Classmate wa Isekai de Yuusha ni Natta kedo, Ore dake Gendai Nihon ni Okizari ni Narimashita - Chapter 34

 Chapter 34: A Certain Little Sister’s Recollection (1)

――Side Kana

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The day I met that girl was right after we started our second year of middle school.  

That day, the dojo was suddenly closed because our instructor had an emergency, leaving me with nothing to do. Thinking it was a good opportunity, I decided to explore the school.  
Two years ago, after the explosion accident that even involved my big bro—er, brother—the school had undergone major renovations, adding all sorts of new facilities.  
But my routine was simple: after school, I either went to the dojo, shopped at the supermarket, or occasionally hung out with friends. I’d never actually seen any of those new facilities.  
Exploring the school at 14? I thought, feeling a little childish. But since my friends weren’t free and I had nothing else to do, I convinced myself it was fine and kept wandering—until…  
"Ah…"  
At the far end of the school building, in an unused classroom, I spotted a girl hunched over a desk, completely absorbed in drawing something.  
Her bangs were long enough to partly obscure her face, but even as another girl, I could tell she was really pretty.  
"……"  
I knew I shouldn’t disturb her when she was so focused, but for some reason, I couldn’t look away.  
"Hey, you—"  
"Eek! S-Sorry! I’ll clean it up right away!"  
The moment I spoke, she flinched, dropping her pen as she shot up from her seat.  
"S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you."  
"Huh…? You’re…?"  
"I’m Iori Kana, from Class 2-A. You looked really into what you were doing, so I got curious. If I’m bothering you, I’ll leave."  
"……Oh, thank goodness. You’re not one of them…"  
"Huh?"  
"N-Nothing! You’re not bothering me at all! Feel free to stay as long as you like!"  
"Then I’ll stick around for a bit."  
As I said that, she sat back down and resumed drawing on the paper.  
Her eyes sparkled so intensely as she focused on the page that I couldn’t help but be drawn in—  
"U-Um!"  
While I was staring, she suddenly called out to me.  
"D-Do you… wanna see?"  
"See? You mean… what you’re drawing?"  
"W-Well, I was actually drawing this for people to see…"  
Hesitantly, she held out a few sheets of paper.  
What was on them was—  
"A manga?"  
"Y-Yeah! I-I was planning to submit it for a newcomer award…"  
"A newcomer award? So you want to be a mangaka?"  
"U-Um, kinda…?"  
I didn’t read much manga.  
At most, I’d flip through whatever my brother had lying around in his room when I was bored, and even then, none of it really stuck with me.  
So I figured I wouldn’t feel anything reading hers either.  
But…  
"——This is amazing."  
"R-Really…?!"  
"Yeah! Your manga is way more interesting than any I’ve ever read!"  
I meant every word.  
Her story gripped me in a way nothing else had before. I devoured it in one go, completely absorbed.  
"Hey, is there more?!"  
"W-Well, I’m still working on the next part…"  
"Oh… Then when it’s done—Wait, sorry. That was sudden. I’m being pushy, huh?"  
"N-No! Not at all! I’ll show you as soon as I finish it!"  
She looked me straight in the eyes as she said that.  
Her words made me so happy that I grabbed her hands and replied:  
"Okay, I’ll look forward to it! By the way, what’s your name?"  
"Ah, um… I’m Amagi Seina, from Class 2-C…"  
"Seina-chan, got it. Like I said earlier, I’m Iori Kana from 2-A. Make sure to tell me when the next part’s ready!"  
"Yes!"  
And that was how I met her—Amagi Seina.  
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◇◇◇  
"Kana, wanna eat lunch together?"  
"Sorry! I’ve got plans today!"  
Turning down my friends, I headed straight for that empty classroom.  
This had become my daily routine at school: spending lunch breaks reading the latest manga Seina had drawn.  
Ever since Fujisawa-senpai moved away after graduating, my days had felt a little duller.  
But Seina and her manga changed that.  
I didn’t know what criteria newcomer awards used to pick winners, but to me, every one of Seina’s works looked good enough to be serialized in a magazine.  
Yet Seina was never satisfied. She’d redo pages over and over—  
And just recently, she’d finally finished a piece she was confident enough to submit. She’d messaged me, asking me to come see it.  
Clutching my lunchbox and some sweets as a treat, I ran to her.  
What kind of story did she create this time? My heart swelled with excitement—  
"S-Stop it!!"  
Suddenly, Seina’s scream echoed through the hall.  
I sprinted to the classroom, only to find three unfamiliar girls surrounding her. Tears welled in Seina’s eyes as she desperately tried to grab something back—  
The manga manuscript in their hands.  
"Hey! What are you doing to Seina?!"  
I shouted, and the tallest girl—clearly the leader—turned to me with a scowl.  
"Hah? Who the hell are you?"  
"Her friend! More importantly—what did you do to her?!"  
"Oh, so you’re friends? Lucky you, freak. Found someone who’ll put up with your disgusting drawings."  
"P-Please…! Give it back…!"  
Seina begged, but the tall girl just smirked.  
"If it’s that important, here you go—like this!"  
She pulled out a box cutter and slashed the manuscript to pieces.  
"—!!"  
Before I knew it, I’d grabbed the girl by the collar.  
"Ghk—!"  
"Do you have any idea how much work Seina put into this?! Apologize to her right now, or else—!"  
She was tall but scrawny. I could take her down easily.  
Just as I tightened my grip—  
"……It’s okay, Kana-chan."  
Seina gently pried my hand away.  
"Ghk—! Y-You bitch, you’re dead!"  
The girl scrambled back, and with the help of her friends, stormed out of the room.  
Leaving just me and Seina behind.  
"……Can you fix it?"  
"No… Not when it’s torn up this badly."  
"What about a copy?! Or—"  
"This was… the only one. It’s all I had…"  
Tears spilled from Seina’s eyes.  
This was my fault. If I hadn’t said, "Show me when it’s done," she wouldn’t have—  
"I’m sorry… This happened because I pushed you…"  
"……It’s not your fault, Kana-san. I got too full of myself, so this is my punishment."  
"That’s not—"  
Seina gathered the shredded pages, bowed deeply, and left without another word.  
I couldn’t bring myself to stop her.  
All I could do was stand there, frozen.  

 

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### Translator's Notes (TN):  

 

1. Gender & Pronouns:  

   - Japanese often omits pronouns, so context is key. Here, the narrator (Kana) and Seina are both female, but some lines (like the bullies') required inference.  

   - Kana refers to her older brother as 兄さん (nii-san), which is gender-specific.  

 

2. Tone & Style:  

   - Kana’s narration is casual and introspective, so I kept her voice natural but slightly reflective.  

   - Seina’s speech is hesitant and polite (using です/ます form), so I added stutters ("U-Um") to match her shyness.  

 

3. Cultural Notes:  

   - 新人賞 (shinjin-shou): A "newcomer award" for aspiring mangaka, often hosted by publishers.  

   - カッターナイフ (kattaa naifu): A "box cutter" or "utility knife," commonly used in Japan for crafts (and, here, destruction).  

 

4. Key Lines:  

   - "神様が罰を下した" ("Kami-sama ga batsu o kudashita") → "God gave me punishment." Seina blames herself, reflecting a cultural tendency toward self-deprecation.  

   - "調子に乗って浮かれてた" ("choushi ni notte ukarete ta") → "I got carried away and giddy." Shows her guilt over being excited.  

 

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