She sat down next to me naturally, with a delicate smile like the full bloom of a cherry blossom. It wasn’t that she had mistaken her seat. Shinomiya Rinoa and I were seated next to each other.

This might be a side note, but the seating arrangement was decided by a lottery on the first day of our second year, when we met our new homeroom teacher and classmates. The jealous and resentful glances—mainly from the male students—were unforgettable.

“Is that a maid outfit? The skirt is quite short. Ah, the little cat face on the chest is so cute!”

“Y-yeah…”

I whispered while slowly closing my smartphone. Of all people, it was the worst that Shinomiya-san saw this. A maid outfit with a mini skirt and a cat face carved into the center of the chest, revealing a glimpse of the cleavage, was hardly appropriate for someone like her, a saint and princess.

“Takumi!! What the hell are you making Shinomiya-san wear?!”

“No, no, no, this is bad! The princess can’t wear a maid outfit! Especially a mini skirt—people will die if that happens!”

“Anno!! Don’t you dare sully Rinoa-sama!”

The others, who had returned to their seats, or the people who had been around Shinomiya-san until just now, crowded around my desk, protesting. Even though I was in the wrong, the murderous aura directed at me from my classmates felt too much.

“Everyone, please calm down. Anno-kun hasn’t done anything wrong—”

“No! I don’t think there’s any outfit that doesn’t suit Rinoa-san, but a maid outfit with such revealing skin is a no-go! A more elegant design would be much better!”

“Let alone seeing something so inappropriate at school! Anno, you’re the worst!”

Even though I hadn’t committed a crime, the accusations made my heart feel like it was drowning. I wanted to argue back, but with Shinomiya-san sitting next to me, I hesitated.

The reason for that is simple—Shinomiya-san’s fan club members, including Shin, were all around me. Membership was free. There were no distinctions between seniors and juniors within the club. The only requirement was a strong will to “protect Shinomiya-san’s smile.”

“Takumi… please tell me you’re not looking at Shinomiya-san in a perverted way, are you?”

“Of course not.”

I immediately answered my best friend’s question in a calm voice. I was about to say that they were the ones who likely looked at Shinomiya-san in that way, but I held myself back at the last second.

The reason is that the fan club shares secretly taken photos of Shinomiya-san at school once a month, and it was none other than Shin who told me about it. The secret photos were already quite risky, and secretly sharing them was clearly unethical. But the fact that a fan club even existed for an ordinary student—not an idol—was, in itself, strange.

“Everyone, please listen! Anno-kun isn’t at fault. I’m a girl too, you know? It’s normal to say a cute outfit is cute, isn’t it?”

Amidst the tense atmosphere, Shinomiya-san spoke in a slightly pouty voice, as if asking not to have her will ignored.

“I-I like maid outfits too! There are so many cute ones lately, right?”

“What kind of clothes does the princess usually wear?”

“Well, I think the school festival event should definitely be a maid café!”

With Shinomiya-san’s voice, like that of a princess, the situation took a sudden turn. The attention shifted from criticizing me to the fan club members’ curiosity about Shinomiya-san’s wardrobe. I sighed in relief, thankful for her intervention.

“It’s almost time for the morning assembly. Everyone, you should return to your seats.”

Before the atmosphere could shift further, Shinomiya-san added a final comment with a smile, and the students around us scattered back to their seats.

“I’m sorry for causing trouble, Anno-kun. Are you okay?”

“No, it’s my fault. And thanks, you really saved me.”

I responded with a wry smile to Shinomiya-san, who sighed apologetically. There was no need for her to apologize—if anyone needed to apologize, it was Shin and the others.

“By the way, speaking of which, Anno-kun, do you like maids?”

“…Huh?”

“Or is it that you like maid outfits, specifically mini skirts? Or perhaps… are you interested in the gap in the cleavage area?”

“EH?!”

The moment the word cleavage came from Shinomiya-san’s mouth, I blurted out a strange sound. It wasn’t exactly inappropriate, but to hear such words from someone who had been so elegant just moments ago felt unbelievable. This was the first time she had spoken to me so directly since we were seated next to each other.

“I see. So, Anno-kun, you’re a closet pervert, huh?”

“Alright, understood. Do you want me to shut that mouth of yours now?!”

“Hehe. That’s good. You’re quick to respond, I must say. You’re the first one to pick up on my comments so neatly.”

“I’m honored, oujo-sama.”

I shrugged and replied casually, while Shinomiya-san beamed at me like a child who found a rare toy. It was hard to believe this was the same person who had been so demure when surrounded by classmates.

By the way, the title “oujo-sama” wasn’t a metaphor. Shinomiya-san’s parents were a doctor and the CEO of a parallel brand, and their house was said to be a magnificent property located in the city’s prime area.

“I’m not a oujo-sama, you know.”

Shinomiya-san reacted to my casual words with a quiet, almost lonely tone.

“Is… that so?”

Unsure how to respond, I hesitated. But just then, the bell for the morning assembly rang, followed by the door opening with a loud creak.