In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 16-17

Chapter 16: I Don’t Have an Umbrella

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Some of my male classmates were either engaged or already married. Surprised by this fact, I decided to research the marriage customs of this world. Here was what I found:

“Commuter marriages” were the norm. Men often continued living with their birth families after marriage. Women, upon marriage, usually became financially independent and established their own households, except for their heirs. Both men and women could marry from the age of sixteen.

Men were allowed to have up to twelve wives. Men received financial benefits based on the number of marriages and children they had. Women raising children received childcare support payments.

The first marriage typically occurred during the teenage years. The first spouse of a man was recommended to be an “Elder Partner”—a financially independent woman.

If both partners were minors at the time of engagement, they usually remained engaged until one of them reached adulthood. Custody of children generally went to the mother, and children were raised in their mother’s household.

So, in this world, men didn’t have to participate in child-rearing, and they received financial incentives for marrying and having children. Since men could marry multiple times, the average age of first marriage was low, and their first spouse was encouraged to be an “Elder Partner”—a financially stable adult woman.

Hmm… So the first spouse… The first partner was usually an older woman. 

I see. So the first partner must gently guide them, right?  But wait, isn’t she also getting married for the first time? No matter how much older she is, she wouldn’t have any experience in marriage either… How exactly is this whole thing handled?

“The women who become Elder Partners go through proper training, so you can just leave it to them.”

That explanation came from Saitou. I see, so everything was already taken care of. I would need to keep that in mind.

“You’re not registered in the Elder Partner matching system? You’re a rare case then.” 

Houjou said, looking genuinely surprised. Apparently, once women reached marriageable age, they received sex education appropriate to their age. Surprisingly, this education incorporated VR (Virtual Reality) technology. Any adult woman who wished to marry a man was expected to register in the Elder Partner matching system. And upon registering, they underwent a formal training program—an extensive form of sex education.

What? Training in VR? That sounds incredibly interesting. But do men not get something like that?

“You don’t need VR. You have the real thing,” 

Saitou said bluntly. Classic married-man wisdom.

Well, I guess that makes sense, but… What can I say? It’s a man’s dream? A fantasy come true? Is there really no demand for VR education for men?

But it turned out, my thinking was a bit childish. Later, I learned that since this world operated on a “commuter marriage” system, the continuation of the relationship was ultimately up to the man. Because of this, women put in a tremendous amount of effort to remain attractive.

As a result, the beauty industry was always thriving, and many women attended courses on personal development, fitness clubs to maintain their youth, and schools to learn life and professional skills. And all of these women were consistently kind to men.

Rather than wasting marriage slots by playing games, it was better to engage with real women. “You have the real thing,” wasn’t just an offhand remark—it carried a deeper meaning entirely in this world. Even though men were scarce, those who were too insincere still weren’t popular. The women in this world, who were economically independent and active in society, had a strong sense of autonomy and enjoyed a great degree of freedom in their daily lives.

So when choosing a marriage partner, they didn’t settle for financial reasons. On top of that, since men could marry multiple times, women had even less reason to compromise for lesser men.

Does that mean men can’t just sit back and be passive?

◇◇◇

As class ended and we were in the middle of the homeroom session before heading home, the sky outside suddenly darkened.

Rain?

Raindrops began to dot the windowpane, tracing thin lines as they slid down.

“Crap. I don’t have an umbrella.”

Rattle, rattle.

“Why don’t you just share with someone?”

“What about you, Saito?”

“I have one, but it’s a foldable umbrella, and it’s not big enough for two guys to share. Sorry, man.”

“I see. Yeah, that makes sense. Do they sell umbrellas at the school store? If they do, I should probably go buy one.”

“They probably do, but I bet one of the girls has a big umbrella. You could ask to share until you get to the station, right?”

As Saitou said that, he glanced around the room.

“Takeda-kun! I brought a really big umbrella with me, so do you want to walk to the station together?”

A girl immediately offered, wasting no time. She was Yuuko Kobayakawa, the girl sitting diagonally in front of me, with strikingly straight black hair.

“Are you sure? I won’t be a bother?”

“Not at all! It’s really big, so don’t hesitate! Just share it with me!”

“In that case… I’d really appreciate it.”

And with that, my walk to the station under the same umbrella with a girl was set. Sharing an umbrella with a girl, huh? That was probably something I’d never experienced before—a situation straight out of a rom-com. It was embarrassing to be the one to ask a girl first, and there was always the fear of being rejected, so I had never even considered it. But for a girl to invite me instead… What a kind world for men this was.

By the time we reached the school’s entrance, the rain had become a steady downpour. Maybe the rainy season was about to begin? After changing my shoes, I met up with Kobayakawa-san. She held a beautiful, light blue umbrella in her hands. She had said it was really big, and that turned out to be true. Even when closed, it was visibly large, with a long handle.

Was it made for sharing? …No, probably not. Keeping something like this at school just in case… She must be a really well-prepared person.

