A new day.
Fukayama Midori opened his eyes and realized it was already nine-thirty in the morning.
Usually, Fukayama Natsuki would have come to wake him up by now, but today, strangely enough, she hadn't shown up.
"Is that girl Natsuki still mad because I ignored her yesterday? Now I'm running late."
After grumbling a few complaints, Fukayama Midori hurried to get ready.
Although he'd decided to go to bed early last night, he still couldn't resist playing a game for a while and firing off a few magazines.
He hadn't fallen asleep until after two. Of course, he'd also had a great time exchanging messages with Nagase Kumari.
Usually, no one was around to chat with him at that hour. If he messaged Ayano out of boredom, she would only chew him out for staying up late and being lazy.
Nagase Kumari wasn't like that. They got along really well.
Looking at their long chat history from last night, Fukayama Midori couldn't help smiling, especially when he saw the "Good night (smile)" sticker Nagase Kumari had sent at the end.
Fukayama Midori quickly got dressed, washed up, and headed downstairs.
"That girl Natsuki didn't even make breakfast?"
"What a pain. I didn't even do anything yesterday, did I? She got mad out of nowhere, just like that girl Suzuran. Whatever, I'll bring her some snacks when I get back."
"Let's see, what should I have for breakfast? Never mind, I'll just grab some biscuits."
Finding nothing to eat in the fridge, Fukayama Midori grabbed yesterday's biscuits, ate a few with some juice, and headed out.
He'd arranged to meet Nagase Kumari at ten. He didn't want to be late.
After leaving home, he rode his bike to the subway station, then took the train for several stops. A little over ten minutes later, he arrived in Shibuya.
As he left the station, Fukayama Midori glanced at the clock standing in the plaza.
Nine fifty-eight.
Right on time. Fukayama Midori sat nervously beside a flower bed, phone in hand, and waited.
He looked around at the people nearby. They were all about his age, but everyone was in a group.
The thought that he'd have company soon, too, made Fukayama Midori's heart race.
Of course, he wasn't the only one feeling excited at that moment.
"Oooooh!"
"That girl over there is so cute!"
"She really is. Should we go hit on her?"
"Why don't you go?"
"How about rock-paper-scissors?"
"Sure, let's do it!"
A murmur of boys nearby caught Fukayama Midori's attention. He looked up and saw a face that seemed familiar.
She was a beautiful girl with the air of an ice queen.
Her breezy braid swayed beneath a wide-brimmed sun hat. Her features were neat and delicate, and though she wore no makeup, she still drew every eye.
A white short-sleeved shirt paired with a light-colored pleated skirt, along with a pair of canvas shoes. She carried a backpack decorated with a cartoon character. Her whole look was fresh and natural, full of youthful energy.
She really did look like a model.
Fukayama Midori thought so, but her face seemed familiar. Was she a student at Izuki Academy, too?
But Fukayama Midori didn't have the nerve to ask her name. Instead, he moved so she wouldn't see him and went around to the other side of the plaza fountain.
She seemed to be using the fountain as a meeting point, too, waiting for someone.
"Hey, who are you waiting for? Want to come hang out with us?"
"Yeah, we'll take you to get something to eat and have some fun."
"You're so cute, little miss. You must be a model, right?"
The boys who'd wanted to approach her earlier were still playing rock-paper-scissors. But a few shady guys who'd been loitering by the street and hitting on girls got there first.
The first group of boys immediately lowered their heads and looked away. They didn't want anything to do with those guys, who were obviously trouble.
Seeing that, Fukayama Midori's first thought was that he didn't want to get mixed up in trouble, either.
But his meeting with Nagase Kumari was supposed to take place right here, so he couldn't leave. He was also a little worried that she might get harassed by those guys, so he could only sit off to the side, where no one would notice him.
"Go away. I'm waiting for someone, and I have no interest in wasting my time with you."
The girl with the braid spoke, rejecting their advances without hesitation.
She seemed perfectly calm.
But her voice sounded even more familiar to Fukayama Midori. He still couldn't remember who she was, though.
"Come on, what's the harm? You're so cute. Why not come have some fun with us?"
"Yeah, we asked you politely. You don't have to turn us down like that."
"Why don't you come over there with us and talk? It'll be quick. If you're waiting for someone, bring them along, too. Hahahahaha!"
The guys wouldn't give up. If anything, they became even more brazen.
The men stepped closer to the girl with the braid.
Fukayama Midori stole a glance at the scene and began to waver again.
She seemed to go to the same academy as him. If he went over, he might be able to scare off the three guys—if things went well.
But if they didn't, he'd probably get beaten up. Then his date with Nagase Kumari might be ruined. Playing the hero and rescuing a beauty came at a price.
"I suggest you leave right now. Otherwise, you'll regret it."
The girl with the braid didn't panic. She spoke calmly and coldly.
Her hand had slipped inside her rather large bag.
But the three guys weren't about to back down. They just laughed, wondering what kind of resistance she could possibly put up.
Watching the girl with the braid in danger, Fukayama Midori clenched his fists and finally stood up.
"Ah, there you are, Nagase. Sorry to keep you waiting—I'm late."
Saying that, Fukayama Midori walked over awkwardly, unsure what to do with his hands, and greeted the girl with the braid as if they were old friends.
"Huh? What are you supposed to be?"
"That kid was over there from the start, wasn't he? I saw you a while ago. What are you butting in for now? Get lost! Get lost!"
"Should we teach you a lesson? Huh? How could a loser like you be dating such a cute girl? You'd better hurry up and leave before we—Ah!"
Just as the guys turned their attention to Fukayama Midori and were about to go after him—
Fukayama Midori was regretting sticking his nose where it didn't belong when a tall blond appeared in his field of vision and grabbed two of the guys by the tops of their heads.
"Then take a look at me. Could I date this cute girl? Ah!"
That final "Ah!" was practically a lion's roar.
The guys had a fistful of their hair ripped out. Faced with the blond, who was a head taller than them and frighteningly fierce, they scrambled away.
Fukayama Midori let out a long sigh of relief. At least he hadn't been beaten up.
But the girl who'd been rescued seemed a little annoyed.
"Akimoto-kun, why did you shout so loud just now? Even if you hadn't stepped in, I could've handled those three."
Looking at the head of the Public Morals Committee, who had her hand in her bag and was holding a section of a Wooden Sword, Akimoto Yoichi shrugged.
"I was just worried you'd hurt those guys. If they ended up in the hospital, wouldn't that ruin our date today?"
Today was the day Akimoto Yoichi had arranged to meet Ise Yuri.
The two had agreed to meet in this plaza in Shibuya, and Akimoto Yoichi had been a little late.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I was short on cash, so I ran here."
"No, I just got here, too. And this isn't a date."
"Yeah, yeah, sure..."
Huh? Ise Yuri?! The head of the Public Morals Committee?!
Only now did Fukayama Midori realize that the beautiful girl with the braid who looked like a model was the same person as the one at school, the head of the Public Morals Committee known as "Onimen."
But why was the head of the Public Morals Committee hanging out with a blond?
Before you continue