Chapter 134: Was I Hiratsuka-sensei’s Matchmaking Partner? (2)
Chapter 134: Was I Hiratsuka-sensei’s Matchmaking Partner? (2)
The Female Teacher responded casually, walking while scanning around to find a suitable place to eat.
“League of Losers? Sounds pretty cool.”
…
“Let’s eat ramen!”
Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly spotted a shop. Hiratsuka Shizuka seemed to perk up instantly, her eyes lighting up before she called out.
“Ramen?”
At the mention of ramen, the first thing that came to mind was greasy broth.
Wasn’t this like a woman’s worst enemy?
Himekoji froze for a second, but Hiratsuka had already marched right into the shop.
Snapping out of it, the young man could only shake his head with a wry smile and follow heavily.
Evening gowns and noodle shops… they felt weirdly mismatched.
…
Entering the shop, Himekoji accompanied the unusually enthusiastic Hiratsuka-sensei over to the ticket machine.
Without a moment’s hesitation, the female teacher boldly pressed the button for tonkotsu ramen.
Her manner, her choices – everything about her was just way too darn manly!
Himekoji almost stared dumbfounded.
Hey! Show some respect for that expensive evening gown you’re wearing!
Be more elegant! Order something lighter! Show some grace!
Still holding her wallet after buying, the woman turned to Himekoji, who was internally griping, and asked:
“What’ll you have?”
Huh?
Could she be…
treating him?
Was this the first time someone had offered since he became a pervert?
He was so moved he almost called her “bro”!
But—
He had to decline!
“I can pay for myself.”
“Don’t be polite. You’ve fixed my drainpipe several times now. Even if it was just a whim for you, I still owe you a thank-you.”
Whim?! You forced me into it, okay?!
“No, really, I insist. And honestly, sensei, you’ve helped me plenty too. I should be the one treating you.”
Himekoji held firm.
…
She wasn’t being polite?
Hiratsuka-sensei tilted her head slightly, looking genuinely surprised.
“Eh? I thought you were the kind of rotten maggot who shamelessly uses women to scam them out of money for food and fun…”
Ouch…
“Isn’t that basically being a gigolo?”
Himekoji rolled his eyes, annoyed.
“Aren’t you?”
The female teacher actually looked shocked.
“Stop assuming that just because I’m handsome!”
“Oh, right. With your perverted and twisted personality, you probably wouldn’t even meet the entry standards for that profession. It is a fairly high-end service industry, after all.”
Hiratsuka-sensei tapped her chin thoughtfully, nodding to herself as she made this judgment call.
“Seriously! Who says stuff like that about their student?”
Having narrowly escaped accepting a treat from a rich woman, Himekoji ordered a tonkotsu ramen too, like Hiratsuka-sensei had.
Then, they sat side-by-side at the counter.
As soon as Hiratsuka-sensei sat down, she slapped her meal ticket onto the table with a loud smack.
“Tonkotsu ramen! Super firm noodles!”
The noise was loud enough to make Himekoji frantically look around.
Sure enough, most of the customers were now glancing their way.
Good grief…
Lady, how many times do I have to say it?! Image, your image! With habits like this, no wonder you can’t get married!
…
“That punk won the lottery? His girlfriend’s a stunner!”
“Sheesh, dragging a woman that gorgeous here for ramen? Gross.”
“Brat. Just seeing him irritates me.”
…
Huh?
Weird… why did all these nasty stares seem directed at him?
…
Anyway, the sight of a beauty in an evening gown eating at a ramen shop was definitely eye-catching.
Yet, at the center of all this attention, the female teacher herself seemed unaffected. She happily tied on the paper apron from the counter, beaming.
Once ready, she carefully checked the positions of the pepper, sesame seeds, pickled mustard greens, and ginger.
Why was she so practiced at this?
Did she survive on ramen her whole life? Her figure sure didn’t suggest that!
Wasn’t greasy ramen the sworn enemy of single women?
The ramen arrived quickly.
Hiratsuka-sensei picked up her disposable chopsticks and put her hands together.
“I gratefully receive!” (Let’s eat!)
“I gratefully receive!”
Himekoji followed suit.
The first step to tasting ramen? The broth.
The layer of oil on the surface shone like white porcelain, hinting at the rich richness beneath. The aroma of mountain herbs cut through any gaminess, leaving behind a deep, mellow fragrance.
Indeed – this was the heart and soul of the bowl, the tonkotsu broth.
After tasting the delicious soup, it was time for the noodles.
The broth was rich, the noodles thin and long. Their firm texture complemented perfectly, delivering an incredible taste sensation with each chew.
“Mmm, so good!”
They slurped the noodles and chugged the soup loudly. Between bites, both praised the flavor in unison.
The wood ear mushrooms and scallions in the bowl made it even more tempting, truly whetting the appetite.
“Indeed, in youth, pork bones are supreme, and fat is the most delicious! Anything less intense than this rich broth is unacceptable. But as one grows older, lighter flavors like salt and soy sauce become acceptable.”
Fitting for a literature teacher, she shared her thoughts while eating.
“Huh? Isn’t that just getting old?”
Himekoji accidentally blurted out.
“What did you say?”
“Uh, nothing…”
Scary! She glared like she wanted to kill him…
Teacher Hiratsuka briefly pretended to be annoyed. Then suddenly, her stern expression melted into a smile.
“I’ll give you my chashu!”
The female teacher waved her chopsticks happily.
“Thanks. Then you can have my bamboo shoots.”
“Heehee, thank you too.”
