"Wake up, Yoshi-senpai."
Opening one eye, Yoshikage Hideyoshi stared at the alarm clock on his dresser before closing it once more.
[Editor's note: It's last name, then first. In this case, Yoshikage is the last name, and Hideyoshi is the first. A Jojo reference in the 2nd sentence. As expected of the author.]
"I have 5 more minutes, little kouhai."
Keeping his eyes closed, Hideyoshi continued to lie down on his bed.
His nice, soft, expensive bed.
How blissful.
A cold finger made its way onto his cheek.
"Senpai, you said that 10 minutes ago."
Opening both his eyes this time, Hideyoshi squinted at the girl in front of him.
A short bob cut shaded in dark brown. Eyes the color of espresso. Dark blue school uniform.
Kato Megumi squatted in front of him, both meeting eye to eye.
"Kouhai, your finger is cold."
"Yoshi-senpai, your soul is colder."
The two stared at each other before Hideyoshi grunted, then pulled the covers over his head.
"It's still the break, we have a week before school starts, fool."
"Break ended yesterday, senpai."
Silence filled the room before Hideyoshi's muffled voice came out.
"I'm skipping school today."
"It's the first day. We have to attend the opening ceremony."
"Let me know how that goes. Tell me what class I'm in later, too."
Silence one more.
Megumi sighed before gently pulling the covers down until they reached Hideyoshi's neck.
"Senpai, don't make me do something you're going to regret."
Scoffing, Hideyoshi simply turned towards the other side.
"Bring it on kouhai."
Megumi leaned over slightly, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.
"Last chance, senpai."
Staring at the boy in front of her, a small smile appeared on her face.
"Zzz..."
Fake snores echoed in the room.
Megumi got closer and closer, before putting her mouth directly above Hideyoshi's ear and gently blowing air into it.
She began to whisper.
"Good morning, Yoshi-kun~"
Hideyoshi jumped out of bed, hand clutching his ear.
He put his back against the corner of the room and stared at the girl who was now standing next to his bed, laughing.
ASMR? Now?
"Y-you monster! You know I hate that- that feeling!"
"Good morning to you, too, Hideyoshi-kun~"
Glaring at the horrible witch in front of him, Hideyoshi grumbled before jumping off his bed.
"I'm a year older than you."
"And you act like a middle schooler."
Megumi gently handed Hideyoshi his school uniform on a hanger.
"I'll be waiting outside, Yoshi-senpai."
(Linebreak)
"So did you get your beret back?"
The two were walking towards school, bags in hand.
Hideyoshi's was slung over his back, while Megumi held hers in both hands.
"Yes. After he handed it back, he just stood there, so I left."
"What was his name again? Maki Tamago?"
"Aki Tomoya. He was in my class last year. Yoshi-senpai, you're just hungry."
Looking down at his stomach, Hideyoshi sighed.
"I should survive until lunchtime."
Grumble.
The two looked at the stomach, which protested, before Hideyoshi looked away.
"You could have had breakfast if you woke up earlier."
Megumi sighed before pulling out a box of Pocky from her uniform's pocket.
"Here you go, idiot-senpai." (Baka)
Hideyoshi skillfully opened the box and packaging before putting one in his mouth.
"You're a lifesaver as usual, small-kouhai!" (Chibi)
Taking out another one, Hideyoshi put it against Megumi's lips.
"Senpai is trying to feed me again."
"Oi, don't word it like that!"
Megumi bit off a piece before putting the rest in her mouth.
The two walked quietly towards the school, the campus getting closer.
Hideyoshi sighed, putting another stick of Pocky in his mouth.
17 years ago, he found himself in an anime world.
A well-known romcom, Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata. (Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend)
At first, he assumed he had reincarnated (isekai) into Japan once more.
It wasn't until he began attending Toyogasaki Academy that he realised it truly was an anime world.
Reality slapped him in the face when he found out that Kasumigaoka Utaha was in the same class as him in their 1st year.
Since then, time only continued to pass more and more, until he was now in his 3rd year.
"Senpai, we arrived."
Hideyoshi blinked twice before looking around.
They were indeed at the front gates of the school.
"You've been daydreaming a lot recently, Yoshi-senpai."
