📢 Maybe you see "V2" or "V3" and so on in the NOVEL TITLE, it means what VOLUMES the NOVEL is.
📢 Maybe you see "V2" or "V3" and so on in the NOVEL TITLE, it means what VOLUMES the NOVEL is.

Watashi Yori Tsuyoi Otoko to Kekkon Shitaino Chapter 2 Part 1

The Strongest Duo and the Loner Gal

Episode 2: The Strongest Duo and the Loner Gal

Part 1

1

Even after returning home and retreating to her room, Shizuka couldn’t calm down.

Sitting in the chair at her study desk, she found herself obsessively thinking about Akira.

In truth, she didn’t quite remember how she even got home.

She had walked partway with Akira, parted ways when their paths diverged…

“Anyway, Akira-kun isn’t just kind; he’s also strong. Much stronger than me. Yes, Akira-kun is the prince on a white horse I’ve been searching for…”

Just recalling him made her heart race.

“Alright then… So, what should I do next?”

She had found her prince. She wanted to marry him.

But what steps should she take?

“Oh no, I have no idea. Wait, how do you even get married?”

Flustered, Shizuka grabbed her smartphone and searched for “marriage.” Modern people, when faced with a problem, first turn to search engines.

“Let’s see… There are two types of ‘marriage’: common-law and legal marriage. Generally, when people say ‘marriage,’ they mean legal marriage. To have a legal marriage, you need to submit a marriage registration. I see, I see.”

The next day, Shizuka went to the Hikage City Hall and obtained a marriage registration form.

She filled in her own name in the “Wife” section of that sacred document and pinned it to her bedroom wall.

“The ultimate goal is to get him to write his name here!”

Continuing her research on her smartphone, Shizuka delved deeper into the topic of marriage.

“Let’s see… When you meet a man you’re interested in, proactively reach out and approach him? To date with marriage in mind, first, you need to get closer.”

That’s right; before getting married, you have to date!

“Okay, then I’ll confess my feelings…”

…She paused abruptly.

Is it okay to confess out of the blue?

It had only been about a week since Shizuka started talking to Akira properly.

He had helped her, so she didn’t think he disliked her, but…

Shizuka decided to be cautious.

Since elementary school, she had been searching for her “prince on a white horse.” After years of searching, she’d finally found her ideal man…

She didn’t want to mess this up.

“I shouldn’t rush. I’m only a second-year high school student. Akira-kun is a first-year. We have plenty of time. Let’s deepen our relationship slowly.”

She concluded that starting by getting him to like her was the best approach.

—So how do I make him like me?

She didn’t know. Even the internet didn’t provide clear answers.

Shizuka decided to turn to books.

She opened her favorite manga.

“In this manga, the heroine is so loved. I want to be loved forcefully like this…!”

As she read, she focused on the scene where the male character first develops feelings for the heroine.

In that scene, the male character says:

“She’s an interesting girl…”

Shizuka froze.

Wait, how does that happen? Huh? I’ve never been called interesting!

In the story, the heroine was forcefully asked out on a date by the male character, but she declined, saying, “I’m not interested in someone like you.”

As a result,

“She’s an interesting girl,”

he said.

“Wait… So maybe I shouldn’t have agreed to go to karaoke together…?”

Did the fact that she readily accepted his invitations make her a boring girl?

Despair washed over her.

“No, no, that’s not it. This male character just likes girls who don’t fall for him easily. Yeah, that’s it, definitely. Please let it be so!”

Otherwise, she’d already be at a dead end.

“Alright. First, I’ll investigate what kind of girls Akira-kun likes. Then I’ll become a girl who suits him and make him think, ‘She’s an interesting girl.’ Yes, that’s the plan!”

But a problem arose.

How was she supposed to investigate?

Asking him directly was out of the question. It was too embarrassing, and if she slipped up, it would be bad. He might realize that she had feelings for him.

Shizuka wanted to prepare thoroughly before confessing.

Quickly, her highly capable brain devised the perfect strategy.

If she couldn’t ask him, she’d ask his friends.

Perfect.

She’d start her investigation tomorrow.

That day, Akira felt someone watching him.

But when he turned around, no one was there.

—Who could it be? Someone tailing me…?

