Driving License Boot Camp Academy
I woke up a little late the next day, so I arrived at the academy entrance at 8:15 instead of the promised 8 o'clock. Smith Kazuhiro, who was supposed to meet me at the entrance, was happily chatting with some girl.
“Oh, Hyung-nim~! You're a bit late, huh?”
“Sorry, I overslept a little. But who’s this…?”
The woman who had been chatting cheerfully with Kazuhiro was exactly his type. She had a plain style, a plain face, and plain clothes. The only thing that stood out was her massive chest. Kazuhiro had shown me a photo yesterday of the new girlfriend he’d just started dating, yet here he was already grinning like an idiot at this new girl right in front of him. What a total womanizer.
“This beautiful lady is Kagawa Umi.”
“Oh my~!”
The two of them were being ridiculous. Kazuhiro kept shooting me looks, silently begging me to help him make a good impression.
“I’m Taira Ryuta. I’m friends with this guy. He’s a good kid, so please take good care of him.”
“Aigoo~ Hyung-nim, what are you even saying?”
I could see the corners of his mouth twitching upward, you idiot. Fine. If I’m going to push him forward, I might as well do it properly.
“So, what were you two talking about?”
“Umi-chan said she’s a second-year at Edo University.”
“Wow, that’s impressive. Then you and Kazuhiro each have something the other doesn’t, huh?”
Kagawa Umi tilted her head curiously at my words, clearly wondering what I meant. And when did you start calling her by her first name plus “-chan”? This guy really is friendly to a fault. Still, Edo University? Isn’t that the best university in Japan? She looks smart, but damn, she really must be.
“Kagawa-san has intelligence, and this guy has athletic ability. He’s a soccer player, you know.”
“Heee~?! Really? I thought he looked like an athlete, but a soccer player?”
“I guarantee it. You’ll be seeing his face on the national team within a few years.”
At my praise, Kazuhiro scratched the back of his head and showed an adorably bashful, boyish expression… but it was all an act. According to him, when a big guy like him acts like a pure-hearted boy, women feel something called “gap moe.”
“Umi-chan, if I score a goal, I’ll do a special celebration just for you.”
“Really? Hehe♥”
They were slipping back into their own little world again. Even though I’d decided to help them, it was starting to make me feel sick. I’d better ask my question before they completely disappeared into their own bubble.
“By the way, aren’t we supposed to just go inside? Why are we still standing out here?”
“Ah. We were waiting for my friend, Hanako-chan.”
“Umi-chan said she signed up with a friend too, just like us.”
“I see. Then let’s wait together.”
While we waited, the three of us asked Kagawa Umi whatever came to mind. Kazuhiro was genuinely curious about university life, and since I had attended university before possessing this body, I asked what made Edo University—the top school in Japan—different from other places.
“At Edo University, students are admitted by academic stream rather than by specific faculty or department. For example, Humanities Stream 1 leads to the Faculty of Law, while Science Stream 1 includes the Faculties of Engineering, Science, Pharmacy, and Agriculture. So students usually spend their first two years in the College of General Education before choosing their faculty in their third year based on the stream they entered.”
“Which stream are you in, Umi-chan?”
“Me? I’m in Humanities Stream 1. My friend is too.”
As expected from an Edo University student, her explanation was clear and well-organized. Umi was about to explain a few more things when we heard footsteps nearby. We turned to see a strikingly beautiful female college student looking at us.
“Hanako-chan! Over here!”
Kagawa Umi waved her hand and called out to her. Ah, so that’s Hanako. With looks like that, she’s probably the top beauty in her department. Han Yugyeong and Alice are the campus queens at their schools, but this girl is definitely not Kazuhiro’s type.
“This is my friend, Gokado Hanako.”
“Hello, I’m Smith Kazuhiro.”
“I’m Taira Ryuta. Please take care of us during this short boot camp.”
“U-um, hello… I’m Gokado Hanako.”
Gokado Hanako gave a slightly shy bow as she greeted us.
We headed inside the academy, paid the fees, and moved to the auditorium where students were gathering for the lecture portion. A few people had passed by us earlier while we were talking, and they were now sitting in the auditorium. There were three men and two women. They all seemed awkward and sat separately, staring at their phones. Before long, Gokado Hanako and Kagawa Umi—who had somehow become part of our group—sat down with us.
