A faint sound pulls me back, dragging my consciousness along with it.
'Looks like I dozed off.'
I open my eyes and glance around…
'This is seriously weird. Where the hell am I?'
"Sir? Sir?"
'Wasn't I supposed to be on the bus heading home?'
I'm beyond confused.
Instead of the familiar sight of a bus passenger's view, I'm in some kind of vehicle.
'My clothes are different too.'
My faded jacket and khaki jeans are gone. In their place, I'm wearing…
'A school uniform?'
"Sir?"
I zero in on the voice. As disorienting as this is, it seems to be directed at me—which makes sense, since it looks like we're the only two people here.
Behind the wheel, a man dressed in a way that screams high-class chauffeur is addressing me, his eyes meeting mine through the rearview mirror.
"What's up?"
Despite the fog in my head, I respond. Ignoring him doesn't feel right.
'Maybe he can help me figure out what's going on.'
"Sorry to disturb your nap, sir, but I wanted to let you know we're nearing our destination."
'Destination? What the hell's happening? And what am I doing here?'
I'm about to grill the guy but stop myself.
A luxury car, a titled chauffeur, a school uniform, a body that feels younger… It's been ages, but this kind of life isn't entirely foreign to me.
Am I dreaming about my past?
'That would explain this. I used to be driven around like this in my youth.'
'But my brother's not here, the driver's different, the uniform's off, and the vibe's all wrong. It's contradictory, but it's a dream, right? I often dream about what my life could've been if I hadn't tanked my future, though this one's… different. Wait a second!'
I catch a glimpse of a face in the rearview mirror. Since I'm supposed to be alone back here, that must… be me?
Why am I so shocked?
That face—it's not mine!
My memories might be fuzzy, and sure, it's a dream, but that face doesn't look like anything I remember.
"Sir, is something wrong?"
The driver must've noticed my panic.
"Wha—"
I'm about to demand answers when a splitting headache hits me out of nowhere. The pain's so intense I clutch my forehead, barely able to make a sound.
My consciousness starts to slip…
"Sir! Sir!"
Shouts reach me, and my awareness snaps back.
I open my eyes.
I'm still hunched over like a moment ago, hand on my forehead, strands of blond hair falling across my face.
"Sir, should I pull over?"
The driver's voice is frantic, clearly worried about me.
I wait for the pain to fully subside before sitting up, leaning back, and brushing my hair out of my face. Sweat beads trickle down my forehead. It felt like an eternity, but it was only a moment.
I steady myself and glance at the rearview mirror again. The driver's face is etched with concern.
"No need to worry, Hajime."
That's my response.
My words carry none of the hesitation or confusion from before.
As for who Hajime is? That's the guy driving. His name's Hajime Matsubara, a man in his forties, assigned as this body's chauffeur.
Notice I said "this body" instead of "me." That's no mistake—it's intentional.
"But, sir, you look so pale. It's clear you're—"
"Do I need to repeat myself, Hajime?"
My tone is low but laced with authority.
"N-no, please forgive my impertinence."
The guy backs off, spooked by my sharp words. Without a shred of care, I cut off his worried rambling and shut him down. Honestly, there's a ton of weird stuff going on, but it's not like I can just spill it. I meant to brush him off lightly, but it came out like that. Seems this mouth automatically twists my words to match this body's style.
I pull out a pocket mirror—one I somehow know this body always carries—and start inspecting my face more closely.
'It's way too real, but the look matches the illustration perfectly. Is this even possible?'
Let me clear up your confusion.
As you might've noticed, I'm no longer lost about who I am, where I am, or what's happening. Those headaches earlier? They were from a flood of information dumped into my head. What kind of info? The memories of this body. Which begs the question: why am I in someone else's body?
Sure, that's a big deal, but it's not what's grabbing my attention most.
Like I said, I've got this body's memories now. So, I know its life and its identity. Normally, that'd be brand-new info to me, but it's not. I know this person—or rather, this character.
Yup, I know a character who fits this info to a T. He's from a light novel I've been reading lately.
Don't get it twisted—I'm not some bookworm. Reading's not really my thing, but this novel's different. Its story and characters hooked me so hard I devoured every volume.
An elite school, students clawing their way to the top—a total contrast to my own high school days.
You've probably pieced it together: it seems I've slipped into the world of that novel and into the body of one of its key characters. Key, but don't get it twisted—not the main character. If I'm being real, he's more of an outsider, a wild card. Still, he's the closest to what I was in my youth: good-looking, rich, and full of himself. The difference? Unlike me, he had the strength and smarts to back up his arrogance.
His name's Kōenji Rokusuke, son and heir to a renowned family of scholars. He thinks he's the embodiment of beauty and excellence, living life on his own terms.
Throughout the novel, he never gives a damn about his classmates, acting only for himself, even if it screws over his class. A total jerk of a character, but also kind of incredible.
Beyond his awful personality, he's got a razor-sharp intellect and analytical observation skills that outshine most. Add to that his freakish physical abilities, and he's one of the few characters who can hold a candle to the protagonist in terms of raw capability.
That said, the big question's still unanswered.
How did this happen? I'd think it's a dream, but this body's sharp mind keeps pointing out contradictions that rule that out. How can a dream be this detailed, this… real? But how do I accept this? It's easier to call it a dream than to buy into the logic here.
I've migrated into a novel's universe? What a joke! Whatever the absurdity behind this, the facts are staring me in the face.
I tuck the pocket mirror away.
'What now? What am I even saying? Isn't it obvious? My life's been one screw-up after another, and now I've been handed this chance. I don't know how or why, but one thing's for sure: I'm not letting this slip away, even if it turns out to be just a dream.'
The car comes to a stop.
"Sir, we've arrived."
Through the window, I spot a crowd, most of them wearing the same uniform as me.
I press a button on my seat, and a larger mirror pops up in front of me. I pull out a comb and fix my hair, then check my uniform, tightening my tie just a bit. I'm surprised by my own behavior—it's like this body's instincts are still in control. Finally, I stow the mirror with another press of the button and grab my schoolbag.
By now, Hajime's already out of the car and standing by my door on the right. Once he sees I'm ready, he opens it, gesturing for me to step out.
"Sir?"
I smooth my hair one last time before stepping out. My movements feel so natural. Sure, I've lived in a similar world before, but I was never big on etiquette. This is all the body's doing.
'Not so bad, I guess.'
Hajime bows deeply.
"Have a pleasant stay, sir."
'Good guy.'
Seeing him bow like that reminds me of my routine as a night guard.
I step closer.
He flinches slightly, sensing me approach. I ignore it and place a hand on his right shoulder. Curious, he glances up.
"You've been an excellent driver."
"S-sir?"
With that, I turn to face the school.
"We'll meet again in three years."
Those are my parting words as I start walking.
My steps are light, and a quiet confidence surges through me. My gaze lands on the building ahead, and a smirk creeps onto my lips.
So this is the legendary elite school, Kōdo Ikusei High School, otherwise known as the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School.
'Pretty damn impressive. Whatever. I'm gonna make my mark here. And if this is a dream? I hope I never wake up.'
Schedule: 2 chaps/Wednesday
Follow me on P@treon for more chapters! +5 chaps available with more other fics
p@treon.com/Hemlet (Remplace @ to a)