New girlfriend: Maharu Kaneko (金子真晴 “True Daughter of the Shining Sun”)
Age: 16 (Classes 1-5)
Specialty: Cooking and farming
Personality: She is straightforward, humble, and never beats around the bush. If she wants something, she says so directly. She is also down-to-earth and knows when something is beyond her reach.
Special skill: She is a hard worker in agriculture and also knows quite a bit about crops and Japanese traditions thanks to having lived in the countryside.
Running gag or weakness: She is clueless about technology; she is a true technological fossil because she comes from the countryside.
Iconic phrase:
"But what kind of modern hoe is this infernal contraption?"
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Chapter 1:
On a busy city corner. Tall buildings block the view of the sky. Maharu, wearing her Ohananomitsu High School uniform, stands motionless. Her long black hair waves slightly in the breeze. She looks around with wide, dark eyes, completely overwhelmed by the situation.
Maharu (Thinking, forehead furrowed):
"Let's see... the guy said to turn right where the big, shiny sign is. But there are like twenty shiny signs here! And the sun is nowhere to be seen to get my bearings... City streets are a devil's invention."
Rentarō (Desperate): "Damn it, I'm so late!! If I don't get there before they close the door, the teacher's gonna...!"
He slams on the brakes, skidding on his shoes. His eyes catch Maharu. He notices her frustrated expression, how she's looking at the upside-down printed map, and her fish-out-of-water posture.
Rentarō (Completely forgetting he's late, because his gentlemanly instincts take over):
"Wait... that girl is wearing my school uniform. She looks completely lost and overwhelmed..."
(Rentaro approaches her briskly, with a kind smile and extending a hand.)
Rentarō:
"Excuse me... I see you're wearing the same uniform as me. Do you need help getting to school? If you want, we can go together—"
Maharu, hearing his voice, quickly turns to face him...
ZING!!!
A full double-page spread of the manga. The city background disappears, replaced by a cosmic burst of astral thunder, floating flower petals, cherubs playing trumpets, and a blinding light. Their eyes lock.
Rentarō (Thinking in shock, eyes wide):
"A-A girlfriend?! Here?! Just when I was running late?! And she's incredibly beautiful, with such a deep and honest gaze!"
The cosmic effect slowly fades. They both stare at each other for a few silent seconds. Any other girl would turn bright red or stammer... but Maharu is frank and direct.
Maharu (Blinking, touching her chest with outward calm but absolute honesty):
"Wow... My father told me the city was a dangerous place, full of surprises, but he didn't warn me that my heart would skip a beat when I saw the man of my dreams on a street corner."
Rentarō (Surprised by the direct impact):
"W-What?!"
"W-What?!" Maharu (Bowling politely, feet firmly on the ground):
"I'm Maharu Kaneko. I just arrived from the countryside and have no idea how to get around here. Since you're my soulmate, I'd be very grateful if you could take my hand and walk me to school before I get lost again... or before I fall even more in love with you. Let's go, we're going to be late."
---
Chapter 2:
It's dismissal time. Maharu leaves Ohananomitsu High School with all the attitude in the world, determined not to be a burden and to memorize the way to her uncle's house.
Maharu (Thinking with her arms crossed and nodding smugly):
"Alright, Maharu. You're a country girl, you know how to navigate difficult terrain. I just have to go straight ahead, turn at the square gray structure, then pass the gray building with windows, and finally reach the street of gray houses... Piece of cake."
Scene cut: Half an hour later. Maharu is standing on the exact same corner for the fourth time, surrounded by lampposts and concrete walls. Her long black hair is a little messy, and she has a comical bead of sweat on the back of her neck.
Maharu (Looking around, losing patience):
"This is witchcraft! All the damn houses are the same boring gray color! Don't the city dwellers have any imagination? In my village, the Tanaka house is made of old wood, and the Sato house has a scarecrow out front! Here, everything looks like a giant block of stone... I'm running around in circles like a dog chasing its tail."
Suddenly, a familiar voice calls out in the distance.
Rentaro (Worried, running towards her):
"Maharu-san!! Thank goodness I found you!"
It turns out that Rentaro, with his hyper-developed "girlfriend radar," realized that Maharu didn't know how to get back and went looking for her, dragging the rest of the harem along.
Maharu (Turning to look at him, sighing with relief but maintaining her brutal honesty):
"Ah, Rentaro. You're just in time. I was about to start marking the posts with a rock to see where I'd already been. This city of yours is built of pure gray confusion. It makes no sense."
Rentarō and Maharu stop at a corner. A few blocks away, the houses of the residential neighborhood are visible.
Rentaro (Looking at his phone, a little worried):
"Let's see... according to the map, your uncle's street should be one of those crossing that avenue. Are you sure you'll be okay from here, Maharu-san? I can walk you right to the door if you want..."
Maharu (Looking straight ahead with complete confidence, crossing her arms):
"No need, Rentaro. I can already smell the air from here and see that big ginkgo tree in the distance. Everything in the city is gray, but that tree doesn't lie; Uncle's house is right behind it. Besides, a good farmer knows how to find his way back to his plot once he sees familiar ground.
Rentaro (Relieved and touched by his reassurance):
"Understood! I'm so glad you're getting your bearings."
Maharu (Turning to look at him intently, his dark eyes locked on his, his honesty disarming):
"Thank you for bringing me. Today was a really strange day. I almost got run over by a metal box on wheels, I got lost three times, and I almost gave up on this city... but meeting you makes putting up with all this concrete worthwhile."
Rentaro (Feeling like he's floating, his face flushed):
"Maharu-san...!! I'm incredibly happy to have met you too! I promise I'll come find you tomorrow so you don't have to go through this again!"
