Vol.1 Why am I so popular?

A few months flew by quickly. My daily routine was monotonous: wake up, go to school, come home, and sleep. That’s all I’d been doing lately. Now, I’d firmly decided to embrace being a loner. Surprisingly, being alone didn’t bother me anymore. I felt at ease when I was by myself.

After Yamada switched seats, Youtskei started sitting next to me. Honestly, he didn’t say a single word all day. Not that I wanted him to. Now that I’d entered the realm of loners, I felt like I’d unlocked some hidden powers (lol). I saw the world differently than most people. I didn’t get angry, happy, or sad easily; my face rarely betrayed emotion. In short, I’d mastered the art of emotional control.

When you’re alone, the only person you’re left with is yourself. You start noticing yourself more—becoming self-aware. The more self-aware you are, the better you can control yourself. I considered this a skill. I had a habit of naming all my skills… childish, I knew… but it entertained me. Sometimes, I imagined a status window like in a game. It’s one way to pass the time.

I_______________________________l

I Status Window. I

l Name:- Taruo Taichi I

I Age:-10. I

I Job:- student I

I Title:- The One Who Decided I

I To Be Alone I

I Level:- Unknown I

I ————————————— I

I Skills :- Observer lvl2 I

I Loner LVL max (passive) I

I Stealth lvl1 , self-scan lvl 3 l

l______________________________ l

Everything went smoothly and peacefully until Today. Teacher Lina entered the class as usual. After the customary greeting, she started taking attendance. Everyone was busy chatting. Normally, she would’ve let it slide, but Today, she looked visibly irritated. Still, no one seemed to notice.

Then, she grabbed a book and smacked it on a bench twice or thrice, creating a loud noise. The student sitting there jumped in fright and fell off their bench. The entire class burst into laughter. Embarrassed, the student quickly got up and sat back down. Within moments, the class went silent, focusing now on Lina Ma’am.

“I’ve been thinking about this for a while now,” she began. “This class is getting out of hand. I thought a smaller class wouldn’t need a monitor, but clearly, I was wrong.”

Her words hit home. The silence in the room meant everyone agreed. A class monitor maintains order when the teacher isn’t around. Usually, the role goes to someone popular among teachers and students. She continued, “Today, we’ll elect two monitors: one boy and one girl. Let’s start with the boys.”

Jun Fujiyama immediately stood up.

“Ma’am, I can do this job,” he said confidently.

“No, you’re not sincere enough,” she replied teasingly. “The monitor’s job requires someone disciplined.”

That caught everyone off guard.

“Yes, ma’am!” several students echoed, agreeing with her. Fujiyama had no choice but to back down.

I thought the discussion would end quickly if Fujiyama took the Job, but he was rejected. A few other boys volunteered, but each was dismissed for one reason or another. In my opinion, the monitor should have strong communication skills (like Fujiyama), the ability to influence others (again, Fujiyama), and the respect of teachers (definitely Fujiyama). In short, Fujiyama seemed perfect for the role. As for me, I knew I wasn’t suited for it, so I tuned out of the conversation.

Then, unexpectedly, someone called my name.

“Taichi!?”

It was Lina Ma’am. Startled, I lost my composure. Everyone was staring at me. I gave her a puzzled look.

“Everyone wants you to be the monitor. Would you like to?” she asked.

“What?!” I blurted out, completely taken aback.

Her tone remained firm. “You’re disciplined, and everyone agrees you’re the best candidate.”

I know I’m disciplined only because I try to avoid trouble. I might seem like a model student from their perspective, but it’s not the reality. Glancing around, I saw the entire class waiting for my response. Even after I tried to refuse, Ma’am wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Let me think about it,” I said finally, hoping to buy time. “Meanwhile, you can decide on the female monitor.”

The class discussed the girl’s position while I wrestled with my thoughts. It was clear I couldn’t escape this. How would this responsibility affect me? I figured I could delegate communication tasks to the girl monitor. Soon, a girl named ‘Kushida’ was chosen as the female monitor. But who was this “Kushida” they mentioned?

‘That was very quick.’

Using my ‘Observation’ skill, I watched where the girls’ eyes turned. Most of them looked at the short-haired girl sitting near me. She had fair skin and always wore a cheerful smile. Wasn’t she who made that offhand comment when I sat with Yamada? Probably. She seemed friendly and helpful, the type everyone likes. But to me, she felt fake—someone hiding behind a facade of kindness. When she caught me staring, I quickly averted my gaze. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed she was still looking at me, smiling. A chill ran down my spine.

What a pain, I thought, letting out a sigh.

Ma’am turned back to me. “Taichi, have you decided?”

Under the pressure, I caved. “Yes… I can do it.”

Ma’am smiled. “With this, Taichi will be the boys’ monitor, and Kushida will be the girls’ monitor.”

Why am I so popular? What kind of image do people have of me?

I don’t talk to anyone: Cold-hearted person. I zone out during lectures: I am a highly focused student. I avoid trouble: High academic abilities. I don’t smile: Badass, emotionless persona. I don’t fight: I look down on others and am too superior to engage.

People have entirely misunderstood me. That’s why I ended up in this situation. I guess I’ll have to deal with it.