"Character: Ayumu Kobayashi"
"Charm: 5"
*pass*
As expected from a real-life simulation game, looks matter a lot.
Watanabe Tetsu closed the status panel and walked over to the display window of the club building.
> "Friday, April 25th, the Brass Band Club will perform in the auditorium. All teachers and students are welcome to attend!!!"
> "Photography Club urgently needs models, free photo shoots!!!"
> "Literary Arts Club is accepting submissions for the club journal!!! You can submit directly to the club or via email. Email: ******"
Watanabe Tetsu skimmed through the flyers, looking for clubs that were still recruiting.
> "Unleash your youth and strengthen your body! Join the Track and Field Club!"
> "The Soccer Club is waiting for you!!! P.S.: There's a cute female manager!!!"
> "The Brass Band Club needs two tuba players, males preferred, no experience necessary! Our club is aiming for the Tokyo competition — if you're here to slack off, don't waste our time!"
Judging by the posters, the Brass Band Club was definitely a passionate, goal-driven club.
Early mornings in Tokyo, solo practice under the sunset, tears of joy, regret, or frustration on the field... Watanabe Tetsu could already envision their future.
It sounded like the kind of youthful experience people talk about.
Unfortunately, although Watanabe Tetsu was from the countryside, he had no physical strength. Even if he could tolerate the heavy instruments, he wasn't sure he could even produce a sound, let alone play an entire piece.
Better not drag them down.
> "Human Observation Club Recruiting!
> Activities: Observing humans.
> Time: Every moment.
> Member Requirements: Quiet. Not talkative. Preference given to those with a habit of leaving early."
Although he hadn't read the student handbook and didn't know the regulations in Chapter 3 of Section 5 on forming clubs, Watanabe Tetsu was certain this Human Observation Club didn't align with the spirit of any of them.
Maybe it's just a hobby group?
A "hobby group" has a room but doesn't qualify for club status — no funding from the student council, running purely on passion.
Anyway, might as well check it out. You can't achieve anything through imagination alone.
He glanced back and memorized the floor of the Human Observation Club.
At lunchtime, the club building was mostly empty, but as he passed the third floor, he heard lively chatter from one of the classrooms near the stairs.
The Human Observation Club's room was on the fifth floor, in the farthest corner.
He knocked three times. Someone inside said, "Come in," and he pushed the door open.
The classroom was spacious, but there was hardly any room to move — boxes, spare desks and chairs, cabinets, even a faded globe filled the surroundings.
A long table occupied the remaining space, one end pressed against the wall to save room.
A girl sat at the far end of the table near the window, head down, writing something. An empty, neatly packed lunchbox sat beside her.
"Human Observation Club?" Watanabe Tetsu asked.
"Yes," the girl replied without looking up.
"A hobby group? Or an official club?"
"Club."
"Is early departure allowed?"
"Yes."
"Can I join now?"
She finally looked up. For the first time, the two finally got a good look at each other.
The girl wore a white shirt under a beige spring sweater. Her bow tie was perfectly tied, unlike the casual, loose knots worn by other girls.
Her face was as beautiful as cherry blossoms blown in by the wind through a white curtain. Her long black hair shone in the light, reminding Watanabe of the 0.5 mm pencil lead that broke during math class.
Slim waist, modest chest.
Almost instinctively, Watanabe used his status scanner.
**Character: Rin Seino
Intelligence: 8
Charm: 9
Stamina: 3
Info: Currently observing various humans. Not very interested in it — just doesn't have anything she particularly enjoys. Dislikes liars and overly talkative people.
Targetable.**
Watanabe was surprised.
Even though his own charm stat was only 8 — excluding TV personalities — he had yet to meet anyone more attractive than him in real life (though that might be due to his small social circle).
But this girl, Rin Seino, possessed beauty almost at the peak of human potential.
"In this school, you're the first guy bold enough to stare at me like that," Rin said, lips curled slightly in disdain and mockery — but without a trace of a smile.
Even so, her soft cherry-pink lips were oddly soothing.
"Sorry," Watanabe looked past the status panel and met her eyes. Trying to be polite since he wanted to join, he added, "You're so beautiful, I got a little lost staring."
Hearing this, Rin rested her chin on her hand and started to think deeply.
Watanabe kept the backup line, *"You're so pretty, I heard about you from friends,"* ready just in case. Since he wrapped up the club stuff early, he wondered if he should take a nap in the library or go report to Koizumi that he had joined a club.
"Do you like men?"
"…What?" Watanabe was stunned and quickly rephrased, "What did you just say?"
Did he just meet a *fujoshi*?
Could the so-called Human Observation Club be a secret base where girls pair up guys in their minds and watch them for entertainment?
Rin ignored his reaction and repeated firmly, "Answer me."
"I don't," Watanabe said.
She fell silent again, this time for longer. Watanabe didn't want to waste time just waiting.
"If early departure's allowed, I'd like to join now."
Whether this club was secretly a *fujoshi* gathering or who was pairing with who didn't matter. He was just here for the early leave. Officially joining was just formality.
"Fine." Rin raised her head, back to her usual calm expression. "You're a man who likes to lie, but you're worth observing. You're temporarily allowed to join. Here's the application form."
"I seriously don't like guys," Watanabe muttered — at least this part, he wanted the world to know.
Rin had already lost interest in him. She picked up her pen and resumed writing. "You can leave early, but you must participate in club activities. Also, come to the club every Friday. Don't worry, it won't take long."
"Club activities?"
"Currently submitting work to the Literary Arts Club. Deadline is before school ends this Friday."
"…What does that have to do with human observation? Also, I'm not good at writing."
Without looking up, Rin replied coldly, "If you're not good at writing, then submit a withdrawal letter instead."
I haven't even officially joined yet… Watanabe looked at the blank form in his hands.
Forget it. It's not like submissions have to be accepted. Just write something quickly — better than wasting two hours in a more demanding club.
He filled out the application form and, seeing Rin still focused on writing, left it on the table and exited the room.
Watanabe headed straight for the library. He didn't sleep.
"Excuse me, do you have past issues of the Literary Club's journal?" he quietly asked the student librarian on duty.
"Just a moment, I'll check."
"Thanks."
After a while, the librarian looked up from the computer. "Section D, second shelf from the left, bottom row."
"Thanks again."
There were quite a few journals — seemed like a yearly tradition.
He flipped through one casually and found an article where an upperclassman observed new students. He analyzed its structure and wrote a reverse version — a new student observing the seniors.
Of course, that alone wouldn't be enough. The call for submissions required a minimum word count.
He padded it with some flowery, complex phrases, and even threw in a haiku or two about reminiscing the past and imagining the future.
After organizing his thoughts, Watanabe started to feel drowsy. He glanced at the antique clock on the library wall. Still 30 minutes until the next class.
He pushed the journal aside, laid down on the desk, and fell asleep.
As for whether the piece would be accepted or published — he didn't expect much, and didn't care either.
The warm spring breeze of late April occasionally lifted the edge of the journal and brushed his cheek. Every time that happened, he shifted to a more comfortable sleeping position.