There are two types of people in this world: main characters and background extras.
I've always been the second kind.
In every story, someone's got to be the guy sitting in the corner of the classroom. The one who turns in his homework on time, never gets detention, and quietly blends in with the rows of identical uniforms. That's me—second-year student, average height, average grades, no sports, no drama, no love life.
And I liked it that way.
"Hey, did you hear there's a new transfer student today?"
"Really? That's so late in the semester."
"Probably another weirdo…"
I sipped my vending machine milk tea and leaned against the wall outside Class 2-B. The hallway buzzed with curiosity, but I didn't bother joining in. New students came and went. I'd already forgotten the name of the last one.
The bell rang. I tossed the empty can, slipped into the classroom, and took my usual seat by the window—third row from the back, beside the emergency exit. Prime background character positioning.
Our homeroom teacher, Tanaka-sensei, walked in with a clipboard and an expression that said I hate Mondays. Behind him stood a girl.
She wore the standard uniform, but that was the only thing standard about her. Hair a little too long for school rules. Socks mismatched—one black, one with little yellow ducks. A bandage on her cheek like she'd lost a fight with a mailbox. She stood with her arms crossed, staring us down like we were the ones interrupting her morning.
"Everyone, settle down," Tanaka-sensei said. "We have a transfer student joining us today. Introduce yourself."
The girl stepped forward, cleared her throat, then said loudly—
"My name is Koharu Minami! I transferred here because I got kicked out of my last school for... reasons! But I'm turning over a new leaf, so please treat me well!"
The class went dead silent.
I blinked.
Did she just say kicked out?
"R-Right," Tanaka-sensei stammered. "Well, Minami-san, please take a seat—uh, next to Kuroda."
I didn't react until someone tapped my desk.
Wait.
Kuroda—that was me.
She flopped into the seat beside me like she owned it. No hesitation. She glanced over, tilted her head, and squinted like she was scanning my stats in an RPG.
"You look like an NPC," she muttered.
I blinked again. "…What?"
"You know. Plain. Quiet. Probably the guy who gives generic advice about studying when the main character's in trouble."
I stared at her, unsure if I was offended or just stunned.
She turned away before I could answer, already rummaging through her bag—which promptly spilled all over the floor. A comic book, a toothbrush, a banana, and what looked like a notebook labeled Master Plan of Chaos. The class was watching like it was a live show.
Great.
I looked back at the window. The sakura trees were blooming early this year.
---
Lunchtime.
I usually ate in peace behind the gym. No noise. No people. No socializing.
But today, when I opened my bento and took my first bite of rolled egg, a shadow blocked the sun.
"Yo, Senpai," Koharu grinned, holding a convenience store sandwich in one hand and an energy drink in the other. "Found you."
"…How?"
"I followed you."
That wasn't creepy at all.
I sighed. "Why?"
"I got bored. And you looked interesting."
"You just called me an NPC."
"Exactly! You're so not interesting, that it makes you suspiciously interesting. Like maybe you're secretly the heir to a ninja clan or something."
"I'm not."
"Yeah, that's exactly what a ninja heir would say."
I tried eating faster. She flopped down beside me on the grass, unwrapping her sandwich with all the grace of a raccoon in a trash can. Every bite she took looked like a battle.
"So, what's your deal, Kuroda-senpai?" she asked, mouth full. "No club, no friends, no girlfriend. What do you do all day?"
"School. Home. Repeat."
"That's so boring it loops back to mysterious again."
"…Can you please bother someone else?"
"Nope," she said cheerfully. "You're my new project."
I blinked. "Project?"
She held up her sandwich like a trophy. "I'm going to turn you into the protagonist of your own life."
I choked on my rice.
"Wh-what?"
"You heard me. You're like one of those side characters who secretly has a tragic backstory and ends up saving everyone in the last episode. But this time, you're starting early. I'm promoting you."
"I didn't apply."
"Tough luck."
She flashed a grin like this was all part of some master plan.
I stared at her. "You're insane."
"Probably," she agreed, sipping her energy drink. "But insane people make the best characters."
---
That evening, I sat on my bed staring at the ceiling.
Who was she?
Most people take weeks to talk to me. Koharu Minami had known me for five hours and already turned my peaceful school life into a circus. I thought about her mismatched socks, her lopsided grin, the way she declared war on my routine with the confidence of a dictator.
You're my new project.
Was this harassment? Motivation? A side quest?
My phone buzzed.
A message. Unknown number.
> Koharu: Yo. I stole your number from the class list. Hope you don't mind. Koharu: Actually, even if you do, oh well. Koharu: Operation: Senpai's Spotlight starts tomorrow. Meet me on the roof during lunch. Koharu: Don't flake. NPCs aren't allowed to ghost the heroine.
I stared at the texts.
Then slowly typed:
> Kuroda: You're really annoying.
The reply came instantly.
> Koharu: Thanks! You're cute too.
I stared at the screen, flustered. Then tossed my phone onto the bed like it was on fire.
---
The next day, I ate lunch on the roof.
I don't know why.
Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was annoyance. Or maybe—just maybe—I was a little tired of living like a background character.
She showed up five minutes late, balancing two cartons of milk and a bento she probably stole from someone else.
She dropped one carton in front of me. "Today's mission: Club Tour. I've got a list. You're coming."
"I didn't agree to this."
"You came, didn't you?"
I hesitated.
Koharu winked. "Told you. Deep down, you want to be the protagonist."
I looked out over the schoolyard.
Maybe I did.
Just a little.
---
[To Be Continued]
---