The Clumsy Senior and the "So Korean" Guy

"You know, Junior-kun, you’re, like... a really good person."

"...Excuse me?"

"Just saying!"

I heard her, but I’m feeling incredibly uneasy right now. And the reason for this latest development also starts with Suo-senpai.

'Why are her emotions swinging so wildly?'

Anxiety, wariness. Suo-senpai’s aura, which had been a murky color of those two emotions, suddenly shifted to a bright yellow. Unless she has some undiagnosed case of schizophrenia that I’m unaware of, this means I must have said something helpful to her without even realizing it.

...Wait.

'Hold on, didn't I do a good job?'

What is this? I didn't accidentally step on a landmine; I just said something nice. As expected, the senior was beaming, her tension rising higher and higher.

'This much is fine, I guess.'

There were only two elements I feared:

1. Becoming an emotional trash can.

2. Having someone play games with my emotions.

Number one is something everyone would want to do if they were human. Since it’s a matter of mood, I could just let it slide. The most important thing is rule number two.

The reason this rule exists is that I’m a person who knows the original work. Let’s recall. Let’s recall the day the American President committed a Truman Show against my stocks. At that time, my emotions were dominated, and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I completely lost my mind. I smashed a pizza and was so insane I was slamming my head against my desk. I thought this applied exactly the same way in this world.

'Oh? It’s a heroine? Click! Trauma recovery button activated.'

If I board the "romance coin" by doing something like that, it won't even list properly before it crashes. Even if I start dating or whatever while I’m a mess, it’ll just be a bomb waiting to go off. It means Truman eventually realizes the world and leaves. In that sense, Suo-senpai is...

Well, since she isn't in the original work, she wasn't a being I could play with at will. But, conversely, since there was no prior knowledge...

'The point is that I could cause Suo-senpai great pain.'

I always have to think carefully. It might sound a bit strange, but I have to remember I’m living in a reality. Because the fact that you like someone isn't the only thing that causes pain. Or is it? Anyway.

"Senpai, why are you so excited?"

"My tension is going through the roof~! It feels like I’ve made a real friend for the first time... No, wait! Anyway, shall we eat ramen?"

Because of my wired earphones, my hearing isn't great. I wish she’d speak a bit louder, but since she wants to eat ramen...

"Sure, it’s probably all soggy by now."

I calmly smelled the convenience store cup ramen Suo-senpai handed me. Hmm, it’s been a while since I’ve had ramen. For the record, I eat a lot of toast when I’m gaming, and I only eat bagged ramen, so I didn't have much of a connection with convenience store cup ramen. Still, if I’m told to eat it, I’ll eat it, so it doesn't matter—

"Aaaack!! Right, I forgot!!"

—matter, but... this senior, seriously.

"Y-you, scared me!!!"

"Eek! What, why, why are you yelling!?"

"Because I feel like I lose if I don't yell back."

"...Your personality is really fascinating."

Anyway, why did she have to yell and startle an innocent person? I waited for Suo-senpai to speak. And then.

"This is super spicy ramen...! Can you handle spicy food?"

Suo-senpai started to genuinely worry about me. Looking at her aura, she was truly concerned about what I’d do if I couldn't eat spicy food. But, spicy ramen, huh. Is she calling this scrap of noodles in front ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of me "spicy ramen"? Ah, is that so, is that so.

"Suo-senpai, want to make a bet?"

"Eh, what, what is it?"

"Let’s see who can eat the ramen better."

"...Seriously?"

Seriously? This senior, really.

"Let’s agree that the loser can't drink milk or water until the winner gives permission."

"You... are you showing off your pride because you’re a guy? How cute."

Suo-senpai crossed her arms as if I were pathetic. And I found that very pathetic.

"Senpai, before I’m a man, I have another secret."

"Well, I’m still glad we seem to be getting closer...?"

Suo-senpai laughed boldly and brought a bottle of hot sauce in front of me. And then she confidently threw down the gauntlet.

