Chapter 0
Chapter 0: Prologue
The cherry blossoms danced in the air, and a pleasant breeze began to blow in April.
It was around the time when I had just started high school and was getting used to the new environment that I — Kuon Sakurazaka — met her.
“What do you guys think you’re doing, surrounding a girl like this?”
At that time, I was surrounded by men.
All I did was go to the shopping mall to buy some clothes, and then they said, “Why don’t we hang out together?”
Of course, I had never met any of them before, not even the girl who spoke up.
I was aware, based on my past experiences, that my appearance was attractive and that boys often looked at me that way.
But I was never really interested in boys.
I thought it might be nice to experience romance, but since I had never felt that way before, I had given up on it.
However, I never imagined I’d be hit on by such a large group.
They seemed older than me, so at the time, I didn’t know what to do.
But she stepped in.
Even though she was a girl, too.
“Oh, you’re cute too. Did you want to hang out with us?”
“Wait, isn’t this the girl who went viral on Kaede’s Instagram?”
“No way! Seeing her in person, she’s such a cool beauty!”
The moment she appeared, the men became even more excited, even though we were in a public place.
To be honest, I had a hunch when she appeared in front of me.
—The younger sister of the popular model, Kaede.
I had never heard that Kaede had a sister, but last New Year’s, Kaede posted a photo.
In it, for the first time, she revealed her sister. She was incredibly cool and cute. Unlike the free-spirited and cheerful Kaede, she had the aura of a cool prince.
And that very girl was standing in front of me—
“Hey, seriously, can you stop looking at me like that? I know it sounds odd coming from me, but it’s really unpleasant.”
“You refer to yourself as ‘ore’!”
“You shouldn’t do that—you know it doesn’t appeal to guys much.”
“I’m not trying to appeal to guys… especially not to a group like yours that scares girls.”
She stood in front of me, protecting me.
Without hesitation, confidently. Even though I was terrified being surrounded by so many, she faced them head-on.
Her back, taller than mine, was visible through her long, glossy black hair.
Seeing it gave me a strange sense of reassurance.
“Hey… if you keep talking like that, I don’t know what might happen to you.”
One of the men grabbed her arm as he said that.
His arm was much larger than ours. If I had been grabbed, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything.
But she, still undaunted—
“Are you planning to solve this with force? That just makes you even less worthy of being with a girl.”
“What!?”
She grabbed the man’s chin and pulled him closer.
“So, stop scaring this girl already.”
Those words resonate in my heart as I listened from behind her.
(…Ah)
To be honest, I had thought I would never experience romance.
I imagined a future where I would spend my days happily playing with my female friends.
Even when talking to boys, I never really felt those kinds of emotions.
If I were to date someone, it would probably just happen naturally, or so I thought.
But, unexpectedly.
Not with a boy, but with a girl—
“Ah, Yu-kun, there you are!”
At that moment, a new voice entered the circle.
A beautiful woman with long, flowing hair, radiating both a cute and mature aura.
It was none other than the person I often saw on social media and TV… the model Kaede.
“Oh man, if Kaede’s here, this could get bad.”
“It’d be a hassle if anything happened!”
“Tch!”
The moment Kaede appeared, the men hurriedly left.
They must have thought it would be troublesome to mess with someone as famous as Kaede.
And just like that, the frightening situation quickly dissolved… leaving only brightness in the air.
“Huh? Was I interrupting something?”
“Sorry, I just went through something pretty traumatic, so all I can say is thank you.”
“What, were you being hit on!? Even Yu-kun!?”
“What do you mean ‘even’? I never planned to be hit on by guys in my life, you idiot!”
I watched their exchange in a daze.
Suddenly, the model Kaede appeared.
Suddenly, I was freed from the situation.
But more than that—
“Are you okay?”
I couldn’t take my eyes off the girl in front of me.
“Yu-kun, I’m hungry.”
“You wandered off on your own…”
Before I could say anything, Kaede and the girl started walking away.
I couldn’t even thank them. I didn’t have the chance to say anything.
She appeared when I was in trouble and left as if nothing had happened.
But—
(Yuu-san… huh)
At that moment, my face turned bright red.
I think my heart was beating really loudly.
And soon after… She began her career as a model named Yuki.
♦♦♦
“Hey, Yu-kun… today’s outfit is super cute.”
“That doesn’t make me happy at all.”
“What? It suits you so well!”
“Shut up. It’s not a compliment when a guy hears that!”
Translater’s Note: Moving this Novel from Galaxy Translation [Renamed to Dark Star Translation] to this New Planform [I have to deal with a lot of issues from the previous Website].