Chapter 23 : You Have Your Plan, I’ll Make My Changes

Lunch break ends. On the very afternoon of opening day, Yingcheng High jumps straight into the schedule. Side note: Placement exam results drop Monday. Another side note: Opening day is Sunday, January 14. Tomorrow, the 15th, is Monday. Every school in the world loves this “just-in-time” scheduling—only students, looking back, realize, “Damn, we lost a Sunday!”

Class is uneventful. Yingcheng High ranks high among public schools, with stellar college admission rates. Students here mostly take studying seriously.

In his first playthrough, Shangguan He panicked. All the knowledge from his past life had long been returned to teachers through the grind of society. Back to high school for youth and romance? Fine. Back to study? Might as well get creamed by a cement truck.

“Nostalgia for youth” means “nostalgia for the good times”—not class time. Others’ feelings? He doesn’t know. For him, “good times” excluded “study time.”

Good thing this world doesn’t force him to relearn high school material. Sitting in class, his body auto-pilots—possessed-like—absorbing lessons. When he snaps out of it, class is over. Notes are neat, orderly, straight-A student handwriting.

This confirms the world’s underlying logic: [The protagonist’s only job is “romance” or advancing the “main story.” Everything else is auto-handled—or ignored—by the world’s coercive force.]

Realizing this, Shangguan He smirks. Convenient and awful. This playthrough, he’s aiming for the Normal End—no romance. That’s defying the world’s core directive. If today’s events are pushing him to date… and he keeps refusing? Will the world just erase him? A do-nothing protagonist is useless, right?

Lost in thought, afternoon classes end. Students head home or to clubs. Shangguan He’s in the go-home club. Miki doesn’t join clubs either, but her athletic prowess gets her dragged in as backup for sports teams. Thus, he usually walks home alone.

A normal Galgame protagonist would use post-school to dinner time to trigger heroine events. But this run is NE—he does nothing. Plan: go home, cook a balanced dinner from fridge ingredients, game until 11 PM, bed by then, eight hours sleep, warm milk, twenty-minute stretch, deep sleep, wake fresh.

“Perfect.” Exiting the gate, he’s proud of his plan.

“Yo!” Miki, waiting by the gate, slaps his shoulder.

“…What now?” His eyelid twitches. Because beside Miki stands a familiar figure. Suzuki Hikaru. Isn’t she the type to rush home then work at the family restaurant? Wait—when did they get so close?

“Let’s walk home together!” Miki declares, slinging an arm around Hikaru. “Same district, right? Totally on the way.”

“…” Hikaru nods silently.

“Three of us?” Shangguan He’s gaze darts between them.

“Nah, I’m out.” Miki waves. “Girls’ baseball club prez needs me—half hour delay. You two go ahead.”

“Me… and her?” He’s stunned. Is the world’s coercion this aggressive? He did nothing, and a “walk home with a cute girl” flag triggers?!

“Oh ho, don’t you dare refuse. You knocked Suzuki-san out this morning, remember?” Miki hugs Hikaru like a bestie. “My girl’s delicate. Here’s your chance to play knight and atone! Thank me later!”

“Uh…” He looks at Hikaru. “Suzuki-san, really sorry about this morning.”

“Ah, I-it’s fine, really…” Her stutter is as expected.

He shrugs at Miki. “See? She forgave me—”

Before he finishes, Miki pounces, phone in hand, dragging him to a corner by the neck. Her face is a mix of frustration and pity. “You idiot! Golden chance—why pass?! Is that lump in your pants decorative?! GO FOR IT!”

“B-But—”

“No buts! Look, nothing’s set in stone—I’m just giving you an opening! You think you’re hot enough to seal the deal just walking home?! Don’t be delusional!”

“Uh… fine…”

“Good! Seize it! Full attack! Insider tip: she was in a music club in junior high—chat pop music. NO OTAKU ANIME OPS!”

Brief intel dump complete. Back in front of Hikaru, one is all smiles and breezy, the other stiff and awkward, unsure which foot to step with.

“Have a safe trip, you two?” Miki grins, heading inside. “I’ll leave you lovebirds alone~”

“…” Hikaru bows slightly to the departing Miki, who vanishes like the wind.

Only Shangguan He and Hikaru remain at the gate. Silence spreads. Before it turns fully awkward, he sighs inwardly and speaks. “Well, Suzuki-san, it’s getting late. You’ve got work, right? Let’s go.”

Miki had a point. He’s not a universal heartthrob—overthinking everything is unnecessary. If she throws herself at him, he’ll just reject her.

Faced with his initiative, the nervous Hikaru instinctively uses honorifics with a peer. “Y-Yes, thank you for the trouble.”