Vol 1 Chapter 10 – Did You Tell Your Mother?

We ended up posting a photo to the club’s social media with the caption, “New Member! New Issue Available!”

Toudou was incredibly worried, asking if it was a bad idea to post the photo as-is, and wouldn’t it be a problem if it got clipped and used on some weird site.

She started saying that since Kajiwara-kun is quite a handsome guy, his picture might get photoshopped onto a naked body.

She must be looking at those kinds of sites all the time. What a hopeless pervert.

Toudou is shameless.

In a word, she was a weirdo with a butt fetish.

After a lot of discussion, we reached a compromise: just in case, Kajiwara-kun would hold the new issue in one hand and partially cover his face with the fingers of his other hand.

I also hid the top half of my face with the sign.

Oh, we did take a proper photo of the two of us, but I’m keeping that one safely stored on my phone.

I’m going to make it my lock screen.

But that aside.

“…This ended up looking even more suggestive, didn’t it?”

A new male member, his eyes covered by his hand.

Next to him, this nerd, Segawa, with only her eerie, smiling mouth visible.

Is this for a brothel or something?

And I’m the one holding the sign to draw in customers.

For a second, I actually thought that, but I couldn’t possibly say it with Kajiwara-kun standing right next to me.

“Is this for a brothel or something? Though I doubt I’d get requested.”

Kajiwara-kun had to be the one to say it.

Wait, you know about stuff like that, Kajiwara-kun?

A somewhat awkward silence filled the air.

Even our last hope, President Takahashi, was just blushing and not saying a word.

“We got a good one, how ’bout it, missy? Kajiwara-kun’s slots would fill up instantly. Heck, I’d request him myself.”

Toudou, maybe wanting to break the silence, deliberately cracked a dirty joke.

You’ve got some nerve.

Is she brave or just classless?

Well, that’s just the kind of girl Toudou is.

“…Well, if it gets people talking one way or another, it should help with sales on the day of the event.”

Kajiwara-kun gives a serious reply.

What a good kid.

thump

The president gave Toudou a light kick.

He watched them with a fond smile.

“…Toudou-senpai, you and President Takahashi are close, aren’t you?”

“Yep, we’re close. We’re suuuper close.”

Toudou replied, puffing out her small chest.

Her eyes were darting around nervously.

Right, she might be talking big, but she’s flustered.

Come to think of it, is this the first time Toudou and Kajiwara-kun have spoken?

“Um, well, we’ve been together since middle school. Chihiro and I are drawing buddies who draw together every day, and we’re on a first-name basis. You know, Chihiro and Hatsune.”

“That’s sweet. I, on the other hand, didn’t have any friends in middle school.”

“Oh? You didn’t have any interaction with other boys?”

I don’t really get the world of boys, Toudou said, tilting her head.

Her black hair, styled in a hime cut with straight bangs, swayed to the side.

“I was the only boy in my class, and even if I’d wanted to interact with them, the other boys were all what you might call sheltered young masters. Unlike me, they all had private lessons, so it was impossible to get in touch with them after school. There weren’t any otaku like me who were into anime and manga, either… and I wasn’t in any clubs.”

“Wait, you didn’t take any lessons, Kajiwara-kun? That’s where you’d naturally interact with other boys. I hear private lessons are a real social hub for them.”

In the world at large, it’s common for boys to take private lessons.

Things like piano, violin, ballet, or ballroom dancing.

The idea is, if you’re going to have a son, the parents hope he’ll marry into a wealthy family in the future.

So, to ensure their son doesn’t embarrass himself, it’s common even for average families to have him start lessons from a young age.

It also serves to eliminate contact with poorer families as much as possible.

These are what society calls “sheltered young masters.”

To put a negative spin on it, this process is sometimes cynically called “shipping them off” and is considered a social problem.

“I did. I took karate and judo until the end of middle school. I suppose you could call those lessons, too. But I didn’t learn from a pro or anything, just at a local dojo.”

“Well, that’s unusual. I mean, I’m surprised your parents allowed it.”

Kajiwara-kun really is different.

According to President Takahashi, who was getting touchy-feely with him, holding his hands, his hands were rough and he had calluses on his palms.

It hasn’t even been a few days since we met, but Kajiwara-kun probably took all his lessons seriously.

“I begged my mother, saying I wanted to learn self-defense just in case. My mom is strict about curfews and discipline, but on the other hand, she’s the type to let me do what I want to do. It was fun. Though she was against me entering competitions, saying it was too dangerous, so I couldn’t do that.”

Well, my goal was purely self-defense, so I wasn’t interested in competitions anyway.

I also understand that I can’t beat the talented guys who are truly serious about martial arts.

I have absolutely no athletic ability.

I hate dodgeball with a passion.

That’s what Kajiwara-kun told us.

I know how high the level is in boys’ sports, so it must be tough if you’re not athletic, but it’s a shame when you have such a good build.

“Kajiwara-kun, you must have been popular with the girls. Weren’t the girls doing karate and judo all over you?”

“Actually, I barely spoke to them. It’s not like we shared a changing room, so once I changed and practice was over, I went straight home.”

You know, my childhood dream was to go home chewing on a popsicle while chatting with my friends.

I never had that kind of picture-perfect youth, though.

He’s so pitiful, saying that with a slightly lonely expression.

“Well, now that you’re in the club, you’ll have chances for that. Besides, we already finished the manuscript ahead of the deadline.”

Toudou murmured, as if to comfort him.

Now that she mentions it, that’s right.

The doujinshi will be delivered directly to the convention, so it’s not like we have to carry them ourselves.

There’s nothing to do until then.

Should we have a welcome party for Kajiwara-kun in the clubroom to celebrate finishing the manuscript?

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to spend the time deepening our relationship with him, since we haven’t talked much until now.

Just as I was plotting this…

“I should probably ask, just in case… Kajiwara-kun, did you get your mother’s consent? To join the ‘Modern Culture Research Club’.”

President Takahashi said, as if it had just occurred to her.

She furrowed her brow, her expression one of clear concern.

“Does a fifteen-year-old boy really need to tell his parents which club he’s joining? My mom already knows I’m an otaku…”

Normally you probably wouldn’t, but eventually your parents are going to ask what club you joined.

It’s probably a necessary precaution.

We took this suggestive photo for social media and are making him work as a salesperson.

Yeah, he probably needs to get permission for that, I thought.

Wait, won’t his parents be super against this?

If I were a parent, I would absolutely tell my kid not to join a club with a weirdo like Toudou in it.

That’s what this Segawa honestly thinks.

“…For now, I think it’s probably best you tell her. I mean, it would be bad if it became a problem later.”

Come to think of it, aren’t we doing something pretty crazy?

We let someone’s son join our club and are about to post a picture that looks like a solicitation for a brothel on social media.

This is the kind of thing you definitely get yelled at for.

“There’s no need to worry… but well, in that case, I’ll talk to her tonight. I think she’ll just have a big laugh at this picture and then dismiss it with a single word of ‘approval’.”

“What…? She’s understanding about otaku?”

“Not at all. She’s probably someone with zero interest in anime or manga. But she lets me watch what I want freely…”

Doesn’t that sound bad?

No, this sounds really bad.

I looked at Emma, and Toudou looked at President Takahashi.

We all steeled ourselves, resolving to be prepared for when a complaint from his parents came into the school and we got chewed out by a teacher.