Chapter 7: You Watching, Oka-P? I’m Absolutely Living My Best School Life!

Yooo! Nariki Kinjiro, that’s me!

After the whole Taeko-and-Uchida situation, I ended up in the hospital — but only for two days. My arms were the only real damage, and they healed fast. The other two were in rough shape, though. The doctor said two weeks for full recovery. Knowing doctors, probably more like one. They’re pretty loose with their estimates.

Either way, right now, I was at school.

“Let’s go, partner!!”

“You got it, Ginzaburo!!”

And we were playing soccer in PE.

The setup: Ginzaburo had the ball in front of the goal, and I was right beside him. Perfect shooting position.

“They’re coming, de gozaru!!”

Keeper Chika Tetsugoro was yelling at us from the goal line.

“Take this — our signature move!!” we both shouted.

Ginzaburo booted the ball straight up into the air. At the same moment, I jumped and launched it even higher.

“What are you planning, de gozaru?!”

“You’ll see.”

I came back down. But then —

“Ooriyaaa!!”

Ginzaburo drove his right foot into me from below and launched me skyward.

I shot way, way up — and the moment I reached the same altitude as the ball —

“Ugh — the s-sun!”

Exactly. We’d timed it so that at the peak, I and the ball were lined up dead-on with the sun.

“I can’t see anything, de gozaru!!”

“Take this — Sunshine Overhead!!”

I threw an overhead kick right there at the apex.

Tetsugoro, completely blinded, couldn’t do a thing.

“Goooooooooal!!!!!”

Tweet — tweet — Tweeeeet!! Match over!!

3–2. My team won. PE done.

“Man, that move was a total success, Ginzaburo!”

“Right?! The whole sun angle is what makes it — that’s the genius of it, partner. Unbeatable!!”

“Damn it~! I’ll stop it next time, de gozaru yo~!!”

After PE, we were eating lunch. All three of us had cup noodles. There’s something about cup noodles at school that just hits different.

“Sorry, everyone — kept you waiting~”

That was Ara Doshiro.

Doshiro had an unbelievably cute face. Pretty quiet too — looked and acted like a girl in basically every way. Which meant, obviously, he was a guy: a very girl-like guy, but a guy.

“Hey, Doshiro-chan~! Was waiting for ya!”

“Ginzaburo-kun, come on! I’m a boy! Why the -chan?~”

“Fwoahhh!! Doshiro-chan’s annoyed face is adorable too, de gozaru~!!”

“Right?! Why are you even this cute, Doshiro?! I’m gonna fall for you!!”

“Kinjiro-kun, not you too!”

“Ha ha ha! Sorry, sorry, just messing around!”

“Geez… stop teasing me~”

(Okay, but he really is cute. I genuinely want him as my girlfriend. No wait — boyfriend? Hm. I’ve confused myself.)

“So what were you all talking about?”

“The soccer just now, de gozaru yo!”

“Oh, that was incredible~ The two of you actually pulled that off~”

“Heh, I mean — Ginzaburo launched me. He’s the impressive one.”

“No way, you scored! It only works if you do!”

“Hehe. You’re both impressive.”

“Haah… I want Doshiro-chan to call me impressive too…”

That whole pointless, nothing conversation was how I spent lunch.

Oka-P. School’s fun, man. I’m doing well.

But as it turned out, the yanderes weren’t done with me.

Chapter 8: Nothing to Do After School — Wait, I Know! Manga at the Library!

Heyyyy!! Nariki Kinjiro, that’s me!!!

Today, I’d come to the school library!

I planned to walk home with Ginzaburo, Doshiro, and Tetsugoro. Still, Ginzaburo had his part-time job, Doshiro had to help out at his family’s bento shop — first time he’d told me that, by the way, I need to eat there sometime — and Tetsugoro had his bartending shift. So that was that.

Which left me with nothing to do.

Hence: library. Time to read manga.

I don’t know how it works at other schools, but mine actually stocked the current series. Like, actual recent releases. Most school libraries just have dusty educational manga and old stuff from twenty years ago. Not here, for some reason.

“Oh, you’re back, Nariki-kun.”

“Heyyyy, Tamiya-sensei!”

“Hello.”

