Someone Who Believes They Can Live Normally in a World Where Chastity Is Reversed (Did You Think You Could Live Normally in a World With a Male-To-Female Ratio of 1:5?) - Chapter 4: The Childhood Friend Like JD Realizes It.

Koiumi’s POV

One-sided love, what exactly is its definition?

Is it when you see someone for the first time, and instantly fall for their face, their aura, their style?

If that’s what one-sided love is supposed to be, then I guess I haven’t experienced it.

—But, upon meeting for the first time, talking, and sharing a little bit of time together.

The moment we said goodbye that day.

At that instant, when my heart raced uncontrollably, I realized that this love, may perhaps fall within the realm of one-sided affection.

From the day I was born until today, I’ve met a fair number of men, and while I never fell in love, I did come to know a few guys.

Though the number was small, there were about three to four boys in my class, and there were also male players in the online games I played as a hobby.

However, every time I got to know them better, I grew tired of the air they carried, as if saying, “I’m the one doing the choosing.”

They couldn’t invest in their appearance, nor did they possess anything particularly outstanding. Their personality wasn’t exceptional either.

Yet, they cast judgmental glances as if to say, “I’m the one who’s choosing.”

When they said, “I wouldn’t mind going out with you,” I felt a chill down my spine. When they said, “I’ll be your friend,” it made me angry.

I couldn’t understand why I had to endure such condescension.

“Sigh…”

After finishing the first class of the day at university.

I, Koiumi Igarashi, laid my head on the desk and sighed unintentionally.

“What’s wrong, Koiumi? If you keep sighing like that, you won’t last until the fifth period today!”

“I don’t feel like lasting until then…”

My classmate, Mizuho Tonozaki, peered into my face, but I didn’t feel like responding to her right now.

“You’re so cute, Koiumi! But if you keep sighing like that, you won’t attract anyone! For the sake of our dream campus life, let’s do our best!!”

“You’re so energetic in the morning, Mizuho…”

“Well, of course! This fresh start to university life is our chance! We’re gonna catch ourselves some hotties!”

My friend Mizuho was what you’d call shallow.

She loved handsome guys, and whenever she found one, she immediately tried to make contact. She often failed too. She was a really nice girl as a friend, but…

Since the number of people in the classroom had decreased quite a bit, I decided to stand up and leave the classroom soon.

And just as I was about to lift my heavy body, Mizuho, who had been looking at her smartphone for a moment, motioned for me to come over.

“Oh, by the way, Koiumi, who are you aiming for in the badminton club?”

“Huh…?”

“Huh? What do you mean, ‘Huh’? Don’t you have someone you’re interested in?”

Mizuho and I were both members of the badminton club.

I did join the club hoping to meet someone nice, so I can’t deny that I had some ulterior motives.

However.

“Oh… Right now, there’s no one around, I guess.”

“Huh?! Really? Keito-san is quite handsome, isn’t he?!”

“Yeah, I guess…”

“Koiumi , you are super cute, but surprisingly, you aren’t aggressive enough. You gotta be more assertive! Otherwise, you’ll be left behind!”

Left behind, huh.

What Mizuho said was probably not wrong.

Considering there were fewer men, even though the country was talking about introducing polygamy, I don’t think people will readily change their values.

In that case, someone like me would literally be left behind.

[A woman who doesn’t make an effort to be chosen.] huh

Once again, I let out a sigh, somehow.

“Ugh.”

Heading towards the classroom for the second period, as I walked through the school building, I noticed a message on my smartphone from the university.

[The second period class in Room 104 is canceled today due to the professor’s poor health.]

It was quite a sudden notice.

“Class canceled, huh… I wonder if any of my friends have a free period now…”

Mizuho, who I was with until just now, had gone to a different class. Most of my other close friends either hadn’t arrived at university yet or had classes.

It’s still a bit too early for lunch… Looks like I’ll have to kill time alone for now.

“Phew… Hmm?”

The sunlight outside was dazzling. Even though it’s still spring, with the sun shining like this, it’s hard not to feel the heat.

