Volume 5 - CH 1

Starting Middle School

Time flew and my 6 years of elementary school came to an end.

It was 6 long years in my previous life but mentally I’m almost 30 already so 6 years just felt like a blink of an eye.

Still, in 3 years the story of the game will come into play.

Not only that, I’ve also got myself involved too much with people from the game and for the past few years, I’ve been neglecting to stay in touch with Tsugaru Madoka.

Emi’s still quarreling with her but they are friends now. With Risa there to mediate their quarrel, the original girl trio from the game was formed.

“This time I will be in the same class as Hideyori-kun for sure!”

“No, it’s me who will be in the class as him.”

“Nii-san’s always in the same class as Akechi-kun right…… I’ve never been in his class even once you know!”

The three are arguing over who will be in the same class as me this year.

I just leave them be.

We normally meet each other almost every day so I don’t really get why being put in the same class is that good in the first place though……

“Akechi-kun. Please be careful. It’s very possible that you will meet a lot more of the game’s characters in middle school after all.”

“I know……., rather, why are you here, Tsugaru?”

Since I didn’t get involved with her much, it just felt awkward when she’s nearby.

It’s like my body’s shrinking on its own when she’s around.

“We are going to the same school aren’t we.”

“Right……by the way, do you plan to join any club?”

“Since our focus is on destroying the game scenario, there’s no way I would join any isn’t it………you can’t join any too, Akechi-kun.”

“Eh? I can’t?”

Suddenly, I was told to not join any club.

“You planned to join one!? How carefree can you be! Rather, just how many clubs were you planning to join!?”

“I mean, there’s a possibility that I might be forced to join one right! Also, I was thinking about checking out the kendo club too.”

“Eh? Kendo……?”

“Nn? What’s that reaction……?”

Tsugaru stiffened and stared at my face for a moment before returning back to normal.

“It’s a nice hobby to have. But I think Akechi-kun would be weak in kendo. If someone tries to force you then just tell them that you don’t have time and turn them down.”

“Weak……, how cruel…….”

It felt like I was denied the only thing I’m good at…….

Certainly, I’ve never touched a bamboo sword ever since I was reborn as Hideyori but I think I should still be able to move reasonably well.

I’ve been training my body after all.

“In the first place, I’ve never seen Hideyori-kun doing kendo you know.”

“That’s right. Please don’t try to put on airs with a cool hobby.”

Emi chimed in and objected to kendo as well.

What a killjoy. In the first place, since I’ve already given up on the path of kendo, it’s not like I was planning to devote myself to it again……….

“Hideyori-kun, don’t you think the [Magic] club would be a better fit for you?”

(TLN: Magic was written in katakana/ non-japanese word)

“Akechi-kun in the Magic club? I can’t picture that at all……..Also, it’s unrelated but I’m surprised that the words [Magic club] suddenly came out you know.”

“Foreign words are NG then.”

While retorting to Tsugaru, I started thinking about whether I should join a club or forgo it entirely.

“Hmph, Hideyori-kun is good at magic you know! If Hideyori-kun joins the Magic club then I will join too.”

“Eh? Akechi-kun, you are good at magic……..?”

“He’s a genius!”

“Why do you always raise the hurdle for me! Also, you set her expectations too high, Emi!”

“Hideyori-kun is that cool after all!”

It’s cool if Emi truly thinks that way but it still looked like I made her make me look better isn’t it.

Tsugaru was rolling her eyes like [Yeah yeah, how lovey-dovey.]

“But it’s true that it’s a good hobby. For that, I guess I will upgrade my evaluation of you from water flea to hamster level, Akechi-kun.”

“Is that even a compliment……?”

“It is. Hamsters are cute after all.”

I can’t tell if she means what she says since she says that with her usual tone.

She really has something against me huh…….

“I want people to learn more about Hideyori-kun’s charm. I want to be able to proudly say [See, my Hideyori-kun is super amazing!] That’s why I raised the hurdle.”

“Please don’t…….”

“Well, I do understand Emi’s feelings of wanting to convey the charm of the person she likes to others you know.”

“To think that I would hear that from the Anti-romance Madoka……….”

“I have nothing against romance alright. I’m just not interested in boys the same age as me since I already have a man I like. That’s why I consider neither Akechi-kun nor Juumonji-kun as a romantic partner.”

It’s been 3 years since they got to know each other but before I knew it, both Emi and Tsugaru were already on a first-name basis.

Moreover, I don’t know if this is a coincidence or not but her disinterest in other boys, in other words, Tsugaru Madoka’s character trait from the game is being realized. This made me even warier of the game’s correction force.

“What kind of person is Madoka’s ideal man though?”

“A person who’s strong in kendo and good at magic. A person that can bounce back up after a setback. A person that when I thought that my feelings were one-sided, we actually have feelings for each other. A person that even if I collapse, he would gently carry me straight to the infirmary!”

“Isn’t that too specific?”

“Also, rather than the infirmary, normally you would think of the hospital first right?”

Emi and I retorted to Tsugaru’s image of her ideal person.

(Just what kind of person is that?) Hearing the description, it could only make me retort so in my mind.

“Ahh, whatever! Stop giving me some weird retorts already!”

“You are pretty particular about your [delusion] huh.”

“Shut up! Also, it doesn’t matter but I didn’t expect the word [delusion] to come out you know.”

“Right, foreign words are NG after all.”

“Why does Hideyori-kun retort like that every time though?”

“It’s an old habit…….”

It felt so similar to when I retorted Kurusu-san in my past life so I ended up using the same retort reflexively.

“Hideyori is real popular isn’t he.”

“Can you really call that popular though……..”

The siblings still get along well as always.

TLN: Japanese specific jokes are still hard to translate as always…….