Chuuko demo Koi ga Shitai! Vol 1 Chapter 3

CHUUKO DEMO KOI GA SHITAI! VOLUME 1 CHAPTER 3

Chapter 3: 2D faith sure is painful

“Hatsushiba confessed her love to you…?”

Tozaki became all fingers and thumbs until he dropped his French fries.

“From what you just said what do you actually mean, Aramiyaaa!”

Tozaki yelled until his saliva spilled all over the table, that has a burger set for each person. For god’s sake, it’s bothering the other customers and also his saliva is disgusting.

“I was going to ask this question that’s why I asked you to come.”

Around an hour ago, Hatsushiba confessed love to me suddenly and then I stood up unmindfully in the classroom for a while before becoming conscious again and quickly called Tozaki to come over since there were many things I wanted to ask him about. So tonight has ended right here.

“Tozaki, you can try think of what is it exactly do I have that makes Hatsushiba have a crush on me?”

“……………Umm, I don’t have much, your face…your looks are pretty average, your personality is nothing special. Whenever I talk with you, there’s nothing enjoyable to talk with that much.”

He had to be so blunt about it, but he isn’t wrong with what he said..

I am truly like from what he said, so I don’t really feel hurt that much. I am not the protagonist of some Eroge game at all.

“I also know how I am like, no matter what, I don’t suit to be with Hatsushiba. That’s why this thing seems to be impossible.”

“It is not that you have just been haunted or thinking by yourself right?”

“If I’m actually being haunted, I would’ve been comfortable for long time ago already.”

I still have that envelope, Hatsushiba inserted into the drawer slot inside my bag.

Every time I touched it, it reminded me that this story is actually true. This is why I can’t escape from this reality.

“Another thing is if I’m truly feeling fearful I have to be able to see the 2D girl. Why would it come and haunt me by person like Hatsushiba?”

“Well, looking from your hobbies, they are like that,”

“Your hobbies are the same as mine.”

No matter what, me and Tozaki both have the same hobbies like Otakus.

Especially those who can talk about eroge games, if it’s in this room, there’s only this guy.

“You were in the same class as me during our first year of high school. Have you ever seen me fortuitously doing anything to girls to make them like me for once?”

“What, were you daydreaming? No, not all,”

“No I wasn’t daydreaming! It was because I don’t understand why Hatsushiba would come to like someone like me, that’s why I’m asking you about this right now!”

“Damn it, being an Otaku may not be enough, there must be everything ready as well? For you, you could just blow yourself up with TNT and die,”

“You also really like to drag me to that direction huh! If I could swap places, I would have already done that long time ago!”

“…You are really such an Otaku that fills up to the bone marrow. If it’s me, even if Ayame in the present may probably be thinking about something that we don’t know, but if Hatsushiba comes to confess her love, the heart will beat at the wrong pace to death for sure.”

Tozaki doesn’t fancy innocent girls as much as me and doesn’t worship 2D girls too.

“I myself also don’t really know how do real people decide by what criteria or once she has met you it become

s love at first sight like this?”

“Does love at first sight really exist?”

“What, the songs have been sung since during the ancient times already like seeing you for the first time would make me fall in love right away, something like this.”

“Eh, do lyrics count that they exist in the real world as well?”

“Well since they exist, so people then feel like they wanted to join and enjoy those songs don’t they?”

Well it can be seen in that aspect.

But personally, right now I still believe that from what Hatsushiba confessed may possibly have something behind the scenes much more.

One of my minds is thinking that guy is just a rookie but he’s a Seiyuu. Just only play acrobats is a straightforward task to do anyway.

“But you had called me to just only listen to these stories? Bringing me to listen to these social stratification stories?”

“If yes then that would be terrible,”

The main story could probably be the next story instead.

“Did you go to tell about my hobbies for Hatsushiba to listen to right?”

Once I started talking, Tozaki has become stunned like a stone statue.

His forehead is soaked with sweat, his eyes are furtive, whoa why is it really easy to catch this!

“Wha-What do yo-you me-me-mean,”

“Can you speak Japanese properly?”

I smashed a joke on him. Tozaki sighed like being laid down before showing his solemn face.

“I’m telling you the truth, do you have any problems!?”

“Are you bawling me back!?”

“…Okay, I’ll stop first, alright I’m sorry. At that time, I couldn’t do anything right as well,”

He gently stroked his face seeming to repent his guilt.

“What happened?”

“Nothing, it had already happened since our first year of high school. It was when I carried an Eroge game in a paper bag to school and I fell down on the walkway, so the game inside the bag fell out of it.”

I have found a pervert right here, at least I should’ve recorded a tape at first.

“And when I was thinking inside my mind, whoa, fortunately no one had seen this! There you go, it turned out that there was one person who saw it.”

“Hatsushiba?”

“At that time, the feeling was like I could say goodbye to my peaceful high school life…then a song suddenly was played and in addition, there was Kazumasa Oda who came to sing the chorus as well.”

I don’t know what the second half is trying to convey, but finally the truth is the high school life of Tozaki didn’t leave him forever.

“You see, I thought I would have been insulted that I’m really evil or go die! Something like that. But unexpectedly, she told me ‘Oh, Tozaki also like this kind of stuff too?”

“Yes correct,”

“And she also asked me ‘is there anyone else who play this game too? Aramiya, who I have spoken too regularly, also play as well?’”

“I understand now,”

“So I replied with nodding that said ‘yes madam!’”

“You should apologize to me right now (in a Chinese accent)”

And then I ate two pieces of chicken nuggets on Tozaki’s table, he didn’t say anything as expected.

“But from what she told me, she liked me since that time which is why I went to ask her.”

I think that Hatsushiba probably knew more than going to ask.

