Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330662545387095/episodes/16817330667776050612
Rumble…..rumble…….
“W-what the hell !? An earthquake !?”
After finishing my morning lecture, I was browsing through a library book at the Co-op to meet up with Ari san.
In the middle of that, I felt a vibration that shook my whole body and made me nervous.
It was not my imagination. Other students and store clerks were also startled.
But this shaking wasn’t an earthquake. It was not the horizontal shaking typical of earthquakes, but more like vertical shaking.
The vibration is so strong that it shakes the building. It is getting stronger little by little. No, it is getting closer.
Ah, the shaking has stopped. What was it all about?
I tilted my head in wonder. But then I was struck by an even more mysterious phenomenon.
It was hot. The temperature had been comfortable until a while ago, but for some reason it became hot all at once. And this steamy feeling, it was as if the temperature in the sauna had been raised by a steamy candle. Sweat began to form on my forehead.
“It’s hot. What in the world is….this……”
Irritated by the heat, I turned around, numb. Then I was speechless.
Behind me, a huge object towered over me.
It was nearly two meters high and as wide as two people. For a moment I thought it was a vending machine, but when I looked closer, I realized it was a man.
It was a very fat man.
“Hey, Kobayakawa.”
“Are you….Ishihara?”
Two small eyes on a face like a volleyball moved and looked down at me.
The man’s name is Ishihara Tsuyoshi. He was an alumnus of my high school. Why is Ishihara here? He had applied to Kyoto University but failed to pass the entrance exam, and had been bragging at New Year’s that he would pass this year.
No, more importantly…..
“Ishihara, have you gained weight again?”
“Hey, you’re rude, Kobayakawa, to ask about my weight so soon after we met again.”
Yeah, I’m sorry. There are other things to say. Things like reunion greetings, status updates, and why you’re at Hokusei University in the first place. But I’m so curious that I don’t care about such things.
“Well, as you can see, I’ve gained weight, yes.”
“I know, right? You’ve obviously gained weight since we met at New Year’s.”
You’re just barely wide enough to fit through the aisles of the co-op, you know.
“You’ve gained 20 kilos?”
“Too bad. Forty kilos.”
“You’re overweight !? That means you’ve gained an extra 40 kilos since New Year’s !? You’ve gained an average of more than ten kilos every month. How can you gain that much weight !?”
“Come on, you’re embarrassing me.”
“I’m not complimenting you ! I mean, you said at New Year’s that you gained fifty kilos in one year. That’s another 40 kilos, so that’s 90 kilos in a year. How can you gain the weight of an adult male in one year?”
He’s heavier than I am !
“Putting the weight thing aside, why are you at Hokusei University? Didn’t you aim for Kyoto University?”
“Yeah……well, there are a lot of things going on.”
Ishihara’s words were muddled by the question and his gaze wandered. He was plainly upset.
“Did you fail?”
“Gnnn……. You have no delicacy.”
I don’t care what you say.
“Yeah, that’s right. I didn’t make it this year either. So I took the second semester entrance exam and got into Hokusei University. My parents wouldn’t have allowed me to take the second exam, otherwise I wouldn’t have come here.”
“How can you say such a thing when you’re surrounded by students from Hokusei University?”
Do you realize that you’re fighting with people from all directions? All the people in the co-op are students from Hokusei University, you know?
Ishihara has always been smart and was rumored to be a child prodigy, but he has a personality disorder, such as looking down on others with his academic ability and using his abundant knowledge to defeat them–he is either arrogant or self-righteous.
“Again, I’m in the same school as Kobayakawa. We must be related to each other.”
“You sound so arrogant.”
So, looks may change, but personality remains the same. I admire your mentality that never wavers.
“Well, anyway, congratulations on going to college. I’m glad you’ve decided to go to the Hokusei University. Have you decided on a club or something?”
“I’m not joining any clubs. It’s a waste of time.”
I shouldn’t have said that !
“You’re going to do nothing but study in college, aren’t you? You’ve got a great attitude, but that’s boring, isn’t it?”
“I can’t hang out with you playing guitar. Oh, you’ve already quit the band, haven’t you? I’m going to put that aside and join the festival committee at university.”
“Eh, festival committee?”
It’s a little surprising.
The festival committee is literally a student organization that is in charge of organizing the festival at Hokusei University.
The festival committee is like a club, where students can interact with each other across borders, but it is said to be time-consuming since it requires a certain amount of responsibility for the events. It was unexpected that he would be involved in an activity that requires him to sacrifice his personal time.
“If I get involved in running the festival, it will give me something to talk about when I’m job hunting.”
I see, it’s because of the Gakuchika episode. I heard that there are a lot of people who join the festival committee for the same reason, so that makes sense.
