Rabu kome manga no sekai ni haitte shimattanode - V2 Prologue

Prologue

Perhaps most people in Japan aren’t very fond of Mondays.

On Monday, the day after a break, people commuting to work or school who find it a pain wake up thinking, “What a drag…” and force their heavy bodies out of bed.

Some probably stay up late, wishing Sunday night would last forever.

I used to do that myself, which only made me feel worse the next day and made school or my part-time job that much harder.

But lately, that same me has started thinking, “Hurry up and end, weekend!”

I never thought I’d change this much, but well, the reason is very clear.

On Monday mornings, I used to think, “Another week is starting…” but now…

“Hmph, what a wonderfully refreshing morning!”

I wake up feeling great, fling open my room’s window, and bask in the sunlight.

What a healthy morning.

When I leave my room and go to the living room, Rie is already up and making breakfast.

“Ngh… Good morning, Onii-chan.”

“Morning, Rie.”

Rie must still be sleepy; she’s making breakfast with her eyes not fully open.

It’s a little nerve-wracking to watch, but this must be her usual routine.

“Rie, want to make breakfast together?”

“…Huh? Onii-chan, you can cook?”

“Hm? Ah, well, simple stuff.”

In my previous world, I worked part-time at a cafe, so I can make simple dishes.

Though I’m no match for Rie, who makes breakfast, lunch, and dinner for us every day.

I stand next to Rie, chop some vegetables, and make a salad.

“…You really look like you know what you’re doing. When did you learn?”

“Hmph, I’m a genius who can do anything.”

“…Aren’t you an idiot.”

I got a verbal lashing from my little sister first thing in the morning. Oh well, the little smile on her face is cute, so I’ll let it slide.

The two of us finish making breakfast and eat together.

Come to think of it, our parents must leave the house incredibly early in the morning.

Even though I wake up with plenty of time to get to school, they’re already gone for work.

Mulling that over, I finish the breakfast Rie and I made together, and we each return to our rooms to get ready for school.

“Alright, let’s go, Rie.”

“Okay.”

Having changed into our uniforms, we leave the house together. I get on my bike, and Rie gets on behind me.

“You have everything?”

“Yeah, I’m good. What about you, Onii-chan? Did you bring your bento?”

“Yeah, I’ve got it. There’s no way I’d forget the bento you made for me.”

“…Ngh, then we’re good.”

Her reply seemed to be delayed for just a moment. I wonder if something was on her mind.

“Alright, let’s head out.”

“Mm, lead the way.”

I started pedaling, riding double, which is probably allowed in this world.

 

Usually, as I got closer to school, I’d be thinking negative things like, “Today’s gonna be a pain, I have that class.”

To be honest, I’m still thinking that a little. I’m a humanities guy, so I’m bad at math and physics.

Monday has both of those subjects I hate, so it’s the worst.

But even so, I might never again think, “Monday, don’t come! Go away!”

The reason, of course… is her.

“Sei-chan!”

I called out the name of the girl I saw in front of me as I pedaled my bike.

She had been looking at her phone, and she jumped for a second when her name was called before looking over at me.

Her short, silver hair swayed in the wind, glinting beautifully as it reflected the sunlight.

Her large, upturned eyes pierced right through me, making my heart skip a beat.

I’ve finally gotten used to seeing her in her uniform, but no matter how used to it I get, I’ll probably never stop thinking she’s cute.

“Morning, Hisamura.”

As I approached on my bike, Sei-chan gave me a small smile and said that.

“Morning, Sei-chan.”

“Good morning, Sei-san.”

“Ah, Rie, good morning to you too. It’s good to see you siblings are getting along well today.”

“I-It’s not like that, we’re just normal…”

Rie, sitting behind me, said shyly as she got off the bike.

“Wanna walk together today too, Rie?”

“…Yeah, I will.”

When Rie and I commuted to school just the two of us, she would always start walking alone from around here, while I went ahead on my bike.

Rie is at that age, so she probably doesn’t want her friends to see her commuting to school with her older brother. Yeah, just saying that to myself makes me sad.

But when I go to school with Sei-chan, Rie joins us instead of walking alone.

Getting to go to school with Sei-chan in the morning, and with my cute little sister on top of that, is the best.

“Sei-san, I’m sorry for intruding on your time alone with Onii-chan.”

“I don’t mind. Hisamura’s little sister, Rie, is already an important girl to me.”

“Th-… I-Is that so…”

“Sei-chan, could you please not try to sweet-talk my sister?”

