WataMote Chapter 198-2

WataMote Chapter 198-2
Information
Volume Number	21
Chapter Title	Because I'm Not Popular, I'll Go to Yū-Chan's School. (Part Two).
Published	October 27, 2021
Previous Chapter	Chapter 198-1
Next Chapter	Chapter 199

私がモテないのはどう考えてもお前らが悪い!

Watashi ga Motenai no wa dō Kangaetemo Omaera ga Warui!

No Matter How I Look at It, It’s You Guys' Fault I’m Not Popular!

Synopsis

Shown: "Juicy" Tomoko

The cover depicts Yū walking with Tomoko and Kotomi. Yū bashfully notes to them that she made everyone act in her consideration even though they all came together. When Tomoko expresses surprise, she explains that they grouped the two of them with her. With a flowered background, Chibi Yū confesses that it has been a dream of hers to walk around her school together with them. Chibi Tomoko suggests that she is exaggerating, but Yū insists that she is not, and she has dreamed of this moment many times. As she does up her hair into a pony tale, Tomoko replies that since this is a school festival, they need to give Yū something in return. Kotomi reacts with an "A?" but Tomoko presents herself as she declares that they are in a middle school-era image club (イメージクラブ・imēji kurabu), "juicy (JC) image!" Chibi Yū squeals that she is so cute; Tomoko replies that it is ¥1000 for two hours.

More serious, she turns to Kotomi and rhetorically asks her if she had shorter hair in middle school, then commands her to shave her head so she can relive that era. Kotomi denies that there ever was such an era. Chibi Yū cheerfully wonders if she should return to her long braids. Chibi Tomoko muses that that would make Yū dangerously erotic and turn the situation into an image club. Kotomi interrupts to ask where they should go. Yū replies that her friends recommend the roller coaster and the rāmen. Tomoko dismisses the roller coaster as shabby and dangerous.

On cue, the next panel depicts the roller coaster manned by anonymously drawn students. As one girl squeals as she rides it, Hina marvels that even their school does not have such a roller coaster. She asks Yuri and Itō if they want to ride it since they are there, Yuri immediately declines which Hina deems to be very fast. Chibi Hina then recalls that Yuri is not good with roller coasters. Chibi Yuri retorts that it is not scary because it is a roller coaster; it is scary because it is something the students made. The scene shifts to depicts her in the coaster, a bracket breaks, and the coaster tips over expelling her. The next panel reveals this was a visualization of a description by Yuri. She intently demands to know from Hina what if an accident like that happened. Hina replies that she is sure they took safety into consideration. As a chibi, she invites Itō to try it. Itō agrees without excitement which she does not show throughout her ride. At the end, she thinks that it felt a little like an accident.

The scene shifts to another site in the festival which serves rāmen. A girl with bleached hair pulled back into two impressive ponytails sits with Asuka. She notes that it has been a long time, and they have not seen one another since the "mixer (合コン・gōkon)." Asuka confirms this, and her friend notes that since she never got into contact with her since that time, she wondered if they had messed up, and she then asks if the boys from her school were annoying. Asuka assures her that she simply became busy. Asuka continues that she has been playing with her friends and helping a girl from Hongō study. Her friend agrees with Asuka and confesses that she finds the mixers boring as well and finds it more fun with just the girls. However, when she asks Asuka who the girl is and if she knows her, Asuka changes the subject to remark that the rāmen is amazing. She agrees and states that the boys really put their best effort into it.

Shown: Asuka's Friend
Not Shown: "Enthusiasm"

A large bowl of rāmen is deposited on the table with the enthusiastic declaration that it is on the house and has plenty of garlic and oil. Whilst Asuka stares at the bowl with an expression not entirely unlike enthusiasm, her friend scolds the server that Asuka cannot eat something like that, and he should put more thought into how much garlic he adds. Staring with a calm and willing expression, and surrounded by animesque light and floating feathers, Asuka replies that it is fine and she will eat it.

The next scene shows the trio of Tomoko, Yū, and Kotomi enjoying snacks as they lean over the railing to observe the events below. The view shifts to behind them. Tomoko remarks to Yū that, from what she has seen, her school really went all out for their festival. Yū responds that she is not sure if it was Twitter or Tik Tok – both censored in the Japanese Original – but they received a lot of attention for their previous year's festival. This inspired them to put in some effort.

