I was Thrown into an Unfamiliar Manga

Scramble Love.

It was a massively popular shounen manga that sold a record-breaking 10 million copies in an era where physical books had all but gone extinct.
True to its slogan, “A return to the old days,” it followed the classic love comedy formula so shamelessly it was almost textbook—but thanks to the author’s unique flavor woven into the story, it received high praise.
The reason I even found out about this manga was because the final volume of Scramble Love caused the internet fandom to erupt—for all the wrong reasons. Against all odds, the childhood friend beat out all the top heroines and actually won.

Word had it she only placed fourth in the overall popularity poll, too.
Honestly, I just stumbled upon it as part of some internet meme thread and didn’t think much of it. I figured it had nothing to do with me.
But—

I never imagined, even in my wildest dreams, that I’d end up possessing someone inside that manga.
I didn’t send in a 5,700-character protest letter or anything. Hell, I hadn’t even read the thing once in my life.
***

“Class rep, start the greeting.”
“Yes! Everyone, attention! Bow to the teacher!”
While the homeroom teacher—who looked like your stereotypical hot-blooded PE coach—called roll, I turned my head and looked out toward the schoolyard beyond the classroom.

Pink cherry blossoms bloomed in full along the long path leading to the school gates.
A scene you’d never see in Korea, where the school year starts in March.
“…Moto Yuji.”

“Here!”
While I was spacing out for a bit, names were being called in order. Eventually, my turn came too.
“Kim… Ryusei?”

“It’s Kim Yu-seong.”
“Ah, Kim Yu-seong. Sorry, I misread that.”
“It’s fine.”
Despite his gorilla-like tough appearance, the teacher sincerely acknowledged his mistake.

Guess that’s another cliché of school-life stories.
When I calmly accepted his apology, the teacher thanked me and continued calling names. Once the roll call was complete, he cleared his throat a couple of times.
“I know it’s only the second day of the new school year and things are still messy, but quiet down for a bit.”

And just like that, the classroom went silent as if on cue.
Once he had everyone’s attention, the teacher nodded in satisfaction and spoke.
“We’ve got a transfer student in our class. Since they’re from far away, they’re probably unfamiliar with a lot, so make sure you look out for them.”

That sudden bombshell from the teacher caused a huge stir to break out in the classroom.
“A transfer student? Is it a boy or a girl?”
“I hope it’s a beautiful girl.”

“Anyone seen the transfer kid at the office?”
A flood of cringeworthy chatter filled the room. Meanwhile, the teacher nonchalantly shouted toward the hallway.
“Hey! Come on in!”

The front door of the classroom opened right on cue, as if it had been waiting for its entrance.
And the moment the transfer student appeared, time in the classroom stopped for a beat.
Hair as bright and dazzling as melted gold, mysterious green eyes that sparkled, delicate facial features like a bisque doll.

With exotic features no native Japanese girl could possibly have, the stunning blonde girl strode confidently into the room.
When she arrived at the podium, the teacher spoke again.
“Introduce yourself.”

In response, the blonde girl flashed a cat-like grin for a split second, then slammed both hands down on the podium and declared:
“My name’s Kishimoto Rika! I came up from Shizuoka! I like cats, sweets, and natto soup! Let’s all get along for the next year!”

A girl who radiated energy just by being there.
The kind ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) of hyper-popular gyaru type that someone invisible like me would have trouble even casually talking to.
“Then Kishimoto… let’s put you over there.”

The teacher looked around the classroom and pointed somewhere. That’s when I realized—it was the seat right next to Sakamoto Ryuji, the protagonist of this manga.
And of course, the moment their eyes met, they both yelled at the same time:
“You! The one I bumped into this morning in the alley!”

“That morning pervert!”
“Who are you calling a pervert?!”
Their perfectly synchronized bickering routine made my head spin. I brought a hand to my forehead.

You’ve got to be kidding me.
Just thinking about having to watch this crazy crap unfold for the next two years made me want to transfer schools for real.