The Perfect Man, Goda Ryoma

── Goda Ryoma is a perfect man.

That is my vow in the name of myself, and the mission I must fulfill.

My evaluation from those around me is good. Today’s behavior and results are favorable. Within the society formed around me, Goda Ryoma’s title today can be safely called “perfect.”

『The schedule for the celebration, it’s up to you, Ryoma!』

My presence determines the important occasions of the group I belong to.

『Ryoma-kun, you can really do anything, can’t you?』

With the accumulated effort of a swan’s paddling, I show no weakness to those around me.

『F-fufu… Ryoma-kun’s hair…』

Yeah, maybe I’ve gained a bit of an excessive fanbase? The charisma?

Individually perfect. Needing no one’s help, yet neither lonely nor aloof, a flawless existence.──This is the life strategy developed from growing up seeing my pathetic father.

However, there’s one flaw inherited from my parents that I haven’t overcome.

“…Sorry, everyone. Go ahead without me.”

I clap my hands together and apologize to my classmates.

On the way home from school, as I turn back, they all look at each other.

“Huh, Ryoma? We can wait for you.”

“Yeah, let’s hang out more.”

“Especially since Ryoma-kun joined us.”

I appreciate their kind offer, but I have to decline.

“Something came up that’ll take a bit of time.”

I take out my smartphone to emphasize the urgency.

“Well, if Ryoma says so. Make it up to us next time!”

“Yeah, let’s do that. Thanks.”

Nodding at my classmates’ kind gestures, I head back to the school building.

As I return to the entrance, I think about how to make it up to them.

Should I invite them out somewhere again? Or maybe leave it up to their requests?

Either way, I feel guilty for being inconsiderate, so I want to make amends.

The reason I turned back wasn’t that I forgot something or had to use the bathroom──it was because I saw a small figure in our classroom when I looked up at the sky.

“…Phew.”

When I arrived in front of the classroom, the first thing I heard was a faint sigh.

The sunset was already beautiful, and it gently and strongly shone into the third-floor classroom.

There was the sound of a desk leg scraping against the floor. Two strands of tied black hair slightly swayed.

Long eyelashes looked down sadly, and she was there alone.

Kinoshita Minami. A delicate classmate who recently started talking a bit more, and a member of the discipline committee.

“Kinoshita, are you alone?”

“Huh? Ah, Goda… -san.”

When I asked that at the open door, her eyes, which were cast down, opened wide.

It would be great if she could smile more often with those beautiful eyes that look like embedded jewels.

“Organizing desks? Did someone ask you to do it again?”

“That is…”

Kinoshita clasped her hands tightly to her chest and looked away from me.

Her eyes, cast down again, didn’t seem like she wanted to talk much.

“Well, it’s fine. I’ll help.”

Goda Ryoma is a perfect man. I chant that in my heart.

I want to help her situation right away, but if I rush in, I might come off as a creepy guy to her.

“Ah, no… It’s not something Goda-san should help with.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

I live trying to be a perfect man in the eyes of those around me.

That includes not just visible accomplishments, but also the sense of distance with others and the solutions I offer to their problems.

“I actually like this stuff. Seeing wobbly desks gives me hives.”

When I smiled and said that, Kinoshita looked a bit surprised.

Then, she lowered the corners of her eyes in a troubled way and smiled a little.

“You’re lying…”

──The imperfect part of my perfect self.

It’s my bad habit of trying to meddle in others’ problems right away.

My father, who claimed to help everyone and remained a hypocrite, ended his life being leeched off despite having enormous wealth.

So, I swore I wouldn’t end up like him.

“With this… done…”

But I couldn’t stand seeing the girl who was silently doing the task she was left with.

That was a little while ago. Now, Kinoshita has somewhat lowered her guard, and our conversations flow more smoothly.

“…By the way.”

In the quiet classroom where only the sound of desks scraping echoed, Kinoshita murmured softly.

“During lunch break today, I heard a lot of people talking about you, Goda-san.”

“Heh, heh…”

That’s not exactly something to be happy about.

“Oji-san from the next class came in furious, saying ‘I won’t lose to Goda in the next exam.'”

Oji… the guy who claimed to be second or third in our grade. Our school doesn’t post rankings, so how does he always find out?

“Onuki-sensei from chemistry said something about a secret lesson with Goda-kun.”

Onuki… the forty-something teacher who clings to me. She even patted my butt last time.

“And today, some of our classmates were looking for you, intending to have lunch with you.”

“Is that so…”

Unfortunately, that will remain an unfulfilled dream.

No, it’s not that I disappear during lunch to act aloof.

It’s simply because I don’t want anyone to know about my mom’s lunch. Today’s lunch had “Ryoma love you ♥” written in seaweed. It’s my mom’s lunch, not a girlfriend’s.

“…And there was a girl picking up hair around your desk, so I had to warn her as a member of the discipline committee.”

“Thank you, really, thank you.”

All my stories are terrible.

I shook Kinoshita’s hands up and down with gratitude.

“Ah, i-it’s nothing…!”

Oops, my bad.

Against the backdrop of the sunset, I backed away from the flustered Kinoshita. I’m not the type to touch others, but my gratitude kind of went out of control.

“…But still.”

Kinoshita gently stroked the hand I accidentally grabbed and murmured.

“It feels strange, talking like this with ‘everyone’s Goda-san.'”

Her raised face showed signs of anxiety and confusion.

“Um.”

“Hm?”

In a nervous manner, her soft lips moved.

“──Why does Goda-san care about someone like me?”

Why, huh.

That was──.