Episode 1 – Madonna of the School, Watanabe Misa

I look out the window while eating lunch in the classroom.

Two weeks have passed since I entered the school, and now I worry about my afternoon classes because the spring sun is warm and I feel sleepy after lunch.

I think it would be a mistake to have the history class first after the lunch break.

The weather forecast said that the clear skies would continue through the weekend, so I opened the window, praying inwardly that the forecast would not be wrong, and a pleasant breeze came in.

The first year classrooms are on the fourth floor, so you can look down on the courtyard.

There, I can see the seniors from the second and third years. New students who had become friends with each other were spreading out their sheets and enjoying their lunch time.

It seems that the top caste on campus is quickly forming, and that sociability is something you need to learn from.

I wondered how they could behave like that, and as I looked at the group of first-year students, I spotted a very pretty girl in the center of the group.

Watanabe Misa, a first-year class D student. She has only been here for a short time and is already recognized by students in all grades, and even here in Class B, two classes away, she is the gossip every day.

This is because of her mild-mannered personality and the ease with which she can talk to anyone. She has the most beautiful appearance that I have ever seen.

She has already earned the title of the best idol in the school among the second and third year students, and in fact, she is not inferior to the idols you see on TV.

I was wondering what I could learn by watching her, when she looked up as if she had noticed something.

For a moment, I think our eyes met, but I’m not the only one who looks out the window during lunch break. Still, I feel like our gazes are meeting, so I’m staring at her too……

“You’re looking at the window again.”

I suddenly noticed someone’s voice and turned my gaze back to see a girl from my class looking at me.

“Aikawa-kun, you always look outside, right?”

As I recall, she was the girl who ran for class president, and she had big, round eyes and was short and cute.

“Yeah, I was wondering about the weather.”

“Hmm, do you have plans for the weekend?”

“Oh, you’re so perceptive. You’re right.”

The word “weekend” makes me feel excited. It makes me smile involuntarily.

“Is that…..a date, by any chance?”

“A date?”

The act of a man and a woman making a promise to go somewhere. What made the president think of such a thing?

“No, I just go out alone and I’ve never had a girlfriend before.”

We’ve only just started high school. There were certainly men and women who dated in middle school, but I spent my youth on hobbies and never had any such flings.

“Oops, I’m going to go back because break time is almost over.”

As I was thinking such a sad thought, the president, perhaps sensing my sadness, went back to her seat.

“I really hope it’s going to be sunny this weekend.”

I was wondering if I should make a teru teru bozu.

“Phew, it’s finally the weekend.”

I took the bus for a few minutes. Ten minutes of walking. I had arrived at a fishing port in the prefecture.

It was past early morning, and the people working at the fishing port were pulling out, so I could see a few people here and there on the bank.

I settled down in a good spot and started to get ready.

The wind was light and the tide was calm. I think I’m going to have a good time fishing today.

Yes, I’ve been hooked on fishing since my father took me fishing when I was a kid, and now I even go out by myself.

I enjoy the time I spend hanging a hook and waiting for a fish, and the joy I feel the moment I actually catch a fish cannot be expressed in words.

I put a bell on the rod so I can tell when a fish bites, and I start reading the book I brought with me. I pour myself a cup of coffee from my canteen and sip it.

After a while of fishing and reading, my concentration is interrupted by some noise.

I looked for the source of the commotion and found a girl standing there, surrounded by several people of college age.

She was dressed in a white one-piece dress, straw hat, and sandals in a perfectly ladylike style. Her wavy, flaxen hair shining in the sunlight, she looked like an idol I’ve seen somewhere before.

“So come on, let’s go have fun with us.”

“‘Cause we’re not catching any fish at all, and it’s been a waste of time.”

“Well, but you caught such a pretty girl, so it’s good, isn’t it?”

“I-it’s troubling !”

They are a bunch of delinquents. Fishing is for everyone, young and old, male and female.

“Um, this is a fishing spot, not a place to pick up girls.”

The manner of a fisherman is to help those who are in trouble. Some people lose their lives every year due to maritime accidents, so it is only natural to act with common sense.

“The hell, why don’t you just give us a minute?”

“She said it’s troubling. If you guys are going to fish, please try not to make each other uncomfortable.”

I noticed that I was attracting a lot of attention around me, and cold stares were being thrust at the college students.

“Hey, I was just talking to her.”

“Haa, stop, stop !”

“I’ll never come back to this place !”

They roughly put away their fishing gear and walked away.

Now that the fishing grounds were safe, I resumed reading to get back to my happy weekend…….

“U-um…….”

I heard a cute voice. I looked up and saw it was the girl who had just been hit on.

“What’s wrong?”

Her age is probably not that far from mine. Probably the same grade or just one level above or below her.

I tilted my head and looked at her, wondering what she wanted.

I was too far away to see her earlier, but her beauty almost took my breath away.

While I was waiting for her to answer, I saw her shapely lips move.

“Erm, Aikawa Ryoichi kun, right?.”

“How did you know my name……?”

I get flustered when my name is called in a place like this. I had never known anyone like her in my life.

I stared at her, and sure enough, she looked familiar. When I imagine her wearing a school uniform….

“Could it be, Watanabe san?”

She shakes her head in affirmation of my words.

What a surprise, the one I saved from being picked on was Watanabe Misa, who is known as the school’s Madonna.