But once this story is told by Tozaki, it turned out that…

“You disgraceful guy, like you should have been bombed by a plastic bomb to death and the other side is Hatsushiba as well—“

“The person who should die is actually you! I thought you swore that we weren’t going to reveal our hobbies to other people!”

“Hey, I already repented my guilt! Come on, you can take another piece of nugget! And since our hobbies did not enter our classmates’ ears, mean that Hatsushiba is such an angel!”

“How’s that a problem?”

I received a nugget together with thinking at the same that Hatsushiba is actually stubborn with the way she is in my school.

“I’m so sorry…”

Come on, let’s stop with these stories.

“Then as an apology, may I ask you something about Ayame?”

“Yes you may, I can answer any question you ask,”

Oh wow this guy becomes uplifted; it seems he has become very conceited.

“Tozaki, I heard you and Ayame used to study at the same primary school, and how about during junior high school, same place as well?”

“Yes, the same place,”

My house and Ayame’s are closer than expected but, only living in different educational districts a little bit.

We live in a different during district both primary and junior high school. Between my house and Ayame’s has a highway that separates between the two districts.

“And was Ayame violent-headed since during that time? Was there news about her being a prostitute as well?”

“Well yes she’s violent especially when punching every time making rumors about her being a prostitute become news, becomes rumored everywhere.”

“The fact about punching, was it Ayame started to fight first or did someone else started it instead? No actually, there were many issues but why didn’t they get suspended from school or expelled at all?”

“If you ask me which one. I don’t know but there was once that the condition of suspension was over but Ayame still turned up to class as usual. No actually, once I thought about it, I felt like there was only something like this…So the people rumored that did she brought herself for prostitution with the teacher? Something like that.”

They really rumored her like that?

“And was there anyone who had seen her doing or about to do some prostitution at all?”

“Many of my friends also said they used to see Ayame walking in the marketing district with some old man. I heard this story very often.”

Or was that Ayame’s father?

But even if I tell Tozaki right now he still won’t understand anyway so I continued asking him.

“Apart from that people have been talking mouth-to-mouth like that mutual friend who paid thirty thousand yen to get Ayame or the friend of mutual friend to be doing too much until losing oneself or the friend of the person who died on the bed, something like this?”

Just only listening to these rumors already gave me goosebumps. If saying correctly, there were also some impossible things mixing up with too.

“And all of you guys believed those rumors?”

“It’s because I hear this story continually about Ayame walking with an old man. Even if Ayame herself during that time actually did that isn’t strange at all. The point is she herself did not refuse even a bit, just only sit down and watch merely.”

Ayame didn’t refuse at all right?

Is it because it’s true like that or thinking that there’s no use to argue?

But all the stories that were rumored are no different to right now that much.

“Even you Aramiya, I thought your mouth has said you would no longer meet or be interested in Ayame?”

“…It’s that I’m feeling dubious,”

“Dubious, dubious with what?”

“Even if that lady may speak rudely and is a hot-tempered person but about her that people have rumored about with right now do not match each other.”

“It’s because the situation is different from during the junior high school. Another thing right now she likes you too. When she tries liking a man, her behavior may possibly change—ah.”

Tozaki’s speech just came out from his mouth obviously.

“What?”

“No, no, nothing.”

“If there’s nothing that’s crazy, come on just tell me,”

“If I tell you this story, will you explode?”

“During this time, wherever I go I tend to explode at any place, don’t worry.”

Tozaki still hesitatds but finally he committed himself to tell me.

“I used to have a girlfriend,”

“Girl, girlfriend? That girl?”

“It was since when I newly entered junior high school already. The other side was a big guy with deep voice. He announced everywhere that ‘I am currently dating Ayame, do you dare challenging me?’ I remember that he was really annoying.”

Or was it the guy who I had met recently. That guy looks big and has a deep voice as well.

“But no matter what, Ayame still didn’t change at all.”

Ayame had a boyfriend right, I could say Hatsushiba had said something like this that,

“But I could say when she entered junior high school for a while, it turned out that—“

Finally, I still don’t understand what she meant.

“…And why did you say that I’m going to explode because of that story?”

“What, you also like sexy girls don’t you. If we talk about your ex-girlfriend, you’ll become boiled for sure.”

“Fine, I didn’t even think of making out with her, never thought too much,”

The truth suddenly flashed for a while but that thing I can just let it go.

“The last question, during junior high school, Ayame was alone most of the time?”

“Umm, yes, hardly ever saw her talking with anyone,”

“But she had a boyfriend right?”

“Those stories during that time, I don’t really know but I think that she might had one temporarily and then broke up.”

“How do you know about that?”

“By the time I knew was when that guy was no longer with Ayame anymore and another thing that story had gone quiet as well.”

“They split up because of something right?”

“That guy kept being haunted by a ghost to say something. He was proud in anything that he had told such as stealing stuffs in the shops or bullying children. During in his senior year of high school, it was fatal and if you answer him in such a mannerly tone, he would still be furious. It was damn exhausting. It was such a relief to not study at the same place with him during high school.”

“Just only listening already makes me feel I don’t want to bother with him anymore…”

“I heard that his parents are honorable in the business or something. He kept saying that only causing a crime is very easy to get away with like being released from the villains’ socket but most men already knew that he’s just boasting.”

“It’s like he went to boast on others and didn’t work?”

“When he boasted that he was going to steal some stuffs in the shop, there would be some braves following him until people generally said that he just bought stuffs normally. And on the following day he tried to boast that he went to steal! Something like this.”

“He sucks, such a coward.”

Why did he need to lie that much that he had stolen some stuffs, does he have a brain? Oh yes I forgot, he might not have one.

“When I have received news that he was Ayame’s boyfriend, no one believed that he was just joking. At that time, I was thinking that the dragon shook hands with a tiger but in fact what he said that he’s good at punching wasn’t a joke which made things worse even more.”

