Chapter 12: Chapter 11: The Star

"What kind of girl would I be if I left a boy standing alone in the middle of the street at night?" she continued, glancing back at me with a smile. "Consider this a favor from your onee-chan," she added with a wink.

Such shameless flirting—but surprisingly common amongst women of such high repute and popularity. I don't mind being treated as the little brother of Akane Tomoe. But the internet these days has skewed the original meaning of 'onee-chan,' making it more like an expression of endearment, not a form of address.

This wasn't the first time Tomoe-Senpai had referred to me as her "little brother." When we first met during my orientation, she introduced herself by saying. "It's nice to meet you~; My name is Akane Tomoe—just call me 'onee-chan.' Well, so what's yours called, little brother?"

She was a little standoffish and blunt when it came to her character, but actually really friendly compared to how she usually behaves.

"So where's your house then, Hirano-kun?" Tomoe-Senpai asked as I stood there awkwardly while she fixed her helmet onto her head. The sound of the engine, accompanied by the smell of exhaust fumes, filled my nostrils. "If you are wary of me dropping you off in front of your home at this hour, I can take you to the nearest subway station instead," she offered helpfully.

"...It's fine...I live in the residential apartment building near Ueno park. If you can drop me off at the park entrance gate—or any public place nearby would do..." I replied with some hesitation before moving toward her side of the bike.

"Hop on then, Hirano-kun~," she said, patting the seat behind her for me to sit.

Gently, I placed one foot on the metal step and climbed onto the seat behind her. The backseat was elevated from the rest of the bike, and Akane Tomoe's short hair peeked out from under her helmet.

I looked around in search of some sort of handhold to grab onto, but there didn't seem to be anything of the kind—not even a handle or a grip. My hands fumbled over Akane Tomoe's shoulders, trying my best to find something to support myself. But all I felt were her thick leather jacket, the wind on my cheek, and the seat on my back.

"What's wrong, Hirano-kun?" Akane Tomoe turned around towards me. "Haven't you ever ridden before? Just hold onto my waist." She leaned back against the seat slightly and patted her hips, smiling at me as she asked. "It'll be fine—really," she said in a sing-song voice. "It's much more stable than your hand on any part of the bike anyway, so..."

Do sportbikes not have grab bars? I thought as I timidly placed my arms around her middle. Her body was firm, warm to the touch, and smelled like leather and grease.

"You're holding on too loosely, Hirano-kun. Move closer..." Tomoe-Senpai's hands gently grasped my wrists and pulled me in closer—making it so that my arms were snugly wrapped around her middle, clinging to her waist. My head inadvertently rested upon her left shoulder.

Her hands slowly moved away from my wrists when she saw that I had taken the hint and now clung to her a lot more firmly. "Now you hold on properly, okay?" she said in a loud voice, still sitting upright.

"...Yes, senpai," I replied softly in agreement as my body seemed to meld into hers. She adjusted her riding position to help support the added weight of my body and steadied the bike—

Then the bike started to move...and she kicked up the gear, giving it enough gas to take off down the road.

Although the posture I was in felt strangely intimate, especially when she slowed down or braked abruptly, which would force me to lean against her back more heavily, but I gave it a pass since it seemed like the most natural thing to do when riding behind on a bike...

It also prevented me from seeing any of what was ahead. I could hear the engine roaring so loudly that it drowned out anything else. The wind blew my hair against the side of my face as I clung to senpai's hips, more out of fear than anything else. She wove her way through the streets at high speed, occasionally stopping briefly at traffic lights.

It didn't take long for us to reach our destination—the Ueno Park entrance gate. As the wheels of the bike made contact with the pavement, the sound of the engine finally died down as well.

She turned her head slightly to look back at me, although only after my grip on her waist weakened. "You can let go now, or...you can hold on a little longer," she offered with a teasing tone in her voice. "I'm not going to complain." Her fingers lightly brushed the top of my hand that was still wrapped around her.