Given his position as the boss, there were plenty of people who wanted to defeat him and claim the top spot. It wouldn’t be strange if someone was targeting him, but…

—It’s rare for someone to target me when I’m in this disguise.

On his morning commute.

Naturally, Akira was in his glasses-wearing, introverted mode. The advantage of this getup was that, combined with his naturally low profile, he didn’t look like a boss at all.

If he went to school in boss mode, delinquents on the street would greet him, earnest students who moonlighted as delinquents would acknowledge him, or worse, someone might target his life. It would be a hassle. The introverted mode helped minimize the nuisances that came with being the boss.

Therefore, the likelihood of being targeted as the boss was low. But thinking that way, he couldn’t imagine who would be following his introverted self.

In the end, he couldn’t identify the stalker during his commute and arrived at school. There, the presence disappeared.

The next time he felt someone’s gaze was during the break after first period.

Since he didn’t have any classes in different rooms, Akira switched his textbooks and notebooks for the next class and gazed absentmindedly out the window.

At that moment, he felt a sharp gaze on the back of his neck.

He refrained from turning around impulsively.

It seemed the stalker was peering at him through the gap in the classroom door. Instead of turning, Akira chose to look at the reflection in the window to see who it was.

—Huh? Shizuka-senpai?

The moment Akira realized it, Shizuka pulled back her face. She seemed to have noticed his tactic immediately.

Considering that the morning stalker was also Shizuka’s doing, it made sense. As a seasoned delinquent, Shizuka likely had mastered the art of tailing. Her ability to erase her presence and maintain distance was impeccable.

This time, she probably prioritized confirming something over the precision of her tailing.

What on earth was her intention?

“………”

Shizuka appeared during the break after second period, after third period… and even during lunch.

Akira noticed her presence but pretended not to. As a result, Shizuka continued to observe him openly.

Throughout the day, Shizuka’s tailing persisted.

Alone in her room, Shizuka was troubled.

In front of the marriage registration form, glowing brilliantly with only her name filled in—

Shizuka was in despair over the fact she’d discovered after tailing Akira all day.

—Akira-kun really doesn’t have any friends!

Akira hadn’t spoken to anyone all day. Except when called upon during class, he might not have uttered a single word.

It seemed that calling himself a loner wasn’t an exaggeration.

At this rate, getting information from Akira’s friends was nearly impossible.

“There’s no choice; I’ll have to ask him directly. Without knowing his preferences, I can’t make any plans…”

“Excuse me!”

“Welcome, Akira-kun!”

The day after Shizuka’s tailing, Akira was summoned to the student council room by Shizuka after school.

Akira was nervous. Could this have something to do with yesterday’s stalking?

“Sorry about this. I have something I wanted to ask you. Really, I should’ve come to your class myself.”

“Oh no, it’s totally fine. So, what did you want to ask?”

“Well, it’s part of the student council’s work… I wanted to ask about your preferences in women.”

“?”

Akira tilted his head.

He couldn’t grasp the situation at all.

“A-actually, the student council received a love consultation from a girl… She wants a boyfriend and aims to become the kind of woman men like. So we’re interviewing several people as samples!”

“I see. Oh, was that why you were tailing me yesterday?”

“!? You noticed?”

“Well, sort of.”

“As expected of the boss… I thought I was pretty good at erasing my presence.”

“Occupational hazard, I guess.”

“Y-yesterday, I wanted to see what kind of girls Akira-kun would talk to.”

“Sorry I didn’t talk to anyone. I don’t have any friends…”

Knowing Shizuka’s intention, Akira felt a bit apologetic.

“By the way, is there any point in asking about the preferences of an introvert like me? I doubt I’d ever be anyone’s romantic interest.”

“Of course there is! There’s no such thing as ‘never’ in this world! I’m sure there’s a girl aiming for you, Akira-kun!”

“No, no, that can’t be true~”

Shizuka’s face was entirely serious, but Akira couldn’t help but laugh.

Other than Shizuka, he had zero friends. He couldn’t imagine anyone liking him enough to become his girlfriend.

“Anyway, in surveys like this, the number of samples is important, so I’d be happy if you could help.”

Being asked with upturned eyes nearly made his heart stop. Too cute, Shizuka-senpai. Even her small gestures are overwhelmingly charming.

