Chapter 32: What Does This Mean—Did I Fall into the Backrooms?

……Xiao Chun Miura was never very fluent in Japanese to begin with. If you asked her to write or hold long conversations, she couldn’t do it.

At most, she could understand some common phrases and say a few simple sentences, thanks to playing too many galgame.

So even now, being able to speak Japanese fluently in the game world, Xiao Chun Miura didn’t really feel it was real……

It was only when she recalled her words that she vaguely realized—the things she just said, the habits in her speech, were all used by gentle and polite girls in the game.

“……Mm.”

Realizing even her tone was becoming more like a girl’s, Xiao Chun Miura felt a surge of indescribable emotion.

It was a strange flutter mixed with emotions she’d never experienced before.

Her body had become that of a girl, and she’d even explored it out of curiosity; the once-unfamiliar acts of going to the bathroom and bathing no longer felt awkward over time, and she even felt embarrassed by physical contact with Kanzaki Sou.

Now, without even noticing, even her way of speaking had started to shift toward that of a girl.

Xiao Chun Miura’s heartbeat began to speed up.

All kinds of subtle changes inside and out brought confusing emotions she couldn’t untangle.

If things continued like this, what would she become?

“……”

She looked down at the 《National Physical Education and Health》 by her hand.

On the cover was a bright, youthful, anime-style boy and girl student.

Staring at their smiling faces, complex emotions filled the girl’s eyes behind her glasses.

***

Walking alone on the road home, the sunset stretched Xiao Chun Miura’s shadow long across the ground.

Her mind kept replaying everything that happened just now in the Library.

Putting aside all the other messy things affecting her mood…… today’s biggest gain was seeing through Kondo Haruka’s weakness.

……Even though she watched her warily, it was precisely because Kondo Haruka couldn’t do anything else.

In the past, she’d worried Kondo Haruka would speak badly of her behind her back to Kanzaki Sou, but judging by today, at least Kanzaki Sou didn’t think “Miura-san is that kind of person.”

When faced with Kondo Haruka’s questioning, it was actually Kanzaki Sou who explained for her, so she didn’t even need to speak.

So unless something unexpected happened, in Kanzaki Sou’s mind, he’d already decided that “Haruka’s views on Miura-san are just prejudice and misunderstandings.”

……The route for Kondo Haruka to badmouth her in private was already blocked.

She also feared what Kanzaki Sou’s reaction would be if he truly learned “Xiao Chun Miura said she liked you,” so she didn’t dare bring it up.

This meant that, though Kondo Haruka seemed forceful, there was very little she could actually do.

——The reason she kept watch was simply because she had no other way to stop her.

She didn’t dare reveal “Xiao Chun Miura likes Kanzaki Sou,” fearing it would backfire and make Kanzaki Sou truly start noticing the colleague who’d been by his side these past days.

Although Xiao Chun Miura didn’t believe Kanzaki Sou would easily fall for anyone—especially someone as unremarkable as herself—in Kondo Haruka’s mind, it seemed different.

She was probably……quite afraid?

Regardless of where this mindset came from, Kondo Haruka’s anxious caution gave her a huge margin to operate.

And aside from that, there was another piece of good news.

It was Kanzaki Sou’s attitude.

The male protagonist seemed to have never doubted her at all.

Whether it was their first encounter, becoming colleagues by coincidence, adding each other as friends on the Weekend, or going to the Classroom to ask questions…… all these events, in Kanzaki Sou’s view, fell under “coincidence” and “normal social interaction.”

If she stood in Kondo Haruka’s position, she’d probably be just as troubled by Kanzaki Sou.

……No, what was she thinking?

She was slipping into a girl’s perspective again.

Xiao Chun Miura quickly shook her head.

She continued to walk slowly along the quiet sidewalk, deep in thought.

……Even if one side was a childhood friend of many years and the other a stranger she’d only known a few days, Kanzaki Sou hadn’t simply taken Kondo Haruka’s side.

Even under Kondo Haruka’s harsh accusations, he still chose to speak up for her.

……According to the game’s portrayal, Kanzaki Sou didn’t originally have such a distinct personality.

This was a common flaw in most text-based romance adventure games, or perhaps an unwritten industry rule.

In works without fantasy, magic, or grand narratives—just ordinary stories—the male protagonists were usually designed to be as “normal,” “mediocre,” and “unremarkable” as possible.

Some works would give the male lead attractive skills, like household or cooking abilities good enough to work as a Girls’ Dormitory manager, or musical talents sufficient to join a school festival band……but in the end, these were just supplementary settings.

The male leads’ personalities were still meant to be “unremarkable,” “without any striking traits.”

This made it easier for Players to project themselves into the game, just like the decision not to add a male protagonist’s voice in the game.

However, to Xiao Chun Miura now, Kanzaki Sou was far from a blank slate.

He was gentle, calm, sharp but not harsh, rational and composed, and unexpectedly had a strong sense of self.

Not letting a childhood friend’s words sway his own judgment of others was proof enough of his independence.

His gentle, perceptive, and rational qualities were constantly evident in their interactions.

A person like this……truly deserved to be the male protagonist.

Xiao Chun Miura sighed at the thought.

Some people are born as protagonists, even if the world they inhabit is a fake game world.

But some people are born without the fate to be the main character—even if they reach adulthood, they remain background extras on life’s stage—even if they cross into a game world, they can only be a minor character with little screen time.

How painful.

……Don’t think about such things.

Xiao Chun Miura frowned, pushing away those negative thoughts, and her steps faltered as she walked.

“……Haa, I should just go home, eat curry, and take a good bath before sleeping tonight.”

She encouraged herself, continuing onward in the direction of Home as she remembered it.

“……”

The road was quiet, and Xiao Chun Miura could only hear the sound of her shoes against the sidewalk.

“……”

Soon, she stopped, looking around.

……Something was wrong.

When she left School, there had been plenty of students and office workers…… Now, it was still the evening rush hour. Even if she’d walked into a quiet neighborhood, even if by some fluke there wasn’t a single person around, it shouldn’t be like this.

Xiao Chun Miura looked around.

The wide street stretched endlessly in both directions, and the residential houses along the roadside were eerily silent, as if uninhabited.

——……Isn’t this too quiet?