yuzuumachi

Iwasaki Yuto is an ordinary college student who views himself as nothing more than an unremarkable "NPC" in the grand scheme of life. He goes through his days quietly, blending into the background at school and keeping to himself. His world revolves around gaming, anime, and escaping the harsh reality of his social invisibility. Yet, despite his attempts to stay unnoticed, he can’t shake the feeling that something is missing—especially when it comes to love.

In his daily routine, Yuto faces the same struggles of rejection, loneliness, and self-doubt. He watches others live out their high school romance fantasies while he remains on the sidelines, quietly wishing for a chance to experience something meaningful. But when fate throws him into unexpected situations and confrontations, Yuto begins to question if he’ll always be a background character in his own life—or if, somehow, he’s destined for more than the ordinary existence he’s resigned himself to.

My Part-time Girlfriend

Just thinking her name makes my chest tighten with a complex knot of emotions I don't know how to untangle. She'd been there that morning at Yuto's apartment, watching everything with those observant eyes that see far more than she ever lets on. She'd stood quietly in the doorway, taking in the scene with the kind of careful attention she pays to everything that matters to her.

And Yuto matters to her. I can see it in the way she looks at him when she thinks no one's watching—soft and hopeful and achingly tender. It's in the way she remembers the little things about him, how he takes his coffee and which subjects make him light up with genuine enthusiasm. The way she positions herself near him during group activities, not pushy or obvious, just... present.

She's been waiting, I realize. Patiently, quietly, hopefully. Waiting for him to notice her the way she's always noticed him.

Chapter 28.1