Today, wearing shorts was the right choice. I thought as I reached into my backpack to take out my favorite black cap.

“Dang… I seriously have no idea which class to take… My university life is already over…”

Suddenly, I saw a young man sitting on a bench in the hallway, holding his head while opening his laptop. Before I knew it, my feet were moving towards him.

I ended up speaking to him.

“Um… Are you here for course registration?”

“Huh?!… Ah, yeah, I am. I got a little delayed with the enrollment process…”

I felt a flutter in my heart. This guy, with such a genuine smile directed towards me. When was the last time I saw a smile like this?

He’s not excessively tall, but he seems to be above average. He’s slender. He has a loose perm on his black hair. He’s wearing a white shirt with short sleeves, and over it, a wheat-colored vest, giving off a very clean appearance.

And that, along with his seemingly kind smile… My heart started beating a bit faster naturally.

“I-if you don’t mind, I can help you?”

Oh no! I stuttered a bit! It wouldn’t be strange if he found me creepy. I could feel the blood draining from my face.

Being approached so suddenly, asking if I should help him? When I think about it calmly, isn’t this nothing a pick up line…?

“Huh! Is it okay? But the second period is about to start…”

…He didn’t back away, did he? Or could it be, he accepted?

In a panic, I continued the conversation.

“Oh, no! I mean, my second period got canceled, so I’m free right now!”

“Really?! That would be a huge help! I really appreciate it!”

At that moment.

He shifted to the side from the bench he was sitting on.

…Huh? Is it okay to sit next to him???

Huh??

“I’m in this department of the university~”

Huh, the conversation just started normally?? Wait, does this mean it’s okay to sit down? I’m not misunderstanding something fatally, right??

If I sit down, he won’t give me a weird look, right?

“…Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“A-ah! It’s nothing! I’m just… going to sit down now, haha.”

I’m… nervous. How many years has it been since I’ve been this close to a man?

To calm my nerves, I took a deep breath and sat next to him… and then, I noticed something on the computer screen.

“Oh… We’re in the same department.”

“Huh?! Really? It’s so helpful to get assistance directly from a senior!”

Huh? A senior…? Oh, right, because I approached him, he probably thinks I’m an upperclassman.

Huh? So, should I use casual language? But if I use casual language right from the start, would it be too familiar…?

“Uh, sorry, but I’m also a first-year…”

Was it too presumptuous of me, a first-year, to offer help with course registration? Would he think I approached him with ulterior motives…?

No, my head is spinning…

“H-hey.”

He had a blank expression.

Ah, it might be over…

“W-what, you’re just a first-year?! I don’t know anyone in my class! This is incredibly helpful! I’m Masato Katasato! And you?”

He seemed genuinely happy. I don’t know. Unless he was a genius actor, at least to me, he seemed genuine.

Trying not to let him see, I pinched my thigh. I couldn’t afford to embarrass myself further. I forcibly suppressed my racing heart. From here on out, I have to raise my impression…!

“I’m Koiumi Igarashi! Nice to meet you!”

I didn’t forget to smile. I have to present an even better version of myself than to everyone else…!

“Igarashi-san, huh. Okay! So, right away, um, I’m really clueless about which classes to take…”

He… Masato Katasato seemed genuinely troubled, scrolling through his computer screen.

His schedule was indeed completely blank.

(…Wait, isn’t this a huge opportunity?)

Masato-kun and I were in the same department and the same course.

In other words, we should be taking the same classes. So if I take all the same classes as him, does that mean I’ll be in the same classes as him every day…?

“…Igarashi-san?”

“Ah…!”

When I looked at him sitting next to me, I was dazzled by the closeness. My chest hurt like it was on fire, and I hadn’t stopped sweating since earlier.

But I have to endure it now. For the sake of my bright future campus life…!

“Ah… If it’s okay with you, Katasato-kun, um, would you mind if you took the same classes as me?”

Huh? But isn’t this dangerous? Isn’t it kind of like hell to have to meet the same girl every day?

