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?)

<Yuka>: [I have a favor to ask, Masato-san…]

[We have the end-of-term tests coming up, and I haven’t made much progress in studying]

[Since you are tutoring, would it be possible for you to teach me?]

<Masato>: [I’ll help if it’s okay with me!]

[I’m free on Sundays, I guess]

<Yuka>: [Thank you very much! That would be a huge help!]

[I understand Sunday! I’m looking forward to it]

<Masato>: [Where should we study? I could come to your school, but]

<Yuka>: [No! It’s too much trouble for you to come here, so I’ll come to you instead!]

<Masato>: [But we don’t really have many libraries or community centers around here (sweat)]

<Yuka>: [Um, I’m the type who can’t concentrate with other noises and distractions…]

<Masato>: [I see, I kinda get that feeling]

[But then where should we go?]

<Yuka>:【Message deleted】

【Message deleted】

[If it’s okay with you, Masato-san, could we study at your place or something?]

<Masato>: [Ah, I see, I see…]

[Yeah, let’s do that then. I’ll pick you up if you come to the station]

<Yuka>: [Thank you! I’ll head to the station around 2 o’clock then!]

<Masato>: […But Yuka, um, about last time, that’s not allowed]

<Yuka>: [What do you mean?]

<Masato>: [Anyway… let’s focus on studying! Let’s do our best with studying!]

<Yuka>: [Of course. Thank you for your guidance]

—-

Sunday afternoon.

A little before the meeting time with Yuka, I was killing time at a café near the station.

A sip of café au lait.

I never seem to get used to the bitterness, so today I loaded it up with sweetness again.

While sipping on that max-sweetness café au lait, I reminisce about my recent encounters with Yuka.

[I don’t want to be treated like a little sister.]

[Carelessness is forbidden?….]

Meeting at the dusk basketball court and the summer festival before that.

Yuka’s approach seemed more intense lately, as if she’d resolved.

To be honest, Yuka has an allure that belies her age, she’s cute, and if asked if I dislike her, I definitely don’t.

But, but.

She’s still a middle schooler. Even without thinking rationally, that’s definitely off-limits.

Lately, though, I can’t help but be aware, but my rationality reproaches me for it.

When Yuka proposed today’s plan, I thought it would be something like studying at the library or somewhere, so I was surprised when she suggested my house.

At the same time… I couldn’t help but think it might lead to a situation like last time.

No, right? It would be pitiful if I overreacted when Yuka didn’t mean anything like that, right?

But that’s already deliberate!

I’ve realized recently that Yuka seems rather mature, and she seems quite interested in that aspect.

…Well, considering the reversal of chastity, is she a healthy middle school girl…?

But it’s not good to just let things slide like this.

As the older one, I have to show a calm attitude here.

It’ll be fine, it’ll be fine. It was just a surprise attack last time and the time before. As long as I stay cautious, there shouldn’t be any problems.

…But Yuka is surprisingly strong… I know she’s trained, but there’s no way that’s the strength of a middle school girl, no matter how you look at it…

Ping, a notification pops up on my smartphone.

Glancing at it, it seems Yuka was about to arrive at the nearest station.

“Well, I want to believe that today will be okay.”

Those words, which were completely unbelievable to those who heard them, disappeared even over the sound of the ice in the glass melting.

—-

“Masato-san!”

As I glanced at my smartphone in front of the ticket gate, a cheerful voice I’d heard many times before reached my ears.

Raising my gaze slightly, what jumped into my sight was glossy black hair.

A navy blue hairpin adorned with a single point reflected the sunlight, gleaming brightly.

“Ahh, hey there, Yuka, Good work so far.”

“Yes! I’m not tired at all!”

Yuka smiled brightly, as charming as ever.

Her slender white arms extended from the sky-blue short sleeves. I noticed the tote bag Yuka was carrying.

It probably contained study materials.

“Isn’t your bag heavy? Shall I carry it for you?”

“No, no! I’m fine with this much weight!”

As I reached out my hand, Yuka pulled back her left hand, which was holding the tote bag… and instead grasped the hand I offered with her other hand.

“Let’s go!”

“…Yeah.”

She’s really resilient or something… In various ways, I feel like I can’t compete with this girl.

—-

The study session progressed smoothly.

She seemed nervous when we entered the room, but that tension seemed to dissipate once we started studying.

Now she’s diligently facing her desk, staring at her reference books.

“Kanji is almost like memorization already. It might not be the most commendable method, but I think cramming it into short-term memory is the most efficient.”

“Mu-mu-mu-mu… That’s true…”

Yuka’s grades seem to be about average within her grade.

Considering how good she is at sports and her average grades, isn’t that already good enough? But Yuka herself seems to want to aim higher.

Yuka pondered with a troubled expression.

Considering the time that had passed since we started studying and the fact that the glass on the study desk was empty, I proposed to Yuka.

“Shall we take a little break? I’ll make some barley tea, so just wait a moment.”

“Yes! Thank you very much.”

Upon hearing my words, Yuka instantly lifted her face… and our eyes naturally met, with her emerald-clear eyes.

Remembering the time when her face was closest to mine, I involuntarily averted my gaze from those captivating eyes.

With Yuka stretching behind me, I headed to the kitchen.

But this girl is too dangerous. Lately, it seems like Yuka’s femininity has been polished.

When I first met her, she felt like a typical sporty girl, for better or for worse, and I only thought she had a good amount of energy and that she would make a good little sister, but lately… how should I put it… her cute side has become more prominent.

The smile she shows off is now more noticeably gentle and sweet compared to the energetic liveliness it used to exude.

Her clothing style has also shifted from lively sporty styles to ones with frills or ones that can accentuate her cuteness, although the overall style hasn’t changed much.

