After Picking up a Runaway Girl From the Same University on My Way Home From Work, We Started Living Together in Secret - Chapter 1

“If you’re looking for a place to stay, you can crash at my place. Free, of course. Don’t worry; I won’t do anything weird.”

It was nighttime, and I, Yukimura Minato, was taking a shortcut down an alley behind the bustling downtown to get home faster after work. That’s when I heard a man’s voice.

I squinted into the dimly lit alley and saw a man talking to a girl under a streetlight.

The man wore a sleazy grin, not even trying to hide his intentions.

“…Will you let me stay?”

But the girl’s voice was calm, echoing in the alley as if unbothered.

“I’d help any cute girl like you,” he said, his words dripping with ulterior motives.

I felt sick just listening to him. There was no good in this man; he was only inviting her to satisfy his own desires.

Without realizing it, I tightened my fist around the shopping bag I was holding. Then, as the man shifted positions, I caught a clear look at the girl’s face—and was so surprised I couldn’t help but let my mouth drop slightly.

She wore what people would call gothic lolita clothes, with frills everywhere. Her makeup was different from usual, but I knew who she was.

“…That’s Kototori Risa, from my university, right?”

In the second year at Kaimei University, where I also study, there’s a girl known as “Snow White,” someone who seems like she stepped out of a fairy tale. The girl talking with the man right now—that’s Kototori Risa.

Risa earned the nickname “Snow White” because of her looks. She has long, snow-like hair that shimmers, and her eyes, peeking out from under her bangs, are a pale blue-green, almost like gemstones. Even just that would make her stand out in Japan, but her features are so perfect they look like they were crafted by a famous doll maker.

She’s petite even for a woman, and her slim build gives her a delicate, almost ethereal vibe. Honestly, I think she has a bit of a cat-like quality. At university, she’s quiet, avoiding people, spending her days almost like a doll.

It’s no surprise that she’s popular with men, though I’ve never heard of her having a boyfriend.

There’s even a fan club dedicated to her, full of devoted fans who think just hearing her voice makes their day perfect. I’ve heard stories from friends about how obsessive some of them are.

But to me, Kototori Risa was like a beautiful flower to admire from afar. This, however, was different.

The easiest thing to do would be to pretend I didn’t see anything and walk away, leaving the outcome to Risa’s choice, with no involvement from me.

“…I can’t just ignore this, can I?”

After hearing the conversation, it was obvious what would happen next.

Even if Risa refused firmly, a predator in front of a perfect target wouldn’t back down. He’d likely drag her off and do as he pleased.

Ignoring it would haunt me.

I actually helped Risa once before. She tripped right in front of me and twisted her ankle, so I just helped with some first aid. Back then, I didn’t know her name; I just thought she was a cute girl.

I’m sure she doesn’t remember it, and I don’t intend to hold it over her.

This is just me being a soft-hearted fool. If that’s the case, doing it once or twice makes no difference.

Gathering my courage and steadying my breath, I slipped past the man, ran up to Risa, and—

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

I grabbed her hand firmly and whispered, “Let’s go.”

“Huh? Who’s this guy?” the man spat.

“Oh, thanks for looking after my girlfriend!” I said, feigning gratitude.

Running away is sometimes the best defense. The ultimate self-defense is a swift, direct escape.

I held Risa’s hand and led her as we dashed toward the busy streets.

“Hah… hah… They shouldn’t follow us this far.”

Once we reached the main street, I glanced back and saw no sign of the man. I finally let out a sigh of relief.

“…Hey,” she whispered.

“Ah! Sorry. I saw you by chance, and it looked dangerous, so I pulled you along… Was I bothering you?”

She was breathing hard, and when she spoke in a soft whisper, it startled me. I apologized, but she neither confirmed nor denied it. She just looked up at my face.

The bright lights of the main street illuminated her face.

Her long eyelashes, slightly lowered, framed her pale blue eyes as they gazed at me. Her white hair, even paler under the night’s glow, flowed gently in the breeze, carrying a faint citrus scent. Her lips, whispering in that soft voice, were a strawberry red, with a touch of seductive charm.

