When I Helped Out At My Classy Classmate's Family Home, They Started Going All Out To Close In On Me From Every Angle. - Chapter 0: After Helping the Ojou-sama Classmate, I Was Invited to a Meal.

Prologue: After Helping the Ojou-sama Classmate, I Was Invited to a Meal.

It’s quite rare to find a high school student as fitting of the term “Ojou-sama” as Takamine Ayame.

Her soft, charming, reddish brown-colored eyes.

A well-defined, elegant nose and dewy rose-pink lips.

Her long, straight hair is lustrous, with a rich brown hue reminiscent of a gallant steed.

Her skin is as fair as fresh snow, unblemished and radiant.

Even her height feels like a deliberate touch of moderation from the gods, as if to ensure she wouldn’t incite envy among other women for being too perfect. That’s how strikingly beautiful Takamine is.

But her excellence doesn’t stop at her appearance. Her graceful, refined demeanor reflects her impeccable upbringing. Her kind and gentle nature, coupled with her sharp intellect and top-tier academic performance, make her the epitome of perfection.

Still, one might question: “Does being beautiful, kind, and brilliant automatically earn someone the title of ‘Ojou-sama’?”

That skepticism is fair. However, Takamine possesses qualities that undeniably justify her being called one.

Her family runs one of the most prestigious Japanese restaurants in the country, with connections to influential figures across various fields. At home, they employ domestic helpers, and she even has a personal attendant who doubles as a bodyguard.

Yes, Takamine is the daughter of a distinguished family. A bona fide Ojou-sama.

As I, Kanda Tetsu, participated in our cooking class, my gaze wandered to Takamine in a different group.

She flipped a pancake in her frying pan with flawless precision, the golden-brown color of the pancake nothing short of perfection.

It was clear at a glance that she was skilled in the kitchen. Likely, her family’s restaurant background had imparted some culinary knowledge to her.

“Such practiced movements. Truly impressive,” I mused aloud.

“Is that really something for you to say?”

“Yeah, it sounds kind of smug, you know.”

Two exasperated voices cut in as I admired her.

Turning to the source, I saw a tall, lively-looking boy and a petite girl with a blonde ponytail, both grinning wryly.

The boy was Kanazu Shuuji, and the girl, Akanei Chika. Childhood friends and a famously affectionate couple at Sakurazawa High. They’ve been my close friends since middle school, and we still hang out often even now in our second year of high school.

Their comments made me furrow my brows.

“It’s not smug; it’s just an honest observation.”

“Of course, we know that. You’re not the type to be underhanded, Tetsu,” Chika said with a playful grin. “But still, hearing that while you’re doing this…”

She pointed at my frying pan.

In it was a pancake, fluffy and light as a sheep’s cloud, practically radiating softness.

“That’s a soufflé pancake, right? It’s gotta be amazing. I can tell without even tasting it.”

“This looks like something straight out of a café. How’d you even make it? We’re all using the same ingredients!”

“Even if the ingredients are the same, you can make it special with technique. If you’re going to make something, might as well make it delicious, right? After all, everyone in the group gets to enjoy it.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Shuuji said with a nod.

“Man, we’re so lucky to be your friends, Tetsu-kun!”

“Such convenient friendships,” I replied with a dry laugh, shrugging exaggeratedly.

While flipping the pancake, I responded to their teasing.

“You’re right, Takamine-san is skilled at cooking. But Tetsu, you’re on another level,” Shuuji said.

“Totally out of the ordinary. It’s like you’re living on your second life.”

“Are you a reincarnated protagonist from one of those web novels?”

“Sure feels that way,” I chuckled.

“It’s not me—it’s all thanks to the amazing person who taught me.”

***

“Hm?”

After school, on my way home, I stumbled upon an unsettling scene.

“You’ll do great, trust me. You’ll sell in no time.”
“N-No, please don’t trouble yourself.”
“I understand your hesitation, but leave everything to me. Our agency has strong connections with top players in the industry.”
“It’s just that… I’m not interested in the entertainment industry.”
“Come on now, I won’t lead you astray. Let’s discuss it over tea, alright?”

A flashy man, dressed in gaudy clothing that screamed “trouble,” was pestering Takamine-san.

She wore a troubled expression as she politely declined, but the man wasn’t backing down, continuing to push his business card at her.

Given her striking beauty, it wasn’t surprising that someone from the entertainment world would approach her. I could understand why he’d want to scout her.

But something about the man felt… off.

There was an undeniable air of suspicion about him.

And how could I ignore the fact that he was blatantly ogling Takamine-san’s chest, as if mesmerized by the way it filled out her uniform?

