However, Takeru’s thoughts seemed to be heading in a completely different direction.
“Whoa… could this be the beginning of a new love? Damn, I feel like I just found a way to become even happier. I’m going to try making a move on Hanazono—”
Before I could understand what he meant, Yuzuha shrugged her shoulders.
“You should stop, Arino-kun.”
“Eh, why? I haven’t even finished saying it.”
“You pretty much said it all the way to the end, though? The point is, Hanazono-san is too much for you to handle, Arino-kun.”
“Ugahhh, too direct!?”
When Takeru dramatically held his head in his hands, Yuzuha burst out laughing.
“Hanazono-san is a flower on a high peak, you know. The complete opposite of me.”
“Don’t put yourself down.”
When I said that sharply, Yuzuha blinked.
“Mm… if that’s how it sounded, I guess I misspoke. Ahaha, I’m happy that Yoshiki defended me. It’s kind of funny though.”
“It’s not funny at all.”
“Sorry, Arino-kun. What I meant was, it’s okay to register my contact info from the group LINE, you know. Look, I’m easy to register with, aren’t I?”
“T-true, you are easy to approach. Can I also register from the class LINE?”
“Of course!”
Yuzuha wore a bright smile.
Takeru’s face lit up and he replied with a question.
“Could it be that Yoshiki also started contacting you after registering from the group?”
“Hmm, did I mention that? What do you think, Yoshiki?”
“I think that’s how it was. Maybe you looked out for me.”
There’s no way I could have asked back then.
Before I could add that, Takeru’s shoulders slumped.
“Yoshiki got approached by Yuzuha-san… there really is a difference in treatment…”
“Eh, that’s an exaggeration.”
Yuzuha looked troubled as she lowered her eyebrows.
Listening to this series of conversations and seeing Takeru’s dejected behavior, I felt relieved inside.
With this kind of lightheartedness, his earlier statement about targeting Hanazono was probably half-joking.
More than that, Takeru is surely happy right now.
After all, Takeru is one of the notable Yuzuha fans in Class 2-2.
For him, just exchanging words with Yuzuha is an event, and moreover, getting her to laugh and having contact exchange confirmed would be the ultimate joy for a guy.
I left the two of them and stood up, heading toward Hanazono.
When I stood in front of her while she was seated, Hanazono looked at me with slight surprise.
“Yosshi. What is it?”
“Well, you know…”
“Yeah.”
Hanazono was waiting for my words.
I somehow managed to ask the girl who tilted her head slightly.
“What should we do? Should we tell our classmates?”
“…I’ll leave it to you? I’m fine with either.”
Hanazono raised the corners of her mouth with a gentle expression.
Each of her long eyelashes swayed faintly.
“…But”
“But?”
Hanazono rested her cheek on her hand and looked out the window.
“I think it’s better not to say anything.”
A suggestion while still leaving the choice to me.
But for me as her boyfriend, it was as if the choice had disappeared.
“I don’t want to get involved in weird things.”
“…Right, I knew that, but. It would be troublesome if it became a hassle.”
“Ah, sorry. It’s not like I want you to be considerate.”
At Hanazono’s denial, I blinked.
“I said it because I felt sorry. Sorry for making you misunderstand.”
“I-I see.”
“Yeah. But… thanks. You ended up being considerate anyway.”
“No, it’s not like that…”
Her feelings should be respected.
Such a natural value system had thankfully taken root in my mind.
Even though I had no experience with having a girlfriend, I wonder who taught me that.
As I was lost in thought, Hanazono briefly touched the hem of my uniform.
Hanazono lowered the corners of her eyes at me and spoke.
“Yosshi. Please take care of me from now on.”
“…Yeah.”
“Fufu.”
She laughed.
A small voice meant only for me to hear.
That proved the reality that Hanazono had become my girlfriend.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
The morning homeroom seemed like it would drag on longer than usual.
Our homeroom teacher, Hasegawa-sensei, was recruiting volunteers to clean in front of the staff room.
Since it was during lunch break and mainly involved heavy labor moving luggage, naturally no hands went up.
Seeing this, Hasegawa-sensei quickly said, “Yuzuha, can I leave it to you?”
“Me again? Sensei, decide for yourself.”
In situations like this, it’s often not the teacher but Yuzuha who makes the decisions. It’s probably faster that way.
As soon as Yuzuha stood in front, she looked around the classroom sharply.
Then she announced without hesitation.
“Then the temporary staff room helper group will be Miyagi and Minegishi’s group, okay?”