Megumi stared at Hideyoshi, no emotion on her face.
However, given how long they had known each other, Hideyoshi saw worry in her eyes.
"Are you okay?"
Grinning, Hideyoshi put another piece of Pocky in his mouth before ruffling Megumi's hair.
"Of course I am! Don't be silly, stupid-kouhai!"
Shoving his hand off her head, Megumi stared at the idiot in front of her, a small blush on her face.
"I-idiot!"
As he pushed another piece of Pocky into her mouth, Hideyoshi reminisced about the past once more.
He had met Kato Megumi in a supermarket before, back when he was a 2nd year and she was a 1st year.
The two were surprised when they saw each other.
Hideyoshi was surprised to find one of the main protagonists of the series.
Megumi was surprised someone noticed her presence.
As the two began talking, they were surprised once more when they learned they both went to the same school.
They continued to get along until Hideyoshi revealed that he lived alone.
Megumi listened quietly as Hideyoshi complained about maintenance and money.
After ranting, he told her to come by whenever, promising that he would cook her a good meal.
He even gave her a key to his house.
Such generosity.
Eventually, she did come over to have lunch, then learned about her senpai's constant tardiness due to oversleeping.
Megumi, the good kouhai she is, went to his house to wake him up.
His attendance rate, in turn, increased by 60%.
Hideyoshi, however, did not like waking up early, so he began to resist these visits.
This led to the two teasing each other back and forth.
As close as siblings, one could say.
Perhaps more than that?
"Alright, let's find our classes, shall we?"
Walking towards the signs that stated who was in which class, Hideyoshi continued to put more and more pocky into his mouth.
If he had looked back, he would have noticed Megumi's cute smile as she followed behind him, unnoticed by others around the two.
(Linebreak)
"Class 3-B."
"Class 2-B."
As the two stared at the board, Hideyoshi patted Megumi gently on her shoulder.
"Looks like fate has given us both B."
"There is a year difference between us, senpai."
"Yes, yes."
Walking away from the board, Hideyoshi and Megumi began heading towards the entrance of the school.
"Senpai, do you have any Pocky left?"
"Hmm? Nope, this is the last one."
Holding it between his teeth, Hideyoshi looked over to Megumi.
"Did you want more?"
"Not really."
Looking at Megumi, who was pouting, Hideyoshi sighed in his heart.
Alas, the gap moe is huge.
Then, an idea came to his genius mind.
Leaning towards Megumi, Hideyoshi grinned.
"Hey, kouhai."
"Mhm, what is-!"
Turning to look at Hideyoshi, Megumi blinked before finding herself face to face with the man.
The two were close enough that the Pocky was nearly touching her lips.
"Want a bite~?"
!
Unable to properly come up with a response, the normally flat (attitude) girl took a few more steps back, the blush on her face creeping up.
Hideyoshi grinned.
Normally, Kato Megumi would not react so strongly.
She was known to rarely show her emotions, and this was one of the reasons for Sawamura Eriri's irritation in the series in the beginning.
However!
She has now met Yoshikage Hideyoshi!
An integral factor that changed the plot entirely!
Facing the continuous nonstop teasing for a year coming from Yoshikage Hideyoshi, even someone who normally has a flat personality would blush at this!
[Editor's note: I have no idea why this became so passive-aggressive. I read this like the narrator does in Baki or Love is War. I double-checked while translating, and it went from Hideyoshi's internal monologue into a sports announcer.]
"Well, just kidding, small-kouhai."
Finishing the pocky in his mouth, Hideyoshi entered the school, waving as he continued forward.
"See you at lunchtime."
Watching Hideyoshi disappear up the staircase, Kato Megumi narrowed her eyes at the perverted criminal running away.
"Is that so~?" (So desu ka~?)
(Linebreak)
"Hey, Hideyoshi! Let's go to the arcade after this!"
"Sorry! Next time! I'm busy after school!"
"Yoshi! You still owe me 500 yen!" ($3.45 as of today)
"My bad! Next time for sure!"
As he walked down the halls, Hideyoshi waved at the people who called him out.
He wasn't exactly best friends with the people of his grade, but he was still pretty well known.
People knew him as the loud, friendly senior.
That was fine with him.