The school librarian, Tamiya Yuzuri-sensei, smiled at me as I walked in.

Tamiya-sensei ran the library — not a subject teacher, not a homeroom teacher. Just the library. She was young. She had that adult kind of charm. And she was almost always quiet.

Actually, now that I think about it, did other high schools even have dedicated librarians? I couldn’t remember from middle school. I had no idea what a school librarian’s job actually involved. Kind of curious.

“Here to read manga again today?”

“Yep! That one — ‘The Battered Bride!’ It’s genuinely something else, I love it so much!!”

“Ah, that one. It’s popular. What’s it about?”

“Okay, so—”

The story follows a high schooler who beats an alien to a pulp — after which said alien falls for him and enrolls at his school disguised as a human.

There, the protagonist befriends five heroines.

But one of them is the alien. And the alien is fated to end up with him.

Which heroine — and alien — will it be?

A rom-com unlike anything you’ve seen: five heroines, one of whom is definitely an extraterrestrial.

“…Is that actually a romantic comedy? Not a gag manga?”

“I know, that’s fair — I thought the same thing at first. But it’s genuinely so good, like for real!!”

“Is… that right…”

(She doesn’t believe me. Honestly, fair.)

“Anyway! I’m gonna go read the latest volume!”

“Just be sure to head out before closing time.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

And I cracked open The Battered Bride. Let’s go!

“Man, The Battered Bride is just something else!! Seriously, so good!!”

He snapped the manga shut. I caught his voice and looked over.

“Done already? That was fast…”

“It’s this good — what am I supposed to do?! I literally couldn’t put it down!!!”

He looked up with that wide-open, completely unguarded smile.

“I’m glad. It’s been popular — quite a few students and teachers put in requests to keep it on the shelves.”

“Oh, really? That makes sense! It’s this good — of course people are going to ask for it!”

“Hehe. Apparently so.”

I kept my smile composed, fighting the urge to grin.

“Tamiya-sensei, you should read it too! I want to do a whole Battered Bride deep-dive with you!”

(—)

(Dangerous. That was dangerous. My heart just jumped. I almost reached out and hugged him. Don’t give me that smile and say things like that. I’m going to burst.)

“Hm? What’s wrong, Tamiya-sensei? You went quiet.”

“Oh—”

(Hah. His smile made me forget to answer. Get it together.)

“No, I mean… sure. Maybe I’ll read it sometime.”

“Okay, but it is genuinely the most recommended thing I own, so please actually read it, I’m completely serious!!”

“Yes, yes, I understand. It’s almost closing time — head on home.”

“Oh! You’re right! Okay — Tamiya-sensei, see you next time!”

“Come by anytime.”

I kept my smile pleasant as he walked out of the library.

(I love him. I love him, I love him. I love him, I love him, I love him. I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him I love him. I love him so much. I really, truly love him.)

I love Nariki Kinjiro-kun. I’m in love with him.

It started with something small. I was carrying a new delivery of books through the hallway — just a small haul, so I’d taken it myself. Both hands were full and heavier than they looked. On the stairs, I lost my balance.

But Kinjiro-kun was below me. He caught me before I hit the ground. Gently.

“Whoa there. You okay? Not hurt?”

“Y-Yes… I’m fine…”

I still remember every word.

That was when I fell for him—a student, of all people.

After that, every time he came to the library, we talked. Those were the best part of my day. Most of the time, it was just manga. It was still everything.

And then my feelings got away from me. I used my position to pull his personal information.

The Battered Bride — the series he loves so much — I was the one who quietly ordered it and shelved it here so that he’d come, just for that.

(I read it too, Kinjiro-kun. It really is good. Especially chapter 179 — the scene where Wan-ko tries to monopolize Tsuchinosuke. That one I understand completely.)

I want more of him. Longer. Closer. I want him all to myself.

Apparently, some girls went after him. And apparently, he’s very popular in his class.

I can’t leave that alone. What if another one goes after him? She will. I’m certain of it.

(And that smile. That guileless, open, careless smile. How is anyone supposed to see it and not fall? I want to take care of him. I will take care of him. Someday I’ll be the one who provides for Kinjiro-kun.)

Actually, why someday? Why not now?

The only question is how.

(That’s it. I’ll lock him up.)