In the intricate world of male-female relationships, one might describe progress using baseball rules.
First Base: Intimate acts with a lover, such as holding hands or hugging.
Second Base: Deeper contact, like kissing.
Third Base: More intimate acts — caressing, for example.
And as for a Home Run... well, that's a level ordinary couples rarely reach in a short time.
Today, Secretary Fujiwara was determined to reach First Base.
Never mind that her relationship with Sakurai Saki wasn't even that of lovers yet.
I want to hold hands…
Chika-chan's gaze subtly drifted toward Saki's hand.
After finally managing to change the way she addressed him, Fujiwara Chika wanted to keep moving forward! Although, strictly speaking, she hadn't completely succeeded — Sakurai Saki still refused to call her by her first name, "Chika."
If it doesn't work today, I can wait for next time!
Last time, during Hayasaka Ai's confession incident, Sakurai Saki hadn't reacted immediately, which had greatly boosted Chika's confidence. She had even crossed Hayasaka Ai off her mental list of romantic rivals.
After all, between Hayasaka-san and herself, Saki-kun had chosen her. There was no way she could lose now, right?
Even though she had already "won," Chika knew she had to press her advantage — strike while the iron was hot.
Waiting never brought victory!
"Saki-kun~ I recently learned finger fortune-telling! Want to try it?" Chika asked brightly, her small, mischievous hand reaching tentatively toward his.
"Finger fortune-telling?" Saki repeated, taking a slow sip of the red tea Shinomiya had brewed earlier.
He preferred coffee, but tea wasn't bad. And besides, free things always tasted better — as long as they didn't come with hidden costs.
Well, except free-to-play games. Those were traps disguised as gifts. Skins, gacha, microtransactions — he hated them all.
Before Saki could finish his thought, Chika had already grabbed his left hand and pulled it toward her.
So big~
Sure enough, boys' hands were much larger than hers.
Chika squeezed the flesh of his palm gently, the same way she liked to squeeze her dog Pace's paw back home. (Pace was adorable, by the way.)
Saki gave her a puzzled look. "Chika, does finger fortune-telling require... this?"
"Mm…" Chika hummed instinctively — then froze, realizing what she had just done.
A few seconds of silence passed.
"Saki-kun," she stammered softly, "what did you just call me?"
"Chika?" he repeated.
He glanced around. The Student Council Room was empty except for the two of them.
President Shirogane was at work, Miko had gone home, and Ishigami had disappeared to play a newly released game. Shinomiya had come in briefly to make tea, but left after noticing the others were gone — something clearly weighing on her mind.
Just like that, the Student Council Room had turned into an unexpected private time for two.
"Hehe Can you say it again?"
"Chika?"
"I'm so shy~" she said, hiding her face in her hands.
Fujiwara Chika's brain had officially overloaded.
Saki scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Usually there are too many people here, so it felt weird to call you that."
When dealing with Ai-chan, Saki could easily say "Ai-chan" — she'd even respond cheerfully with "Sakura-chan." But calling Fujiwara by her name was different. Her reaction was so genuine — she'd blush all the way to her ears, her movements would turn shy, her words would melt with sweetness.
Chika's behavior was that of a girl unmistakably in love — more direct than a confession itself.
And Saki wasn't immune. Her reactions pulled him right into the atmosphere of love. His heart would race; his words would falter. He used to be good at keeping composure, but lately, that ability had vanished completely.
"So that's how it is~" Chika whispered.
She had thought Saki didn't want to call her by her name. But the truth was — he was just shy?
Her heart fluttered. So happy~
"When we're alone in the future, can you always call me that?"
Without waiting for an answer, she placed his palm against her cheek.
A delicate warmth pressed against his hand. Saki's other hand trembled, nearly spilling his tea. He quickly set the cup down, his eyes darting away.
"Mm." His voice was quiet, uncertain. He didn't dare meet her gaze.
These sudden, unpredictable attacks… she really was an impossible girl.
I like you~ Chika thought as she nuzzled her cheek against his hand.
I super like you~
At that moment, things like "holding hands" didn't even matter anymore.
"Um, are we not doing the finger fortune-telling?" Saki asked weakly, desperate for a change of subject.
If this continued, he wasn't sure he'd have the strength to walk home.
Love was terrifying.
"I haven't fully learned it yet," Chika admitted softly. "How about we save it for next time?"
Despite her words, she made no move to release his hand.
And so, the two of them sat together — fingers intertwined, faces warm — for half an hour in the quiet Student Council Room.
