Mappa was resolute in trying not to do netorare for a following work after concluding Ryousai-chan’s Soushuuhen.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Well, this is not netorare but it is not a totally happy vanilla story either, it’s more of a melancholic tale; basically the (unnamed, or more specifically hidden name) protagonist is a completely unremarkable person that sits even below the bottom of the school hierarchy, he is completely invisible, not even good enough to be bullied, to everyone he is “Zero” (title drop) or “Air”, but mostly Air (Kuuki) as he referred to as such in this story, thus Kuuki it is.
In contrast there’s Ena Jirai, a girl whom everyone just badmouths all the time, spreading all sorts of nasty rumors due her detached mannerisms and looks, and now that she has so many piercings, even got a new one, the rumors that she is a vile girl and a slut just keeps circulating; Jirai though, doesn’t care, she has completely isolated herself from the outside world. There lies the irony, however, as a mere gesture of picking Jirai’s earbud once has led Kuuki to be the only person who wants to talk with Jirai in friendly terms, she reciprocated this odd friendship after hearing Kuuki mumble to himself the girls who gossip about Jirai’s baseless rumors are totally irresponsible, they don’t know a single thing about Jirai.
Thus, Kuuki and Jirai keep this unexpected friendship as the only light in their unfulfilling school life, one day, however, Kuuki stumbles on Jirai being assaulted by one of the popular boys, the guy rages at her, blaming Jirai for the rumors spreading to this extent, if only she accepted him as her lover he wouldn’t have spread them! Jirao tells him to fuck off, but the guy violates her (not explicitly shown for more one panel), Jirai just resigned herself, she noticed Kuuki was watching but he didn’t do anything…
Once Jirai is alone Kuuki approaches her and apologizes for not doing anything to help, it’s ok, Jirai says there was no need to lift a finger to help someone like her… NO! Kuuki interjects, he doesn’t believe Jirai is some slut that fucks for money, but Jirai casually tells Kuuki it is no lie, she does fuck for money, even fucks teachers for grades, that guy was one of her clients, after having her once he wanted Jirai to only be his, she refused him and so the rumors spread, it’s ok, that’s who she is… but Kuuki strongly rejects Jirai beating herself like that, he thinks she doesn’t deserve all this hate, it’s just not right, she is a good person, Kuuki believes this to the point of tearing up.
Jirai is surprised someone would feel that sad for her, she wants to cherish Kuuki, she only knows how to please man so she apologizes for sucking his dick is all she can do to thank his empathy, but Kuuki kisses Jirai after getting a suck, Jirai is further taken aback, no one kissed her after sucking a dick before, she laughs a little, then fully undressed, Jirai offers herself to Kuuki but she warns him off still, saying he can just run away and not taint himself with someone like her…
Kuuki fully envelops Jirai, he wants to make herself feel wanted beyond some quick fuck, Jirai is so glad she is the one who is taking Kuuki’s virginity, she wants to feel even closer to him, Jirai asks Kuuki to please call her by her first name Ena, Kuuki does so as he embraces Ena even harder, when he is about to cum Kuuki tries to warn Ena so he can pull out but she crosses her leg, wanting to take all of Kuuki in, Ena asks Kuuki to please tell her his real name…
The scene cuts to Ena and Kuuki already out of school, it’s late at night already, how he reacted to Ena’s request for his real name isn’t shown, but now Kuuki thinks he should confess to Ena so awkwardly calls to Ena on their way home, but she just casually asks what is it, Kuuki-kun? Ena calls him as she has always have, which makes Kuuki give up, he stutters and says oh it’s nothing, Jirai-san… Kuuki went back to calling Ena by her family name in response, a bitter end, showing the little blissful moment they had a while before wasn’t magical enough to completely tear down whatever darkness both Kuuki (still not named) and Ena Jirai have deep within, THE END. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mappa apologizes in the afterword if some people were offput by some dark elements that could be perceived as his usual self in this story despite really trying to avoid doing netorare here, implicitly Mappa means the short segment with Kuuki watching Jirai being taken by that scumbag, even though she was not enjoying it at all; at any case he liked drawing Jirai’s subdued cold expressions but felt he couldn’t resist drawing her more lively during sex; Mappa wishes he can draw more of Jirai in the future.
Well I too hope Mappa and his audience actually push for a sequel, maybe Kuuki and Ena have a chance to be happy then, if Mappa still wishes not to do any netorare for this that is.