Talking doesn’t cost anything, and if it could be of some help, Akira decided to answer.

“Well, let’s see. My type is someone who’s kind, intelligent…”

“Mm-hmm, kind and intelligent?”

Taking notes in her planner, Shizuka nodded and urged him to continue.

“She’s the student council president but is actually incredibly strong…”

“Th-the student council president but incredibly strong…!?”

Shizuka’s eyes widened, and her face turned red. She seemed slightly short of breath. What was wrong?

“Uh, what about her appearance?”

“Let’s see. She has long, glossy hair, and her height is a bit tall for a woman, I guess? She’s usually gentle and cute, but when she’s serious, she looks sharp and decisive. That contrast is really attractive.”

“Wait, that’s… huh? Huh? Could it be… me…?”

Her voice was so soft at the end that Akira didn’t catch it.

“Could it be what?”

“No, I mean… Well… Oh no, I can’t believe… Geez, Akira-kun!”

Blushing, Shizuka’s eyes darted around as she smoothed her hair nervously. Occasionally, she’d steal a glance at Akira, only to quickly look away, repeating the cycle.

“B-but, I see, Akira-kun… Hmm, so that’s it…”

Watching Shizuka, who seemed delighted about something, made Akira feel sad.

Remembering the fate of the woman he had in mind.

“But, that person is incredibly unfortunate.”

“Eh? Unfortunate?”

“Yes. She was born into extreme poverty, but despite rising through her own abilities… she was betrayed by her comrades and stabbed in the back.”

“Stabbed!?”

“I thought she was dead. So when she appeared during the protagonist’s crisis near the end, I shouted with joy, ‘She’s alive!'”

“Wait. Akira-kun, is that… an anime character?”

“Yes. It’s from that song we sang at karaoke the other day.”

For some reason, Shizuka slumped her shoulders dejectedly.

“I see… Right, haha…”

Realizing he must have messed up somehow but not knowing exactly how, Akira became flustered.

“No, no! I’m asking about your preferences in real-life girls, not anime characters!”

A revived Shizuka sharply retorted.

Akira became even more flustered.

“R-real-life girls…!?”

This was problematic.

He’d never considered his preferences in real-life girls.

“I don’t know… Sorry. Until I met you, Shizuka-senpai, I had zero friends, and I’ve never looked at real girls in a romantic way.”

Saying it out loud made him feel pathetic, and he felt like crying.

“Oh no, I’m sorry! Don’t cry! It’s my fault! Um, let’s see…”

Shizuka rummaged through her bag and pulled out a magazine. It seemed to be a fashion magazine targeting teenage girls.

“Among these three, who do you prefer?”

On the page Shizuka opened, there were full-page spreads of three different types of women.

On the left was a soft and fluffy beauty. She had brown hair with gentle waves. Her outfit was a knit sweater on top and a checked long skirt on the bottom, giving off a soft atmosphere.

In the middle was the cool type. She had a short bob in shades of red and sharp facial features. Her outfit was a T-shirt and denim shorts—a slightly boyish selection.

On the right was a classic beauty. Long straight black hair and a white one-piece dress—the quintessential style.

However…

“They’re all beautiful. But none of them are my type.”

“What!? Are you perhaps the type with very high standards, Akira-kun?”

“No, I think they’re all beautiful. It’s just that, how should I put it… they don’t quite feel like someone I’d like.”

“Then what kind of girls do you like?”

They were back to the original question.

—If I had to say, in real life, I like someone like Shizuka-senpai, but I probably shouldn’t say that…

If an introvert like him suddenly confessed, it would trouble Shizuka. Besides, he didn’t want to ruin their current relationship. So Akira kept silent.

“Hmm, I see. Forcing you to answer when you don’t know isn’t right, huh. Thanks, this was helpful!”

Shizuka looked disappointed but eventually smiled.

Shizuka-senpai is so kind, Akira thought.

After Akira left the student council room, Shizuka collapsed onto the desk, her face bright red.

“To think it was an anime character…! Ugh, how embarrassing to have misunderstood!”

She wanted to punch herself for getting excited over nothing.

“But if he doesn’t have a girl he likes, that means he doesn’t have a girlfriend yet, right? Yeah, that means I have a big chance!”

