Chapter 1 - Haruya Akasaki with S-Class Beauties.
──Rin, in an attempt to ease the tension in the air, started bringing up other topics besides love talk. However, the other students in the class lacked the ability to read the atmosphere, likely because Sara's story was so shocking.
"Did you hear Himekawa-san's story? Seriously, he might be her destined person."
"That guy was so cool... It's like something out of a shoujo manga."
"To think that such a situation could actually happen in real life..."
Whispers filled the classroom as the students murmured to each other. Among those who couldn't help but eavesdrop on the S-rank beauties' love talk was Haruya, who happened to be one of them today.
That was because Sara's story felt oddly familiar to him. It seemed to resonate with a recent incident where he had also been helped by someone while being approached by a pick-up artist. However, the person Sara described behaved much more heroically than Haruya could have ever mustered.
"Huh? Wait a minute. That topic... It rings a bell. So, she was saved from a pick-up artist yesterday. I had a similar experience, but the person she's describing didn't act as cool as mine," Haruya thought to himself.
He couldn't help but be impressed by the stark contrast between himself and the person Sara described. The man in Sara's story was like a true hero, while Haruya's actions resembled a trembling prey in front of a large predator.
"The more I hear about it, the more I feel the difference between us... I should stop listening," Haruya concluded, feeling keenly aware of his own pitiful side. He then started contemplating the shoujo manga topic once again in his mind.
After indulging in his daydreams about shoujo manga for a while, there were less than ten minutes left until the morning homeroom began, and many students returned to their seats.
In the midst of it all, whether he wanted to chat or simply desired a conversation partner, Haruya suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder from a male student sitting behind him.
"Hey, hey, have you heard, Akasaki?"
"...Huh?"
Lifting his heavy body and turning around, Haruya faced a male student who had a lively voice and a visible gap between his front teeth.
He was surprised that someone actually remembered his name, as he usually went unnoticed in the class. Yet, Haruya felt a sense of apology for not being able to recall who the person was.
"...Ah, I'm Kazuki Kazamiya. Sorry for starting a conversation out of the blue. I just can't contain my excitement," the other student spoke up, either realizing Haruya's confusion or assuming it.
Even without seeing his face, Haruya could tell by the tone of his voice. The male student who introduced himself as Kazuki Kazamiya seemed eager to talk to anyone. It was probably just a coincidence that Haruya happened to be in front of him, so he decided to strike up a conversation.
Haruya wondered if it was because he had shown disinterest that the guy found him troublesome.
一 moment, an awkward silence hung between the two of them, but either because he disliked the silence or wanted to avoid it, Kazuki initiated the conversation by addressing Haruya.
"Akasaki, did you hear about the conversation earlier?"
"...Which conversation are you referring to?"
"The one about the S-rank beauties."
"Ah... I heard they're the current center of attention in our class."
"Why do you act like it's none of your business?"
"Well, because it actually isn't. I have no interest in it."
"Come on, don't tell me that's true..."
Rather than being surprised, Kazuki squinted his eyes at Haruya with a mixture of disbelief and resignation. Any guy would want to get close to a beautiful girl. Even if someone claimed to have no interest, they often ended up being the most curious.
However, from Haruya's tone of voice and his flat delivery, Kazuki was convinced that he was speaking from his heart. He seemed incapable of anything more than opening his mouth in astonishment.
"...I think I've figured out why Akasaki seems to be on his own in his own little world," Kazuki sighed, exasperated, as he held his head in his hands. Haruya was intentionally behaving in a way that led to his current situation. He had brought it upon himself.
While that assessment was accurate, Haruya swiftly changed the topic to avoid revealing his true feelings.
"But I did hear about it. It was about Himekawa-san's fateful encounter, right?"
"Yeah, that's it. Himekawa-san had a romantic encounter. I'm so envious of her partner."
Chuckling gleefully, Kazuki continued, "But...," before clearing his throat.
"I heard Himekawa-san comes from a strict family. I'm really curious to see how things will unfold for her."
"Is that so?"
Indeed, Haruya had overheard something about an arranged marriage or something along those lines, but since it didn't concern him directly, he didn't show any particular interest and deflected the conversation with a vague response.
However...
"Haha, it's quite a big news that many guys, including me, are going crazy over. But you, Akasaki, you can act so nonchalant about it," Kazuki remarked.
Though Haruya had been careful not to display his emotions on his face, it seemed that he had been seen through. The fact that he was paying attention to the S-rank beauties' conversation was likely because their stories resonated with his own experiences, not because he had a genuine interest in the girls themselves.