“I’m taller, so I’ll hold the umbrella.”

“Really? Then, I’ll take you up on that.”

As I opened the umbrella, a colorful pattern of flowers spread out in a dome shape. Bright and cheerful—definitely a girl’s umbrella. With this scene as the backdrop, even my mood felt lighter.

“Shall we go?”

As I prompted her, Kobayakawa-san hesitantly stepped under the umbrella. She didn’t need to be so reserved—it was her umbrella, after all. But… I was kind of weak against this kind of girlish shyness.

“If you don’t come a little closer, your shoulder will get wet.”

“Y-Yes!”

Kobayakawa-san had eagerly spoken up earlier, but maybe she didn’t usually talk to guys? She seemed a little nervous. Her straight black hair always looked neat, and even today, despite the humidity, it remained silky smooth.

…Wait, this isn’t the time to be staring. But what do people even talk about in a situation like this?

I had too little experience to know.

When in doubt—right, talk about the weather. My social skills were so bad? Yeah, well, it couldn’t be helped.

“Kobayakawa-san, do you check the weather forecast often?”

“Not really? Why do you ask?”

“Well, since you had such a nice umbrella ready, I thought maybe you checked the weather regularly.”

“Oh, this umbrella? I keep it in my locker so I’m prepared whenever it rains. I also thought it’d be nice if I could walk home with someone who didn’t have an umbrella.”

“So that’s why it’s so big. That’s really thoughtful of you, Kobayakawa-san.”

“N-No, not at all. You know how rainy days can feel gloomy? But if you walk with a friend, it’s more fun, right?”

Ah, I see. I don’t dislike rain, but being with someone definitely makes it a better experience. That’s a nice way of thinking.

“Yeah, this is fun.”

“…Natural smile, direct hit, heartbreaker…”

“Huh? Did you say something?”

“N-Nothing! Oh, um, Takeda-kun, do you like sweet or spicy food?”

“Hmm… I can do both, I guess? Why?”

“I’m in the Cooking Club, and for our next meeting, we’re planning to make different types of cupcakes. We’ll probably end up with a lot, so I was wondering if you’d be willing to taste-test them.”

Cooking Club… So, basically, the culinary club. And taste-testing?

“Cupcakes? That sounds great. I like sweets. Are you making different flavors, like chocolate and stuff?”

“The batter will vary. Besides chocolate and vanilla, we’ll also make ones with bread dough and Chinese bun dough, and we can fill them with meat or vegetables, or decorate the outside. So there’ll be a lot of different flavors.”

“That sounds delicious. If you’re offering, I’d love to try them.”

After that, we talked about our favorite foods and ingredients we didn’t like, making the walk to the station pass in no time.

Girls who enjoy cooking are nice, huh?

I thought to myself again.

“Thanks for the umbrella, Kobayakawa-san. See you tomorrow.”

“Takeda-kun, see you tomorrow. Bye-bye.”

Since our trains were going in opposite directions, we parted ways at the ticket gate. She waved at me with a small, cheerful smile. 

Cute. Cupcakes, huh?

I didn’t know if it would actually happen, but school just became a little more exciting.

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At the ticket gate where Takeda had left, Yuuko Kobayakawa continued waving for a long time when finally, a female student in the same uniform approached her.

“Yuuko, how long are you going to keep waving? Takeda-kun’s train is already gone.”

“I’m happy. I want to keep waving forever.”

“Oh? So that’s your impression after pulling off a perfect sneak attack?”

The one crossing her arms and questioning her was her friend, Hinano Tachibana.

“I never thought the day would come when this stash umbrella would actually be used.”

“That’s the couple’s umbrella, ‘Ai-Ai,’ right? When did you sneak that in?”

“Forewarned is forearmed. The wisdom of those before us was indeed true.”

“Hmm. By the way, wasn’t the next club menu supposed to be Chinese zongzi and pepper steak?”

“Hina. Since when were you listening? The next menu has been changed to cupcakes. I’m the club president. No one gets to complain.”

At Eika Shuuei High School, a prestigious high school, third-year students retired from club activities to focus on entrance exams, leaving second-years to take leadership roles.

“Well, I don’t really mind. Hojou-chi is a sweets lover, and I think Uesugi-kun is too. As for Yuuki-kun and Saitou-kun… I wonder if they’ll eat them?”

“That’s why we’ll make all sorts—sweet and savory, with different fillings. That way, we can figure out what the boys like. Based on that, we’ll tame the boys of Class A! I call it… ‘The Cuppling Cake Grand Strategy!'”

“Hmm. Not a bad idea. But that name? Lacks finesse. So, don’t go spreading it around. Anyway, that means we start practicing cupcakes today, huh?”

“Exactly. There’s no way I can let Takeda-kun eat something weird. So, it’s training time! Nonstop training! We’ll make the best cupcakes that even store-bought ones can’t beat. I want him to think, ‘Wow, Kobayakawa-san is really good at baking too.'”

