Hiratsuka stared at his poker face for a while, then couldn't help it—she snorted a laugh.
"Hey now, I'm not going to bust you. No need to act like I'm the police."
Amusement curled her tone. Then she added, "I'm Hiratsuka Shizuka, a teacher at Shūwa Private High. You?"
Kai was briefly surprised.
If he remembered right, Hiratsuka should've been a teacher at Sōbu High in Chiba. Now she was at Shūwa…
Weird, but he wasn't going to dwell—he'd seen weirder. Transmigration alone set that bar. (Unless Fujiwara Chika became prime minister—that might still shock him.)
He dragged his thoughts back and answered, "I'm Aoki Kai… a student at Jōsei Private High."
"Nice name," she said. Then, a little too familiar: "You're pretty cautious, Aoki-kun."
He twitched a smile.
Any normal person would be cautious in a situation like this—especially when breaking school rules.
And she was this woman—
A 27-year-old (or maybe 30?) single teacher who loved looking after her students.
He grumbled internally and kept his face neutral. "You have to be careful when you're breaking rules. If the school finds out, they'll suspend me."
"So you do know you're breaking rules?" She arched a brow. "Then tell me—why this job?"
She sounded like an interrogator. His eye twitched, but… roofs, and low heads.
He breathed out and answered honestly. "I'm an orphan from Tottori. I came to Tokyo for better universities. The orphanage can't support me, so I work multiple jobs to pay tuition, rent, and for food."
The air went serious.
Hiratsuka's teasing froze. Words stuck in her throat.
"…"
After a long moment she spoke again, smaller, halting a little. "S-sorry. I didn't mean to pry…"
He shook his head, about to say he didn't mind—but a translucent panel flashed up again.
New choices, even though the last task wasn't finished yet.
[Faced with Hiratsuka Shizuka's apology, you decide to…]
Option 1: Still annoyed at her earlier tone, you provoke her verbally even after she apologizes—ask her age, whether she has a boyfriend, and when she says no, ask, "Why are you middle-aged and still single?" (No reward.)
Option 2: With blithe shamelessness: "Hiratsuka-sensei, isn't 'apologize with cleavage' common sense? If you truly want to apologize, then after my shift…" (Rewards: Master-level Hand-to-Hand Combat, 1× Stamina Potion, 1× Energy Potion, 1× Strength Potion, Apprentice-level Hypnosis.)
Option 3: The Todai Road—Shūwa Private High's resources beat Jōsei's by a mile. For your Todai dream, seize this chance: persuade Hiratsuka to help you transfer to Shūwa. (Rewards: Full tuition + ¥100,000.)
Note: Any consequences after an ending are borne by you.
There was an extra warning this time. He skimmed it all, and his breathing quickened.
Ignoring Option 1, the other two were insanely juicy.
Option 2's ask was outrageous—not to mention that warning. He didn't dare.
Even without the warning, he wouldn't. That kind of sexual harassment would stain any future political career.
(…Assuming he still wanted politics. Maybe literature or music would be better? Working with "cancer of the earth" Fujiwara Chika someday didn't sound appealing either…)
He shook off the tangent, looked at Hiratsuka, and picked his words.
"I'm okay now; thank you. But… you said you teach at Shūwa Private High?"
"Ah… yes."
"I see." He switched from "miss" to "sensei." "Hiratsuka-sensei, they say Shūwa's resources are among the best in Tokyo. True?"
"That's the reputation," she said.
"And admission's strict? High tuition? High grades?"
"Tuition isn't that high, but grades do matter."
"I understand."
He fell quiet.
A moment later, he met her eyes again. "Hiratsuka-sensei, I may be from a rural orphanage, but my grades aren't bad. Jōsei can't compare to Shūwa. If possible… I'd like to transfer."
Silence.
She looked at the cocktail, not speaking.
He pressed on. "I can sit a test. My scores will be fine."
From her car alone, Kai knew she wasn't hurting for money. With her pull, getting him a shot at Shūwa wasn't impossible.