"...Well, I suppose it's a good idea to at least have some basic knowledge about the S-rank beauties," Haruya responded, acknowledging the point.
Kazuki, wearing a perplexed expression, crossed his arms and nodded repeatedly in agreement, as if contemplating the matter.
"That's how it is. Otherwise, you won't be able to make friends. Well, Akasaki might be jaded and indifferent, but it's good to have a little bit of interest."
"...If you say so, why don't you make a proactive approach then?"
When Haruya presented a perfectly reasonable opinion, Kazuki flashed a wry smile and waved his hand.
"That's impossible... It's too daunting to approach them even if it's just a casual interaction."
In addition, Kazuki continued, "Besides Himekawa-san, it seems that Takamori-san and Kohinata-san have caught the attention of some boys as well. Well, it's just rumors, so we can't be sure..."
Indeed, in the conversations about the S-rank beauties and their romantic interests, it was rumored in the class that there were "boys who were interested" in Yuna and Rin. However, since they were constantly receiving confessions, some speculated that they were simply using it as a way to keep boys at bay, and the truth was uncertain.
"Well, that's the gist of it. The point is, it's good to take some interest in our class."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Yeah, do that."
After meddling a bit, Kazuki agreed with Haruya's response and once again buried his face in the desk.
(...In the first place, I'll never have any connection with someone who's considered an S-rank beauty.)
Internally, Haruya sighed and abandoned his thoughts right there.
***
After school that day, Haruya smoothly finished his classes and made his way home alone.
"I'm back..."
As he opened the door and entered the house, he muttered to himself, even though there was no one else there. Haruya had been living alone since his first year of high school, so besides himself, there were no other occupants in the house. However, greeting out loud was a habit of his.
The absence of his younger sister's casual "Welcome back~" response, which was common in his parents' house, made him feel a little lonely.
Haruya had a younger sister who was one year younger than him. She was a cheeky and annoying younger sister, but her absence made him feel a bit melancholic.
Putting that aside...
After changing into more comfortable clothes, Haruya relaxed and checked his social media account.
He noticed a new message, so he started a conversation with the person who sent it.
Nayu: Did you read the shoujo manga I recommended, Haru-san?
Haru: Yeah, I read it. It was really interesting.
After finishing the reply, Haruya's cheeks slightly brightened.
At school, Haruya was always alone, but through social media, he found comrades with whom he could discuss his hobbies.
Suddenly, Haruya recalled how he had encountered Nayu, a fellow lover of shoujo manga.
The meeting between Nayu and Haruya dates back about two months. At that time, Haruya had just finished his high school entrance exams and rewarded himself by indulging in one of his few hobbies: reading shoujo' manga.
After enduring the long period of exam preparation, reading became the ultimate source of relaxation and comfort. For many people, the desires that had been accumulating tend to explode as soon as they are unleashed, and Haruya was no exception.
Until the end of his exams, he had refrained from reading manga and instead focused on posting reviews and opinions on social media. Haruya had developed a routine of digesting the manga he had collected over time and sharing his thoughts on them through his social media account. The reason he used his social media account to post reviews was simply because he wanted companions with whom he could discuss his thoughts.
During this time, Haruya had little social interaction, and even when he found an interesting girls' manga, he didn't have anyone to share it with or discuss it. Frustrated by the lack of someone to talk to, Haruya created a social media account specifically for posting his thoughts. He decided to use the username "Haru," derived from a part of his real name, Haruya.
Although he didn't expect to receive many replies to his reviews, he used his account to vent his overwhelming feelings that he couldn't keep inside any longer.
However, turning points often come unexpectedly. It was on one such day when Haruya was following his routine of reading an interesting girls' manga and posting his thoughts that his comment section started to color with a new presence.
"Excuse me for my first reply. That girls' manga is really interesting, isn't it? I totally understand. The subject matter is somewhat niche, but that's what makes it great. Haru-san... you have a good eye."
A comrade who empathized with his thoughts had appeared. The username was "Nayu." Overwhelmed with joy and excitement at finding a like-minded individual, Haruya quickly replied. From that point on, Nayu started showing empathy and responding to Haruya's other posts as well.
As they continued their exchange, they discovered their shared preferences for girls' manga plots and genres. They also found out that they lived in the same neighborhood. As a result, their distance shortened through social media, and they started engaging in personal conversations little by little.
Now a days, they limit private conversations and focus on recommending girls' manga to each other. Occasionally, they meet up in person to discuss their thoughts, creating a relationship that has brought them closer.
Nayu: Hey, are you listening, Haru?
