Part-2 Ch-01 Ep-02

 I want to review the current situation once more. First of all, this world is the setting of an otome game, with Maki as the protagonist.

—Probably.

There are seven capture targets in total, and by the first year she has already encountered four of them. Kagami-kun and Todoroki-kun go without saying. They are both capture targets. At present, they are also the ones closest to me and to Maki.

Among the other capture targets she has met is a boy named Asahina Yuu-kun. He began talking to me after the two of us nearly got lost together during the forest school trip. Originally, however, the one who was supposed to get lost there was Maki.

In the original story, that incident was meant to bring the two of them closer, eventually leading them to fall in love, but— At present, he is dating Seishuku Kokoa-san, who runs the fan club for me and Maki.

Seishuku-san was also a character in the game, responsible for daily fortune-telling, but I never imagined she would end up falling in love with a capture target here. Truly, things are no longer proceeding according to the original story.

The same applies to the intimidating boy, Ranjishi Takashi-kun.

He was also a capture target, a character who was supposed to harbor loneliness in his heart. Now, however, he spends his school days cheerfully and without trouble. Well, if he is happy, that is probably fine. Whether it is fine for Maki or not, I cannot say.

“Things really aren’t going as planned, huh.”

“What aren’t? You’re already deep in thought, and it’s the very first day of the new semester.”

“Hm?”

Today marks the first day back at school after a break, and the new semester is beginning.

As I organize my thoughts about everything that has happened so far, I step into the classroom of my new class. Standing directly in front of me is Todoroki-kun.

He is tall and broad-shouldered, so it feels as though a wall has suddenly risen before my eyes.

If I recall correctly, in the game Kagami-kun was supposed to be in the same class as Maki during the second year, but—

“…Todoroki-kun, are we in the same class?”

The moment I say that after entering the classroom, he makes a wounded expression and replies, “That’s a pretty cold thing to say out of nowhere.”

I have no memory of being in the same class as Todoroki-kun in the game, though it is possible that I am simply forgetting.

“Did you suddenly start hating me? We were all hanging out together just yesterday.”

“No, I actually like you quite a bit, Todoroki-kun.”

When I say that, Todoroki-kun freezes with a smile still on his face, then starts glancing around the room. For some reason, he looks flustered.

“Um… where’s Ichinose?”

“Ah, she said she was going to the restroom before coming into the classroom.”

He murmurs, “I see,” and looks somewhat relieved.

“You know, you should be more careful with that kind of behavior.”

“Eh? What kind of behavior?”

“Saying things like ‘like.’ People around us might misunderstand. You know… Ichinose, for example.”

“Eh, there’s no way Maki would. And you were the one who brought it up first.”

I laugh and wave my hand dismissively to reassure him, but instead Todoroki-kun wears a troubled expression. Now that I think about it, I feel like I had a similar exchange with Kagami-kun last year.

“…Yeah, you’re right. Sorry. I get it. But if I use you as bait like this, maybe I’ll finally get a serious arm-wrestling match with Ichinose…”

“No, seriously, what are you even talking about?”

When I snap back at the muttering Todoroki-kun, he responds, “Hey, remember that guy who asked for your contact information after the freshman welcome sports tournament last year?”

“Huh?”

I close my eyes briefly and try to search my memory. To be honest, I do not really remember. His face and name are both vague. For one thing, I feel like we barely interacted after that.

I do remember that he had feelings for me, but there has been no contact since.

“That guy was in the same class as me.”

“Oh, really? I see.”

“A few days after the sports tournament, Ichinose came to my class.”

“Yeah.”

“She walked up to that guy with a big smile and suddenly started talking to him. Then, out of nowhere, they began arm-wrestling.”

“Huh? Really… Eh? Why?”

According to Todoroki-kun, he only watched from a distance. The details he learned later from the boy himself were as follows. Maki suddenly came to the classroom of the boy who had asked for my contact information, even though they had no prior connection.

Then, maintaining a constant smile, she said something along the lines of, “If you want to get close to Mari, a guy has to be stronger than me,” and challenged him outright. The boy apparently thought she was joking and accepted the challenge half in jest, but—

As a result, in a best-of-five arm-wrestling match, he was utterly defeated.

“I-I mean… would she really do something like that?”

I cannot completely deny it, and my voice begins to tremble.

“After seeing that, I became interested in her muscles. It’s not easy for a high school guy to lose five times in a row at arm-wrestling to a girl, even when he’s serious.”

“Maki won all of them…”

Come to think of it, some time ago she had said something like, “There was that guy who asked for your contact info after the sports tournament, right? I turned him down for you.”

If Todoroki-kun’s story is true, that means she literally turned him down by force.

“Maki really is strong, after all…”

Her muscle stats are practically maxed out. She could probably defeat a minor demon lord. Though, of course, there are no demon lords in this world.

“You’re pretty incredible yourself for brushing all that off with ‘she’s strong.’”

Toudoroki-kun gazes off into the distance as he says that.

“All right, take your seats. Homeroom is starting.”

The new class teacher arrives, and we return to our seats. Somehow, Maki has already taken hers.

Now that I think about it, Asahina-kun getting a girlfriend was also the result of Maki playing matchmaker, wasn’t it?

And Ranjishi Takashi-kun managing to fit into his class is apparently because Maki talked to Asahina-kun about him.

“Hmm.”

It dawns on me that she has been moving behind the scenes in ways I never noticed. There really are so many things I do not know, I think to myself as I look at her back.