Chapter 12 : Watch Where You’re Going—Basic Common Sense

One second, two seconds, three seconds. Time ticks by slowly. At the corner of the intersection, Shangguan He still stands firm, blocking Yamazaki Miki’s path.

“What are you waiting for?” Miki pulls out her phone, checks the time, and continues, puzzled, “We’re not that pressed, but if we don’t hurry, we’ll still be late, you know?”

“That’s exactly why we need to wait.” Shangguan He’s expression is calm.

“Wait for what, exactly?”

“You’ll see.”

“…I’m starting to get how a dog feels when a trainer yells ‘stay’ and you can’t move.”

Their banter lasts only a few seconds. Before Miki can complain further, footsteps echo from the other side of the corner.

“Hm?” They exchange a silent, confused glance.

The next second, a girl with a slice of bread in her mouth zooms past them. Her uniform suggests she’s from another school. She’s muttering, “Oh no, oh no, oh no! Late, late, late!”

“Wow, that’s old-school.” Miki watches her vanish, shocked. “Didn’t think anyone actually runs to school with bread in their mouth anymore… That’s a scene even recent manga barely use!”

“Haha, I had the same thought when I got flattened in my first playthrough.” Shangguan He shrugs.

“First playthrough? What’s that? Too many games frying your brain?” Miki looks confused. “Wait, you stopped me… Did you know that girl was gonna pass by?”

“Yup.”

“How?”

“…A man’s sixth sense.”

“If you’re gonna dodge the question, at least pick a better excuse.” Miki sighs. “Might as well say you stalked her during spring break and memorized her schedule.”

“Fine, think that if you want. Anyway, we’re good now. If you don’t move, I’m going first.” Not bothering to argue, Shangguan He brushes it off and starts walking toward school.

As mentioned, he did encounter this bread-in-mouth girl in his first playthrough. Back then, like a clueless manga protagonist, he got knocked flat. Rubbing his head and groaning, he “accidentally” glimpsed her underwear as she, also sprawled out, realized her exposure. She screamed, clutched her skirt, and started babbling furiously… A classic trope.

Since he’s aiming for a Normal End this playthrough, he needs to dodge these “fateful encounters with female characters.” Proactive events, where he’d initiate contact, are easy to avoid—just do nothing. But passive events, like this one where the girl crashes into him, are trickier. They’re designed to catch you off guard. Even with his first-playthrough experience, he can only stay vigilant. The first day should only have this one passive event, “Bread Girl Near the School Gate.” Knowing the approximate trigger time let him avoid it. Other passive events? He’ll have to rely on three parts fate, seven parts effort. For now, today’s safe.

“Hey, hey, hey! You’re really leaving?!” Miki hurries after him, seeing he didn’t look back.

As they near Yingcheng High, more students in identical uniforms appear. Groups of sailor-suited girls converge on the road, forming a pink-and-white river, countless figures streaming into the school gate at a dizzying pace. Stepping through the gate, a strange feeling swells in Shangguan He’s heart. The second playthrough’s new semester begins now.

Yingcheng High’s opening day isn’t particularly special. It’s not much different from a typical Chinese school. Same classroom, same seats, same classmates as last semester. Unlike the first day of freshman year, there’s no grand opening ceremony to set the mood. For second-semester sophomores, school’s lost its novelty.

In the classroom, students quickly gather into cliques based on last semester’s interests, eagerly swapping spring break stories. Oh, and a good chunk are frantically cramming homework in corners. Miki watches them, shaking her head with a smug, “pro” vibe. ‘What’re you so proud of? You’re not much better…’ Shangguan He finds her attitude mildly hilarious.

The noise doesn’t last long. The gray-suited homeroom teacher enters, and students settle into their seats. Roll call goes smoothly. Class reps collect spring break homework, and new semester textbooks are handed out. The teacher gives a brief morning speech, urging everyone to focus and embrace the new term.

Yingcheng High’s schedule differs from the high schools Shangguan He knows. Students must arrive between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. Mornings have four classes, 8:00 AM to noon. Lunch and rest are from noon to 1:00 PM. Afternoons have three classes, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. After classes, it’s free time—students can join clubs, study, attend cram school, or head home (boarders to dorms, commuters straight home) with no questions asked.

Today, being the first day, is special. The first two periods are regular classes; the last two are for a placement exam. When the teacher announces this, the class erupts in groans. Shangguan He, with his first-playthrough memories, takes it in stride. But Miki, seated just across the aisle, has shifty eyes, clearly scheming.

Sure enough, after the first two periods, Miki sneaks over and drags him out of the classroom. “What’re you up to?”

“The break’s long enough—let’s hit the convenience store outside and print some cheat sheets!” Miki rubs her hands, eager. “You didn’t study either, right? Having notes keeps you calm!”

“Uh…” Shangguan He pauses. Another event that didn’t happen in his first playthrough.

“What’s wrong?” Miki’s eyes flash with betrayal-fueled panic. “Wait, you’re not nervous at all! Did you secretly study behind my back?!”

“No, no, it’s not that. I’m just worried about other stuff.” He wipes his forehead sweat, explaining. “Fine, let’s go. Round trip’s only ten minutes or so.”

“And the time to upload and print!” Miki, suddenly scholarly, insists. “Let’s run!”

“School rules say no running in the halls…”

“Grass!” (bilingual in Chinese and Japanese) Miki laughs. “Rules also say no cheating on exams!”

“Fair enough, let’s run.” Shangguan He’s convinced. “Teachers are probably in the office prepping tests. As long as we’re not seen, we’re good.”

“Charge?” Miki points down the hall.

“Charge!” Shangguan He takes the lead.

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap! He bolts at top speed, Miki trailing behind, shouting, “We’re not that rushed! Watch out! What if you hit someone? Or get hit? That’d suck!”

“Haha, don’t forget I dodged a collision this morning.” Shangguan He turns, running backward while bragging. “Saint Seiya doesn’t fall to the same move twice. No way a trope repeats twice in a short time. Have some sense! Even the crappiest game wouldn’t do that. So relax!”

“Behind you!”

“Whoa—!”

Bang! Caught off guard, Shangguan He slams into someone, sliding across the hallway floor for meters. “Close call, almost broke my kidneys.”

Muttering, he scrambles up, assesses the situation. Good news: his kidneys are fine, his body unscathed, thanks to the soft cushion beneath him. Bad news: the cushion is the girl he knocked over, now passed out cold.