An overwhelmingly positive mindset. The former delinquent boss always walks forward.

However, the problem wasn’t solved.

“Umm, what should I do from here? Is it simply a matter of working hard to make him like me?”

How could she get him to think of her as an ‘interesting girl’?

She had no clues and felt lost.

“Is there something I can do for Akira-kun?”

Then suddenly, an image of Akira during lunch, eating a sweet bun alone, floated into Shizuka’s mind.

“…Akira-kun did say he’s living alone. Maybe he doesn’t make bento lunches? He was buying bread from the school store.”

If she made him a lunchbox, he’d be happy.

That’s right. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.

“For example, if I make an incredibly delicious bento, then Akira-kun would…”

“This is so delicious, Shizuka-senpai! You’ll make a wonderful wife someday.”

In Shizuka’s imagination, Akira (in his introvert mode but about 20% more handsome) said with a gentle smile.

“Kyaaah~”

Shizuka shook her head while banging on the desk.

“Th-then I’d say…”

“Um, then… would you make me your wife, Akira-kun…?”

Shizuka, also beautified by about 20%, asked coyly, her cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling.

“Oh no! If things go well, it could naturally lead to a confession and we’d become a couple! Alright, I’ll put all my effort into making it!”

Fortunately, Shizuka was generally highly capable. Cooking was a piece of cake.

She prepared a superb bento, not too extravagant but filled with dishes teenage boys would like, and headed to school the next day.

When Akira arrived at the school entrance, Shizuka was waiting.

“Good morning, Shizuka-senpai.”

“Good morning, Akira-kun. I have a favor to ask. I’m sorry to always trouble you…”

“It’s absolutely fine. What is it?”

“Well, I got carried away and made too much lunch… Would you like to eat together at noon?”

“Huh!? Is that okay!?”

Akira’s heart leaped.

It was his first time eating lunch with a friend at school. He was overjoyed. On top of that, it was with Shizuka. It was bound to be fun. And it was Shizuka’s homemade lunch… Is this what happiness is?

“Of course it’s okay; I’m the one asking you. So, please?”

“Absolutely! Where should we eat?”

“Hmm, how about the rooftop?”

“Understood!”

At lunchtime—

Sitting side by side on a bench, Akira opened the bento he received from Shizuka.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful.”

Inside were hamburger steak, octopus-shaped sausages, and rolled omelets—the quintessential bento dishes. They were all foods Akira loved.

“Making such a perfect bento must have been quite a task, wasn’t it?”

“Well, cooking is something I’m pretty good at. It’s important for bride training, right?”

Akira was impressed.

Shizuka, who wants to marry a man stronger than herself, not only seeks high ideals in a partner but also diligently improves herself. As expected, Shizuka is someone to look up to.

“Shizuka-senpai, you’ll definitely make a great wife…”

The words slipped out unintentionally.

Realizing what he said, Akira panicked.

“Eh? R-really…?”

Looking over, he saw Shizuka blushing furiously.

“Do you think I can become a good wife?”

Her embarrassed face was so cute that Akira became even more flustered.

Flustered, his hand slipped, and he dropped his chopsticks.

“Ah!”

Both of them reached out simultaneously for the chopsticks that had fallen to the floor.

As a result, their faces ended up incredibly close to each other.

—Whoa, she’s so close!

Akira thought.

He considered pulling back, but Shizuka didn’t move away. She just looked at him with a longing expression.

They were at kissing distance.

He knew it was impossible. He knew, but Shizuka didn’t pull back. Akira didn’t move away either.

A stalemate.

To make matters worse, Shizuka tightly closed her eyes.

“Do you think I can become a good wife?”

Shizuka’s words echoed in his head.

—Idiot, no way. There’s no way Shizuka-senpai wants to marry me… That’s impossible. But then…

Why is Shizuka-senpai frozen like this?

Why are her eyes closed?

What should I do…?

“Ugh, someone else is here. The worst.”

Akira and Shizuka pulled back at lightning speed and sat properly on the bench.

At the entrance to the rooftop stood a gal holding a convenience store bag.

“M-Miran-san!? What are you doing here…?”

Akira asked.

Her name was Miran Matsuda. She was a student in Class 1-E, the same as Akira.

