Hitori Gotoh despised the nickname "Hitori Bocchi."
It was like a public announcement that she was a lonely, friendless loser.
Faced with this label she loathed, Hitori prepared to bravely speak her mind...
"O-okay... okay..."
Well, that was a lie. She didn't have the courage to refuse at all.
Seeing Hitori's slightly wronged, unhappy, yet utterly unresisting expression, Masao found it amusing.
'I've stumbled upon an entertaining toy,' he thought.
"Never mind. That name's a mouthful anyway. I'll just call you Bocchi-chan."
"B-Bocchi-chan..."
A wave of relief washed over Hitori.
'Bocchi-chan is so much better. And it's new—no one's ever called me that before. A familiar, affectionate nickname like that... it feels like something only close friends would use.'
She barely stifled a silly giggle. Sucking in a shaky breath, she managed, "Th-then... what should I call you?"
'You did it, Hitori! You've taken a monumental step in stranger-conversation!'
"We look about the same age. Let's drop the formalities," Masao said, his tone disarmingly friendly.
Hitori gave a stiff nod, her mind racing. 'He seems really nice. If he were my first friend... I think I could do this.'
Masao's next words, however, shattered her budding confidence.
"You may call me Lord Masao."
'What happened to 'no formalities'?! 'Lord Masao' is a thousand times worse!'
Confronted with this blatant contradiction, Hitori's response was...
"O-okay... I understand, Lord Masao."
As always, Hitori was powerless to object.
'Exquisite.'
That single "Lord Masao" sent a jolt of pure satisfaction straight to Masao's core. Ever since his transmigration into this world, he'd been cemented at the absolute bottom of the social hierarchy. To now have a cute girl call him with such reverence...
He looked at the weak, timid, and trembling Hitori, an excited grin spreading across his face, his eyes gleaming with a faint, predatory red light.
'Bocchi-chan is just too cute. Surely it'd be fine to tease her just a little more…'
Just as Masao was getting carried away, poised to descend upon the cute, helpless, and vulnerable Hitori, a station announcement yanked him back from the brink.
"Attention all passengers, the train will be arriving shortly."
Masao blinked, his senses returning.
'What was I thinking? What came over me?'
He stared at Hitori, who was still kneeling on the floor, radiating pure helplessness.
'It has to be because Bocchi-chan looks so bully-able. I couldn't help myself. The way she unconsciously provokes such impulses... is she some kind of natural-born succubus?'
'Cute Bocchi-chan was simply meant to be teased.'
Shaking his head to clear the bizarre thoughts, Masao addressed the girl on the floor. "You can walk, right? Our train's here."
"Our train?"
Only then did Hitori's brain catch up. She wasn't on a train. She glanced around, taking in the completely unfamiliar surroundings, and panic instantly set in.
'Where am I? When did I get off? How do I get back? Waaah! Dad! Mom! Futari! I might never see you again!'
Seeing Hitori's frantic, tear-filled eyes and her body on the verge of a full-scale glitch, Masao accurately diagnosed her spiral. "Alright, stop standing there looking lost. Follow me."
His commanding tone cut through her turmoil. She immediately suppressed her swirling emotions, scrambled to her feet, and hurried after him.
Once aboard the train, Masao pointed to the route map. "Check which stop is yours."
Hitori looked up and quickly found the two familiar stations: one near her home, the other near her school. The sight made her exhale a long, shaky breath of relief.
'Phew... I'm saved. I can get to school and back home. But still... I got off at a strange, unknown station. Such reckless deviation from my routine... it was strangely thrilling.'
Masao watched as Hitori, now safely on the train, stood motionless with a dorky, spaced-out smile plastered on her face.
'As expected, Bocchi-chan's mental state is... unique. She gets lost in her own world so easily. Not like me; my mind is purely occupied with impure thoughts.'
"Over here. Sit."
"Okay."
Hitori obeyed, following him to a two-seater corner spot. This state of blissful obedience—of not having to think or make a single decision for herself—was heaven.
Once they were seated, Masao broke the silence.
"Bocchi-chan."
"Yes! I'm here, Lord Masao!"
Hitori responded like a soldier snapping to attention, her reply instantaneous.
The title was gratifying, he had to admit, but it also felt... ill-fitting. Frankly, being called "fat pig" or "disgusting pervert" felt more natural and comfortable to him than "Lord Masao."
'I suppose it's because I'm fundamentally humble. I don't enjoy being on top; I'm much more comfortable on the bottom.'
"Change of plans. Just call me Masao, Masao-kun, or just Tanaka. Scrap the 'Lord' title. I don't care for it."
"Understood,Lord Masao! I mean—! Ah, no! I mean... Masao... Masao-kun... Tanaka...?"
The words tumbled out in a flustered jumble before she could stop herself.
Masao stared, deadpan. "..."
"Don't use all three at once. It's simple: just call me Masao." Giving Hitori options was a recipe for disaster. A direct command was the only way.
"Y-yes! Mas... Masao!"
Hearing his given name from her, Masao nodded, satisfied. This felt far more comfortable.
With that settled, he moved on. "So, Bocchi-chan, which stop is yours?"
"Shuka University Station."
"Shuka University..."
Masao's eyes traced the route on the map. They were currently in southern Tokyo, while Shuka University was way up north, practically in Chiba. He did a quick mental calculation—the commute from his own apartment would only be about twenty minutes.
'Seriously? I live closer to her university than she does.'
Seeing they had a solid hour ahead of them, Masao decided to make conversation.
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