Shown: Tomoko and Kotomi with an Expression WataMote Wiki Cannot Adequately Describe™

Yū suddenly turns to the both of them and asks if they would mind if she took a picture with them. They both react in surprise, but the next panel shows her taking the "selfie" with them. Kotomi and Tomoko comply but look at one another with expressions that WataMote Wiki cannot adequately describe.

The scene shifts to a corridor with a comic dinosaur prop that reads "No Entry Besides Student." The next panel shows the trio walking with Kotomi looking back and asking if it is fine since the sign said "No Entry." Yū assures her that it just means this area of the school is not used for the festival. In front of her, Tomoko startles. She sees a few anonymously drawn students sitting on the steps of a staircase. She inwardly thinks that they are loners, then recalls that it was like her first school festival. They enter a science room and sit at a large bench. Yū explains that she wanted to use a regular classroom, but this was the only one available. Yū confesses that she wonders if this is what it would feel like if they took classes together. Tomoko replies that she thinks it was like this during middle school.

Yū confesses that during her first year, while she made new friends, there were some things that did not go well. She often found herself thinking of her time with the two of them. As Chibi, with a background of a sketch of the three of them as middle schoolers sitting and giggling together, Kotomi happily admits that there was something nostalgic about it. Chibi Yū laughs that the three of them hung out together so much, and it was so fun. With a sketch of Kawamote, Chibi Tomoko laments, "until Kawamote-san came along, that is. . . ." Chibi Kotomi tells her not to phrase it like that, since she cannot tell if Tomoko is saying it is a good or bad thing.

Yū continues that it was because she went to a different school, she had all sorts of new experiences, but it was not all fun. With a view of their feet, Chibi Yū happily concludes that, in the end, she is with them in the same classroom, and she got to become friends with their other friends. Lascivious Chibi Tomoko asks if "experiences" include sexual ones, but Smiling Chibi Yū replies, "Secret!"

As they walk the corridor, Yū startles a bit. She stares with a forced pleasant look at a boy approaching her, which Tomoko notices. It is revealed that an anonymously drawn boy with black hair wearing a t-shirt advertising Class 3-A's takoyaki is walking with a similarly attired anonymous boy with blond hair towards then past the trio. As they pass them, Blond calls to Black and asks if that is not his girlfriend. Black curtly replies that his friend is talking about the past. Tomoko looks back at them and hears Blond remark that he heard there is a cute girl from Haramaku and his friend should get a new girl. Black again curtly responds, "who cares."

Both Tomoko and Kotomi look at Yū who still maintains her forced pleasant expression.

The scene shifts to a sign that welcomes people to the "Bunny Cafe." Outside, Hina sees Asuka approach with Yuri and Itō behind her. Asuka is wearing a mask, and Hina asks her about it. Asuka dismisses her question with a "it's a little, you know." Tomoko and Kotomi arrive, with Kotomi having changed into her stylish street clothes and Tomoko back into her school uniform. In this scene, both Yuri and Itō are surrounded by little stars. Tomoko apologizes to Yuri and asks her if she has been waiting. Yuri replies that she has not. For her part, Kotomi suggests to "Itō-san" that it was "bad, right?" but Itō ask her what she is talking about. As a chibi, Kotomi explains that it must have been awkward, but Itō dismisses this with "not in particular."

A delighted Yū thanks them for coming, and Hina asks her to exchange Line addresses. With a flowered background, Chibi Tomoko suggests that Yū should come to their festival next month. Chibi Yū notes that they are doing a movie, but Chibi Hina pleasantly confesses that they have not done anything. Yū waves to them as they leave. Tomoko announces to them that she is going to take a moment and buy some takoyaki. Chibi Yuri asks her if she should go too, but Chibi Tomoko tells her it is fine. Chibi Kotomi thinks for a moment. Chibi Itō then asks Chibi Kotomi if she is going. Kotomi agrees she will and tells Itō to go on ahead. With confused expressions, the normal Yuri and Itō watch the pair leave.

