17) Chapter 4. My Popularity!? (2)

Let’s rewind to just before the start of the school year.

There’s always talk about getting rid of formal uniform designs and switching everything to gym‑uniform style, or even abolishing uniforms entirely—but in a fictional world, the real‑life issues of discomfort and cost don’t matter much.

As long as the illustrations look good, who cares if the uniforms are unrealistic?

I barely remember what the cover art of this novel looked like, though.

In the novel, the setting was an academy—basically a high school—but middle school uniforms weren’t all that different.

They looked similar to formal wear, yet with a distinctly lively twist.

A blouse on top, and a skirt below—not a tight suit skirt, but something looser and easier to move in.

“Finally…!”

Soi’s eyes sparkled as she tried on the uniform delivered to her house.

She hadn’t been particularly short in the lower grades, but she shot up during fifth and sixth grade. The uniform suited her really well—she genuinely looked like a teenager now.

Though her face was still too babyish to pass for a high schooler.

Lately, I’d been feeling extremely conflicted about sharing a bed with Soi. Back in elementary school, we were just kids, so none of that mattered. We changed clothes in my room, didn’t bathe together, and I barely thought about the fact that Soi was a girl.

Well, yeah.

It was bound to happen eventually. She is a heroine, after all. Of course she’d grow into one.

I’d grown too. Soi and I had been competing in height for years, taking turns being taller by a centimeter.

Right now, I’m about one centimeter shorter.

We’re both girls, and it’s natural for both of us to go through puberty, so our appearances changing isn’t the issue.

The problem is—

“Ooh!”

“D‑does it look good?”

“It looks great! Super great! You’re so pretty! So cute! My little sister is the best!”

Soi cheered with sparkling eyes.

Yes. Even at this age, I still hadn’t escaped the status of “little sister.”

I used to think it was just childish stubbornness.

My birthday is in January, and considering I came from an orphanage, my real birthday was probably even earlier, not later.

Soi’s birthday party is months after mine, so I thought once her friends started questioning it, she’d naturally start treating me as the same age.

“Look at me!”

Soi spun in front of me.

“Yeah, it suits you.”

And then—another problem.

In my previous life, I got along really well with girls up until elementary school.

At that age, no one cared about appearances, and even if some kids “dated,” it wasn’t serious. Girls weren’t seen as romantic interests yet.

I used to chat comfortably with girls in my class.

The problem started in middle school.

Maybe it was puberty, or maybe I became self‑conscious around girls who suddenly seemed different. It got harder to talk to them, and even when I tried talking to girls I used to know, their reactions felt lukewarm.

So I ended up sticking with a few close friends… and that was that.

“Huh? That’s it?”

Soi bent down to peer into my face.

“Huh? Huh? Your big sister praised you so much~ Why is my little sister so stingy with compliments, hmm?”

She wasn’t actually angry or disappointed.

She was just teasing me. She genuinely thought my embarrassed reactions were adorable.

It was infuriating, but unfortunately, I was weak to girls my age leaning in close like this!

…Even if they were middle schoolers.

I mean, I’ve lived as long as my age in this world.

The only reason I could endure it at all was because I had memories from my past life. If I kept reminding myself she was basically my sibling, I could manage.

But what about when we’re in high school? College?

Will I still be able to talk normally…?

Clack.

Someone opened our door without knocking.

“Hi.”

A girl with shoulder‑length pink hair—about Soi’s age—greeted us.

“Hi.”

Soi’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Probably because she didn’t knock. Even her parents knock before entering our room.

Chae‑yi was also wearing a uniform—the same school uniform as ours.

“…It suits you. Both of you.”

She approached us.

“Right? She’s my little sister, after all.”

If you only heard the words, you’d think we were blood siblings, but we didn’t share a single drop of blood.

“I bet you’ll be super popular at school. You might even get a boyfriend right after we start.”

“N‑no way.”

I protested, and Soi snickered.

“No, really. There’s no way someone this cute and pretty won’t get attention.”

“Yeah. Rua will definitely be popular.”

…Really?

Maybe. I do surprise myself every time I look in the mirror.

In elementary school, I knew I was cute, but it didn’t mean much. I was still a little kid.

But lately, every time I look in the mirror, I see myself turning into a perfect beauty—just like my childhood self, but grown. My body was developing curves, my face was getting slimmer.

Well, Seo Rua was a heroine too, so I guess this was inevitable.

But still…

Being popular with boys feels… weird.

I don’t know if I’ll ever date a girl in this life, but I definitely won’t date a boy.

I’ve never once felt sexual attraction toward men, in either life.

“……”

But what if I get popular with girls?

At this rate, even if I do, I’ll probably just get patted on the head and stutter through conversations.

With my inner introvert dragging me down, can I really become a normal extrovert?

“Hey, don’t worry too much.”

Soi patted my head, thinking I was nervous about school.

“I’ll stick right next to you. If anyone bothers you, tell me! I’ll take care of it!”

“I don’t know who would dare bother the daughter of a meteor…”

Chae‑yi muttered beside her. Soi shot her a glance, but Chae‑yi simply looked away.

*

And so, we entered middle school.

It was a pretty ordinary school, so there were a few kids we already knew from elementary school.

But of course, there were far more unfamiliar faces, which made me nervous.

And already, we were surrounded by students—mostly girls.

Soi had spent all of first grade wandering around the entire grade level, and by graduation, she’d become acquainted with almost everyone. And among those who knew her, none openly disliked her.

So naturally, the moment we were in the same class, she became the center of attention.

“Rua, you’re in our class too! Hi!”

“Ah, hi.”

That made seven.

Another kid I didn’t recognize greeted me.

Well… maybe I’d seen her face before? Maybe.

I discreetly glanced at her name tag to cheat, greeted her back, and then another kid who had been talking to Soi started talking to me.

After greeting all the kids from our old school, I was sweating internally.

Most of them just said hi and left. So now what? Do I have to greet them every time I see them in the hallway?

I mean, that’s how it was in elementary school too, but… middle school relationships feel way more important.

We’re still kids, but everyone’s getting older and more aware.

“Ugh.”

During break, I escaped the classroom and ran to Chae‑yi. She sighed lightly.

“…Soi should really introduce her friends properly if she’s going to bring them over.”

“No, she doesn’t have to…”

“You ran away because it was uncomfortable, didn’t you?”

I had no comeback.

Well… yeah. Kind of.

But I didn’t want to blame Soi. She was doing it for my sake.

“Chae‑yi! Hi! Oh, Rua’s here too. Hi! Same school again! Let’s have a good year!”

Another stranger greeted us.

“……”

Chae‑yi greeted her back, then looked away when she noticed me staring.

Hey. Aren’t you the same?

Am I really the only one who can’t remember anyone?

Am I the weird one?

“Th‑that happens…”

Soi tried to comfort me.

Somehow, that made it hurt even more.

===

A word from the author (A/N):

Thank you for reading today as well!

I’ll try to fix typos as soon as possible!

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Pub: 11 Mar 2026 02:05 UTC

Edit: 11 Mar 2026 02:09 UTC

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