With her bleached hair and sharp, confident eyes, she perfectly fit the image of a ‘gal.’ Despite it being only May, she had already discarded her blazer.

She didn’t wear the school-designated cardigan but tied it around her waist. Her skirt was short, and her socks were also non-regulation. Her shirt was unbuttoned at the chest, and her ribbon was tied sloppily.

However, her stylishly disheveled uniform, combined with her beautiful face and model-like figure, gave her the air of a dazzling beauty.

“I came up here to eat lunch.”

Miran lifted the convenience store bag in her hand.

“But since there’s already a couple here, I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“C-couple!?”

Akira and Shizuka blushed simultaneously.

“Still… Wow, the student council president and an introvert, huh? President, what do you see in this nerd?”

“Hey!”

Shizuka’s expression clearly turned stern.

“Akira-kun is really cool, you know!?”

—Eh!? I’m cool!?

“This nerd? Cool? Are you serious?”

Miran said with exaggerated gestures like a character from a Western movie, then burst into laughter. Akira felt the same way.

“How can someone with zero presence like this nerd be cool? President, you’re too funny—you should be a comedian!”

“Humph! Akira-kun may not stand out because he always puts others first, but when he gets serious, he’s amazing!”

“Yeah, yeah, thanks for the laugh. The third wheel will just disappear now.”

Miran paid no heed to Shizuka and walked away.

“Honestly, Miran-san is so rude. Akira-kun is the boss and really cool…”

—Oh, so that’s what she meant.

Akira understood. Since he was the boss, maybe he was cool in the delinquent world. Shizuka was probably just being kind, defending him after Miran belittled him.

“Well, when I’m just being myself, I’m just a plain introvert, so it can’t be helped. No one would ever believe I’m the boss.”

“True, even I didn’t realize it… Then how about you come to school without your glasses and with your hair up? That way, everyone will see how cool you are!”

“I’m not really comfortable acting like a boss. I guess I’m a genuine introvert at heart. I’m not good at standing out, so I’m fine as I am.”

“Ugh, I don’t agree, but if that’s what you want, I guess it’s okay…”

“I’m already plenty happy. I even get to have lunch made by you, Shizuka-senpai.”

“I-is that so? Thank you.”

Seeing Shizuka smile happily warmed Akira’s heart as well.

“Oh, I dropped my chopsticks; I’ll go wash them.”

Akira stood up from his seat.

“Thank you for the meal.”

“You’re welcome.”

After finishing their lunch, with some time left in the break, Akira and Shizuka naturally fell into conversation.

The topic was Miran.

“By the way, Miran-san has returned to school, hasn’t she?” Shizuka said.

“Yes. She came back this week.”

Miran had been suspended at the end of last month for a violent incident on campus. Apparently, she had punched Hikaru Sakai, the class representative of Class 1-E.

Initially, Miran claimed she didn’t hit him, but since there were eyewitnesses, the school judged Hikaru as the victim, and Miran was suspended.

“Anyway, I’m glad she seems well,” Shizuka said.

Akira was also relieved that Miran seemed her usual self. However, his worries weren’t entirely gone.

“She might seem fine, but she’s quite isolated in class. People didn’t like that she denied hitting Hikaru-kun…”

“Huh? Miran-san said she didn’t hit him?”

This seemed to be news to Shizuka.

“Yes. But since there were witnesses, and Hikaru-kun is… how should I put it… an honor student, everyone believed his side of the story.”

With his tall, slender build and charming looks appealing to both boys and girls, Hikaru Sakai had quickly earned the trust of teachers and students alike in less than a month since enrolling.

He volunteered to be class representative right after starting school. By mid-April, he had put a stop to bullying that was beginning in the class, showcasing his ability as a leader. Moreover, he ranked third in the grade on the aptitude test conducted after enrollment, and his popularity soared.

In contrast, Miran looked like a gal and gave off a delinquent vibe. Her test scores ranked 250th in the grade. With only 280 first-year students, counting from the bottom was much quicker. Naturally, more people found Hikaru’s statements convincing.

“I see… But Miran-san doesn’t seem like the kind of girl who would hit someone. I only talked to her once when working with the Beautification Committee, so maybe my impression isn’t reliable, but…”

“Do you think so too, Shizuka-senpai? I also don’t think Miran-san is a bad person.”

