Volume 1 - Prologue

“Kanie-kun. This may be abrupt, but would you accompany me to an amusement park this Sunday?”

I see. This certainly is abrupt.

Having a new transfer student threaten you with an antique musket after school is nothing short of ‘abrupt’.

Kanie Seiya muttered as he struggled to regain his composure.

“An amusement park, you say?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I can’t tell you just yet.”

“And…what’s with that musket?”

“It’s to prevent you from escaping.”

It was a beautiful white musket, embellished with gold stripes. The muzzle, however, was pressed onto Seiya’s forehead. Even though the weapon seemed heavy, the girl did not quiver one bit.

The transfer student’s name was…Sento Isuzu, if memory serves. I vaguely recall some of my classmates talking about her.

She had a slim figure, straight hair and relatively big eyes. She wore a cold and composed expression, coupled with a pair of soft lips.

He’d definitely consider her a beautiful girl (ignoring the musket). If she were to ask out any other guy, they would all probably accept without question (if not for that musket). Being asked out by a girl who was capable of being the subject of gossip from day one wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing (again, if not for that musket).

“Well…I do have a few things I’d like to confirm with you,” Seiya said.

“Very well, let’s hear it.”

“Are you pointing such a deadly weapon with the intention of threatening me, Kanie Seiya?”

“Correct.”

“And you’ll kill me if I refuse?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve also told me to accompany you to an amusement park. Am I right in assuming that, in other words, you’re forcing me to go on a date with you?”

Without letting her guard down, Sento Isuzu glared at him and nodded.

“It’s as you say. Well then, your reply, please.”

“Hold on, there’s no way I can answer to such a—”

A loud gunshot rent the air. A bullet flew out of the muzzle, creating a fissure in the wall behind Seiya upon impact.

Immediately afterwards, she fired a second round which pierced right through the fissure.

It wasn’t a toy, but the real deal? In the first place, was rapid-firing even possible for a musket?

Isuzu withdrew the musket and pressed the smoking muzzle on Seiya’s forehead.

“So, what will it be?”

“…I’ll go.”

I didn’t have a choice.

What else could I have said?

In the first year of high school, a mysterious girl transferred in during the third semester. And, after shooting down numerous attempts by other guys who tried to approach her, she chose me, the school’s honor student—Kanie Seiya.

In hindsight, the situation could even be described as ‘not bad’, but only because the girl was a real looker; the musket she used was a bigger problem than anything else.

Simply put, Seiya liked being popular because it was cool. However, he disliked flirting with girls. It just wasn’t his thing.

In fact, Seiya was a narcissist with a disproportionate sense of superiority to others. Superb intellects, good looks, and talented in both sports and the arts; there was nothing else he could have asked for. If he were to face his own reflection, he’d sweep his hair aside and compliment himself.

When the guys would praise his good results, he’d reply with “Why, of course. I’m much smarter than you guys, after all.” And when the girls lauded his looks, he’d say “Everybody knows that, there’s no need to tell me.”

One could not deny the possibility that he was acting out of pure arrogance. As a result, he had no friends, let alone a girlfriend. But, he wasn’t lonely. Not even a little. Brilliance certainly came with a price.

In the first place, why should he be forced to date girls, who would only stand to taint his dignity and charm?