6:00 PM — Karaoke Bar, Near Shinjuku Station.
Inside a dimly lit private room, colored lights flickered beneath a spinning disco ball. Laughter, chatter, and the faint hum of a karaoke machine filled the smoky air. Several men and women were already drinking, glasses clinking under the fractured glow.
"Rika, you're so late today," a girl called out as the door slid open.
"After all, she's a top student from Keio University. Rika, long time no see!" said a short-haired girl with a teasing grin.
The boy sitting beside her — Sakurai Saki — glanced briefly toward the door. He didn't need to look too long. His role tonight was simple: play the cool, younger boyfriend.
And honestly, these customers' requests were getting more specific every time.
The girl who'd just arrived — Rika — stepped inside, her long hair brushing over her shoulder as she looked toward the short-haired girl.
"Akane? Is the person next to you your boyfriend?"
"Hello," Saki replied coolly, his tone polite but distant.
A few of the other boys in the room joined in the greeting, their voices overlapping.
"Rika, it's really been forever," said a boy with bleached hair, grinning. "Almost two years since graduation, right?"
He was the one who had organized tonight's gathering — a small high school club reunion. Everyone here had once shared the same classroom, the same after-school hours, and perhaps, the same teenage insecurities.
Sakurai Saki, however, wasn't interested in their nostalgia. Nor did he care for the tangled web of who had liked whom back then.
Still… it wasn't hard to notice that the host's eyes lingered on Rika a little too long.
"Yuto~ isn't Rika beautiful?" Akane Aoki — tonight's client — tugged on his arm, smiling expectantly.
Saki had heard this kind of question from her before. It was a standard test — something people asked in relationships, regardless of gender.
"Not as pretty as you," he answered smoothly, voice cold and flat.
"Oh my~ Yuto, you're really something. Smile a little, you're always so cold-faced!" Akane pouted playfully.
Saki resisted the urge to sigh. Isn't that the persona you paid for?
This woman was impossible.
Still, professionalism was part of the job.
"I don't want to smile at anyone but you," he murmured, his tone shifting.
Then, almost imperceptibly, he smiled — a gentle, tender expression that made his earlier coldness seem like a deliberate performance.
The contrast hit perfectly.
Akane froze, her cheeks flushing. "Um… Yuto, you'd better not smile," she mumbled, looking away.
As expected of a top-tier rental boyfriend — he was too handsome for comfort. And that contrast between cold and kind? Exactly what she'd ordered.
A man cold to the world, yet gentle only to her.
A living romance novel.
"As you wish," Saki replied, reverting effortlessly to his cool demeanor.
"How loving they are~" a girl nearby sighed in envy.
"The boyfriend I found last time was so annoying!"
"Oh, I know, Yuzu — wasn't he the one who confessed to you in front of the whole school?" another teased.
Laughter rippled through the room. Then, several heads turned toward Rika, who had quietly taken a seat beside Akane.
"Rika~ do you have a boyfriend? If not, we can introduce you to someone!"
"Not yet," Rika said lightly, her tone calm and unbothered.
"That's right, you were such a bookworm in middle school. You never cared about anything but studying," one of them added with a laugh that carried just a trace of envy.
Sakurai listened silently, piecing together the situation.
So that's it.
They were mocking her — trying to drag her down a little because she'd climbed too high. Keio University. Beautiful. Composed.
It was the oldest kind of jealousy.
Girls really were… complicated.
He glanced at Akane, his "girlfriend" for the evening. So that was her reason for hiring him tonight. She hadn't wanted to face this group alone — afraid of being pitied, or worse, ignored.
"I wish I could have a boyfriend like Yuto-kun," one girl sighed dreamily.
"Yes, yes! If my ex had even half his charm, we'd never have broken up," another agreed.
The boys in the room exchanged looks, a mix of discomfort and quiet hostility flickering across their faces.
Still, the jealousy didn't run too deep — after all, Saki supposedly already had a girlfriend.
Though, from their expressions, it was clear they didn't quite buy it.
Why would a guy like that date Akane Aoki?
Maybe it was for fun.
Maybe, after tasting too many delicacies, he wanted something plain to cleanse his palate.
In truth, every girl here had once been someone's secret crush back in high school. Each of the boys had hesitated — too shy, too late, or too scared to confess.
This reunion was supposed to be their second chance.
But tonight, one of those girls already had a boyfriend. And he was handsome enough to end the game before it began.