Akira felt there might be more to the story and thought it would be good to hear Miran’s side as well. He had some concerns about Hikaru Sakai. He couldn’t believe Miran was solely at fault.

In fact, Akira had expressed this in class, but no one listened to an introvert like him.

“Still, I don’t think Hikaru-kun would lie. He’s such an honor student that even the second-year students talk about him. If there’s some misunderstanding, I’d like to clear it up. Being all alone is lonely after all.”

“Shizuka-senpai, you’re so kind, worrying about your juniors,” Akira said involuntarily.

“As student council president, it’s only natural. My job is to work hard so all the students can enjoy a happy school life,” she said, genuinely concerned.

“Alright, I’ve decided. I’ll look into it a bit.”

—Shizuka-senpai… you really are kind. You even reached out to me, an introvert with zero friends…

Akira thought. He wanted to be helpful to Shizuka.

She had made him a bento. She spent time with him. To express his gratitude, he wanted to fulfill her wishes.

“Shizuka-senpai, I’ll look into it too.”

“You will? But… it’s dangerous.”

She probably meant that if he stood up for someone being bullied, Akira might become a target himself.

“I want to help you, Shizuka-senpai. Besides, like you said, if there’s a misunderstanding, we should clear it up.”

“I see. Thank you. Then let’s both look into it.”

“Yes!”

And so, their investigation began.

2

The following Monday, Akira deliberately observed Miran’s behavior.

First, on his way to school in the morning…

“Hey, stop already!”

“Sorry about that.”

“It’s not your fault, grandma. The cars are to blame!”

At a crosswalk without traffic lights, Akira witnessed Miran talking to an elderly woman carrying a large load.

Miran was holding out her hand, signaling their presence to the cars.

But the cars mercilessly kept passing by.

“Seriously, didn’t they learn in driving school to stop when pedestrians are at a crosswalk? Oh, that’s heavy, isn’t it? Let me carry that.”

“Thank you, dear.”

“I told you, it’s not your fault. Really, these drivers. Even when a cute gal like me is raising her hand, why don’t they stop… Oh, finally someone stopped. Alright, let’s go.”

Miran led the elderly lady across the crosswalk.

On the other side, they parted with smiles.

During lunchtime that day.

The trash can at the back of the classroom was overflowing.

No one seemed interested in cleaning it up.

Just then, Miran, who seemed to have finished her lunch, entered the classroom. No one approached her.

Looking a bit lonely, Miran glanced around the classroom and noticed the state of the trash can.

She was a member of the Beautification Committee. However, being on the committee didn’t mean it was her job to clean up the trash every time. Taking out the trash was the responsibility of the cleaning duty students. This mess was probably because yesterday’s cleaning duty students had skipped their task.

Miran went straight to the trash can, pulled out the bag, and tied it securely. She took a new trash bag from the shelf, set it in the trash can, and left the classroom carrying the full bag.

Akira followed Miran. Since lunch break wasn’t over yet, he thought he might be able to talk to her if they ended up alone at the garbage disposal area.

However, as Miran was disposing of the trash, someone called out to her.

“Dumping trash all alone—how pathetic.”

It was Hikaru.

Akira hastily hid behind the building.

“No need to form a group to throw away trash. Well, maybe someone like you can’t even brush your teeth without your lackeys.”

Miran glared sharply at Hikaru.

“I’m alone right now.”

“Oh, so you’re bold enough to approach a girl alone. Surprising.”

Miran’s words were provocative, but her voice was slightly trembling.

Akira could tell she was clearly afraid of Hikaru.

And likely, Hikaru knew it too.

“One doesn’t bring friends to a secret rendezvous.”

Hikaru smirked—a far cry from the sweet face everyone in class knew.

A dark smile filled with sadistic pleasure.

“Have you thought about it?”

“………”

Miran turned away without answering his question.

“It’s tough, isn’t it? But it’s your fault for not listening to me.”

“…I hate cowards.”

“Come on now, call me powerful instead. Do you want to stay all alone? It’s lonely by yourself. And if things keep going like this, it’ll be irreversible. You don’t want to spend your three years of high school being bullied, do you?”

“!? What are you planning to do!?”