“I-I’m not trying to sweet-talk her. I’m just stating a fact.”

Doesn’t that make you even more of a smooth operator?

Sei-chan is cute, of course, but she’s a hybrid-type girl who’s also cool.

According to information from the original story, Sei-chan has never been confessed to by a guy, but she’s been confessed to by girls many times.

I used to wonder if girls really confessed that often, but seeing how she acts with Rie, I can understand why she’s popular with them.

There’s just something cool about her gestures and words. It’s like she’s more of a gentleman toward girls than guys are… I can’t really explain it well.

But Sei-chan is mine now, so I don’t want to hand her over to any man or woman.

“For now, let’s head to school.”

With that, I got off my bike and started walking, pushing it along.

Sei-chan walked to my left, and Rie walked to her left.

It was like my sister and I were sandwiching Sei-chan.

Sei-chan and I don’t walk to school together every day.

If we did, people might figure out we’re dating.

So we have two days a week. Monday is a definite day for us to commute together.

For the other day, I’ve asked Sei-chan to come to our meeting spot on a day she wants to go together.

That way, on the other day that isn’t a Monday, I can go to school wondering, “I wonder if Sei-chan will be at that spot,” which is a lot of fun for me, too.

Today was Monday, so it was a definite day.

That’s why I’ll probably never spend my weekends thinking, “Monday, please don’t come.”

That’s just how much I look forward to going to school with Sei-chan.

“Sei-chan, did you do the math homework?”

“The assignment from the weekend? Of course.”

“As expected of Sei-chan.”

“From the way you say that, does that mean you didn’t do it, Hisamura?”

“No, I did it, for what it’s worth. Though I just copied all the answers.”

“Then there’s no point, is there?”

“It’s better than not doing it, right? I mean, look, I bet Yūichi definitely didn’t do his.”

“What’s the point of comparing yourself to the bottom of the barrel?”

“You’re a lot harsher than I thought.”

Our school, Tōjōin Academy, is one of the top college-prep schools in the prefecture.

There’s no way a school created by the Tōjōin Group wouldn’t be a top-tier school.

But the protagonist of this story, “Ojōjama”, Shigemoto Yūichi, is pretty dumb, despite being athletic and good-looking.

He’s at the level where he’s barely scraping by, avoiding last place among the second-years.

I’m middle of the middle. Neither good nor bad.

And Sei-chan is top-class in our grade.

Surprisingly, the one with not-so-great grades is Sei-chan’s best friend, Fujise Shiho.

She’s about the same as me, or maybe a little lower.

And then… there’s Tōjōin Kaori, who has never once given up the number one spot in our grade since our first year.

She’s on another level, truly perfect in every way. It’s harder to find something she’s bad at.

Well, the same goes for Sei-chan, though.

“Did you do your homework, Rie?”

“Onii-chan, don’t underestimate me. I did it properly, without looking at the answers like you.”

“As expected of Rie, you’re a good girl.”

“That’s what you’re supposed to do. Right, Sei-san?”

“Well, yes. I’ve never copied the answers for my homework.”

Sei-chan and Rie are so diligent.

By the way, Rie is pretty smart too. Not as much as Sei-chan, but she’s probably among the top of her class.

My pride and joy of a sister, and my pride and joy of a girlfriend.

…Maybe I should try a little harder at studying, too.

 

Chatting like that, the three of us arrived at school.

The first-year and second-year classrooms are on different floors, so Rie parts ways with us around the entryway.

Then, Sei-chan and I enter our classroom together.

“Morning, Sei-chan.”

“Ah, morning, Shiho.”

As soon as we enter the classroom, Sei-chan and I split up. She goes to Fujise, and I go to Yūichi. That’s the usual routine.

It’s a little lonely, but if we were stuck together in the classroom all the time, people would figure out we’re dating.

I wouldn’t have a problem with it, but it seems Sei-chan is still embarrassed.

But I also don’t want anyone else to find out about Sei-chan’s cute side, so I won’t go around blabbing about it.

Besides… male jealousy can be a scary thing.

“Mornin’, Yūichi.”

“Hm? Oh, Tsukasa, mornin’. Let me see your homework.”

“Is that the first thing you say?”

The protagonist of this story, “Ojōjama”, Shigemoto Yūichi.

He must have been sleepy until I got here, because he was sprawled out on his desk, but the moment he lifted his head and saw me, that’s what he says?

“So you didn’t do your homework after all.”

“Hmph, who do you think I am? It’s me, you know?”

“Yeah, I knew it. So you should know this too, right? Have I ever let you copy my homework for free?”