Nayu: Hello? I know you've seen my message already.
Haru: ...Sorry, I was lost in thought.
Upon realizing that Nayu had been urging for a response, Haru hastily replies.
Unable to bring himself to reflect on how their encounter came about, he can only respond vaguely.
Even though it's through the screen, he can sense that she is pouting with annoyance.
Haru unintentionally lets out a wry smile in that moment and casually changes the subject.
Haru: By the way, something incredible happened today. Can you listen?
Nayu: What incredible thing...?
Haru: Well, there was this amazing story in my class today...
Nayu: Oh, really? What kind of story?
Confirming Nayu's interest, Haru promptly starts sharing the story.
He talks about a female classmate who was saved from a pick-up artist.
Since he had a similar experience of accidentally helping a beautiful girl from a pick-up artist yesterday, the story of the girl in his class left a deep impression on him.
However, considering that Haru had always believed that pick-up artists were fictional until then, it seemed to be strongly related to his memorable experience.
As soon as Haru finishes telling the story, he receives an immediate reply from Nayu.
Nayu: Pick-up artists themselves are quite common, but this is surprising...
Haru: Huh? What's surprising?
Nayu: Actually, today I heard a similar story from one of my friends.
Haru: Oh, really?
Nayu: Yeah, so it's such a coincidence.
Haru: It seems like pick-up artists are more common than we think.
Nayu: Yeah, it seems so.
With the conversation coming to a close for now, Haru marks Nayu's final message as "read."
As he prepares to put away his phone, he immediately receives a notification.
As expected, the sender is Nayu.
Nayu: Don't end the conversation so abruptly.
Haru: Sorry, is there something else?
Nayu: ...What was the purpose of today's contact, do you think?
Haru is met with a question in response to his question.
He can naturally sense her exasperated expression.
Feeling hesitant, Haru apologetically responds to Nayu.
Haru: It's about our impressions of a shojo manga, right?
Nayu: Yeah. So, you know... That thing, that thing.
Haru: That thing?
Nayu: Yeah, that thing.
Even when she said "that thing," Haru didn't quite understand what she meant.
Perhaps getting impatient with his delayed response, she quickly sends another message.
Nayu: ...It's an offline meeting, an offline meeting.
Haru: Ah, an offline meeting, I see.
Nayu: Yeah, don't make me say it. It's embarrassing, you know.
Nayu replied like that, indicating that she was embarrassed to meet in person.
Haru apologizes with a brief "sorry" and then proceeds to discuss the specific schedule for the offline meeting with Nayu.
Nayu: How about next weekend? Are you free?
Haru: I'm free, so I can make it.
Nayu: Okay then. Let's meet next week. By the way, Haru-san, make sure to find some interesting shojo manga during that time, alright?
Haru: Understood.
Haru lets out a light sigh and sinks into the sofa.
Nevertheless, he reflects on their previous conversation.
(...I wonder if Nayu-san wears sunglasses because she's embarrassed to meet in person.)
Having had several offline meetings with Nayu so far, he has always seen her wearing sunglasses.
Learning about her shy side through their chat, Haru can't help but smile.
(I know she'll get mad if I say it, but Nayu-san has a cute side.)
***
That evening, as the moon shone brightly in the night sky, Haru visited a cozy cafe where he often goes for dinner.
The cafe is small and has a wide selection of food and generous portions at affordable prices, making it a hidden gem favored by teenage boys.
Haru frequents this cafe up to three times a week, often becoming a familiar face.
Perhaps due to its location on the outskirts of the city, the cafe maintains a calm atmosphere compared to other establishments, both on weekdays and weekends.
The interior and exterior exude a retro vibe rather than a trendy atmosphere, and the ambiance carries the air of a longstanding establishment, which may be why it attracts a certain clientele.
Above all, Haru loves the coffee served at this cafe.
It seems like they extract coffee from special coffee beans, resulting in a rich aroma and flavor. The first thing Haruya noticed when entering the store was the lack of customers. Perhaps it was past peak hours, as a calm and tranquil atmosphere enveloped the entire place. As he sat at a seat near the window, Haruya didn't even need to check the menu and called over a familiar female waiter.
"Um, excuse me."
Upon hearing his voice, a middle-aged woman with a brisk and light-footed step approached. She was someone he knew.
"Yes, please wait a moment."
Her voice, reminiscent of the sound of a rolling bell, reached Haruya's ears. *Clank, clank.* As the light footsteps gradually grew louder, Haruya instinctively turned toward the source of the sound.
