I Accidentally Said “I Want a S○x Partner” in the Class Group on LINE, and the School Idol Responded - Chapter 16

“―Excuse me, what do you think you’re doing?”

I got out of the taxi and walked across the square in front of the station, heading straight toward Shinozaki, who was being bothered by a middle-aged man. I wasn’t calling out to her, but to him. I didn’t know exactly what was going on, but I intended to deal with whatever trouble was coming her way.

“Huh? Who the hell are you?”

The man turned to glare at me. Shinozaki noticed me too and softly said, “Hashiguchi-kun…” The man stared at me. He looked to be in his late thirties or early forties, wearing a worn T-shirt and shorts. His scruffy beard wasn’t freshly grown. It looked like he hadn’t shaved in days. Honestly, he didn’t look like a responsible adult. A faint smell of alcohol made the impression worse.

…Was Shinozaki finished her shift and was being harassed by a drunk guy?

I didn’t know for sure, but I had to get him to leave.

“Excuse me, but who are you to her?”

“Who cares!? And who the hell are you!?”

“I’m her friend. If you don’t back off, I’ll call the police.”

“The police? Go ahead, I don’t care!”

“Alright then, I will.”

I can’t hesitate in situations like this. People like him only act tough until I actually take action. The moment I pulled out my phone and started dialing 110, he instantly panicked and tried to save face.

“H-hey, wait a…”

“You have five seconds to leave. 5, 4, 3, 2―”

“F-fine… damn it. I will remember this…”

With a typical parting threat, the man jogged away from the square.

…That worked, at least for now.

“Are you okay, Shinozaki… Do you have any injuries?”

“I’m fine. Thank you, Hashiguchi-kun…”

“Who was that just now?”

Shinozaki looked a little uneasy and avoided my gaze as she said,

“…I don’t know him.”

Her reaction seemed a little evasive. Maybe there was some kind of connection, but if she says she doesn’t know him, I shouldn’t pry. That felt like the right choice, even if part of me wondered if it really was.

“By the way… Hashiguchi-kun, why are you here?”

She seemed to want to change the subject.

I explained.

“I was on my way back from a party. I happened to pass by in a taxi and saw you, so I came to help.”

“…A party?”

“A political fundraising party. I was accompanying my dad.”

“Oh, that explains the formal clothes… Is Hashiguchi-kun planning to become a politician?”

“No way.”

I shrugged.

“I’m not interested. My dad might want me to go into politics, but I refuse. If he ever tries to force me, I’ll cut ties.”

“…So tonight, Hashiguchi-kun was basically dragged to a party you didn’t want to go to.”

“Exactly. It’s annoying, but right now I just have to put up with it.”

Since I live off the benefits of my parents, I felt I shouldn’t complain. Of course, if it went too far, that might change.

“Anyway, Shinozaki just finished work, right? You probably haven’t had dinner yet. Do you want to come to my place?”

“…But didn’t you eat at the party?”

“That’s true. But I don’t mind if you just make something for yourself.”

“No, it feels wrong if I eat while you don’t…”

Shinozaki looked down.

“It’s fine today. I already had dinner, so you can just eat by yourself.”

“…Are you sure you can manage dinner alone?”

I felt a little worried.

“Even if there’s stuff with my parents, I still have a proper place to go home to, right?”

“…Of course.”

Shinozaki avoided my gaze. But it wasn’t the kind of “of course” that inspires trust. Still, she said, “Then, see you…” and started to leave.

…I knew the correct thing was to quietly let her go, but I couldn’t shake the question in my mind. Was that really okay?

Could I just leave her like this, knowing something might be wrong?

“…No.”

I answered the voice in my head and made up my mind.

I was going to follow Shinozaki.

I couldn’t just leave her alone, not when I wasn’t even sure she really had a safe home to go to.