Volume 1 Chapter 10 Shirogane Aqua, First Commute by Tram
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Aqua-chan, let’s take a day off from school today since the weather seems to be getting bad.”
Mother… It’s a clear sky with not a single cloud. By the way, the weather lady has been saying it’s been sunny for the past few days.
”Aa-chan, you don’t look well. How about taking a day off and sleeping together with your big sister in bed?”
Shitori-onee-chan… Thanks to the treatment I received from Miyuki-san the other day, I’m feeling much better. I’m sorry.
”Nii-sama, your zodiac sign was at the bottom in today’s horoscope on TV, so let’s take a day off. Something bad is bound to happen.”
Lapis… If I skip school for something like that, I won’t be able to live a normal life.
As I tried to go to school, my family tried to stop me in any way they could.
But I can’t afford to be late any longer.
So, I opened the front door and left, shaking off my family.
”Well then, I’m off!”
Today is finally the long-awaited entrance ceremony for high school.
I will be attending Otomezaki School, a private school.
It is commonly known as Oto-school and is a free high school that recognizes students’ autonomy and a wide range of activities.
Not only are part-time jobs allowed, but entertainment activities are also okay. And Otomezaki only has few basic taboos.
I am considering joining a talent agency and pursuing activities as an idol while in high school. That’s why I chose this school.
”Hey… Isn’t that…”
”That’s the Oto-school uniform, right?”
As I waited for the train on the platform at the station, the women around me started whispering and talking among themselves.
In this world, the ratio of men to women is 1 to 99. If we convert it to high school classes, there would be only one boy for every 3 to 4 classes.
And yet, many boys are shut-ins or prefer to travel by car when they go out, so it seems that it’s rare for them to ride a train like this.
Come to think of it, when I was jogging with my face covered by a hoodie, there were no men walking outside, but maybe it was because it was early in the morning.
”He’s tall, but is he a first-year student?”
”Is today the entrance ceremony? I envy those Oto-school kids.”
The train arrived at the bustling platform, and I boarded the third car from the front, grabbing onto the hanging strap in front of the seat at the very end.
I was worried about it being a crowded train, but it turned out to be less crowded than I expected.
”Ah…”
I felt like I heard a voice coming from the lower front, so naturally, I turned my face in that direction.
And there, a woman who looked like an OL (office lady) had her book open but was staring in my direction.
I thought it would be rude to suddenly avert my gaze, so I returned a slight smile to the OL lady.
”Huh?”
Several voices on the train overlapped.
I flinched and slowly turned my face away to observe the situation around me.
For some reason, all the women on the train were looking at me.
Some had widened eyes, while others had slightly open mouths. The situations varied, but it was a little unsettling to have everyone’s gaze directed at me.
”Um…”
Once again, a voice came from below, so I looked back in that direction. The OL lady was extending a banknote towards me.
Huh? Haven’t I experienced something like this before…
”What’s the matter?”
”Um… Ah, well, this…”
Ah, I see! Maybe she thought that the money dropped and that it was mine?
To convey that it’s not mine, I make a gesture as if refusing with my palm.
”Oh, it’s okay.”
I answer with a smile.
The OL lady, who doesn’t seem to be very good at communication, withdrew the money she was holding reluctantly.
She had a considerable amount of money in her hand, but I wonder if the person who dropped it is in trouble?
Knowing that, despite her difficulty with communication, the OL lady mustered the courage to speak to me.
Amazing, I think to myself and open my mouth again.
”Thank you, miss.”
When I express my gratitude, the OL lady in front of me freezes.
The surroundings become even noisier, but the sound of the speeding train drowns it out.
”No way… Is that smile worth zero yen?”
”I’ve never heard of such a free service.”
”Is it some welfare system from a certain company? I want to quit my crappy job and work for that company with all my might…”
”Maybe it’s an experimental implementation of a new government policy… It’s probably unlikely, though.”
”And he even said thank you, or so it seemed. Maybe it’s just my imagination? Could it be that my ears have finally broken?”
”Haha… I haven’t had a day off last month, so maybe I’m seeing convenient hallucinations due to fatigue.”
”To be approached by such a cool boy and to be thanked with a smile… How much good karma did she accumulate in her past life? I’m envious!”
The train shook with a clatter, and a high school girl next to me leaned towards me due to the vibrations of a sharp curve. To prevent her from falling and getting hurt, I catch the high school girl who fell towards me.
”Ah, I’m sorry.”
The high school girl who fell smiled faintly with a look of apology.
”What!? That girl did that on purpose, didn’t she?”
”Tch, thinking she can get away with it just because she’s cute and young!!”
”She deliberately leaned on him, right? It’s too calculated!”
Hmm, why the atmosphere in the train seems heavy…? Well, maybe it’s just my imagination.
”Are you okay? Please be careful.”
”I-I’m fine…”
The girl blushes and tightly grasps the hanging strap this time.
”Serves her right, self-destruction.”
”Can’t help it. That smile is unfair; it makes everything else not matter.”
”I know, I was thinking of punching my boss when I go to work today, but now I don’t care about that anymore for a second.”
”Haha, with this, I can endure another month without a day off. Hang in there, me.”
The slightly tense atmosphere begins to dissipate. It seems that it was just my imagination after all.
”Coming through. I’m sorry.”
It seems that someone is moving inside the train.
I move forward a bit to avoid bumping into the person passing behind me.
However, as I do so, I feel two somewhat elastic sensations pressing against my back.
”I’m sorry.”
A woman in her thirties, who seemed like a seductive married woman, whispers in my ear.
”Oh, no, I’m the one who should apologize.”
In fact, I’m grateful for being entrusted with something so splendid.
”What? Hey, old hag! Don’t mess with me!!”
”Hey, hey, wasn’t that boy blushing when that old lady pressed her breasts against him earlier?”
”No, it must be your imagination. A boy getting excited by someone that big? It’s only in the world of two dimensions.”
”Not even in two dimensions. Besides, overly unrealistic expressions like that might lead to regulations. It was on the news the other day.”
As the air becomes heavy again, the train arrives at my destination station, and I get off and head towards the school.
As usual, I can only see girls along the way to school.
It’s true that being surrounded by girls like this makes me miss having male companionship… No, not in a weird way, okay?
By the way, it seems that there are around ten male students enrolled in Otomezaki School, including the new students this year.
I hope I can make friends with at least one of them. With hope in my heart, I pass through the gates of Otomezaki Academy.
Aqua-kun’s astounding lack of awareness, combined with his ability to unwittingly board a crowded train notorious for s*xual harassment, despite the existence of designated male-only cars, clearly demonstrates his remarkable obliviousness to danger.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.