"Have you heard the news? Apparently, there is some sort of virus going around."
"Yeah, my cousin got infected a while back. He hasn't left his house in a while."
Listening to the chatter around him, Hideyoshi narrowed his eyes.
A virus?
That was never mentioned in the original plot line.
Frowning, he got up before exiting the classroom.
Well, it didn't matter too much.
What's important now is to pick up the kouhai.
It's lunch time now!
Heading down the stairs, he began approaching the classroom 2-B.
Hideyoshi began imagining what Kato Megumi made today.
Rolled sweet eggs? (Tamago)
Meatballs?
Maybe even her delicious sandwiches?
Grinning, he opened the sliding doors before barging in.
"Kato Megumi! I'm here to kidnap you!"
Immediately, he felt the stares in the room, but he ignored them all in favor of approaching the girl who sat in the back.
"Who is he talking about?"
"Kato... Megumi?"
"Did we have someone like that?"
Standing in front of Megumi's desk, Hideyoshi grinned widely as he watched her fidget slightly.
"Let's go."
"Aww, is someone shy?"
"Senpai is being mean again."
"Me? Nooo, I would never."
As the two walked out of the classroom, they began heading towards the staircase leading to the roof.
"What's for lunch today?"
"I didn't bring any for you."
"Don't do this to me kouhai."
Pretending to despair, Hideyoshi began to fake his tears.
"My cute and dependable kouhai is abandoning this senior, whatever shall I do?"
Shaking her head, Megumi sighed softly, before a small smile appeared on her face as she lifted a box.
"It's chicken katsu sandwiches again, your favorite."
"Hell yeah! I can't wait to-"
"WAIT A MINUTE!"
Hideyoshi and Megumi both paused before turning around.
Behind them was a boy with black hair of medium length, with black glasses that were thick.
After running towards them, he stopped right in front of them, panting.
"Hmm?"
Oh ho?
Looking at the boy who was desperately trying to get air, Hideyoshi smiled slightly.
It looks like today is the start of the plot.
But the heroine you've been looking for now has a male friend.
With the plot changing so much, I wonder how it will go now?
"What is it Aki-kun?"
"T-the hat!"
"Yes? The hat?"
"T-that day!"
"That day?"
"G-game!"
"I'm not sure what you are trying to say, but it looks like we are in the same class again. Let's have a good year together, Aki-kun."
Staring at the confused Kato Megumi and the struggling Aki Tomoya, Hideyoshi smiled.
The words were slightly different, but it was still going the same way as in the series.
"Uhm, Kano Megumi, right?"
"It's Kato."
"Right, that's what-"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
*****
(Character Notes:)
Profile 1: Yoshikage "Yoshi" Hideyoshi
Age: 17
Birthday: July 22
Series: N/A
Notes: The main protagonist of this book. He reincarnated 17 years ago. Has memories of his past life, but not how he died. Generally, an outgoing, kind person. Plans to live a happy, peaceful life. A secret otaku at heart. Enjoys teasing her kouhai. Currently excited for lunch.
Profile 2: Kato Megumi
Age: 16
Birthday: September 23
Series: Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata (Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend)
Notes: The main heroine in the series. She is an ordinary girl with a small presence. Very plain. A quiet, but kind person. Has a senpai who teases her too much. She secretly enjoys it, but you probably could never guess.
Profile 3: Aki Tomoya
Age: 16
Birthday: December 18
Series: Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata (Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend)
Notes: The main protagonist in the series. He is a hardcore geek, the ultimate otaku. Very determined, but easily distracted. Has a strong set of morals. He found his fate one Spring day. He is determined to make a game with his fated one as the main heroine.
*****
[Author's note: Chapter 1 is complete. I decided to make the main character a more cheerful, outgoing kind of person, as opposed to the usual, silent, cool type. I also added character notes for every new character that gets introduced, who is important. I hope the enjoyers can happily consume this chapter.]
[Editor's note: Oh boy, was this painful. There were two plot holes while I was translating this, and trying to fix the suffixes like -kun, -senpai, -kouhai, -san, etc was painful. I know English isn't my first language, but this is going to be harder than I thought. I have also never seen this writing style before, so that is kind of interesting. I hope this all goes well.]