>>5791827>>5791935>>5791836>>5791838>>5791839>>5791840>>5791846>>5791869>>5791895>>5791900>>5791902>>5791990>>5792024Third year, first semester. Off to a good start, like usual. Class hasn’t started yet, so you’re at your desk carving figurines like you normally do when nothing is happening. You’ve arrived early explicitly so you could drop off your special crab figurine at the desk Masami normally sits at without making your delivery of it too noticeable and awkward.
Katsuro saunters in looking smug about something and saunters up to you with a kind of uncomfortable shuffle like he has rocks in his underwear.
You blow a small amount of wood dust off of the figurine you’re carving and attempt to mentally prepare yourself.
“Let me tell you something dude, this is the year where things start changing for your man Katsuro.”
“Oh yeah, Katsuro. How so.” You say, blowing wood dust off of your carving.
“Well, say, it’s like this: How old are we now?”
“I turn twelve in about two months, I was born October 6th. I don’t know about you.”
“Yeah… Yeah. And you know, I was talking to my old man about it, asking him when romance was in the air for someone like me. And you know what he said? ‘Oh I don’t know, as early as around twelve or thirteen or so if you’re not a little pussy, Katsuro’. Are you noticing any girls yet?”
Your carving blade slips and you badly cut your index finger and start sucking on your wound.
Katsuro clearly sees your cut as a sign of approval and continues “Your main bro isn’t a little pussy. It’s the time for youth to blossom, my friend. I’ve been reading all sorts of magazines, doing all sorts of research, I know what to do. It’s all a numbers game. Just keep asking them for dates until they get worn down, like how our ancient senpais used to run down deer. The key is to be completely, utterly shameless until one of them just sort of gives up. Then you’re IN.”
“... In what?”
“The promised land. I’ll show you how it’s done.” He pats you on the back and gives you a sage nod as if you’re about to witness something incredible. “The first girl who walks in that door. Doesn’t even matter, dude.”
Yuna is the first one who walks in. Katsuro immediately abandons you and swaggers on up to her. She keeps her standard friendly look on her face but the light goes out of her eyes as her soul dims when he approaches.
“Yuna, I love you. Please go out with me.”
“No.”
“Okay.”
He comes back. “See what I mean?”
“No, dude, I don’t.”
“She looked like she was almost ready to give up before I even said anything. Watch, I’ll try it again.”
The two of you watch the door.
Daigo. Junpei. Masami. Katsuro flashes you an even smugger grin and approaches her.