"I was the best at eating spicy food in my class, are you confident?"

...It’s a bit funny for someone who doesn't even go to school to talk about her class, but I don't know if that’s enough. Because.

'I was a "so Korean" guy.'

Even after possessing a Japanese body, my palate remained exactly the same. Bring it on, you weakling.

Even though I added hot sauce, took out garlic, and poured in chili powder from who knows where, my mouth was perfectly fine. Of course it was. To a Korean, the standard for "spicy" is about three times that of other countries. I mean, what kind of nation would put the word "die" in front of pork cutlet to sell it? Ramen sprinkled with capsaicin is torture in other countries.

In my case, I possessed a Japanese body, Jun’s body, but since I’ve pursued Korean-style spicy flavors since I was young, I was adapted to it. On the other hand, the weak, oh-so-weak Suo-senpai was crawling on the floor.

"I, *slurp*, lost... *slurp*! *Hiss!*"

"There, Senpai is now officially a 'weakling'."

"A... weakling, you say..."

"Say it: 'I am a weakling'."

"Ugh, how humiliating... I... am... a weakling..."

Ah, is this the "isekai high schooler wreaking havoc" trope? I finally understand why mass-produced novels come out. 'Quality or whatever, this is delicious.' Am I finally going to live a life like a light novel? Thinking that, I mercifully allowed Suo-senpai to have some milk. If I left her any longer, she looked like she’d start drooling on the floor... so I allowed it.

Gulp, gulp!

Suo-senpai started drinking the milk as if she’d been waiting for it. She was so spicy that she didn't even seem to notice the milk flowing down around her neck.

"Puhah! Whew, phew. You! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Is your sense of taste broken or something!?"

"I hear that a lot."

"Really... no lie... I lost! I lost, okay..."

Suo-senpai ran to the living room and started beating the cushion on the sofa. To my eyes, it looked like a frail scarecrow had started venting its anger, but—

'No, seriously, this senior...'

I just wished she would realize, even for a second, that she was wearing comfortable clothes that made it easy for her to shake around. Whew, 10 points. Still, I have to give her a score. Well, since I’ve "re-educated" the senior, it’s time to do the dishes. I gathered the empty bowls and headed to the sink. But at that moment.

Ding!

'Oh, a notification.'

This notification, this vibration, and this timing...

I pulled my phone out of my pocket with a spinal reflex. Since Suo-senpai was far away, I quickly unlocked it and logged in...

"Eh, what, why are you suddenly turning around? Girlfriend?"

Suo-senpai came running over quickly, harboring a strange misunderstanding, but this was a more critical matter than a girlfriend, so I couldn't stop.

"Eek. What is this?"

"No, when did you come over to look? I turned around, so please don't look."

"Whyyy, what is it?"

"...It’s just a game."

I hurriedly logged into the game and started preparing to run my daily chores. Yamada Jun. Perhaps because this guy was a hardcore otaku, I seemed to have been influenced by him a little bit. Or not? Am I just a hardcore otaku addicted to games? Anyway, this was a "beautiful girl collection game." A game that aimed precisely at Jun’s and my tastes...

"A game? Oh, what is it, what is it! I like games too!"

Suo-senpai, who says she likes games but then lists board games. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I almost had my offline ego crushed for a moment by her saying that so genuinely.

"It’s just a phone game... Senpai, please stop looking."

To protect my last remaining ego, before going to the formation tab, I tried to pull Suo-senpai away. Can't I just wait until I go home? I’m losing resources! Do you know how much I’ve dumped into this place...

But what can a frail, weak me do against a high school girl? Especially a high school girl who does extreme sports (including climbing). With the strength to fold a tank, I ended up unable to pull her off my back.

"Almost... there...!"