“…I’ll buy you lunch.”

“I have a bento my cute, adorable little sister made for me, so I don’t need it.”

“A… A can of juice.”

“The weekend homework was pretty tough. A single can of juice isn’t gonna cut it.”

“Grh… T-Two sweets from the convenience store.”

“Hmm, not a bad offer.”

I took the homework papers out of my bag and handed them to Yūichi.

“Dammit, you really know how to take advantage of a guy.”

“If you’d just do your homework properly, things wouldn’t turn out like this.”

Two convenience store sweets, huh… Maybe I’ll go buy them with Sei-chan.

Sei-chan loves sweets, so she’ll be happy.

 

And so, classes began, and in what felt like the blink of an eye… well, not quite, but after a rather tiring morning, it was lunchtime.

Today I had my hated math and physics classes, so it felt like a long time until lunch break.

Now that it was lunch, as usual, Yūichi and I moved our desks and chairs to a corner of the classroom to make a spot where the five of us could sit together.

“Shigemoto-kun, Hisamura-kun, thank you.”

Just as we finished moving the desks, Fujise and Sei-chan came over with their bentos.

“It’s nothing.”

Since last Monday, exactly one week ago, we started eating lunch together.

The main reason for that is…

“Yūichi! I made you lunch today, too!”

The beautiful girl who came into our classroom saying that was Tōjōin Kaori.

She’s the childhood friend who’s after Yūichi, and she’s Fujise’s rival.

A week ago, Tōjōin-san confessed her love to Yūichi right in the middle of this classroom.

As if to compete, Fujise confessed at the same time.

From that day on, the five of us have been putting our desks together to eat during lunch break.

For me, it’s a fun time in many ways, but the one experiencing heaven and hell the most during this time is probably Yūichi.

“Here you go, Yūichi. A loving wife’s bento.”

“Ah, thanks, Kaori.”

“Fufu, of course. It’s only natural for a wife to make her husband’s bento.”

“Hey, Kaori, it’s not like we’re married or anything.”

“Ara, you’re right. We’re not married ‘yet’.”

“Mmph…!”

He always receives a handmade bento from Tōjōin-san first, and at that moment, all sorts of gazes assault Yūichi.

First is the glare from Fujise, right next to him. She’s puffing out her cheeks and staring, but well, that’s a cute, jealous glare.

But the gazes coming from all the guys in the class are filled less with jealousy and more with killing intent.

It’s been a daily occurrence since last Monday, so I thought the guys around us would be used to it by now, but they were still sending looks full of murderous intent.

Well, Tōjōin-san noticed it right away and scanned the class with a scary smile.

“Ara, is something the matter?”

“No! Nothing at all!”

One guy answered, and the guys around him nodded vigorously.

Getting on Tōjōin-san’s bad side is terrifying, so that’s the correct reaction.

“Hisamura-kun, were you just thinking something strange about me?”

“Not at all.”

“I see. Then that’s fine.”

Has she mastered the art of mind-reading?

I was seriously shocked, wondering if the sole daughter of the Tōjōin Group was educated to be able to do something like that.

Anyway, every day since last Monday, Yūichi has also been eating Tōjōin-san’s bento.

He brings his own bento too, so he’s eating two, but Yūichi can eat as much as a competitive eater, so he’s probably fine.

“If you want to be Yūichi’s wife, you have to at least be able to cook.”

“W-Well, if you can cook, that’d be nice…”

“Fufu, I know, right?”

Tōjōin-san smirked and looked past Yūichi at Fujise.

“Someone who can’t even make their own bento can’t possibly be Yūichi’s wife, can they?”

“Ugh…! Sh-Shigemoto-kun, just you wait! I’ll definitely learn how to make one for you!”

“J-Just, don’t overdo it, okay…?”

“Okay, I’ll do my best!”

Fujise seems happy to be cheered on by Yūichi, but Yūichi has a strained smile on his face.

Yūichi has never eaten Fujise’s cooking, but… the fact that Fujise can’t cook is pretty famous.

She messed up a lot during our home economics cooking class in high school…

“…Sigh, I’m the one who has to ‘do my best’.”

Sei-chan, eating her bento next to me, said with a sigh in a voice only I could hear.

I also spoke to Sei-chan, making sure the three in front of us couldn’t hear.

“Have you and Fujise practiced cooking since last week?”

“Just once this weekend. As for the result… let’s just say I did everything in my power to stop Shiho from bringing a bento for Shigemoto today.”

“Yeah, sounds like there’s been zero progress.”

