Reincarnated Into a Delinquent Manga… Where the Genders Are Reversed and Everyone’s a Girl - Chapter 05: …Why Do I Keep Getting Dragged Into This?

Chapter 05: …Why Do I Keep Getting Dragged Into This?

When I showed up to school like usual, Minato came running at me, totally out of breath.

For some reason, she reminded me of the big dog my family used to have back in my previous life.

“Takuma-kun!”

“W-What now.”

“You didn’t get turned into a body that can’t get married, did you!?”

“…It’s way too early in the morning for that nonsense.”

After fussing over me and giving me a full-body once-over, she let out an exaggerated sigh of relief.

“Whew…”

“What’s wrong with her?”

“Don’t ask me.”

I turned to Chiaki, who was sitting next to me, but she brushed me off coldly.

Her face twisted in annoyance as she explained,

“Ever since she started babbling about this whole ‘Myougi Faction’ thing, she’s been like this. Honestly, I’m the one who needs rescuing.”

“…Myougi Faction?”

Yeah, that rang a bell.

It was one of the groups from Fist.

The one that Minato Myougi, the eternal goofball, created—despite never having actually won a single fight.

Of course, the protagonist, Chiaki Haruna, got dragged into it too.

And before long, the faction just kept growing bigger and bigger.

So… it’s already started?

That was way faster than it should’ve been.

Keeping Yayoi in mind, I couldn’t shake the worry that the story was moving ahead way too quickly.

And I knew—later arcs meant bigger fights and higher risks.

As Minato shuffled back to her seat at the sound of the bell, I let out a long breath, my chest tightening with unease about the future.

“Haaah…”

“What’s wrong, Takuma-kun?”

“Eh?”

“I mean, really—did she do anything to you?”

Chiaki scrunched the bridge of her nose.

“Yayoi Akagi doesn’t exactly have a good reputation.”

“Like what…?”

“Like beating the crap out of someone who betrayed her and tried sucking up to her enemies. Or tearing apart anyone who crossed her path when she was in a bad mood.”

…Yeah.

That was how she was in the manga.

But from what I’d actually seen with my own eyes—

“Well… I dunno.”

“What’s with that half-baked answer?”

“It’s just… hard to judge.”

When I pictured her again, she just didn’t seem like the type who’d actually do that kind of thing.

But at the same time, I couldn’t outright deny it either.

It was a really tough call.

“…Hmph.”

Chiaki stroked her chin with a cool, detached look.

◇

Since I’d apparently become a member of the so-called Akagi Faction, I found myself climbing the stairs of the club building.

My heart thudded painfully with nerves as I opened the door.

“Excuse me.”

“Oh? If it isn’t Takuma-san.”

Inside sat Shinobu Asama, legs crossed elegantly on the sofa, a can of beer in hand.

“…You know, if you keep drinking like that, it’s gonna catch up with you sooner or later.”

“My, you say that like someone who’s speaking from personal experience.”

“Ahaha, well…”

Back in my previous life, yeah—I drank more than a little.

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly.

“Akagi-san—Yayoi’s not here?”

“Well, it’s rare for Yayoi to even show up at school.”

Yesterday was a special case, Asama’s glasses gleamed as she added.

“But Takuma-san, are you really okay?”

“…?”

“You know, balancing this with your friends and all.”

She stood up, slipping a cigarette between her lips with practiced ease.

The lighter clicked, followed by a smooth exhale of smoke.

“—I hear you’ve been up to something interesting. Chiaki Haruna and Minato Myougi, was it? Starting up some so-called ‘Myougi Faction.’”

“…Word travels fast.”

“It’s my job.”

Even so, for her to already know about the antics of two random first-years… impressive.

In Fist, Shinobu Asama was never really a fighter.

Her specialty was intel gathering, strategy, pulling strings from behind the scenes.

Given her brainy, glasses-girl vibe, it fit perfectly.

One wrong word and I’d be done for.

I swallowed hard—

“I’m heeereee!”

The door slammed open, making my shoulders jump.

I locked eyes with Asama.

“…Seems she’s really taken a liking to you.”

“Or maybe she just thinks I’m some kind of exotic pet…”

“Why are you ignoring me! Heyyy!”

Yayoi planted her fists on her hips, cheeks puffed up in a sulky pout.

“Takuma!”

“…Yeah?”

“Today, I’m introducing you to everyone!”

“Everyone?”

Her words were short, childish almost.

Well, she was a high schooler, but standing in front of me, she still felt like a hyper little kid.

“My crew! Would ‘faction’ make it easier to get?”

She tilted her head like it was the most natural thing ever.

“Tonight, we’re all meeting up.”

“…Wait, just to introduce me?”

“Of course!”

Grumble…

My stomach growled in protest. Stress was already eating me alive. Honestly, I wanted to cry.

Shibakata High had about eight hundred students. Over half of them were part of the Akagi faction. The rest claimed to be neutral.

Which meant, worst case, I’d have to stand in front of four hundred people.

“Ah, are you worrying about the numbers?”

“…Yeah.”

“It’s fine! I only invited the ones I’m really close with.”

Yayoi happily rattled the candy tin in her hand.

“So… like ten people!”

“…I’ll do my best.”

“Why are you using polite speech all of a sudden?!”

Puff-puff—she started playfully punching me, but her hits were as weak as her childish pout.

The real problem wasn’t her punches.

It was the future.

I’d been trying my hardest to stay away from fights, to avoid getting dragged into the manga’s mess.

And yet somehow… wasn’t I getting pulled in step by step?

For some reason, a total background character like me had caught Yayoi Akagi’s attention.

Even the manga I thought I could use as a guide was starting to feel unreliable.

“…Well, good luck with that.”

Asama’s dry but sincere words of encouragement really hit me right in the chest.