I Won't Be a Loser

After washing all the laundry that needed cleaning and hanging it out to dry on his balcony, Haruto Miyamizu found himself with little else to do. The furniture and appliances he needed were all purchased and set up, and earlier in the morning, he had carried home a low table and some cushions.

Looking around the once-empty room, now filled with a touch of life, a sense of satisfaction spread across his face.

"All that's left is to wait for school to start. The term begins... the day after tomorrow," he muttered, glancing at the calendar he'd pinned on his desk.

A bold circle marked March 28th, the first day of school.

Today was March 23rd. Four days remained until he would once again sit in a classroom, resuming his high school life. The thought of returning to lectures in a school setting filled him with a vague discomfort, like ants crawling under his skin.

"First goal for this second chance at life: get into a decent university. Something manageable for someone in the arts, maybe Gakushuin University or Musashi University. Aiming for the University of Tokyo feels too far-fetched."

Back in his original timeline, Haruto had considered higher education but ultimately abandoned the idea, relying heavily on financial support from Sayuri Sawamura, which hurt his self esteem as a man. In hindsight, perhaps pursuing university would've allowed him to mend his relationship with his parents—and maybe even soften Eiri Sawamura's resistance to their relationship.

"How could anyone trust their beloved mother to a man with no plans for the future?"

The memory brought a touch of sadness to his expression.

"But that's all in the past now. This is a fresh start. Focusing on university seems like the right thing to do. Musashi's entrance requirements are around a 60 score. That would've been doable for the old me," Haruto thought aloud.

But with almost a decade spent adrift in the working world, the academic knowledge he once possessed had long since faded. To meet the standards of a top-20 school in Japan, he'd need to put in twice the effort.

"Even if I get in, I won't have to worry about tuition... but preparing for entrance exams will be expensive. Private tutoring costs, and... money..."

His gaze landed on the manuscript he'd finished yesterday. It was ready to be submitted to a magazine.

Back in the day, he had connections with several editors who'd accept his submissions without hesitation. Now, without those ties, he'd have to mail his work to submission boxes and wait for responses, hoping for acceptance and eventual payment.

While buying breakfast at the convenience store that morning, he had skimmed through the magazine rack for potential publishers. He found a few promising options and decided it was time to submit his work.

Grabbing the neatly sealed envelope containing his manuscript, Haruto headed for the door.

But as he opened it, he was greeted by a girl standing right outside, her hand seemed to press the doorbell.

The two locked eyes for a moment. The girl, with her shoulder-length hair and a stray lock curling into a distinctive ahoge, blinked, visibly caught off guard.

"Uh…"

It took Sekai Saionji a moment to recover, but her initial awkwardness quickly gave way to composure.

"Hi! I'm Sekai Saionji, one of your neighbors. I heard this apartment recently got a new tenant, so I thought I'd stop by to say hello. Oh, were you about to head out?"

Haruto regarded the girl with mild surprise. In his previous life, he didn't recall anyone being so eager to visit him, much less someone like Sekai Saionji—a name he now recognized with unsettling clarity.

Could this really be that Sekai Saionji? The one infamous for… well, things best left unsaid?

His gaze briefly shifted, and his hand instinctively moved to shield his abdomen.

"Huh?" Sekai tilted her head, puzzled.

Realizing he was overreacting, Kensuke quickly dropped his hand and gave a slight cough to cover his unease.

"I'm Haruto Miyamizu, the new tenant. I was just about to go out to mail something. Perhaps we can talk another time?"

"Mail something? Oh, let me come with you! You're new here, right? I can show you around the neighborhood while we're at it," Sekai offered brightly.

Haruto hesitated but ultimately nodded. It wasn't like he had a good reason to refuse. Besides, as a newcomer unfamiliar with the area, her offer was actually helpful.

"Wouldn't that be troubling you, Miss Saionji?"

"Not at all! And just call me Sekai. No need to be so formal~"

"...Alright then. Thank you, Miss Sekai."

"Geez, don't be so stiff, Miyamizu-kun!"

As they left the apartment building together, Kensuke couldn't shake an odd sense of tension. Despite knowing Sekai was just a neighbor, his thoughts kept returning to the fictional version of her he remembered.

"Are you... afraid of me or something?" she teased, noticing his overly cautious demeanor.

"N-no, nothing like that. I'm just not great at talking to girls."

"For someone as handsome as you?"

"You're too kind," Haruto replied curtly.

Their casual banter continued as they headed toward the mailbox, but unbeknownst to them, a pair of watchful eyes peeked out from the curtains of an apartment across the street. Kiyoura Setsuna knelt on her bed, looked downstairs through the gap in the curtains. A complicated expression crossed her face as she watched them disappear around the corner.