Placing the bags in the back seat of the sports car, Jingu Yō found there was still just enough space, even if the interior was cramped. He drove his FXX up to the exit of the underground parking garage and waved to the attendant.
The middle-aged man smiled obsequiously and lifted the gate as soon as Jingu finished swiping his card.
Though he might grumble about the extravagance of these rich folks behind their backs, when face-to-face, his smile outshone anyone's. He couldn't afford to offend them. A single complaint could easily cost him his job.
After all, this was one of the most luxurious apartment complexes in Chiyoda Ward. The parking attendant gig here paid well and was relatively easy—making it a highly coveted position. The man had every reason to put on his best performance every day.
While many modern Japanese women worked, a considerable number were still housewives, with the weight of the household resting entirely on the man's shoulders. These were not the booming economic days of old Japan—finding work was no longer simple. Losing a job could throw a whole family into chaos.
Jingu Yō had no idea what the man was thinking. He lived like someone blessed by God—far removed from the sad, mundane struggles of ordinary people. Gunning his FXX onto the street, he glanced at the clock. Still early. No need to rush.
Chiyoda on a Sunday was clogged with traffic—especially around Akihabara. Jingu scowled at the car's navigation display. He hated traffic.
Since the AI-recommended route was clearly no good, he decided to pick one himself. As he idled through the jammed lanes, he scanned the digital map for an alternative route.
Soon enough, he found a promising detour. It was a long roundabout way, but for someone as averse to traffic as he was, it was the ideal choice.
"Alright, let's go with this."
Carefully maneuvering from the center lane to the edge, he waited through another tedious stretch. Finally, the cars ahead started to inch forward. Seizing the moment, he turned the wheel and peeled off onto the side road.
It wasn't a main street. Lots of turns, and definitely out of the way. But at least he wouldn't have to keep stopping and starting. The freedom of a clear path improved his mood.
"First thing—buy some vegetables at the supermarket. Then call in the gym equipment order. After that… I can finally begin."
He let his mind drift to the days ahead, filled with comfort and productivity. In the haze of those thoughts, he forgot he was still driving. At a corner—
Flash. A figure darted across his vision.
Heart seizing in his chest, Jingu slammed on the brakes.
The FXX's braking system was nothing short of monstrous. With one smooth deceleration arc, the car stopped dead in its tracks.
But… nothing. No one at the windshield. The eerie absence would've made a paranoid person wonder if they'd seen a ghost.
Jingu, thankfully, was of sound mind. The first thought to hit him was:
—I hit someone.
"If she's injured, I'll just pay compensation and ask my 'dear' father to sort it out… If she's dead—same deal."
That was the reflexive logic his brain jumped to.
Unconsciously, his mindset had already begun to shift—to that of a true rich kid. No matter what happened, the outcome boiled down to paying a sum of money and having his powerful father handle the rest.
—So long as he stayed out of jail, that is.
"Wait a second… I wasn't even driving that fast."
He blinked, realization dawning. Since this was a side street, he'd been driving fairly slow. Even if he had hit someone, a fracture was probably the worst-case scenario.
Reassured, he stepped out of the car and quickly rounded to the front.
Sure enough—there she was. A young girl sat collapsed on the ground, shopping bag spilled beside her, books scattered. Eyes wide with terror, she stared up at the FXX's front bumper, frozen in place.
Not even ten centimeters from impact.
Seeing that he hadn't hit her brought Jingu immediate relief. He'd imagined every possible legal and financial scenario—but this was undoubtedly the best outcome.
He wasn't like those spoiled punks who treated human lives like trash.
"Are you alright?!"
He knelt down beside the girl, concern plain in his voice.
Honestly, today was just cursed. In the morning, he'd crashed into Aki Tomoya. Now, in the afternoon, he'd nearly run over someone. At least the morning's incident had a silver lining. Hopefully, this one would too.
The girl gave him a flustered glance before shyly turning her head. She looked like the type to be naturally introverted.
She had a slightly rounded, youthful face—just a bit of baby fat left. Petite and adorable, even collapsed on the ground, she couldn't have been taller than 150cm. Japanese girls were usually on the shorter side, but she looked downright tiny—especially standing in front of his nearly 180cm frame.
She was undeniably pretty. Not a goddess or anything—not in the league of his fiancée, Jingu Kanade—but still sweet and endearing. Paired with her bashful expression, she definitely tugged at one's heart.
"Can you stand?"
He scratched his head and offered, trying to break the awkward silence.
"…Mm."
A soft little "mm" came in response. She tried to get up—but winced halfway. A flicker of pain crossed her face.
"You're hurt?"
He quickly supported her arm.
She instinctively pulled back, startled, as if she'd just remembered she was being touched by a stranger.
She wore a cute graphic tee layered under a plaid jacket, short skirt, and knee-high socks—pretty much standard gear for Japanese girls her age. Her pale thighs were fully exposed in that sacred zone known as zettai ryouiki.
"I'll help you. Let's go sit down over there and take a look at your leg. Don't worry—it was my fault. I'm not going to run."
Seeing how quiet and anxious she was, Jingu tried to put her at ease.
"…Okay."
She finally relaxed a little. Letting him support her, she hobbled over to the side of the road and sat down on a low curb.
He glanced at his car. No one else around. It wasn't blocking anything. Good.
Turning his full attention back to the girl, he knelt beside her again.
"I'm Jingu Yō. Really sorry about that. Where does it hurt? Mind if I take a look? Ah—right, I didn't catch your name yet."
He started speaking rapidly, trying to create a more relaxed atmosphere. People like her—if you didn't keep the conversation going, the silence would just stretch forever.
Finally, the girl seemed to understand he wasn't dangerous.
"I… I'm Taketatsu Ayana…"
"…Huh?"
He blinked.
That name sounded very familiar.