“Hyung-nim, I looked it up. Apparently most people come in December when it’s crowded, but right before the new semester like now, there aren’t many people.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s why we deliberately chose this time when it’s less crowded.”
When I responded to Kazuhiro, Kagawa Umi chimed in with information about their own situation that no one had asked for.
“Gokado-san, do you have a boyfriend?”
“Ah, yes. I do.”
“Aww~! That’s too bad. I thought Hyung-nim might have taken a liking to Hanako-san.”
Kazuhiro was trying to push Gokado Hanako toward me, probably feeling guilty that he was the only one getting all lovey-dovey with Umi. In situations like this, it’s better to approach as a comfortable friend rather than force things.
“Since we’ve met like this, let’s just get along as good friends.”
“Shall we?”
When I made things comfortable for her, Gokado Hanako gave a small, gentle smile.
Two more men and two more women entered the auditorium. When it reached 9 o’clock, the official start time for the class, a bald-headed academy director with a shaved head stepped up onto the platform.
“Before we begin the training, I will explain the course process.”
The director’s speech was boring. It was a half self-promotion, half course explanation lecture that finally ended after about fifteen minutes.
“We’ll be assigning rooms, but before that, let’s take a group photo with the academy in the background. Please follow me~!”
We followed the director to the designated spot and arranged ourselves so the academy’s name would be visible. Then I heard a small “Hiiik!” from Gokado Hanako. When I looked over, a sleazy-looking pig of a man was groping her ass.
Damn it… I can’t let that slide.
I straightened up from my slightly bent posture, grabbed the hand that was molesting her, and yanked it away.
“W-what the hell!!”
“What the hell are you doing? Why are you grabbing another woman’s ass?”
My words caused everyone to start murmuring. Groping someone’s butt in plain sight while taking a group photo was beyond anyone’s imagination.
“W-what nonsense are you spouting?”
“I saw it too! This pig was touching her ass!” Kazuhiro shouted.
He probably hadn’t actually seen it. He was just backing me up by claiming he had.
The director, who had been about to take the photo, approached Hanako with a serious expression.
“Did this man really touch your buttocks?”
“Hic… Yes. He suddenly started groping my bottom.”
Tears welled up and rolled down Gokado Hanako’s beautiful face. Seeing that only made me angrier.
“I’m very sorry, but we’ll refund you. Could you please leave?”
The director spoke to the pig in a surprisingly polite tone. If it were me, I would’ve told him to fuck off before even mentioning a lawsuit for obstruction of business.
“Where’s your proof? You’re just going to kick me out based on her word?”
“Then shall we call the police and look for evidence? If even one of your skin flakes turns up on that young lady’s skirt, you’ll be eating prison food, you know?”
“Hmph! Make sure you give me that refund!”
The pig left with a stubborn attitude until the very end. I’ve memorized his face. If I run into him at night, I’ll show him what the Grim Reaper looks like.
I don’t get it. Has he read too many manga? How could he think it was okay to casually grope someone’s ass in such an open place? She’s Hitomi’s, you pig.
After the brief commotion ended, the director apologized for his oversight and offered Gokado Hanako a thirty percent discount. She looked like she was about to bolt out of the academy, but at the mention of a discount, she nodded.
“Alright, shall we take the photo again? Say cheese~!”
We successfully took the photo and then followed a staff member to see the lodging. As we walked, Gokado Hanako came up beside me and tugged on my sleeve.
“Thank you, Taira-san.”
“Anyone would have done the same.”
“No, that’s not true. I’m sure the people standing next to that pig saw him touching me, but you were the one in front who actually stopped him.”
“Then, as thanks for helping you, could you grant me one request?”
“Yes! As long as it’s not something too difficult, I’ll do it!”
The way she clenched both fists tightly, promising to grant my request, was incredibly cute.
“Then instead of calling me Taira-san, please call me by my first name.”
For some reason, being called Taira-san gave me goosebumps. Maybe because I’ve had to say the name Taira so often lately…?
At my words, Gokado Hanako blushed, looked down at the ground, and spoke softly.
“Okay… Ryuta-kun… Please call me Hanako too.”
“I will, Hanako-chan.”
At my reply, Gokado Hanako gave a soft, gentle smile.