To be honest, the information about him having a girlfriend I don’t really want to know…I don’t want to know…maybe?

The story behind the scenes that Hatsushiba confessed her love…let’s leave it there. Even if I want to think why she came to like or is there something behind the scenes, the information right now still cannot be concluded anyway.

The biggest problem is the rumor related to Ayame that existed since during the junior high school times. I think that if we rearrange carefully, it isn’t quite reliable at all.

“You told me that the nickname second hand has existed since primary right? Even the prostitution work rumors as well?”

“Eh, this one I don’t know? The story was long time ago so I can’t really remember. Just trying to know the meaning of prostitution is still unsure at all.”

It’s true, if there are primary school students who know the meaning of that word everywhere would probably be fearsome.

“But previously when there was news something like I had sex with Ayame, did you know that at that time Ayame was trying to prevent people from extorting money?”

Once I started talking, Tozaki then started doing a face like a pigeon being hit by beans. Then it implies that he doesn’t really know as expected.

It’s late at night already but my mind is still not peaceful yet. I am still shocked with the fact that Hatsushiba came to confess her love until I cannot sleep.

I don’t even know as well that from now what I should do.

Right now I know that I cannot rely on Tozaki. Looking on the Internet doesn’t help at all like the more I look at it, the more I surmise without any benefits for sure. If I try like this, I should ask for some advice…girls.

I cannot ask about this story to Ayame for sure and I must choose somebody who’s not related to Hatsushiba too…in that case,

“Do not come into my room, you burnt eggplant! Or else I’ll bring a dove’s disease to you too!”

“Girls that have ridiculous doves would be sinister already! You idiot!”

I only have a younger sister, Kiyomi, to rely on. Damn it, I never thought before that being friendless would result in this effect.

We moved to the living room where our parents are not there, we stared at each other’s face at the table.

“What, what do you want to consult about life problems? If I give you a Yukichi* note, I would be able to concentrate on listening to you.”

“It is not that a big deal, another thing is if I want to give you Yukichi, I should better buy you ‘The Ambition to Study’ book.”

And I told the stories that happened both including the story of Hatsushiba’s love confession and how to refuse her.

“Being a cherry boy and you still dare to say that there had been someone confessing a love or making up with a girl again, are you crazy? Just go die and become shattered like a carcass.”

“You quickly say sorry to the global cherry boy right now! Even if I’m a cherry boy, but if I don’t make up with a girl, the humanity would become totally extinct!”

I may not be able to help, keep fighting, the other guys.

But if in the future there’s an expert that can supply the real world for building families with women via the monitor, I’m still okay with that.

“I’m insulting you, idiot! Don’t you dare combine the cherry boy in front of me and the general cherry boys in the world!”

“Do I and the general cherry boys really differ from each other that much!”

“Well it’s different like as if those who package the foods home and those who only buy and eat!”

Do you know what buy and eat means? Well whatever, if you use the wrong word, the person who should be embarrassed isn’t me.

“And were you listening carefully? I told you that I want him to forget about her.”

“Burnt eggplant still doesn’t make up with girls anyway similar to the sun that’s becoming a dark matter.

Why did I choose to discuss with this girl? Like this, looking from the internet would be better.

“Why don’t you go live in a different dimension? This is the real world, you shameless virgin.”

“I know! If this place is a different dimension, until now you would be my younger sister who admire her elder brother already!”

“What? Yuck! Admire you, the older brother!? Do you really believe that the younger sister like would like her older brother that much? Even if you, a cherry boy like you gave me trillions of Yen, I still wouldn’t accept it! No actually, the problem of the creator like this I would have to say no. Go away and get sterilized!”

“Is that your mouth? Like you I would accept as well! Go away and quickly make yourself an auction for people as an antique stuff on Yahoo! Not satisfactory, no refunds!

“So noisy! You leftover cherry boy in the stock! Don’t you dare make Ms. Ayame get into trouble!”

When she talked about that, Kiyomi changed from an unsatisfied facial expression to a bit of irritation.

“What do you want then just tell her, right here!”

“Doing like that then how can I stay in the school? The other girl is the idol of the classroom.”

“No matter who the other girl is, instead of you letting that girl waste your time, won’t sacrificing the time you have, living your school life for yourself make you look more unmanly?”

If I’m the protagonist of this Eroge game, I would have done like that.

But I am just a supporting role, not the protagonist of the story. I want to live my life peacefully being suited for a supporting role more instead.

…But from what she said sounds reasonable or not I’m not sure.

The point is I do not sacrifice anything, either I or the other side if not mental health then time would go nowhere.

Monday morning of the new week has arrived after Hatsushiba confessed her love.

We can conclude during that past weekend, I didn’t do anything productive at all. Even playing an Eroge game, I wasn’t able to concentrate too at all.

…Once today I thought that I have to face anything, my mind is disordered everywhere.

“Hello”

On the way to school, I met Ayame, standing and waiting at the usual intersection road.

But it turned out that she had a paranoid expression on her face.

“…Is everything alright? You look really worried.”

“On Friday…you didn’t walk home together with me…so I thought that you hated me already.”

Oh no, or does she have Yandere vibe element in her body as well?

No actually, Yanderes are rare to find in this real world.

My brain ,that’s mixing the real world with the different dimensional world distortedly is actually the problem.

“We don’t have to be together all the time, we don’t need to meet each other like that. If I really hate you, I would have told you to stop following me already.”

“Oh really, yeah it’s true, phew,”

Ayame’s facial expression looks more relieved. Why is it so easy to tell from the face?

…Recently, some rhythm I started to forget that Ayame is also a gangster.

And while we are walking together with keeping this story in our minds, I could feel something strange on the shirt.

When I look at it, it appears that Ayame is grabbing my shirt for a bit, really just only a little bit.

“…”

We both became quiet all of a sudden.

No actually, I also know that this action also comes from an Eroge game.

