Are Men Really a Rare Species? - Chapter 16: Determination

One night since the first outing.

I was tormented by guilt.

Seriously, I feel like I’m going to start hating myself…

It would be easier if I could just shrug it off or blame others, but that’s not how human emotions work.

Even if I try to read manga to change my mood, I can’t concentrate, and the food doesn’t taste good either.

Because I was worried about various things, I couldn’t fall asleep easily last night.

I’m feeling sluggish from lack of sleep, so I’m lying on the lawn in the garden and staring at the sky.

Last night.

After I got home, I received a message from Azuma-san.

It was the follow-up on Kengo-kun that I requested.

Apparently, Kengo-kun was able to evacuate safely afterward.

However, it seems that he was quite scared and was still holed up in the panic room installed in their house.

It seems that the fear of women has become quite severe, to the point where neither doctors nor counselors can approach them.

It seems he doesn’t even respond to his mother’s calls.

It seems that he has confirmed his safety through the security cameras, but there’s no sign of him coming out.

If he continues to isolate himself like this, or if his symptoms worsen and he resorts to self-harm, it seems that a forced intervention followed by compulsory hospitalization will be unavoidable.

It seems unclear how long it will take for him to recover, or even if he can recover at all.

Because of my childish longing for companionship, I ended up traumatizing a young boy.

Maybe I ruined his life.

I can’t help but blame myself for this.

I thought I sensed someone, so I looked, and there was Mama who was looking at me with concern through the sliding window.

Over the course of yesterday and today, Mama has become quite haggard.

It’s because I’m not acting like I usually do.

Her usual beauty is overshadowed, and her eyes are bloodshot.

It seems she doesn’t know how to interact with me, and not only does she not come to do her daily huffing and puffing, but she doesn’t even come near me.

She was just staring from afar.

“Haa… I’m done.”

I let out a sigh as I sat up from lying on my back.

There’s no point in worrying any more than this.

Even if I regret it, my sins won’t disappear, and worrying about it won’t improve the situation.

At this rate, I might end up depressed, and more importantly, Mama’s heart and body won’t be able to handle it.

“It’s not entirely my fault for everything, you know…”

Contemporary Japanese society is somewhat distorted.

It’s not just Japan.

From my perspective, the Earth itself is in a suspicious state.

Men are treated like fragile objects, while also being constantly in a position of fear that they might be attacked at any moment.

Women, while fundamentally supporting society, are forced to suppress their desires to the point where their rationality can slip away with the slightest provocation.

Men are taught that “women are dangerous,” so they even dislike interacting with women.

Women, due to the current situation where “men are valuable,” are longing for interaction with men more than anything else.

Due to their physiological and psychological weaknesses, any contact with women can lead to psychological trauma for men.

Women, due to an overwhelming interest and admiration for men, may unconsciously engage in behaviors that end up hurting them.

It’s nothing but unreasonable contradictions and meaningless misunderstandings.

I can’t believe that a society in this state is normal.

It’s probably not such a simple matter as blaming someone or pointing fingers.

This time, Kengo-kun’s tragedy isn’t anyone’s fault in particular.

Even if I am the trigger of the tragedy, I am not the root of the problem.

Even the women who were following him, although they were the ones who went out of control, are not the essence of the problem.

The essence of the problem.

It is the distorted values that infest this warped society and its people.

This distorted social environment has created the conditions for women to run amok.

And the distorted values of people led to the women’s rampage.

Unless these things change, even if I were to disappear, tragedies like Kengo-kun’s would not disappear.

By the way, I will just get back to the main point.

Why do I have to feel so out of place just because I’m a man?

It’s not like I’m asking them to spoil me endlessly or anything.

I just want them to treat me normally.

I have to read the underlying meaning of going to the fitting room or something like that.

Having to wear a disguise I don’t even want to wear just to hide my gender,

Even though it’s just interacting with the same sex, I have to be careful not to cause a stir.

I hope for a society where such restrictions and precautions are unnecessary.

I want a world where men can live just like women.

“…No, that’s not it.”

In that kind of world, I have to do it.

So that even men can walk around freely,

So that all men can live comfortably,

To prevent a tragedy like Kengo-kun’s from happening again,

I have to change the world.

Because, unlike other men, I don’t have a weird fear of women.

If I’m the only one with the courage to speak up, then I have no choice but to raise my voice as the representative of men.

If I, as a man, raise my voice, there might be people who will listen.

Let’s not talk about idealistic notions like gender equality.

Rather, it is wrong to advocate for gender equality in this world where the gender ratio is skewed.

It’s not a matter of which side is superior or who holds the reins of power.

──However, I think men and women should get to know each other a bit more.

By getting to know each other, it becomes an opportunity for both to change.

If mutual understanding progresses, the unreasonable contradictions and meaningless misunderstandings between men and women might gradually improve.

This distorted world might gradually change for the better.

Surely, this is something only I, as an outsider, can do.

Well, I said a lot of nice things, but…

In the end, it’s all for me.

Because, at this rate, even when I reach the age to go to middle school, I won’t be able to go to school.

Just think about it.

The moment a 12-year-old kid is found out to be a boy, they go all a-a-a, you know?

On the day I go to school, I’ll definitely end up like a kitten thrown into a crowd of catnip addicts.

I want to create a comfortable living environment.

I want to create a society where I won’t be attacked.

I want a world where I can live normally.

Such selfish desires are at the very core of my motivation.

Impurity is fine.

Because, deep down, I’m just an ordinary middle-aged guy.

Even if they ask for selfless service, it’s hard to know how to respond.

“Yeah… first, let’s try streaming it online.”

To change society, I need more people to listen to me.

For that, streaming is perfect.

Posting videos on video sites and talking on live streams.

If it’s a video, anyone can watch it anytime, and if they just listen to the audio, even busy people will find it easy to engage with.

If it’s a live stream, I can interact with viewers in real-time and have various discussions on the spot.

If I market myself as a man, I should be able to attract some attention.

The chances of winning are probably not low at all.

I take out my smartphone and check the video site rankings.

As expected, the most popular one in the country is “YourTunes.”

The abbreviation is “Yotsune.”

It is a platform with an overwhelmingly large number of users, making it easy for buzz-worthy content and internet memes to emerge.

I usually watch videos here too.

I will create a new account separate from the private one and start posting videos here.

“The name… let’s keep it simple and go with something like ‘Yuu Channel‘.”

It’s dangerous to be recognized, so I have to keep my face hidden.

But if I wear a mask, they won’t even be able to tell I’m a man, so a mask that covers just enough should be fine.

The filming location is decided to be my room.

The properties for men have high sound insulation in every room, almost like a soundproof room, so this is just right.

“…Alright!”

After pointing and confirming the newly created account.

I will do it, live streaming.

I’m going to change the world!