And yet… the distance between us has shortened.

Ever since she pushed me down that one time, it seems like she’s gotten used to that distance, and her physical contact has increased.

Holding hands on the way here was one thing, but it feels like she’s becoming less timid and more daring.

This won’t do. It’s a matter of pride to be toyed with by a middle school girl.

While pouring barley tea from the refrigerator into a glass, I resolved not to let things go wrong today.

“Here, have some barley tea.”

“Thank you very much!”

When I returned to the room, Yuka was still sitting at the study desk.

I thought she might be rummaging through the room since it’s Yuka, but it seemed she wasn’t doing that after all.

Placing the glass of barley tea on the table in front of the sofa, a little away from the study desk, I noticed Yuka walking over here.

She sat down on the sofa, leaving quite a bit of space between us.

Huh? What’s with this distance? I thought she was getting closer lately, but now she seems quite far away, which is confusing.

Sipping barley tea little by little, Yuka looked at me.

Her gaze seemed to be probing something.

“Um… How is it? Am I helping a little?”

“Eh… Ah, yes! Very much! It’s very helpful!”

“That’s good to hear…”

The sound of the glass being placed reverberated well in the small room.

…It’s become somewhat of an awkward conversation.

When we first met, there were moments like this, but it was rare after we became friends, wasn’t it?

Well, Yuka and I have built up a fair amount of relationship points by now.

So, it should be okay to step in a little at times like this.

“Are you okay? It’s kind of awkward, but are you nervous?”

“Eh… n-no, it’s, it’s nothing like that…”

While she said that, she didn’t particularly close the distance between us.

Given that recently, when we’re together, she tends to stick close to me, it feels incredibly strange.

…Could it be that I did something to upset Yuka?

If so, I should apologize.

“Sorry, I can’t think of anything, but did I do something to upset you, Yuka? If you tell me, I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again――”

“No! It’s not like that at all! That’s not it. Masato-san, you didn’t do anything wrong…”

Yuka hastily interrupted my words, but her shoulders drooped weakly.

“Uh, well… lately, I’ve been thinking I might have been… too close…”

“I see…?”

Yuka’s words surprisingly struck a chord with me.

Recently, whenever I meet Yuka, she’s been getting closer and more proactive.

Also, since we haven’t settled on a new place for basketball yet, it seems like those moments have been getting longer compared to before.

“Well, I like you, Masato-san. But I’ve been feeling like… if I’m perceived as having ulterior motives or being after your body, I’d hate that…”

“I see…”

Thinking it’s not something a girl should worry about might be wrong in this world.

In fact, when Yuka suggested studying at my house today, I suspected she might be aiming for such a development, didn’t I?

However, I know that Yuka genuinely holds feelings for me, and it’s just needless worry.

But how should I convey that…?

After thinking about it for a moment, I approached the somewhat dejected Yuka and gently ruffled her hair.

“I guess… I understand why you admire me. I know you’re not interested in me for my appearance or any ulterior motives.”

Accepting my words silently, Yuka listened as I continued.

“So, well, it’s fine to keep things the way they were. Um, how should I put it… I still don’t see you as a romantic interest, but I really like you as a person. So, it might feel a bit lonely to have some distance between us, you know?”

“Really…?”

Yuka’s question was tinged with hope.

With hopeful eyes, Yuka looked at me, causing me to feel embarrassed, and I averted my gaze slightly.

I’m quite weak to this kind of upward glance.

“You’ve got to keep it in moderation, okay?! Be healthy about it!”

“Fufufu… Got it! Moderation it is!”

That’s a relief. Yuka’s expression returned to its usual lively self.

I breathed a sigh of relief at that fact.

“I thought something was off. I mean, I thought the usual Yuka would be snooping around my room while I was making the barley tea.”

“I wouldn’t do such a thing! Is, is it okay?! If you’re going to say that, then I will?!”

“But nothing interesting will come out of it…”

Yuka excitedly looked around the shelves in the room. She looked at the shelves of the study desk, and then… at the small shelf that had not been used at all.

―― The moment she opened that shelf.

Her back, which had been moving around cutely until then, froze.

What could it be? That shelf was prepared from the beginning, but since the initial check, it had not been used at all, so there shouldn’t be anything in there…

“Yuka? What’s wrong? I don’t think there’s anything in that shelf…”

“…I see, Masato-san, you were like that…”

“Huh?”

Yuka, who stood up unsteadily, turned around to face me.

Her expression was somewhat flushed for some reason, and… she seemed to be breathing heavily.

Slowly, she approached me, still holding something in her hand.

“What… If that’s the case, you should have told me first, Masato-san…”

“Huh? What’s… What’s going on, Yuka?”

Approaching the sofa with something in her right hand, Yuka grabbed my shoulders with both hands. Um, umm… She’s still as strong as ever, huh, Yuka-san?

“I’ve always been welcoming, you know? But Masato-san is so adorable, so I’m sure you couldn’t put it into words, right? I understand. But I like even that Masato-san.”

“Huh, wait, what… I really don’t understand――”

Just as I tried to stop Yuka in a panic.

I noticed what Yuka was holding in her right hand.

A small, square package.

Though I’ve never used it…

I know it. It’s a contraceptive.

My head was spinning.

Of course, I’ve never bought anything like that in this world, nor do I have any memory of receiving it.

Is this someone’s prank? But, with few friends, I’ve never invited anyone over to my room…

―― I remembered. If there’s anything, it’s that well-known woman in a suit, just once.

What did she… do?!

“Wait, wait, Yuka, it’s a misunderstanding! Let’s just, let’s just talk for a moment… wait, you’re strong!?”