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| Original Title | 女に臆病な男 |
|---|---|
| Author | 牧野 信一 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | Murakse, a painfully shy middle school teacher, navigates a world that feels too vibrant for his muted existence. Tormented by self-doubt, he impulsively buys a flamboyant necktie—a rare act of rebellion against his drab routine—only to spiral into panic over how his boisterous apartment mates will mock him. These young men, brimming with modern confidence, tease him mercilessly about his "girl-shy" condition, a label that haunts him as both joke and truth. Yet when Fuyuko, a radiant former athlete, enters his life with letters and quiet invitations, Murakse’s carefully guarded solitude begins to crack. Her curiosity about his world—and her unexpected alliance with his mischievous friends—pushes him toward vulnerability he fears and craves. Between prank-filled corridors and hushed conversations in shadowed parks, Murakse grapples with desires he cannot voice: to belong, to be seen, to transcend the armor of his timidity. But as Fuyuko’s presence blurs the line between remedy and recklessness, even small acts of courage risk unraveling him entirely. |