Although he should be accustomed to her appearance, it was strange how his feelings were unexpectedly uplifted. It was surely influenced by her appearance, with an adult-like atmosphere emanating from her monochrome-colored outfit, which had a frilly touch that could be mistaken for a maid's attire.
Her glasses added to her mature demeanor. Her hair, which was probably shoulder-length, was neatly tied up. Despite her petite and somewhat luxurious figure and youthful face, there was no sense of allure.
At first glance, she may seem plain, but she possessed a beautiful appearance that could be described as a lovely girl.
As Haruya observed, the corners of the female waiter's mouth formed a slight arc, accompanied by a gentle smile.
"Hello, big brother... thank you very much."
"...Thank you, Kohinata-san."
They exchanged a brief greeting. After clearing her throat, the female waiter performed a polite and deliberately mannered gesture as she asked, "What would you like to order?"
As evident from their exchange, Haruya and the female waiter were acquainted with each other.
"Is the usual fine?"
"Yes, I'll have the carbonara set with a hot coffee, please."
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
She responded according to the manual, bobbed her head slightly, and then turned around. However, something happened as she was about to leave. She leaned in closer to Haruya and quietly whispered, "Please wait, it's almost my break time." Haruya couldn't help but flinch, and after lightly nodding his head, the waitress seemed satisfied and left the spot.
After a while, the food was brought over, and as Haruya greeted, "Let's eat," he began to enjoy his meal. It seemed that she had entered her break time because she sat at the seat opposite him.
"Once again, thank you, big brother."
"Thank you, Kohinata-san."
"What are you looking around for?" Kohinata, the female waiter, widened her eyes as she saw Haruya's awkward expression.
"I was wondering if it's okay for you to sit here as if it's natural, even during your break time."
"The place is empty now, and I got permission from the manager, so it's okay. It's nothing out of the ordinary."
Kohinata narrowed her eyes, her voice calm and piercing.
"What's the matter all of a sudden?" She tilted her head, as if asking why he reacted that way.
Certainly, it was not uncommon for them to talk during her break time, as Kohinata pointed out. But even so, it didn't mean he was completely used to it. Haruya smiled wryly as he took a bite of his carbonara, and Kohinata casually started a conversation.
"...Big Brother, do you have any love stories?"
"Wha- Why are you suddenly asking that?"
Haruya was taken aback by her sudden question, feeling a bit flustered.
"Well, big brother, you never really... reveal your true self. Since you seem to be popular at school, I thought I'd ask about your recent situation," Kohinata said with a curious expression.
Haruya made sure to separate his private life from his public life. He clearly distinguished between the self he presented when dressing up and going out and the self he didn't want to stand out at school. In addition...
"School is complicated, and I don't want to draw attention, so I try to blend in. But I can't really say that..." Haruya couldn't easily reveal the fact that he was not as popular as people assumed. It made it difficult for him to talk about his school life, not just with Kohinata, but even with Nayu, whom he had met through social media.
"Even if you ask about my recent situation... Ah!"
As he thought about how he didn't have any love stories to share, Haruya suddenly remembered something. One of his classmates had talked about being approached by someone and being helped by him.
"It seems like there's something... If you're interested, I can tell you."
"Oh, I see. Cute girls often get approached, don't they?"
Kohinata nodded slightly, showing an intriguing expression. She seemed to have some personal experience, as she made a bitter expression on the spot.
"Actually, my friend also had an encounter with someone approaching her, and she told me about it at school today."
"R-Really..."
Haruya widened his eyes and momentarily froze. It was because, following Nayu, she also began to talk about her friend's encounter with someone approaching them.
"What's wrong? You seem surprised."
"Well, I never had the image of real-life encounters like that, so..."
Haruya's voice trailed off, showing his surprise.
The sight of someone being approached by someone else, like in romance manga and other works of fiction, was a common trope. However, Haruya had witnessed a real-life instance of someone being approached for the first time just yesterday. It was a shock to him that such encounters were just a part of everyday life.
Looking into Haruya's eyes, she pursed her lips hesitantly.
"...I find it hard to ask, but... Brother, I want to hear about your love stories that involve you."
It seemed that Haruya's previous story didn't satisfy her. Haruya made an "Eh?" expression, clearly showing his reluctance, but she maintained her round eyes fixed on him and didn't avert her gaze. Her purple eyes reminiscent of kikyō flower seemed to be pleading with Haruya not to escape.
"I didn't really want to talk about this, but... oh well."
Shrugging his shoulders, Haruya decided to tell her about how he helped a girl who was being approached. However, in order to make himself sound better, he decided to only mention the fact that he rescued her from the approach and not go into too much detail.