Well, it’s not something that can be fixed in a day.

“I’ll help out next time, too.”

“Ah, right. I’d be happy if you could also cooperate as a sacrifice… I mean, a taste-tester, Hisamura.”

“Huh, you just said sacrifice, didn’t you?”

“You must have misheard.”

No, there’s no way.

Am I going to be called over to be a taste-tester for Fujise’s cooking?

If so, I absolutely refuse. Even if this is a manga world, I don’t have the confidence I’d survive eating that.

“Did you eat it, Sei-chan? Fujise’s cooking.”

“…Just one bite.”

“…How was it?”

“Terrifyingly… I don’t remember. My memory went blank right after I ate it, and when I came to, I was lying in bed with Shiho taking care of me.”

“That’s just poison.”

That’s the reaction of someone who ate poison, and a potent one at that. It’s a miracle you didn’t die.

Is Fujise’s nursing that good?

Forget nursing him back to health, the amazing thing is Fujise’s power of alchemy. She can turn something with no poison in it into a toxin that potent.

“Sorry, Sei-chan. I know I casually said I’d help, but… can I back out?”

“No, you can’t. I need you to be the next sacrifice.”

“You’re not even trying to sugarcoat it anymore. You just came right out and said ‘sacrifice.’“

“After hearing about how I passed out without even realizing it, no one would think the role of ‘taste-tester’ isn’t the role of a ‘sacrifice.’“

“You have a point.”

Anyone who heard about it would know that the taste-tester would become a sacrifice.

“We’ve decided to do it at my house again next time.”

“Huh…? At your house, Sei-chan?”

I never would have thought it would be at Sei-chan’s house.

But thinking about it, that makes sense. Since Sei-chan is the one teaching, it would be more efficient for her to do it in a place where she’s used to cooking.

“Will you come?”

“I’ll be there.”

“R-Really? From your reaction just now, I thought you were going to refuse.”

“Well, I do want to refuse, but I can’t say no to a request from you, Sei-chan.”

“I… I see. Well then, I’m counting on you.”

Looking a little embarrassed, Sei-chan turned away as if to avert her gaze from me.

I think I’ll keep the fact that her ears are bright red to myself.

“Hey, Shimada-san, Hisamura-kun.”

Tōjōin-san suddenly spoke to us, and Sei-chan and I both jumped in unison.

“H-Hey! Wh-What is it, Tōjōin?”

“You two have been flirting with each other for a while now. What were you talking about?”

“Wh-What?! We were not flirting! We were just talking normally!”

“Ara, is that so? I could have sworn it was a couple’s little flirtatious chat.”

“O-Of course not!”

Sei-chan’s loud denial echoed throughout the classroom.

Our group already draws the attention of the whole class, but now even more eyes were on us.

Usually, those gazes are directed at Yūichi, Tōjōin-san, and Fujise, but this time, they were on me and Sei-chan.

The gazes from the guys, in particular, are boring into me…

“Oi, is he a traitor too, just like Shigemoto…?”

“But Shimada-san said they’re not dating, right?”

“Calm down, you guys. The very fact that he’s talking so friendly with Shimada-san… that confirms he’s a traitor, doesn’t it?”

“You’re right. Okay, put him on the blacklist.”

Wait a minute, I just overheard a really terrifying conversation.

What’s this blacklist? Am I going to be killed?

I’m guessing—no, I’m certain—Yūichi’s name is on there.

Please don’t write my name in such a horrifying place.

Well, I am actually dating Sei-chan, so if anything, I’m probably more deserving of having my name written there than Yūichi is, but still, I wish they wouldn’t.

“Heeh, is that so? You weren’t flirting, you say.”

“Wh-What’s with that tone…?”

“Fufu, oh, it’s nothing.”

Tōjōin-san smirked, her words carrying a hidden meaning.

Sei-chan glared at her, looking like she wanted to say something about that smile.

Come to think of it, does Tōjōin-san know that we’re dating?

I haven’t told her, and Sei-chan probably isn’t close enough to Tōjōin-san to tell her, either.

But from her reaction just now, it feels like she’s already figured it out.

“By the way, the ball game tournament is this week, isn’t it?”

Fujise said, as if to change the subject while Tōjōin-san and Sei-chan were glaring at each other.

“Ah, now that you mention it, yeah.”

Yūichi said while eating his lunch.

He must have been watching Tōjōin-san and Sei-chan go at it, but he doesn’t seem to care at all.

He’s dense about that kind of thing, which is something I envy.