Scoffing a little at how obvious she was, I released myself and stood up on the seat to dismount from the bike. My knees felt a little wobbly as they connected with the ground below, mostly due to sitting in such an awkward position for too long.

"Thank you for the ride, Tomoe-senpai," I said before reaching over and picking up the groceries from the top of the bike. I tucked them under my left arm and watched as she removed her helmet from her head and tied it up on the handlebar—her hair had gotten rather disheveled during the course of our journey.

"No need to mention it, kouhai-kun. You should just call me whenever you are stuck in such a pickle again," Senpai replied casually as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, running her fingers through her loose, unbrushed hair.

"Hmm...Sure thing." I gave her a smile of gratitude.

"I'll be seeing you again then, senpai," I said with a lighthearted smile. "Take care of yourself."

A faint scent of gasoline and fresh leather wafted through the air as I felt Akane Tomoe's hand tightly grasp mine, holding my wrist in an iron grip—

"Tomoe-senpai?!" I was startled from my reverie as she tugged on my wrist. I couldn't help but yelp a little in surprise and looked up at her. As always, her black eyes were almost impossible to read because they seemed to bore into me when she looked at me...but in this instance, there seemed to be some sort of emotion reflected within them.

"...Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," she said with a slightly abashed expression. She let go of my wrist and placed both of her hands on the handle while glancing at me.

"Say... You are single, right?" she asked after a short pause—not really changing the topic, but rather like it was more of a prodding comment meant to set up what came next. "The girls from our campus are always begging me for details about you, so I thought that maybe you would have someone by now, kouhai-kun."

"T-That's..." I stammered. Does working as a paid companion count as dating? I suddenly found myself feeling quite flustered. "...well, yes, I am still single."

It also wasn't a surprise that Tomoe-senpai was asked about me—she was probably the only girl at my university with whom I had any kind of friendship with.

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"It's amazing that you've kept them all off for so long," senpai said, her eyes glinting as they looked down at me—her face showing the faintest hint of amusement. Curling her lips into a sly grin. "Just the other day, one of them appeared in front of the practice field and begged me for your number." She paused briefly before letting out a soft chuckle.

"I thank you for keeping the other girls at bay...I really appreciate it..." I whispered with a hint of appreciation.

"Are you not looking forward to dating? Not even a little bit?" Senpai asked, her voice slightly husky—exuding an air of exasperation as she pouted her lips in a pouty manner like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Maybe someday in the future," I answered evasively. "But for now, I'm fine with just keeping up grades and doing my best with my studies. Nothing else really matters to me at the moment."

"Oh...how very grown up of you," the senior girl replied without a hint of irony. "I wouldn't have guessed that you would be this boring. You look so boyishly adorable, kouhai-kun."

"...Thank you," I answered curtly. My expression remained unfaltering; I'm sure my gaze was somewhat guarded, but not in an angry way—just more respectfully and neutrally.

There was a moment of silence between us before the senior spoke again. "...How about going out with me sometime?" She asked after an uncommonly long pause.

I had never thought that Akane Tomoe might be interested in dating someone like me...and if I'm being completely honest with myself, I found it somewhat strange to even entertain the idea of dating her—I mean, she's pretty much the epitome of a cool, adult woman.

Someone like my friend Masaaki would gladly accept her offer, but I just wouldn't be able to do it. Being such a self-conscious person, it's difficult for me to date a girl who was so popular among the student population. Being in the limelight isn't exactly my thing...

"...Sorry, Tomoe-senpai. I'd love to, really, but..." I repeated the same phrase that I had always used as a response—not that I wasn't genuinely sorry because of my circumstances, but rather, it was simply something I couldn't bring myself to do.

"Do you not like me?" she asked softly. She seemed a little sad as she tilted her head slightly. There wasn't any anger or irritation in her eyes; it just looked as though she was hurt by my answer. Her expression quickly changed back into one of exasperation. "Is there something that I'm lacking? Or have I done something wrong?"