"...Big Brother, that's amazing!"
When Haruya finished his story, she leaned forward, her mouth loosening into a satisfied expression. It seemed like her eyes were shining with a light.
"It takes courage to rescue someone from a situation like that, and there are very few people who would actually do it. But yes! That's what I wanted to hear. It would be great if you could meet that person again...!"
Unable to contain her excitement, yet maintaining a calm demeanor, she nodded repeatedly.
"Well, I don't think I can meet them anymore..."
"...And even if I did, it would just be embarrassing, so I don't really want to meet them."
Haruya chuckled wryly and turned his face away from Kohinata.
"That's not true! I'm sure that person would want to express their gratitude to you."
Though Haruya thought it was even more unlikely to happen, at that moment, he didn't realize that he would meet her again and receive her gratitude, which would happen over the weekend.
***
It was late at night, well past midnight. Sara Himekawa, having finished her bedtime preparations, was tossing and turning in her bed, unable to fall asleep. She stared at the dim light of her night lamp for a while.
Sara had a little secret. It was that she couldn't sleep without the night lamp on. Of course, despite having the night lamp tonight, she couldn't fall asleep for a different reason...
"I'm still bothered by not being able to thank him..."
Yes, Sara mind was filled with thoughts of one particular man. Yesterday, she had wanted to properly thank the man who had saved her from a scary person. That was what troubled her the most.
During the encounter when she was being approached, Sara was overwhelmed by fear, feeling tense and frightened by the intimidating man's advances.
(And that man... He was handsome, wasn't he?)
Of course, not only his behavior, but his facial features were honestly to Sarara's liking.
He was just like a real prince charming, to the point where she could almost mistake him for one.
"Oh, what am I thinking..."
She felt her entire body growing warm.
Sarara buried her heated face into her pillow and kicked her legs restlessly on the bed.
"It's not like I would develop feelings for someone just because they helped me in an unexpected situation. I'm not that fickle."
She reminded herself firmly as a Himekawa family daughter.
The only reason she was concerned about him was that she couldn't properly thank him. That's all.
Taking a deep breath, Sara opened her messaging app on her phone to calm herself down.
As she glanced at the screen, she noticed several notifications already popping up. They were all from a group chat.
It was a chat exclusively for Sara, Yuna, and Rin—a group known as the "S-Class Beauties."
When she checked the messages, Sarara's eyes widened in surprise.
"....Huh?"
She couldn't believe her eyes and unintentionally let out a bewildered voice.
It was understandable for Sarara to be flustered when she saw that Rin and Yuna, who rarely talked about their love lives, were discussing something.
On the screen that captivated Sarara's attention, the following exchange was taking place:
"You know... At my part-time job, there's a regular customer. I've had my eye on that person for a while, and something happened that made me even more interested in them."
"Oh, really, Rin? What happened specifically?"
"It's similar to Sara situation, but they rescued a cute girl from being approached."
"Huh... approached?"
"Why are you surprised, Yuna-rin?"
"Well, the thing is, I happened to talk about someone I'm interested in today, and it was about being approached."
"Oh, Yuna-rin too! What a coincidence!"
From the other side of the screen, it was evident that the two of them were having a lively and enjoyable conversation.
Feeling somewhat left out and alone, Sarara felt a tightness in her chest.
As if acknowledging that Sarara had seen the messages, Rin replied to her.
"Sara-chin, it would be great if you could properly thank that person when you meet them again...!"
"Yeah."
Immediately after Rin's message, Yuna's reply also arrived.
Sara said, "Thank you," before closing her phone and deciding to go to sleep.
(...It would be nice to see that man again.)
Though Sarara had somewhat given up on the idea, she also didn't know that she would meet that man again over the weekend.
Well, for a while after that.
Time flies, and the weekend has arrived.
Haruya found himself in an apparel shop located within a large commercial facility.
Having dressed stylishly, Haruya visited this place to buy some additional clothes.
(...Today is the day of the clothing sale. I saw it in the advertisement, but thankfully there are fewer customers than I expected.)
When living alone, even with the support of parents, it's necessary to be thrifty.
Therefore, for Haruya, there was no way he could miss out on this sale day.
He looked around at the sale items and picked out a few clothes that he liked.
Carefully selecting clothes that he could afford while consulting his wallet, he was about to head to the checkout when it happened.
A woman who passed by Haruya was struggling, perhaps because she was carrying a lot of clothes, and she stumbled.
She seemed unsteady on her feet, as if she could fall at any moment.
