“First floor.”

The mechanical elevator voice announced our arrival and the moment the doors opened, Tatara-hama was standing there.

“Good evening, Tatara-hama.”

“Good evening, Tachibana-kun.”

Nighttime greetings with a classmate felt strangely fresh.

“Hehe… this is the first time I’ve ever said ‘good evening’ to a boy.”

It seemed she’d been thinking the same thing and she smiled.

“Haha, maybe it’s the first time I’ve said it to a girl too.”

“Then it’s our first exchange together.”

“Yeah.”

We traded light conversation at first, but inside my heart I was panicking.

After all… I’d left my homeroom teacher in a maid outfit upstairs in my room.

“So, about what I wanted to talk about…”

“Oh, if we’re going to talk, how about taking a little walk? Night air and all.”

“Huh? But Tachibana-kun, you’re in room wear.”

“I brought a coat, so I’m fine! C’mon, let’s go!”

“…Sigh.”

Pretending not to notice her sigh, I lightly pushed her forward and led her out of the apartment building.

* * *

“It’s April and spring already, but it’s still chilly at night.”

Cars streamed by along the main road, their headlights trailing behind us as we walked.

The chilly night air made me glad—for multiple reasons—that I’d grabbed my coat.

If I’d taken her back up to the entrance to get it, she might have seen Ecchan-sensei waiting upstairs.

And now, with the coat pocketed over my room wear, I could secretly use my smartphone to send Ecchan-sensei a one-ring signal to let her know I’d successfully led Tatara-hama outside.

I didn’t see any reply, but… hopefully, she managed to escape the building.

“Tachibana-kun. You’re thinking about another woman right now, aren’t you?”

“Ue⁉”

How did she—!?

But the weird noise I made already confessed everything.

“Because normally, Tachibana-kun would definitely react to seeing me in my casual clothes… but you didn’t say anything. Even though it’s the first time I’m showing you.”

Tatara-hama puffed her cheeks slightly and looked away.

Crap.

Girls really do see straight through you, just like in my past life.

“I thought staring too openly might be rude. Did you go somewhere after school? Your outfit really suits you.”

“I didn’t go anywhere. I coordinated this outfit carefully… and for nothing…”

Tatara-hama’s outfit was undeniably well put together.

A mocha-brown flared skirt, a V-neck spring knit and strap heels.

No matter how you looked at it—she was dressed like she was going on a date.

“Sorry, sorry. I’m in room wear, so I felt embarrassed.”

Side by side, we definitely looked like a mismatched couple.

“No, a boy’s room wear is something we can’t usually see. Actually… thank you.”

Ecchan-sensei said the same thing…

Well, if I flipped the genders using normal-world logic, it made sense.

If a girl you like showed up in cozy, relaxed clothes with her hair tied loosely after a bath…

Yeah.

I’d get it.

“Then next time you visit at night, come in room wear too.”

“Eh!? Seeing a girl in room wear isn’t interesting at all.”

“But I want to see it. Not a dressed-up version like today—your actual room wear. Promise me.”

“Th-that’s…”

“It’ll make it easier to talk, right? Especially about things that are hard to talk about… like today.”

“…………”

Walking beside her through the night, her sudden visit finally clicked.

What she wanted to talk about was the Class Replacement Match—the battle where classes challenge the ones above them and demand an exchange of boys.

I knew because of my game knowledge.

In the early game, the first major event happens shortly after enrollment:

Class 1 vs Class 2.

A class-versus-class battle.

In the game, the player is Haruto from Class 1.

After the girls gush over him, this event arrives—a harsh reminder that, in this world with a 1:99 male-to-female ratio, boys are trophies, openly fought over.

It was an important plot point.

“Even if it’s hard to say, I’m ready to hear it.”

I spoke gently to Tatara-hama, who had fallen silent.

She had come to tell me that Class 2 was going to challenge Class 1.

For a boy, that’s humiliating:

Being compared to another boy, being deemed inferior, being someone the girls want to replace.

It’s harsh.

But she was taking responsibility, telling me face-to-face rather than letting me hear it through rumors.

In the game, the original Tachibana Tomoki, even though the girls preferred Haruto, stayed calm and even helped him by giving him information.

Players admired that saint-like behavior—but knowing it was part of his secret mission to guide Haruto made everything click.

“Tachibana-kun realized, didn’t you…”

“Yeah. You really got stuck with a tough role, Tatara-hama.”

She looked at me painfully.

But since I already knew the scenario, it didn’t shock me.

“Then I’ll say it.”

“Okay.”

I smiled gently, trying to ease her burden.

“A formal challenge for a Class Replacement Match has arrived—from Class 3 to Class 2.”

“Yeah yeah… huh?”

Wait.

The match was happening, but… from Class 3?

“The Class 3 girls… I didn’t think they’d use their right this early in April…”

Tatara-hama muttered and bit her thumbnail.

“So… does that mean after defending against Class 3, Class 2 will then challenge Class 1?”

In the game, the protagonist was in Class 1.

He only had to fend off challengers.

But Class 2, being in the middle, would have to defend from below and then challenge upward.

That’s brutal.

“Class 1? What are you talking about, Tachibana-kun? We’re not challenging Class 1.”

“Huh? So you’re skipping them this time?”

That shouldn’t be possible.

At this point in the story, Class 2 always challenged Class 1.

Unless…

“We’re not skipping anything. There was nothing to discuss. We, Class 2, will never challenge Class 1. Ever.”

Tatara-hama said it plainly, like it was obvious.

“Eeeh? But wouldn’t Haruto be the better pick?”

“Haruto-kun is charming, but more importantly—Class 2 is already obsessed with you, Tachibana-kun.”

“Eh… seriously?”

“Ah, now I understand. You thought we submitted a challenge to take Class 1’s boy. There isn’t a single person in Class 2 who’d do that. Not one.”

She smiled… in a slightly scary way.

Uh oh.

“For boys, the fear of being moved to another class is very stressful. That’s why I came directly to reassure you. One teacher tried to break ranks early, but our unity is absolute. Tachibana-kun, please watch proudly as we fight.”

“Haha… yeah, I’ll be cheering.”

I laughed, but inside I was drenched in cold sweat.

The story was veering completely off script.

And Tatara-hama had definitely figured out… something about Ecchan-sensei.

What was going to happen now?

To me—and to Haruto, the real protagonist?

The night wind chilled my sweat and made me shiver.