Chapter 2 The Melancholy Shift and the Idol’s Sudden Shelter
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Lawyer Watanabe-sensei, the corporate legal counsel for my father’s company, had thoroughly investigated my relatives. It turned out there was a cousin on my mother’s side, but they were either unreachable or already deceased, so for the sake of future legal proceedings, Watanabe-sensei had stepped up to become my guardian.
My sudden life alone was filled with constant bewilderment.
Even so, Mitsuhiko’s mother would check on me sometimes, and I’d occasionally go to Mitsuhiko’s place for a meal. Honestly, being completely alone in such a vast house felt intensely lonely.
I went back to school after a full week had passed.
Before entering the classroom, I stopped by the faculty room to thank my homeroom teacher, Aizawa-sensei, for attending the funeral, and then went to the principal’s office. “It must be so hard living by yourself, so if you run into any trouble, be sure to talk to Aizawa-sensei,” the principal had advised me.
Aizawa Haruka-sensei, who was just in her third year of teaching after graduating, had my class as her first homeroom.
She was only eight years older than me, feeling more like an elder sister than a teacher. She had actually cried with me when both my parents died.
She wasn’t what you’d call beautiful, but she was undeniably cute, still carrying the slight aura of a university student. If she introduced herself as a teacher, people might not even believe her.
Because she was serious and tackled everything with such earnest effort, she was one of the most popular teachers. I knew some of the boys secretly thought she would be the ideal ‘first experience,’ too.
When I walked into the classroom, my classmates treated me like a fragile thing, handling me with awkward care. Since I’d suddenly lost my parents, I supposed it couldn’t be helped.
Still, I was originally isolated within the class, and the sudden focus made me terribly uneasy. I managed to thank Nakanishi Manami-san, the Class Committee Chairwoman, who had attended the funeral as the class representative.
Nakanishi-san and I came from the same middle school. When I was in my second year of middle school, I saw Roman Holiday with my father, and she reminded me of Princess Ann, played by Audrey Hepburn—she was cute and possessed a charm that naturally drew everyone toward her.
That’s why, when we ended up in the same class in our third year of middle school, I felt like I had found the Princess Ann I’d always admired, and I fell for her immediately. She was my first love.
She wasn’t as free-spirited as Princess Ann, but she was a little strong-willed, had natural leadership, and was generally a captivating girl. After coming to high school, she grew her hair out, transforming from a girl into a young woman, and her charm only deepened.
She’d become one of the ‘idols’ of the high school. Now, in our second year of high school, we were in the same class once again.
While the sadness and loneliness weren’t going away quickly, my day-to-day life had started to settle down.
Aizawa-sensei visited my home once a week to check on my living situation. She even made me dinner sometimes, whispering, “Keep this just between us, okay?” I was acutely aware of the kindness shown by the people around me every day.
One Friday, just as the third term was nearing its end, Lawyer Watanabe-sensei told me everything was wrapped up and asked me to come to his office. Further investigation had uncovered excessive overtime at the trucking company, and public opinion had become sympathetic to me, the orphaned son, allowing us to receive a substantial compensation payout.
When all the inheritance, severance, and insurance money were added together, I received a sum large enough that I wondered if I would ever need to work a day in my life. It was a complicated feeling since it came at the cost of my parents’ lives, but it eased my anxieties about the future, and university was now a certainty.
On the way home from Watanabe-sensei’s office, I went to a convenience store near my house to buy a bento box. It was nearly 8:00 PM.
Just as I was about to walk in, I saw Nakanishi-san being harassed by a trio of flashy-looking guys right outside. Normally, I avoided trouble, but for some reason, I walked over without thinking.
”Manami, sorry I’m late,” I announced, forcing the words out.
Nakanishi-san turned my way, her expression one of utter relief. “Hiro-kun! I just got here a little early, so it’s totally fine.” she replied.
”Are these three guys friends of yours?” I asked, keeping my tone level.
”They’re complete strangers,” she whispered back.
The trio of guys turned around and looked at me. Since entering high school, I’d shot up to nearly 175 centimeters, and now I was looking down at them. They shuffled away without a word, so Manami and I just walked into the convenience store.
We bought our bento and some tea, and when we left the store, the three guys were gone.
”Looks like they’re gone now,” I noted.
”Well, maybe they’re still nearby, so… could we walk together, maybe?” she pleaded, her voice quiet and small.
”I was just heading home though…” I hesitated.
”It’s fine.”
I didn’t quite know what was ‘fine,’ but we started walking toward my house side-by-side. Partway there, the rain began to fall.
”It’s close by, so do you want to just come to my place for now?” I offered.
”U-um, okay.”
There was something so unusually vulnerable about Nakanishi-san’s weak agreement that I instinctively knew I couldn’t let her walk home alone. The rain began to come down harder, so we picked up the pace, jogging the rest of the way home.
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Summary:
The protagonist secures his future with a large inheritance after his parents’ death, creating a complicated feeling of wealth against loss. His teacher, Aizawa-sensei, offers kind, personal support during his lonely life. This chapter builds on the quiet, lingering grief, culminating in an unexpected evening where the protagonist must finally act on his long-held feelings for the charismatic Nakanishi Manami when he finds her in a spot of trouble, leading to an impromptu, rain-soaked invitation to his house. The Idol is now under his roof, shielded from the sudden downpour.
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Character Insight:
The protagonist, usually isolated and passive, shows his inner protective nature when Nakanishi-san is threatened. His decision to intervene and his subsequent nervousness show that while he is now financially secure, he is still an emotionally vulnerable teenager grappling with first love and loneliness. Nakanishi-san’s momentary weakness reveals a side of the school ‘idol’ that only the protagonist has seen.
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Behind the Scene:
The setting is a contemporary Japanese high school. The legal process, where a family friend/counselor steps in as a temporary guardian due to the lack of immediate relatives, is a common reality in such sudden tragedies. The compensation is a major plot point, removing immediate financial stress and allowing the protagonist to focus on his emotional journey and the developing relationship with Nakanishi-san. The rain is a classic narrative device to create intimacy and necessity.
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T/L:
The phrase ‘chara-sou’ (チャラそうな) means ‘flashy’ or ‘light-minded,’ often used for guys perceived as being a bit too flirty or shallow.¹
Notes:
• Mitsuhiko – The protagonist’s childhood friend.
• Aizawa Haruka – A new teacher, only three years into her career, making the protagonist’s class her first homeroom. She is conscientious, popular among students, has elder-sisterly vibe, cute, and has been exceptionally kind and supportive to the protagonist following his parents’ death, even making him dinner sometimes.
• Nakanishi Manami – The protagonist’s classmate and long-time crush since middle school. She is charismatic, a bit strong-willed, and has strong leadership qualities. She is considered one of the ‘idols’ of the high school. Her hair is black long haired. Daddy’s girl.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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