It has been one month since high school started, and by now, all the friend circles have formed.
"What are you looking at, Mr. Keto?"
"Nothing—just thinking about how to kill you, you petite girl."
I was responding to Momo Endo, my only close female friend.
Upon hearing my reply, Momo got angry and punched me in the stomach.
"You know what? Yesterday, Megumi asked about you."
"Really? When and why?"
She pointed, signalling for money—what a little girl, hungry for cash, even though she is rich.
I took out a 100-yen coin, and she snatched it from my hand.
"The truth is she never asked about you and she will never do that."
After saying that, Momo ran out of the classroom. I tried to chase her but was stopped by my inner self, forcing me to calm down.
Then another guy came up to me and handed me a Choco-milk drink. He is my close friend now.
His name is Daichi Ogawa, a popular hunk in our class. However, he's not interested in the opposite sex at the moment; he enjoys singing, acting, and dancing. He even attended an idol academy in middle school but stopped going for some reason.
"Come on, why don't you date Momo-san instead? You both look good together."
"You idiot! Do you really think I love that little creature with an attitude? Nope, not happening until Mt. Fuji goes snowless."
After our small talk, lunch was over, and classes continued.
Megumi Mori.
The girl I fell hard for because she resembles my dream girl. I had thought she would be an introvert and lonely, but she turned out to be a famous personality with many fans, both girls and boys.
"The White Witch," a cult-classic light novel, conquered the hearts of every fiction fan. The story follows her struggles as she overcomes the challenges of being born a witch.
The novel gained immense fame and received praise from prominent figures in the anime and manga industry. It was even adapted into a manga and anime, and I heard that Hollywood is considering making a live-action film.
The novel was co-written by Megumi and her best friend during middle school. They started it as a way to escape the loneliness they experienced in school, and it became a huge success.
Once the class found out that she was the author of the famous novel, everyone started talking to her, and my dream was completely shattered.
In the evening, after classes ended, I went straight to the cycle stand because I hadn't joined any clubs yet.
I was confused about which club to join since I was good at every sport. I considered joining the football, volleyball, basketball, or baseball clubs.
However, the number of applicants for those clubs was huge, and I didn't participate in the selections. Yet, sometimes when we pass each other, they invite me to join.
I took my bicycle and headed straight home. Upon reaching home, I freshened up, had some snacks, and then took my bike again to my part-time job.
I work at 7-Eleven from 5 PM to 9 PM, taking on various tasks except for the cashier role, since I hadn't learned how to operate the register.
At 9 PM, I left the store and was walking home, carrying my bike in hand.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of a girl from a nearby alley—it sounded like a couple was arguing.
I tried to ignore them, but then I heard a familiar voice, a girl's voice that I recognized quite well.
When I checked on the noise, I saw Isuno-san trying to break free from the grip of an old-geezer.