Chapter 21: The Maid’s Absence

“Ha… I wanna die.”

“Hey.”

On a refreshing morning, a certain maid’s eyes were lifeless, dull as clouded glass.

“What’s with you, first thing in the morning?”

“Crying in the classroom?” Sayaka groaned, her voice heavy with despair. “That’s the kind of black history that’ll haunt me for generations…”

She slumped deeper into the dining room chair, as if trying to melt into it. How long was she going to drag out what happened during yesterday’s lunch break?

“I’m quitting school,” she declared. “I can’t go back to that classroom…”

“Don’t talk like some bullied kid,” I shot back.

She was the model student, the furthest thing from someone who’d get picked on, wasn’t she?

“As of yesterday, I’m done with school. I’ll focus solely on my maid duties.”

“Don’t completely waste the effort I put in begging Reizen-sensei and the chairman directly,” I said, exasperated. “The million yen in tuition fees would go down the drain too, you know.”

“But seriously, can I take today off? I’m not some ironclad woman, you know.”

“Fine, do whatever you want. You’re the one working to pay your own tuition, Sayaka—oh, wait, speaking of tuition, is all the paperwork officially done?”

“In the end, Miyabi-san handled the documents, and the chairman stamped them.”

“Alright, then there’s no chance of this getting overturned. You don’t have to worry anymore, Saya.”

“That’s a relief… But why is Reizen-sensei here first thing in the morning?”

Sitting beside her was Reizen-sensei, clad in a sharp suit, her presence oddly formal for the hour.

“I can’t just ignore two students—a guy and a girl—living together,” Reizen-sensei said matter-of-factly. “I’ll be dropping by regularly to check on things.”

“It’s just an employer and employee,” I countered. “That’s pretty normal in other students’ households at Sōshūkan, right?”

“Classmates living together? That’s unheard of. I’ve informed the chairman, but one wrong move, and this could blow up big time.”

“I’ll be careful,” I promised, though a stray thought crossed my mind. Should I just come clean that Maritsuji already knows?

“I left this matter in your hands, but Saya’s my responsibility,” Reizen-sensei continued, her tone firm. “I’ll protect Saya no matter what.”

“You’ve got another student right in front of you,” I pointed out. “Can you protect me too?”

“I’m off the clock right now. Outside of school, even if Kiyomiya’s about to get kidnapped, I’m not stepping in.”

“That’s way too businesslike.”

Come on, as an adult, not just a teacher, step in and help.

“By the way,” Sayaka interjected, her voice cutting through the tension, “I’m fine taking the day off, but shouldn’t Miyabi-san and Keiji-kun start getting ready to head out?”

“Oh!”

“Crap! The grade head’s gonna chew me out again!”

Reizen-sensei let out a pathetic yelp, hurriedly scarfing down the rest of her breakfast before bolting to her feet.

“Oh, Kiyomiya,” she called back, already halfway to the door. “I’ve got my own car. Mind if I drive here from now on?”

“Sure, go ahead. The garage can easily fit five or six cars.”

“Alright great, I’ll show you my pride and joy, the Reizen-go!”

“…”

She gave her car a nickname like some middle schooler. While I stood there, bemused, Reizen-sensei rushed out of the dining room in a whirlwind of motion.

“Well, it sure gets lively when she drops by.”

“This mansion could easily turn into a haunted house if we’re not careful. Even the hallway lights are dim.”

“Yeah, we need to fix stuff like that to make this place livable. I’m planning to stay here at least through high school.”

“I’ll start thinking about a renovation plan for the Kiyomiya Family Old Manor.”

“Please do—oh, crap, I gotta hurry too.”

“Alright, Sayaka, I’m leaving the rest to you.”

“Have a good day, master.”

Before I could step out, Sayaka sidled up close—closer than I expected. In an instant, she wrapped me in a quick, tight hug. Her body was soft, her scent intoxicating, and the gentle press of her chest sent my thoughts spiraling.

W-Whoa, isn’t our maid getting way too close for someone who just got hired? My brain scrambled to catch up, heat creeping up my neck as I bolted out the door, her warmth lingering in my mind.

The classroom buzzed with a different energy today.

As the illegitimate son, I’d always been an outsider, but the gap between me and my classmates felt wider now, almost tangible. Their glances darted my way, heavy with unspoken questions.

Well, duh. I was the reason Sayaka broke down crying yesterday, and then I’d grabbed her hand like we were old friends. If our classmates didn’t think something was up, they’d be the odd ones.

For now, I sank into my desk, pretending nothing was amiss, and opened my books for my usual self-study routine. With Sayaka absent today, the whispers around me seemed to grow louder, their imaginations no doubt running wild.

“Keiji, Keiji, K-e-i-j-i ♡” Maki’s voice rang out, teasing and bright.