This is bad, I need to come up with an excuse…! I have to show that I have no ulterior motives…!

“O-oh, you see! I’m not really familiar with other classes, but I know pretty well about the ones I’m taking! And I’ve already had a couple of classes, so I might be able to show you some of the materials from last time and stuff, so I thought it might be beneficial.”

What do you mean it’s beneficial?!!!

I slightly recoiled at my own rapid speech.

And cautiously, I tried to gauge his expression.

“Could it be, Igarashi-san…”

Ah, it’s over. It’s definitely over this time.

He’s going to say something like, “Are you targeting me?” and it’ll be game over. Thank you for the match. It’s over. Finished. It was a short time, but I was happy to dream.

“Could it be- you’re a genius?”

Huh?

“That’ll be really helpful. But are you sure? Is there any advantage for you, Igarashi-san?”

“N-no, no, no! There’s plenty! There’s so much that it’s okay!”

My college life with you!! Just that alone makes it more than worthwhile. Huh? I don’t understand what I just said?

My eyes were probably spinning like whirlpools right now, if this were a manga. I was starting to not even understand what I was saying anymore!!

“I-is that so? If that’s the case… um, can I see your schedule?”

“Yeah, of course!”

Immediately, I opened my smartphone and showed him my schedule.

“Um, so, Monday first period is this, second period is this, third period is…”

In front of me, his schedule was filling up rapidly. The same schedule as mine.

Huh? Is this practically matching now? Are we starting to coordinate outfits? This is bad, I’m really going crazy…

“Thank you so much! I appreciate it!”

“No problem at all! Glad I could help!”

It must have been about 30 minutes. For me, it felt like an instant.

But that conversation with him… Masato was enjoyable. I was so nervous at one point that I didn’t even know what I was saying.

“Well, I’ll head back for now! My student ID hasn’t arrived yet, so there’s no point in going to class.”

“Oh, I see! Then let’s meet in the classroom once you can attend class again.”

Oh, right, we’ll be able to see each other every day from now on… Oh no, I can’t help but grin naturally. Aware of my flushed body, I waved to him and said goodbye.

But just as he turned his back and started walking away, for some reason, he turned back towards me.

What’s wrong? Did he forget something…?

“What’s up?”

“Uh, well, um, how should I put this… Igarashi-san, um, I have a favor to ask, or rather…”

While scratching his cheek, he seemed hesitant to say something.

A favor? If there’s anything I can do, I’ll listen!

That’s what I thought. However, the next moment, he seemed to gather his resolve and looked straight into my eyes.

And perhaps, at that moment, I think I will never forget a single word of what was said to me for the rest of my life.

“If you’re okay with it, would you like to be friends with me?”

Words thrown at me by men in the past echoed in my mind.

[Sure, I’ll go out with you.]

[I’ll be your friend.]

[Shall we become friends?]

[I’m talking to you, so be grateful.]

And then, they all burst and scattered. It felt like everything inside me was being painted a single color, that kind of sensation.

The scenery around me too. The sounds.

I couldn’t hear anything at all.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him, standing right in front of me.

“Of course.”

Finally, I managed to squeeze out those words.

And in response, he smiled that kind smile of his again.

“Great! Thanks! I don’t even have a single friend, you know! Well, see you later! Thanks to you, I’m starting to look forward to college a bit more!”

I watched his back as he happily walked away.

Until he disappeared from sight.

I collapsed on the spot. I pressed my chest hard, as if to hold back something.

But I didn’t try to suppress it.

I couldn’t contain the wave of emotions that overflowed.

(Impossible. What is this? He’s like a prince.)

He was the epitome of my ideal.

His inner self, his appearance, his aura. Every aspect.

I could feel my priorities shifting at an incredible speed.

My heartbeat wouldn’t calm down.

“Haah…! Haah…!”

I absolutely want him.

I can’t imagine anyone else but him now.

I want everything about him.

“Masato… Kun”

I repeated the name of my destined person in my head over and over again.