At first, Kimura-kun's safety was a major concern for the adults, but contrary to their worries, he's actually fitting into the class just fine.
Well, our class's girls are laser-focused on their entrance exam studies, so they probably treat him like a customer sitting three tables away in a family restaurant—basically, they don't care as long as he doesn't bother them.
When the results from the last mock exams were handed out, the girls were all fired up, chanting, "Yes, we can see the light of hope! But we can't let our guard down yet! The summit we aim for is still far away!!" Kimura-kun looked a little pale, but when Saijo-san softly reassured him from behind, "Don't worry. Saijo is here," he seemed to relax a bit.
By the way, "Sprechchor" is German. I once saw a quiz show in my past life that asked, "Is 'Sprechchor' French? True or False?" I was so confident it was English, but nope—it was German. My daughter laughed at me for days, so now it's etched into my brain.
As for the boys, they were having a blast teasing Kimura's "overlord" persona. It's rare for someone like that to show up in our school since the girls here don't pamper any of the boys. Thanks to Hiroshi-sama, the foundation to grow an "overlord" personality doesn't even exist.
You'd think Hiroshi-sama himself might have an overlord complex, right? But no, not even close. In fact, it's sweeter than a Max Coffee. Hiroshi's situation is more like a crowd around him. Pampering happens when a small group focuses on one person, right? But can you imagine pampering someone on a packed commuter train? Exactly.
There's even a 1.5-meter barrier around Hiroshi to make sure no one gets too close or steps out of line. When I first saw it, I thought, "Wait, is that an AT Field? Does that actually exist?"
In this town, the "overlords" have drastically decreased. Back when I was a first-year, we had truants and shut-ins, but after we started playing tag, those guys disappeared. A lot of the upperclassmen who were "overlord" types started out as selfish jerks, but after running around every day, they evolved into "wild but good-natured older brothers." The former shut-ins even started helping out with chores at home.
And all we did was run around.
That's why our school district is now overflowing with these kinds of guys. The crown jewel being Hiroshi.
Naturally, the girls who've been tormented by "overlord" boys in the past see Hiroshi as a refreshing breath of air. The candy shop lady always laughs her head off when she sees those boys getting ignored by the girls now. She even whispers in their ear, "How does it feel? Come on, how does it feel?" Ouch.
What happened to those former "overlords"? They probably moved away. After all, there's still demand for them somewhere else, right?
---
Now it's lunchtime, and Kimura is making his debut in tag.
Until now, Saijo-san had kept him out of it, saying, "Let's give it a little more time."
She already knew about the intense game of tag at this school. Apparently, it's well-known in certain parts of the male healthcare industry.
I heard Kimura's doctor is planning a visit to observe. Something about wanting to "see the miracle of this town and the elementary school at the heart of it with my own eyes as a men's health specialist." Isn't this getting a bit out of hand? (Shivers.)
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"Surround him! Don't let him escape!"
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This is our battlefield—those who let their guard down will be hunted in an instant in this "Paradise of Men's Dreams."
And into this battlefield, one beast has been unleashed.
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"Hahaha! What's wrong, huh? Do you really think you can catch *me* with that kind of running? Come at me, all of you! I'll take you all down!"
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"Damn, he's mocking us!
First, second, and third-years, close in on him! Fourth, fifth, and sixth-years, surround him once he's cornered! Plan B—All-out Jetstream Attack!"
"Roger that!"
---
Oh, they're really going for it. And Kimura's loving it, taunting them with no regard for the entire male population of the school.
On top of being good-looking, he's got the skills. Is this the rise of the "Post-Hiroshi"?
Nah, that's not gonna happen. Hiroshi-sama is in the same grade. Both of them will graduate at the same time, anyway.
Plus, the girls here have been watching Hiroshi-sama for years, so they barely even glance at other guys. The only ones screaming "kyaa" over Kimura are the new first-year girls.
I wonder if Saijo-san is aware of that.
I leaned back on the bench and started a conversation with Saijo, who was quietly observing Kimura from a distance.
---
"Shouldn't you be playing tag too?" she asked.
"Oh, I'm good. I just dodged their 'Plan A: Sealing Formation' and made a clean getaway. They've totally lost track of me. The name 'Escape King' isn't for show, you know."
---
They've shifted their target to Kimura, so I'm in the clear for now.
But more importantly, let's talk about Kimura. He probably has a fear of women. Specifically, young girls.
---
Saijo gave me a puzzled look. "How did you figure that out?"
"Just by watching him," I said. "He gets sick more often when shorter girls approach him, right? In the classroom, he's fine when taller girls walk by. I think it's related to what happened when he collapsed. You know, the 'One-Punch Incident.' The girl involved was the shortest in the class. I heard she's about the height of the average fourth-grade girl."
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"Also, remember when we went to *Nessa Spaland*? When a girl approached, he turned pale as a ghost. You were there, right? I didn't recognize you at first because you looked different, but when Kimura muttered 'Saijo,' I put two and two together."
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"Sure, there's a chance a first-year girl might show up during lunch, but I think we can manage. The boys out there playing tag already know the situation. Look, the older boys are already moving to block any potential encounters with younger girls."
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Saijo blinked in surprise. "Why are they going so far for him?"
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"It's not that big of a deal," I said casually. "Remember the kid who helped Kimura at *Nessa Spaland*? That's my best friend. So I guess I owe Kimura. Call it payback or something."
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"Hahaha! How about that! I managed to outrun you all! My stamina knows no limits! I'll keep this up for the entire lunch break!"
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"Damn it, this guy's a monster!"
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Looks like he managed to escape again. Guess I'll join the fray now.
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"C'mon, you guys! Don't go easy on the new kid! If you keep slacking off like this, you'll never beat me, the Escape King! If you're frustrated, then try and catch me!"