“I won’t do anything. But I can’t say what my admirers might do. If you don’t give in, they might do something a little cruel.”

“How dirty can you get!”

“Hey now, I’m giving you a proper path to reconciliation. Calling me dirty… Who do you think you are?”

Hikaru approached Miran and gently stroked her cheek.

Miran didn’t resist and let him do as he pleased.

Seeing Miran’s frightened state, Hikaru nodded in satisfaction.

“It’s simple. Just nod your head.”

A gentle voice. An alluring tone as if whispering to a lover. The kind of sweet whisper that would make the girls in class melt.

But Miran grimaced in disgust, tightly shutting her eyes.

“I’ll be waiting for a good answer.”

Hikaru placed his hand lightly on Miran’s head and walked away.

“Damn it…”

Miran muttered bitterly.

—Miran-san and Hikaru-kun… Something must have happened between them.

Watching the two, Akira thought.

Miran’s mention of “henchmen” also caught Akira’s attention.

In any case, Akira concluded that it’s highly likely Miran is the victim here.

During lunchtime on the same day.

Shizuka was also progressing with her investigation about Miran.

According to what she’d heard, Miran had become isolated in Class 1-E. In that situation, it would be difficult to obtain accurate information about her from her classmates.

She needed to speak with students outside that class.

First, she went to Class 1-A. She’d heard that someone there had attended the same middle school as Miran.

The girl seemed serious and didn’t have a gal-like appearance.

“About Miran-chan? She’s a good girl.”

As soon as Shizuka asked, the girl smiled and replied.

“She dressed flashily even in middle school, so the teachers didn’t like her at all, but everyone in our class loved Miran-chan. She was fun, kind to everyone, and strong. You know those teachers who are a bit abusive? She’d talk back to them, saying things like, ‘Aren’t you ashamed to hurl insults at kids, old man!'”

“That sounds just like Miran-san.”

Shizuka couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’ve heard about what’s happening in Class 1-E. I can’t imagine Miran-chan hitting someone without a reason. I told the teachers that too, but they wouldn’t believe me. Sure, her attitude in class isn’t great, and her grades are bad, but she does pay attention in classes taught by good teachers. In middle school, people called her a litmus test because she’d only be awake during interesting lessons.”

Next, Shizuka spoke to a gal in her own class. At Hikage High School, there’s a network among the gals, and Miran is connected to it.

“Oh, Miran? Seems like she’s in some deep trouble, huh?”

“Yeah. I was wondering if there’s anything we can do…”

“Well, nine times out of ten, Hikaru’s the one at fault.”

“Really?”

“Yep. Miran hates cowardly acts. If she hit someone, she’d admit it. She’d explain why she did it. If she’s saying she didn’t hit him, then she didn’t.”

“I see.”

Lastly, since there was a student from the Beautification Committee in Shizuka’s class, she asked him.

His name was Takeshi Kuniba, and he was the chairman of the Beautification Committee. A quiet and very refined young man. He seemed to be the son of a wealthy family, likely well-bred. He had the perfect demeanor for someone promoting cleanliness in the school.

“Kuniba-kun, you know Matsuda Miran-san, right?”

“Of course. We’re in the Beautification Committee together.”

“Have you heard about how she got suspended for hitting the class rep of 1-E?”

“Yeah, it’s tough. I wonder what happened to make her do that?”

“Huh? What do you mean by ‘what happened to her’?”

“Well, for her to hit someone, it must have been something serious. Hitting is wrong, but I think the person who got hit might be at fault.”

“So you also think Miran-san wouldn’t hit someone without a reason?”

“Yes. She may look flashy, but I think she’s a kind girl. She’s very attentive and always considerate of those around her.”

“I actually think Miran-san didn’t hit him at all.”

“That’s possible. Maybe she was set up. Actually, there’s some bad rumors about Hikaru Sakai-kun. Apparently, he has some dangerous henchmen—guys who look like delinquents.”

“What!? That can’t be true about honor student Hikaru-kun…”

“I know how you feel. But hearing that Miran-san has been ostracized makes me think maybe it’s possible. Maybe Hikaru-kun is actually a bad guy, and this is all part of his scheme.”

Shizuka crossed her arms and pondered.

