Am I The Only Male Tenant Here?

After the intoxicating excitement of the school festival faded into memory, campus life settled back into its familiar rhythm.

After the intoxicating excitement of the school festival faded into memory, campus life settled back into its familiar rhythm. The dramatic highs of that perfect day with Shiraishi-senpai—the planetarium kiss, our desperate stall rescue mission, the victory celebration—all of it gradually became part of our shared history as we returned to the comfortable routine of classes and club activities.

Time really does fly when you're living your best life.

Thanks to Tomoko-san's dedicated treatment regimen, my injured finger had been healing remarkably well. A full month had passed since the initial injury, and another lazy Sunday morning had arrived—the kind of peaceful weekend that felt like a gift after a week of academic obligations.

Sunday mornings are sacred. Especially when they start like this.

Golden sunlight streamed through my bedroom windows, painting the wooden floor with dancing patterns of light and shadow. A gentle breeze drifted in, carrying with it the promise of another beautiful day. The combination of warm sun and cool air felt absolutely perfect against my skin as I slowly emerged from sleep.

This is what contentment feels like. Waking up naturally, no alarms, no urgent responsibilities...

When I made my way to Tomoko-san's room for breakfast, the sight that greeted me nearly stopped my heart.

Holy shit.

She'd already prepared what looked like a feast fit for royalty, but that wasn't what caught my attention. As the weather had grown warmer, my beautiful landlady's clothing choices had become increasingly... minimalist.

She's trying to kill me. She has to be trying to kill me.

Today's outfit consisted of a loose-fitting camisole that did absolutely nothing to hide her generous curves, paired with the tiniest hot pants I'd ever seen—barely covering her perfectly shaped rear. The way the fabric clung to her body, the tantalizing glimpses of skin, the way she moved with that unconscious sensuality...

The half-hidden aesthetic is the most dangerous kind of temptation. What you can almost see is infinitely more exciting than what's fully revealed.

"Hurry up and have breakfast, Sousuke-kun," she said with that warm smile that never failed to make my chest tight.

Focus, Ginjo. Food first, inappropriate thoughts about your landlady later.

But my body had other ideas. Moving quietly, I approached her from behind and slipped my arms around her slender waist, pulling her back against my chest.

My chin found its natural resting place on her shoulder, and I let my breath tickle the sensitive skin near her ear. The effect was immediate and devastating—she melted against me like ice cream in summer heat.

"Sou... Sousuke-kun... it's too early for this..." she whispered, her voice trembling with barely contained desire.

Too early? There's no such thing as too early when it comes to appreciating perfection.

Her face flushed that delicious shade of pink that made her look even more beautiful, and I could feel the rapid flutter of her pulse against my lips where they brushed her neck.

Reluctantly—so reluctantly it physically hurt—I released her and took my seat at the table. Morning time was limited, and as much as I wanted to explore where that moment might have led, practical considerations had to take priority.

Later. There will definitely be time for more later.

"Tomoko-san, I'm going to the hospital for my follow-up appointment today," I said between sips of perfectly prepared miso soup. "If everything looks good, I might finally be able to get this annoying fixator removed."

"Eh? Already? Why didn't you tell me sooner, Sousuke-kun?" Her concern was immediate and intense, that protective instinct that made her worry about every aspect of my wellbeing. "Do you need me to come with you?"

"No need, Tomoko-san. I have to observe the water polo club's training first, then head to the hospital. My appointment with the doctor is around noon."

I took a bite of her homemade tamagoyaki, and the sweet, tender perfection of it made me close my eyes in appreciation.

Just like its creator—sweet, tender, and absolutely perfect.

"I hope the examination goes well," she said softly. "You were so reckless getting injured in the first place. Please be more careful in the future."

"I'll be careful, Tomoko-san. The doctor said it was lucky I sought treatment immediately, or it might have affected the normal function of this finger permanently."

I wiggled the injured digit for emphasis, then looked up at her with what I hoped was an innocent expression.

"That would have been terrible, don't you think? This finger is very important for... various activities."

Let's see if she catches my meaning.

"Sou... Sousuke-kun... you're doing it again..." Her face turned an even deeper shade of red as she bit her lower lip in that unconsciously seductive way that drove me crazy. "It seems like your injured finger didn't slow you down at all..."

She knows exactly what I'm implying. My sweet, innocent landlady has a delightfully dirty mind when she wants to.

"How could it not affect things? When you're always applying force with just one side, the balance gets thrown off. It's problematic when the forces aren't consistent on both sides."