As they walk, with Tomoko a pace ahead of Kotomi, Kotomi cautions her not to do anything "unnecessary." She then adds the rhetorical question that this is about the ex-boyfriend. Tomoko admits that she is just angry that he seems more earnest than she expected. With a flashback, she explains that she remembers that he was the guy who called out to Yū during their middle school graduation. Kotomi rhetorically asks that he went to their school. Back to the present, Tomoko states that because of him she lost touch with Yū for three months, so she is not doing this for Yū, she wants to tell him something herself.

The Ex works at the stall for takoyaki. He over hears Tomoko claiming that Yū looks so happy in the picture. The scene pulls back to reveal Tomoko pretending to show a picture on her phone to Kotomi. She declares that since Yū is into girls, a "weak-ass" boy could never generate such an expression. Tomoko continues to remark that "Asuka" has been training Yū. "She pretty much can't live without us anymore," she concludes. As the Blond guy hands the dish to them, Tomoko adds to Kotomi that they will be sure to play with Yū in the place of her "short and small boyfriend."

As they walk away, Yū's Ex watches them.

Kotomi, carrying the takoyaki, asks Tomoko what that was all about. She replies that she figured that she would use "NTR speech," to damage his brain. Chibi Kotomi asks her if she is a moron. Chibi Tomoko angrily reacts, but Kotomi continues that she was wondering what Tomoko would say, and what she said was stupid. She asks Tomoko why she would use "NTR" when she never slept with her. She then smiles as she inwardly muses that, to be honest, her days with "this bitch and Naruse-san" were "stupid." Tomoko replies that she has slept with Yū "emotionally." When Kotomi asks her how she could know the Ex is "short and small," she explains that all boys who get "NTR'd" are "short and small."

Characters

In order of appearance:

• Yū Naruse
• Tomoko Kuroki
• Kotomi Komiyama
• Hina Nemoto
• Yuri Tamura
• Hikari Itō
• Asuka Katō
• Asuka's Friend (Mei)
• Kawamoto (flashback)
• Yū's Ex

Referbacks

• Festival Chapter: this is a direct continuation of the previous.
• "A roller-coaster at a school festival?": In Chapter 186-2, a student proposed this for class 3-5.
• "You're bad with roller coasters": In Not at All Disneyland, depicted in Chapters 126, and 129, Yuri reacts poorly to fast rides like roller coasters.
• "Asuka, long time no see": In Chapter 170, Asuka stated that she has friends in Makuhari Hongō High School, with one being in common with Yū and named Sawa. Her other friend in this chapter is presumably Mei.
• "It's fine... I'll eat it": In Chapter 193, because of Fūka's suggestion, Asuka and the rest of WataGirls™ suffered gastronomic distress from the huge portions served at "Rāmen Bastard." Despite the size, Asuka insisted on eating all of it, whilst taking a break to vomit in the bathroom, to avoid offending the establishment and Fūka. This time Asuka bravely consumes a lot of garlic.
• "Loners, huh...": Tomoko remembers her days as a loner from her 1st year school festival in Chapter 21.
• "Until Kawamoto-san came along": a girl not mentioned since Chapter 78.
• "That's all in the past": in Chapter 100, Yū confessed to Tomoko and Kotomi that she broke up with her boyfriend because he did not like that she chose to hang out with her friends instead of him, and she did not like how he wanted to touch her body all the time.
• "So he went to the same middle school as us": Tomoko recognized Yū's ex-boyfriend as the boy who asked her out at the conclusion of their middle school graduation ceremony, remembered in Chapter 37.
• "I've slept with her emotionally": Tomoko possibly talks about the incident of 1st year Christmas when she imagined what Yū could be doing with her boyfriend in the Volume 6 Special Edition.

Cultural References

• Image Clubs (イメージクラブ): As the "Fanilation" notes, and Jisho explains, these are sex clubs where the women dress in various rolls such as office worker, nurse, and even school uniforms to satisfy the customers' fantasies.
• Joint Party (合コン・gōkon): Meanwhile . . . in Japan, how they do "mixers."
• Student Roller Coaster: Video hosted by Twitter user 束原智也.
• Takoyaki (蛸焼): "Octopus balls." Let WataMote Wiki rephrase that. . . .
• NTR: linkypoo explains the term both Tomoko and Kotomi use.