His suggestion to “talk it over tea” only added to the dubiousness. It was just a guess, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this guy was no talent scout—just a sleazy pick-up artist.

Passersby seemed to share my unease, sneaking glances at the man but making no move to intervene.

It was disheartening, but not surprising. Most people don’t willingly walk into someone else’s problems.

Truthfully, I wasn’t eager to get involved either. A part of me wanted to look the other way and avoid the hassle.

“But if I just leave Takamine-san here, I know I won’t be able to sleep tonight,” I muttered under my breath, letting out a sigh before heading toward her.

I slapped on my best “polite stranger” smile and stepped between the man and Takamine-san.

“Sorry I’m late!” I said casually.

“Huh?”
“What the hell?”

Takamine-san blinked in surprise, while the man scowled in irritation.

Without letting the man notice, I turned slightly toward Takamine-san and dropped the smile, giving her a look that silently said, “Play along.”

She seemed to understand, her eyes widening for a moment before she gave a small nod.

“No, it’s alright,” she said, catching on quickly.

“Thanks. Alright, shall we go?”

I took her hand and turned on my heel, guiding her away from the man as quickly as possible.

“Hey, wait a minute!” the man called after us.

But, of course, he wasn’t going to let us go that easily. With a voice dripping with irritation, the man called out to stop me. He must have been truly determined to make Takamine his.

When I turned around with a grimace, he shot me a contemptuous glare.

“Who the hell are you? Barging in all of a sudden. I was having an important conversation with her, you know?”

“It seems like she has no intention of talking to you, though. She’s turned you down several times already, hasn’t she? Maybe it’s time to take the hint and give up?”

“N-no. She just doesn’t understand the value of what I’m offering yet,” he replied, shaking his head theatrically.

Then, with an exaggerated motion, he spread his arms wide and launched into a dramatic monologue.

“Listen, if she accepts my offer, her life will turn into a bed of roses. It would be unthinkable to refuse! So why don’t you stay out of this, huh? You have no right to interfere in her life decisions.”

His relentless persistence was starting to give me a headache.

Feeling utterly exasperated, I wracked my brain for a way to shut him up.

There’s no way this conversation would end peacefully. What should I say to make him stop?

Driven by a growing sense of urgency, I racked my brains until an idea suddenly struck me.

Raising my voice, I declared firmly:

“I’m not an outsider! She’s my girlfriend!”

“Huh!?”

With a sound almost audible in its intensity, Takamine’s face flushed bright red.

Even as a part of me marveled at the absurdity of my own words, I kept going, pushing through the embarrassment.

“What’s wrong with worrying about someone important to me? On the contrary, you have no right to interfere in her life!”

“Wha…?”

“I won’t let you twist the life of someone I care about!”

Seizing the moment as he faltered, I grabbed Takamine’s hand—her face still crimson—and quickly began to walk away.

I glanced back briefly to check on him.

Though he clicked his tongue in frustration, he didn’t follow us. He must have decided it wasn’t worth his time or that creating a scene would only cause him more trouble.

Finally, it seemed he had given up.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I felt the tension leave my shoulders.

However, there was still one problem.

Even if it was just to escape that situation, pretending to be her boyfriend was probably a bad move. Not to mention, I had held her hand…

A cold sweat trickled down my cheek.

Awkwardness and embarrassment kept me from meeting Takamine’s eyes. I had been too focused on dealing with the man to notice earlier, but now, I was acutely aware of the warmth, softness, and smoothness of her hand.

My heart, which had been pounding loudly during the confrontation, was now racing for an entirely different reason.

I should probably apologize to Takamine, right?

Just as that thought crossed my mind—

“What do you think you’re doing to Ayame-sama?”

A voice as sharp as a knife and colder than ice rang out.

Simultaneously, someone grabbed my right arm, twisting it backward. My hand slipped away from Takamine-san’s, and my view tilted wildly.

Before I knew it, I was face-down on the asphalt.

Not understanding what had just happened, I fell into a light panic. To make matters worse, a sharp pain shot through my restrained right arm.

“It hurts… Gah!”

“You dared to act improperly toward Ayame-sama? Such insolence is punishable by death.”

Through the searing pain, I turned to look at the source of the voice and met eyes as piercing as black pearls.

The owner of those beautiful eyes was a girl with an androgynous appearance.

She exuded an aura of dignity comparable to that of a knight. Her semi-short hair was as black as the night sky, and her slender yet toned frame gave an impression of strength.

She was Tsukimoto Mikage, Takamine-san’s classmate, personal attendant, and bodyguard.