Thinking it was dangerous, Haruya couldn't take his eyes off her, and as expected, the woman almost stumbled and fell.
Haruya quickly rushed to her side and said, "Are you okay?"
Placing his hand on her delicate and stylish shoulder, Haruya supported the woman.
He didn't have any ulterior motives, he just couldn't ignore the fact that she was about to fall right in front of him.
From her back alone, it was apparent that the woman was cute and lovely.
The white blouse she wore, along with the black vest over it, created a harmonious combination, and the buttons were slightly distorted, emphasizing her ample bosom.
"Ah, thank you very much," the woman said with a slightly trembling voice, peering into Haruya's face.
"Huh?"
A few moments passed.
Haruya couldn't believe his eyes.
It seemed that the woman was equally surprised. She blinked several times and remained frozen.
(This woman... if I remember correctly, no way...)
What flashed through Haruya's mind was the girl who had approached him for a date just a week ago.
Although she was dressed differently this time, her innocent face, sparkling eyes, and lustrous hair were unmistakable.
Standing before Haruya, there was no doubt that she was the same girl from that time.
"You're the one from back then..."
She was the first to speak, and Haruya internally thought, "What a coincidence," but whether she would take it as a coincidence was another matter.
He didn't want to be suspected of stalking due to such an overly convenient development, so Haruya thought of distancing himself from the situation.
(...Alright, let's pretend I didn't see anything.)
With a wry smile, he turned his back, intending to leave.
However, Haruya's clothing was tugged by her.
"W-Wait, please. Let me... let me thank you for what happened last time as well."
"Um, you've got the wrong person."
With a gentle smile, he said, and she was momentarily confused, but immediately regained a serious expression and continued.
"...Please let me thank you."
(...She's ignoring my response?!)
Although that was his initial thought, Haruya sighed lightly and resigned himself.
"I don't need thanks... I mean, I didn't do anything special."
The same went for the previous encounter. Haruya hadn't done anything significant.
Even this time, he had merely supported her when she was about to fall.
In fact, she might have been able to regain her balance without his help, so Haruya's assumption might have been premature.
However, the beautiful girl standing before him didn't show any signs of taking her wavering gaze away from Haruya.
At that moment, Haruya understood.
(...She's worried about.)
Therefore, this must be her way of drawing a line and taking responsibility.
"...Is it no good?"
With her eyes glistening, and perhaps due to the unspoken pressure, Haruya gives in.
"W-Well, alright..."
"Thank you so much!"
Nodding, Sara's face lights up, and she flashes a charming smile.
"Well then, shall we go buy clothes for each other for now?"
"No need to worry too much."
And so, after purchasing clothes, Haruya found himself sharing a brief moment with the beautiful girl.
***
Regretting that he should have refused her request, it happened after they stopped by a nearby family restaurant.
(Awkward... and my stomach hurts.)
Haruya and she arrived at Kokomi, a popular restaurant chain known for its wide variety of reasonably priced dishes loved by people of all ages.
Putting that aside...
Before Haruya were dishes of doria, pizza, fries, and salad, surrounded by an awkward atmosphere and a strange tension in the air.
To an onlooker, Haruya and she might have seemed like a naive couple.
"U-Um... Thank you again for last week and today!"
It was she who broke the awkward silence.
She straightened her back, and with a somewhat tense expression, she respectfully lowered her head.
From her posture and tone of voice, it was palpable that she was nervous.
(When she's so nervous... it makes me even more nervous. I wish she'd spare me...)
Perhaps due to the embarrassment, Haruya started fiddling with his hair.
He was embarrassed to be seen with a red face.
"Oh no, don't mention it."
To be honest, he still didn't feel like he had done anything significant.
But even if he said that, she would probably deny it again with a "It's not true."
In other words, the conversation would remain at an impasse.
That's why Haruya decided to simply accept her gratitude.
However, due to not being accustomed to receiving thanks, Haruya seemed somewhat awkward.
Seeing him like that, she smiled softly.
"Hehe... You're asking in a questioning tone. But please, accept the gratitude. Well, as a token of thanks, feel free to eat as much as you want today."
"No, this is more than enough."
When he tried to settle with just one doria earlier, she said, "Don't hold back," and as a result, Haruya ended up ordering two more dishes, pizza and fries.
The salad, by the way, was ordered by her, showing concern for Haruya's health.
She ordered the seafood and avocado genovese pasta, a product that seemed popular among women.
Haruya couldn't help but smile wryly at the thought.
"Well, if you insist."
She seemed somewhat dissatisfied, but after seeing Haruya's wry smile, she seemed to understand a little and softened her expression.