I shook my head. Of course not—she's perfect, or at least most of the other boys thought so. And I didn't dislike her or anything; it's just that we are two completely different people who live very different lives. I also couldn't forget the fact that I was now working as a rental boyfriend. That would instantly destroy any future chances with any girls who were interested in me.

"I...You are a great person, Tomoe-senpai," I hesitantly began as I sighed with a troubled look on my face. "I respect you deeply— But our interests lie in completely different directions... And I don't know if we'd be a good match."

My words sounded particularly vapid somehow. I thought; I had said similar things many times to girls in the past but never really meant them. Usually, it was done as a simple means to quickly excuse myself without having to explain any further. This time, however, I genuinely meant what I said.

Senpai narrowed her eyes slightly. It was hard to tell through her dark eyes, but I could see her irises reflecting the moonlight. Her expression seemed rather stern as she appeared to be contemplating something before giving out a sigh and turning back to me.

"I...will be graduating soon, Hirano-kun," she said after a moment of silence. Her voice was quiet yet somehow managed to seem heavy with emotion. "The 'Yomiuri Giants' have scouted me for their team roster, but...I haven't made up my mind yet." She paused briefly, and a sliver of sadness flashed across her face like a candle flame catching on a spiderweb before being snuffed out.

"Oh...Congratulations!...why haven't you accepted?!" I said in surprise. If I remember correctly from my card reading session, Yomiuri Giants is one of Japan's most prominent professional baseball teams. And they have a very well-known tradition of selecting players from universities in general.

A light chuckle left her lips. "The entire campus thinks that I'm some kind of superstar—that I'll easily make the team and be the next Yomiuri Giant ace player," she said dryly. "But in reality, there's no guarantee that I'll actually manage to get into the team... You know?"

She continued without letting me interrupt her. "I'm scared that If I accept and don't make the team, then my own career might not really go anywhere because of all the extra attention. But if I turn it down now, then everyone will think that I'm just arrogant and full of myself. Not exactly a good impression to leave the university with," she admitted.

Her tone was so even that it didn't appear as though she had anything particularly negative to say about herself—Just like how she looks right now. I still didn't know why she was sharing all of this with me...

"I do like to live life dangerously, but I won't take a chance with my future just for that." She flashed a smile that perfectly matched her serious expression.

My feelings were suddenly stirred, and I instinctively reached out to lay a hand on her back as though to gently pet her, only to pause halfway when I realized what I was doing. So many things passed through my mind at once: That she is clearly the type of person who is always confident and self-assured— yet, there are times when she seems rather insecure too, no?

"Just one date...It wouldn't hurt," she said firmly. Her voice sounded very persuasive—or maybe that was just my imagination working overtime. "Consider it as a way to cheer me up and instill a little confidence in me. If you really don't like me afterward, then I'll understand..."

A mix of emotions warred inside me as I looked into her stormy gray eyes. One part of me wanted to simply agree and tell myself that this isn't too big of a deal and go with it. Another side, however, felt anxious—terrified even—as though I were about to do something that couldn't be undone.

But as always, my heart would not listen to my fear-filled mind. It must have been some sort of unwavering instinct, as though it were trying to prove a point. My mouth opened slightly, and I let out a soft sigh. "Well...Alright. Just a one-time date."

Her expression lit up like the sun breaking through the dark clouds. A small smile formed on her lips before she sighed gently—as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Thank you. Sorry for asking so suddenly... Really, thanks. You won't regret this, I promise."

I shook my head lightly. "It's nothing, really," I said while feeling relieved to hear my own words come out as easily as they did. After all, it's not any different from my job, only this time, I'm not getting compensated for it...

There wasn't a whole lot of discussion after that. Saying our goodbyes, she bid me farewell and drove off into the night with her motorcycle roaring like thunder. As my eyes watched her disappear into the distance, I realized that the sea breeze was very chilly—maybe because of the rainy weather earlier today. Suddenly feeling quite cold, I hurried towards my apartment building's front doors before closing them tight behind me.

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