Crossover: After deciding to give up, i became popular

Compared to the rich breakfasts he remembered from his old life, the morning meals in Japan were remarkably simple.

For families with a diligent homemaker, there might be warm bowls of rice and miso soup on the table, paired with tamagoyaki and pickled umeboshi—a comforting and classic spread.

But for most people—whether office workers or students—breakfast meant bread and milk.

What was that saying? "A proper youthful morning isn't complete without running into a girl at a street corner while holding toast in your mouth."

Though clichéd to the point of exhaustion, people still found it endlessly charming. Perhaps it reflected the reality that many Japanese skipped hearty breakfasts but daydreamed of chance encounters with beautiful girls.

When Kanade Natsukawa first arrived in this world, he found the simplicity of breakfast unsettling. Eventually, he adapted, only to regret it when he discovered a hidden gem: a breakfast shop run by a Chinese proprietor.

The shop's significance could be summarized in a single sentence: the owner was a master chef.

Though Chinese immigrants were not uncommon in Japan, many of them congregated in Yokohama's Chinatown. This particular owner, however, had ventured alone into Minato Ward, opening a "non-traditional Japanese" breakfast shop. His culinary skills were so exceptional that he single-handedly dominated the breakfast market in the area.

Queues often stretched out the door, a testament to his food's popularity. On weekends, though, the lines were a bit shorter, allowing Kanade to indulge once more.

"Five pork buns, five shumai, and two soy milk drinks, please," Kanade ordered.

The shop's pork buns were huge and affordable. Though he could barely finish three by himself, he bought extra for Mahiru Shiina. Whatever wasn't eaten could always serve as snacks later.

"Oh, it's you, Kanade! Long time no see!" the shopkeeper greeted him in Mandarin.

"I've been busy with school," Kanade replied with a polite smile, also in Mandarin.

Fluent Mandarin was a skill Kanade had retained from his previous life. Though unused for years, it was as natural to him as breathing.

"Busy with school? Too busy to eat?" The shopkeeper waved dismissively. "Nonsense. You're young—you need energy! Listen, just come by every morning. Take your food and go. You can pay me whenever—it's fine!"

While the shopkeeper was thrilled to meet a fellow Chinese speaker, what delighted him more was Kanade's genuine love for Chinese culture. A high schooler fluent in Mandarin, quoting ancient proverbs, and showing proper etiquette? He was a rare gem.

"Thank you, Uncle Li, but I couldn't impose like that," Kanade replied, shaking his head.

The shopkeeper's kindness warmed Kanade's heart, but he knew better than to take such offers for granted. After paying for his food and exchanging a few more words, he left, grateful yet resolute in maintaining mutual respect.

The Encounter

Breakfast secured, Kanade walked toward home, groceries in tow. But as he neared a bookstore, a familiar golden-haired figure caught his eye.

Dressed in a green jacket, navy jeans, and a brown cap, the girl looked suspiciously out of place.

Despite her attempt at anonymity, her trademark tiger tooth and strands of blonde hair escaping from under the cap gave her away—Eriri Spencer Sawamura.

Kanade stopped to watch her. She paced nervously outside the store, peering in but never entering.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Kanade approached her.

"Eriri, what are you doing here?"

"Eep!" Eriri jumped as if someone had stepped on her tail. She staggered back a few steps before realizing it was Kanade.

"You scared me, idiot Kanade!" she complained, her tone unconsciously slipping into a familiar, whiny pitch.

Kanade raised an eyebrow. "I just said hi. You're the one acting suspicious, creeping around like that. What are you even doing here? Aren't you usually in bed at this hour?"

Eriri pouted. "It's all my mom's fault. She made me get up to run an errand for her."

"An errand?" Kanade glanced at the bookstore's window, taking note of the interior. After a moment, he asked, "Is it… for a doujin?"

"Y-yeah…" Eriri admitted, fidgeting with embarrassment.

She wasn't shy about her interest in doujinshi—Kanade already knew that much. What made her uneasy was the situation itself. In Japan, minors purchasing explicit doujinshi was illegal.

Eriri herself had no qualms about drawing explicit works, as it wasn't against the law. But as a doujinshi artist, she needed to consume content to inspire her own creations. Usually, her mother bought them for her, but today, the tables had turned.

Her mother's threat—"I won't help you buy these anymore if you don't do it yourself!"—had left her no choice.

Kanade sighed.

"You're in trouble, aren't you?" Eriri tugged at his sleeve, her voice tinged with desperation. "Help me out, Kanade. Go in and buy them for me!"

"…Do I look 18 to you?" Kanade deadpanned, pointing to his face.

"You… look older than me?" Eriri offered weakly, her voice uncertain.

Kanade groaned. "Look, if I get caught, I'll be in serious trouble. Do you know what would happen if people found out?"

Visions of scandalous headlines flashed through his mind: "High School Student Council President Arrested for Buying Explicit Material!" It was unthinkable.

"I can't do it either!" Eriri protested. "I'll just have to risk it…"

Kanade hesitated, noticing her conflicted expression. It was rare for Eriri to be this vulnerable.

Finally, he sighed. "Alright, here's the plan. I'll pose as your older brother and go in with you. Act confident—like you know what you're doing. Pick what you want, and when we get to the counter, hand them to me. I'll handle the rest."

Eriri stared at him in shock. "Y-you'll pretend to be my onii-chan?"

"Do you have a better idea?"

"…No, but…" Eriri's face turned red as she stammered, "Fine! If it's the only way to get the doujin…"

Her mind raced.

Onii-chan? Kanade is my onii-chan?

Her heart fluttered at the thought.

Four words echoed in her mind: I've won in life.