Chapter 1: A Bad First Impression (Kind Of) (Updated & Grammar Fixed)

“Alright, class. Can anyone solve this problem?”

A pause.

“How about you, Mamoru-kun?”

Zzz...

The teacher coughed loudly. “Wake up, boy! This isn’t nap time!”

“Huh? Oh, I’m awake! Mamoru—present!” I snapped upright, fixing my tie and patting my messy hair. Though honestly, I usually leave it like that. Makes me look cooler... maybe?

The whole class laughed. What was once a quiet room now buzzed with chatter and giggles. I think the teacher’s name was Miss Subaru? I’m really bad with names.

“Well then, Mamoru-kun,” she continued. “Can you solve this problem?”

I stared at the board, brain completely fried. Maybe—just maybe—I’d unlock a secret power under pressure, like in anime. This was it. The moment I proved my worth. Grandpa, your legacy will not be in vain!

“The answer is... seven?” I said, hesitantly.

I looked around for reassurance. Nothing. My classmates avoided eye contact like I was contagious. Fair enough. I am the lowest scorer in class.

Miss Subaru sighed. “Wrong. Anyone else?”

A girl raised her hand. But not just any girl—a platinum blonde with sparkling blue eyes, wearing a different, darker blue blazer that looked way too fancy to be from this school.

She answered flawlessly.

“Who is she?” I muttered, squinting.

I quickly grabbed my glasses. Click. Yup. She was stunning.

“She just transferred here from France,” someone whispered nearby.

“She answered it perfectly... and she only moved here last week.”

“She must’ve studied hard—or maybe foreigners are just built different.”

I noticed the blonde girl—Emilia, I think—shrink back in her seat slightly, looking uncomfortable. I understood that feeling all too well. Being singled out isn’t fun. I should know—I’m practically an anomaly myself.

The class returned to normal, but I just zoned out. Maybe if I studied hard, I could get everyone’s attention too. Or maybe... I’ll just sleep.

Riiiiing!

Thank god. Lunchtime.

I headed to my usual spot: my beloved chair. Cheap wooden frame, wobbly legs, and paired with an equally sad desk—pure nostalgia. Nothing screams “public school” like subsidized furniture.

As I opened my lunch (rice with one lonely pickled plum), I overheard a conversation.

“Emi, how did you solve that math question so fast? Is the French curriculum that different?”

Emilia smiled shyly and brushed her hair aside. “Hmm... I don’t think so. I just study regularly.”

“Wow, that’s impressive, Emilia-san.”

Then another girl chimed in, “Hey, do you have a boyfriend back in France?”

“Eh? N-No... I don’t,” she replied, visibly uncomfortable.

Huh. That answer seemed... off. Suspiciously off. Maybe she’s hiding something? Could be a secret love story from her past! But I’m not a detective. And besides, I don’t want to seem like a stalker.

Just as I resumed poking at my rice, the smartest girl in class—Shino, the one who slapped me that day—turned toward me.

“Hey, Mamoru-kun, you shouldn’t eavesdrop. Why don’t you join us?”

“Oh, that’s a kind offer, but I’m good, thanks,” I replied, pretending to be occupied with my chopsticks and phone.

She looked a bit worried, but smiled and returned to chatting with Emilia.

Then I noticed it—Emilia looking at me. Curious, intrigued. Why me?

I tried to smile... a smooth, flirty smile that would make any girl blush.

What actually came out: a weird, awkward half-smile with a head nod. She blinked, then turned away, staring at the clock like it was the most interesting thing ever.

Oof.

After lunch, I headed to the toilet. But as I turned a corner—

Bump!

“Hé, fais attention où tu vas !” she blurted in surprise.

Emilia?! She quickly fixed her skirt and hair, realizing she’d spoken in French.

“Uh, sorry... Por favor, señorita?” I blurted.

She blinked. Then burst out laughing. “Hehe… That’s Spanish.”

Oh. Right.

“Ehh, I’m sorry, Emilia... right?”

“Hehe, yes. My, you should be more careful, you know—pervert.”

Pervert?! She knows?! Did the slap incident reach even her?

This is it. Game over.

But then—

“Don’t worry,” she said gently. “Shino-san already told me it was a misunderstanding. And that you didn’t even try to deflect the blame. I think that’s kinda admirable.”

Wait... she believes me?

“Ehh... th-thank you...” Why couldn’t I talk like a normal human right now?