“What, don’t you like it?”

She glared her eyes at me…what a cheater.

Additionally, if she continues to pull me or refuse me, she would do a desperate looking anxious face suddenly again.

“How, how close to the school…”

“Th, Thank you…”

Recently, I think I have let Ayame too much.

No actually, these recent days Ayame has changed a lot becoming like a different person.

I don’t know if it’s because of the Eroge game that I told her to play is very good or Ayame had strong determination that much.

“What?”

And I hear a sweet voice floating from the back. Without looking, I knew that it’s Hatsushiba.

She doesn’t vacillate even if Ayame is standing next to me. Hatsushiba came to stand next to me on the other side me and Ayame.

“Good morning Aramiya, Ms. Ayame, wow it looks like you both are very close to each other,”

“…Good morning…Hatsushiba,”

I throttled my voice replying as much as I could.

“…”

But Ayame turns out silent. She only bends down her head a little without anything to claim. It seems she’s being anxious.

“Then, may Yuuka join as well, behold.”

I don’t really understand the word ‘then’ of hers as well and she grabs the vacant side of my shirt.

Her voice is cute without any change but at least not over the line until it sounds too cheeky that people don’t like. But her voice is sweet that no matter how long we listen it still sounds melodious. Maybe her voice is naturally like that.

“Please stop,”

“Why? Ms. Ayame can do this to you,”

“…But I have never said that Hatsushiba can do it,”

“Come on, just give me, please?”

Hatsushiba doesn’t stop bothering me and also doing a sweet voice like a cat with grabbing my shirt more tightly.

“Hey, Aramiya doesn’t like it, can’t you see it?”

And I still haven’t told her to go away, Ayame raised her voice harshly to Hatsushiba first.

But Hatsushiba doesn’t retreat as well.

“Ms. Ayame, are you Aramiya’s girlfriend?”

“No, but it’s like…”

Ayame becomes seedy once she got an instant return of an attack.

“If you both are not a couple but I saw you were allowed to grab his shirt? Then I think Yuuka should have the right to do that as well.”

“…Hatsushiba, what do you want during primary school—“

“Yuuka also confessed my love to Aramiya already previously, therefore, it’s no different to Ms. Ayame at all.”

Hatsushiba talked interruptedly with Ayame.

Ayame looked astonished to me as ‘really?’

“…She said the truth but I rejected it,”

“Then…!”

“Even Ms. Ayame got rejected but still following stubbornly? Yuuka only did this once.”

Once she has got spoken with a serious voice that’s different from previously, Ayame then becomes quiet.

“…If you guys want to argue, please let go both of my hands, both of you.”

“Okay no more arguing, grabbing the sleeve is much more enjoyable,”

“I also want to grab the sleeve much more…”

…If it’s like that, I feel like being tied literally by a spider web.

And now, we came together strangely like that until we almost reach the front of school gate.

Once I stopped walking, both of them that are grabbing my shirt also stopped as follow.

I told Ayame that once we have almost reached the school, I must leave you there because I would be embarrassed if somebody sees it even if we are seen by many people anyway until there’s no meaning.

Nonetheless, even if we walk through the school fence like this, there’s a chance that we may get a detention by the teachers.

“Please let go off me,”

“Yuuka doesn’t want to let go of my hand first,”

When I told, Hatsushiba then remarked like that.

Looking at Ayame, her facial expression implies the same as Hatsushiba’s.

“…The other side should let go first then it’s right,”

“Why?”

“It’s, it’s because I con, confessed…first.”

“Oh really, but Yuuka likes him first before? Since a year ago.”

A sparkling of fire has occurred soundlessly with me standing in the middle.

Even if Ayame speaks politely, but her face enters a gangster mode.

She exposes the ray pressurizing Hatsushiba totally. Her eyes are fierce insanely.

But the facial expression, that when most men see it until they are likely to piss in their pants, couldn’t do anything to Hatsushiba at all. We may have to give the braveness onto the stage for Seiyuu or something like this?

But no matter what, I want them to stop.

I cannot handle anymore…How am I capable of handling the situation like this!

The situation like this, when I played an eroge game, I still never have seen this before!

“Hey!”

I found the opportunity to stop those two arguing by flicking my sleeves off from both of their fingers.

And I equip a dog’s foot gear, dashing to the school gate immediately.

Right now the only thing I could do is to escape. It’s because I’m an Otaku of ordinary eroge games without needing to have the intellect of being the protagonist in the game!

But I don’t understand why the rumors have spread across into the room already, because by the time I entered the room,

“What! Hatsushiba and Aramiya!?” “Holding hands together on the way the school!” “Hatsushiba is mineeeee!” “She’s not yours!” “No, isn’t this way too unexpected? Are you on drugs?”

“Yuuka and Aramiya!?” “What? I never knew that before!” “There weren’t any signs like that at all?” “What does she like about Aramiya?” “Is this possible?”

I could hear those voices from the hallway already. I’m not mentally brave enough to enter the room without shaking. You could say I suck at it; I’m such a coward, full of hesitation who doesn’t dare challenge anyone who may insult me, so they themselves know how cool they are. No matter how terrible you are, then you may still insult the coward protagonist all the time anyway.

But once the situation became reality, no one can handle it.

Go and look around all over the country, let’s see how many senior high school students can’t stand seeing with this kind of situation!

I am arguing with the claim that I made up myself while moving towards the stairs of an abandoned suburban.

“Phew…”

She’s the kind of classmate who truly enjoys having all kinds of rumors everywhere.

When it’s Ayame we rumor things quietly, but once it’s about Hatsushiba, everything becomes chaotic.

“…Eh?”

When I’m next to Hatsushiba and people rumor about us isn’t strange. I could say it was meant to be like that anyway.

But now I’m holding hands, no I’m not, now I’m walking with both Ayame and Hatsushiba, who are both sandwiching me on my way.

