In a World of Reversed Chastity, I’m Surrounded by a Clingy Older Woman, a Walking Red Flag, and an Exhausted Office Lady - 15

Chapter 15: A Visit to My Family Home – Hidden Side

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

I loved Aoi-sama. I loved him deeply, and although I had met many different men up until now, there had never been a single one who could ever replace Aoi-sama.

“Shizuku. You must never become a foolish woman whose life is dictated by a man.”

It was a phrase Okaa-sama had repeated to me ever since I was little. Okaa-sama had raised me very strictly, but she had been especially strict when it came to matters involving men. She likely had some kind of trouble in her past, and I believed she hated men because of it.

Until I entered high school, I also could not understand why women were drawn to such shallow, predictable creatures as men. Having been taken by Okaa-sama to dinner parties and gatherings of influential people, where I met boys my age, I had never thought men were particularly impressive beings. As for love, I found it so foolish that I could only scoff at it. The idea that there were countless women who ruined themselves financially by lavishing money on such creatures was so absurd that I despised those women along with the men. To me, men were nothing more than convenient creatures meant to be used to move women as one pleased.

Holding such beliefs, I entered high school. But that way of thinking was effortlessly shattered by a single student. He was different from the other boys who fawned over me simply because my family was a prominent one in the area.

He did not beg me for money. He did not seek status or honor. He did not desire a secure future through me. He did not wield his being male as a weapon to belittle me. He would never utter something so revolting as, “I guess I’ll go out with you.” The male student named Aoi Shirasu was kind, gentlemanly, and above all, fair to everyone.

“Ah, Suzuki-san. You got that part wrong.”

“Geez, Ando-san, you didn’t do your homework again. I’ll let you copy it just this once. But from tomorrow on, make sure you do it properly.”

“Let’s clean together, Sato-san.”

He spoke casually and kindly to every girl, and more than anything, he looked them in the eyes and truly considered them when he spoke. He stood apart from the other boys in the classroom with his genuine kindness and unguarded smile.

In the blink of an eye, the student named Aoi Shirasu became popular in class, and before long, he was serving as class president. And I, due to my family background and academic excellence, became vice president, which gave me the opportunity to speak with him.

It wasn’t that I had loved the boy named Aoi Shirasu from the very beginning, before ever speaking to him. But I understood that he was different from other men. Even now, I could clearly remember it.

My first conversation with Aoi-sama.

“Shizuku Saiin-san, right? Let’s do our best together.”

“Yes, I look forward to working with you.”

When I bowed my head politely, Aoi-sama looked surprised.

“So Saiin-san really is a refined young lady.”

“Hm…? Did you not believe it?”

“No, that’s not it. Your movements were so graceful that I couldn’t help staring. Hey, whenever you have time, could you teach me how to walk and eat more elegantly? I’d like to improve myself.”

Aoi-sama smiled brightly, and I believed I must have stared at him in shock. For the first time at school, I likely showed an expression of pure surprise—one without the mask of “Shizuku Saiin.”

“…I would be happy to.”

“Yes!! Thank you. Once again, let’s get along from now on.”

I must have absentmindedly watched his back as he left the classroom. That had been my first conversation with Aoi-sama. That unguarded, pure smile that did not see me as “Shizuku Saiin.” From that moment, I had been drawn to Aoi-sama.

But there was an incident that made me fall for him decisively. As we worked together as class officers, I found myself growing more and more attracted to him. That genuine smile of his, and the gentle way he worried about me and showed concern—those were like a potent drug to someone like me, who had never once been interested in men before. Every time I saw him, my heart began to race.

Before I knew it, he was calling me Shizuku, and at that time, I called him Aoi-san. We had become close enough to address each other by name. However, somehow Okaa-sama caught wind of it and disliked that I was getting close to a boy—Aoi-sama—and tried to push him away.

Okaa-sama met him directly and said:

“Excuse me, you. Aoi Shirasu-kun, was it?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I’ll give you this, so would you please stop associating with Shizuku?”