As Fujise said, this week we have an inter-class ball game tournament.

It’s been about a month since we became second-years, and our school has events like this, perhaps to help the classes bond.

“The boys are playing baseball, right?”

“Yeah, and the girls are playing basketball, weren’t they?”

“Yep, that’s right.”

“I wish I could’ve played basketball, though.”

Yūichi is the ace of the basketball team, so if it were basketball, he would have been unstoppable, and our class would have been guaranteed to win the boys’ division.

“Shigemoto-kun, can’t you play baseball?”

“Well, I can play about as well as the average person.”

“What do you mean, ‘average person,’ Yūichi? In middle school P.E. class, you hit two home runs in a row off a pitcher who was one of the best in the prefecture.”

“What! That’s amazing!”

“Ah, I guess that might have happened. Wait, how do you know about that, Kaori? The boys’ and girls’ P.E. classes were held separately.”

“You just didn’t know it, Yūichi, but it was a pretty big topic of conversation at school… Besides, I have a video of it.”

“It was that big of a deal…? Hmm? Wait, what did you say at the end?”

“It was nothing.”

No, there’s no way that was “nothing.”

Why is there a video of Yūichi from a middle school P.E. class?

I’m too scared to ask, so I won’t.

“Well then, it looks like the boys have a good chance of winning the ball game tournament with Shigemoto-kun on the team.”

“What about the girls? It doesn’t seem like there are any girls from the basketball team in this class…”

“Our class has Sei-chan.”

“Hm? What, is Shimada an experienced basketball player?”

Yūichi asked Sei-chan.

I see, so Yūichi doesn’t know about Sei-chan’s athletic abilities yet.

“No, I’ve only ever played basketball in P.E. class.”

“So you’re just athletic, then?”

“It feels weird to say it myself, but I am on the better side.”

“Sei-chan, aren’t you being too modest? Back in middle school, you played one-on-one against the basketball team’s ace over and over and never lost, right?”

“What, she’s that strong?!”

Yūichi’s eyes went wide as he raised his voice.

“That might have happened. You have a good memory, Shiho.”

“Fufu, it’s because you were so cool, Sei-chan.”

“I-Is that so…”

Being praised so directly by Fujise made Sei-chan blush a little. How cute.

I see, so during the ball game tournament, I’ll get to see that cool side of Sei-chan.

This is going to be the best event ever.

“Ara, so Shimada-san is good at sports too. I’m also quite skilled at sports, you know.”

Tōjōin-san said with a smile.

Right, come to think of it, I think the original story mentioned that Tōjōin-san excelled in both academics and athletics.

She gets first place on every test, so she’s definitely smart, but I wonder how she is at sports.

I don’t think there were many scenes in the original story where she was playing sports.

“Ho, so you’re good at basketball too, Tōjōin?”

“Yes. I also played against people from the basketball team in middle school, and I never lost.”

That’s incredible. Yūichi and Sei-chan have been talking like beating people from the actual sports clubs is a normal thing, but that’s not normal at all.

A one-on-one in basketball is a sport where the gap between an experienced player and an inexperienced one is especially huge.

“I see. Come to think of it, you’re the only one not in this class, Tōjōin, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Tōjōin-san just comes to our classroom every day during lunch break; her actual class is different from ours.

The ball game tournament is an inter-class competition, so Tōjōin-san will be on an opposing team.

“I’m looking forward to the ball game tournament.”

“Yeah, me too. I’m looking forward to the day I can knock a certain Ojōsama off her high horse.”

“Fufu, I have never once lost in my entire life. That fact will absolutely not change, even when the ball game tournament is over.”

“I wonder about that. We won’t know until we play, will we?”

…Huh? What’s with this intense development?

I can’t believe a conversation about the ball game tournament would lead to these two being confirmed to clash so fiercely.

Even Fujise, who brought up the topic, didn’t seem to expect this, but she’s smiling, looking like she’s having a great time.

“Fufu, this will be fun, won’t it, Shigemoto-kun?”

“Yeah. It’d be great if our class could win in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions.”

“Yūichi, the boys might be able to, but it’s impossible for the girls. Because my class will be the one to win.”

“Such confidence. But well, I think that’s an impossible story.”

“Fufu, I wonder about that.”

…“Ojōjama” wasn’t a sports manga, was it?

It was a normal rom-com manga, right?

I feel like I can see sparks flying between Sei-chan and Tōjōin-san.

But man, I’m really looking forward to this. I’ll get to see Sei-chan’s cool side.

<V2 Illustrations | Index | Chapter 1>