Guess it's a sensitive topic.
Both teachers keep glancing at me, gauging my reaction.
To me, it makes sense. In short: Don't screw up carelessly—do it right if you're gonna do it.
Fuyuhara-sensei adds more.
"For girls, school life—the time before entering society—is pretty much the longest stretch they'll ever get to interact with guys. So plenty of them get proactive. Of course, forcing anything on a guy is out of the question."
Huh. She's got a point.
In a world with a 30-to-1 female-to-male ratio, workplaces are bound to be mostly women. A job with zero men might not be rare, but having one or two guys in class—daily contact with males—could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing for some girls after school ends. Natsuki-san did say she never imagined doing this and that with a guy. Her initial "payment" idea was just holding hands, after all.
I need to get a better grip on my value and position here. It's not all perks—better double-check stuff before I mess up.
Fuyuhara-sensei keeps going.
"That's why some girls fuss over boys too much. It can sour the class vibe, and sometimes guys end up hating or looking down on women because of it."
So it's not all "Woo, guys are super popular here!" Being swarmed doesn't always feel great. Come to think of it, I'm surrounded by girls in class every day. It's not full-on skinship, but some get pushy—asking for pics together and stuff. In my past life, I hated photos of myself, but now that I'm hot, I've got this crazy confidence. Go ahead, snap away! I'd even strike a sexy pose if they asked, but no one's gone there yet. The most I get is them cozying up close for shots.
Guess from Fuyuhara-sensei's view, I'm an easygoing student who doesn't stir up girl trouble.
"You seem to get along well with the girls in class, Miyagi. I was braced for some boy-girl drama this year, so as your homeroom teacher, I'm grateful. It's a big help… oh."
Her real thoughts slip out, and she immediately grimaces, sneaking a nervous glance at Grandpa-sensei.
"Fuyuhara-sensei, can I have a word after?"
"Y-Yes."
Looks like she can't stand up to him.
"Anyway, that's the gist of today. If you need condoms, come to the infirmary—I can get you some. I'll help with any worries too," Yamazaki-sensei says.
"—Got it. Thank you."
This world's wild. I'd heard of infirmaries stocking pads in my past life, but handing out condoms to boys? Didn't see that coming. Are they overprotective of guys, or is it about rationing the few males among tons of women? Probably both. Either way, it's handy for me.
Maybe that's why Natsuki-san always wants it in her mouth—some practical instinct tied to this setup. I'd been all smug, thinking "Look at my naughty little oral girl!" but it might just be her adapting to reality. Another thing to check later.
"Let's wrap up here. Read that booklet, like I said. Questions or confusion? Ask me or Fuyuhara-sensei," Yamazaki-sensei concludes.
"Right. Miyagi, don't bottle stuff up alone. No shame in leaning on adults if you need to," Fuyuhara-sensei adds, striking a sharp pose and thumping her flat chest to cover her earlier slip.
"Yes, I'll reach out if I need to. Thanks for today."
"No problem, sorry to keep you after school. Let's head back together," she says, standing to leave with me.
"Fuyuhara-sensei, hold on a sec."
"…Yes."
Grandpa-sensei catches her mid-escape. She's kind of a riot, honestly.
---
Back home, I flip through the booklet Yamazaki-sensei gave me.
"Hmm, interesting."
It's packed with legal stuff and case studies on acknowledgment and pregnancy, highlighting stark differences between my old world and this one. Here, women have two main ways to get pregnant: natural conception through sex with a guy, or artificial insemination via a sperm bank.
I'll skip the bank stuff for now—what matters to me is a father's role in natural pregnancy. If the guy's an adult, he can acknowledge the kid, and the government provides a subsidy. It's not child support, though—more like an "interaction stipend" for spending at least ten days a year with the mother and child. The mom has to apply annually to renew it for the guy. If he skips out, she won't reapply, and no cash. There's finer print, but that's the basics.
"…Is it just my values that find this warped?"
Making a kid, not marrying, meeting ten days a year, and getting paid for it? Feels off to me. But if one guy only had kids with one woman, what'd happen to the population? Maybe it's a compromise—encouraging guys to spread out while ensuring some connection with moms and kids?
I'm too new here to judge. When in Rome, right? Still—
Grandpa-sensei said students can't acknowledge kids. But women who get pregnant naturally often want to keep it, even without acknowledgment. Makes sense—who knows when they'll snag another guy? Plus, I'm guessing a kid from someone you love beats a sperm bank baby in their eyes.
For students, though, it's messy. The booklet mentions cases of girls taking a break to give birth and returning, but most drop out. Usually, the girl's mom helps out, but not every family can swing that. What about the guy's responsibility?
Seems it ends with cash equivalent to abortion costs. Feels weird to me, but this world flips the script—women "impregnate" men here. It's not the guy irresponsibly knocking her up; it's her irresponsibly getting knocked up. The money he pays doubles as a "shut-up-and-go" fee. When it happens, the guy's parents fume while the girl's bow their heads. So if students hook up and it goes there, the girl's the "bad guy."
Meaning I can do whatever I want!
"Yahoo! Free-for-all time!… Except, nah, not feeling that vibe."
I close the booklet, resolving to tread carefully in this world. I can't stomach girls getting unfairly blamed because of me, even if it's "normal" here and sticking to my old values makes me the odd one out.
That said—
"With proper protection, I can keep chasing my dream of being a hotshot stud. I love my second life!"
My ambitions stay alive, stretching into tomorrow and beyond.