Chapter 12
Otaku Culture Baptism
“What’s wrong?”
Takachika looked at me as soon as I walked into the classroom.
“Because you look like that, the whole room froze.”
I had no idea what he meant.
But when I lifted my head, I realized every single student was staring at me.
Not the hostile looks from before.
These were worried.
“…Takachika. What is this?”
“Just smile at them.”
I tried.
A strange, awkward smile.
The atmosphere immediately relaxed.
Desks shifted.
Whispers resumed.
Breathing returned.
Japan is terrifying.
What kind of invisible social magic is this?
After school.
“So,” Takachika said, “what happened to make you look like that?”
“…Not here.”
He tilted his head slightly.
“…Want to come to my house?” “No one will interrupt us.”
Takachika’s house.
Correction.
Takachika’s mansion.
A massive estate stood in the middle of the city like it had no business existing there.
“…Is this a noble’s castle?”
I had seen plenty of rich people’s homes back when I was a pro athlete.
This was on another level.
“My brother built it,” Takachika said quietly.
“…What is your brother, exactly?”
“That hospital.”
He pointed.
A gigantic university hospital towered in the distance.
“…So that’s why you were isolated.”
“Yeah. Come on.”
He opened the door like this was completely normal.
“Welcome home, young master.”
“I’m back, Saeki.”
“Is this your friend?”
“Yes. We’ll be in my room.” “Tea and snacks, please.”
“Right away.”
I had officially entered another dimension.
His room was just as ridiculous.
High ceiling.
Huge windows.
Everything looked expensive enough to require a loan.
“Sit anywhere. I’ll talk to Saeki.”
Takachika left.
I stood there, not knowing where to sit.
Was the sofa allowed?
Would it break if I touched it?
I carefully sat on the edge.
Takachika returned carrying a tablet and a stack of books.
“Alright.”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
He set them down and adjusted his glasses.
“So, Nia. What happened?”
“…Promise you won’t laugh.”
“I won’t.”
“I think I might be… a truck-reincarnation case.”
Silence.
Takachika blinked.
Then nodded seriously.
“…I see.”
“You’re not denying it?”
“No. That’s a classic.”
“What do you mean ‘classic’?”
“Genre.”
My head hurt.
“The original owner of this body yelled at me in a dream.” “Told me to give it back.”
Takachika rested his chin on his hand.
“Possession-type reincarnation.” “Shared consciousness.” “Dream interference.” “Possibly a personality exchange.”
“…Why do you know all this?”
“Because I’m Japanese.”
Do not say that so casually.
“Japan has a lot of stories like this.”
He opened the tablet.
Light novels.
Web novels.
Manga.
Anime.
Drama.
Movies.
Isekai.
Reincarnation.
Villainess.
Heroes.
Demon kings.
Cheat abilities.
“…Japan is insane.”
“Yes. Probably the craziest country in the world.”
He handed me a book.
“Start with this.” “You can read kanji, right?”
“…I can read them. Understanding is another story.”
“Then start with manga.”
Before I realized it, I was surrounded by books.
“Wait. I came here to study.”
“This is studying.”
He smiled.
“Japanese survival training.”
Hours later.
Books everywhere.
On the desk.
On the floor.
On the sofa.
I was flipping pages in silence.
“…Wait.”
I went back a page.
“This plot is exactly the same as the other one.”
“Template.”
“The protagonist is way too naive.”
“That’s what readers want.”
“The noble society is poorly written.”
“Japanese people like fantasy.”
“…Japan is terrifying.”
“Yes.”
Somewhere along the way, I was completely absorbed.
The Japanese text made more sense now.
Kanji connected through context.
The phrasing started to feel familiar.
“…Huh?”
“I think I’m actually understanding Japanese better.”
Takachika nodded in satisfaction.
“That’s the power of otaku culture.”
“More effective than language textbooks.”
I stared at the pile of books.
“…Japan really is terrifying.”
That day, I was baptized into Japanese otaku culture.
And for the first time—
I began to accept
that this might be the world I would live in.