“Alright, then. Let’s gather the members and pump up the energy.”

“Oh! I won’t let this chance slip by! Gotta look up recipes right away.”

“Recipes are important, but how about we go taste some from a famous shop this weekend? I think there’s a specialty store near Urasando Station.”

“That’s a great idea. It could give us decoration hints too. Let’s invite a few people and check it out.”

“If we’re going that far, why not invite all the girls in Class A and turn it into a class event? That way, the boys might join in too.”

“Hmm. That’s worth considering. Maybe I’ll put out a call on social media.”

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Chapter 17: SNS 05: Thank You, Ai-Ai

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《2-A Class Group Chat》

Mika: Now then, Yuuko-kun. Let’s hear your excuse for sneaking ahead.

Yuuko: Just thinking about it is enough to take me to heaven. The prince was way too close.

Saki: Hellooo? Come back to reality.

Yuuko: This umbrella is going into permanent storage. Ehehe. Thank you, “Ai Ai.” I’ll buy a new one for you.

Ran: A new one? There won’t be a next time! Even I had an “Ai Ai” umbrella stashed in my locker too! I lost by a narrow margin—so frustrating!

Kyoko: That was a battle of seating arrangements, wasn’t it? Meaning, it all came down to grades.

Ran: Ugh, when you put it that way, I have no comeback. But yeah, that’s probably it.

Saki: So basically, if we want more chances, we need to get good grades and sit as far back as possible.

Shizu: Still, this time, Saitou-kun did some good work again.

Yuuko: Saitouu-kun is a god. No, he’s Cupid. Love Angel Saitou.

Shizu: No, I think he calculated that perfectly. Remember when Imagawa-kun left, and a bunch of girls switched over to Saitou-kun? He must have sensed danger.

Kyoko: So you’re saying he used the prince as a shield against new girls?

Saki: That does sound like something Saitou-kun would do.

Hina: Alright, alright, everyone calm down. Yuuko is going to invite the prince to a tasting event, so let’s call it even.

Mika: A tasting event? What’s that about?

Yuuko: I’m going to make something absolutely delicious! He said he likes sweets. Oh! I’m going to monopolize what he likes. Recipe, recipe… I need to find a recipe!

Ran: Tell us more. Yuuko, your excitement is seriously suspicious.

Hina: Well, actually…

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Hina: …And that’s the plan. A cupcake party with the 2-A boys. Good idea, right?

Kyoko: Do we even need the Cooking Club for this?

Hina: It’ll be a joint event between the Cooking Club and 2-A, so anyone interested can join. So, will you all forgive Yuuko for sneaking ahead?

Mika: Well, if that’s the case, I guess it can’t be helped. Just this once, though. I better start looking up recipes.

Kyoko: I’m definitely joining. The prince… Does he like both sweet and savory?

Saki: I just searched for recipes. Cupcakes are way more versatile than I thought.

Shizu: Depending on the type of batter, they can even work as a light meal.

Ran: Alright! Let’s take this chance to research the 2-A boys’ food preferences.

Hina: I’m focusing on chocolate. I’ll experiment with all kinds of chocolate variations.

Chika: Chocolate, huh? It’s nice when someone has clear preferences like Houjou-chi. What about Saitou-kun?

Shizu: If I had to guess, I’d say Saitou-kun doesn’t like sweets. I’ve never seen him eat any.

Kyoko: True. Uesugi-kun might surprisingly be okay with sweets, but I don’t get that impression from Saitou-kun at all.

Mika: What about Yuuki-kun? I don’t recall seeing him eat sweets either.

Saki: Yuuki-kun often eats pizza in the cafeteria.

Mika: Seriously? Would a pizza-flavored cupcake work?

Shizu: Definitely. There’s pizza bread, right? Just make a mini version—use bread dough for the cupcake and add toppings before baking.

Mika: Bread dough, huh? Thanks, I’ll look into it.

Ran: There are so many options. Pound cake, chiffon, brioche… We could even use ham, bacon, vegetables, or meat, like in a quiche.

Shizu: In that case, want to team up for making savory ones? People might eat more of those than the sweet ones.

Ran: Sounds good! Let’s form the Savory Cupcake Team.

Yuuko: The prince said he likes both, so I can’t decide. What should I focus on…? Hmm…

Hina: First, we need to finalize the event plan. Then, we recruit participants. After that, we list out the possible recipes and divide into teams. Each person or team does a test run, and we pick the best ones. That sound about right?

Mika: Yeah, yeah. That works. We also need to reserve the kitchen and tasting room. Since there’ll be a lot of people, we need to secure beforehand it for sure.

Yuuko: Leave that to me! As the Cooking Club president, I swear I’ll make it happen! For cupcakes—no, for the Lovey-Dovey Couple Cupcakes!

Hina: Yuuko… That name is embarrassing.

Saki: Cupcakes for matchmaking, huh? The ulterior motives are showing through the roof!

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