TLNOTE : It’s not mistake, the prologue happened after chapter 4
Prologue / Who Will Win? For Real, It’s Unpredictable
【The Heroine Race】
It’s a harsh survival competition where lives are at stake.
【The Heroine Race】
It’s a war of true wives fighting without honor, washing blood with blood.
【The Heroine Race】
It’s a microcosm of the world that clearly separates winners from losers.
Three love experts, the main heroines, have gathered for the Heroine Race.
The cast is assembled.
Each completely different, they slowly close the distance to capture their beloved. But who will ultimately seize victory?
One looks forward to hearing “Won’t you confess to me already?” after school.
One envisions a blissful future, thinking “I’ll come sweep you off your feet as soon as we graduate.”
Another cowers, imagining “But I’m not cute enough, so I’ll get rejected.”
All wait with bated breath, equal within the lines, for the start signal.
–And now, the gunshot rings out.
The next morning.
Izumi Sumie went to school alone as usual.
At the shoe lockers, he took off his outdoor shoes and changed into the school’s indoor shoes.
It was a peaceful morning. Today would pass peacefully just like yesterday, in a refreshing mood.
His classmate Satou called out cheerfully,
“Izumi!”
“Yo. Morning.”
While also changing shoes, Satou excitedly tells him something.
“Hey Izumi, did you hear? About the transfer student.”
“Nah, I don’t know anything.”
Then Satou whispers conspiratorially, as if sharing big news.
“The archery club guys were saying there’s gonna be a transfer student joining our second-year class today.”
“Oh. An odd time for that.”
Being mid-April, the timing was a bit strange.
A bit earlier or later would have fit better. But Izumi didn’t really care either way.
Unsatisfied with his lukewarm reaction, Satou added emphatically,
“And she’s a cute girl!”
“Ah, is that so…”
So that’s why he’s so worked up.
He must still be stinging from that group date fiasco, Izumi thought dismissively as he said his usual line.
“Well, I just hope she doesn’t run into me. Because…”
“Yeah yeah, you’d better keep your mouth shut around her.”
“That’s harsh? At least let me finish?”
As they laughed, a female student happened to pass by the shoe lockers.
She had a straight bobbed haircut and seemed quiet.
Izumi and Satou barely noticed her plain presence.
But unexpectedly, she spoke to Izumi.
“You’re Izumi Sumie, right?”
“Me?”
Surprised to be called by name.
Damn, she must be an acquaintance. Talking with Satou, he hadn’t been paying attention. Izumi put on a gentle smile and greeted her.
“Ah, my bad my bad. Blame this constant state of …eagerness.”
“Jeez, Izumi!?”
Satou pretended to be angry at the joke, but not seriously. He was used to Izumi teasing him this way too.
…Still, Izumi was puzzled.
She didn’t seem to be a classmate. So a committee member or…? Did they have some other connection?
(Ah!)
The realization came quickly.
Recognizing her, Izumi exchanged greetings.
“It’s you. Morning.”
“Morning. You remembered me?”
“Well yeah. By the way, were you okay after that?”
“Yup, thanks to you.”
As they spoke, something occurred to him.
“Oh yeah, this guy was saying we’re getting a transfer student. Don’t tell me that’s you?”
“Ah yeah, actually it is!”
“You were lost that time, right? By the way, what class are you in? I can show you if you don’t know where.”
The girl smiled sweetly.
“Oh no, that’s okay. But there is something I want to ask you.”
“Me? Well, I guess…”
Suddenly Izumi had a bad feeling.
It was an intuition. Having been raised in an elite corporate family, he had received quite an education, including crisis management skills.
But–
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–At the same time.
Amane Sakura was also arriving at the shoe lockers.
Her footsteps were light. Other students greeted her, “Amane, morning!” “Your makeup is cute today!” She cheerfully responded.
Today she was a perfect idol as always. A classmate called, “Amane, let’s go to class together!” and she smiled, “Sure!”