Being surrounded by girls, if in that case we may be able to talk about this story together? But from what I heard just a moment ago, there wasn’t anyone talking about Ayame at all.

“But…once again,”

It is more probably that it may just be a coincidence. They might be bored with the rumor of Ayame and me already and another thing the status of Ayame and Hatsushiba in the classroom is different.

Or some people don’t dare make a noise about Ayame, because they are afraid of being screwed by her.

On the contrary for Hatsushiba, people may be able to see that no matter how chaotic she is, it doesn’t matter at all.

No matter what, maybe I’ll get butterflies in my stomach more than I expected for several days. Maybe that is still less.

If I say “stop messing with me, you 3D girls!” Will those girls likely to stop?

But even if Hatsushiba says farewell to me, people in the classroom will likely not let me off the hook that easily.

I feel like my peaceful life is gradually becoming more distant for each moment.

And I dashed into the room once the bell has rung at the same time. Everybody in the classroom looked at me with each and every single eye.

On the other hand, the homeroom teacher, Mr. Ohara, who arrived here before spoke,

“Aramiya, you are almost late, please give yourself enough time next time,”

Like that, without reading the atmosphere of the whole classroom inside here,

I sat down with holding my stomach that’s feeling severely uncomfortable. I could feel that the penetrating stares/glares made my skin feel like being bitten, like proving that the eyesight has power from the whole body entirely.

I breathed in deeply, keeping myself calm but my breath is shaking.

 

 

The teacher is doing something during the homeroom period constantly while my ears aren’t listening even a little bit.

And by that time, Tozaki gently provoked me and handed me a piece of paper.

Who sent me this thing, did the court make another issue of a conviction?

Tozaki answered on my back with his fingers saying that “Ha-tsu-shi-b-a”. Maybe Hatsushiba is the person who sent this letter.

And then I unfolded that paper with my fingers that are shaking.

“Sorry for making it disordered, I explained to everyone already, don’t worry. I say stop making a noise by Yuuka.”

Once I read that piece of paper and found out that I myself is really relieved.

Damn it, I am such a coward like a protagonist of a story that does anything opposite to the choices given…

And end of the second period, it’s break time, there’s nothing bonkers going on happening at all. People asking anything without consideration on others don’t exist too.

Hatsushiba may have really said with our classmates like from what was written on the paper.

But where is she up to with her storytelling?

Did she tell the story about her love confession to me and I refused as well? Or did she tell that until now she won’t give up as well? But anyway let’s say she has helped me a lot instead.

She still has the eye expression of some curiosity but if only that I may have to be quite patient.

“…Eh?”

Did I let her too much? Because during the morning it was much more chaotic than right now. That’s why right now I’m thinking that will I be able to still be calm and patient? Is this a technique called The Interface or not which is a method of persuading people with psychology? But if ask for the bigger issue of being rejected first and then ask for something less afflicted, people would be able to accept the later issues much easier. I think that I have heard that story from an eroge game too.

If Hatsushiba can stop, the story would have really ended long time ago.

…But since she doesn’t give up, we can conclude that there’s no difference anyway.

“Sei-i-chi-kun!”

I can hear that cute voice like a canary calling my name and also calling my first name close friendly like a female protagonist in the eroge game that could be flirted successfully to become a girlfriend as well.

The only person who calls my first name in school seems to be Kiriko-san only.

“You, the next period is music lesson, do you want to go with me?”

She came in and pulled my arms, and the classmates didn’t say anything at all but instead stared at me without blinking.

“Hey, don’t you see that Aramiya doesn’t like it,”

“Hey, none of this is Ayame-chan’s business right? Wouldn’t it be better if Ayame-chan quickly went to art class with Tozaki?”

Tozaki’s face became pale as if he’s trying to protest that “for no reason why are you dragging me to be involved!?” which I also started feeling pity about him.

“Hey stop, stop!”

Damn it, I don’t even want to be notable among the people right now…!

“I’m not going! Another thing, Hatsushiba, don’t you dare call me with name, it sounds ticklish,”

Once I announced like that, the whole classroom is starting to suddenly make noises.

“Eh, Hatsushiba invited him but got refused?” “What happened?” “Or is he actually making up with Ayame?” “Eh, but those two said they are not in a relationship…” “Hatsushiba is mineee!” “I told you already that she’s not yours, idiot!”

Even if they don’t talk churlishly but I can still hear some gossips anyway.

I quickly pick up my exercise book and textbook from music lesson and swiftly exit the classroom as soon as possible.

Can anyone tell me how to solve the problem so that I can stay in this school happily?

If those people are ready, they would be able to solve the problem easily, I would truly pay respect to those people.

I want a newly renovated version of a protagonist if not then a save function and able to load…

During today’s music class period, I played Japanese drums. It appeared that it was totally sloppy.

They made each of us come out to the front of the classroom, hitting the drums steadily with the music. But today my sloppiness had risen above its level.

It’s because I’m originally terrible already but today I was twice-fold worse than usual. No matter how many beats I was off-beat all the time.

But the others, which Hatsushiba is one of them is hitting right now, who is able to hit on the beat steadily. It seems she’s very accurate with the rhythm.

I also like the way she fully attempts with everything she does, but…

“Hey, what do you think about it? Seiichi,”

Once she has finished performing, she called me with a smooth voice and additionally came to sit right next to me. Maybe when there’s no one stopping her so she becomes encouraged. The fact that during this period we are free to sit anywhere we want is also another problem.

Since at that time the next person is about to perform, so the teacher is looking in that direction and she was not scolded at all.

“Why do have to come and sit next to me…? And I told you already that stop calling me with my first name,”

I warned her quietly. The sound from the drums may be a bit noisy but we are still able to communicate understandably.

