A passive income skill, triggered when Mitsuru became his dependent.
"Lv1 gives 5,000 yen, Lv2 gives 10,000 yen. Lv3… 20,000 yen? Not bad."
Jun crossed his arms. A month ago, he was living off part-time shifts at a convenience store, barely scraping by. Rent, bills, food—it all added up.
But now, the system paid him for just existing.
"This skill alone could keep us afloat."
Even with rent being 50,000 yen a month—including utilities—he could manage. And with Mitsuru living here now, that income felt more important than ever.
"Level 5 gives me 2.4 million yen a month…? I'd be set."
He closed his eyes and smiled faintly. No more working nights just to afford instant noodles. If he pushed the system properly, he could study full-time, pass exams with ease, and live like a king.
Ding.
His phone buzzed.
[Shizuka Hiratsuka: How is your health? I plan to visit your home today.]
Jun sat upright like he'd been stabbed.
"She's what?!"
He hadn't met her yet, but based on his memory from the anime, she wasn't the type to bluff.
"She's actually going to show up?! That's not okay!"
He scrambled to reply.
[Sorry sensei, I'm feeling better. I'll come to school today]
No way he was letting a teacher barge into his place while it still had that half-lived-in smell. He tossed on his uniform, stuffed his bag, and flew out the door.
Luckily, his apartment wasn't far from Soubu High School. He made it in fifteen minutes flat, just five before the bell.
"Where's Class 1-F again…?"
Rather than wander and look like a lost transfer student, Jun sent Hiratsuka a message. She replied quickly:
[Please wait in front of the main building. I'll send someone to get you .]
He sighed in relief.
A few minutes later—
"Aragaki-san. I'm here to guide you."
"Wha—?!"
Jun nearly jumped. A girl stood beside him like a ghost had materialized out of thin air.
She had short bob-cut hair and soft eyes. Her presence was strangely… quiet.
"I'm sorry if I startled you. I'm Kato Megumi. Sensei asked me to bring you to class."
Jun blinked, eyes scanning her.
"I didn't even notice her approach… That's crazy stealth."
She wasn't trying to be quiet. She was quiet. Her entire existence was like background music—you never noticed it, but it was always there.
He followed her through the halls without a word.
At the classroom door, Kato knocked once, entered, and beckoned him to follow.
Shizuka Hiratsuka was already at the podium, arms crossed. "Introduce yourself."
Jun walked to the front, grabbed the chalk, and wrote his name on the board.
"Aragaki Jun. Sorry I'm late to start the term. I had… a situation."
He didn't elaborate. Didn't need to. He turned around and faced the class, eyes quickly scanning the room.
Dead fish eyes.
Hikigaya Hachiman looked exactly as expected. Yuigahama Yui sat nearby, practically glowing with bubbly energy. Miura Yumiko? Haughty and proud, already scanning him like she owned the classroom.
Jun grinned.
"...This class is full of characters."
Yes. College—might actually be worth looking forward to.