Did this a while ago I will love to see this in v9 more chaos and drama.

Volume 9 Prologue ( FM )

PROLOGUE

The afternoon sun was relentless, yet managed to find a way to avoid illuminating the stack of books haphazardly piled on my desk. I leaned back in my chair, the squeak of the springs sounding louder than a gunshot in the quiet night.

My reading material was... specialized. On top lay a thick, well-worn shojo manga, Sparkling Kiss, its cover depicting two perfect, impossibly beautiful high school students holding hands under a shower of neon fireworks. Next to it was a light novel titled < Flawless student council president and his surprisingly dull-witted fiancée> And underneath, hidden from casual view, were a couple of strategically borrowed works of 'literature' detailing highly convoluted scenarios of dramatic romantic conflict.

Man this is pointless.I rubbed my temples. I had spent the last week treating "being in a relationship" like a newly assigned term project, and these books were my research materials.

It seemed logical. If I, a background character, was suddenly thrust into a romantic storyline, I should at least understand the basic mechanics, the accepted dialogue, and the common pitfalls.

But the reality of these fictional worlds was so far removed from my own life that I might as well have been reading a manual on interstellar travel.

In these stories, a sudden, deep gaze was romantic. In real life, it was probably just creepy. An impromptu rain-soaked confession led to a passionate embrace. In my experience, it would lead to a fever and a ruined uniform.

The truth was, these protagonists operated on a level of social and emotional intelligence I simply did not possess. I was a supportive side character, forced to read the blueprint for a mansion I was expected to build with a set of rusty tools.

A long sigh leaved my body as I stretched.

"Onii-sama, you are sighing like a man whose entire collection of rare figurines has just been confiscated by the tax collector." The singsong voice belonged, naturally, to my little sister, Kaju. And I really hope my figurines will not be confiscated.

And again she just randomly appeared behind my back. I should really get my door fixed. She tilted her head , already sizing up the situation. Her eyes fixed immediately on the stack of romance books. A brilliant, almost manic smile bloomed on her face.

"What is all this, Onii-sama? Are you... trying to learn the ways of the heart?" she asked, leaning on my shoulder.

I quickly covered the Sparkling Kiss manga with my elbow. "It's for the Literature Club," I mumbled, instinctively scratching my cheek.

"We’re analyzing the structure of narrative clichés."

Kaju completely ignored me. She picked up the shojo volume and fanned herself dramatically with it.

"Nonsense! I know exactly what this is! You are trying to figure out how to be a proper romantic hero!" She lowered her voice conspiratorially. Her eyes sparkle like a beaming candle.

"Onii-sama, how about I help you to be romantic? Onii-sama can act romantic with Kaju all he wants. We can practice holding hands, saying cheesy lines—I'll be your perfect stand-in heroine!"

My heart rate immediately jumped, setting off internal alarm bells that sounded like a thousand losing heroines all crying at once. No. Absolutely not!

"I think I might get in trouble, so no," I said, pushing the books further away from her. My voice was firm.

"That is precisely the kind of complicated misunderstanding that launches an entire volume's worth of drama. I am not looking to create a new plotline, Kaju. I am trying to avoid one."

Kaju pouted, tossing the manga back onto the desk.

"You think too much, Onii-sama. Kaju can give you a detail Romantic manual if Oni-sama wants." Her eyes sparkled once again.

I managed to guide kaju out my room by promising her to listen to her so called roamntic manual tommorow.

It was a strange situation. I had always been content being the neutral observer, the safe harbor for the losing heroines. Now, I was a protagonist in my own story, honestly i never even dreamt of a girl confessing me let alone tiara. Seriously! I am not boasting about my popularity here.