“Elderly people should get plenty of fiber.”
“Shut up!”
“Ow, that hurt—”
……
Teacher Hiratsuka savored the tonkotsu ramen, a satisfied smile on her face.
“So, what do you think of this place I brought you to?”
Her voice was soft and playful, sounding like she was fishing for praise.
Like a child?
Her expression clearly demanded, Hurry up and compliment me!
“Surprisingly great.”
Himekoji gave his most honest review.
“I know lots of ramen places like this. Each has its own charm.”
At this moment, the teacher revealed an extraordinary side—was she the legendary “Ramen Connoisseur”?
“Any recommendations?”
Himekoji suddenly grew interested.
“Oh, of course~ In my student days, I practically conquered every ramen joint! But students and teachers shouldn’t go out too often. I’ll take you after you graduate.”
“Ah, no need for you to come, Teacher. Just tell me the addre—”
SNAP!
Inside the bustling ramen shop, that sharp, echoing crack was deafening for Himekoji.
“Oops. Chopsticks broke.”
“P-please… please take me with you…”
Chopsticks don’t break just from a normal grip!
“Mhm, mhm, look forward to it~”
Teacher Hiratsuka smiled contentedly. Her crescent eyes twinkled like stars.
Huh? So happy, like a kid? You’re a teacher!
Yet, for some reason, Himekoji smiled too.
……
……
IMPORTANT! This story is NOT BL (Boys’ Love)! And about Saika…
(If it’s too long, skip to answer 3 at the bottom: Why write Saika?)
Also, please maintain Danmaku etiquette. Thank you.
This is a derivative novel set in the anime/manga world (“2D”).
If a character you dislike appears, apologies—but please hold back critical comments. Even those you dislike may have fans.
Harsh Danmaku or reviews hurt other readers’ enjoyment and the author’s morale (~~authors have no rights~~).
Brief answers to reader questions ——
[1: Is this story BL? Is the author gay?]
No. Not gay. Thanks.
By the way, since we’re answering this, I have a question too:
Is “Oregairu” (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU) BL? Is Wataru Watari gay?
[2: Not BL yet keep writing about Saika? Mental issues? How can the MC not know his gender? Some readers even enjoy it, saying things like “I like girls like that.” Would they want one in real life?]
First, I’m not mentally ill. Thanks for readers’ concern.
Second, this story’s setting is 2D. So “in real life” isn’t a real possibility.
In anime, confusion over gender is normal and common, right?
This story isn’t BL, but I think writing Saika is fine. Reasons below.
[3: Why write Saika? Why does Himekoji “like” Saika?]
Reasons:
First, the MC has normal aesthetic preferences. Yes, NORMAL!
Second, due to the Perverse Choice System, Himekoji avoids any “contact/relationships with females.”
Himekoji’s “adoration” of Saika is essentially escapism.
Fear of the Perverse Choice System → avoids females → channels his hetero feelings through Totsuka Saika.
Bold emphasis: Heterosexual feelings toward the opposite sex!
For Himekoji:
“Too perverted to meet any girl’s expectations” + “Subconscious female repulsion due to fear of Perverse Choice System” > “Actual fondness of/pursuit of women.”
But teen boys naturally seek female beauty. Unchanneled hormones cause:
Noticing Totsuka Saika—who possesses beauty surpassing most girls, yet carries no “female identity” to trigger Himekoji’s repulsion.
His “like” for Saika is just his normal hetero desire distorted by the System.
Deep down, Himekoji knows this.
Technically, he only “likes” Saika’s feminine aspects. Not gay.
Finally, the cruelest reason:
Deep down, Himekoji knows this “like” is lowest-cost and destined for NO outcome.
See? After all this, doesn’t Himekoji have it hard?
He deserves sympathy, not hate calls!
This story HAS NO Saika route. Saika’s end: becoming friends with a no-longer-“perverted” Himekoji.
Of course, since Saika scenes draw backlash, his role will be reduced further.
To readers claiming “Saika ruins the MC’s image”: I disagree. Saika adds depth to Himekoji.
Moreover, the book NEVER states “Saika is male”—did the original “Oregairu”?
Even if it did, having Saika be a girl here is fine. Hikigaya became a girl here too, didn’t he?
Also… didn’t these critical readers know the source material?
I always thought love for derivative works came from loving the original.
In “Oregairu,” Hikigaya’s interactions/ambivalence toward Saika exceed Himekoji’s. Can’t accept it?
Please adopt this setting: “In this book, Saika is actually a girl cross-dressing.”
Can’t do that? Then please skip Saika scenes.
If you want to criticize, please… hold back.
I beg for mercy… My mental health is weak… I’ll cry (no—I’ve cried many times).
This book… wasn’t easy to write.
Lastly——
Thank you to all readers who supported me. Without your encouragement, this book (and I) might’ve collapsed long ago.
Pouring all my free time into writing, only to be told it’s worthless—reading those reviews made me want to quit every second, cry every minute.
Sometimes it’s confusing: Book ranks top 10 weekly/monthly. Earned “Shukaosha Annual Conference” spot. Logically, it’s not bad—even quite good. (Hazukashii…).
Yet, still targeted by hate… Soul-crushing…
At my worst point, I doubted myself. Was this book really that bad? Was continuing worth it?
… But then: Recommendation Votes, monthly votes, tips… so many.
In that light, I’m grateful I persisted—like I’d never been scarred.
It’s entirely fitting to say readers saved this book and me. Really.
To end: Thanks for listening to my rant. Thank you.