Trivia

• "I wasn't waiting/about what": The sparkly stars surrounding Yuri and Hikari suggest that they were not honest about being fine when separated from their respective friends and left with Hina.

Memorable Moments

• "She's Got Huge . . . Tracts of Land!": While WataMote Wiki will not discount how Yū's "cups runneth over," for the generic manga/anime girl she is average. Yet Tomoko imagines her to be larger. Make of that what ye will, and may Oyashiro-Sama have mercy on your black souls.
• "Asuka Katō, a girl who frequents mixers": Given that very little is currently known about Asuka's life before high school, this chapter reveals that she used to hang out with her middle school friends in mixer parties with boys, but she has not been in contact with them since the last one.
• No Class: Yū's ex-boyfriend is in class 3-A.
• "Finally, I have them all": With Hina's offer to exchange LINE information with Yū, she joins Yuri and Asuka.
• "Say my name!": While slow paced and progressive, Tomoko is gaining more confidence to call Asuka by first name without using the honorific. She moves from stammering in Chapter 184-2 directly in her face, and by phone in Chapter 186-2, to being able to refer to her in her head with "Asuka-san" in Chapter 193, to now addressing her by her first name in a casual conversation.

Quotes

• "But it's been a dream of mine for the three of us to walk around my school together" – Yū Naruse to Tomoko Kuroki and Kotomi Komiyana
• "... Well, it's middle school festival, so we'd better give you something in return Yū-chan. It's a middle school era image club" – Tomoko
  • "Wah! You're so cute, Mokocchi" – Yū
• "Two hours for 1000 yen" – Tomoko
• "My friends told me the ramen an roller-coaster were amazing" – Yū
  • "A roller-coaster at a school festival? That sounds shabby and dangerous" – Tomoko
• "Come to think of it, you're bad with roller-coasters, aren't you?" – Hina Nemoto
  • "It's not scary because it's a roller coaster, it's scary because it's something students made." – Yuri Tamura
• "It kinda felt like and accident... could have happened" – Hikari Itō
• "You didn't really get in contacto with us since then, so we were worried that we messed up somehow. Were the boys from our school annoying" – Mei (?)
  • "It's not that. I just got busy, is all. Playing with my friends, and helping a friend from Hongō study" – Asuka Katō
• "From what I've seen so far, you guys really went all out with this school festival" – Tomoko
  • "I don't know whether it was tw*tter or tik*ok, but we got a lot of buzz last year. That's what led up so putting some effort into this year's festival" – Yū
• "Loners, huh... Come to think of it, I was like this during the first year's school festival too..." – Tomoko
• I wonder if this is what it'd feel like if we were taking classes together" – Yū
  • "Ah, I think it was like this during middle school" – Tomoko
• But it was because I went to a different school from you two that I got to have all kinds of experiences. It wasn't all fun and games, but in the end, I'm with you two in the same classroom right now, and I got to become friends with your other friends too" – Yū to Tomoko and Kotomi
• Don't go doing something unnecessary, you hear? It's about him, isn't it? That ex-boyfriend just now..." – Kotomi
  • "No, I'm just pissed that he looked more earnest than I expected... I've just remembered that he was the guy who called out to her during our middle school graduation" – Tomoko
• It's because of him I became estranged from Yū-chan for three months after I graduated. I'm not doing this for Yū-chan. This is something I want to tell him myself" – Tomoko
• Yū-chan looks like she's enjoying herself in this photo. Despite how she looks, she's into girls, so she'd never show this expression to some weak-ass guy. Asuka's been training her daily too. She pretty much can't live without us anymore. Well we'll be sure to play with Yū-chan lots in place of her small pecker of a boyfriend" – Tomoko
• Come to think of it, my days with this bitch and Naruse-san were pretty stupid too" – Kotomi about Tomoko
• ”I've slept with her emotionally" – Tomoko about Yū
• "How do you even know He's got a small pecker" – Kotomi
  • All those guys who get NTR'd have small peckers" – Tomoko about Yū's ex-boyfriend

Gallery

Original Art from Nico Tanigawa Twitter

Shown: Asuka Will Eat

Shown: Yū with a Forced Expression