Chapter 12: Tojo Karen
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 12: Tojo Karen
The red-haired girl from the kendo club.
I’d honestly almost forgotten about her, but when she came to our classroom the next day and told the protagonist, Sakamoto Ryuji, her name, it finally clicked.
She was Tojo Karen, the heroine who ranked 6th in popularity in Scramble Love.
When I first learned about this manga through an internet meme, the original poster had emphasized the fact that the heroine who ended up with the protagonist was ranked a mere 4th in popularity.
The evidence they’d attached was the results of a popularity poll conducted just before the final volume’s release. The top six characters were featured in a color illustration at the front of the magazine, so I vaguely remembered their faces and names.
And today, she came to Class 2-B again and declared to the protagonist, Sakamoto, "You! You will be my man!"
The sudden dropping of this bombshell sent the class into an immediate frenzy.
The debate was, of course, about who Sakamoto Ryuji, the recipient of the confession, would end up dating.
"Nah, it's gotta be Yaguchi. She's nice, friendly, and most importantly, she's got huge boobs."
"Tsk, you don't get it. A girlfriend who's usually as fierce as a wild dog but acts like a puppy only for me? How could you resist that?"
"Isn't Tojo from Class A kinda flat-chested and too boyish? I prefer the good wife, wise mother type."
"The size of her chest doesn't matter. It's the heart that counts."
For the single guys, in particular, it was a hot topic on the level of the Yesong Controversy.
As a guy myself, I could sympathize with some of what they were saying, but I wished they’d tone it down in the classroom.
The girls were starting to look at them like they were bugs.
With no one to talk to about such things except Satoru, who sat in front of me, I was quietly observing the situation from the back of the class when Kishimoto, sitting next to me, asked.
"Ryu-chan, who do you think Sakamoto will date?"
"Hmm. I'm not sure."
It was a rather sensitive question, so I decided to offer no comment.
If the story progressed according to the original work, it was already a given that his childhood friend, Yaguchi Maiya, would be the final winner.
"Aww, you're no fun~"
Turning away, Kishimoto seemed to lose interest and went back to diligently reading the latest issue of Jump she’d bought this morning.
For the record, that magazine was originally mine.
*
"See you tomorrow!"
After school, I parted ways with Kishimoto in front of the subway station and headed straight for the gym near my house.
I climbed the usual high staircase, opened the door to the second-floor gym, and was greeted by the sight of macho, muscular men sweating and working out hard.
But what is this? This strange feeling?
Something felt different today.
I was instinctively looking around to figure out the cause when the director of this gym, Mr. Nakayama, greeted me cheerfully.
"You must be busy with your studies, but you're here to clock in again today, Kim-kun."
"Hello, Director. Did something happen today? The members are all working out way harder than usual."
The director shook his head and explained.
"A new female member joined the gym today. Everyone's going crazy over how pretty she is."
Ahhh…
It finally dawned on me.
The male members of the gym were struggling to show off and appeal to the new member.
"Anyway, hurry up and get changed. I'll watch your form today."
"Ah, thank you."
Following Director Nakayama's words, I headed to the locker room in the corner of the gym.
*
This gym, run solely by Mr. Nakayama, was about 100 pyeong [approx. 3550 sq ft] and not particularly large compared to other major fitness centers.
But among the local gym-goers, it was practically a holy land.
That was because athletes and bodybuilders from this gym had swept up awards at numerous competitions.
And the one who had personally coached them was the director here, Mr. Nakayama Yujiro.
He was a former professional bodybuilder who, after retiring, opened the gym he’d always dreamed of and was now pouring all his energy into nurturing future generations.
I first came here during the spring break of my third year of middle school, so we’ve been working out together for almost two years now.
He was an incredibly kind person who saw my potential when I started working out without any real plan and taught me all sorts of knowledge and techniques for free.
When I came out of the locker room in a light sleeveless shirt, a familiar face was standing next to Mr. Nakayama.
"...Fuma Yukika?"
As I unconsciously muttered her name upon seeing her face, she puffed out her chest with a confident expression and said, "What a coincidence, Kim Yoo-Sung. To think we'd meet in a place like this."
I wondered who the new female member was, but I never expected a twist like this.
Feeling a little dizzy, I bowed my head first.
"I guess you live around here?"
Fuma Yukika replied with a brazen look on her face.
"I moved a few days ago. I felt like my club activities alone weren't enough of a workout, so I was looking for a fitness club to join. I didn't know you came here, though."
Mr. Nakayama, who had been listening to our conversation, grinned slyly.
"Well, this is perfect. From now on, Kim-kun can teach Miss Fuma instead of me. A senior and junior from the same school would be able to talk more comfortably than with an old guy like me, right?"
"Hey, don't I get a say in this?"
Mr. Nakayama sidled up to me, put an arm around my shoulders, and whispered in my ear.
"Looks to me like she has a thing for you and followed you all the way here. Give it your best shot."
"...It's not like that."
"Hey, no need to be shy."
He seemed to have gotten the wrong idea completely, so I decided not to say anything more.
"Anyway, since it's Miss Fuma's first day, she's just observing. Let's you and I get started."
"Yes, sir."
As the director said, I moved to the free weight zone to begin my workout.
Today was heavy squat day.
"Let's start the warm-up light, with 220kg."
With those words, Mr. Nakayama began loading plates onto the empty bar.
The standard 20kg bar was soon packed on both sides with 25kg plates.
Four on each side, for 100kg.
A barbell totaling 220kg was now ready on the squat rack.
Fuma Yukika, watching from the side, muttered in astonishment.
"You're starting with such a heavy weight?"
The director beamed and patted my shoulder.
"Young lady, I've been in this business for over 20 years, but I've never seen a monster like this kid, not even back in my active days. So you don't need to worry."
Letting the director's usual flattery go in one ear and out the other, I settled the firmly fixed barbell just below my traps.
Then, I lifted it in one motion.
After lightly squatting and rising back up, I re-racked the barbell. The director immediately added more weight without a pause.
"Alright, let's add two more for 270kg."
"Okay."
He had increased the weight by a whole 50kg in one go. Fuma Yukika's jaw dropped, but unfortunately for her, this still wasn't the main set.
I once again settled the barbell on my traps and gripped both sides tightly.
"Sss... Hah!"
I repeated a cycle of deep breaths, then held one in to create abdominal pressure. Again, I squatted down and stood up with ease.
As I re-racked the still-light barbell, the director, who had been watching with his arms crossed, picked up two more plates.
"Warm-up's over. Time for the main set."
"Yes, sir."
I lightly placed the barbell, now so packed with plates there was no more room, onto my traps and tensed my entire body.
"Hnngh!"
With the barbell, now significantly heavier than at the start, I took a few steps forward.
I could feel the eyes of the others working out nearby focusing on me, but I had no mental capacity to spare for them.
Losing focus during a heavy lift is the easiest way to get injured.
With my muscles properly warmed up, I repeated the motion of squatting and rising exactly five times.
CLANG!!
After finishing the set and re-racking the barbell, Fuma Yukika, who had been watching, spoke with an appalled look on her face.
"Do you always work out like you're abusing your body? Even to a beginner like me, this seems a bit..."
Stretching my body, which felt much lighter after the workout, I asked, "Huh? What did you just say?"
Fuma Yukika stopped mid-sentence and shut her mouth as if she'd been struck dumb.
The director, who had been listening to our exchange, chuckled.
"I told you, young lady. He's a monster."
You can't apply common sense to a guy like him.