“Umm, that’s a shame, then I’ll call you as usual, and the reason why I want to see next to you is because I want Aramiya to look at my face,”

“…Even if you attack me directly, I still won’t change my mind, please can you stop,”

“Why do you have to be afraid that much?”

“It’s because only Ayame attacking me is more than enough. I am not a well-prepared person. I cannot handle girls who do not think of stop loving up to two people.”

“Anything seems to be going in Ayame’s way right, in that case Yuuka is also hurtful as well, but for that thing let’s leave it there…but because of what? I thought you said that she’s not your girlfriend.”

“…There’s a little bit of problem,”

At least it is one order from Kiriko-san, but is this story appropriate to be spoken out loud?

“Such as?”

“I cannot tell you, I never thought of wanting to become Ayame’s boyfriend anyway. I also want her to forfeit her dedication towards me as well. I hope that one day she’ll become bored of me.”

Once I told her up to that point, Hatsushiba then made a sound saying “Hmm?” as if she doesn’t believe me before nodding doubtfully.

“Is she concealing your secrets or something like this?”

“Not at all,”

“Umm, that’s strange,”

The fact that she came to like is equally strange, I thought in my mind but didn’t speak out loud.

“Then, is there anybody who came to plead or not?”

“…I don’t know as well.”

I know that she’s guessing but even it’s like that it isn’t stoppable from being vacillate. It is still guessable for one reason.

But when thinking about it again, my attitude can no longer able to explain about that only story again.

I myself also doesn’t know how to explain what kind of relationship I am having with Ayame.

We could say that even the familiar people know it too much. But if you’re going to ask me if we’re very close until being more than just a friend, the answer is no.

Calling us an ideal companion would be much closer.

“Huh, because of what?”

Hatsushiba said like that and then smiled cheerfully.

I accidentally thought that her smile is crazily beautiful and felt a bit hurtful for thinking like that.

And on the way returning from the music period to the classroom, I met Kozaki at the stairs.

“…Your face seems to look shabby, you look like you are about to die,”

“You can tell? Yes, I am goddamn tired so I really want to escape and enter the 2D world that’s more gentle.”

Let me try seek advice from him…

“Tozaki, I have something to talk to you for a while, are you free right now?”

“Hmm? Yes, I’m free,”

And I brought Tozaki to the stairs at the end of the building where no one is there

 

I looked around to see if no one is around the resting area near the stairs and around, then I tried asking in an undertone,

“What should I do to make Hatsushiba stop being interested in me?”

“If you are ready, then hug a balloon tightly until it explodes and go die,”

“Come on please don’t give me this kind of answer! Goddamn it, I’m endeavored to ask you a serious question!”

Now I understand the human’s feeling together with being told by others to self-destruct by bombing oneself.

It’s like I don’t want it to come out in this way at all! Why do I have to die by bombing?

“What aren’t you satisfied of—oh yes I almost forgot, you are not interested with literal people at,”

“I know, but I told you before that Hatsushiba still won’t going to stop thinking about you,”

“No, I don’t want to believe it, where does she get attracted by you?”

“I also want to know as well, but I want that girl to quickly lose interest in me like that so that it’s compromising between the two sides.”

Until there, Tozaki then started to think more seriously. This guy is not a waste for being my friend.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you announce in front of everybody that you’re not going to have anybody as your girlfriend?”

“That thing I was considering about it before, but do you think once I announced that like, what would happen?”

“What would happen is…”

“Hatsushiba’s friends would come around chasing me like as if ‘what are you not satisfied about?’ like what you did before,”

“Umm, yes it’s possible…”

Tozaki nodded because he himself used to truly do it. That story is just my own imagination but looking at the condition of the people around Hatsushiba, it isn’t strange if that’s going to happen.

And even if Hatsushiba forbids, there may still be people coming to ask because of their curiosity.

“Until that time, the life at my school is likely to be ruined,”

“So what?”

“What, if I answer people that ‘I’m only interested in 2D girls’, what do you think will happen?”

“…Those girls will collaborate and ignore you, and the guys mostly would look at you insultingly.”

“And what if I say ‘it’s my business, what are your problems?’ what is going to happen?”

“They would, what? Hatsushiba is also a friend with my group, then it’s relevant!”

“And if I say ‘I don’t care about having love’ then?”

“Then it’ll be like you’re so arrogant, where have you been possessive from? How dare you say that you don’t accept Hatsushiba.”

“I know right!?”

For sure it may not be like from what Tozaki had said but my life in school from now on may become endangered anyway.

The worst case scenario would be if I reject Hatsushiba in front of everybody’s face. My life in school would become completely wrecked.

I may be thinking too much by myself but I still couldn’t stop worrying.

Like if at the sixth year of high school, I would still be able to come up with an excuse that I am busy with revising for my university entrance exams. But this moment, even if there are good methods of refusing that can persuade the people around, I still cannot think of the way out.

From the past, I tried living my life cautiously with peace truly…I just only wanted to live my life as peacefully as possible until I graduate from school.

“…I understand, this task you may have to make a move cleverly,”

“Thank you for trying to understand my point,”

“But I can think of some good ideas,”

Tozaki is trying to act cool in a way that he managed to grab the idea. Looking at him I wanted to play some jokes on him, but I have to be patient first.

Just only man drowning and a line of rice straw, just accept it. If I annoy Toza too much this haystack is likely to escape first.

“That is?”

“Very simple, and plus you are here too. Once it’s done it won’t be ruined again for sure.”

“Oh really, there’s that method as well!? Wow you are truly a genius.”

“I allow you to call me Kong Ming,”

“Oh Kong Ming, if you want me to call you at any time just let me know. You may let me call you tender swan or sleeping dragon as well and the method that you said is?”

“Umm”

Tozaki is trying to hide himself to keep himself cool and then reveal later.

“You should say it’s because you like Ayame,”

“Oh let’s go home,”

Damn it, what kind of haystack is so fragile! Just only touching it spills already!

“Are you going to skip right away just only listening to me!? Hey, otherwise it would turn out that you have anything to do with Ayame for sure!”

“Yes I also know! I also don’t know how to explain but I’m trying to arrange my ideas! Can you understand my feeling like those friends in the game ‘Making the Sky Pink’ for a bit?”

“How can I become those crazy scientists! It is too difficult!”

When I use the eroge games to compare, it managed to follow me like this. I feel like satisfied with something whimsical.

Then I and Tozaki looked at each other before breathing out hugely.

“I know that it is painful but this thing I cannot help a lot since it is just your problem only,”

“This thing I know…but I need somebody to upgrade the game tool for just one website anyway,”

“The 2D faith sure is painful,”

“The religions are also suppressed regularly like this too,”

“Well, if I can think of something great I’ll tell you. I’m actually considerate and on your side but in some cases I may not be able to help.”

“I know.”

For me, to be honest I feel much better right now.

No matter who, they’ll tend to give importance to their lives first as the main priority. Tozaki shouldn’t collaborate with me that much until he has to sacrifice his life at all.

If accidentally I dragged him to be screwed as well, I would become more stressful for no good reason.

“Then may I go back to my room, what are you going to do next?”

“I’ll be calming myself down here first for a while,”

“Okay, then I’ll see you later, you can call me sometime, if you want me to go to the dining hall with you, it’s a piece of cake.”

“Thanks,”

And then Tozaki returned to the classroom. This guy when he’s unintentional he’s such a good guy, only when he’s unintentional.

I looked up to the ceiling without thinking anything at all. The environment in this school is cruel to the 2D faithful people for too much.

…No actually, the environment outside is much crueler than here.

“Huh…”

And at that time, I could hear some footsteps making thump, thump, thump noise coming towards me.

“Aramiya,”

Ayame is standing at the stairs that head up to the dormitory. She walked down the stair to the platform.

“Is there anything?”

“I saw you haven’t returned to the room so I just wanted to come and see. I assume that you could be around here.”

I could say out of nowhere when Ayame came to ask me about the eroge game, I dragged her here making her thought that I was extremely insane.

“Here you go,”

Ayame said like that and handed me something which is a fruit juice containing in a paper box that has been sold very often at the cooperative.

“…Why did you choose banana juice?”

“Wh, why? Because I like it, when you drink it makes you stronger,”

Or is she worried about me?

“Really? Th, thanks,”

“I saw you were really tired without any explanation, and the reason why you’re tired is maybe because of me,”

She scratched her head and smiled shyly. Actually, the person who makes me feel tired most of the time is Hatsushiba.

“Then I shall go first, please don’t be late to class,”

And Ayame walked away from me as if there’s no more business. She walked upstairs and disappeared.

…I never have expected that Ayame would remind me about attending classes late.

No actually, she cares about me in many different things since before that, Ayame seems to be,

I have to thank the caring from Ayame and then I put the straw into the banana juice container.

I slowly swallow the drink.

“It’s so sweet (frickin),”

But once I drank it, it makes me feel fresher a bit more.

And during lunch break, according to the schedule for several days, I may go to the student club room with Ayame and eat lunch together.

I was expecting that today would be like that again, but at that moment,

“Aramiya-kun, Yuuka had made a lunchbox prepared for you! Let’s go eat lunch together!”

Hatsushiba has spoken out loud with hesitation like as if announcing for the whole class to be able to hear.

Her voice is very tender. It sounds very intimate as if we have been friends since childhood. Her voice sounds very small and sweet which fancies me seriously. It’s a bit of a shame that the voice did not pass through a loudspeaker.

The whole class suddenly has a reaction but I can’t be bothered to listen to what they’re saying anymore.

It is something like Tozaki flew out of the classroom already to buy a bread from cooperative that’s very competitive.

This guy seems to know how to escape like tails really.

“Uh,”

Hatsushiba placed the two lunchboxes on Tozaki’s table handily.

“Umm, Hatsushiba, it’s…”

“…Don’t you want to eat?”

She leaked her voice anxiously and looking at my face with peaking. Just only listening to me she suddenly felt guilty.

To be honest, once I have eaten it would be worse than usual so I don’t really want to eat it. Another thing is there are people watching me too.

All the classmates around are watching as well.

I may be embarrassed if people gossip that we are eating lunch together…but right now isn’t the time to talk about that thing again.

Because if I say I don’t want to eat, what would happen to the lunchbox?

I bet she won’t go give it to another guy instead.

She’s more likely to go share in the group of girls…

But throwing away this opportunity is such a waste and there’s nothing wrong with the food. Also, I have learnt from the game ‘Indigo passes the Dawn Light’ that there are no events that are sorrowful and frustrating than getting refused when handing a lunchbox without any attachment.

“…Alright, I’ll eat,”

“Yay!”

Hatsushiba smiled with signs of relief and cheer.

“However! I have a deal,”

I looked at Ayame.

As expected, she’s hugging a cloth bag and bending down her head with sadness currently. If it’s some stranger came to see at that time, her or she may probably think that she’s some possessive girl that no matter who sees her would be frightened in the entire school.

“The deal is you must sit with Ayame too,”

The whole class becomes louder than before. Ayame then look up maybe because she heard what I have said.

She broadens her eyes like goose eggs as if not being able to handle the situation.

Hatsushiba herself also doesn’t know what to do. Maybe she didn’t expect as well so she doesn’t know what to say out loud.

…Umm, I also bravely suggested something truly crazy too.

 

 

Would you call this deferring the problem or not? This time I may be condemned by boys and girls that I’m ruthless for sure.

“We are friends aren’t we? There shouldn’t be a problem right?”

And then I intentionally told this so that everybody can hear.