“Ugh, what a drag.”

“How rude to a friend!” she huffed, feigning offense. “You think I don’t get hurt too!?”

“Really? I thought you’d been quiet for a while, but here we go again.”

Maki leaned over my desk, planting both hands firmly on its surface. As usual, her blonde shortcut gleamed under the classroom lights, and her disheveled uniform screamed defiance of the dress code—way too flashy for her own good.

“I mean, doesn’t it feel like Hisaka-san kinda hates me?”

“You wouldn’t care if she did, would you, Maki?”

“What, you don’t think I’m a delicate maiden?” she gasped, pressing a hand to her chest dramatically.

“A maiden? If anything, you’re closer to a rough-around-the-edges guy friend.”

“Alright, time to teach you the terror of a modern-day info broker. Unlike the old days, in this digital age, rumors spread in seconds.”

“Hold up, hold up! Don’t tank my reputation any further!”

Before she could tap away at her smartphone, I grabbed her wrist, stopping her mid-motion.

“Hmmm, Keiji, you’ve never cared about your reputation before. You didn’t even deny being a scumbag.”

“I’m starting to think I need to clean up my act a bit if I wanna be popular.”

Saying something so half-hearted only proved I was still a scumbag at my core.

“Not satisfied with just me, you’ve already got Hisaka-san wrapped around your finger, and you still wanna be more popular?”

“I haven’t won over either of you!” I protested. “It’s just, with Sayaka—”

“That’s a story I’m curious about, Kiyomiya,” a new voice cut in.

I froze. Fujikawa stood beside my desk, arms crossed, his smirk sharp but his eyes cold, lacking any trace of amusement.

“You’re on a roll lately, huh, Kiyomiya? Making a girl cry in class? That’s a rare one,” Fujikawa sneered, his tone dripping with mockery.

“The heir of the Fujikawa family is into gossip?” I shot back, keeping my voice light. “Live a little more classy, man.”

“You’re really getting cocky, huh? Yo, Kiyomiya, step outside for a sec.”

“Can I come too?” Maki chimed in, unfazed. “As the school’s journalist, I can’t miss a clash between the Kiyomiya family’s son and the Fujikawa heir.”

“Shut it, you’re the one getting too full of yourself, Sogano. How long is a nobody like you gonna strut around this school?”

“Dunno,” Maki replied, grinning as she rubbed her cheek. “I think my face is pretty petite, though.”

She didn’t even flinch under Fujikawa’s glare, the de facto leader of the guys in our class. Her boldness almost made me smirk.

“Just come with me after school, Kiyomiya. I’m not saying we’re gonna jump you or anything.”

“A violent incident at Sōshūkan would be way too messy.”

In my nine-plus years at Sōshūkan, I’d never heard of a violent incident. But my run-in with Iwakura had taught me they happened, even here. No matter how prestigious the school, you couldn’t pack hundreds of teenage boys and girls together and expect zero conflict. Any incidents that did occur were quietly swept under the rug.

“So, after school, then. Don’t run, Kiyomiya.”

“Running from Fujikawa? That’s way too scary to even think about,” I mocked.

I played it off, but for a split second, Fujikawa’s venomous glare pierced through me before he turned and walked away, acting as if nothing had happened.

“This is bad, Keiji. You’re totally getting jumped.”

“Probably,” I admitted, my voice quieter now.

I wasn’t dumb enough to take Fujikawa’s word at face value. I’d survived this long by playing the scumbag—grinning like an idiot, dodging physical danger, and keeping my head down. But something told me this time might not be so easy to slip away from.

“What if Fujikawa’s got a thing for Hisaka-san?” Maki mused, her voice low and conspiratorial. “Getting stolen by anyone would piss him off, but losing to you? That’d make him livid.”

“A love triangle, huh? If I’m gonna deal with this crap, maybe I should’ve just made Sayaka mine for real.”

“Ha… fine, whatever.”

With a quick hop, she sat on my desk, her too-short skirt revealing a glimpse of her bare thighs. The casual boldness of it caught me off guard, but I kept my expression neutral.

“Guess I’ll use some of his dirt to threaten—er, negotiate with Fujikawa and get you out of this.”

“Maki, you’re kinda spoiling me, huh?”

“Well, you’re my only friend. Even an info broker’s gotta have a heart sometimes.”

“You’re too nice, Maki. Totally different from a scumbag like me. I never even noticed that till now.”

“…?”

Without a word, she reached out and pressed her palm to my forehead, a cheesy move like she was checking for a fever. Her touch was warm, and for a moment, we both froze, the air between us oddly still.

“Gotta become someone worthy of a friend like you,” I said, breaking the silence. “First step—let’s tackle the problem right in front of me.”