Katsura Kotonoha's face was flushed a deep crimson, her embarrassment making it difficult to find the words to express her gratitude.
Kawashima Toya watched her struggle with amusement, staying silent to let her gather her thoughts.
After a long moment, she lowered her head and whispered, "Kawashima-sensei, you're being quite unfair. You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?"
Toya let out a short laugh. "I just wanted to see how you'd react. You're actually quite cute when you're flustered."
He had been looking for a moment like this for a while.
At the detective agency, he was constantly surrounded by either the sharp-tongued Kasumigaoka Utaha or the eccentric personalities of Nyaruko and Tohru. Finding a moment of genuine, shy girlishness was a rare treat.
"Sensei, please stop teasing me," Kotonoha murmured, her face still burning. "Are we... are we still going to eat?"
"Of course. I'm not about to pass up a free meal," Toya said cheerfully. "So, where were you thinking of taking me?"
"Would my house be alright? I can cook..." Kotonoha said softly.
"You can cook?" Toya asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
If he remembered correctly, Kotonoha was notoriously clumsy when it came to culinary matters.
In most cases, anything she touched in a kitchen tended to end in a minor disaster—not quite lethal, but certainly an acquired taste.
Kotonoha nodded shyly. "A little... I can't promise it will be world-class, but it will definitely be filled with my gratitude."
"Well, since you put it that way, I can't exactly refuse," Toya replied, mentally preparing himself for a meal that might be difficult to finish.
The two of them left Sakano Academy together, chatting as they walked. Near the school gates, Saionji Sekai stepped out from behind a corner, her eyes fixed on their retreating figures.
Sensei... what exactly is your relationship with Katsura-san?
Watching them talk and laugh, Sekai felt a complex emotion welling up inside her.
Toya noticed Sekai lingering by the gate, but he didn't pay it much mind.
Is she waiting for someone?
As someone with a healthy amount of self-awareness, the idea that she might be watching him specifically didn't cross his mind.
.....
Sakano Station
Toya followed Kotonoha onto the train.
As he sat beside her, he noticed her growing more bashful by the second.
He couldn't help but feel a bit of irony; for the daughter of a wealthy businessman, she was surprisingly low-key to be taking public transport.
As the train rattled along, the carriage began to fill up at every stop. Before long, it was standing-room only, with people still trying to squeeze inside.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Toya spotted a rough, creeping hand reaching through the dense crowd toward Kotonoha. It was an unmistakable sight—one of those infamous train gropers.
"Shh. Don't say anything, and don't move. I'm going to teach this guy a lesson."
Kotonoha had felt someone getting too close and was about to move away, but she froze instantly at Toya's command. "Okay," she whispered.
Think you can just touch whatever you want? Toya thought with a cold sneer. I despise gropers.
I might not be able to stop every bully, but Kotonoha is my student. I won't let some creep lay a finger on her.
In a movement that was almost too fast to follow, Toya reached out and seized the offender's wrist, applying a sharp, focused pressure.
Snap.
The distinct sound of a bone fracturing echoed in the immediate area as the hand was twisted into an unnatural angle.
A shrill, agonized scream tore through the carriage as the man clutched his broken wrist, his face contorting.
Toya pulled his hand back as if nothing had happened. "I think the trains will be a bit safer from now on."
"Sensei... won't that cause trouble?" Kotonoha asked, her eyes wide with worry.
Toya gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry. No one saw a thing."
His perception wasn't just for show; he knew exactly who was looking and where.
He had chosen the most efficient method of physical intervention rather than relying on tools precisely because he knew he could get away with it.
The groper's scream had naturally drawn attention, but most passengers remained indifferent. At most, they simply shuffled away to give the man space so his misery wouldn't affect them.
At the next stop, station staff arrived to investigate. When they saw the injured man was a frequent offender known to the authorities, their expressions turned cold.
They escorted him away for questioning without a second thought for who might have caused the injury. To them, he had simply gotten what he deserved.
After another ten minutes, Toya and Kotonoha finally reached their stop.
.....
Katsura Residence
Stepping off the train, Toya adjusted his slightly disheveled clothes. "If I can help it, I am never taking the train during rush hour again," he muttered.
Dealing with an army of shadows hadn't been half as stressful as that commute.
He didn't know if it was his appearance, but several middle-aged women had been trying to get far too close for comfort. If he hadn't been quick on his feet, he would have been cornered.
"Kawashima-sensei, bumping into people is just part of the experience," Kotonoha said, letting out a soft giggle. "You were actually quite funny to watch, weaving through the crowd like that."
"You think I enjoyed that?" Toya sighed. "Bumping into someone by accident is one thing, but those women were... actually, let's just not talk about it. It's a long story."
Just thinking about those persistent gazes made him want to wash his eyes. Gropers really didn't discriminate by gender.
As they walked through the residential streets toward her home, Kotonoha became increasingly quiet.
What is this exactly? Am I really bringing Kawashima-sensei home for dinner? I'm just glad Mother is away on a business trip. I wouldn't know how to explain this if she were here.
Toya noticed her walking with her head down, nearly colliding with a lamppost several times. "Katsura-san, eyes forward," he teased.
"If you knock yourself out on a pole, I won't know how to find your front door."
"I'm sorry!" she squeaked, shaking her head to clear her thoughts.
They walked for another few minutes before stopping in front of a grand, luxurious villa. Toya didn't know much about real estate, but he could tell just from the exterior that this place was incredibly expensive.
"Kawashima-sensei, this is my home. Please, come in."
"Thanks for having me," Toya said with a polite nod.
He followed her inside. The interior was vast and lavishly decorated, yet it felt strikingly cold and empty, lacking the warmth of a lived-in home.
"Sensei, please make yourself comfortable in the living room. I'm going to go change," Kotonoha said. "I'll start on dinner right after. Please don't worry, I'm going to do my absolute best!"
"Right. I'll be looking forward to it," Toya said, watching her go. He didn't have the heart to tell her that he knew exactly how much "effort" usually went into her cooking disasters.