“Did you hear, Amane? We’re getting a transfer student today.”
“Really? In our class?”
“Who knows, I just heard it from the archery club kids.”
She glanced ahead while brushing it off. There she spotted the person she was looking for.
(Ah! Izumi-cchi!)
He seemed to be chatting with a male classmate and an unfamiliar girl student. I wonder what they’re talking about? she thought lightly as she looked them over.
Then a classmate who also noticed Izumi grinned.
“Amane, aren’t you gonna say hi to Izumi?”
“Hey, cut it out. It’s not like that…”
Through their typical banter, her mind was already made up.
Pretending to casually give in with an “Oh fine then…” she inwardly skipped with excitement as she called out.
“Izumi-cchi! Morninggg!”
–At almost the exact same time, Hakua Shragiku was passing by the shoe lockers.
She was on morning patrol duty for the student council.
The council didn’t actually have such an activity. But she had spontaneously gathered volunteers to check up on school discipline.
Surprisingly, it helped curb tardiness quite effectively. Though that was simply thanks to Shragiku’s virtue and influence.
A female vice-president looked at her admiringly.
“No issues this morning either, President Hakua.”
“Yes, thanks to everyone’s efforts.”
Her patrol route always passed the shoe lockers around this time.
Because Izumi always arrived at school then, punctual as if he had an internal clock.
And sure enough, she spotted Izumi there,
seemingly chatting cheerfully with what looked like classmates. She didn’t think much of it.
(Maybe I’ll say hi this morning, instead of just a nod!)
Deciding on a whim to greet him instead of their usual nod – as former engagés, they didn’t talk much at school.
She approached at a timing when Izumi had finished changing shoes.
“Good morning, Sumie-kun.”
–Once again at the same timing.
Kasuga Haru was descending to the shoe lockers with her friend Inori.
They were headed for the vending machines, having forgotten to buy Haru’s morning tea.
When the shoe lockers came into view from the stairs, Inori spoke up.
“Ah. There’s senpai.”
She had indeed spotted Izumi chatting animatedly with what seemed to be his classmates.
“………”
Just seeing Izumi laughing with others was enough to fill her with vexation. Not wanting to dwell on it, Haru turned on her heel.
“…Let’s go back upstairs.”
But Inori stopped her.
“Aww, c’mon! At least say good morning!”
“No way, I don’t want to see that jerk’s face first thing.”
“It’ll be fine! He won’t pick up on your feelings just from a greeting.”
“Wa, I don’t care about that …… “
Inori gave a mischievous grin.
“Hmmm? Then should I go say hi instead?”
“W-wait…”
As Inori started down the stairs,
Haru hurriedly followed after.
(I-It’s not like I have any special feelings for senpai or anything…)
Her flushed face was just because her friend was approaching a scoundrel, she told herself.
Her pounding heart was just from rushing down stairs.
But she went pale remembering their conversation yesterday.
Deep down, she simply disliked Izumi’s carefree smile being directed at anyone else. Which made her involuntarily call out.
“G-Good morning, senpai!”
And at the exact moment the three girls greeted him–
“Izumi Sumie, I like you. Please go out with me.”
–The air froze.
Izumi was standing before the shoe lockers, looking down at the girl student.
It took him some seconds to realize her abrupt words were a confession of love.
He gazed at her dumbfounded, while she happily gazed back, as if pleased her prank had worked.
The surrounding students, Satou especially, were gawking comically. But everyone watched the two with utterly stunned expressions.
The serene morning atmosphere had utterly vanished.
In this stillness, that girl student–
Nanao Nanase smiled sweetly and repeated to Izumi,
“I like you, Izumi-kun ♡”
Yes.
With those words, the opening gunshot rang out for the Heroine Race…
Opening gunshot…?
Gunshot…?
The condition to win the Heroine Race
is–
[Simply being able to say “I like you.”]
Here’s the explanation.
This is a story of Nanao Nanase’s overwhelming dominance.
The Heroine Race ends here!
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