Chapter 24: Groping Is Not Okay

We woke up early in the morning and headed to Tokyo Station, then boarded the bullet train bound for Osaka.

When we arrived at Shin-Osaka Station, we transferred to another train that would take us to the seminar venue.

Once there, we took our seats and began the lecture.

"………………"

"………………"

I’m bored.

Painfully bored.

Kana-chan, sitting beside me, was listening seriously while jotting down notes. Even though I told the Shachou and the others what I did, I couldn’t very well fall asleep in front of a motivated junior who was actually taking this seriously.

So I kept my posture straight and pretended to pay attention, waiting patiently for the long, dull lecture to end.

By the time evening came and it finally ended, Kana-chan and I headed to our hotel.

"Ahh, I’m exhausted."

"Good work today."

Once we arrived, I sat down on the bed and let out a deep breath.

"You were really focused during the lecture, Kana-chan."

"Well, I was the one who said I wanted to go. But still, I didn’t think you would listen seriously, Senpai."

"Hey, I’m your senpai. I’ve got to set an example, you know?"

"You already are. You’re a model senpai."

As she said that, Kana-chan hugged me.

"You’re such a bad kouhai, you know that?"

"Better than being a pervy senpai who grabs people’s butts."

But come on—her body’s just so soft.

"Anyway, Kana-chan, wanna grab dinner? The Manager gave us five thousand yen."

"Ooh, that’s our Manager for you."

We left the hotel and found a nearby izakaya for dinner. After eating, we returned and spent the rest of the night relaxing.

The next day, another boring morning seminar dragged on forever, but at last, the long study session came to an end.

"Ahh, I’m beat. Not much time till our train, so let’s get going."

"Right."

After the seminar ended, we hurried to the station and got on a train heading for Shin-Osaka.

Since it was a weekday evening, the train was pretty packed.

"Kana-chan, you can sit here."

I spotted a small open space—just enough for one person—and offered it to her.

"You should sit, Senpai."

"It’s fine, it’s fine."

I half-forced Kana-chan into the seat and stood in front of her.

"Thanks. We still need to buy souvenirs, huh?"

"We can just get them at Shin-Osaka Station."

"True enough."

…Hm?

While we were talking, I suddenly felt something odd against my rear.

"Senpai?"

Kana-chan looked up at me, sounding concerned.

"Ah, it’s nothing. I was just wondering what time we’ll get home."

The moment I said that, the train jolted slightly.

And at that exact moment, something brushed against my butt.

"Hm?"

I turned around, but the crowd behind me looked the same as before—just commuters, no one even looking my way.

"What’s wrong?"

"It’s nothing."

Maybe I imagined it?

"…If you say so."

"If you’re tired, you can take the day off tomorrow, okay?"

"I’m fine. Besides, once tomorrow’s over, it’s the weekend. I can push through."

What a diligent girl.

Just as I was admiring her attitude, the train shook again—
and this time, I clearly felt something tracing along my backside.

"Huh?"

I turned around again. Same scene. No changes.

Maybe it was just the crowd bumping me again…?

"Senpai, please sit down."

Kana-chan’s eyes narrowed sharply as she stood up and tugged my arm, pulling me into the seat. Then she took my place, standing right where I’d been.

"You don’t have to—"

"It’s fine. Right now, I feel like I could kill someone."

Wait—what!?

No, no, don’t do that!

I could only smile nervously as I waited for our stop, chatting with the still-fuming Kana-chan to calm the mood.

When we reached Shin-Osaka Station, we bought souvenirs for the office and boarded the bullet train home.

As soon as we sat down, Kana-chan reached over and held my hand.

"What’s wrong?"

…Ah, maybe she wants some affection?
Come on, that’s for when we get home.
The bullet train restroom is definitely not the place for that.

"Senpai… you poor thing."

…What?
Poor what? My head?

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You were groped earlier, weren’t you?"

…Huh?

Oh—so that’s what that was.
Thinking back, it did feel like more than just an accidental bump near the end.

"Maybe… yeah."

"You poor thing… you were so scared you couldn’t even speak up, weren’t you?"

Not really…
It’s not like I was terrified just because someone touched my butt.
I mean, I get it—well, okay, no, I shouldn’t get it. That’s a crime.

"That’s not it. I just thought it might’ve been the train shaking or something."

"…No way. That’s not how that felt."

"Is that so?"

It could have been by chance, you know.

"Senpai, you’ve never been groped before, have you?"

Of course not.

"No… My house and the office are close, so I rarely take crowded trains."

"S-Senpai… are you sure you haven’t just never noticed before? You’re kinda slow… or fuzzy… or just, like, dazed sometimes."

Slow?

Fuzzy?

"I don’t think so…"

Well, I was a guy before, anyway…

"Senpai, from now on, whenever you ride a train or a bus, promise me you’ll always take a seat, okay?"

"Ah, sure."

Not that I really plan to take a crowded one again.

That night, and even after we got home, Kana-chan stuck unusually close to me the whole time.

"Hey, has anyone here ever been groped before?"

The Sunday after we got back from Osaka, I asked that question as the four of us gathered like usual.

"Groped? Nah. I always drive, so that kinda thing’s never happened."

Right—Shachou was always in her Benz, wasn’t she.

"Tama hasn’t either, nya. I take the train sometimes, but only during the day."

"You never take it in the morning or evening?"

"I carry a lot of stuff, so I just call a taxi during rush hours, nya."

I see.
Idols sure have their act together.

"What about you, Chihirochi?"

"Ah… come to think of it, someone did touch my butt once when I was riding the school bus back then."

…What!?

Someone touched a high school girl’s butt?
Yeah, that’s full-on crime right there.

"What did you do?"

"I just kind of swatted the hand away and glared at him. He panicked and ran off."

Wow. Gyaru power.

"You didn’t try to catch him?"

"At the time, I had just become a girl, so I thought it might’ve been an accident and didn’t realize what happened. But now that I think about it, that was probably groping."

Ah, so the same kind of not-noticing situation as me, huh.

"Why are you asking, nya? Did someone grope you? Or did Kana-chan do a groping play, nya?"

Nyako asked with a mischievous grin.

"No, nothing like that. Last week, when I was in Osaka, someone touched my butt on the train. I thought it might’ve been the train shaking, but Kana-chan says it was definitely groping."

"Ahh, yeah, I can kind of see that. You do have that ‘easy target’ aura."

"Right, nya. You look like you wouldn’t even say anything if someone groped you."

"She does come off as timid. In reality, though, she’s just a dense little sadist."

…Am I really like that?

"Hey, do I really look that dull? That slow?"

"You do."

"Yeah, dull and slow, nya."

"Pretty much."

Maybe I should dye my hair blonde too.
Then I might at least look quick.