The fact that we are not in a relationship, at least that thing I can tell everybody clearly.

Hatsushiba frowned for a bit and then suddenly smiled sweetly.

“Yes I may, umm, if Aramiya prefers like that then no problem for Yuuka,”

She allowed already, then I better call Ayame to join as well.

“Ayame, let’s eat lunch together,”

“Eh, ah, uh… will it be fine?”

Ayame came towards me. She’s still hesitated but I asked her to come and sit next to me.

“No problem,”

I borrowed a table next to Tozaki’s to connect and Ayame is sitting down hesitantly.

…If I think about it carefully, this situation is like what kind of eroge game is this? Clearly…but if I’m forced to enjoy that this situation I have seen it before! I still wonder how should I.

“Let’s sit and eat together would be better right? Ayame-san,”

Hatsushiba smiled at Ayame without any doubts especially.

“Ah, umm, pl, please bear with me, I haven’t done this for long time ago already…”

But Ayame turns out to look tense but if she hasn’t done this for a long time then it isn’t strange.

And Hatsushiba then continued saying cheerfully that “Oh I see”.

I myself also am feeling tense but Ayame is looking at me. If in that case, I may let her know that I cannot be tense. Another thing is once I saw Hatsushiba then I felt that why I have to do be this tense.

And then I breathed in deeply for once to calm myself down.

The problem is that the eye expressions from the classmates have made Ayame become uneasy for no good reason.

“What’s happening?” “Three people?” “When I saw it I don’t even want to believe it…”

When I hear those voices coming out quietly from the corner of the room is I could actually hear them talking.

And I don’t know if Ayame could hear it or not so she turned her head to make a giant angry face.

“You—“

“Ayame, please don’t,”

I grabbed her arms to stop her.

“A, Aramiya…”

“I know what you’re trying to do but just let them go,”

Just now she was trying to intimidate those three people for sure but there’s no point of doing that.

Doing that would only make people serve her right at Ayame in return. I want to correct from the people who misunderstood about Ayame for one method would be great. It doesn’t have to be a lot.

I am not doing this for Ayame but I’m actually this for myself. It’s because I’m just fidgety that the real Ayame and the rumors are in conflict with each other. And for that case if there’s Hatsushiba may coincidentally make things better.

I feel bad for using her as a tool but it’s Hatsushiba’s fault for not losing interest in me…I have to tolerantly endure which makes me feel guilty as well.

“Right, let’s eat, Ayame, Hatsushiba as well,”

“Ah okay,”

“Okay, let’s exchange the foods with you,”

All the classmates around left the room already except the person who’s eating the lunchbox.

“Th, then…”

Then Ayame picked up her lunchbox as well.

On the table there are two Hatsushiba’s lunchboxes and Ayame’s for another two.

“Aff”

I made a strange noise. Next time can I please think of something with a bit more detail

I asked each lunchbox from both of them. Part of my lunchbox must have two boxes anyway.

“Eh, you can leave some foods?”

“Eating the entire thing might be a pain,”

Both of them are considerate but over here will be there be foods that I cannot eat.

Even if the other side is a literal person but I don’t want to force other people’s kindness anyway.

The dictionary of my eroge games do not have the word ‘that’s enough’ anyway.

“Don’t worry, I can afford to eat,”

I opened both of the lunchbox covers together, no matter which lunchbox just only seeing it makes me feel surprised already.

Ayame’s lunchbox may look a bit tasteless but the deliciousness, the mother’s choice guarantees for sure.

But Hatsushiba’s lunchbox look very colorful. I feel that it has been calculated even since the coloring.

“…Then I shall start from Hatsushiba’s,”

Ayame is making a bit of sad face but this thing please forgive me since I asked Hatsushiba to follow my deal at the moment.

“Now it’s your turn,”

I received the chopsticks from Ayame and picked up some rice from Hatsushiba’s lunchbox.

I tried tasting beef balls that are meat balls poured with sweet sauce for one spoon.

……

…Why are these people very good at cooking, both of you?

You guys are still studying at the senior high school aren’t you? Don’t you guys let your parents cook for you? Or are you guys still practicing maid’s work?

Even though the flavor may be quite intense, it’s still in the acceptable boundary.

Hatsushiba smiled happily. I don’t really understand why she really likes me.

“Then next, I’ll try Ayame’s this time,”

“Ah, umm, please taste,”

I tasted some grinded chicken in Ayame’s lunchbox. The meat is very tender. Then the smell and plum flavor pervade everywhere softly and deliciously as usual. There are no mistakes at all.

I can appreciate in both of the two’s ambitions once again. I have to say that miraculous gifts truly had fell down to me.

…Apart from the fact about in relationship, this time I have to find a way to reward them something for their obligation otherwise I would probably be considered as a very bad person.

I have concentrate on my thinking. Will I be able to find good and suitable gifts or not?

“Ayame-chan, you can eat as much as you want!”

“Aramiya, this one I want to present to you,”

I slowly eat following from what both of them recommended. No matter which menu, they are very delicious until I cannot rest my chopsticks.

“This one has been mixed with flavor without any mistakes,”

“This one is also delicious,”

The foods from the lunchbox gradually disappears into the stomach every moment.

But the truth is the stomach has its own maximum capacity.

I am not a person who eats a lot. My stomach then starts to scream more every time.

Even if I move up towards the senior high school and I am getting a better appetite, but I still feel like I’m being piled up by something and becoming more painful anyway.

But I also not going to be tightened but I’ll fill it into my mouth anyway.

I want to eat like tasting the flavor and then without making any tolerant face at all.

Because it is my duty that I should make the people who tried to cook foods for me to feel great.

And when the lunch break is almost over,

“It’s, it’s all done…”

I have eaten all the foods completely.

“Oh wow, Seiichi-kun, you seem to get stomachache is prett

Chapter end