Dullard Buddy-kun: Heading Reluctantly to School Again Today - Episode 76

Yesterday, thanks to Yamamoto-san, I was finally able to solve the issue with my little sister, Ruluka.

Now, at last, my peaceful private space is back.

…Or at least, it was.

But seriously, what the hell is happening now?

Right now, I’m in my classroom during lunch break.

The weather is nice, and today, I was actually looking forward to getting some good sleep on my desk.

But thanks to an obnoxiously loud voice, I’m now completely awake.

As I slowly lift my head, I see…

A monkey?

No, wait—just a guy.

A guy standing at the front of the classroom with his fist raised high in the air, demanding attention.

“Everyone! This man, Sakaki Daiki!!! Has just won—!!!”

…Why the dramatic pause?

“SECOND PLACE IN THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BOYS’ MISTER CONTEST!!!”

And with that absurdly loud announcement, the entire classroom erupts into cheers.

…What the hell is this?

Well, now that I look around, it makes sense. It’s lunchtime, and a bunch of guys from other classes—Sakaki’s friends, probably—have gathered here.

No wonder it’s so damn noisy.

Still… second place, huh?

Not that I care at all.

But I guess it’s kind of impressive.

“And that’s not all! Thanks to this achievement, I’ve been selected to appear on the super popular high school romance reality show—!!! Tomorrow, I Might Fall in Love!!!”

And with that declaration, the classroom erupts into an even bigger frenzy.

Oh, that show, huh?

I’ve never watched it, but even I know about it.

A reality show where a bunch of high school boys and girls spend their summer at a picturesque beachside location—Enoshima or somewhere similar—navigating their youthful romantic dramas.

Tomorrow, I Might Fall in Love.

Or, as people call it, AshiSuki.

The name alone makes me break out in hives.

It’s way too glittery and cheesy for me, but yeah… I guess it’s kind of a big deal.

Some past contestants have become famous actors or TV personalities.

There are even couples who actually got married after meeting on the show.

“…Huh.”

I take my phone out of my pocket to check if Sakaki’s telling the truth.

Oh wow, it’s legit.

His smug, annoying face is right there on the official participant list.

“So with that said—SAYA!! Why don’t you join the show with me?! You’re into this kind of stuff, right?”

…Huh?

What the hell is this guy saying all of a sudden?

Oh, I see.

I keep scrolling through the website and finally understand.

The show consists of 14 participants—7 boys and 7 girls.

The top 5 finalists from the Mister Contest are already locked in as contestants.

For the girls, 4 of the slots are filled by winners of the female version of the contest.

That leaves 2 open spots for boys and 3 for girls.

And apparently, any high schooler—whether a professional or just a regular student—can apply for those open slots through self-nomination or recommendations from others.

“…Huh? Not interested at all.”

Sitting next to me, Yamamoto-san responds to Sakaki with an unusually cold tone.

Weird. Given the way she used to be, I feel like she would have been interested in this kind of thing. But looking at her now, she seems completely uninterested.

“Oh! Then how about you, Hani-san?! What do you think?!”

Wow, this guy really has no shame. He’s even asking Hani-san now.

I glance over at her reaction.

For some reason, she’s tilting her head like she doesn’t understand a single word he just said.

…Uh, but you were speaking perfect Japanese just a second ago.

Well, whatever. It’s Sakaki, so it doesn’t matter.

…Wait, her eyes are terrifying.

She’s looking at him like a hitman sizing up a target…

“Haha, if you want them to join so badly, why don’t you just recommend them yourself, Sakaki?”

That idiot Takasago actually has a point.

“Uh, well, actually… confirmed participants aren’t allowed to recommend others. So yeah, if you’re interested, applications are open! If you want to fall in love with me, make sure to apply on the website before the end of June!”

Oh, so that’s how it works.

Not that it matters to me at all.

I don’t even have any friends to recommend me, so it’s completely irrelevant.

Huh… it says filming takes place during summer vacation.

Looks like they spend the whole break shooting the show.

Which means most of the applicants are probably aspiring actors, people who want to get famous, or influencers trying to grow their audience.

I doubt many regular high schoolers—especially ones in sports clubs or seniors preparing for college entrance exams—would apply just for fun.

Plus, looking at these pictures, it seems like the contestants spend a lot of time in swimsuits. That’s probably another reason normal students won’t sign up.

Oh, and I see—the final day ends with the girls confessing their feelings to the guys all at once.

So basically, multiple girls could confess to the same guy, and at the same time, there could be guys who don’t get confessed to at all.

Well, whatever.

Sakaki is annoyingly popular, so I guess he might actually become even more famous because of this.

Not that it has anything to do with me.

“Create the best summer memories and find love on ‘Tomorrow, I Might Fall in Love’!”

…Haha.

As a loner, this tagline is so blindingly cheesy it makes me want to puke.

It’s like something from an entirely different world.

…Wait, what was that?

Just now, I felt a sudden, intense chill run down my spine.

…Nah, must be my imagination. Maybe the AC just hit me at the wrong angle.

Anyway, first, I need to get through final exams. But after that… summer break, huh?

Two whole months of not having to come to this hellhole of a school.

Now that is something to look forward to.

Seriously.

It’s gonna be amazing.