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Uh, Mamoru. Nice to meet you. And you?”

Why did I ask that? I know her name. Idiot.

She giggled. “Emilia Laurent. But you can call me Emi.”

“Emi? Really? I can use your nickname?”

“Huh? Why not? Don’t you prefer being called what you like?”

“W-Well, in our culture, using nicknames can mean we’re... close. Like, lovers close.”

“Lovers, huh? Hehe~” She giggled, leaning in. “Maybe I should teach you how to be more romantic.”

“I-I don’t really think I’m into love... to be honest.”

“Everyone is, deep down. You’re just new to it.”

I scratched my head. “Yeah… I guess I’m still a beginner.”

She backed away with a teasing smile. “That’s unfortunate. You’ve got potential, though. Maybe I’ll date you~”

She winked and walked past me, leaving me stunned in the hallway like a background NPC.

And now I couldn’t stop imagining her in a cat cosplay.

Great. Toilet trip: postponed. Bell: rings. Time to go back.

As I walked to class, students gossiped.

“Hey, did you hear? Emilia’s joining the school festival committee.”

“Seriously? Then I’m joining too!”

Our school was weird. It’s public, but tries so hard to be elite that we have two school festivals. Why? No clue. I didn’t pay attention during orientation. Probably skipped that part mentally.

In class, I struggled to focus. Emilia glanced at me. I gave her a dumb grin. She laughed.

Then…

“Mamoru-kun,” Mr. Tanaka called. “Tell us what happened on July 14, 1789.”

Ugh. Why history? Wait... I know this!

“The Storming of the Bastille. When the French revolutionaries seized the prison’s armory.”

Correct!

Thank you, Legend of History IV: Bastille Breakers.

Even Emilia looked surprised.

After class, I was about to escape when Shino stopped me.

“Mamoru-san, don’t forget—it’s our cleaning duty today.” She handed me a broom.

“R-Right! Just need to, uh, use the toilet.”

I placed the broom by the door, grabbed my bag, and waited until she wasn’t looking...

Time to escape!

But before I reached the stairs—

“Going somewhere?”

Emilia stood at the exit, arms crossed.

“E-Emilia?”

“Where do you think you’re going? Skipping out on cleaning again?”

“No, I was just... heading to the toilet.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. Go back and help Shino.”

“Come on, Emilia-san—”

“Call me Emi.”

“Please move aside... Emi.”

She smirked. “You know, if you don’t go back, I could tell everyone you’re my boyfriend.”

Wait what?! That doesn’t sound so bad—unless she’s bluffing. Or worse, not bluffing.

“Ehh... boyfriend, huh? That’s... tempting.”

“Careful, some girls will get jealous. And you might not survive the congratulations~”

Congratulations? Oh, right. Code for beatdown. Message received.

“Fine, fine. I’ll help Shino. Please don’t slap me again.”

She stepped aside and patted my head. I blushed hard.

“Good boy.”

“Hey Shino-san, I’m back. Need help with anything else?”

She looked at me with a smirk. “Let me guess. Emi dragged you back?”

“Uh... maybe.”

“I didn’t think she was the type to enforce rules. Kinda lady-like, don’t you think?”

“Yeah... Hey, uh, sorry about that time I, y’know… saw your underwear.”

Shino blushed hard, looking away. “Ehh… yeah… forget it.”

Awkward silence.

“So, uh… do you think Emilia would ever like me?” I asked—half joke, half hope.

Shino burst into laughter. “You? Maybe a 20% chance. And that’s me being generous.”

“Ouch. Fair.”

She added, “Not that I think you’re cute or anything! Just... not hopeless.”

I grinned. “I’ll take it. Thanks, Shino-san.”

After finishing, I ran home—ready to grind for 2D waifus.

As I left school, I saw Emilia getting picked up by a fancy black sedan. She smiled and waved.

I waved back.

At home, I was not greeted by a cute little sister. She was probably locked in her room screaming at her teammates in some online game. Sometimes I wished we could talk more… but oh well.

I changed, grabbed my phone, and resumed my life’s work: gacha grinding.

After five hours, I had enough for a ten-pull.

“Alright... please don’t give me the same character again…”

Click.

A platinum-haired girl with blue eyes appeared on screen.

“Wait… she looks just like... Emilia?”

I smiled like an idiot.

Maybe my luck really is changing.