Am I The Only Male Tenant Here?

"Welcome back, Sousuke-kun."

Matsumoto Tomoko greeted me with that familiar warmth as I knocked on her door, punctual as always for dinner. She looked like a freshly bloomed flower, standing there in her apron, cheeks faintly red from the kitchen steam. It felt weirdly... domestic.

"How was shopping today?" she asked, her smile motherly yet strangely teasing.

"It was okay. I didn't really have a destination. I just hopped on the tram and wandered around until the crowds made me retreat. Too many people out there, haha."

"Well, it is Sunday. All the youngsters are out having fun. Back in my day, weekends were sacred—we'd all dress up and go out with our classmates. Ah... those were such wonderful memories."

As she reminisced, a soft light glowed behind her eyes. That nostalgic warmth, the kind that makes you forget how old you are, or how lonely you might feel.

"Tomoko, you're still young, you know. If you want, I can go out with you next weekend. Just to relive some of those memories."

"So-Sousuke-kun... honestly, stop saying things like that! My daughter's already in college..."

She laughed, trying to act exasperated, but I caught the faint blush across her cheeks. I didn't mean anything dangerous by it... probably.

"Anyway! Let's eat. The food will get cold."

We sat down together. As always, she had cooked a full spread that looked like it was meant to feed a small battalion, not just two people. It was wasteful, sure, but...

...she loved doing it. And honestly, if it made her happy, I had no complaints scarfing it all down like a ravenous beast.

While I was destroying a plate of simmered mackerel, Tomoko leaned on her palm and watched me with a gentle smile.

"Sousuke-kun, school starts tomorrow, right?"

I nodded, still chewing.

"Yeah. My official first day."

Something clicked in my head. "Oh right... Tomoko, are there any other tenants in the apartment who might be female college students? Like... maybe someone from a women's university nearby?"

Haruka Mochizuki's uniform was bugging me. It wasn't from my school, and I didn't recognize the emblem.

"Hmm? Female college students? No, no. Just three tenants right now, including you. The other two haven't moved in yet."

"Oh, I see... never mind then. Just asking."

I brushed it off and quickly changed the topic.

After dinner, I offered to help clean up, though tonight, I didn't linger the way I had the past few nights. No teasing. No close calls. No seductive temptation hidden in apron strings.

Even if she was amazing... I needed sleep.

Later, after soaking in a steaming bath that left my muscles melted like mochi, I lay on my bed and pulled up the system panel like clockwork.

One new window popped open:

[Target Detected...]

[Name: Haruka Mochizuki]

[Stamina: 65]

[Charm: 95]

[Current Favorability: 80]

[Mission Complete: Rescued Haruka from Train Harassment]

[System Reward: ¥50,000]

Fifty thousand!? That was ten times more than my first dinner reward with Tomoko.

Looks like the system scaled based on risk or intensity. Interesting.

Charm: 95.

Yeah... that tracked. No arguments from me. None at all.

Honestly, I've always been a man of simple, faithful tastes. Ask any of my friends back in my past life, and they'd all say the same thing:

Big.

That's it. That's the whole criteria.

C? D? E? Sure. F? G? H? Even better.

It's not about size for size's sake. It's about aesthetic harmony. Personality. The presence. And Haruka... well...

She had it all.

Honestly, the fact that she managed to look that busty and still balanced, with those soft features and gentle demeanor... She wasn't just any college beauty. She was a walking, talking romance game heroine. And now she was in my life.

I mean... Charm score of 95? Should've been 100.

As I lay there, the summer wind brushed across my face. The night outside was deep, quiet, and full of star-speckled mystery. My thoughts drifted to Haruka's flustered smile, her waving at me under the streetlights...

Eventually, my mind quieted, and sleep claimed me.

---

The Next Morning

I woke without an alarm.

Maybe it was the nerves or the anticipation.

I got dressed in my brand-new uniform, checking the mirror more times than I'd admit. Even I had to admit I looked... kinda good. The blazer fit perfectly. Hair still damp from my morning shower. A little smirk played on my lips.

"Sousuke-kun! You look so handsome this morning."

Tomoko clasped her hands like she was seeing her son off to school for the first time.

"You're going to be popular with the girls, I can just tell."

Her voice had this odd tinge of... wistfulness?

"Thanks, Tomoko."

As I bit into a fluffy omelet, she slid a lunch box onto the table. Pink. Decorated with little cat paw stickers.

"I made you a bento. This one's from my daughter's school days. Hope you don't mind."

"Mind? I'm honored. Thank you so much."

Her eyes sparkled.

Warm. That was the only word for her.

In this massive, indifferent city, this tiny kitchen felt like a secret pocket of warmth I never had growing up.

After clearing the dishes, I grabbed my bag and stepped out.

"I'm heading out, Tomoko!"

"Be safe, Sousuke-kun!"

Monday morning hit the city like a caffeine rush.

The streets bustled with students. Cherry blossoms fluttered down like confetti, dancing over sidewalks and hair.

The school was only a 10-minute walk, but it felt like stepping into a new world.

Uniforms everywhere. Dark blue jackets, red-and-blue pleated skirts, loafers clicking on pavement. Laughter in the air, students chatting in clusters...

And then there was me.

A stranger. A transfer student. The guy no one recognized.

Whispers started almost immediately:

"Who's that...?"

"Have you seen him before? He's so tall."

"Is he from another campus...? He looks like a model."

I wasn't trying to show off. But yeah, the uniform did fit well. And the morning sun hit just right.

I could feel the attention following me like a shadow. It was like stepping straight into a manga.

Hehe!

Let the new school life begin...

...and with it, maybe more beautiful complications than I could possibly imagine.

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