Chapter 9: [There’s no point in doing something like this.]

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Translator: Soafp

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“It’s already 5 AM…”

I wake up.

By the way, my whole family is overseas. My parents are there for work, and my little sister went along with them.

That leaves me alone in this 1LDK apartment.

In other words, I can do whatever I want.

Even if I start raising ants, no one will complain. Pets are technically prohibited, but small birds and hamsters are allowed.

So, ants should be fine.

First up: the monkey bars—off to the park we go.

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“…Whoa, close one.”

Oh yeah, I forgot—if I step off the white lines on the crosswalk, I die (???).

Carefully, I make my way across. Surprisingly, this is kind of fun.

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At 5 AM, the nearby park is completely deserted.

Actually, I haven't been here since elementary school. I never really had a reason to.

The spring sky is still dim, though it's starting to brighten.

I'm wearing shorts that are easy to move in, a breathable white shirt, and a hoodie over that.

Now, here I am, alone in the park at dawn, gripping the monkey bars.

“—ugh! Ah!!”

I try a backflip first.

But…

My body won't move.

“Hah… ha… No way.”

I can't lift myself up at all.

That's right—I’ve never managed to do a single backflip in my life.

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I grab my phone and search.

[How to do a backflip—tips and tricks]

Ah, the internet—always there when you need it.

“Okay, I get it…”

At least I can say I'm rounding up to 170 cm tall (desperation much).

And I want to believe my muscles haven't completely deteriorated.

So, it must be a mental block, then.

Maybe it's the fear of being upside down.

That might be it.

Just go for it!

“Nggh… oof!”

I let out a pitiful sound, half-rotating before flopping back down.

… Still not there yet.

If I call myself a monkey bars enthusiast and can’t even do a backflip, I'll be a laughingstock.

It's 50 minutes till 6 AM. I still have time.

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Looking back, I think I've always been kind of pretentious, even as a kid.

Take these monkey bars, for example.

—I used to say, ‘What's the point of doing something like this?'

I acted like I was above it all, just to justify my inability to do it.

I focused only on ‘meaningful' things like studying.

…But someone like that could never be interesting.

“—Nghh…”

The movement of running up to do a backflip on the monkey bars is seriously uncool.

And failing makes it look even worse.

Now, I get it. I was just afraid of embarrassing myself back then.

Success usually follows failure, but I stuck to what I could already do—studying.

So…

It might be too late, but I want to redo ‘me' from now on.

“Nggh… Uoooooh!!”

I grip the bar at my waist.

Then, I push my legs up hard and flip backward!

“…I… I did it…”

The view after spinning 360 degrees is the same as before.

But somehow, it feels like my world has changed—

“—Ah, Onii-san, could I have a word with you?”

In front of me is a navy and light blue uniform.

The word ‘POLICE’ is written across it.

“Eh?”

Somehow, a police officer had appeared.

…My world might be ending (despair).