I Became the Final Subjugation Target of That Era’s Light Novel

Time passes, and I get a junior.

In my previous life, I didn’t care much about such relationships. Even if it was called club activities, it was just part of school lessons, and I didn’t really do anything particularly meaningful within that.

I hardly ever used the title “senior,” and conversely, there weren’t any kids calling me “senior.” I did manage to form such relationships when I went to university, but it was quite different from the peculiar feelings I had while reading light novels in my teens.

Was it because this world was such a world that I had juniors who called me “senior” in this life?

I didn’t partake in club activities, but I ended up becoming a “senior” as juniors came into my class and crossed paths with me regularly.

As I moved through my second and third years, the number of those kids increased quite a bit.

However, not many students from my class ended up going to the same school as me. Naturally, the juniors wouldn’t either.

It wasn’t just about grades. Some had things they wanted to pursue, others were concerned about distances to schools, or for various reasons.

After deciding where to go, we exchanged promises like, “Let’s definitely keep in touch!” and “We must meet again later!”, but how many times do we say things like that while living life, and how often are those promises kept? I’ve felt that many times already.

That doesn’t mean those encounters are meaningless.

After a few years, there are times when you suddenly remember someone and look for their contact, or you run into friends during a chance meeting and end up getting close again.

In my case, I actually had quite a few friends who ended up going to the same school as me. Sota, Nanami, and even Yuka.

Even my sister Koko is going to the same school, so I guess I could say I’m quite lucky.

“I should have come to this school, after all.”

Shii said.

It was around the time the second semester was about to end in my third year when Shii said that after the leaves had fallen.

It’s not our school.

Hearing that all my friends were heading to Hanagawa High School, Shii naturally entered Hanagawa Middle School.

This way, even while I’m at high school, Shii can still be my “junior.” Even if the schools are different, since they are operated by the same foundation, it’s not strange at all.

Thinking back now, I wondered what would have happened if I had gone to Hanagawa Middle School instead.

Shii could have potentially joined the same middle school as me. There was probably a way for her to be my junior for a year and then transfer when I went up to high school.

However, that method felt a bit cumbersome. Making new friends, taking tests again… More than anything, Yuka and I had already experienced transferring a few times, which we wouldn’t recommend.

“But from next year, we’ll really have a senior-junior relationship.”

“…Yeah.”

Shii nodded at my words. Then, using “and,” she continued,

“Even if we’re from different schools, the past year hasn’t been regrettable.”

Hearing that made me feel relieved.

“Well, since we live close by. Even if our schools are different, we see each other every day, right?”

“That’s true.”

Shii smiled at my words.

I quietly gazed out the window.

Tokyo rarely experiences snowfall. But that doesn’t mean winter isn’t settling on the streets.

All the leaves from the trees have fallen, and everyone is bundled up in thick clothing, shoving their hands into their pockets as they shuffle along.

On the other hand, our house is warm. The TV is showing cartoons, and Kagami is busy preparing things for us in the kitchen.

Since it’s the end of the year, Sota seems to still be out.

In the original story, Shii was full of concern for Sota, even if it wasn’t quite to that extent. But here, it feels a bit different. Sota doesn’t seem to be suffering like in the novel.

He has some thoughts about needing to protect his sister, but he doesn’t behave as if everything is placed solely on his shoulders.

Could it be because we are there to support him? I hope so.

Not long after, Kagami brought a plate piled high with strawberries from the kitchen.

Until then, Koko, who seemed fully engrossed in the TV, must have caught a whiff of the strawberries, as she dashed to the table with a shout of joy.

It’s a cold season, but our daily life is warm.

That warmth doesn’t just mean the temperature of where we’re sitting.

*

When Koko first went to school, I had a lot of worries. What if she couldn’t keep up with the classes? What if she couldn’t focus?

What if she suddenly stood up in class, wandering around and causing trouble for everyone? Koko probably wouldn’t even realize that such behavior was wrong.

But nothing like that happened.

Koko wasn’t particularly focused during class. When I glanced over at her during lessons, she would either be disassembling a pen and playing around or doodling some strangely shaped but cute animals in her textbook or notebook.

And despite that, her grades were at the top tier.

Seeing her scores, which were much higher than mine at first, made me wonder—well, after two years, I stopped worrying too much about it.

After all, the weirdos in subculture are usually smart, right? When I think about it again, I suppose Koko does have an otaku vibe.

A few times, while I didn’t manage to beat Koko’s scores, I did try to get close to them.

However, the students who seemed like they wouldn’t do well in studying turned out to be super diligent and landed higher scores than me, and that barrier to surpassing my rank was just too solid.

Of course, Koko passed the exams to get into Hanagawa High School with ease.

I also passed with a bit of confidence, but my atmosphere during the tests was quite different from Koko’s.

…I felt a bit unjust, to be honest.

I taught her how to read when she was just starting with picture books, but now it feels like I should be learning from her instead.

Is it really because I’m the older sibling? Did she inherit all the intelligence factors before I was born?

Kagami, of course, didn’t categorize us by our grades, but I couldn’t help thinking such things.

“Kotone.”

As I was lost in those thoughts after the exam, Kagami came up behind me and hugged me tight.

“It’s okay.”

…

“You’re just you, Kotone, without comparing to anyone else.”

…Mom.

When you say that, it makes me worry even more.

Well, Kagami was saying it in a really good way. She had just known me for a long time, so she probably noticed I felt a bit down from simply my presence.

That’s right. In the end, whether Koko or I studied better wasn’t very important.

What mattered more was that we both went to the same school.

“Waa?”

Looking at me while I was hugged by Kagami, Koko came up beside us with her head tilted. It was obvious she wanted a hug too, so Kagami smiled and opened one arm wider.

Koko casually hugged me.

Then Kagami hugged us both together.

It was warm.

It felt like maybe it would be okay to just stay like this. I began to think that the other things didn’t really matter.

…

No.

It matters; it really does.

We had friends, families, and above all, this world isn’t just our own little bubble.

For our family to live comfortably, the world needed to be a bit safer. For that sake, I needed to work hard.

But still, I decided it was fine to just be like this for now.

So that in the distant future, I could remember all of it.

*

In the spring when the cherry blossoms flutter down,

We graduated from middle school.

Some friends cried, and the juniors wept as they sent us off.

I thought it was a natural farewell, but actually parting made my nose a bit tingly.

Ironically, since Shii wasn’t at our school, I didn’t end up crying.

The short time between graduating middle school and the high school entrance ceremony was literally a rainy time for us.

During that time, we wandered around outside, me, Koko, Yuka, and Shii. Sometimes we dragged Sota along, and during those times, Nanami somehow tagged along too.

While we didn’t go on any special trips, we found joy in small, trivial things.

Because soon, we’d be attending school together with this same group.

“How about it?”

Ah, right.

And Yuka finally moved close to our neighborhood.

Her place was in a mansion not too far from ours. Even if it was called a mansion, Yuka’s place only had one room. In structure, it was similar to the house where just me and Kagami lived back then. It was a bit larger and tidier than that.

“Looks great.”

I said it sincerely.

“Come visit sometimes.”

Hmm, I think I’ll probably end up visiting more often than sometimes.

After all, high schoolers love places without adults.

Though, I preferred being where Kagami was.

Still, seeing Yuka smile brightly, I felt there was no need to spoil the mood with such unnecessary remarks.

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