Chapter 5 (1/2)

Chapter 5 – Takamura Mahiro Continues to Attract (1)

“Ooi, Takamuraー. Wake upー.”

Lifting my head from the counter, the surroundings were already pitch-black. I reflexively looked at the clock. It says 7.30pm. Apparently I slept for about an hour in the period when I was despairing for the future.

Did I fell asleep in an awkward position? I can’t avoid getting these joint pains in my body then.

“Sorry, it seems I felt asleep. Are your club activities over?”

“Un, sorry to keep you waiting. Leggoー.”

Behind Kousaka was the straw a.k.a. Hiwatari from just now. He’s looking at me with an incredibly unhappy face.

Perhaps Kousaka became conscious of the fact that Hiwatari is unhappy. He gave a shrug and hit Hiwatari’s waist. Hiwatari had an unpleasant expression on his face as he furrowed his brows, but Kousaka ignored him.

“Ahh, this guy is a kouhai from my club. He’s called Hiwatari Shuu. Even though he’s severely tsundere, he’s a good kid so do be friends with him.”

“Are you his guardian!”

I unconsciously retorted at the introduction made from an unknown standpoint.

Hiwatari Shuu gave me a fleeting glance as he snorted.

Not to mention being severely tsundere, my heart feels like it’s about to break from his att.i.tude that seems like there’s only tsun.

“Hiwatariー, this is Takamura Mahiro.”

“I’ve heard rumours about Takamura-san. You’re dating Sena-san, right?”

“We’re not dating.”

Has the rumours of Sena and I spread to even the 1st-years? Moreover it was even exaggerated that we’re dating.

Certainly, Sena is cute. Both her face and personality are incredibly cute, but I can’t date her. I hope you understand. And by all means do let me know who’s the one who spread such strange rumours. There’s an immediate need to use the Giant Swing move on him.

“Heーeh, is that so?”

“Yes it is. So feel free to approach if you like Sena.”

“I wouldn’t. ‘Cos I hate that kind of cunning women.”

The one who came snapping at the words that were fired nonchalantly was obviously not me, but Kousaka who wors.h.i.+ps Sena Tsugumi and Katsura Koharu, two so-called acclaimed cunning people.

“Hiwatari! Are you seriously sayin’ you don’t like Sena-san? What kind of girl would be your type then? Who’d it be if it’s the Bak.u.matsu s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ Girls?

“I don’t know Bak.u.matsu s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ Girls well, so.”

“If you don’t like Bak.u.matsu s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ Girls either, then what do you look forward to in life……”

It seems that “don’t know Bak.u.matsu s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ Girls well” was quite a bombsh.e.l.l statement for Kousaka who’s a minor idol otaku. He collapsed right before Hiwatari’s eyes.

“Don’t think that everyone likes Bak.u.matsu s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ Girls. Who’s the one being fooled by the media?”

“But Koharu-chan is super cute you know?”

‘Koharu-chan’ probably refers to Bak.u.matsu s.h.i.+s.h.i.+ Girls’ Katsura Koharu. As you know, she’s Kousaka’s bias.

Katsura Koharu’s atmosphere resembles Sena’s. Cute and slightly airheaded, a girl with a soft and sweet atmosphere like a marshmallow. Despite seeming like they can’t survive if they aren’t protected, from how they entrance people to save them with their cunning atmosphere, they actually do bear a bit of craftiness too. Kousaka’s preferences are so congruous that it’s exceedingly easy to understand.

But it’s not like I really wanted to hear about Kousaka’s preferences until the school’s closing time, so I didn’t give any particular response. Hiwatari also remained silent as he walked next to me.

“Stop ignoring me. You guys have similar personalities. Doesn’t it seem like you can get along?”

It’s exceedingly upsetting to be regarded on the same level as a cold guy like Hiwatari. I treat Kousaka much more kindly.

Giving Hiwatari a scrutinizing glance, his expression was more unpleasant-looking than mine. He looked like he swallowed a bitter pill. I’m technically a senpai he met for the first time, so can’t he be more mindful about it? It’s not like I particularly want to get along with him, or that I felt hurt, but somehow I feel kind of gloomy.

Walking to the front gate as I listened to Kousaka’s talking for the most part, the school’s ouji-sama (lol) was there. Fiddling with his phone, he was leaning on the gate in a stylish pose as he acted cool. Is he waiting for someone? I wondered as I tried to walk pa.s.s him, but my arm was firmly grabbed so I had no choice but to stop.

Sunohara grinned from ear to ear.

“Ohhhhー! Hii-chan! Isn’t it such a coincidence? Let’s go home together.”

“……. Coincidence?”

“It’s not like I waited for Hii-chan but, well, since we happened to meet here? Let’s just go home together.”

He clearly appeared to be waiting for someone, but was it not so?

Nonetheless, who would just happen to be leaning by the schoolgate until this late hour? I don’t understand the city boys living in the 23 wards[1].

“I’m going back with these two afterwards.”

“…… Eh.”

“Does Chiha want to come along too?”

For an instant he had a crestfallen look, but his expression immediately brightened up as though light was beaming out when I invited him. Could it be, this fella wanted to leave school with me very badly?

Why doesn’t he frankly say that he wants to go home together? It’s not like I’ll reject him if he spoke up frankly, but I wouldn’t even know if he doesn’t say it properly.

Sunohara’s restless gaze alternated between Kousaka and Hiwatari before it fell on me again. With the ends of his eyebrows lowered and after a few seconds of being in a fl.u.s.ter, he nodded solemnly. Was my invitation something that invites so much bewilderment?

“Is Chiha on the way home from club activities?”

“Well, yeah. I basically have club activities everyday except Sundays, you see. That’s why I just happened to have club activities, I really just happened to have them.”

“I see.”

You don’t have to repeat ‘just happened’ so many times.

No particular conversation came up, so I stared at the backs of Kousaka and Hiwatari who walked in front. Kousaka seemed to be talking about something, but Hiwatari seemed to find that annoying as he fended it off.

Because I was walking while looking at those two, we reached Hitotose High School’s Moyori Station before I knew it. Kousaka and I take the same descending[2] train line, Sunohara takes the ascending one and Hiwatari uses the private railway, so we’ll be going our separate ways here.

I tried to go through the faregate as we moved to wait for our respective trains, but Sunohara held the hem of my clothes silently. Sensing something exceedingly troublesome from his action, I felt a huge urge to go home.

“Hii-chan, ask me “What’s wrong?”! Haven’t I been giving out an aura like I wanted to talk?”

See? I told you something troublesome was coming.

Sunohara puffed his cheeks into a pout and looked at me with sullen, narrowed eyes. This fella is the annoying sort of cunning guy. Suppressing the surging tiresome feelings, I let out a sigh.

“I won’t understand if you don’t say it clearly.”

“I’ll say it clearly then. Listen to me. Hii-chan, listen to what I have to say!”