With that, Okaa-sama attempted to hand a large sum of money to Shirasu-kun. In Okaa-sama’s mind, men were surely nothing more than creatures interested only in money and status. But Shirasu-kun wore a troubled, indescribable expression.

“Um, you’re Shizuku’s Okaa-sama, right?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I can’t accept money like this.”

Aoi-sama stated that firmly. I had disgracefully wondered for a moment whether he might be swayed by money, but there had never been even the slightest intention in his heart to accept it. Because he did not see me through the lens of wealth or status.

“So it’s not enough?”

“No, that’s not it. I don’t need any money, and more importantly, why are you giving me money? D-Did I do something wrong? Should I be the one paying you?”

He panicked as he said that, and at his unexpected response, Okaa-sama—who despised men and viewed them as tools—stared blankly in disbelief.

“Was it wrong to have Shizuku teach me proper manners? There’s probably tuition for that, right? Sorry, Shizuku.”

“F-Fufu… N-Not at all. It’s completely fine.”

I could not help but laugh at Aoi-sama, who was demonstrating an obliviousness that, in a good way, completely ignored the tension in the room.

“Okaa-sama, I’m sorry too. I may have unknowingly behaved improperly, and if I’ve caused any trouble to Shizuku’s family, then I’ll stop getting involved with her instead of accepting money. But, um… well… I can’t offer unlimited money right now, but Shizuku-san is an important classmate to me, we’re both class officers, and more than anything, she’s my friend.”

With that, Aoi-sama took Okaa-sama’s hand and looked straight into her still-stunned eyes with unwavering sincerity.

“So please let me stay friends with Shizuku-san. I’m asking you.”

As he bowed his head, my heart was struck, and in that moment, I fell for him completely and unmistakably. And Okaa-sama was the same.

“Please raise your head, Shirasu-san.”

When she said that, she clasped the hand Aoi-sama had taken with both of hers.

“I understand, Shirasu-san.”

“Eh, really!? Thank you, um… Saiin-san?”

“Not Saiin… let’s see… Could you call me Akane?”

“Yes, Akane-san!!”

When Shirasu-kun flashed that radiant smile like the sun, Okaa-sama was once again slightly taken aback, her cheeks flushed and my heart would not stop pounding at that same smile.

“Shizuku, she said we can stay friends. Let’s keep getting along well like we’ve always been.”

He turned that same smile he had shown Okaa-sama toward me.

“Yes, Aoi-sama. I look forward to our continued friendship.”

“-sama…? I’m not anyone that grand.”

“A simple ‘san’ would not suffice, so I decided to address you as ‘sama.’”

When I said that, he laughed awkwardly.

“If Shizuku’s okay with it, then that’s fine.”

“Yes. Once again, I look forward to our continued friendship.”

“Yeah, same here.”

From that incident onward, I clearly became aware of my feelings for Aoi-sama and began actively approaching him. Although Aoi-sama got along well with everyone in class, up until our second year, I was the only one he could truly call a friend.

One reason for that was that I was his first true friend.

Everyone in class and throughout the school understood without anyone needing to say it aloud that I harbored clear feelings for Aoi-sama. Even if someone else developed feelings for him, they knew full well what would happen if they recklessly confessed while I was there. That was why many classmates attached themselves to me, hoping to receive scraps of favor. If things continued smoothly, I had planned to confess at graduation and end my high school life perfectly.

Up until our second year.

In our second year, that detestable woman transferred in from abroad, and the class was split between me and her. I was no longer the sole dominant presence, which became somewhat troublesome, but she was gone now. She had returned to her home country in tears, so I believed I had won.

…And yet, recently, Aoi-sama had hardly contacted me at all. Why? Why? Had I done something wrong? No matter how much I thought back, I could not come up with anything. The last time we met had been around the end of summer break. So it had been nearly two months since I had seen him.

…So, can you really blame me?

I had no choice but to have someone watch every day for when you returned here. I was waiting, you know?

“For you to say you came back to town and ask me to hang out.”

I had been waiting for your message. And yet, Aoi-sama, you were simply relaxing at home and flirting with your imouto-sama.

So it cannot be helped if I try to see you by force, can it? Isn’t that right, Aoi-sama?

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー