When the Introverted Me Got Surrounded by S-Tier Beauties After a Seat Change, a Secret Relationship Began Vol 1 Chapter 4
Chapter 4 : The Arrival of My Popular Phase—First Step to Destruction?
Hey there. Ryouta here—your friendly neighborhood introverted otaku.
What does an introverted otaku do after school? Hit up Animate, or maybe hole up in their room gaming and watching anime, right?
That was my life until recently… but after everything that’s happened, now I’m…
"Crap, I gotta… figure out how to reply to these LINEs."
I’m drowning in the monumental task of replying to LINE messages.
The moment I got home from school and flopped into my gaming chair, I started lazily scrolling through my phone, only to find a mountain of unread messages. Normally, I’d just ignore them—it’s only ever my parents or my older sister—but this time, the senders are…
'Ichinose: Hey, I wanna talk about the movie we're seeing.''Miyama: Ryoutaaaa, look! Found a pill bug on my way home from work!''Kuroki sent an image.'Messages from the three top-tier beauties of my class are flooding my phone, one after another. There’s no way I can just ignore these.
'Ichinose: The Chichikyun movie—I was too embarrassed to go alone… but you'll come with me, right, Izumiya?''Miyama: Ahh! Now it's a tadpole! So gross-cute!''Kuroki sent an image.'The LINE messages from the trio of beauties just won’t stop.
Just three days ago, the only person I ever exchanged LINEs with was my otaku friend Tanaka. Now, in the span of three days, I'm getting messages from three different girls, like some kind of pick-up artist.
"A man who hasn't been seen for three days should be regarded with new eyes"—that saying fits me perfectly right now.
Ugh, replying is such a drag…More than that, I'm genuinely worried I'll send some creepy-ass reply because of how much of an introvert I am. Should I keep the emojis to a minimum? And I probably shouldn't use any of my anime stickers with anyone but Ichinose…
Life is so unpredictable. Here I am, an introvert who can barely use LINE, getting spammed by top-class beauties like they're desperate for my attention.
'Ichinose: After the movie, I wanna go to Animate. That place is hard to go into alone, too.''Miyama: Wowww! Look! A rainbow! Can you see it from your window, Ryouta? The rain stopped, so there's a rainbow in the skyyyy!!''Kuroki sent an image.'Let's see… Ichinose is talking about the movie we're going to see, Miyama is having a conversation worthy of an elementary schooler, and then there's Kuroki…
Wh-what the?Kuroki Rui has been mysteriously sending me nothing but images for a while now. She already gives off this ominous vibe, so why is she sending these LINE messages…
These aren't, like, pictures I shouldn't be looking at, right?Let me check without marking it as read by long-pressing… huh!?
The moment I long-pressed Kuroki's chat, my eyes nearly popped out of my head.
"Wh-what the hell is this…!?"
What Kuroki sent was—a selfie of herself in her track club uniform.
She must have taken it after a meet. Her usually flowing black hair was tied up in a ponytail, and she was showing a lot more skin than usual. Kuroki Rui's slender body was wrapped in a tight, green uniform. Because of the uniform's design, there's no fabric around her midsection, leaving the slim waist and all-too-beautiful curves of the perfect beauty, Kuroki Rui, completely exposed.
Even though track members are supposed to get tan, that toned stomach of hers is strangely pale.
And above all—herbelly button peeking out just a bit.
My eyes were helplessly drawn to it. I wouldn't normally care about a track team photo, but this peek-a-boo belly button made me gulp. Because Kuroki's vertically long belly button had an eroticism that made me want to trace it with my finger.
It's something you can't normally see, but you get just a glimpse—in that sense, a belly button is the same as a nipple. It's no wonder I found it so erotic.
Wh-what incredible eroticism…I'd never seen Kuroki Rui in a sexual way before, but this photo stirred up some strange feelings about her belly button. Faced with the beautiful line of her navel that so perfectly tickles my fetish, I grit my teeth.
"N-No, if I get turned on by a selfie like this, I lose…!"
As I was long-pressing, my finger tapped the screen again, opening the chat.
Oh crap, it's marked as read!Too late… a new LINE message comes through from Kuroki.
'Kuroki: Ah, you read it ♡ What do you think of me in my track uniform? Cute, right?'Kuroki asked, sounding cheerful.
Damn it… marking it as read means I walked right into her trap… I messed up. Because of her perfectionist streak, Kuroki Rui is trying to make me—the only guy from our middle school who didn't confess to her—fall for her and confess.
In other words, I absolutely cannot let her know I got hot and bothered by this belly button pic.
'Kuroki: I'll give you special permission to save those three photos. Whatever you use them for, Izumiya-kun, I won't know, so don't worry ♡'So she's sending these as, what, "sexy selfies"?
…Setting aside what she thinks I'll use them for, I'm muting Kuroki's LINE for a while.
"Still… I never thought that Kuroki Rui would be this aggressive in trying to make me fall for her."
Just sharing an umbrella with Kuroki Rui must have been an incredibly big deal from anyone else's perspective. If Ichinose hadn't called out to us then, I wonder what would have happened.
Wait, now that I think about it, Kuroki seemed like she was about to say something right before Ichinose showed up…
"'Ever since that day…'? Or something like that."
What's this "that day" Kuroki mentioned? Did something happen back in middle school…?
"I have no clue… but right. Tanaka might know something."
I'll ask hertomorrow.
☆☆
The next morning, bright and early.
Walking under a gloomy, overcast sky, I arrived at school early and headed to where that person would be. My goal: meet up with my otaku friend and fellow middle school alum, Tanaka Kanade.
"Tanaka always gets to school early and hangs out at that place before homeroom, right…?"
Tanaka Kanade is an introverted otaku, just like me. She's short, hides her eyes behind long bangs, and speaks in a mumbling whisper in front of the popular kids—a total homebody. Well, when she's talking with me about otaku stuff, she babbles on like some kind of stand-up comedian.
Like Kuroki, Tanaka is one of the few people from my middle school, and on top of that, she's an excellent student whose academic ability rivals even Kuroki Rui's. Tanaka and I were fellow introverts in the same class for all three years of middle school, and we could talk freely about our hobbies. But after entering high school, we've been in different classes for two years straight, so our conversations have naturally dwindled.
"Alright, here."
The school rooftop, surrounded by a chain-link fence. It's a popular spot during lunch break, but since no one's here first thing in the morning, it's the perfect hideout for introverts.
I climb the ladder up to the roof of the stairwell tower. And on top of it—a small female student is sitting, fiddling with her phone.
"Ohooo~, if it isn't Ryouta-kun! Long time no see!"
"Don't 'oho' me, Tanaka."
"O-Oho!? I-I didn't mean it like that…!"
Red-rimmed glasses are hidden behind her bangs. She's small, but she apparently bought an oversized uniform, expecting a growth spurt (or just trying to look cool). Even now, as a second-year, the sleeves are still baggy, like those moe sleeves you see in anime.
Looks like a loli on the outside. Otaku on the inside… she's a hopeless Kudo Shin●.
(Note: Kudo Shinichi, the mc of detective conan)
"It's been a while, Ryouta-kun."
Tanaka Kanade—my one and only otaku friend.
"Still, it's so cloudy today."
"Yeah. Looks like it might rain this afternoon."
"I guess so."
It's still 7:30. There's an hour until morning homeroom, so I can just chill and chat with Tanaka—wait!
"That's not it!!"
"Hyah! Why are you suddenly yelling? Are you emotionally unstable or something?"
"No! I didn't come here to have a conversation like some old married couple with you!"
"O-Old married couple? Marrying an introverted otaku like you, Ryouta-kun… nah, that'd be rough."
"You're an introverted otaku too!"
Tanaka stuckher tongue out playfully.
"Alright, kidding aside. What do you need?"
Tanaka is so easy to talk to that I tend to let my guard down. I need to get to the point.
"Well, the thing is…"
"Yes?"
Tanaka tilts her head slightly, adjusting her bangs.
"Wh-What I'm about to tell you is not a lie, okay? Not at all."
"You're being awfully dramatic."
I'm not being dramatic. I'm just emphasizing it because there's no way anyone would believe I got close with the entire popular girl clique in just one week.
"You know that group in my class—Ichinose, Miyama, and Kuroki, right? They were in your class last year."
"Ahh, the Trio of Beauties I had nothing to do with. Come to think of it, they're in your class this year, aren't they?"
"Y-Yeah, they are."
"Heh. But there's no way us introverted otaku would ever cross paths with those three, right? Don't tell me they said something nasty to you?"
That's the natural assumption. But no, Tanaka, that's not it.
"A-Actually… I've kinda become friends with them."
"……Huh?"
Tanaka's reaction is exactly what I expected. She takes off her red-rimmed glasses, rubs them with her uniform, and puts them back on.
"The Trio of Beauties? Friends? With you, Ryouta-kun?"
"Yeah. You can think it's a lie if you want. It all started when I got surrounded by them after a seat change, and after a bunch of stuff happened, we ended up getting close."
"Heh? Heheeh?"
Tanaka moves her mouth around like she just ate something weird, a puzzled look on her face.
"Um, I have to ask—Ryouta-kun, has your delusion problem gotten worse lately?"
"I knew you wouldn't believe me!"
"But how could I! What kind of circumstances would lead an introverted otaku destined to be a lifelong virgin and a confirmed NEET wizard to become friends with such glamorous beauties!"
Her impression of me is way too harsh… Even a complete stranger would have a better opinion.
"W-Wait! Could it be, Ryouta-kun, are you being threatened by them? Are they making you treat them to stuff, taking your things, sending you weird pictures!?"
I mean, Miyama did make me treat her to curry, Ichinose took my UFO Catcher prize (I gave it to her), and Kuroki has been sending me weird stuff…
"A-Anyway! I can't go into the details, but it's true that we're friends! You've known me for ages, so at least believe me on that!"
"You and me… o-okay. I'll believe you for now. Continue."
Tanaka gives a small nod, a half-doubting expression still on her face.
You're the one who got us off track in the first place."So, in that group, there's Kuroki from our middle school, right? Apparently, every single guy from our year confessed to her."
"Oh, that story? I remember there was a rumor that you were the only one who didn't."
"A r-rumor!? How did anyone know I was the only one who didn't confess!? Did someone go around asking every single guy if they confessed to Kuroki?"
"Actually, there was a certain 'rule' among the girls in our grade back in middle school."
"A r-rule?"
"Back then, there was something called the 'List of Guys Who Confessed to Kuroki Rui' circulating among the girls. Since all the guys were head over heels for Kuroki-san, it caused a lot of problems for the other girls. The whole phenomenon of every boy falling for her was just abnormal."
"That's… definitely true…"
Even as a guy, I get how abnormal it was.
"What do you mean by 'problems'?"
"If Kuroki-san is popular, it means the guys other girls were interested in wouldn't pay any attention to them, right?"
"Yeah, I guess?"
"So, to find out if the guy they liked had already been shot down by Kuroki-san, the girls would gather intel and compile it in a LINE group to make a list. Basically, girls would check that list before making a move on a guy they liked."
"S-Seriously…!?"
I couldn't hide my shock; it seemed like something far too elaborate for a bunch of middle schoolers.
Girls do that much!? Th-that's terrifying…
However, the very existence of Kuroki Rui was so rare and irregular that perhaps the other girls felt they had to use their heads and resort to something like this.
"Well? I was a loner, so I only heard rumors about the list during P.E. class. I also just happened to overhear the rumor that you were the only one who hadn't confessed, Ryouta-kun. Since you were an introverted otaku, that rumor didn't interest anyone and died out pretty quickly."
It's a blow to my masculine pride and frustrating as hell, but I can't deny it…
"But if you only heard rumors, does that mean you never actually saw the confession list yourself, Tanaka?"
"Huh? M-Me?"
"Even as an introverted otaku, you were still a girl in the throes of puberty back in middle school, right? You must have had a crush on a guy or two, so didn't you want to know about them?"
"N-No… I… um…"
Tanaka takes off her glasses and wipes them again, staring at me. She has this habit of wiping her glasses when she's surprised or flustered, so she must be hiding something.
"I-I… didn't need to ask. I already knew without having to."
"Huh?"
"I mean, um, that's right! I-I'm devoted to my 2D crushes! It used to be otome game characters, but now I'm all about VTubers! Of course, you're the same, right, Ryouta-kun!?"
"Y-Yeah. That's right."
So Tanaka has always been into 2D, huh. Now that I think about it, this might be the first time Tanaka and I have ever had this kind of talk about romance. I thought she might have secretly liked some popular guy from class… but yeah, once you've seen the perfection of 2D ikemen, you can't go back to 3D guys.
"We really haven't changed, have we?"
"……"
"Hm? Tanaka?"
"…Hmph."
"Wh-What's with the puffed-out cheeks? Did I say something to upset you?"
"It's nothing! Anyway, let's get back on topic—you had something you wanted to ask me about Kuroki-san, right?"
"Oh, crap, you're right."
Now's not the time to be getting sidetracked.
"Actually, Kuroki said she's had her eye on me since middle school because I never confessed like everyone else. Apparently, her perfectionism made her annoyed that I was the only one who hadn’t confessed. When she told me about it, she said something like 'ever since that day,' and I'm curious about what 'that day' means… Do you have any idea?"
"How would I know!? My only connection with Kuroki-san was seeing our names lined up as #1 and #2 on the test scoreboards, or passing each other in the halls when I was on the broadcasting committee and she was giving a speech as student council president!"
"R-Right."
"Are you that curious about 'that day,' Ryouta-kun?"
"Yeah. It's kind of creepy that she knows something I don't. And just so you know, there were absolutely no rom-com-like events between Kuroki and me in middle school. I've never saved a beautiful girl in my entire life."
"Yeah, I figured… There's no way you could have saved Kuroki-san… hm?"
"What is it, Tanaka?"
"Oh, no… I feel like I'm about to remember something… it was, let me think… yeah…"
Tanaka mutters to herself, trying to dredge up a memory. Does she know something? I have absolutely no clue…
"Ryouta-kun. I might have one idea."
"Huh? Seriously?"
"I was on the broadcasting committee in middle school, right? We handled MC duties and prepared the backstage equipment for events. So I was always backstage during school assemblies and stuff… and there was a certain incident during the graduation ceremony when we were second-years."
"A-An incident?"
"Yes. Before the farewell address at the graduation ceremony, Kuroki-san, who was the student representative, forgot the script for her speech in the student council room."
"What the…? That Kuroki?"
"Yes. Even Kuroki-san was swamped with track and other things as a second-year, so it would have been difficult to give the farewell address without the script… There was a huge commotion backstage."
I had no idea something like that happened… It's true that Kuroki Rui, in her second year of middle school, was serving as both student council president and track team captain.She always looked busy, but that's a surprisingly careless mistake for a perfect superhuman like her.
"Changing the subject, but there was another incident at that same graduation ceremony, right, Ryouta-kun?"
"Y-Yeah… I definitely remember that one."
That was—the incident that occurred at the graduation ceremony during my second year of middle school. We second-years didn't have much to do, so we just had to sit there, and I ended up dozing off in my folding chair.
Just sleeping would have been fine, but the moment I dozed off—for some reason, I felt my body slip and flip over. When I instinctively opened my eyes, I'd somehow fallen out of my chair. Since this happened right after the graduates' roll call ended and the hall was wrapped in silence, I instantly became the center of attention.
I definitely thought I'd stood out in the worst way, but the homeroom teacher who rushed over somehow thought I was sick, so I was taken away by ambulance. They found nothing wrong but diagnosed me with mild dehydration just to be safe.
The truth about this incident—that I was just dozing off and not actually sick—is something I've only ever told Tanaka.
"But what does my dozing-off-and-getting-carted-off-in-an-ambulance incident have to do with Kuroki's forgotten script?"
"Your dozing-off incident and Kuroki-san's forgotten script incident. At first glance, they seem unrelated, but they're actually connected—your dozing off prevented Kuroki-san's mistake from becoming a disaster."
"…What."
"You collapsed after the roll call ended, right? Because you collapsed, the graduation ceremony paused for a few minutes. During that time, someone was able to run and get the script from the student council room."
So… indirectly, at least, I saved Kuroki?
"Then… 'that day' is…"
"This is just my speculation, but isn't it about that graduation ceremony?"
Did Kuroki think I saved her at the graduation ceremony, become aware of me, and then realize I was the only one who hadn't confessed to her…?
…Wait, wait, wait. That graduation ceremony was at the end of our second year. If she's been targeting me since then, that means I've been marked by Kuroki for two whole years?
"Ah! I need to get back to the classroom soon. Ryouta-kun, let's go."
"Y-Yeah."
With my chest still feeling tight and fuzzy, I leftthe rooftop with Tanaka. When we reached the second-year floor, Tanaka stopped me just before she headed to her own classroom.
"Can I ask you something?"
"We talked about a lot, but in the end, you're not going to confess to Kuroki-san, right?"
"Huh? O-Of course not!"
"R-Right! Confessing is impossible for you, Ryouta-kun!"
I feel kind of insulted, but… she's right. An introvert like me couldn't possibly confess in the first place.
"Well then, I'm heading back!"
"Y-Yeah. Thanks, Tanaka."
We part ways with that brief exchange. Thanks to Tanaka, I feel like things are a lot clearer now. I don't know if the graduation ceremony is actually the reason, but the fog in my head has lifted a bit. I should thank Tanaka properly next time.
Feeling refreshed, I returned to my classroom with a clear head, but…
"Hey, did you two study for the classical lit test, Airi, Rui?"
"I did. What about you, Airi?"
"I didn't. Rui-chan, let me copy off you."
"No way."
In the classroom, the Trio of Beauties was sitting in a row, and Miyama was in my seat.
Hey, hey, isn't this the most awkward "that's my seat…" situation for an introvert!Should I just kill time somewhere else? But there are only two minutes until morning homeroom, so I should hurry up and sit down… Miyama should move if I just show up.
As I slowly approach my desk, I suddenly make eye contact with Miyama.
M-Move, Miyama…!I pray silently. When I arrive in front of my seat, Miyama's eyes go wide as if she sensed my thoughts.
"Oh, right! This is Ryouta's seat! Sorry, sorry~"
Miyama starts to get up… wait, ‘Ryouta’!?
I-Idiot! I almost shout out loud in my panic. Calling me Ryouta in front of Ichinose and Kuroki is a death sentence!
"—Ryouta? Huh? Airi, you're calling Izumiya-kun by his first name…?"
""!""
Kuroki's reaction is lightning-fast, and her sharp observation freezes the air. If it was just a slip of the tongue, it might have been glossed over, but the person who caught it was the brilliant Kuroki Rui.
"—Hey, why? Airi?"
The perfectly gifted Kuroki Rui—blessed with everything except huge breasts and thick thighs—would never overlook such a mistake. Plus, Kuroki had already heard from her track team friends that Miyama and I had eaten together in the cafeteria. Of course she'd be suspicious…
Kuroki Rui is staring at us with even more suspicion than usual, her eyes dark, stagnant, and murky like today's cloudy sky.
"Ah! Airi always! Calls guys by their first names! It's like, a habit from calling her boyfriend by his first name!"
Miyama thinks on her feet and blurts out an excuse.
N-Nice, Miyama! That's a pretty sharp comeback for you.With this, we can somehow—
"Hmm. So what do you call your boyfriend, Airi?"
"Eh? Um…"
Miyama, who just made a sharp comeback, suddenly clams up.
"Y-Youta."
Hey! Of all the names, why did you pick one so close to mine (Ryouta)!?"Ryouta and Youta… they're kind of similar, aren't they?"
Kuroki's gaze turns to me.
N-No! It's not me! Don't get any weird ideas!I shake my head frantically. Then Ichinose, who'd been watching silently until now, starts glaring at me too.
E-Even Ichinose…"So Airi's finally telling us her boyfriend's name, huh."
"I mean, I thought you weren't really interested in that kind of talk, Yuria."
"…Well, whatever. Come on, Airi, hurry up and get to your own seat or the homeroom teacher will chew you out."
"O-Okay!"
Thanks to Ichinose, the conversation finally breaks off.
Phew… Ichinose is like the lubricant for this group of beauties.
Kuroki is too smart, so she gets curious about every little thing, and Miyama is careless and sloppy. These two would always end up in this kind of back-and-forth, so Ichinose's presence is indispensable.
I let out a breath of relief and sink into my seat. Maybe because Miyama was just sitting here, there's a lingering scent of her sweet perfume, and the chair is still warm.
Miyama doesn't just have huge breasts; she has a proper big ass, too, so the chair is warm…"……"
While I'm lost in impure thoughts, a sharp gaze flies at me from Kuroki on my right.
D-Don't tell me she realized I was thinking about Miyama's big ass…!As I'm panicking, I feel another gaze from my left.
"…Jeez, you're getting way too full of yourself. Why are you friends with Airi, too?"
Ichinose mutters with a sigh, her voice barely a whisper.
Even Ichinose… No, this time it's my own fault, isn't it?I was made to realize the gravity of holding each of these three's secrets.
☆☆
After school.
I felt sharp glares from my left and right all day… but nothing major happened, and the day ended.
Today is Friday. Since I have a movie date (as I'm selfishly calling it) with Ichinose on Sunday, I'm planning to buy some new clothes on my way home. I can't exactly show up in my usual lame hoodie and baggy jeans. Even though I'm an introvert, if I'm going to be seen walking next to the school's top gyaru, Ichinose Yuria, I need to at least look presentable.
For now, I'll stop by the department store by the station…
"—Oh, Ryouta, you're finally here~"
The moment I arrive at the school gate, Miyama, who was waiting just outside, pops her head out (her bountiful breasts bouncing and swaying along with the movement).
"M-Miyama? Why are you…"
"I was waiting for you, Ryouta! I wanna get the new Starbucks Frappuccino!"
"New Frappuccino?"
"Come on, you promised! That you'd go on an after-school Starbucks date with me! And of course, you're treating ♡"
Now that she mentions it, didn't she say something about me treating her again? She definitely got a taste for it after that curry and rice.
But cute is justice, and huge breasts are also justice. Knowing Miyama's circumstances, if treating her to food helps those huge breasts grow even more, isn't my true desire being fulfilled…!?
Plus, I was planning to buy clothes today, so I have some extra cash in my wallet.
Alright! I'll make those huge breasts even bigger by treating her!"What's up, Ryouta? You're spacing out. Don't tell me you don't wanna go to Starbucks with Airi?"
"I would be honored to accompany you!"
"Pfft… ahaha! Why are you talking like some lowly subordinate?"
Miyama holds her stomach and laughs.
"Nah, Ryouta, you really are fun to be around. You're funny."
"I-Is that so?"
I'm just an introvert, though."I said 'treat me ♡,' but since you bought me curry rice before, maybe Airi should treat you today?"
"No, I'm definitely treating you! I'm raising them!"
"R-Raising?? What do you mean?"
Crap. My true desires just slipped out!"U-Um, well, if you insist that much, I'll let you treat me, Ryouta… thanks."
Miyama gives an awkward smile, looking a bit weirded out, then starts walking ahead.
If we're going to Starbucks, it'll be that one near the school… That place is always crawling with students from our school, so more troublesome rumors might start…
The Starbucks closest to school is always super popular, especially with the female students. The calm, stylish storefront, and inside, a sea of glamorous-looking high school girls. There's not a single introvert like me, and no gloomy otaku girls like Tanaka who only go to anime collab cafes.
Is it really okay for an introverted otaku like me to be in a place like this? I'm clearly out of my element."Airi wants the matcha and peach one—what about you, Ryouta?"
"Uh, wha?"
"Matcha and melon okay?"
"Uh, y-Yeah, yeah!"
"Jeez, why are you so nervous?"
From the moment we walked in, I've been acting suspicious, and I'm completely stiff standing next to Miyama while we order.
"One Matcha & Peach Frappuccino and one Matcha & Melon Frappuccino, is that correct?"
"Yep. That's right."
I'm as stiff as a board, but thanks to Miyama, we somehow finish ordering, and I handle the payment. For an introvert, Starbucks is completely away territory. Visitor status. Enemy camp.
"Jeez, Ryouta. Are you seriously this nervous at a Starbucks?"
"M-Miyama, you just don't get introverts! This is a hostile environment filled with nothing but extroverts!"
"Huh? I don't really get this whole introvert-extrovert thing."
Haah… this is why the popular girls just don't understand."If Airi is an extrovert, then Ryouta is an extrovert too! You're friends with Airi!"
"No, I'm an introvert."
"Why!"
While we're having this back-and-forth, our Frappuccinos arrive on a tray at the pickup counter. I carry the tray while searching for seats with Miyama. As we look for a place to sit, the eyes of the other girls from our school inevitably fall on us.
Please, don't think I'm her boyfriend."Let's sit here, Ryouta?"
"Uh, o-okay."
Miyama chooses a two-person table by the window and sits down. I place the tray on the table and take the seat opposite her.
"Time to dig in."
Miyama holds the Frappuccino cup with both hands and sips happily. Is it really that good? The whipped cream is piled so high it looks like it's about to overflow, and the combination of melon chunks and matcha makes it an intimidating shade of green… It looks kind of intense, to be honest.
"Hey, it looks like the girls around us think you're my boyfriend."
"Yeah, seems like it."
"I've never had a boyfriend, so I don't know, but… do we really look like we're dating?"
No way, not normally… is what I want to say, but gossipers are always looking for something to talk about. In the end, they just want to squeal and chatter, so they'll cast a guy like me as the boyfriend just to have a story to tell. Even if I were uglier and a total mismatch for Miyama, they'd probably still assume we were together.
"So you really have never had a boyfriend, huh?"
"Of course not! The boyfriend thing is just a cover for my part-time job!"
Given Miyama's specs, it wouldn't be strange at all if she had a boyfriend, so I couldn't really tell if she was lying before. She must really want to keep her job a secret to tell such a blatant lie…
"I was seriously sweating this morning when you said 'Youta' in front of Kuroki."
"Oh, that? When Rui-chan asked for my boyfriend's name, I totally panicked, and 'Youta' was just the first name that popped into my head."
"Wh-What kind of reason is that?"
"I don't know either! Anyway! The Frappuccino wasn't my only goal today!"
"Huh? Is there something else you want to eat?"
"Nooo! That's not it! I'm talking about the 'good idea' I had when we ate lunch together in the empty classroom the other day!"
A good idea… oh, right. I thought Miyama's 'good idea' was her scheme to get me and Kuroki to share an umbrella, but that was something Kuroki set up, wasn't it? So Miyama's 'good idea' must be something else.
Miyama puts down her Frappuccino and pulls her phone out of her school bag.
"I want you and Rui-chan to get along, Ryouta!"
"O-Okay."
"And if Rui-chan is into it, I think it's important for you two to communicationfirst!"
"You mean 'communicate'."
"Yeah, that!"
I'm getting a strong whiff of airheadedness from her. And what does she mean, communication?
"So! The 'good idea' I came up with is… ta-da!
'Operation: LINE Com-in-u-cation'!"
"It's 'communication,' not 'com-in-u-cation'… wait, what!?"
Miyama announces her plan while opening the LINE app on her phone.
Did she just say 'Operation: LINE Communication'!?"I think it'll be easier for you and Rui-chan to talk on LINE, you know? You can start by getting to know each other there, and then gradually get closer in real life. Wouldn't that be great?"
"W-Well…"
It's absolutely not going to work, and more importantly, the problem is…
"So, let's start by exchanging LINE contacts!"
The fact that I've already exchanged contacts with Kuroki is a problem in itself… but the bigger issue is my chat history with her. I can deal with her finding out we've already added each other, but my chat with Kuroki… it has her sexy selfies in it!
"Come on, Ryouta, get your phone out."
If Miyama sees those pictures… I'm… finished!"I sent you Rui-chan's LINE ID, okay? Add her and start talking to her!"
Miyama has it all wrong. Kuroki's interest in me isn't affection; it's a desire to satisfy her own perfectionism. As proof, she sent me those peek-a-boo belly button selfies to try and force me to take an interest in her. And if Miyama sees those selfies, it's game over… I have to change the subject, now.
"What's wrong, Ryouta? Come on, try talking to Rui-chan on LINE."
Miyama Airi is, simply put, an airhead. The part-time job thing is a perfect example. She tells a shortsighted lie about having a boyfriend that's bound to be exposed, and she's terrible at covering it up. Besides, just talking on LINE isn't going to magically make a guy and a girl get together!
At this rate…!
"Alright, Miyama. I'll get in 'communication' with Kuroki some other time!"
'Some other time'… a classic phrase used not just in daily life, but in the otaku world as well. It's what you say when another otaku recommends an anime or character—"I'll check it out later"—and then you never, ever do. It's a common tactic, not just for otaku.
Okay, I'll just let this fizzle out and smoothly—"Ehh! Do it now!"
Miyama is being unusually persistent today.
Th-This is a pain…What do I do? If this keeps up, I'll have to show Miyama my chat with Kuroki! If that happens…
'—Huh? Ryouta, what's this?''N-No, Miyama, it's not what it looks like!''This is… did you get these pictures from Rui-chan and… and use them to get off every night? Gross. Don't ever come near me again, you pervert! You introverted otaku!'That's what'll happen! If the pure, innocent Miyama said that to me… the shock would send me straight back to being a shut-in. To avoid that, I need to think. Think of a way to get through this without Miyama seeing Kuroki's belly button selfies…!
"Oh, right…! Isn't Kuroki at club practice right now?"
"Ah, true. Rui-chan might be at practice."
"I-It's not like she can reply right away if I message her during practice, so I'll just LINE her later."
"Ehh, but—"
"Don't worry! I'll send you proof that we talked! So can we just do it later?"
"Hmm, well… I guess you're right. She said she has a meet coming up soon, so maybe that's for the best."
Miyama finally relented. If Kuroki wasn't on the track team, it would have been a complete game over. I took a sip of my Frappuccino in relief.
"I wanted to see you two talk in real time, though. What a bummer."
"Why are you so determined to set me up with your friends, Miyama? It was the same with Ichinose."
"Well… in this case, it's partly because it seems like Rui-chan likes you, Ryouta."
"Partly?"
"I just want everyone to get along!"
E-Everyone get along?"I thought if you got along with Yuria and Rui-chan, we could all have a fun school life together. You're always reading light novels at school and you don't look like you're having much fun. Since our seats are close, I wanted you to have fun with us too, Ryouta."
Miyama says, looking embarrassed, and starts drinking her Frappuccino again.
To correct my earlier thought, Miyama isn't just an airhead; she's actually a really kind person. It's because she's so kind that she worries about others in her own way.
"Don't worry, Miyama. Even if I don't force myself to get along with Ichinose and Kuroki, I have fun just talking to you."
"Really? You have fun being friends with Airi?"
"Y-Yeah. I can't really explain it… but it's fun."
It might not be the kind of "fun" Miyama is imagining, but getting to watch her huge breasts bounce right next to me is definitely fun (in a very specific way).
"I see… then maybe we should just forget about what I said earlier."
"Huh?"
"About the LINE thing. You don't have to force yourself to talk to Rui-chan, and we might never know how she feels, but I think it's fine if you just stay friends with me, Ryouta! You said you have fun with me, right?"
"Well, yeah, but…"
"So from now on, I'll make your high school life fun!"
Miyama says with a smile as bright as the sun. It's honestly amazing how she can say something so direct without a hint of embarrassment.
"Besides, we share a secret, so we have a special relationship. It's only natural that we get along, right?"
"Uh, o-oh…"
However, there's probably no romantic feelings on Miyama's part. If I weren't a cynical, introverted otaku who can think things through calmly, I would have definitely fallen head over heels for her straightforwardness.
"You keep my secret, Ryouta, and I'll make sure you have fun. It's a win-win."
It seems like I'm the only one who's really benefiting here… but oh well.
"Hey, let me try your melon one, Ryouta."
"Mine? Wha—"
Miyama snatches the Matcha & Melon Frappuccino I'd been sipping on and drinks from it without any hesitation.
W-Woah, hey! That's an indirect kiss!"Mmm! The melon is delicious too~ You want to try my peach and matcha one, Ryouta?"
"N-No! More importantly, the indirect kiss!"
"Oh, are you the type to care about that stuff, Ryouta?"
"Of course it's gross! My straw!"
"I don't really mind, though…?"
Miyama Airi is, for better or worse, a natural airhead. Once she becomes friends with someone, she seems to lose all sense of caution or discomfort.
No, no, even so, you'd normally be wary of an indirect kiss with someone of the opposite sex! Normally!"I share with Yuria and Rui-chan all the time, so I just did it without thinking. If it bothers you, I can get you another one?"
"No, it's quite alright. Please, continue as you were."
"Why are you being so formal?"
Miyama hands me theMatcha & Melon Frappuccino back to me.
M-Miyama's used straw… and she used it after I did… an indirect-kiss-certified straw!What would happen if my lips touched the straw that Miyama's soft-looking lips had just touched? After more than a decade on this earth, I, who have yet to have my first kiss, have been blessed with the chance of an indirect kiss with such a busty beauty.
I swallow hard and am about to drink the Matcha & Melon Frappuccino… but.
"Hey, what are you two doing?"
A familiar gyaru voice from behind me… Even without turning around, I can feel the presence of those thighs.
Wh-Why is… Ichinose Yuria here?"Oh, Yuria! What's up?"
Miyama, though slightly flustered, greets her with her usual attitude.
"What's up…? I saw you from outside, handing your drink to this guy…"
Ichinose's sharp glare pierces through me.
"I'm confiscating this! I'll drink it."
"Aah…"
Ichinose takes my Frappuccino and downs it in one go.
My… kiss virginity… remains intact."Anyway, why are you two at Starbucks looking so friendly? And you called him Ryouta this morning. Are you two dating or something?"
"No, no~, Ryouta was just treating Airi to a Frappuccino as a little thank you."
"A thank you? Is that true, Ryouta?"
"Uh, yeah. Sort of… huh?"
Ryo-Ryouta!? Wh-What's going on? Ichinose!?I didn't notice at first, but Ichinose had naturally started calling me Ryouta too.
"Fine then… Airi, we're leaving."
"O-Okay!"
Ichinose turns on her heel and walks out of Starbucks.
"Ryouta, thanks for everything! See you later!"
"O-Oh…"
Miyama looked confused, but she followed Ichinose and left.
My first after-school date with a girl… ended so abruptly…
Left alone in Starbucks, I sink into my thoughts, feeling incredibly out of place. Suddenly, a LINE notification pops up on my phone.
'Ichinose: Sorry it looked like Airi was making you treat her. Also, I'm going to call you Ryouta too. You can call me Yuria.'Apparently, Ichinose thought Miyama had forced me to treat her and was apologizing for it. That misunderstanding is convenient for me, but why is Ichinose calling me 'Ryouta' too!? And on top of that, she says I can call her Yuria…
"And I have a movie to see with her the day after tomorrow…"
“How is this going to turn out?"
☆☆
And so, the dreaded Sunday finally arrived. Today… I'm going on a weekend date with a girl.
We're meeting at 10 a.m. Since I'm going on a date with the Ichinose, I paid more attention to my appearance than usual and left the house early. Our meeting spot is the station in the next town over.
For Ichinose, the next town over is a place of traumatic memories where I discovered her secret… but she was the one who suggested the movie theater there. If anyone found out that a gyaru like Ichinose was watching a (shameless) movie like Chichikyun in her local theater, it would be a huge scandal, so I guess it can't be helped.
Lost in thought, I took the train from my nearest station to the next town and waited for Ichinose in front of the station. A few minutes later, a familiar gyaru appeared from the station.
"Sorry, Ryouta, did you wait long?"
Today, Ichinose is wearing a sheer, white, short-sleeved top with a black and white monotone cardigan. And her high-waisted denim shorts shamelessly expose her irresistibly plump thighs, which is incredibly erotic.
It's the perfect gyaru fashion… or rather, to so boldly expose such perfect and erotic thighs… it's practically like she's naked.
"I told you! Stop staring. I told you to stop the other day too."
Ichinose cups my cheeks with both hands and lifts my face. My gaze naturally turns to her face.
"Look at my face when you talk to me, not my thighs."
"S-Sorry."
"Why do you even look at my thighs anyway? Is that your fetish?"
"Yes."
"Answering so quickly is creepy."
Of course, being insulted is also my fetish, so I can't help but grin. I'm so creepy, even I think so.
"Haa… well, just keep it to me. If Rui or Airi found out about that fetish, you'd have nowhere to belong."
"O-Okay…"
"So stop looking!"
Every time my gaze drifts downward, Ichinose cups my cheeks and lifts my face. Her hands are smooth and pretty, so this isn't so bad either.
"If you spend the whole movie staring at my thighs, I'll poke your eyes out."
"Y-Yes…"
I'm glad Ichinose is an understanding gyaru.
"Come on, let's go to the theater, Ryouta."
We met at the station at 10 a.m. and headed to the movie theater. It's a bit of a walk from the station, so I was walking next to Ichinose, but…
As we walk through the town, we pass by all sorts of women, but Ichinose's face is smaller and her waist is slimmer than any of them. Looking at her like this… Ichinose really is on a whole other level of cute. And in her case, she also has the otaku attribute, making her a rare being who fulfills over 100% of the conditions for an otaku-friendly gyaru.
"What is it, Ryouta? Looking at me again. My thighs?"
"N-No! What do you take me for?"
"A perverted otaku who sneaks glances at thighs."
"Y-You're absolutely right."
"No, normally you'd deny that."
Given my track record, I don’t think I can…
"Ryouta, can I ask you something?"
"Wh-What is it?"
"Today, Ryouta… you look, well… kind of… cool, don't you?"
Me, cool?This might be the first time in my life a woman other than my mother has called me cool. The last time I heard that was… right, at my elementary school entrance ceremony.
'Ryo-kun, let's take a picture in front of the school gate, okay?'My mom urged me to take a commemorative photo at the entrance ceremony.
'Yes! Ryo-kun, you look so cool. Say cheese.'Back in my early elementary school days, my mom was still dedicated to raising me. Now she's obsessed with playing sepak takraw with her mom friends, but she used to be a kind mother.
But rejoice, Mom! Your son was just called cool by the school's number one gyaru. I'm so happy, tears are welling up in my eyes.
"Hey? Why are you getting teary-eyed?"
"Because… I…"
"Oh, for goodness' sake, here's a handkerchief. Wipe your tears with this."
Ichinose takes a white handkerchief from her handbag and hands it to me.
"You're as much work as Airi. You're a guy, so pull yourself together. Honestly, you're not a baby."
"Baby play…?"
"No! How did you even hear that? Did you clean your ears properly?"
"Ear-cleaning ASMR!?"
"Haa… this otaku is hopeless."
Ichinose's shoulders slump with a heavy sigh.
"Well, I'm an otaku too, so I'm not one to talk."
"You like ear-cleaning ASMR too, Ichinose?"
"That's not what I meant!"
What's with that? So Ichinose doesn't listen to ear-cleaning ASMR…
"This is kind of late to ask, but… when you found out I was an otaku, you didn't think I was gross or anything, Ryouta? Right?"
"You, gross? Why?"
"Because… to you, Ryouta, I'm a gyaru on the outside but one of you on the inside. It's like I'm being condescending or something, right?"
I've never once thought she was being condescending…
"So when I think about it again, I'm kind of curious… what do you really think of me, Ryouta?"
Ichinose had mentioned before that she was still hung up on something that happened with her friends in the past. Maybe that's why she's so concerned about these kinds of interpersonal dynamics. In that case, I should tell her my honest feelings without holding anything back.
"I'm grateful, you know."
"Grateful? For me?"
"Because there aren't many girls who can understand the culture of a gross otaku like me… Just the fact that you're an understanding gyaru makes me super happy."
"Is that how it is?"
"Y-Yeah."
When I tell her that, Ichinose pouts and mutters, "Hmm."
"More importantly, I told you to call me Yuria, but you're back to calling me 'Ichinose'."
"Ah. Sorry, Ichino—"
"Yuria."
"Yu-Yuria…-chan."
"Don't add '-chan.' It's creepy."
She's so demanding… but I feel like my distance with Ichinose has shortened considerably. The atmosphere seems good, but… the movie we're about to see is, of all things, the busty battle action movie Chichikyun.
"I can't believe I get to worship Milk-tan's mother's milk on such a big screen. I'm so happy."
Ichinose says, moved, as soon as we get to the theater. She's probably the only gyaru in the world who gets excited about her favorite character's breast milk.
We sit in our reserved seats, side by side. Surrounded by what you'd call typical-looking otaku, Ichinose and I clearly stick out.
"Don't you think we kind of… stick out?"
"W-Well…"
"Is this what you're usually like, Ryouta?"
Ichinose says, looking at the large man in a moe T-shirt sitting in the front row, panting. He's the stereotype of this kind of anime otaku… which is a prejudice, but in reality, the theater is full of guys in moe T-shirts.
"I'm not that extreme… but, well, I might wear a moe T-shirt sometimes."
"Really? Then why didn't you wear one today?"
"W-Well…"
I'm at a loss for words. If I told her it was because I was excited for my first time going out with a girl and was in a date mood, she'd definitely think I was creepy…
Thinking back, I was pretty giddy before I got here.
"Hey, why not?"
"Uh, well! It's because… I'm walking next to Ichinose."
"Because you're walking next to me? What do you mean?"
"I-I can't walk next to a beauty like Ichinose wearing an otaku's moe T-shirt, can I? And I thought it would be rude to you if my hair was a mess."
"……!"
Ichinose suddenly falls silent and turns to face the screen.
Uh, did I make her mad…?"Um…? Ichinose…?"
"Ryouta, you think… I'm a beauty?"
"I do, but don't tell me you didn't know!?"
"I-I do! It's obvious I'm cuter than everyone else. Of course I know that… but…"
"B-But?"
"I just realized that you think so too, Ryouta."
Wh-What's that supposed to mean? Does she think it's creepy that I find her cute?
"—And! You're back to calling me Ichinose again!"
"Ah, sorry… Yu-Yuria."
"Yes, that's better."
Ichinose nods in satisfaction, as if trying to cover something up. You know… Ichinose can be a bit of a handful, just like Miyama.
☆☆
After the 2-hourmovie, there was a strange, lingering afterglow. I thought it would be all about the ecchi stuff, but the story was surprisingly compelling. It delved into the reasons why the heroines fight with their huge breasts and how each of them came to be so well-endowed. I was forced to realize that it wasn't just about them groping each other.
Also, after being shown so many different characters' huge breasts, my brain started to bug out. I was so far gone that I started to wonder why Ichinose, sitting next to me, was even wearing clothes.
"That was seriously amazing. The reason why the super sexy Milk-tan got such huge breasts, and the incredible foreshadowing that led to her breast milk becoming a weapon… it was so moving, I actually cried."
"O-Oh…"
After the movie, we decided to stop by the Animate in the station's commercial complex to buy some Chichikyun merchandise. We had promised to go to Animate before the movie date.
The commercial complex in the next town's station has a variety of stores, including the game center where I first met Ichinose, and Animate is one of them. We went up to the 6th floor, and when Ichinose saw the familiar Animate sign, her eyes lit up like a child entering a theme park.
"Wow… this is heaven."
"Is this your first time at Animate?"
"Yeah. I mean, the hurdle was too high to come alone."
I know that feeling… so well. In Ichinose's case, her gyaru appearance would make her stand out, which probably made it harder to come in. But even for a gross otaku like me, the first time I came to Animate, it felt like an otaku-only territory, and it was hard to enter. Well, once you get used to it, you can pop in like it's a fast-food restaurant.
"I feel so safe with you here today, Ryouta."
"Y-You think so?"
Oh no… I'm not used to being relied on by others, and now that I am, I'm so happy I feel like I'm going to pee myself…"Ah, the Chichikyun special corner."
Ichinose spots the special corner in the back of the store, filled with Chichikyun merchandise, and leans forward, engrossed in the goods. Animate has a lot of female-oriented stuff these days, but the fact that Chichikyun has its own special corner shows how popular it's getting.
"There's a Milk-tan boobymouse pad and a baby bottle modeled after Milk-tan's huge breasts."
"Whoa, Chichikyun has that kind of merchandise?"
I didn't know that, so I'm genuinely surprised. And what's with a baby bottle modeled after a busty character's breasts!? Both the people who buy it and the people who sell it are crazy.
"Ryouta, can I take a minute to decide what to buy here?"
"Oh, yeah. Take as much time as you need."
This looks like it's going to take a while… okay.While Ichinose is choosing her Chichikyunmerchandise, I decide to check out the light novel corner opposite the special corner. I've already finished the 'I Sucked S-Rank Beauties' Boobs' I bought the other day, so it's about time I bought a new light novel.
I decide to buy a light novel based on the cover art and turn back to the Chichikyun special corner where Ichinose is still deliberating.
"How's it going? Decided what to buy?"
"Hmm. Which one do you think is better, Ryouta, the baby bottle or the boobymouse pad?"
Normally, on a date with a girl, you'd have a flirty event like, "Which outfit is cuter?" at a clothing store… but in our case, it's a choice between a baby bottle and an boobymouse pad… What kind of choice is that?
"Um, doesn't the boobymouse pad seem more practical?"
"That's true, but I really want to experience Milk-tan's breast milk splash."
I can understand what Ichinose is saying because I'm an otaku who knows the Chichikyun anime, but if Miyama or Kuroki heard her say something like that, their jaws would drop in shock.
In the end, Ichinose bought both the boobymouse pad and the baby bottle.
"Phew, that was a good haul."
Ichinose says, leaving Animate in a good mood. She's completely an otaku in gyaru's clothing now. The sight of a gyaru with huge breasts and thick thighs carrying that familiar blue bag is truly a fresh one.
"…You know, this bag…"
"Hm? What's wrong? Is there a hole in it?"
"Ah, no, that's not it. It's nothing."
Hm? What's that about?"What's next? There's one more place I want to go."
"A place you want to go?"
Ichinose nods and starts walking.
"Of course, that game center."
☆☆
At Ichinose's suggestion, we decided to stop by the same game center as that day.
"Ryouta, play the UFO catcher again."
"Sure. Is there a prize figure you want?"
"Of course."
Ichinose walks up to the machine she wants and points at the prize figure. Her target is, once again, an anime girl figure. I follow my usual, practiced procedure to aim for the figure.
"Hey, Ryouta."
"What is it, Ichinose?"
"I told you to call me Yuria. You keep switching back."
"Because… I'm not used to calling girls by their first names, so it can't be helped."
"Then you can get used to it with me. I feel more comfortable being called Yuria."
"Is that so?"
Yuria, Yuria… Calling a girl by her first name still makes me nervous. But if Ichinose herself wants me to call her Yuria that much… I guess I have no choice.
"Yu-Yuria… is this, okay?"
"It's fine. You know, the last time we were here, we were complete strangers, but a few days later, we're here as friends. It's strange, isn't it?"
"It is. I… never thought I'd be able to talk so casually with Yuria either."
In fact, I never thought I'd have this kind of relationship with not just Yuria, but Miyama and Kuroki too.
"Yuria… why did you become an otaku?"
"Why I became an otaku?"
"Yeah. I'm a little curious why you got into anime and stuff."
I had a feeling Yuria had a dark past, so I wasn't planning on asking about it, but today I decided to probe a little deeper.
"I've never told anyone why I became an otaku… it's a story from when I was a kid, so I don't remember it that well."
Yuria continues, blushing shyly.
"It was when I was in early elementary school."
"That long!?"
"Yeah. Back then, I got a certain manga at the park I used to play at every day, and that's what started it."
"A certain manga?"
"It was a shonen manga, a slightly ecchi one. After reading it, I got completely hooked on manga. And I guess you could say the current me exists because I looked up to the gyaru heroine in that manga."
S-So, the number one gyaru in school, Ichinose Yuria, has her roots in manga…!? That's too unexpected.
"So, thanks to that manga, both the gyaru Yuria and the otaku Yuria were born."
"Hmm, I guess so, when you put it that way?"
I can only be grateful to whoever gave the beautiful girl with the perfect face, breasts, and thighs, Ichinose Yuria, both the 'gyaru' and 'otaku' attributes, but…
"An adult who hands out ecchi manga to elementary schoolers at a park… what kind of creep is that?"
"No, no. The one who gave me the manga was an elementary schooler about my age."
"An elementary schooler!?"
"That kid was always sitting alone on a park bench reading manga, so I invited them to play. We ended up playing together, and when they were leaving, they gave me the manga."
"I see…"
An elementary schooler with an ecchi manga… to think there was another precocious kid like me in this world. I used to read ecchi manga outside too, since I couldn't read it at home when I was in elementary school… I bet that kid was the same.
Hearing Yuria's story makes me feel a little nostalgic.
"What about you, Ryouta? Why did you become an otaku?"
"M-Me? I… well, you know…"
"Hm?"
"M-More importantly, Yuria! I think I can get this figure soon."
"Eh, really? That's amazing, you've only spent 400 yen."
I skillfully steer the conversation back to the claw machine. There's no way I can talk about how I became an otaku… because the reason I became an otaku is something I can't talk about, even more so than Yuria's story.
I can't possibly tell her the super-dangerous story of how I became a fan of huge breasts and thick thighs after sitting on my busty, thick-thighed older cousin's lap as a kindergartener, which eventually led me to 2D… I've been a respectable perverted and precocious kid since way back.
☆☆
With Chichikyun merchandise and an anime girl figure in her arms, Yuria arrived at the station platform.
"Today was seriously the best. Thanks, Ryouta."
"I-I'm just glad you had fun."
It was my first date, but… if Yuria is satisfied, does that mean I did a good job?
"Don't call me Yuria in front of Airi or Rui."
"You tell me to call you that, then you tell me not to… you're so troublesome."
"I don't mind if you call me Yuria, you know? But I think it would be a problem if Airi or Rui misunderstood."
"Please let me call you Ichinose."
"Hmph, right?"
Miyama's 'Ryouta incident' the other day was enough to make Kuroki suspicious. It's inevitable that things would get even more dangerous if I started calling her Yuria.
"We'll be busy with cultural festival preparations starting next week, but hang out with me again, okay, Ryouta?"
Yuria says with a soft smile. Unlike the old Yuria, she seems to have started showing a much softer expression through this date.
And so, my first date ever came to a close. We got on the train together, but Yuria gets off one stop before me, so we parted ways on the train.
And now, I'm finally alone.
"Haa… I was so nervous…"
But, the date was simply… fun.
With a sense of fulfillment from the day, I got off at the next station… but.
When the train stopped at my station, I saw a beautiful girl with long eyelashes sitting on a bench on the platform, reading a paperback book. As the train arrived, a strong wind blew through the station platform. The beautiful, delicate black hair of the Yamato Nadeshiko sitting on the bench swayed violently in the wind, and the pages of the paperback in her hand fluttered.
She was looking down at her book, her eyes narrowed, but gradually her gaze lifted, and finally, she was looking at me as I stepped out of the train car.
A track team jersey and half-pants. Needless to say, the Yamato Nadeshiko sitting there was Kuroki Rui.
"Oh my… fufu."
Kuroki, who seemed to be on her way home from track practice, was on the bench right in front of the car I got off. When she saw me, she closed her book and slowly stood up.
"What a coincidence. Ryouta-kun?"
With a hiss, the train doors behind me closed.
Why is Kuroki… here!"You're all dressed up. Were you on a date with someone, Ryouta-kun?"
"…I-I wasn't on a date!"
"Really? But you smell a little like a girl…"
"A-A maid café."
"A maid café?"
"O-Otaku are creatures that go to maid cafés on Sundays! We're sad creatures who crave the service of maids because we can't get any attention from girls normally! Got it?!"
I desperately belittle myself to make Kuroki lose interest in me.
I-If I appeal to her as a gross otaku this much, even Kuroki will…"Oh my… poor Ryouta-kun."
"R-Right? If you think so, then don't bother with a gross otaku like me anymore—"
"Fufu. In that case, why don't we go on a little date after this?"
"A d-date?"
Kuroki suggested a date to me, who was on my way home from a maid café (or so I claimed). She pitied me for being a sad creature who could only interact with girls at maid cafés (or so I claimed), and under the guise of "well, if that's the case, I'll reluctantly go on a date with you," she turned the tables and asked me out.
Could it be that Kuroki is doing all of this on purpose…?"Now, now, Ryouta-kun. You don't have to be so on guard. Even if I say it's a date, it's already evening, so we'll just walk around the station together."
"K-Kuroki, why are you going this far?"
"This far?"
"I-I'm an introvert at the bottom of the class hierarchy, you know? Even if you're a perfectionist, isn't this going too far?"
"Were you happy?"
"H-Huh?"
"When I was on the bench, were you happy, Ryouta-kun?"
Kuroki sits back down on the bench and smiles. Maybe shereally is doing this on purpose.
"So let's, shall we? A walking date."
I still don't see the full picture of why Kuroki is so obsessed with me… but whatever the reason, I'm not so cold as to say "well, see ya" when a girl asks me out. In fact, when she goes this far, I can't really refuse…
"Alright. I don't know if it's a date, but we're heading the same way from the station anyway…"
"Fufu."
"Why are you laughing?"
"Oh, it's nothing. Well then, shall we go?"
☆☆
We passed through the station's ticket gates and walked side-by-side down the main street in front of the station. From Kuroki walking next to me, I didn't smell her usual sweet perfume; instead, there was a refreshing scent like deodorant.
Her profile is as beautiful as ever, with a high nose and long eyelashes. Looking at Kuroki from the side, I can see all too well why she's praised as a peerless beauty. She's a bit of a perfectionist and slightly off, but Kuroki's specs are still off the charts.
"Oh, a cat."
As we were about to pass by a park on the main street, Kuroki spotted a stray cat entering the park and followed it.
"H-Hey, Kuroki!"
I chase after Kuroki, who is chasing the cat, and enter the park as well. Kuroki crouches down and makes a "chu chu" sound with her tongue, luring the cat over as if she's used to it.
It's a fat, round calico cat. To be honest, it's not what you'd call cute. But even with such a fat cat, Kuroki had it eating out of the palm of her hand, petting its fluffy fur.
"You like cats, Kuroki?"
I crouch down next to Kuroki, who is playing with the cat, and ask.
"Hmm… if it's between you and a cat, Ryouta-kun, I think I like cats more."
I-I lost to a cat!?"Oh, you look disappointed."
"I'm not! Absolutely not!"
"You're so cute, getting jealous of a cat, Ryouta-kun. Oh, do you want me to rub your belly too?"
"Absolutely not."
If anything, I want to see your belly button…"Fufu, but cats are… special to me."
"Cats are special?"
"Yes… I used to have one. It's gone now, though."
W-Wow, that got heavy all of a sudden… did I step on a landmine?"But thanks to that cat… another special thing was born. So I'm grateful to cats, and I love them."
Another special thing? I-I don't really get it… but another one of Kuroki's mysteries has been added to the list.
"Hey, Kuroki. I get that you like it, but that's enough with the cat, right? Shouldn't we be heading home?"
Kuroki is still stroking the cat's belly, so I urge her to head home.
"My, my, Ryouta-kun. Are you jealous because I'm paying all my attention to the cat?"
"I told you, I'm not! I'm just tired… and you must be tired after track practice, right?"
"That's… true, I suppose."
As I reason with her, Kuroki finally gets up.
"See you later, kitty."
She gives the cat one last, reluctant pat and starts walking.
Kuroki really is a strange one. She usually has a calm, gentle image, not too bright and not too dark, but when she's with me like this, she shows a soft smile. Maybe she just wants to win me over because of her perfectionism… I wonder.
"About the cat story from earlier, what did you mean by 'another special thing was born'?"
"…Do you want to hear it?"
"Ah, yeah. I was a little curious."
Kuroki has a habit (of sorts) of starting to talk about something meaningful and then stopping midway, so I thought if I didn't ask now, this would also remain a mystery.
Kuroki nods and slowly begins to speak.
"When I was in elementary school, the cat I had suddenly got sick. I took it to a skilled veterinarian in the next town over."
Ah, the cat she had is the one she said was gone now.
"In the end, thanks to that vet, the cat got better right away and the sickness was resolved. But… the problem happened on the way home."
"On the way home?"
"There's a large multi-story parking garage in front of the station in the next town, right? While my mom was moving the car there, the cat, who was completely better, escaped through the car window."
"W-Whoa, that's bad."
"Yeah. So I was really panicking, and I cried while searching for the cat with my mom. Cars were coming and going from top to bottom in the parking garage, and I was worried it had been run over somewhere… but."
Kuroki trails off, staring at me.
Wh-What's with the sudden stare…"A boy appeared in front of me and my mom."
"A… boy?"
"That boy had my cat on his shoulder, was eating a wafer in his right hand, and was holding a blue bag in his left hand."
"Th-That's pretty skillful of him."
"Fufu, right? But he looked really cool to me."
Kuroki covers her mouth and giggles as if remembering something.
N-No, that's not cool at all…!"That boy was in the next town on an errand for his mom… After he returned the cat, he left right away, so I didn't get his name, but the fact that he didn't say much was cool and handsome."
That's cool? Kuroki's sensibilities seem a little off…
"So my other special thing is that boy. How's that? Are you satisfied now?"
"Yeah. Thanks for telling me."
"…That's it?"
"Eh? Y-Yeah."
As we were talking and walking, Kuroki's mansion came into view.
"…Ryouta-kun, you might regret it if you let me get away."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Thanks for walking me home. The walking date was fun, we got to talk about a lot."
Kuroki opens the gate leading to her mansion and goes inside.
"I'll send you a picture later today too ♡"
Kuroki, who winks at me with a head tilt as she turns around, returns to her mansion.
The fact that I can't say "I don't need them" here means I really am just a pervert after all… though it's too late for that.
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