Chapter 1: Passing each other

Onodera Sumire.

If you were to look up words like "intelligent," "beautiful," or "stunning" in the dictionary, you’d probably find her name listed as the definition.

She’s the kind of person who effortlessly embodies beauty—not just in appearance, but in the way she carries herself.

Her looks are exceptional, yes, but it’s her kindness that truly sets her apart. She treats everyone equally, without a hint of judgment. It’s no wonder she’s so popular.

Honestly, it’s only expected. Rather, it’s hard to imagine anyone not being drawn to her. If any boy didn’t fall for her, you’d have to wonder if they had unusual tastes.

And yet—

That same girl is lying on my bed, right beside me, casually playing games like it’s the most normal thing in the world.

?????????

If the boys in my class saw this, they'd lose their minds.

I can already picture them—screaming, eyes wide, ready to beat me to death. It's a scene I've imagined countless times, and honestly, I wouldn’t blame them.

Even though I've grown somewhat accustomed to it, every now and then I snap back to reality and wonder, how did this even happen?

While pretending to read my manga, I steal a glance at her from the corner of my eye.

Her bare limbs, peeking out from her dolphin shorts and sleeveless shirt, almost seem to glow. And yet, she strolls in wearing loungewear as if it's the most natural thing in the world.

Just the thought of it gives me a headache.

Why is she here? The answer is simple—we've been childhood friends since kindergarten.

"Hey, isn’t it cold in here? You turned the AC up too high."

Saying that, she crawls into my futon.

She does this all the time, and every time, it ruins my chances of getting a good night’s sleep.

Maybe it’s because we’re childhood friends, but she has absolutely no sense of caution—even though she’s in a guy’s room.

That’s something that’s bothered me for a long time.

I mean, I don’t have any weird fetishes or anything, but this? This is a critical hit.

It’s obvious from the way she acts—she doesn’t see me as the opposite sex at all.

She treats me with the same level of closeness as if we were just two guy friends, and every time, it makes my brain short-circuit.

Right now, it’s summer vacation—my first year of high school.

She’s popular, even among girls, so her weekends are usually packed. That’s why, during long breaks like this, she ends up hanging out at my place all the time.

"Hey, can I stay over tonight?"

"Absolutely not."

"So mean~"

This is something that must be avoided at all costs.

I don’t know how, I don’t know when, but if I let this happen—something will definitely go wrong. (I'm sure).

I loved this relationship.

Even among guys, I don’t have a friend this close.

We share the same hobbies, and even when we’re in the same room, there’s never any awkward silence. Being with her just feels… natural.

That’s exactly why—I can’t let her know how I feel.

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Why…?!

Hiding under the futon, I peek at him through a small gap.

He’s still absentmindedly reading his manga—completely unfazed, showing no interest in me at all.

I first set my eyes on him back in kindergarten.

When I saw him being left out, his toys taken away by the other kids, I just knew.

He was the one I had been looking for. You could even call it love at first sight.

From the moment I was born as a girl, I had already made up my mind—

I’ll just create my ideal partner from the very beginning.

A full-on Reverse Genji Plan.

Even though I knew it was a terrible idea, all I wanted was someone to support me—a quiet, easy life without struggles. After everything I had been through in my past life, I was simply exhausted.

Someone kind, obedient, gentle. A person who wouldn’t hurt me and would always be there.

If finding someone like that was going to be so difficult, then why not just create one myself? — a brilliant (or perhaps misguided) idea that popped into my head.

And so, I started thinking about what kind of person would be best.

My romantic interest is girls, but living together as a couple of girls... Even though it's now fairly accepted by society, there might still be harsh looks directed at us, and we might go through a lot of hardships. I wonder if my weak heart could handle that.

In that case… even though I would certainly hate being fucked by a man, relying on someone financially stable would make things easier. If I train him well enough, maybe I can keep it to a minimum. If I think of it as the price for security, I could endure it—just a little…

And so, I decided to look for a timid boy, someone easy to mold. (I am really the worst.)

A child’s personality probably changes before you even realize it. But if you want to shape someone’s character, it’s best to start when they’re young.

With that in mind, I decided to befriend someone from kindergarten.

That’s when I found him—Ren Shimada.

A timid boy, always getting pushed around by the bratty kids. Whenever he picked up a toy, someone would snatch it away. When he went outside, the others ignored him, leaving him to play alone.

The moment I saw that, something clicked.

Nice. ♡ (A true Hisoka-level reaction.)

After watching him for a while, I realized he was close to my ideal. The moment that clicked, I approached him without hesitation.

At first, he was wary, but with a little patience and steady conversation, I slowly closed the emotional gap between us.

There were plenty of dramatic moments along the way, but let’s skip those for now.

One way or another, we started hanging out every day. Even after entering high school, we were close enough to call each other best friends… but—

Somehow, we just ended up as good otaku friends.

No, the plan is going well. In fact, this relationship is almost ideal—comfortable, effortless, and close. Exactly what I wanted.

The only problem is that—

He doesn’t seem to see me as the opposite sex at all. Does he even have a dick?

To him, I’m probably just another male friend or something. There’s not even a hint of romance between us.

I was supposed to lure him in, make him lose control with my revealing outfits, and then—when he finally snapped—he’d take me, and we’d get all tangled up in a passionate mess. After that, he’d be completely devoted to me. That was the plan.

But… it didn’t happen.

…Fine. I’ll make him fall in love with me one day. No matter what!

Hm?

As I buried my face in his futon, I caught the faint scent of sweat.