The Handsome Boy I Saved from Getting Beaten on the Train… Turned Out to Be the “Prince” of an All-Girls School - V1 Chapter 37: My Very Own Prince

Chapter 37: My Very Own Prince

[Rei Hoshina’s POV]

I had no idea how much time had passed.

How often do trains even run? Every few minutes?

Let’s see… how many trains had gone by already?

No, I wasn’t really paying attention.

I’d just been staring blankly as they passed, not counting at all.

It hurt.

I wanted to run from everything.

So I’d been sitting here on this station bench, doing nothing for who knows how long.

I hadn’t even planned to come here.

I just… ended up here.

The station closest to Saito’s high school.

The path I used to walk with him every morning…

Without realizing it, I’d retraced it.

This was the place where he saved me on the train—that memory.

“…I really am so weak, aren’t I…”

Even now, after everything, I still found myself clinging to Saito because I couldn’t handle the pain.

But Saito and I… we’re different.

At first, he thought I was a boy.

And still, even though I looked like some aloof prince—

Someone who didn’t seem like they’d ever be grateful—

He helped me without expecting a single thing in return.

That’s when I started to take an interest in him.

And recently…

That part of me I’d pushed to the back of my heart—

The part that’s a girl—

Had quietly begun to follow the joy I felt whenever I was around him.

He’s easygoing… but when it counts, I can rely on him.

To me—

He really is my prince.

“But… that’s exactly why someone like me—a fake—shouldn’t stay by his side…”

This scar…

If I could, I would’ve kept it hidden forever.

But if I ever ended up in a real relationship with Saito—

As an actual couple—

I’d have no choice but to tell him about it.

And when that moment came,

I’d probably tell him the story everyone else already believed—

The neat little lie about how I was some noble hero who got injured doing the right thing.

If I just kept quiet—

If I never confessed and kept pretending that lie was the truth—

Maybe I really could stay by Saito’s side forever.

But with someone as honest and straightforward as Saito…

I couldn’t do that to him.

So this distance between us…

It was bound to happen.

It just came sooner than I expected.

Which means…

This is goodbye.

“…So I have to let go…”

I’d reached the same conclusion over and over by now.

And yet,

My thoughts kept going in circles,

Refusing to fully convince myself to move on.

Some part of me kept hoping—

Maybe there’s still another way out of this…

“I want to see you… Saito…”

That quiet truth slipped from my lips before I realized.

My vision blurred with tears.

“I really am hopeless, aren’t I…”

Frustrated with my own weakness,

I slumped forward on the bench,

Staring down at the cold, gray floor of the train platform.

“…Found you.”

Out of nowhere, a voice from above dropped like a lifeline.

In that instant, I snapped my head up, like I’d been jolted.

“…!? Saito—”

“Oooh, no way. It really is the prince from that viral video!”

But the face I looked up to see… wasn’t the one I’d hoped for.

“…Ahaha…”

A dry laugh slipped out of me.

Just the fact that my voice had unconsciously jumped with hope—

That I’d foolishly thought it might be Saito—

It all felt so ridiculous, I couldn’t help but laugh at myself.

“Hey, hey. Isn’t the ‘Whoa-Whoa Guy’ with you today?”

No matter how much logic I try to convince myself with,

The moment someone sprinkles even a tiny bit of hope on me, I fall apart like this.

“Hey, you listening? Huh? What’s with this girl? She’s muttering to herself.”

“Whoa-whoa, slow down.”

“Pfft! You’re the one saying ‘whoa-whoa’! That’s too good!”

Standing in front of me were three adult men, probably young company employees, dressed in suits.

They reeked of alcohol and had that rowdy energy of guys just getting back from a drinking party.

“We work at one of those big-name companies, you know? Even though today’s a holiday, we had to work.”

“Everyone calls us a top-tier company, but inside? It’s a mess.”

“So we grabbed drinks after finishing our weekend shift.”

Even though I hadn’t said a single word,

The three of them started rambling non-stop like they were performing for an audience.

“Wait, were you crying? What happened? Want to talk about it?”

“Dude, seriously? You only know how to hit on girls using cheesy pickup lines?”

“Shut up, man! Mind your own business. Hey, did something bad happen? It’s dangerous for a girl to be out alone this late.”

While his drunk friends snickered and egged him on,

One of the men leaned closer, flashing a smile as he spoke to me.

“…………”

What is this…?

None of it registered.

Not even anger or disgust.

I could tell the man in front of me was speaking,

But the words—none of them sank in.

It was like they were slipping past my ears before even reaching my brain.

“Hmm. Tried the ‘runaway girl, looking for shelter’ angle, but no good, huh.”