The senior reached out, anticipating victory. 'But, then I can just turn it off.' However, I’m not the kind of guy who makes things difficult by just shouting "E-eh! J-jotto!" like an idiot. I just have to press the power button so she can't see it. It’s a shame, but I decided to protect my offline ego and accept the loss of resources. But then.

"Junior-kun, you have a sneaky side."

"...Excuse me?"

Why is this senior sulking...?

"Let’s fight fair and square, okay? Hmm?"

"No, where was this fair and square, and where were we fighting?"

"Anyway! The power button is NG! Turn it on quickly. I want to see too."

Suo-senpai started throwing a tantrum. It seemed to be the effect of her earlier high tension. But seriously, the sulking face, the tantrum, pulling on my arm. She has an idol-level face, and hitting my head with this heinous combo made my head spin like crazy. She even ran to the front door as if she wouldn't let me out if I didn't show her.

'I have to show her this?'

My mind is spinning again. To think that turning on my phone out of habit was the fatal mistake. I hate the world. Should I show her? Ah, the determination that I have to is radiating from Suo-senpai’s body. I have to show her, right? Suo-senpai was holding a "hee-hee, you can't leave" pose as if she had to.

But!!! I’m not a guy like Ishikawa who shows things without explanation and ruins the atmosphere. I calmly attempted to communicate with the troublemaker Suo-senpai.

"Senpai, this is a beautiful girl game."

"A beautiful girl game? What’s that?"

Commonly known as a game for "nerds." I explained the beautiful girl collection game to Suo-senpai as best I could. I explained it by emphasizing only the face and pure love, leaving out the man’s romance, the... and the pretty faces.

"It’s roughly that kind of game, but it’s a bit... embarrassing for me to show a woman."

And the senior nodded. Phew, she seems to have understood properly. Then now, I’ll stop her interest—

"It’s a game where the girls have huge breasts, right?"

Excuse me?

"...No."

"Eek, no?"

"Th... that’s true, but how do you know?"

"Why, it comes out in ads sometimes. But those breasts are all fake, you know?"

This senior was having this conversation with such a serious expression. Is this... the dignity of a senior? The effect was tremendous, to the point where my calmness was ruined...!

It started to come to mind as if a doujinshi cliché, not a rom-com cliché, was running wild.

"Hmm, hee. But you know."

"...?"

"Then..."

Why did she suddenly stop talking? In this serious situation where my social self-esteem is hitting rock bottom, shame is washing over me, and I want to go home. Suo-senpai bowed her head for a moment and then said:

"Then, you weren't Junior-kun, you were Otaku-kun?"

"...Ah."

So that was it, it was a nickname issue. Wait a minute... Otaku? Is it for real? I didn't understand why Ishikawa called me an otaku. Do I look like that? Was I the only one denying it?

'Kuaaak, n-no...!'

Symptoms of juwha-ipma (internal injury from misguided training) started to creep out. In the midst of that, Suo-senpai smacked her lips once and chewed on it.

"Otaku... kun."

"...Excuse me?"

I really didn't hear her, so I asked. She couldn't have been cursing at me.

"No! It’s nothing. Please take care of me, Otaku-kun~"

"I am not an otaku."

"Then what are you?"

"I’m a normal person, at least."

"Hehe, Otaku-kun, anyway, what shall we do now?"

"I’m going home..."

It’s time to go home now. I’ve caused a lot of trouble at someone else’s house. So please, get out of the front door. I beg you. No, what do you mean you can't go?

"Then, just this!"

"Ah..."

Like that, the uncomfortable day with Suo Mitsurugi-senpai came to an end. Perhaps it was only uncomfortable because I was the one holding back, but Suo-senpai seemed to view me very favorably. Because.

"...So, you exchanged LINE contacts after having a fun time with Suo-senpai...?"

"Ishikawa, why do you always summarize things in one line when I finish a story?"

"It’s to double-check!"

The next day, I was able to gain one heroic tale to pass on to Ishikawa. Along with the right to have LINE conversations with Suo-senpai...