"I see… So that's why you were spacing out and nearly got yourself killed earlier."
"… Again, I'm very sorry for having troubled you."
"Ara~ It's no trouble where a life is concerned."
Sitting inside the train on the way to their destination, Kei had just explained to the lady who had just saved his life why he was spacing out earlier. She seemed to have understood his predicament.
"Well, I don't think what you did was wrong. What's wrong with teaching your teammates respect and humility? If you had left them to be, you wouldn't have gotten far, would you?"
"Still… Every time I do this… I just feel guilty…"
"It means that what you did was right. Do you know what we call people who do those things and don't feel bad about it?"
"Hm?"
"Tyrants."
As the conversation concluded, Kei noticed the train had just arrived at the station he was supposed to leave. When he stood up, so did the lady who followed him out of the train.
"Are you getting off at this stop?"
"Mhm."
Hearing that, Kei started walking towards his apartment complex with that lady walking beside him. Kei started feeling like something was off about her, but seeing how she had saved him, he thought that it should be okay.
"So, how has high school been treating you so far?"
"Well… too many annoying people for my liking."
"Ara~ Don't sound so gloomy. I'm sure there's at least one person that you managed to get close to. Or rather, managed to get close to you?"
"I guess there's one? Though I don't really know why she even tries to get close to a horrible person like me. She could honestly get anyone if she wanted."
Looking at him as if she was examining him, the lady started speaking again.
"Ara~ Handsome and humble boys like you are very rare nowadays, you know? I'm sure that whoever that girl is, she definitely made the right choice trying to work hard getting close to you."
"Who knows what goes on in Mai's head…"
"So that's her name."
"A-ah… yes, it is. The kindest person I've ever met and yet, I still don't know why she chooses to spend her time with me."
Having gotten lost in their conversation, Kei had reached his apartment complex before he knew it.
"Thank you for your help again, miss. Who knows if I could've gotten back here in one piece if it weren't for you." Kei said as he gave her a bow to show his gratitude to her.
"Ara~ Don't worry about it. So, this is your apartment complex?"
"Yes."
"What a coincidence. I also happen to live here." The lady said as she smiled towards him.
As she said that, Kei had a baffled look on his face as the lady couldn't help but giggle at his surprise at the revelation. The two walked into the apartment complex together. To his disbelief, she had gotten off on the same floor as him as well. Putting that aside, the two of them continued making small talk as they finally arrived at Kei's doorstep.
"This is my apartment. Thank you for all your help."
"Ara~ It was my pleasure."
As the two of them exchanged their goodbyes, the door to his neighbour opened as Mai stepped out of her apartment.
"Ah… you're home, mom? I heard your voi—"
Mai stopped talking and moving altogether when she saw that Kei was talking to the lady that she referred to as her mother. Putting the pieces together, Kei also realized that he had been talking to Mai's mother the whole time.
"Ara~ Mai-chan. I'm home."
"M-m-m-mom? W-why are you talking with Kei-kun?"
"Ara! You've already started addressing each other by your first names! I'm such a proud mom right now."
"M-mom! Why are you home so early?!"
"I wanted to see my cute, cute daughter but it looks like she was waiting for someone else."
"Mou~ Cut it out, will you?"
The lady that had saved Kei's life and was standing in front of him was none other than Mai's mother. Due to her work, she wasn't at home much and was always away on business trips, leaving her daughter alone at home.
"Let me introduce myself, I am Chihiro Maya, it is so good to finally meet and talk to you in person."
"M-my name is Amane Kei. A first-year student at Tachibana Private High School and a classmate of your daughter. Pleased to meet you!"
"Ara~ There is no need to be so formal. You are, after all, my dear Mai's boyfriend, am I right?"
"I… ah… umm…"
Kei found it hard to answer her and her bombardment of questions. He hadn't anticipated this situation at all.
"Mama! Stop bullying him!"
"Ara~ He was so cute that I couldn't help but tease him."
"Mou~… Wait… What did you mean finally? Did you know about him before this?!"
"You two looked so sweet sleeping on each other's shoulders on that train at night."
"Uuuuuu…"
The night in which she was referring to was when Mai took Kei to her special place when he was down. When they were coming home, they had fallen asleep.
"Anyways, would you like to come have dinner with us?"
"Ah… umm… It's okay. I will find so—"
"You must be tired from that basketball game earlier. Come, come. Let us eat. I will whip up a feast!"
***
'…How did I end up in this situation…?"