“Yo, are you actually trying to take a high school girl home with you? That’s seriously illegal, man.”

“But no joke, she’s crazy pretty in person.”

“Yeah, no kidding.”

“If a girl this beautiful greeted me with ‘Welcome home~’ when I got back from work, I’d totally survive corporate life.”

“Facts~”

“Alright then. We’re heading back for a little house party—come with us. If you don’t wanna go home, you can just stay at my place. I won’t lay a hand on you. Probably. Maybe.”

“That definitely means you’re gonna try something!”

“Whoa-whoa-whoa.”

“Dude, you are way too reckless with your ‘whoa-whoas!’”

One of them grabbed my arm.

Before I knew it, I was being pulled up off the bench.

But even as it happened,

I felt like I was watching the scene from outside myself—

Like I was some game character, moving without input.

What was this feeling?

Like… none of it mattered anymore.

Maybe it was fine if I just…

“Let go of her.”

…Huh?

Up until now, everything had felt distant and out of focus.

But the moment I heard that voice—

It was like the fog cleared, and my vision snapped into place.

And the first thing I saw in focus was…

“Sai…to…”

That familiar, broad back.

The one that made me feel safe.

The same one that stood in front of me on that train when he first saved me.

“I’m here to pick you up, Rei. Everyone’s worried about you.”

“…Huh? O-Okay…”

As he spoke, he pulled the man’s hand off my arm—firmly, but not overly rough.

What is this…?

Am I dreaming?

Am I just seeing what I want to see…?

Because right now, Saito is holding my hand…

“The hell’s your problem? She’s got nothing to do with you—”

“Move.”

This scene…

It was just like when we first met on the train—

Saito standing protectively in front of me, shielding me from some guy.

But this time, he was different.

Back then, he’d tried to settle things with a nervous smile and a calm “Whoa-whoa.”

Now, his expression was sharp, eyes filled with raw determination.

“W-What the hell, man…? There’s more of us than you.”

Even so, the guy shrank back, intimidated by Saito’s presence.

“Dude, chill out. You’re way too drunk—wait, huh? Hold up! Isn’t that the ‘Whoa-Whoa Guy’ from the video!?”

“No way! It is him! The legend himself—Whoa-Whoa Dude!”

“Prince and Whoa-Whoa Guy, side by side! What is this, a crossover episode?!”

“Hey, I’m not done talking to this little punk—”

“Whoa-whoa-whoa.”

The guys who had been grabbing my arm looked irritated,

But their coworkers—sensing an opportunity—quickly stepped in, calming things down and pulling their rowdy friend back.

Even drunk, they must’ve realized it’d look really bad if a bunch of grown men picked a fight with a high schooler in public.

They had too much to lose.

Especially after bragging earlier about working for some fancy company.

“Whoa there—sorry, kid. We got a little too excited meeting a celebrity. Didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”

“Hey, hey, since we’re here… could we get one last ‘whoa-whoa-whoa’ from the man himself? Live from the legend!”

The way they phrased it—“one last”—made it clear.

They wanted Saito to throw them a bone, say his catchphrase, everyone laughs, the mood lightens up.

Then they’d wave goodbye with a cheery “Thanks, see ya!” and slip away while saving face.

Even the guy who’d gotten aggressive would be able to walk away with a shred of dignity.

And Saito…

He’s smart.

He’d definitely pick up on that and just go along with it to keep things peaceful—surely…

“Not a chance.”

“““Huh?”””

The rejection came out sharp—like he spat it.

It wasn’t just the salarymen who froze.
Even I let out a stunned breath.

“W-Why? Saito…?”

Without thinking, I asked Saito.

He usually goes along with teasing, right?

Even when people mess with him, he just sighs and plays along.

So why now, in a situation where he’s outnumbered and things could turn ugly…

Why would he flat-out reject them like that?

That’s not like the gentle Saito I know…

“You really think I could just smile and go ‘whoa-whoa’ after someone tried to lay a hand on someone I care about?”

………

Huh?

D-D-D-Did he just say—someone he cares about!?

Did Saito just… call me that?

“Let’s go, Rei.”

“Y-Yeah…”

He was unusually forceful.

But I didn’t resist.

I just nodded and followed him without question.

As he pulled me along by the arm, leaving the stunned salarymen behind,

I looked at his face in profile.

So serious.

And somehow… I thought,

‘Maybe I’ll be okay… as long as it’s with him.’

I couldn’t take my eyes off that determined expression.

-:+【Afterword】:-:+:-:+:-:+:-:+:-:+:-:+:-+:-+:-+:-+:-+

There you go—total fall achieved.

This was one of the scenes I was most excited to write for this series.

Next up: the finale of Volume 01!

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