#11: I Get Worried When Senpai Doesn’t Show Up

“But Megucchi, you were complaining so much about my school swimsuit idea yesterday, and now you’re doing it just for me? You’re a cute childhood friend, I gotta say.”

“Nah, I figured I’d try it on, and honestly it’s easier to move in than a bra. Megucchi’s like… actually into it?”

“Well, it’s made for sports, so of course. That’s my Megucchi for you, knowing the value of a school swimsuit.”

“The problem is the bathroom situation though.”

“Yeah, I guess. You don’t have to take the whole thing off every time, right? Just don’t have an accident if you can’t make it. Especially… you know.”

Megucchi and I chat away about school swimsuits as we arrive at the school gate.

Then I notice something odd.

Sakura Kida, who’s always here, is nowhere to be seen today.

“Huh? Sakura senpai isn’t here?”

Well, it happens sometimes.

I file away a small pang of concern and head to the classroom with Megucchi.

When I reach the classroom with Megucchi after leaving Kurumi, she’s immediately surrounded by her gal squad.

“Megucchi, that school swimsuit is seriously crazy!!”

“For real, it’s mind-blowing! Swimmer Megucchi!!! Are you going for medals now!??”

I leave the rowdy gal group to their chaos and head to my seat. I greet Fujiko Tsukino the way I always do before sitting down.

“Good morning, Fujiko. Your radiant smile brightens my day once again.”

“Good morning, Norio. You seem happier than usual today. Did something good happen?”

Impressive, as expected from main heroine material.

She’s picking up on the fact that I’m more pumped up about Megucchi’s school swimsuit.

But this is where I—

“No, it’s just the pure joy of beholding your beauty.”

“Ufufu, you’re always so amusing, Norio.”

“By the way, did you change your shampoo? The floral scent is different from usual.”

“You noticed? As expected of you, Norio. Ufufu.”

There it is.

The protagonist’s power of observation—noticing even the smallest changes in a heroine.

I’m starting to scare myself.

That’s right.

I’m a troublemaker of a man—Norio Mizumoto.

◇

Lunch break. After finishing my lunch, I head to the library like always, but I don’t run into Sakura Kida on the way.

She wasn’t here this morning either. Maybe she’s taking a day off?

I’m a little curious, so let me peek into the third-year classroom.

When I look into Class 3-1, Sakura Kida is sitting by the window, quietly reading a book by herself.

Since I’m the main character, I don’t hesitate to walk into the third-year classroom without a care. I make my way through the gazes of my seniors—mostly female—and stand in front of Sakura, who’s absorbed in her book.

She notices me, looks up, and says, “Hm? Norio. What’s wrong? You need something from me?”

“You didn’t come to see me today, so I came to check on you.”

“What? Oh, I guess you were being considerate in your own way.”

“I’m the main character, after all. It’s part of my role to keep my heroines from feeling lonely.”

That’s right, I’m a troublemaker of a m—

“Norio, you’re not thinking that was cool, are you?”

Let me finish my line.

“Well, sure, let’s just say it was cool. Thanks.”

“So what’s going on? Did you get tired of being a discipline committee member?”

“No, it’s not something you just quit because you’re bored. I’m a third-year, so I retired to focus on exams.”

“Ah, I see.”

“So relax. I won’t be harassing you with lectures anymore.”

“You say that, but you’ll probably end up bugging me anyway, won’t you?”

“…Yeah, maybe. Actually, Norio—you free after school today?”

“Today, I…”

I was kind of hoping to continue the school swimsuit talk with Megucchi. I wanted to ask her how she handles bathroom trips too.

“What? Do you have plans?”

But it’s rare for Sakura senpai to invite me out like this normally.

“I’m free.”

“Then after school, spend some time with me.”

“Of course. Ha, so Sakura senpai finally decided to be honest with herself. You want a date with me after school? You’ve got a cute side too, senpai.”

“Ugh… you’re still the same.”

That’s how I ended up with my first after-school date with Sakura Kida.

That’s right, I’m a troublemaker of a m—

“Meet me at the school gate after school. Don’t be late.”

Let me finish my line, dammit.

#12: An After-School Date with Senpai

After homeroom ends and school is out, I say goodbye to Fujiko Tsukino and head toward the gate where Sakura Kida is waiting.

Sakura senpai is already there. Without her role as discipline committee member, but simply as a girl waiting for me, her presence looks fresh and new to my eyes.

Her posture is impeccable, shoulders back and head held high, feet aligned neatly, her schoolbag held with both hands in front. Her tall stature makes even her stillness seem like a work of art.

And befitting her former role as discipline committee chair, her uniform is worn perfectly without any looseness—a testament to her discipline. Her skirt isn’t short like Megucchi’s; it reaches well above her knees. Yet it’s far from plain. Her legs, longer than average for a girl, are wrapped in black tights that give off a feminine, clean sensuality.

