In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 165

Chapter 165: A Man You Can Count On

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『I want you to be nearby. I feel like I’m going to cry whether I pass or fail . Is that okay?』

A message from Shizu came through the chat app. Her first-choice school was Raitei University of Medical Science. It was affiliated with the National Institute of Advanced Scientific Discovery and specializes in training research doctors rather than clinicians—a prestigious institution, the top of the top in Japan.

Students accepted there were expected to dedicate themselves day and night to lectures and research aimed at solving humanity’s greatest problem: population decline.

She must be feeling anxious after all. Even among the elite students of Eika Shuei, Shizu stood out as exceptionally gifted. She never slacked off, always giving her absolute best.

I remembered asking her once why she chose our high school instead of Raitei Girls’, a school with a heavy science focus.

“My oldest sister told me: You should think very carefully about your future path. Do you really want to be a researcher? Take a step back and look at it with a wider perspective.”

In Shizu’s family, there was her mother, a clinical doctor, and two older sisters—but no father. Not due to divorce or death—he simply never existed. Their family was formed by artificial insemination, without marriage.

Her mother had gone from a co-ed school to a university specializing in clinical medicine. Her two sisters, on the other hand, initially entered Raitei Medical University from Raitei Girls’, but both eventually transferred to a specialized university instead.

“They said they couldn’t see men as anything but research subjects. They couldn’t view them as fellow human beings. That’s what they told me and I think they might have made a mistake.”

Having grown up in an environment with no men, and no opportunity to interact with them, their only exposure to the opposite sex was within the limits of a researcher and test subject. It sounded harsh, but she said they came to view men like lab mice or guinea pigs.

“But Mom was different. In the end, she didn’t find a partner and had children through artificial insemination, but she still fell in love in high school. She had butterflies, got heartbroken, and even though she was rejected, she still talks about him like he was a wonderful person—almost proudly.”

That dignified mother of hers had a youthful, romantic chapter in her life like that too, huh?

“My big sisters say that once they started working as clinical doctors, their sense of perspective gradually improved. But even after hearing their stories, I still want to become a research doctor. That’s why high school was my last chance. I wanted the opportunity to learn alongside boys my age, to talk with them on equal footing, and to recognize men not as test subjects, but as partners that women might choose.”

“So that was your reason. And? I’m right here—do you see me properly as I am?”

“Yeah. So well that it’s almost a problem. I’m glad I picked Eika Shuuei, even after agonizing over it. I want to thank my past self. I’m glad I met you, Yuusei-kun. Because I’m in love. The kind of love I thought only existed in novels or movies—the kind that shakes your heart.”

What followed after that… 

Well, let’s just say the mood got really nice. Yeah. Shizu is cute.

And for such a cute girlfriend, I was ready to do my part. I replied immediately.

『Of course I’d go. 』

I wanted to be there for her, especially when she was feeling unusually vulnerable. And I wanted to do it in style—enough to make her fall for me all over again.

『Sorry for the sudden request. Let’s meet in front of the results board. I want to see the results with my own eyes first, so I’d like you to arrive a little later, Yuusei-kun.』

『How much later is a little?』

『About 10 to 15 minutes after the scheduled announcement time.』

『Got it. I’ll definitely be there, so don’t go home before we meet, okay?』

『Okay. I’m really looking forward to seeing you. So I’ll be waiting, no matter what.』

The results would be posted tomorrow. The names of successful applicants would be put up right at noon. But now I had a problem. After finishing the chat, I casually opened my closet. I had started picking out what to wear—but I couldn’t settle on anything.

《Wearing your school uniform will make you look childish.》

Yeah, yeah, I know that!

Right. No uniform. Tomorrow, I had to look like a dependable man—a man she could count on.

《Since we don’t know how the results will turn out, anything too showy wouldn’t be appropriate either.》

What counts as too showy?

《A suit, for example. While it looked amazing on you, Master, it would stand out too much for an entrance exam results announcement at your age.》

Even I knew that. And besides, my suit is being tailored, so I can’t wear them even if I want to.

《It’s lunchtime, so you might end up going out for a meal afterwards.》

That had crossed my mind. Depending on the vibe, inviting her out to eat might be a good move. Something casually stylish, not too rough. Something that wouldn’t disappoint her when we finally saw each other again—something that made her think I looked cool, and subtly gave off the vibe of a gentleman escort… Hmm.

《Aren’t you overthinking this for someone with so few clothes?”

Well, yeah, you’re not wrong.

《It’s an emotional and solemn occasion, so avoid flashy colors. Stick to subdued tones—white, black, navy, gray.》

That meant jeans could work, depending on the color. Ripped jeans are obviously out of question.

《Depending on how you wear them, logos and playful patterns might come off as frivolous or childish.》

So anything overly loose or too flashy is out. Okay. The image in my mind is starting to come together nicely.

《I think it looks pretty good.》

Good, good. 

In the end, I went with a look that wasn’t strictly monochrome but had a neat, refined casual vibe to it. I wore a slim-fit Chester coat in dark olive-brown, an off-white mock neck knit and for the bottom, I wore black trousers, with matching black belt and socks. For shoes, I wore brown leather two-hole Tyrolean shoes and aPrussian blue scarf as an accent to complete the look.

I didn’t have time to buy new clothes, so this was the best I could do with what I had. No matter what the results were, I would accept Shizu’s feelings. When I saw her tomorrow, what should I say first? Maybe I should start rehearsing for that now.

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