In This World That Favors Men, I... ~Starting a Sweet School Life in a World With a 1:8 Gender Ratio~ - 89

Chapter 89: SNS ◇ Sweets Walker

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Kyoko: I found a bookstore that’s selling it a day early! You can still get a few copies right now. Who wants one?

Yuuko: Yes! One copy, please.

Shizu: Yes! Same here! One copy, please.

Ran: Wait, wait. What are you talking about?

Saki: Oh, come on. Obviously we’re talking about that. It’s already trending big time online.

Kyoko: Sweets Walker special edition. The Prince is featured there. I mean, he’s not just in it. He’s on the cover and the feature article is all about him. It’s basically the Prince’s special issue.

Ran: Oh! I want to see that. Ugh, you could’ve told me! It comes out tomorrow, right?

Saki: I thought you and Yuuko would’ve already preordered it for sure.

Yuuko: Of course we did. Three copies. One for display, one to keep sealed, and one for editing. But having an extra to carry around wouldn’t hurt. And if I can see it today, I want to see it today.

Kyoko: So far, I’ve secured five copies, not counting mine. The stack was shrinking right before my eyes, so I totally panicked. Didn’t want to get dirty looks, so I’m heading to the register now.

Hina: If it’s Sweets Walker, I’d like one too. It’s already sold out online, and at this rate, it might not even be available tomorrow.

Kyoko: Got it. Should I make the last copy a backup? I’ll hand Yuuko’s and Shizu’s to them later. I’ll give yours to you tomorrow, Hina.

Ran: So you’re out and about right now, Kyo-chan? That means you had a half day? Are the three of you meeting up later?

Shizu: Yeah. They’re coming over to my place.

Yuuko: We’re discussing our next date. It’s another group date.

Mika: Wait, are you going to the festival at Yuuki-kun’s family shrine?

Shizu: That’s right. The Ōkuni Festival. It sounds fun with all the stalls and everything, so we figured going there would be a nice break from studying.

Saki: Mika and I are going too. We heard Yuuki-kun’s working at one of the booths, so that’s our main goal.

Hina: Oh! You’re suddenly being pretty bold. Does that mean the “approach ban” has been lifted?

Ran: Whoa, making a comeback? Go for it! I’m cheering you on.

Chika: So that marriage proposal finally fell through?

Mika: Apparently. Even after three months of persistence, they never got a good response. The boys were saying the other party finally gave up.

Saki: Still, even if there were special circumstances, we were rejected once, right? So it’d be weird to go in full force right away. This time, we’re going in more to feel things out—do a little recon first.

Chika: Gotcha. But didn’t things go pretty well on Valentine’s Day? You might have a shot.

Saki: Yeah, he was nice, for sure. But it wasn’t the kind of clear reaction that gives you real confidence. So I’m not sure either.

Ran: But that cool, aloof Yuuki-kun didn’t reject you on the spot, right? That’s something.

Chika: I think so too. Yuuki-kun isn’t the type to drag things out if he’s not interested.

Mika: Thanks for the encouragement. I hope that’s true. I know I’m being stubborn, but I’m going to give it another try.

Chika: So everyone’s going to the shrine, huh. How lucky~

Hina: Oh? Uesugi-kun’s not going? For the record, I have a festival date with Houjou-chi.

Ran: About that… Uesugi-kun did invite me, but we got into a bit of a disagreement over who to go with.

Kyoko: Well, you guys have a big group, don’t you? Makes sense you wouldn’t all go together.

Saki: Yeah, there are six of us in total. It’s hard to stick together. Honestly, I wanted it to be just me, Ran-chan, and Uesugi-kun, but I couldn’t push for it too hard.

Ran: When Uesugi-kun mentioned the festival, the other three were super into the idea.

Hina: Oh dear. Ideally speaking, I’d like Uesugi-kun to handle this time distribution better, but I guess that’s not in his personality.

Ran: Yeah. He’s kind to everyone, so he can’t choose just one person.

Saki: That kindness can be a double-edged sword… Especially in situations like this.

Ran: Hey, has anyone logged into BatFla recently?

Yuuko: I want to, but I haven’t. Studying’s been tough and I just can’t make the time to play.

Shizu: Same. I can’t afford to take a gap year, so I’ve got to give it my all starting now.

Kyoko: Same here. Even Yuusei-kun’s been busy and not logging in much, so I’m focusing on school too.

Hina: The Prince Squad’s dedication to exams is on another level. I’ve been logging in from time to time, though. There’s been a huge spike in new users. Like, suddenly.

Mika: I log in occasionally and yeah, there’s definitely been a flood of new players.

Saki: It’s gotta be the effect from the collab, right?

Hina: Probably. I feel like a lot of the newcomers are playing as onmyouji, so that’s probably it.

Ran: Still, why onmyouji? Ah… That strap…

Kyoko: I heard they specifically avoided making him a samurai so it wouldn’t overlap with Yuusei-kun’s real avatar. They went with a different theme on purpose.

Shizu: The monitor’s contract had some rules about it too. They had to make sure it didn’t give away his identity too obviously.

Ran: Makes sense. There’s a lot of stuff to consider. But yeah, I heard the Prince’s onmyouji strap is super popular. It’s really hard to get.

Hina: Houjou-chi was complaining that he couldn’t find the hexagon pudding anywhere.

Mika: It’s selling that well? Then once the magazine comes out tomorrow, the demand’s going to skyrocket even more.

Saki: Probably. EXA really hit the jackpot with this one!

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