ALL NOVEL Chapter 1 - Meeting
In the middle of May, the unique sluggishness that follows a long holiday had started to dissipate. Haruya Natsukawa glanced up at the clear blue sky and then dropped his gaze onto his smartphone.
His hand, checking the date and time meticulously, was trembling slightly. It was no surprise considering his first part-time job was about to start. Moreover, the job was being a rental boyfriend, a job where he gets paid to date a woman for a few hours. The thought of such a job was nerve-wracking for a pure first-year university student like Haruya, who has never dated anyone nor even been in a romantic mood with someone.
“Haruya!”
A male student approached, addressing the tense Haruya.
“Ryoma? What’s up?”
The male student referred to as Ryoma placed a hand on Haruya’s shoulder and grinned.
“Let’s go to karaoke. A few girls from our class are joining, and even…”
Ryoma brought his mouth close to Haruya’s ear and whispered secretly.
“Fuyutsuki is coming too.”
Haruya reacted with a start to the name Fuyutsuki. Akiba Fuyutsuki was a popular female student, a beauty with a bright personality. And secretly, she was also the one whom Haruya had feelings for. Of course, she was also the target of many other men. Since entering university a little over a month ago, more than a dozen people had confessed to her, but all were spectacularly rejected. She was what you could call an unattainable flower.
“You don’t get many chances to talk to her, right? This is your chance to get closer.”
“Yeah, I know but…”
Haruya indeed wanted to go to the karaoke where Fuyutsuki was going to be. But he had already made arrangements for his job. And he had a compelling reason to work and earn money.
“Sorry, I can’t today.”
When Haruya refused, Ryoma looked at him in disbelief. Then, holding Haruya’s shoulders firmly, Ryoma began shaking him vigorously.
“Are you out of your mind? You won’t get another chance like this!”
“But I have my job…”
“Huh? Job?”
After a pause, Ryoma started shaking Haruya for a different reason.
“Why?! Huh?! You got a client?!”
Ryoma approached Haruya with an intensity as if he was about to cry tears of blood. In fact, it was Ryoma who had suggested Haruya get a job as a rental boyfriend. There was no way that Haruya, who had never experienced romance, would try something as daring as being a rental boyfriend on his own. When Haruya was considering doing a regular job, Ryoma recommended that being a rental boyfriend would allow him to earn money more efficiently if he got a client. Ryoma tried to sell the benefits of the rental boyfriend job for various reasons, but in truth, Ryoma just wanted to try it himself. But since he couldn’t bring himself to do it alone, he involved Haruya, who happened to be looking for a job. And yet, Haruya, who was initially not very enthusiastic, got a client first.
“That’s why I said, sorry.”
Haruya patted Ryoma’s shoulder and began to walk through the campus. The meeting place with the client was a square in front of the nearest station to the university. He was going to head there directly.
“Traitor!”
With Ryoma’s grievous voice echoing behind him, Haruya walked away briskly.
On arriving at the meeting place, Haruya let out a small sigh. He adjusted his bangs using his smartphone’s front camera and sighed again. He was indeed nervous. Judging from the profile of the person who booked him, his date would be a third-year university student. Having a blind date, especially with an older female university student, even if it’s for work, is quite an extraordinary situation.
[You’ve got mail♪]
The cheerful sound from his smartphone indicated the arrival of a message. It was from the person he was going to date.
[I think I’ll arrive soon!]
“[Got it!]” Haruya replied and took a deep breath with his eyes closed. His first job was about to begin. He had already told her what he was wearing, so she would recognize him as soon as she arrived at the location. It goes without saying that the first impression is crucial for the person he would be spending the next few hours with in exchange for money.
“When she approaches me, I will greet her with the brightest smile and introduce myself….”
He repeatedly simulated the scenario in his mind as time allowed. And then, the moment finally arrived. A woman appeared and stood behind Haruya, who was concentrating on his mental simulation. After observing Haruya for a while, she decided to speak up as he didn’t seem to notice her.
“Excuse me… Are you Haruya?”
As he turned to the soft and beautifully clear voice, Haruya greeted her with the rehearsed smile…
“Nice to meet you! I’m Haruya! Thank you for booking me toda… huh?”
Haruya stopped midway in his sentence,because the woman who had booked him, the woman standing in front of him, was none other than Akiba Fuyutsuki.
His heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he wondered if he was dreaming or if his eyes were playing tricks on him. But there she was, looking as beautiful as always with a slightly puzzled look on her face.
“Um… did I get it wrong? You are Haruya, right?” Fuyutsuki asked, her eyes seeking confirmation.
“Yeah… I am Haruya…” He managed to mumble. He couldn’t think of anything else to say. The situation was so far beyond what he had expected, he was lost for words.
“But… why…” Haruya finally managed to gather his thoughts. “Why did you book a rental boyfriend? And me, of all people?”
Fuyutsuki blushed slightly, looking down at her feet. “Well… I didn’t really plan on booking you specifically. I just wanted to try the service, and I happened to come across your profile.”
Haruya nodded, understanding what she meant.
“But… why? Why do you need a rental boyfriend?” Haruya asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Fuyutsuki bit her lip, clearly hesitant. After a long pause, she finally spoke. “Well… It’s because I can’t seem to find a real boyfriend…”
Haruya was taken aback. “But… you’re so popular. There are so many guys who like you…”
Fuyutsuki shook her head. “That’s not the point. The guys who approach me… they like the idea of me, not the real me. They see the popular, outgoing Fuyutsuki, but they don’t see the real me. The me that likes staying at home, reading books, and having quiet time.”
Haruya was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. “I see… But why did you choose this way to find someone who can understand you? Isn’t there a risk that you might meet someone who is just pretending?”
Fuyutsuki looked at Haruya, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “That’s the point, Haruya. Isn’t everyone pretending in some way? Even if it’s a rental boyfriend, at least I know what I’m getting into. And who knows? Maybe I’ll meet someone who can understand the real me.”
In that moment, Haruya saw a different side of Fuyutsuki. He saw her vulnerability, her loneliness, her longing for genuine connection. It made him realize that beneath her radiant, popular exterior was a young woman looking for someone who could understand her, someone who could love her for who she truly is.
With a newfound determination, Haruya took a deep breath, looked straight into Fuyutsuki’s eyes, and said, “I’ll do my best to understand you, Fuyutsuki. I promise.”
His journey as a rental boyfriend had taken an unexpected turn, but Haruya was ready to face it. After all, it might lead to something real, something he had been dreaming of. Only time would tell.