After exchanging meal greetings and preparing to take a bite of the food, Haruya noticed that someone's gaze was fixed on him.
Most likely, she was waiting for Haruya to take a bite of the food in front of him.
To avoid betraying her expectations, Haruya decided to start with the doria.
"...It's delicious."
"I'm glad to hear that."
The creamy taste of the doria gradually blended with his palate.
There's no going wrong with a classic menu item.
However, Haruya couldn't help but feel nervous with her staring at him.
(It's like torture to eat while being watched by a beautiful girl...)
Haruya himself didn't have much resistance to women.
Moreover, the girl sitting opposite him was quite beautiful and had a great figure.
That's why it was nerve-wracking to be constantly observed by
The next day, during the free time until the morning homeroom, the three S-class beauties in the class gathered and immediately started talking about love, creating a lively atmosphere. As usual, some students were eavesdropping and whispering among themselves. It was understandable because the content of the conversation by one of the S-class beauties, Sara Himekawa, was quite romantic. Sara shared with the other S-class beauties, Yumena and Rin, that she had met the person who had helped her from a pick-up attempt last week and had a meal together as a way of thanking them.
"Sara-chan... It feels like a fated encounter! That's amazing."
"I really think it's incredible."
Yumena and Rin, who had sympathized with Sara's regret for not being able to thank the person who helped her from the pick-up attempt last week, sent their support, saying, "It would be great if you could meet them again." They couldn't have imagined that they would meet again so soon.
"...I was really surprised too, but I'm glad I could thank them!"
"That's great, Sara-chan."
"...Sara, I'm really glad you could thank them."
In response to Rin and Yumena comments, Sarasa nodded happily.
"By the way, the other person was such a nice person... They were considerate and created a friendly atmosphere. They were a true gentleman."
"That's true... But Sara, you were bold to invite them for a meal. Well, the more I hear about this person, the more I want to meet them."
"Right! I'm really curious about which one of us has a better chance with the person we're interested in, me or Yumena."
Yumena and Rin started digging deeper into Sara story. Sara blushed slightly, perhaps feeling embarsed. Seeing Sara like that, Rin narrowed her eyes.
"It would be great if you could meet them again, Sara-chan. That person you've come to like."
"...W-Wait, I-I don't... It's not like that."
Sara immediately retorted to Rin's comment and pursed her lips, but her face turned completely red. It seemed that Rin's comment made Sara conscious of the other person. Although she might be unaware of it herself, from an outsider's perspective, Sarasa's reaction indicated that she had special feelings for someone.
Sara wanted to stop the conversation at this point, but her cute reaction, which was even more adorable than expected, only fueled Rin's mischievous smile.
"Sara-chan, you're so cute right now. If I could feel the same way about someone, let's go on a double date. Oh, and if Yumena rin is included, it would be a triple date."
"So, I told you, it's not like that."
"I guess that means you don't feel anything?"
"...W-Well..."
At that moment, Sara pursed her lips and looked down, seemingly embarrassed.
"...I think they're an attractive person, but..."
Her voice was barely audible. Sara didn't want her red face to be seen, but her ears were also bright red, unable to hide it completely. Seeing Sara like that, Rin couldn't resist teasing her and wore a wicked smile.
"Sara-chan right now is super cute. If I could feel the same way about someone, let's go on a double date. Oh, and if Yumena-rin is included, it would be a triple date."
"S-So, I-I told you, it's not like that."
"Then you don't feel anything?"
"...T-That
Certainly, here's the translation:
Of course, her behavior was correct as a student, but there was a reason that Haruya couldn't overlook. If it was reported, he wouldn't be able to come to the rooftop anymore.
In other words, it meant that he wouldn't be able to enjoy this beautiful sunset from this place anymore. Haruya panicked, realizing that his mouth had opened without him noticing.
"U-Um, just that. If it's within my capabilities, I'll do anything, so please keep it a secret..."
Haruya pleaded, clasping his hands together. Those words of his were born out of the feeling that it would be a shame if he couldn't see this scenery anymore.
In response to his offer to do anything, she flinched slightly. After a short while, she hesitantly opened her mouth, her eyes wavering and behaving somewhat shyly.
"S-So, if possible... Could we exchange contact information?"
"Huh..."
Haruya unintentionally let out a dumbfounded voice at her unexpected request. Her request was so simple and easy.
Besides exchanging contact information would be convenient for Haruya in terms of dismantling the fabricated image of himself and in various other ways.
"It's totally fine," he said.
"R-Really? Thank you so much!"