“My deepest apologies, Ayame-sama. Though I was summoned by Yuri-sama, I should never have left your side. That my absence led to this situation is an unforgivable lapse on my part.”

With a gaze filled with cold fury directed at me, Mikage-san bowed and apologized to Takamine-san.

“I will humbly accept any punishment you see fit. However, first, I must discipline this insolent individual.”

“Aghhh! Stop! That hurts!”

My captured arm was twisted further, the sound of creaking bones echoing ominously. Cold sweat poured from every pore, and terror drained the blood from my face.

It’s going to break! My arm is seriously going to break!

Anticipating the worst, I writhed in agony, my eyes brimming with tears.

“Wait, Mikage!”

In my moment of despair, salvation came. Takamine-san raised her voice to stop Mikage-san.

With a frantic expression, Takamine-san pleaded with Mikage-san.

“That person—Kanda-kun saved me!”

“Saved you? This individual did?”

“Yes! I was being harassed by a man… To help me escape, Kanda-kun took my hand! He did nothing wrong! Kanda-kun is my savior!”

“…Understood.”

Mikage-san released her grip on my arm.

I clutched my freed arm, gently rubbing it in an attempt to soothe the pain, even if it was likely futile.

What a nightmare. I go out of my way to help someone, and this is what I get—nearly having my arm broken.

Panting heavily, I staggered to my feet.

To my surprise, Mikage-san bowed her head.

“My deepest apologies for the harm caused by my hasty actions.”

“N-No, misunderstandings happen to everyone…”

Forcing a twitching smile, I suppressed my true feelings.

To be honest, I had plenty of complaints. But expressing them wasn’t an option—not when the other party was Mikage-san.

Mikage-san’s physical prowess and athletic ability were nothing short of monstrous. At Sakurazawa High, no one could match her. Even adult men would likely stand no chance against her.

Moreover, she had an extreme wariness toward men. Any male student attempting to approach Takamine-san had been mercilessly dealt with by her, without exception.

The scar on the back of Mikage-san’s left hand was rumored to be the result of sending an assailant who attacked Takamine-san to the hospital.

Confronting someone like Mikage-san was simply unthinkable. While it left a bitter taste, I had no choice but to swallow my pride and move on.

“You don’t need to bow to me. I’m not upset at all,” I said, concealing my irritation.

“Much appreciated.”

Mikage-san raised her head at my prompting, but her expression remained as cold as ever.

Though her words conveyed an apology, her face suggested she still doubted me. Perhaps she wasn’t entirely convinced of my innocence yet.

I staggered back, overcome by the oppressive atmosphere, and Mikage-san asked me a question.

“May I ask you something?”

“Y-Yeah. What is it?”

“Why did you help Ayame-sama? From what I’ve heard, there was no benefit to you. In fact, it seems like you were just putting yourself in a troublesome situation.”

Mikage-san’s gaze was sharp, like a spear, silently signaling that she would not tolerate any lies.

Swallowing nervously under the pressure, I took a deep breath to steady my nerves before answering.

“I thought I’d regret it if I ignored Takamine-san.”

“Regret?”

“Well… you know? In the future, I might be sitting around and think, ‘I just left Takamine-san there,’ or ‘I should’ve had the courage to help her,’ and I’d regret it in those quiet moments. I didn’t want that. To be honest, helping Takamine-san was more for my own peace of mind. It was selfish, just me satisfying myself.”

“For yourself…”

Mikage-san’s expression, which had been as rigid as a knight’s, crumbled. She looked completely taken aback, as if I had thrown a curveball.

I wasn’t sure, but I thought I might be able to end the conversation here!

Not wanting to stay under Mikage-san’s pressure any longer, I seized the opportunity and turned on my heels.

“Well, I’ll be going now!”

“Wait, please!”

Takamine-san’s voice called out to me as I tried to leave.

“Could I offer you something in return… perhaps a meal? May I treat you?”

I paused, waving my hand.

“You don’t have to go that far. I didn’t help because I wanted something in return.”

“But we did cause you harm, Kanda-kun… We made a mistake.”

Takamine-san furrowed her brow, and Mikage-san awkwardly looked away.

It was true that Takamine-san’s side had hurt me. It wouldn’t be strange for them to feel guilty about the misunderstanding and the harm caused.

In that case, maybe I should accept Takamine-san’s invitation? It wasn’t like I didn’t want a free meal, and it might ease their guilt.

I gathered my thoughts and replied.

“Alright then, I’ll take you up on your offer.”

“Yes!”

Takamine-san smiled, a mix of relief and happiness in her expression.