“Why us?! That place is really far from the classroom! Plus, it being during lunch break is seriously impossible!”
The boys protested against the somewhat forceful announcement from the podium.
However, Yuzuha shook her head in a practiced manner.
“I understand that the distance is annoying, but someone has to do it, right? Since it’s mainly moving luggage, isn’t this a chance for the boys to show off their strength?”
“There’s a man right there—Hasegawa-sensei.”
“Ah, true.”
“Hey, don’t just agree with that!”
Hasegawa-sensei, who was standing nearby, retorted, and small laughter arose in the classroom.
Now that it was June, the members of Class 2 had become quite friendly with each other.
Yuzuha brought the conversation back in a casual tone.
“This time’s help involves moving a lot of luggage, you know? All the girls think we should ask the sports clubs for help.”
“Ugh… then it can’t be helped.”
When some of the boys gave in, Yuzuha snapped her fingers and said, “It’s decided!”
The chime rang at just the right timing, and today’s homeroom came to an end.
“Yuzuha is surprisingly serious, isn’t she?”
“I’m as serious as I look.”
“Where?!”
While I could hear casual conversation, I stood up because there was something bothering me.
At the end of my gaze was Remi Nikaido.
My childhood friend and first love.
And also the girl I once had a good thing going with.
“Remi, good morning. You barely made it to school on time.”
When I spoke to her from behind, Remi’s shoulders trembled with a start.
Then she turned around with eyes that looked like she was seeing something unbelievable.
“Wh-what’s with that face?”
“Are you sane?”
“What do you mean by that? Also, is the cat okay?”
I confirmed with my childhood friend, whose genuine expression was leaking out.
Based on past experience, Remi puts on an act at school to live safely.
Remi also seemed to realize this and put on a fake smile.
“Are you sane?”
“The words don’t change…”
When I replied like that, Remi stood up abruptly.
Without even properly responding, she went out to the hallway and went to put away her textbooks in her locker.
“What’s with her?”
I muttered that and immediately chased after Remi.
She probably meant for me to follow her.
When I went out to the hallway, fortunately there were no familiar faces around.
“Remi, don’t be so cold to me. Just because that succeeded doesn’t mean there’s any reason we can’t talk—”
“Who are you?”
“Wha—”
“Don’t talk to me so casually.”
Remi said curtly and walked away briskly.
I stood there with my mouth agape, staring at my childhood friend’s back.
…She’s being unusually, no, abnormally cold, isn’t she?
Last month, Remi and I had our first reunion in four years.
Those four years had greatly changed Remi’s attitude toward her surroundings and the relationship between Remi and me.
That said, she had never been as cold to me as she was now during any of our interactions since we reunited.
Besides, Remi isn’t the type to be cold to people without reason.
Although, back in elementary school, she did seem cold when rejecting the boys who pursued her—
As I stood there dumbfounded, someone poked me from behind with their finger.
When I turned around, Yuzuha, who had finished her conversation with the boys, was peeking at me with a somewhat awkward expression.
“Yoshiki, were you fighting with Nikaido-san?”
“You saw that?”
“Just the end. I was planning to surprise you, but then this happened. Did you do something to make Nikaido-san angry?”
“I didn’t do anything. I thought she might celebrate with me today…”
When I said that bitterly, Yuzuha scratched her cheek.
“……Ah, I see, so that kind of thing. I probably understand.”
“I don’t get it at all though. So what type exactly?”
“Hmm, that’s something you’ll have to ask her yourself. If you want, should I call her back for you?”
“Why would you do that? It’s none of your business, Yuzuha.”
When I reflexively declined like that, Yuzuha blinked her eyes.
“None of my business? Hmm. Hmm……. Hmm!?”
As Yuzuha’s expression gradually became more stern, I hurriedly apologized, “No, sorry!”
An ordinary citizen has no means to dodge the intimidating aura from a top-caste person like Yuzuha.
Thanks to that, I came to my senses and was able to bow my head slightly.
“Sorry, it’s not that it’s none of your business! I just felt bad about it. It’s a problem between me and Remi.”
At my explanation, Yuzuha narrowed her eyes, and after a few seconds, she snorted.
“……Well, whatever. Either way, I can kind of imagine what’s going on, so I’ll give you some advice.”
“Eh, what?”
“There’s only one reason. The thing that changed about Yoshiki since yesterday is your girlfriend, right? Did you talk with Nikaido-san about what you’re going to do about that?”
“What we’re going to do……?”
“See, I knew it.”
Yuzuha nodded as if this was exactly what she expected.
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