Matsuda from the Class Next Door Is My Bodyguard

Yajima Eri is a high school student who has just moved from Tokyo to Kanagawa.

On her first day at her new school, someone followed her, she tripped headfirst into a flower bed, and earned herself a trip to the hospital.

On the second day, she got food poisoning and collapsed before she could even leave school, earning herself a second trip to the hospital.

On the third day, a dog chased her for three blocks, and the moment someone rescued her, she twisted her ankle, earning herself a third trip to the hospital.

Seeing this, her friend hesitated again and again, agonized over it, and finally suggested, "Should we do something about it?"

Yajima Eri suddenly saw the light. She went online and searched:

[What should I do if people around me keep trying to hurt me?]

[How do I find a bodyguard who's reliable and won't scam me?]

[How do I maintain a stable employment relationship with my bodyguard?]

"Obviously, it'll be a business relationship!"

Watching Yajima Eri pull out her pocket money and prepare to get down to business, her friend fell silent, hesitated, then fell silent again.

Right, she forgot that Eri was a bit of a space cadet.

**

Because of her spectacularly unlucky experiences, Matsuda Jinpei was already familiar with the name Yajima Eri, from the class next door.

On his way to a part-time job, Matsuda Jinpei happened to help Yajima Eri while she was being chased by a dog, and she promptly invited him to be her bodyguard.

Matsuda Jinpei, who was short on money: She was offering a lot, after all.

The first incident after he became her bodyguard: she fell into a river at the park.

Matsuda Jinpei was caught up in it too. He pulled Yajima Eri out of the water, and she threw herself at him, apologizing over and over.

Matsuda: Silence.

The second incident after he became her bodyguard: she nearly got electrocuted while gaming.

Matsuda Jinpei helped clean up, then looked at the tea and snacks Yajima Eri had eagerly brought him and sighed.

The third incident after he became her bodyguard: she nearly got into a car accident.

At the hospital, Matsuda Jinpei watched Yajima Eri push a wad of cash into his hands, her eyes brimming with tears as she begged him not to give up on her. He had mixed feelings.

The fourth time, the fifth time...

Gradually, Matsuda Jinpei reached a conclusion: nobody was plotting against her. She was just unlucky.

By then, he was used to protecting her, used to walking home with her after school, and used to her doing all kinds of foolish, unlucky things. The two were always inseparable. As his childhood friend Hagiwara put it, how was this any different from dating?

Of course it was different :)

Even after he stopped being her bodyguard, whenever they went somewhere together, she would still slip him money from time to time, calling it "a thank-you for protecting me."

Matsuda Jinpei agonized over it and hesitated time and time again. He hated this unhealthy financial relationship, and finally decided to have a serious talk with her.

Matsuda: Actually, there's a way to do this without money.

Yajima Eri, devastated: Even you, Matsuda, are giving up on me?

Matsuda Jinpei was helpless. Matsuda Jinpei fell silent. Matsuda Jinpei pulled her out of the way of a flowerpot falling from upstairs.

Yajima Eri choked back a sob and declared with conviction: See? Without you, Matsuda, someone would definitely target me again!

Matsuda finally lost his patience: Then let's just date!

To hell with your business relationship.

And you're just really unlucky!

P.S. Our girl has an unbelievably unlucky constitution and is naturally a bit of a space cadet.

Theme: Sincere relationships