Vol. 1 Chapter 1 - A Curse on the Rear-Enders

Volume 1 : “The Birth of the Savior”

Chapter 1 : A Curse on the Rear-Enders

 

*Sigh…*

 

I wish the world would just end…

 

I lay my head down on the desk, pretending to be asleep, as I found myself thinking such things again today. The classroom was noisy and cheerful from the early morning, but to me, it was nothing more than an annoying racket. To be honest, it irritated me. I don’t have any close friends, let alone a girlfriend. Since middle school until now, in my second year of high school, I’ve always been the unnoticed “lonely and quiet” type. I am Yozaki Yayuki, to be precise. School life is such a hassle. I really don’t want to be here. How much more enjoyable it would be to play online games at home…

 

But…

 

Even someone like me has one oasis.

 

“Hey, Yozaki-kun, good morning!”

 

A gentle voice from the girl next to me greeted me. I lifted my head and looked at her with quiet movements. She was a true beauty, with long, straight hair that shimmered with a glossy blue-black hue. Her flawless nose, long eyelashes framing her large black eyes, and luscious, well-shaped peach-colored lips all contributed to her naturally delicate and lovely beauty. She was Himegami Arisu, one of the three school beauties proudly known as the “Three Beauties of Mikazuki High School.”

 

She excelled in her studies and was the ace of the rhythmic gymnastics club. She was the epitome of beauty and talent. And not just in appearance, she was also kind-hearted. Even for a loner like me, she would always say hello and talk to me from morning till evening. I was grateful to sit next to her. Even if we were seated separately, it would still be worth coming to school just to catch glimpses of her from afar.

 

“G-Good morning, Himegami-san…”

 

Nervous, my greeting came out in a thin voice. It was the only time we interacted, after all. Since middle school, I had secretly admired Himegami-san since the first time we met. She was like an unattainable flower to me.

 

But there was a boy who managed to get close to her.

 

“Yuzuri. I’ll be late at the student council today, so go home after club activities, okay?”

 

“Sure, Jun-kun.”

 

This guy was Kasama Junki. He was Himegami-san’s boyfriend for over a year now. He was in the same class and was undoubtedly at the top of the class hierarchy, if not the whole grade. He was the typical refreshing and handsome type, excelling as the ace of the basketball club due to his tall stature. He always ranked high in academics and served as the secretary of the student council while balancing his club activities. Moreover, his father was a doctor and the director of a well-off general hospital.

 

He was the “ultimate recharger” who seemed to be blessed by the gods.

 

Their relationship was known throughout the school as the “best couple,” and they were adored and admired by everyone around them. Yeah, they looked good together; even a bystander could see that. But I didn’t like Kasama. It’s not like he did anything to me or even paid me any attention. There was another reason why I disliked him.

 

Suddenly, the classroom door swung open.

 

“Excuse me.”

 

A third-year girl walked in. She was a beautiful girl of the elegant type, exuding a straight and dignified aura. Behind her glasses, her strong, almond-shaped eyes and a slender, well-shaped nose were visible. Her long bangs were neatly split, and her tied-up ponytail flowed smoothly down her back. And what stood out the most were her large, prominent breasts.

 

She was Nishizono Yuiori, a genius known as the “Schoolgirl Prodigy” and the student council president of this school. She was also one of the three school beauties alongside Himegami-san. By the way, she came from a wealthy family and was a daughter of a powerful conglomerate.

 

She always crossed her arms as if it were a habit, emitting an aura of unapproachability, while emphasizing her well-developed bosom. Of course, you couldn’t say something like that to her face.

 

Whenever Nishizono-senpai walked, our classmates would make way for her imposing presence. She really is like a queen as the student council president. She approached, but of course, her purpose wasn’t me. As expected, she had business with Kasama.

 

“Jun, we have a student council meeting after school. I want you to come to the student council room once club activities are over.”

 

“Sure thing, Ionee.”

 

Kasama responded with a smile, and Nishizono-senpai, without changing her expression, said, “Very well, excuse me,” and left the classroom.

 

They were childhood friends, and it seemed like Kasama was the only one who could casually call her “Ionee.”

 

This was another reason.

 

Then, Kasama casually joined the other “rear-enders” group, chatting and laughing together. He probably only thought of me as insignificant as a bug or piece of trash. But it wasn’t just Kasama. I’m sure everyone in the class felt the same way.

 

Except, I want to believe that Himegami-san is different… But it’s probably impossible since I can’t even hold a proper conversation with her.

 

“Kasama-kun is so cool!”

 

“He’s friends with the unapproachable student council president. Amazing… he’s called ‘Prince’ for a reason.”

 

“He’s great at both academics and sports, and he’s so handsome. He has a bright future ahead. I’m envious of Himegami-san.”

 

The girls behind me were making a racket.

 

Damn it, just shut up, all of you…

 

Finally, our homeroom teacher, Egumi Yuma, entered the classroom. He was a 30-year-old English teacher with a thin face and a gentlemanly appearance, which made him popular among the students, especially the girls. He seemed gentle and kind to regular students, but…

 

“Good morning, everyone. No absentees today, it seems.”

 

“Sensei! Yozaki-kun is not here!”

 

“Idiot, Keigo! Yozaki is right there!”

 

The boys chuckled after the retort.

 

Keigo was one of Kasama’s entourage, and the one who made the comeback was Yuto Watanabe, a close friend of Kasama. Yuto had short brown hair and a handsome face, slightly rebellious, but he excelled in both academics and sports. However, compared to Kasama, he was second-rate.

 

Out of all the “rear-enders” group, I despise Yuto Watanabe the most. I’m pretty sure he’s the one who put Keigo up to making fun of me. It’s not just my paranoia; Yuto has a reason to want to bring me down.

 

“Hey, everyone, be quiet. Let’s take attendance—”

 

Hey, Egumi-sensei, how about telling them that there are things you shouldn’t joke about? Why are you just ignoring it?

 

I… discreetly dislike this teacher too.

 

Stupid “rear-enders” people, I wish they’d all just die…

 

I muttered curses under my breath.

 

After school.

 

“See you tomorrow, Yozaki-kun.”

 

Himegami-san smiled and left the classroom with her girl friends. She really is kind and a good person, I think. Thanks to her, this troublesome school feels a little more bearable. I changed into my outdoor shoes and headed for the school gate.

 

“Oh, Yayuki.”

 

I ran into my classmate, Rinko Kishima, from the adjacent class.

 

She had brown hair with curls at the ends, a delicate small face, and a cute look. She was almost breaking the school rules with her makeup, and she wore her uniform in a relaxed manner—what people would call a “JK gyaru.” Despite that, she was my childhood friend. Well, I should say she used to be.

 

We were close since kindergarten. Rinko used to be quite dependent on me and even said she would become my wife one day. But when high school started, we grew apart and ended up like this.

 

Certainly, the glamorous girlfriend of a “rear-enders” guy like me must have started to dislike a plain and lonely guy like me. And also…

 

“Oh, Rinko, sorry for keeping you waiting~,” Watanabe approached.

 

This guy is Rinko’s boyfriend.

 

Yes, I believe the reason why Watanabe dislikes me is because of this.