Rumor even had it that he was a student from Shuchiin Academy.
That was enough to make even the boldest of them give up.
Once everyone had arrived, the microphones were passed around, and the karaoke began.
Under the hazy lights and the slow burn of alcohol, laughter rose and inhibitions faded.
The night in Shinjuku was just getting started.
Sakurai Saki sat with a calm expression, a non-alcoholic drink in his hand.
"Akane-chan, drink a little less," he reminded gently.
He wasn't being overprotective — just practical. If the client got drunk later, she might ask him to take her home. As a rental boyfriend, he couldn't just leave a client passed out by the roadside.
"As you wish."
Akane Aoki gave him a flirtatious wink.
Unfortunately, Sakurai Saki didn't even notice.
His thoughts were elsewhere — specifically, on the girl named Rika.
It wasn't her looks that caught his attention. Though she was attractive enough, she was far from the level of Fujiwara Chika or Hayasaka Ai. Even the Nakano quintuplets outshone her in terms of beauty.
No, what caught his eye was something else entirely — her state of mind.
Since entering the room, Rika hadn't said much. Her smile seemed forced, and even makeup couldn't hide the exhaustion written across her face.
Are university students this tired these days?
Is Keio really that demanding?
How long has it been since she last slept properly?
He studied her carefully in the dim, shifting light. Then, just for an instant, he caught sight of something — a faint red mark on her neck.
He blinked, looked again, and quickly turned his gaze away.
A hickey.
That… was not a realm he had any business touching.
For Sakurai Saki — someone who hadn't even kissed before — a hickey was practically a foreign concept.
So she already has a boyfriend, huh.
He glanced briefly at the other boys in the room. A few of them were still sneaking glances at Rika when they thought no one was looking.
Should I tell them the tragic truth — that the girl they've been admiring all night already belongs to someone else?
…No. Not his problem.
"Hey, Yuto-kun! Come sing a song!" the group leader shouted suddenly.
Sakurai Saki nodded silently, setting down his glass and walking toward the standing microphone.
As he left, Akane Aoki turned toward Rika.
"Rika, you look so pale."
"Mm." Rika's reply was soft, sluggish — as if it took effort just to speak.
"After I got home yesterday, I don't know why, but I've been feeling like this. My body's so tired."
"You look awful. Maybe you should go to a hospital?"
"No need. I have class tomorrow."
Akane studied her friend's face closely… and then she saw it.
On Rika's pale, delicate neck — two distinct red marks stood out clearly under the karaoke lights.
'…'
Akane instantly understood.
So that's what "tired" meant.
"Rika-chan, take care of yourself, okay?" she said, forcing a sympathetic smile.
But inside, she was speechless. Could that really leave someone this exhausted?
Her earlier fantasies about romance deflated instantly.
Maybe love isn't worth the trouble.
If she ever felt lonely again, she decided, she'd just call Yuto-kun.
Sure, it cost money — but at least during those few hours, he belonged entirely to her.
While the two girls talked quietly, Sakurai began to sing.
His voice wasn't overly dramatic — smooth, steady, with a warmth that fit the mellow atmosphere.
The room slowly came alive again. The boys and girls joined in, clapping tambourines and shaking maracas to the beat.
"That's beautiful…" Rika murmured, eyelids drooping. The sound of his voice felt strangely comforting.
"I'll send you home later," Akane said softly.
They had been close in high school and kept in touch even after entering different universities. It was Akane who had reached out and invited her tonight.
"Thank you," Rika replied faintly.
When Sakurai returned to the table, he noticed Akane gathering her things.
"You're leaving already?"
"Yeah. Rika's not feeling well," Akane explained.
Sakurai nodded. Their three-hour session was nearly over anyway. Spending the last bit of time escorting them safely home was part of his job.
The three left the karaoke bar together.
To his mild surprise, the girls didn't need him to take them far — they hailed a taxi almost immediately.
There really are a lot of rich people these days, he thought as he watched the cab disappear into the crowd.
Then again, girls with enough pocket money to hire a top-tier rental boyfriend weren't exactly short on cash.
Shinjuku Station Street.
The night air was cool and sharp, filled with the noise of traffic and the chatter of passersby. Neon signs painted the pavement in colors that never quite mixed right.
Sakurai Saki glanced up at the dusky sky, adjusted his collar, and quietly stepped into the station.
Another evening finished.
Another performance complete.
Another emotion that wasn't supposed to be his — left behind under the city lights.
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