Chapter 4 - The Common Sense of This World
After witnessing a harem-like, rom-com scene in the classroom, the lesson started as if nothing had happened.
Although I hadn’t brought any textbooks, my desk and locker were packed with textbooks and notebooks, so I didn’t have to worry about forgetting anything. But my relief was short-lived. I soon realized that an ordinary class felt quite uncomfortable for someone like me, who had now taken on the role of a villain.
The teacher glared at me with sharp eyes and remarked, "It's rare for someone like you, who usually skips classes, to show up." During the lesson, the teacher blatantly picked on me, singling me out for every question. The stares from my classmates were equally piercing.
It felt as though everyone wanted to force me to fulfill my role as the villain in this world, rejecting my presence at school and even going out of their way to harass me.
But I had enough knowledge to overcome this.
The teacher probably expected me to fumble with the questions they threw at me, but they underestimated me. In my previous life, I had spent my high school and university years completely engrossed in studying. Answering the content of a first-year high school class was no trouble at all.
When I effortlessly answered the questions, the teacher’s eyes widened in surprise. The other students had similar expressions.
Their reaction was only natural. Before I reincarnated, the person known as Shindo Ryusuke had been defiant toward teachers and barely attended classes. No one expected him to know the answers.
However, due to my previous bad behavior, no matter how seriously I took the class or how many questions I answered correctly, the gazes directed at me remained cold. It was clear that to change this, I would need to earn their trust over a long period.
During the class, what intrigued me the most was the protagonist and heroines of this story.
I recalled the characters from Fusekoi.
First, there was the protagonist, Fusegawa Raito.
In the story, he sits at the very back by the window, and sure enough, he was seated in that exact spot, attending the lesson. His appearance was typical: plain black hair and eyes, with the demeanor of an ordinary high school boy who always seemed a bit lethargic. But he was also a naturally kind-hearted guy, a classic lady-killer who was immensely popular with beautiful girls, embodying the quintessential protagonist of a romantic comedy.
Next to the protagonist sat the main heroine, Hanasaki Yuna, with her long, red hair.
She was an excellent student with impeccable manners, possessing a pure and graceful appearance. She was the top-ranked heroine in the Fusekoi popularity polls. Her clumsy, innocent nature endeared her to readers, making her an utterly charming and beloved character.
Sitting in front of them was Himeno Karen, the childhood friend with twin tails.
In stark contrast to the gentle Yuna Hanasaki, Karen was bright, energetic, and had excellent athletic abilities. As the protagonist's childhood friend, she had many scenes, and though she had a bit of a tsundere attitude, her unwavering feelings for the protagonist won the hearts of the audience.
There was also the student council president, Sakuramiya Miyuki, though she wasn't here at the moment. She was the one who had invited Raito Fusegawa to join the student council earlier. Half-British with blonde hair and blue eyes, she was a high-status figure, flawless in beauty, personality, and ability—a perfect superhuman.
There were plenty of other quirky supporting characters, but these were the main figures in Fusekoi.
Their characteristics matched perfectly with the characters from my memories, and their names were identical. There was no doubt that this was the world of Fusekoi.
Even now, despite it being class time, the protagonist and heroines were flirting just as they did in the original story, all of it aligning with my memories of the plot.
But still, seeing the protagonist and heroine flirting during class was quite jarring in reality.
In truth, the seat at the very back by the window is pretty conspicuous to a teacher. From the teacher's desk, the least noticeable spot is usually one of the front-row corner seats, which can be a blind spot. But seats further back are easy to see, and it's obvious what someone is doing.
Yet, despite sitting in such a visible spot, Fusegawa Raito was chatting away with Hanasaki Yuna and Himeno Karen during class.
They probably thought they were being quiet, but I could hear them clearly all the way from my seat in the front row. Not to mention, the sight of two beautiful girls happily talking was bound to draw attention, yet they didn’t receive any scolding whatsoever. This reaffirmed for me that this was the common sense of a rom-com world.
After all, a rom-com wouldn’t work if there weren’t conversations between the protagonist and the heroine. Depicting a silent classroom scene wouldn’t make for interesting visuals, so naturally, they kept talking during class.