“Kobayakawa should do something instead of quitting the band and wandering around. You’ll have a hard time finding a job.”
“Don’t forget that you’re my junior now. Also, don’t worry, I’m going to form another band.”
“What, you’re going to play guitar again?”
This guy is really…
I was getting more and more frustrated. There,
“Kingo, here you are !”
Ari san’s voice echoed from behind me.
I turned around to see Ari san standing there with her trademark red inner-colored hair. But of course she was stunned by the huge man.
“Erm……was it Ishihara san? We met at New Year’s, right?””
“Yes……. I believe you were the one Kobayakawa was tutoring.”
The two met by chance on New Year’s Day. Although they weren’t acquaintances, they remembered each other’s faces.
“Eh, Kobayakawa, are you dating this person?”
“We are not dating.”
“Hoho…..I see.”
For some reason, Ishihara, whose voice volume only I could hear, was relieved.
It was a long time ago, but Ishihara was backhandedly cynical about me and Yua’s relationship. Because of his personality, he was not popular with girls, and on the contrary, they disliked him a lot because of his bad character. That’s why he doesn’t like guys who get along with girls.
And he was happy that I broke up with Yua.
“Hey, hey, Kingo, let’s get out of here !”
Ari san took my hand in her and waved it around. I had plans for the rest of the day.
“Erm……are you two going somewhere after this?”
Ishihara asked, perhaps wondering about Ari san’s excitement.
“Yes, that’s right ! I’m going to see some musical instruments with Kingo today !”
“Wha….. Hey, Kobayakawa ! That’s not what you told me !?”
What are you talking about?
“You said you were going to form a band, but I didn’t expect her to be your partner……”
“Yeah, it’s Ari san.”
“Wha–“
Ishihara’s cheeks are twitching. Why are you so shocked?
“I’m also with Shino san. Do you remember? She’s the one who wore furisode at New Year’s.””
“T-that person too…..”
“We’re having a three-piece !”
“Three-piece ! !?”
Ishihara’s huge body swayed. It looks like he’s going to fall over, so I pull Ari san’s shoulder and step back. This mass is dangerous.
“—bastard……”
[ [Eh?] ]
“You’re already showing off so early in the new semester ! I’m going to contribute to all the students in the literary and practical world ! I’m not like you guys who are just having fun amongst yourselves !”
Ishihara left with such a discarded line.
Rumble, rumble.
The building shook with a stronger vibration than before.
What was that all about? He suddenly lost his temper. I wonder if the fact that the entrance exam didn’t go well is still lingering in his memory.
“(Just now, I heard three-piece)”
“(I didn’t expect a three-piece between a man and a woman……)”
“(Fertilize. Double fertilize !)”
The co-op where Ishihara had left was suddenly buzzing with excitement.
*Michio Side
Today is the meeting of the school festival executive committee. Today, the first gathering of the school year, we are going to explain the outline of the committee, the work of each department, and ask for departmental preferences.
Rumble……rumble……
The classroom where the meeting was held shook unnaturally. The students, who had been chatting, were dominated by a watery silence, and a pervasive sense of agitation spread through the room.
“W-what is it, an earthquake !?”
“No earthquake alert has come through, but……”
Immediately after that, a vending machine walked in through the entrance at the rear of the classroom.
No, it was not a vending machine. It was a person. I mistook it for a vending machine because it was huge.
I never thought such a fat person existed in this world. It reminds me of a foreign video that showed a very obese foreigner.
Or perhaps this person is also a member of the festival committee?
With all due respect, I wouldn’t want to work with this person…….
“Can I sit next to you?”
“Ah, yes, please.”
Mr. Vending Machine took a seat next to me in the back of the classroom. I could feel a strange heat and humidity from him as he sat in the space of three couches. He was like a louche. Other students were also looking up their hot, flapping shirts, and upperclassmen started operating the air conditioner panel.
It was a classroom warming moment.
After that, the briefing for the literature and science department began, and even the assignment of responsibilities was completed.
I was in charge of the stage planning group, although I could have done anything I wanted. The job was to manage the stage performances in the auditorium and the central plaza.
The members of the team are….
“I’m also in charge of stage planning, so I’m looking forward to working with you. It’s a job that requires a lot of brainpower, but don’t drag me down.”
Ishihara san, a.k.a. Mr. Vending Machine is also a member of the team.
Even though we met for the first time, he greeted me with such an arrogant tone…he seemed to have a difficult personality.
The future looks bleak.
–
–
If you enjoy our content, feel free to donate, Thank you in advance !
i hope the fml is ryoko or whatever her name is and not the fangirl
1st bc the age gap and 2nd the ryoko girl and mc seem to get along well
i would also be fine if there is no girlfriend but i doubt that