When I took a moment to observe her features, there was no mistaking it—she was Kototori Risa. Her makeup wasn’t as heavy as usual, which is why I recognized her so quickly.

“That’s not important. Your hand.”

“My hand? …Ah.”

I noticed that we were still holding hands and quickly pulled away at Kototori’s words.

The feeling of her delicate, slender fingers and unexpectedly soft hand lingered in my mind.

“Are you Yukimura Minato?”

“…How do you know my name?”

“I remembered because you helped me before.”

Is that right? she asked with a slight tilt of her head, surprising me.

We had only met that one time, and I hadn’t even introduced myself, so I hadn’t expected her to remember my name or face.

I didn’t have particularly noticeable features, after all.

I was a bit taller than average, but my face wasn’t especially attractive. Not too bright, not too dark—I was generally considered a modest, agreeable guy, if a bit of a pushover according to my friends and family.

“And you’re Kototori Risa from Kaimei Year Two, right?”

“Yeah. Even though I’m dressed differently than usual, you figured it out.”

“…Well, yeah.”

Her unique hair and eyes made it hard to mistake her for anyone else.

“By the way, don’t go through that street at this hour. It’s dangerous.”

“…Why?”

“Why? I mean, those guys were targeting you, trying to get you to go with them by force—”

“I’m the one who approached them first.”

“…Why?”

“I ran away from home but forgot to bring money, so I was looking for someone who’d let me stay with them.”

Kototori had run away from home?

If that was true, then maybe I shouldn’t have interfered… But no, that guy wouldn’t have just let her stay over and left it at that.

“I didn’t turn him away because he might’ve taken me in… Minato, you took me away from that. So, I think you should take responsibility.”

“…Sorry, but I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

Ignoring my confusion—and the fact that she was calling me by my name without hesitation—Kototori continued at her own pace.

As I was briefly lost in thought, wondering how talkative she could be, she suddenly took both my hands in hers, pulling me back to reality.

“Take me home.”

The words, uttered while looking up at me, carried an irresistible allure for any guy my age.

Kototori, whom I once thought of as beyond my reach, was asking to stay in my room. I could think of plenty of guys at university who would have paid a lot for this chance.

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“…Staying over at a guy’s place so casually… it’s not a good idea.”

“What would happen?”

Kototori tilted her head, looking genuinely clueless.

I hadn’t expected her to be this unaware of the risks.

But was it really okay to explain that to her directly?

Sensing my hesitation, Kototori murmured, “Oh,” then said calmly,

“If it came down to it, I thought I’d be fine with that. I don’t have money, so that’s the only payment I could offer.”

Kototori wasn’t lacking a sense of danger. She just didn’t care.

Hearing it from her own lips made her situation seem even more precarious.

“If you expect payment for letting me stay, I wouldn’t mind… if it’s that.”

…No way.

That wasn’t what I wanted.

Admiring a flower from afar was enough for me.

“…Then I’ll give you some money. Go find somewhere to stay.”

Sighing, I pulled out enough cash from my wallet to cover a night’s stay, intending to hand it to her—

“I don’t want to be alone.”

Her words, whispered as though drawn from deep within, reached my ears before they were lost in the surrounding noise.

And they reached me fully.

Her grip tightened on my hand, and she leaned in closer.

She looked like a lost child, conveying her vulnerability with her whole being.

This was beyond me.

But from what Kototori had told me, if I turned her away here, she might wander the streets looking for someone else to take her in.

If that happened, Kototori might—

…Damn it.

“Just for tonight.”

“…Huh?”

“If it’s only for one night, you can stay at my place. Leaving you on your own would be more dangerous.”

“…Are you sure?”

“But don’t try anything weird. Eat, sleep, and tomorrow we go back to university. After that, we’re done. Promise me.”

When I said this, meeting her gaze, Kototori nodded in agreement, though her expression suggested she might not fully understand.