Chapter 2 - The School, the Protagonist and the heroine
Ononai High School
It’s the high school that appears in the manga “I Can’t Stop Loving You!” and it’s where I, Tachibana Chihaya, go to study.
Now that I’ve become Tachibana Chihaya, I have to go to Ononai, but there’s a problem.
Where is Ononai High School?
I just remembered that the manga doesn’t show the specific route…
However, today’s world is full of conveniences. A quick search on my smartphone shows the destination, and it gives me directions from my current location.
I’m relieved. If it was in the past, I would have had to ask my parents or someone else for directions to Ononai High School. because there weren’t even mobile phones back then. I’m glad we have smartphones now.
I checked the location of the school on my smartphone and rode my bike there without any problems.
Ononai High School isn’t that big in terms of land area. If anything, it has a new building used by students who attend the special advanced courses for college preparation.
This is also manga knowledge! But there’s still so much I don’t know with just the first volume…
I’m impressed to see the school building, the grounds, and everything else that exists in the manga, but I can’t stand in front of the gate forever admiring it.
I changed from loafers to indoor shoes and headed to Class 2-3, which is rhe assigned class of Tachibana Chihaya.
Class 2-3 is on the third floor. So, I went up the stairs to the classroom where Tachibana usually attendes his classes.
…
I was quite nervous. After all, even though I’m attending as Tachibana Chihaya, I’m completely different on the inside.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that most of my classmates are meeting me for the first time.
Ah… my heart hurts. I want to go home, but now that I’ve become Tachibana Chihaya, I have to fully become that character.
If I raise even a little suspicion, it would be terrible. I walk while recalling everything I remember about Tachibana. It would be scary if the world itself became strange because of my actions that are out of character.
I took a deep breath and opened the classroom door.
“Ah, good morning, Tachibana.”
As I entered the classroom, a male student greeted me first.
Yes, he is the protagonist of “I Can’t Stop Loving You!”—Hiroto Takahashi.
Tall and handsome. Plus, he has a good personality.
Takahashi, true to the main character of a romantic comedy manga, has a dense side when it comes to romance, but even without that, he’s considered a charming person.
I can’t understand why why he’s friends with someone like Tachibana, who’s known as the school’s outcast.
Maybe it’s because they’re complete opposites in terms of personality and everything else?
“Ah, good morning.”
“What’s with you? You seem unusually spirited today. Did something good happen?”
I was surprised by Takahashi’s comment. Do I really look that lively?
When I looked at my face in the mirror this morning, my eyes looked dead, and I had a gloomy aura. Maybe this guy is blind.
“It’s nothing. Just the usual.”
“Really? You seem more cheerful than usual. The usual Tachibana… has a hunched back and a gaze that seems to cut through people, and you usually ignore my greetings. But today, your eyes seem unusually kind. Is it just my imagination?”
“Probably just your imagination.”
Is Tachibana really that gloomy and unpleasant?
At least return a simple greeting. It’s great that you have a personality just like in a manga.
But then again, now that I am Tachibana, it hurts to think that Takahashi sees me that way.
“It shouldn’t be just my imagination. The atmosphere feels different, almost like a different person—”
“Hey, Takahashi, can I ask you something?”
“Hm? What’s up?”
“Where’s my seat again?”
Although I could navigate to school using my smartphone, but when it comes to finding my own seat, I’m completely lost. I had no choice but to ask my friend Takahashi, and I’m so surprised that I had forgotten where my seat is. I'm really sorry…
“Haha! Yeah, that’s weird. Forgetting your own seat is definitely strange. Tachibana’s seat is by the window, all the way at the back. Don’t forget it again.”
“Thanks for the info. I’ve got it memorized.”
For now, let’s go to my seat and settle down.
I placed my bag on the seat by the window, as Takahashi had instructed.
It’s a relief to have found my seat. Oh, I left the map on my smartphone open, so I’ll turn it off. When Takahashi, who followed me, tried to peek at my smartphone, I reflexively put it inside my desk to hide it.
“What are you doing? Don’t just look at my smartphone.”
“Were you looking at some shady site?”
“I wasn’t. So, what do you want?”
“That’s right. Hey, Tachibana. I heard a new transfer student is coming today. Do you know anything about it?”
“A transfer student?”
Transfer student… Transfer student. It’s April, and we’ve just become second-year students.
Oh, that’s right. In the manga, a transfer student comes to our class, and that’s where the story begins. If it’s like the manga, the main heroine, Riko Ayase, should be coming as the transfer student.
“I know—no, I don’t know.”
Given the development of the manga, Tachibana Chihaya shouldn’t know about it.
I almost let it slip that I knew, but I managed to deny, it's enough to cover it up.
“That’s right. The whole class is buzzing about it. Whether it’s a boy or a girl. Whether they’re cool or cute. Everyone loves that kind of talk, don’t they?”
“I don’t really care. I’m not interested.”
Oops. I didn’t mean to respond so indifferently, but somehow I ended up saying something that Tachibana Chihaya would likely say.
Is this also Tachibana’s influence? If so, I really hate it. It would be easier if I could just honestly say I’m interested. Tachibana is really losing out because of his personality, I thought.
“Come on, you’re really curious, aren’t you? You should be more honest.”
“I’m really not interested. Whatever kind of person the transfer student is, it’s none of my business.”
It hurts, but I was able to say something that sounds like Tachibana. This way, no one will find out that I’m a different person inside.
Takahashi doesn’t seem suspicious, so I guess the strategy is successful for now.
“You’re the same as ever. That tone of voice is just like usual, so I’m relieved. By the way, do you want me to tell you the information I know about the transfer student?”
I know the transfer student… I only know their name and what kind of person they are, but I can’t say that.
“I don’t need it.”
“You’re so cold. Couldn’t you be a little more friendly? You should smile more. It’s a waste with such a good-looking face.”
“I’m not interested.”
Our trivial conversation was ended by the chime.
Takahashi waved at me lightly and went to his seat.
As the classmates sat down in their seats, the homeroom teacher appeared in the classroom.
I know this teacher too. Mr. Tanaka, the Japanese history teacher.
He’s a young male teacher who speaks quickly and sometimes doesn't speak clearly, but he’s quite loved by the students. By the way, I learned this information from the internet.
“Well. No one is absent… Excellent! Before we start homeroom, good morning students.”
The classmates responded to Mr. Tanaka’s greeting.
“As many of you may know, we have a new member joining our class today. So, let’s have them come in right away. Come on in!”
With Mr. Tanaka’s call, the classroom door opened.
Everyone’s gaze turned to the front door, and a silence and tension took over the classroom.
The door opened, and the transfer student was revealed.
Some students let out exclamations of admiration, and the classroom buzzed a little.
It’s understandable.
The transfer student who appeared before us has a captivating beauty, shining brighter and more radiant than anyone else.
Her hair, cut neatly around her shoulders.
Her eyes are large and round, her nose is straight, and her small pink lips and the mole near her mouth are distinctive. The transfer student stopped next to the teacher’s desk and turned to face her classmates.
“Um, could you write your name on the blackboard?”
Mr. Tanaka handed her the chalk, and she began to write her name on the blackboard.
She wrote “Riko Ayase” in beautiful handwriting, put down the chalk, faced forward, and said,
“I’m Riko Ayase. Nice to meet you all.”
Ah. It’s just like the manga.
I watched Ayase with an expression that could be taken as either joy or despair, regretting that I should have read not just the first volume but also the subsequent ones.
Comments
Post a Comment