Honestly, I looked no different from some creepy stalker right now. I’d rejected Nanami Hayashi’s invitation, yet here I was, secretly tailing her. I knew how messed up this was.

But Nana had been dead for three days—maybe she’d forgotten the way. She wandered through the woods for a full two hours before finally stumbling out. Gotta hand it to her legendary sense of direction. Though, seriously, would she even find her way home like this?

Once she reached the highway, there wasn’t a single taxi in sight. A timid, shy girl like her probably wouldn’t dare hitch a ride with strangers.

I followed her all the way into the city. She boarded a tram, and I rushed after her. Rush hour meant crowds, but it wasn’t packed enough to be suffocating.

Then I spotted something wild—a sneaky hand slowly creeping toward Nana’s skirt-covered backside. So this was Japan’s infamous "train wolf"?

As a guy with *plenty* of "justice" in his heart, I decided to help. Even if no one could see me, I could still mess with people through time.

I patted my near-empty pockets. My only weapon? A nail clipper. Wait—when did I even get this thing?

No matter. The moment that groping hand pressed against Nana’s perky butt, her body shuddered violently. Her pretty face flushed crimson—definitely the shy type. Honestly, who *wouldn’t* react like that after a secret butt grab? Some might slap back, but Nana didn’t seem brave enough.

Just as she froze in panic, the hand yanked back with a muffled yelp. The guy bit his tongue, too embarrassed to shout. *Serves you right.* My nail clipper had just bitten hard into his hand. Why didn’t I stop him sooner? Heh. I kinda wanted to see this girl’s flustered face.

At the next stop, Nana bolted off the tram, face still burning red. No idea if it was her stop—she just couldn’t stay another second. She dashed straight into a nearby women’s restroom. Should I follow?

Peeking in wouldn’t get me caught, but it’d be *way* too creepy. I killed that thought… then changed my mind and peeked anyway. Good thing I didn’t go in—she was already out, face damp with water. Guess she’d splashed some to cool down. *Damn. My hopes were up for nothing.*

By noon, most of the time wasted had been her forest detour. Nana seemed headed for food.

She pushed open a café door like a regular. A server bowed politely. "Ah, Miss Hayashi! Haven’t seen you in days. Heard you were on a missing persons poster?"

Nana forced a smile. Couldn’t exactly say she’d been murdered and resurrected. "Just… ran away to a friend’s place after an argument. Didn’t expect such a fuss."

The server wisely dropped it. "Your usual order?" Nana nodded and took a window seat.

Soon, omurice, a slice of cheesecake, and black coffee with milk arrived. Watching her eat made me hungry too. Stealing didn’t bother me—I’d repay them later with extra years of life.

After three plates of omurice and a stolen glass of apple juice, I was stuffed. Nana, starving after days without proper meals, devoured her food messily. She tossed 2,000 yen on the table and left. I trailed after her again.

Another half-hour of wandering—probably because the train incident forced her off early. Finally, I saw Nana’s home.

A mansion. Iron gates guarded the property, topped with two snarling lion statues. Inside, white walls and a red roof stood amid colorful flower beds. Two stories tall, with a rooftop pool glinting in the sun.

So she was a heiress? Interesting. No wonder she’d invited me over—what’s one more guest to someone like her? I’d always pictured rich girls as spoiled brats. *Sorry, all heiresses of the world.*

Inside, red-gold carpets lined the hall. A marble table held candlesticks and fresh flowers—probably the dining area. White walls displayed abstract paintings I couldn’t decipher, except one family photo of the Hayashis. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Nana greeted maids, but they barely reacted. Her parents must’ve kept her "disappearance" quiet, pretending she’d just been away.

Nana headed up the spiral staircase to a left-side room. Standing outside her door, I hesitated. Sneaking into a girl’s room wasn’t just creepy—it was straight-up malicious.

*Screw it. I’ll tour the place instead.*

On the empty rooftop, I dropped Time Acceleration. Maintaining it drained me.

White lounge chairs, parasols, and small round tables dotted the area—likely for poolside snacks. March’s heat was already rising. The pool water looked crisp and cool. I couldn’t swim, but dipping my feet? Perfect.

After all that walking, I sat at the pool’s edge, slipped my feet in, and sighed as the chill washed away the ache.

I leaned back to relax—*wait*. The sunlight vanished. And right above me… pure white panties.

Nana stood behind me. *Crap. Having too much fun to notice her.*

"Uh… hi there," I grinned awkwardly. This was beyond embarrassing. She glanced down, realized what I’d seen, clutched her skirt, and stumbled back, face scarlet. "Y-you! How are you here?!"

I blurted the first lie that came to mind. She seemed easy to fool. "Couldn’t leave you alone after that train mess. Followed you secretly." Her eyes widened. After a long pause, she whispered, "Th-thank you."

"Well, you’re home safe now. Guess I’ll take off." I pulled my legs from the water, reaching for my shoes.

"Wait!" She took a deep breath. "I know it’s rude to ask again after you refused… but please stay. My parents work overseas. The maids don’t talk much. At night… this huge house is just me. I get scared. I just… want someone to talk to."

Simple. She was lonely. After lying dead for three days without anyone noticing? I got it. "Alright. I’ll stay. Temporarily." I had nowhere else to go anyway.

"Really?!" She threw her arms around me. "Hey—!"

We both tumbled into the pool.