I have a best friend who I've known since kindergarten.
The first time I met him was the day after the unforgettable "Hiroshi-sama's Arrival" incident.
Before that, I really hated kindergarten.
The girls were noisy, they would touch me all the time, and just when I thought they were going to start a fight, they'd say, "It's for Kouta-kun," which made no sense at all.
Why did I have to get scolded by the teacher? Isn't it unreasonable to blame me for not being able to manage it?
So, I hated kindergarten. I didn't even want to go, but my mom was working, and I couldn't just stay home alone.
Reluctantly, I thought, "Guess I have to endure this unreasonable stuff again today," when I noticed it was getting loud outside.
What awaited me outside the window was a shocking sight.
A boy with wavy, amber-colored hair, eyes that somehow exuded charm, a face that balanced sharpness with a childlike quality, and long limbs.
He looked like he could be a prince from some country, surrounded by girls.
Incredibly, despite being in such a situation, he had a refreshing smile and said, "I'm not really that great, you know? Just feel free to call me 'Hiroshi'!"
It was just amazing; I couldn't even imagine doing that myself.
I felt an indescribable chill, like I was seeing some incomprehensible creature, and I returned to my seat alone.
From that day on, my environment changed.
The girls who had been crowding around me suddenly disappeared.
At first, I wondered what had happened, but the answer was simple: they all went to Hiroshi-kun.
I think my relief outweighed my confusion, and I was able to enjoy a relaxed time like I hadn't felt in a while.
The next day, nothing had changed. Not just the girls from the Rose class, but even kids from other classes, the teachers, and even my friends' moms.
Everyone was flocking to Hiroshi-kun.
Women can be scary sometimes.
Amidst all this, a boy from the neighboring Lily class called out to me.
"Hey, wanna make mud balls together?"
I had never played with a boy before. In fact, I think it was the first time I'd even talked to one.
He didn't have any particularly distinctive features. He claimed, "Even with this, I'm about average-looking!"
When I asked, "So what do you mean by below average?" he replied, "That's just being unhealthy and suffering the consequences of your own actions," with a sharp tongue.
You're pretty blunt, aren't you?
I actually got along with him pretty well. For some reason, he called me "master" and would say, "As expected of my master, I'll follow you for life," every chance he got.
I guess it was some TV influence or something.
But sometimes, while looking at Hiroshi-kun, he would mumble, "I really owe him one."
But hey, I think you should stop grinning like that; it makes you look really suspicious!
*
(Side: Kōta Takagi)
I started elementary school.
Since it was a different scale from the kindergarten I had been attending, I couldn't sleep well the night before the entrance ceremony, wondering what it would be like from the very first day.
Honestly, I'm not really fond of girls. To put it bluntly, they kind of scare me.
It's like they're so true to their desires or maybe just honest with themselves... Anyway, I want everyone to remember the word "modesty."
It's clearly written in the book "Basic Knowledge of Modern Terms" that my mom bought for me, so why doesn't anyone know about it?
When I talked about this on the phone with my best friend, he brushed it off casually, saying, "You'll be fine since Hiroshi is there, right?"
I don't really like Hiroshi either.
Sometimes he looks at me with this condescending gaze, like he's looking down on me.
It's not that bad towards me, but when he looks at my best friend, it's like he's laughing at him. That's not the kind of look a kid should have, right?
I've casually mentioned this to my best friend before, but he just said, "As expected of Hiroshi, he gets it~" with a carefree expression. The look on my best friend's face at that moment was just mischievous.
Yeah, these two are pretty similar, so I decided to avoid this topic.
I firmly vowed to myself.
On the first day of school, everyone was probably nervous, and we finished the self-introductions and a brief explanation of the facilities without any real issues.
On my way back, a few girls invited me, saying, "Let's hang out somewhere soon," but I replied, "Sure, once everyone gets used to school and the class settles down♪"
That's how Hiroshi often responds to girls, isn't it?
I might have been influenced more than I thought.
Changes showed up quickly.
During the break the next day, when I visited my best friend's classroom, which was in a different class, it was oddly empty.
When I greeted my best friend, he was grinning and said, "As expected of Hiroshi, he's got it covered♪"
"What do you mean?" I asked, and he casually showed me his phone screen.
There it was, a post from Hiroshi on social media with a refreshing smile saying, "I'm a first grader starting today!! I'm nervous, but I'll do my best."
There were several photos uploaded, including one taken under the cherry blossom tree at the school gate and another of him chatting with a girl in the classroom.
What shocked me was the number of "likes"—one million "likes"? What even is that?
I couldn't quite wrap my head around it.
"And that's the result of it."
My best friend slowly stood up and pointed towards the classroom where Hiroshi was.
When I stepped out of the classroom too, I saw a crowd of girls who had started school with us yesterday, spilling out into the hallway...
What is this? It's kind of scary, isn't it?
"It's fine now since it's a ten-minute break, but during lunch, it might be a different story," my best friend said ominously.
"Should we escape to the schoolyard during lunch?"
And just like that, my, or rather our, plans for lunch as boys, excluding Hiroshi, were set.