My gaze drifted from my breakfast to something far more appetizing—the way her camisole shifted with each breath, the graceful curve of her neck, the way she unconsciously arched her back when she was flustered.

"Well... maybe we should just adjust things after your finger heals..." she said, no longer avoiding the implications of our conversation.

"Absolutely. I'll need to calculate these forces very carefully," I replied, my imagination already running wild with possibilities.

All the things I've been unable to do properly, all the techniques that require full dexterity... there's going to be a lot of catching up to do.

"Geez... I won't tease you anymore..." she said suddenly, straightening up with excitement. "Let's celebrate tonight, Sousuke-kun!"

Celebrate? Did she just suggest what I think she suggested?

"Celebrate?" I asked, still caught up in my fantasies and needing a moment to process her words.

"Yes, celebrate! We're celebrating the recovery of your finger, of course!"

Of course. That's definitely what she meant. Totally innocent celebration. Right.

"Okay, I'll leave the planning to you, Tomoko-san."

If the fixator comes off today, it'll be like breaking a seal. Celebrating with my beautiful landlady sounds like the perfect way to mark the occasion.

I could practically see the gears turning in her head as she began planning whatever she had in mind for our "celebration." The anticipation alone was enough to make the rest of breakfast taste even better.

After finishing the delicious meal and reluctantly leaving Tomoko-san's room, I gathered my things and headed out into the Tokyo heat.

Jesus, it's like walking into an oven out here.

The sun hung mercilessly overhead, turning the entire city into a sauna. By the time I was halfway to school, I could already feel sweat beading on my forehead.

Summer in Tokyo is no joke. How do people survive this without melting?

But even the oppressive heat couldn't dampen my mood when I spotted a familiar figure waiting by the school gate, waving enthusiastically as soon as she saw me.

Shiraishi-senpai. Right on time, as always.

I raised my hand in greeting, that automatic smile spreading across my face that seemed to happen whenever she was around.

Even though she stopped asking me to help with training after my injury, I've gotten so used to these Sunday sessions that I keep coming anyway.

And it definitely has nothing to do with getting to watch a pool full of beautiful girls in swimsuits. Nothing at all. I'm just being a dedicated mentor.

Yeah, right. Even I don't believe that.

"Ginjo-san, today's your follow-up appointment, isn't it?" she said with that radiant smile that never failed to make my day brighter. "You didn't forget, did you?"

As if I could forget with her reminding me three times this week.

"Of course I didn't forget. You've only reminded me about a dozen times, Shiraishi-senpai. Eleven o'clock appointment with the same doctor, right?"

"That's right! I'm coming with you after training."

She wants to come with me. Again. Even though it's just a routine check-up.

"You don't need to trouble yourself, Shiraishi-senpai. It's just a quick examination this time. If everything looks good, I can get the fixator removed.

"Absolutely not!" she said with surprising firmness. "You have to finish what you start. I was there for the first appointment, so how could I miss this one?"

The determination in her voice is adorable. Like missing my appointment would be a personal failure on her part.

"Besides," she continued, a shy expression creeping across her features, "patients always need family members to accompany them, right?"

Family members.

She just called herself my family member. The same term that made me complain about misunderstandings before, and now she's using it herself.

The implications hit me like a truck. She wasn't worried about people misunderstanding our relationship anymore—if anything, she seemed to want people to think we were together.

She's not hiding from the idea of being seen as my girlfriend. She's embracing it.

"Well then, I'll have to trouble you one more time, Shiraishi-senpai," I said, letting my genuine happiness show in my expression.

Having her there will make even a medical appointment feel like a date.

She took my arm with that natural ease that had developed between us since the festival, and we walked onto campus together like the power couple we were apparently becoming.

"Ginjo-kun, good morning!"

The chorus of voices from the pool area made me grin as the water polo team members—already changed into their swimsuits—called out their enthusiastic greetings.

These girls. Always so energetic, always so... well-proportioned in those tight swimsuits.

Focus, Ginjo. You're here to be a responsible mentor, not to ogle teenagers.

But damn, being stuck on land duty while my finger heals has been torture.

For now, I could only supervise their training from the pool deck, offering advice and corrections from a safe distance. But once my finger healed completely...

Once I'm cleared for water activities again, I can provide hands-on instruction. Personal guidance. Close contact coaching.

The thought of getting back in the pool, of being able to demonstrate techniques properly, of having an excuse for physical contact during training...

First the doctor's appointment, then celebration with Tomoko-san, and soon back to full water polo coaching duties. Today is definitely shaping up to be a day worth remembering.