After thinking it over, she asked, "Are you serious, Aoki-kun?"
He nodded, gaze steady.
"Tuition… Shūwa's is higher than Jōsei's," she warned.
"I'll handle the tuition," he said.
"…"
Seeing how earnest he was, and that he wasn't kidding, she drew a breath.
"Then… give me your number. I'll see what I can do. But listen—I can probably only get you a chance at an entrance test. No back doors. Whether you pass is up to you."
Chapter 8 · Back to Daily Life—Or Not Yet
As expected, she agreed.
A bright chime sounded in his head—Option 3 cleared.
He didn't check the rewards right away. He thanked her seriously, chatted a bit, and, at her "I'll look into it; don't let me keep you," he saw her out.
She left without touching the margarita again.
…
By then it was getting late. morke filled up without him noticing, and he got busy again.
He left the rewards for later, until after one—
The owner returned and took over. Kai finally had a moment.
He changed back into his Jōsei uniform in the storeroom, said goodbye, and stepped into the night.
Spring nights were chilly. The wind even felt cold.
But he hardly noticed.
He took the chance, walking home, to tally his rewards.
His bank balance really had a fresh ¥100,000—and in his pocket, a card loaded with ¥2.5 million, restricted to tuition.
Feeling the sudden weight in his pocket, he could've cried.
Worth it. The days of dirt-cheap bentos had an end in sight!
His mood soared; his steps felt lighter.
On toward the "slums" of Shibuya, he planned what to do next.
He still had 100 points. He'd exchange them for a complete score + lyrics.
He'd build an online presence with "original" songs plus Master-level Guitar, and then monetize.
It wasn't glorious plagiarism—but in this world there was no "Kenshi Yonezu" or "YOASOBI." In a way, he was laying bricks for a parallel music industry.
He spent thirty seconds comforting himself and thirty seconds feeling guilty, then set "inglorious" aside for now.
He'd need to sing and play to get noticed; sheet music alone wasn't enough.
Without a guitar, plans were just plans.
So—painful as it was—he decided to spend some of the cash reward on a decent, not too cheap guitar.
He'd probably have to take tomorrow off his jobs—but that would also free time to find a wild Bocchi at a nearby park…
He drifted through idle thoughts, reached his apartment, and went in.
After a quick shower to be in top shape for class, he collapsed into bed.
…
Next day.
Alarm at seven. Groggy wash-up in his tiny space. Once alert, he messaged both his convenience store boss and bar owner requesting a day off.
They agreed. He headed out.
He skipped breakfast to save money. After morning classes, he bought a yakisoba-pan for lunch.
Classes ran until three. When the club bell rang, his day on campus ended.
With work permission on file, he could skip clubs and go straight home—or to his jobs.
But he'd taken the day off, so he didn't head to work as usual.
He searched for well-reviewed music shops nearby and picked a destination.
Two train stops, a kilometer on foot.
In about half an hour, he arrived at SoundColor, a music store at the Shibuya Scramble.
The Scramble was wildly bustling; a shop here had to look the part—
He pushed the door open and glanced around with mild curiosity.
The store wasn't large, but the interior was deliberate: neat layout, tasteful decor, cool palette, and high-end violin music playing.
He wasn't much for decor, so he focused on instruments.
A clerk came over. "Hello—what can I help you find?"
Kai considered.
He had Master-level Guitar Performance, but beyond playing, he knew nothing—models, materials, fit…
Which made the question tricky.
After a few seconds he offered a single word: "Guitar."
The clerk blinked.
She waited for him to continue—and when he didn't, the corner of her mouth twitched.
"Then… any specifics? Like something beginner-friendly? Or a budget…?"
He frowned slightly and thought.
He was about to say about ¥60,000, when a voice cut in.
"Ah…"
Cool and lazy, with a hint of freshness; the words sounded surprised, yet oddly flat—
"You're that guitar ace Nijika tricked into helping for free."
-------
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