CM Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – Too Close

Chapter 1, Part 5.2

Novel Title: ひとりじめ (Completely Mine)

Author：椎崎 夕 (Shiizaki You)

Illustrator：小山田 あみ (Oyamada Ami)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 細川 湊 (Hosokawa Minato -MC) & 荻原 浩志 (Ogiwara Koushi -ML)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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“Ogiwara-kun, could you… let go of my arm?”  

Under the blazing sun, as they walked along the now-familiar path, Minato hesitantly addressed Ogiwara, who was leading the way.  

Ogiwara glanced back and seemed to notice only then that he was still holding Minato’s arm. He quickly let go, a slightly awkward expression crossing his face.  

“Minato-sensei, what did my brother say to you?”  

“In summary, he says he finds you unbearably adorable… You seem to have a great relationship with him.”  

Ogiwara’s face twisted into a complicated expression, which Minato found amusing. After a moment’s thought, Minato voiced the question that had been on his mind.  

“Your brother is back home, huh? Does he have summer vacation beyond Obon?”  

“Starting next month, he’ll be transferring to a nearby branch office. He’s taking some vacation days to move back in. Honestly, I wish he’d just find a girlfriend or wife and move out already.”  

“That sounds lively. It’s nice to have family around.”  

At Minato’s comment, Ogiwara made a face of clear displeasure, which Minato couldn’t help but laugh at.  

“Where should we study? Self-study might work, but if I’m teaching, the library won’t do. That leaves a café or fast-food place…”  

“I’d like to go to your place, Minato-sensei. Would it be alright to study there?”  

Minato recalled a promise he had made during Ogiwara’s hospital stay.  

“As I said before, my place is on the third floor, and the air conditioner is old, so it’s not very comfortable. Plus, there’s a train transfer involved. Are you sure that’s okay?”  

“It’s fine. With the new semester starting soon, I can’t afford not to manage that much.”  

“Alright. But let me know early if it’s too much for you.”  

“Got it. You’re surprisingly protective, Minato-sensei.”  

Ogiwara’s sudden laughter startled Minato, who looked up to find him much closer than expected, causing his shoulder to twitch slightly.  

“You’re still recovering, so it’s better not to overdo it.”  

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”  

Relieved as Ogiwara moved away, Minato also felt a faint sense of loss. Suppressing these conflicting feelings, he directed Ogiwara toward the station.  

***

A peculiar feeling washed over Minato.  

Pausing midway through folding a paper coffee filter in the small kitchen, he glanced toward the back room, which served as both his bedroom and living space.  

Minato’s apartment was an older but well-maintained building popular among students. Its layout was a compact 1LDK, with the dining space functioning more like a hallway connecting the entrance to the back room. From the kitchen sink, the entire apartment was visible at a glance.  

Though he enjoyed taking photographs, he didn’t have a habit of displaying them, and his minimalist lifestyle often elicited comments from friends about how barren his space looked. Still, after three and a half years, the apartment held a special place in his heart.  

At the desk against the wall, Ogiwara was engrossed in solving advanced math problems. The serious expression on his face was one Minato had seen countless times during lessons, yet now it felt new. Perhaps because, for the first time, they were completely alone.  

Of course, it was just Minato’s imagination. For Ogiwara, this was no different from any other study session, except for the change in venue.  

Chiding himself, Minato returned to preparing coffee. As if waiting for this moment, the electric kettle clicked. Habitually gripping the handle, Minato mentally reassured himself.  

Ogiwara had wanted to visit this room purely out of curiosity and practicality—he was planning to move away for college and wanted a point of reference. That was all there was to it—no more, no less.  

“Sensei? I’m done.”  

“Oh, ah!” The sudden voice near Minato’s ear startled him, causing his grip on the kettle to falter. Just as the pot began to tip, a firm hand steadied his, preventing a spill.  

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to scare you.”  

“No, it’s fine. Thank you. But—are you alright? Did the steam burn you?”  

Turning quickly to check, Minato froze.  

“I’m fine. Are you? I called out a few times, but you didn’t respond, so I got closer.”  

As Ogiwara’s lips moved dangerously close to his ear, Minato’s thoughts ground to a halt.  

“Shall I take care of the coffee?” Ogiwara offered smoothly.  

“It..it’s alright.”  

Before Minato could fully decline, Ogiwara’s hand covered his on the kettle’s handle, guiding it to pour steaming water into the cups.  

“I’ll bring these over. Please, have a seat.”  

“Okay… I’ll bring some snacks in a minute.”  

“Alright.”  

As Ogiwara walked off, carrying the two mugs with ease, Minato found himself staring at the long arms that had just encircled him. The realization made his face burn.  

“—Sensei? Did you get burned or something after all?”

Ogiwara, who had placed his cup on the desk, looked concerned as he watched Minato standing frozen in the kitchen. Snapping out of his daze, Minato waved his hand and said, “I’m fine,” before retrieving a box he’d been looking for from the cupboard. When he returned to the desk, slightly hesitant, Ogiwara looked surprised at the box in Minato’s hand.

“Wagashi? Do you like these?”

“A friend brought them back as a souvenir from their hometown. But maybe tea would’ve been better with these. Should I brew some?”

“I’m fine with this. Coffee and wagashi surprisingly go well together, don’t you think?”

Faced with Ogiwara’s friendly smile, Minato almost lost his composure. To put some distance between them, he sat on the bed instead of the matching chair at the desk where Ogiwara was seated. He managed to form a smile, and as they chatted during their break, he gradually regained his composure.

Ogiwara using the chair was a priority for his right knee. Post-surgery, there were certain positions he wasn’t allowed to take, and since he still wasn’t used to his condition and couldn’t be without his brace, he avoided sitting on the floor whenever possible.

“Minato-sensei, when will you find out the results of your hiring exam?”

“October. If I fail, I’ll have to start job hunting immediately, so I need to at least get my thesis in order by then.”

“I think you’ll be fine. Minato-sensei, your teaching is really easy to understand.”

“I hope so.”

Teaching isn’t just about giving lessons; it also requires the skill to manage and guide students. While he might handle things in class, outside of it, Minato felt he had always been treated like an ornamental plant. He doubted he had the necessary skills.

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*GLOSSARY: 

• 1LDK: In Japan, a 1LDK apartment refers to a layout with one separate room, a living room (L), a dining area (D), and a kitchen (K). The ‘1’ indicates the number of individual rooms that can be used as bedrooms or other spaces, while LDK describes the combined living, dining, and kitchen area. This classification is a common way to describe apartment sizes in Japan, and the numbers can vary, like 2LDK (two rooms) or 3LDK (three rooms), giving a clear idea of the apartment’s structure. These abbreviations make it easy to understand how many separate rooms there are and whether there’s a shared area for living, dining, and cooking.

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☝🏻Wagashi

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Illustration 4: 

Next update: 2026.08.10

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