Upon hearing Haruya's response, she let out a relieved sigh and lowered the corners of her eyes. She took out her phone and they quickly exchanged contact information.
However, Haruya suddenly realized something and hurriedly said, "Wait a moment."
The reason for his haste was simple. Haruya's chat app user name was his real name, "Akasaki Haruya." Now that it was revealed that they attended the same high school, if his real name got exposed, it could lead to the revelation of his true identity.
Haruya hastily changed his user name to the name of a protagonist from a certain shoujo manga, "Asai Yuu." She tilted her head curiously at his panicked behavior, but they successfully completed the exchange of contact information.
"So, you're Asai Yuu, right?"
"Y-Yes..."
Haruya felt a slight sense of guilt for using a fake name, and his mind went blank at her next statement.
"If it's alright, I'd like to know your class too... Can I?"
"Um, my class is..."
That's when Haruya realized.
("I can't fake the class even if I fake the name...")
Sweat trickled down Haruya's forehead. Even if he said something random, if they were in the same school, the truth would be exposed as soon as it was investigated. Therefore, Haruya once again pondered his thoughts.
(No, maybe it's the best solution to say something random to lower their evaluation of me.)
Haruya's original goal was to make sure he didn't stand out and to let her know that he wasn't as remarkable as the rumors made him out to be.
Therefore, Haruya decided to give a vague response to her question.
"I'm in 1-I class."
"I class... Haha, what are you talking about?"
She chuckled and then acted delighted. Private Eiga Academy's first-year students were divided into classes A to H. Therefore, there was no I class, of course. That's why Haruya said something random, but...
"Ahaha, to be called I class with such a serious face... You're quite unique, aren't you?"
She had a gentle smile on her face, but it was probably just a polite smile. Surely, it must be. "I'm sorry... You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." She peered into
(But this is more embarrassing than I thought.)
Thinking that, I glanced at Sara, who was clenching her fists tightly in front of her chest with her round eyes focused on Haruya.
And when she noticed Haruya's gaze, Sara said, "Yes, nice to meet you... Asai-san," and lowered her face. It seems like the effect was outstanding.
(She's pulling away, pulling away... The effect seems to be working. But that's fine. Yes, I should continue lowering her favorability. And if I lose interest, she won't be a topic in the class anymore!)
Haruya, with an evil smile in his heart, but on the other hand, Sara...
(She called me by my name... by my name. And she didn't tell me his class either. It must be a game to expose my identity and entertain me... that's what it means, right?)
She thought of him as a unique person, and her heart unconsciously started pounding. She's actually thinking about me this much.
However, in this way, both of them are unaware of the misunderstandings occurring between them.
In fact, Haruya is intentionally trying to lower Sara's favorability.
But from Sara's perspective, it's being interpreted as a friendly gesture.
They don't understand each other's intentions.
***
That night.
After exchanging contact information with Haruya, Sara stared at her phone screen while lying alone on her bed. In front of Sara's gaze, there was "Asai Yuu" displayed as a contact.
"Oh... What a bold thing I did."
Unable to calm down, Sara had been pressing her face against the pillow and feeling restless since a while ago.
Still, Sara reflects on the time spent with Haruya.
"I never imagined... that person, Asai-san, would be in the same high school."
Meeting someone who helped her and finding out that person attends the same high school... She hasn't told Ritsu and Yuuna about it yet, but it's easy to imagine their reaction.
"...It feels like a shoujo manga, doesn't it?"
Although she hasn't read many of them, Sara can't help but feel that way.
Ritsu and Yuuna probably feel the same.
It's not an exaggeration to say that they might believe in "fate."
Perhaps that's why Sara feels this sense of fate. It's unusual for her to be so passionately engaged.
Sara opens Haruya's private chat and starts pondering whether she should send a message or not.
"...I should at least greet him, right?"
She types a message, erases it, types it again, erases it... She repeats the same process multiple times and starts grumbling, "Ugh."
"During times like these, formal greetings aren't preferred... But if it's too simple, it lacks flavor. Is it okay to use stickers? No, but..."
Unable to reach a conclusion, Sara lets out a deep sigh and mutters to herself.
"...I-It's not like I like him or anything. I just haven't properly thanked Asai-san."
--It's fine, it's fine.
Repeating that to herself, Sara finally sends a message to Haruya.
After sending it, in order to prevent herself from deleting the message due to embarrassment, she immediately turns off her phone.
Although Sara denies her romantic feelings, the image of a troubled maiden in love is clearly present.
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Thanks for comment
Thanks for Advice.
or the raw is just like that?