Fujimine Yukiko's bewildered look was mistaken by the heavy-set woman as fear.
She wasn't wrong—many victims of train molesters stay silent, fearing public exposure could ruin their lives or careers.
But Yukiko's striking beauty and figure were an eyesore to the woman.
She didn't just want to "expose" Hayashi Shuichi as a pervert; she aimed to drag the "pretty" Yukiko into trouble too.
It was like in Hayashi Shuichi's past life: some unattractive women online viciously trashed prettier peers, as if they were sworn enemies.
Yet, when meeting women who looked like them, they'd bond, calling each other "sister."
It boiled down to two words: jealousy.
Her commotion stirred the passengers, who began whispering about Hayashi Shuichi.
"Such a handsome guy, a pervert?"
"You can't judge a book by its cover."
"Grab him and turn him over to the police!"
…
Egged on by the woman, a few "heroic" passengers moved to restrain Hayashi Shuichi.
"You believe I'm a pervert just because she says so?" Hayashi Shuichi said, exasperated. "Where's her proof?"
"I'm a woman! I wouldn't lie about another woman's honor!" the woman shouted. "Just now, you used the train's sway to press yourself against this girl. You think I didn't see that blatant molestation?"
Yukiko gasped. "You—you really…?"
"You think that's possible?" Hayashi Shuichi snapped.
"Why not?" Yukiko huffed. "This morning, didn't you…"
She trailed off, blushing.
"See? You've been harassing this girl since morning!" the woman snarled. "Everyone heard her! He's a train pervert!"
"We'll hand him to the police when the train stops!"
Hayashi Shuichi was at a loss for words.
Thankfully, Yukiko finally grasped the situation.
Seeing the passengers condemning Hayashi Shuichi, she blinked, then tiptoed and kissed his cheek.
The carriage froze.
Wasn't this a molester and victim?
Why was the victim kissing the creep?
Being handsome lets you get away with anything—even train molesting?
…
Facing stunned stares, Yukiko explained, "Everyone, you've got it wrong. He's my boyfriend. We were just… being close."
Her word choice faltered, and her flushed face made her too shy to continue.
But her bashful look only deepened the misunderstanding.
"What? A couple getting thrills on the train?"
"The train's no place for that! Kids these days…"
"Playing real train play? I only dare do that at love hotels. Tsk, bold… no, perverted!"
…
"Ugh!" Hayashi Shuichi facepalmed. Yukiko's explanation cleared the molester label but slapped a pervert one on him instead!
"You two know each other?" the woman gaped, incredulous.
"What else?" Hayashi Shuichi scoffed. Typical troublemaker—her false accusation caused this mess.
Intimidated by his glare, the woman saw her lie wouldn't hold. Unable to keep accusing him, she slunk to another carriage.
"Hey, she meant well," Yukiko tugged his sleeve. "Why so harsh?"
"Meant well?" Hayashi Shuichi's face darkened as he recounted the woman's groping.
"What? She groped you? That's my loss!" Yukiko stomped, fuming. "I thought she was nice! I'm gonna confront her!"
"Forget it," Hayashi Shuichi held her back. "She'd never admit it."
"Why didn't you say what happened?" Yukiko grumbled.
"In that situation, even if I did, most would think I was retaliating," Hayashi Shuichi said helplessly. "It'd only make things messier."
"We could've called the police!" Yukiko snapped. "Aren't you a consultant for Division One?"
"You think Japan's police have a good rep? They'd likely side with her," Hayashi Shuichi explained. "Even with proof, she'd get a slap on the wrist. And we've got no evidence."
"Damn it," Yukiko gritted her teeth. "So we just let her go?"
They really had no recourse. Japan's government often treated women as the weaker party, handling men with a "guilty until proven innocent" approach.
Hayashi Shuichi recalled how such biased rulings fueled false accusations in Japan, leading men to fear social ruin, destroyed families, or careers.
Eventually, some men resorted to "samurai showdowns" to counter false accusers—beating them up preemptively.
A molestation charge could mean two to three years in jail; a fight, just a few days' detention.
The choice was obvious.
…
On the way back, Yukiko fumed, ranting about her "loss," forgetting her audition worries.
They reached the Mouri building just past three.
With time before the shop opened, Yukiko followed Hayashi Shuichi to his second-floor room to rest.
As they entered, a voice came from the bedroom: "I'm fine, just a slight fever… Go back to class, don't fall behind."
"What's that?" Yukiko giggled. "A recorded alarm?"
"It's to fool Eri. If she knew I skipped school to go with you, she'd—"
Hayashi Shuichi froze mid-sentence, staring at a footprint on the bedroom door, his scalp tingling…
(Chapter End)
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