Sakura Kida truly has the bearing of a heroine.

Whoops.

I found myself captivated by her.

“Sakura senpai, sorry for the wait. I got a bit distracted admiring how beautiful you are.”

“It’s fine, I haven’t been waiting long. But Norio, do you have some kind of disease where you die if you don’t flirt with someone?”

“No, I’m just being honest about what I feel, senpai.”

That’s right, I’m a troublemaker of a m—

“Well, let’s just say that’s fine then. Come on, let’s go.”

Dammit, let me finish.

“By the way, where are we going today, senpai?”

“Hmm, there are lots of places I’d like to try. Fast food, karaoke… where do you usually hang out after school?”

“Hang out?”

“Yeah. I’ve been on the discipline committee for so long that I’ve never really gone anywhere. Never hung out or bought snacks after school.”

“I see…”

Is she trying to cut loose now that she’s retired from the committee?

“Well, there’s a McDonald’s nearby. How about we go there and have a strategy session? We can talk about what you want to do while having a shake.”

“Hmm, yeah. Let’s do that.”

Sakura senpai and I walk side by side to McDonald’s, buy shakes and fries for both of us, and look for a seat.

Since the store is close to school, there are a lot of our students here. When a main character like me walks in with Sakura Kida—a former discipline committee member and one of the most beautiful and famous girls in the third year—both of us together, we naturally draw attention. The students in the shop keep glancing over at us.

“Sakura senpai, let’s take that counter seat by the window.”

If we sit at the counter facing the window, we’ll have our backs to the store and won’t have to deal with people staring at us.

Though I’m the main character, so I don’t mind the attention. But senpai probably does.

Sakura senpai keeps her eyes sparkling and looks around as we enter, but once I escort her to the counter seat, she sits down with perfect posture.

“Sakura senpai, is this your first time buying food on the way home from school?”

“Yeah, it is. I’ve been on the discipline committee all this time, so even though buying snacks isn’t against school rules, I always felt I needed to set an example.”

“So I just took your after-school snack virginity?”

“That phrasing is kind of crude. But yeah, I guess you’re my first for this.”

“Wait, you’re the one with the crude phrasing!”

“Hehe.”

Sakura senpai smiles in a way I’ve never seen before, genuinely enjoying herself.

All the times she’s come after me before, she was always just scolding me as a discipline committee member.

So my protagonist power can turn even Sakura senpai’s frown upside down.

I’m starting to scare myself.

That’s right.

I’m a troublemaker of a man—Norio Mizumoto.

This time I got it out.

“Sakura senpai, I’ve been thinking…”

“Yeah, what is it?”

Sakura senpai and I start making casual conversation, snacking on fries.

“After-school hangouts don’t have to be just today, right? So why don’t we skip trying to cram everything in and just take it easy here? We can just talk.”

“You’re right. Doing too much all at once would be tiring.”

“Plus, you’ve got entrance exams to study for, senpai.”

“So you’ll keep hanging out with me even after today?”

“Of course. I’m the main character, after all. It’s my duty to escort my heroines.”

“Hm… it’s strange…”

“What is?”

“When I was on the discipline committee and heard your nonsense, I’d get so angry I’d see red. But now, listening calmly, I find myself thinking ‘maybe he’s right.’ And you’re the only guy who can say things like ‘heroine’ or ‘beautiful’ to my face without shame.”

“Huh? Sakura senpai, you’re just now realizing my charm? That’s a bit late, don’t you think? What a handful you are, kitten.”

“Hehe, this time together is nice too. It was the right call inviting you.”

As she says this, her face as she sips her shake looks peaceful and soft, almost happy.

After that, in our conversation, Sakura senpai opens up and tells me a lot.

How she’s been on the discipline committee since first year, so her classmates keep their distance from her. How she’s always held herself to a strict standard to be a role model. How my weird optimistic self—always dodging her warnings, always coming out with sweet talk no matter how angry she got—was shocking and frustrating, leaving her feeling irritated and humiliated.

And when she finally retired from the committee, she realized her classmates still kept their distance, and that I was the only one who actually paid attention to her. She started thinking maybe I wasn’t such a bad guy after all. When I talked to her at lunch today, that thought became certainty, which is why she invited me on this date.

“Sakura senpai, like I said before, you’re too late. I told you from the start—I’m the main character.”

“Yeah, you did. So from now on, I’m your only girlfriend, right? Count on me.”

So I’ve successfully stolen another kitten’s heart.

That’s right.

I’m a troublemaker of a man—Norio Mizumoto.

We chatted at McDonald’s for about two hours before I walked Sakura senpai home. After we said goodbye in front of her house with “Good luck with entrance exams,” she watched me until I was completely out of sight.