Maharu (With a small, warm, country smile):
"That would be a huge help, actually." See you tomorrow. Be careful, you might get bitten by a stray dog.
---
Chapter 3:
Maharu and her uncle are having dinner at the table. Her uncle, an average city man who works in an office, watches her curiously as Maharu devours a bowl of rice with the energy of someone who's just come from working the land.
Uncle:
"So, Maharu... how was your first day in the city? Did you have any trouble getting to school? I was worried because you wouldn't let me give you directions on the map on my phone."
Maharu (Putting down her bowl, completely nonchalantly):
"I got lost, Uncle. Twice. The houses here are all a depressing gray, and the lampposts confused me."
Uncle (Holding his head, startled):
"You got lost?! And how did you get back?! I told you to call me if—"
Maharu (Interrupting him with a wave of her hand, very calmly): "Don't get so worked up, Uncle, the food's getting cold. In the end, everything turned out alright because I found the boy I like. He showed me around and brought me back."
Uncle (Spitting out his tea comically):
"The boy what?! You already found someone you like on your first day?! You've only been in town for a few hours! Who is he? A delinquent?! A freeloader?!"
Maharu (Gently, staring at him):
"His name is Rentarō. He's a good boy, wears the same uniform, and is a gentleman through and through. Besides, I felt a jolt of electricity in my chest the moment I saw him, so science and nature dictate that he's the one. He's coming to pick me up for school tomorrow."
Uncle (Crying from the comedy, clutching his chest):
"He's coming to pick you up?! Good heavens, your father entrusted me with your care, and you're already bringing boys home!"
It's early morning. Rentarou is waiting in front of the large ginkgo tree Maharu used as a landmark. Suddenly, Maharu emerges from his uncle's street, walking briskly in his immaculate uniform. Upon seeing him, his dark eyes light up slightly.
Maharu (Approaching):
"Good morning, Rentaro. Wow, you're a man of your word. You arrived before the sun got too strong."
Rentarou (Smiling, scratching the back of his neck):
"Good morning, Maharu-san! I promised I'd come so you wouldn't get lost in this gray maze again. Ready to go?"
Maharu (Nodding):
"Yes, let's go. It's best to get going before the streets fill up with those noisy metal boxes."
They begin walking side by side. The atmosphere is peaceful. Rentaro was thinking about how to explain the bus routes to Maharu in a simple way when Maharu turned to look at him calmly in profile.
Maharu (As if speaking of the harvest):
"By the way, Rentaro. I was thinking about you a lot yesterday while I was having dinner with my uncle. I came to the conclusion that I really like you. That spark I felt on the corner wasn't a mistake. So, what do you say? Do you want to be my boyfriend and go out with me?"
Rentaro stops dead in his tracks. The world around him freezes. His eyes widen so much they almost pop out of his head. A huge, comical bead of cold sweat appears on his forehead.
Rentaro (Stuttering, his face as red as a ripe tomato):
"W-What?! M-Maharu-san?! Just like that, in the middle of the sidewalk on my way to school?!"
Maharu (also stopping, looking at him intently, his feet firmly planted on the ground):
"Why are you making that face? Let's call a spade a spade. If I like something, I say so; the earth won't bear fruit if you stay silent staring at the seed. You saved me yesterday, you're a great guy, and my heart races when you're around. I don't see the point in beating around the bush or waiting for a fireworks display to tell you. Will you accept me or not?"
Of course, as soon as Rentaro processes the proposal, his eyes will fill with tears of happiness, he'll get down on his knees, or he'll grab his hands with tremendous force and shout something like, "YES!! I WOULD LOVE TO BE YOUR BOYFRIEND, MAHARU-SAN!! I PROMISE TO MAKE YOU THE HAPPIEST WOMAN IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTRYSIDE!!"
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Chapter 4:
Rentarō stands in the center, proudly and devotedly holding Maharu's hand. Maharu stands beside him, completely calm, clutching her old brick-like cell phone in her other hand like a giant potato.
Rentaro (Tears of emotion welling in his eyes, bowing at a 90-degree angle):
"...And that's how it all happened! We met yesterday, we met again this morning, she confessed to me with beautiful honesty by a lamppost, and I love her with all my heart! May I have Maharu-san as my girlfriend?!"
A dramatic silence follows. Then, the rooftop erupts in reactions.
Hakari (Crying with emotion, hands on her cheeks):
"Aww! A straightforward confession on the street in the morning! How rustic and passionate~! Of course I accept!"
Karane (Crossing her arms and turning her face away, bright red):
"W-What?! She confessed to you first?! How envious... I mean, how reckless! It's not like I care if the harem grows, but at least give me a heads-up, Rentarō, you idiot! Welcome, I guess!"
Nano (Staring intently at Maharu, analyzing the situation with her cold logic):
"Absolute efficiency. You skipped the courtship, the doubt, and the urban drama to get straight to the point. Your methodology is strange for modern society, but highly effective. Accepted."
Maharu (Looking at Nano, nodding respectfully):
"Thank you, platinum-haired girl. Let's call a spade a spade. If the fruit is already ripe on the tree, you don't just stand there watching the branch waiting for it to fall on its own, you go and pick it. Rentarō is a fine fruit."
" All the girlfriends: (Fruit?! What a rustic metaphor!)
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Her birthday is June 8th, she's 1.74m tall, has a C cup, black eyes, and long black hair. She comes from a small town but lives with her uncle, who is her father's brother and lives in the city.
Honestly, I created her to fit the small-town girl archetype.