Feeling out of place in a class so different from what I was used to, I quietly copied the contents of the blackboard into my notebook and listened to the teacher’s lesson.
While I was curious about the interactions between the protagonist and heroines, what I needed most right now was trust from those around me.
If I didn’t escape my role as a villain, the future that awaited me in this world was a bad ending, just as it was in the original story.
So, I first needed to reform myself. Shindo Ryusuke was undeniably a delinquent in this world, but the me who had reincarnated was someone who had lived a life far removed from delinquency.
In other words, by putting in the effort as the reincarnated me, I could change Shindo Ryusuke from an irredeemable villain meant to highlight the protagonist’s greatness into a serious, sincere model student, thus avoiding a disastrous future.
What awaited me then would surely be the ideal youth I couldn’t experience in my first life—the sweet, bittersweet love life unique to a rom-com. I wanted to live such a life, too.
To that end, I had to take my classes seriously.
No sleeping, no slacking, no talking during class, and taking thorough notes. I made sure to nod in agreement during the teacher’s explanations, doing my best to show I was paying attention. I focused on taking the class as seriously as I could.
But, despite all that effort… well, it was only the first day, and both the teachers and classmates looked at me with nothing but unease. There was no progress at all. But perseverance is key. This is something that will only be meaningful if I keep at it.
With that resolve, I continued to take the lessons, and before I knew it, the morning had flown by, and it was lunchtime.
I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me, likely from doing something unfamiliar right after reincarnating. I thought about taking a short nap after eating lunch. It was such a nice day that having lunch on the rooftop sounded appealing.
But just as I was thinking that, I heard the voices of Fusegawa Raito, Hanasaki Yuna, and Himeno Karen, snapping me back to reality.
"Raito-kun, it’s such a nice day today. How about we have lunch on the rooftop?"
"Yuna, that sounds great. Let’s go."
"I’m so happy. Let’s relax and enjoy the sunshine."
"Raito! I made lunch today! You’ll eat it, right?"
"Of course. Everything you make is delicious, Karen."
"Huh!? U-uhm… okay… ehe."
Watching the exchange between the protagonist, Fusegawa Raito, and the two heroines, I couldn’t help but sigh.
I had forgotten… The school rooftop was a frequent spot in the story where the protagonist and heroines would flirt.
That open space was a classic location for the protagonist and heroines to deepen their relationships. If I went there now, it could trigger a villainous event where I might end up interfering with the protagonist. Even if I had no intention of doing so, the atmosphere alone seemed to push things in that direction.
Quiet places like the library or other secluded spots were dangerous. Since I had reincarnated as a villain, I needed to avoid the classic locations from the story as much as possible.
(The safest place is still the classroom.)
It was the most inconspicuous spot. It was clear that the classroom, filled with many students, was the most comfortable space for me. Like hiding a tree in a forest, it was safest for a side character like me to remain quietly among the crowd.
For now, I decided to eat my lunch and take a nap with my head on my desk, preparing to focus on the afternoon classes.
But then it hit me.
(That’s right. Before now, I was skipping school so much that I never had a lunch prepared.)
Before I reincarnated, Shindo Ryusuke wasn’t someone who followed the basic routine of attending school and taking classes. Of course, my parents wouldn’t have made me a lunch, and there was nothing in my bag to serve as a meal.
To fill my stomach, I would have to go to the cafeteria for lunch.
But the cafeteria was also a frequent event location in Fusekoi. I knew the protagonist and heroines were heading to the rooftop, so I hoped nothing would happen… but there was still a chance.
This is the world of a rom-com, and it’s a typical harem story. That means other heroines who support Fusegawa Raito might appear, leading to an event that could develop into a conflict with the protagonist.
There was a possibility of encountering an unknown event not found in the original work. But if I didn’t eat, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on the afternoon classes. I just had to act in a way that didn’t draw attention.
I decided to eat lunch quietly in a corner of the cafeteria, where no one would notice me, and, clutching my wallet, I left the classroom.