Chapter 6: Farewell to mediocrity

Classes passed surprisingly quickly.

‘Or was it the classes that were fast? Or was I slow?’

I sighed, pausing mid-note-taking to glance down at my notebook. The material wasn’t difficult. I was a repeat student, after all. High school-level content wasn’t beyond my grasp. My previous life… before I fell asleep, my decision to repeat the year wasn’t solely due to poor academic performance.

In Korea’s competitive education system, many repeated the year due to unforeseen circumstances or narrowly missing their target university entrance exam scores. In my past life, while I wouldn’t brag about it, I’d aimed for medical school or a prestigious university in Seoul. Struggling with first-year high school material would have been absurd.

The problem was… the pace.

“We covered this in middle school, so let’s move on.”

It was the first day of classes. Usually, there would be an orientation or a teacher’s self-introduction. But these teachers… they weren’t high-priced cram school instructors from Gangnam. Not only were they diving straight into lessons, but they were also blazing through the material. Every word they uttered felt suffocating.

Moreover, there was an underlying assumption among the students that everyone should already know the middle school-level content. I double-checked my notes.

‘They learned this… in middle school? This is high school level, isn’t it?’

The problem was that this wasn’t the Korean education system. This was Japan. And Takamari Middle School had apparently already covered first-year high school material.

At this rate, they’d finish the entire high school curriculum by the first semester of their second year. I thought I’d have it a bit easier this time around, but it seemed I was destined to be a background character even here. Lost in these thoughts, the bell rang.

Break time.

The classroom instantly erupted in chatter. I closed my notebook, slipped it into my bag, and glanced around. Students gathered in small groups, chatting animatedly.

My gaze fell on Nishimura, my fellow classroom duty partner. As with most transfer students, he was quickly surrounded by classmates eager to befriend him.

“Nishimura, do you like soccer? If so, let’s play together during lunch!”

“Hey, Nishimura, you play games, right? Want to join us sometime?”

“Can I call you Kenichi? Nishimura?”

At first, Nishimura simply nodded along, but he soon became the center of the group, his easygoing nature drawing laughter from those around him.

‘Just like in the novel…’

Nishimura was always the sociable one, the protagonist’s reliable friend and supporting character.

‘Compared to him… I’m…’

I tapped my fingers on the edge of my desk, surveying the classroom. No one approached me. No one seemed interested in the quiet girl sitting alone. Or rather, it wasn’t that they weren’t interested, but the presence of the two girls behind me was so overwhelming, it was like an invisible barrier, preventing anyone from approaching.

“Rina.”

A soft, clear voice reached my ears. I was trapped in the orbit of the ultimate elite group: Aya and Mizuki.

“What do you usually do during break time?” Aya asked, her sudden question catching me off guard.

Even if I’d taken the protagonist’s place… I couldn’t understand why Aya was showing so much interest in me. No matter how hard I racked my brain, I couldn’t find a corresponding scenario in the novel.

“Um, I usually… read? Or just… space out.”

Aya tilted her head slightly. “Spacing out… that’s cute.”

Flustered by the compliment, I was speechless. Mizuki, with a knowing smile, interjected, “Aya-ring, you think spacing out is cute?”

“Yes, I do,” Aya replied, her eyes soft.

Mizuki chuckled and nodded. “Well, Rina does have that kind of charm. Honestly, I was surprised. She’s a freshman, but she doesn’t seem nervous at all. She’s quite composed.”

“No way… I was super nervous,” I protested, waving my hands.

Mizuki studied me for a moment, then smiled playfully. “Really? You seemed pretty calm.”

“Well, that’s…”

I mumbled, unable to formulate a coherent response, and finally lowered my head, defeated by their laughter.

‘As I thought… I don’t belong here.’

Their conversation flowed effortlessly, while I felt like an intruder, awkwardly trying to fit in. They knew each other so well, and I was a stranger in their midst. So, as expected…

“Aya-ring, speaking of which, the student council seniors called for you during lunch, right?” Mizuki changed the subject.

Aya nodded. “Yes, something about a meeting regarding club activity guidance for the transfer students. It should be short.”

“Oh~ club activities. Rina, want to come along? If you’re thinking of joining the student council, it might be a good idea to participate~”

Mizuki’s sudden invitation caught me off guard.

“M-Me?”

She smiled mischievously. “Yeah. If you’re interested, it might be good to check it out.”

“Um…” I hesitated, my mind racing.

‘G-G-Going home club… where’s my going home club…?’

And I’d almost forgotten… These two were elites who had been on the student council in middle school. At Takamari Academy, whether in middle or high school, receiving a recommendation for the student council was akin to gaining access to an exclusive network of influential figures from prestigious families.

Also, in the novel, the student council was always at the center of the action: the incidents involving the protagonist, the romantic moments with the heroine, and all the other dramatic events.

“Uh, um… I’ll think about it,” I mumbled, lowering my head.

Mizuki tilted her head, seemingly dissatisfied with my noncommittal answer, but she didn’t press further. Sensing my unease, Aya smiled gently.

“It’s up to you, Rina. We’re not trying to force you.”

“Yeah, it was just a suggestion. Don’t feel pressured,” Mizuki added.

They resumed their conversation, their easy banter flowing naturally. But I… I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread.

The title of this novel was “The Heroine is Such a Perfect and Doting Angel That I’m Scared.” And I, having inadvertently taken the protagonist’s place, was living up to the title. I was terrified.

****

Classes resumed, and I struggled to keep up, frantically taking notes. At this rate, I’d need to spend hours studying at home just to maintain an average grade. The protagonist’s near-failing grades in the novel weren’t just for comedic effect, it seemed.

‘Ugh… Takamari’s standards are so high.’

Finally, lunch break arrived. Perhaps because this was a school for the elite, there was no mad rush for the cafeteria. While some students did leave with a brisk pace, I hesitated as I was about to stand up.

‘Where should I go for lunch?’

I knew there were three dining options at this school.

One was the convenience store. A small shop selling snacks and simple meals.

Then there was the regular cafeteria. Where most students ate. Despite its name, the food was quite upscale, befitting Takamari Academy’s standards.

And lastly… the special dining hall. A place reserved for the student council and a select few students. In the novel, it was described as “an insurmountable wall for ordinary students.”

I sighed softly. ‘As if I had a choice. It’s either the convenience store or the regular cafeteria for me.’

As lunch break officially began, students started heading towards their chosen dining locations. I was about to stand up when I noticed Aya, seated beside me, smiling at me.

“Rina, want to have lunch together?”

‘Oh, right.’

I had no choice, did I? Mizuki, seated behind me, was watching with a knowing glint in her eyes. And Aya’s gaze clearly conveyed the expectation that I’d join them.

“Um… sure!”

“Great! Our lunch group just got bigger.”

“Indeed. Shall we go to the regular cafeteria today?”

“Sure. The special dining hall is… a bit much.”

The protagonist in the novel didn’t have lunch with them on the first day. He’d made friends with Nishimura and would be eating with him. But I was a girl, and with Aya showing this much interest… even the “first lunch” event had been triggered.

I felt the normalcy I craved slipping further away and offered a weak smile. Aya, surprisingly, had common tastes and didn’t like the special dining hall. That’s why she and the protagonist often ran into each other in the regular cafeteria in the novel… ha, ha, ha.