People who knew Miran’s character couldn’t imagine her hitting someone without a reason. On top of that, there were bad rumors about Hikaru…

“Do you want to help Miran-san?”

Kuniba asked, and Shizuka gave a small nod.

“If there’s a misunderstanding, I want to clear it up.”

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do. I want to help. You’ve helped me before, Shizuka-san.”

Kuniba had faced some bullying when he was a first-year. Thanks to Shizuka stepping in, he had avoided further trouble and still seemed grateful.

“Thank you. I might ask you more about Miran-san later.”

“Sure, feel free to ask me anything.”

As lunchtime was nearing its end, Shizuka parted from Kuniba and returned to her seat.

—I feel like I’ve learned quite a bit. I wonder how Akira-kun is doing.

As she gazed absentmindedly around the classroom, Shizuka thought about Akira.

3

Around that time, Akira had just returned to his own classroom.

As soon as he stepped inside, he witnessed a strange scene and furrowed his brows.

Even though many students had returned to the classroom as lunchtime was ending, there was a conspicuous gap around Miran’s desk, as if a hole had opened up—no one was near her.

Miran stood alone, staring blankly down at her desk.

It had been scribbled on, likely with a permanent marker.

Miran sharply raised her head.

Quickly, her classmates averted their eyes.

Until this morning, she had merely been ostracized. Now, it had escalated into outright bullying.

However, it seemed overdone. The classmates appeared confused as well.

But no one spoke up.

They didn’t know who was bullying her, but a malicious form of harassment had begun. No one wanted to stick their neck out and risk becoming a target themselves; there was no need to cross such a dangerous bridge.

Miran took a bottle out of her bag. She soaked a tissue with the liquid inside and wiped her desk; the scribbles disappeared rapidly. The contents of the bottle were probably nail polish remover.

She erased the graffiti with a nonchalant expression, but Akira understood.

She had brought nail polish remover on purpose. She must have been certain that something would happen.

Bit by bit, Miran was being cornered.

The next class was English—an Oral Communication lesson.

“Alright, pair up as you like and try conversing using the structures we learned.”

The young male teacher gave a half-hearted instruction for pair work.

The classmates happily paired up with their friends.

As expected, Miran was left out.

As if it were only natural, she remained seated, leaning back in her chair with her legs crossed. She no longer seemed interested in participating in the lesson.

The teacher didn’t seem inclined to admonish her. Leaving it up to student autonomy sounded nice, but in other words, he wasn’t very motivated.

Akira stood up from his seat and walked over to Miran.

“Miran-san, shall we pair up?”

“…Are you serious?”

Miran frowned.

“Uh? Did I say something strange?”

“Are you sure it’s okay to pair up with me?”

Miran glanced toward the classroom.

Whispering, the classmates were looking at them and talking. Amid the noise, Akira couldn’t hear, but they were probably saying things like, “Wow, the nerd went over there. What’s he thinking?”

But Akira smiled.

“Well, if I stay like this, I’ll be left out too. No one called out to me. So I’d be happy if you’d pair up with me.”

Miran’s eyebrows relaxed.

First, she looked puzzled, then a bit happy, almost on the verge of tears…

“Seriously, you’re such an idiot.”

She muttered, turning her gaze away.

4

On the way home that day.

Akira sensed someone behind him.

—They’re here.

He thought.

 

Part 2 >>>

📢 Maybe you see "V2" or "V3" and so on in the NOVEL TITLE, it means what VOLUMES the NOVEL is.
Watashi Yori Tsuyoi Otoko to Kekkon Shitaino

Watashi Yori Tsuyoi Otoko to Kekkon Shitaino

私より強い男と結婚したいの 清楚な美人生徒会長(実は元番長)の秘密を知る陰キャ(実は彼女を超える最強のヤンキー
Score 8
Status: Ongoing Type: Author: Artist: Released: 2022
Akira Kogure, a boy who was a bit of a nerd, accidentally discovered that the beautiful student council president, Shizuka Takasaki, used to be a delinquent girl-gang leader. She said she would only marry a man who was stronger than her. But it turned out that Akira was actually also a former delinquent even stronger than her.The comic version of this popular romantic comedy, which has received a total of 7 million views on YouTube manga videos, is about to begin!(Source: Comic Newtype)

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