Chapter 5 – Takamura Mahiro Continues to Attract (1)
“Ooi, Takamuraー. Wake upー.”
Lifting my head from the counter, the surroundings were already pitch-black. I reflexively looked at the clock. It says 7.30pm. Apparently I slept for about an hour in the period when I was despairing for the future.
Did I fell asleep in an awkward position? I can’t avoid getting these joint pains in my body then.
“Sorry, it seems I felt asleep. Are your club activities over?”
“Un, sorry to keep you waiting. Leggoー.”
Behind Kousaka was the straw a.k.a. Hiwatari from just now. He’s looking at me with an incredibly unhappy face.
Perhaps Kousaka became conscious of the fact that Hiwatari is unhappy. He gave a shrug and hit Hiwatari’s waist. Hiwatari had an unpleasant expression on his face as he furrowed his brows, but Kousaka ignored him.
“Ahh, this guy is a kouhai from my club. He’s called Hiwatari Shuu. Even though he’s severely tsundere, he’s a good kid so do be friends with him.”
“Are you his guardian!”
I unconsciously retorted at the introduction made from an unknown standpoint.
Hiwatari Shuu gave me a fleeting glance as he snorted.
Not to mention being severely tsundere, my heart feels like it’s about to break from his att.i.tude that seems like there’s only tsun.
“Hiwatariー, this is Takamura Mahiro.”
“I’ve heard rumours about Takamura-san. You’re dating Sena-san, right?”
“We’re not dating.”
Has the rumours of Sena and I spread to even the 1st-years? Moreover it was even exaggerated that we’re dating.
Certainly, Sena is cute. Both her face and personality are incredibly cute, but I can’t date her. I hope you understand. And by all means do let me know who’s the one who spread such strange rumours. There’s an immediate need to use the Giant Swing move on him.
“Heーeh, is that so?”
“Yes it is. So feel free to approach if you like Sena.”
“I wouldn’t. ‘Cos I hate that kind of cunning women.”
The one who came snapping at the words that were fired nonchalantly was obviously not me, but Kousaka who worships Sena Tsugumi and Katsura Koharu, two so-called acclaimed cunning people.
“Hiwatari! Are you seriously sayin’ you don’t like Sena-san? What kind of girl would be your type then? Who’d it be if it’s the Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls?
“I don’t know Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls well, so.”
“If you don’t like Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls either, then what do you look forward to in life……”
It seems that “don’t know Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls well” was quite a bombsh.e.l.l statement for Kousaka who’s a minor idol otaku. He collapsed right before Hiwatari’s eyes.
“Don’t think that everyone likes Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls. Who’s the one being fooled by the media?”
“But Koharu-chan is super cute you know?”
‘Koharu-chan’ probably refers to Bak.u.matsu Shishi Girls’ Katsura Koharu. As you know, she’s Kousaka’s bias.
Katsura Koharu’s atmosphere resembles Sena’s. Cute and slightly airheaded, a girl with a soft and sweet atmosphere like a marshmallow. Despite seeming like they can’t survive if they aren’t protected, from how they entrance people to save them with their cunning atmosphere, they actually do bear a bit of craftiness too. Kousaka’s preferences are so congruous that it’s exceedingly easy to understand.
But it’s not like I really wanted to hear about Kousaka’s preferences until the school’s closing time, so I didn’t give any particular response. Hiwatari also remained silent as he walked next to me.
“Stop ignoring me. You guys have similar personalities. Doesn’t it seem like you can get along?”
It’s exceedingly upsetting to be regarded on the same level as a cold guy like Hiwatari. I treat Kousaka much more kindly.
Giving Hiwatari a scrutinizing glance, his expression was more unpleasant-looking than mine. He looked like he swallowed a bitter pill. I’m technically a senpai he met for the first time, so can’t he be more mindful about it? It’s not like I particularly want to get along with him, or that I felt hurt, but somehow I feel kind of gloomy.
Walking to the front gate as I listened to Kousaka’s talking for the most part, the school’s ouji-sama (lol) was there. Fiddling with his phone, he was leaning on the gate in a stylish pose as he acted cool. Is he waiting for someone? I wondered as I tried to walk pa.s.s him, but my arm was firmly grabbed so I had no choice but to stop.
Sunohara grinned from ear to ear.
“Ohhhhー! Hii-chan! Isn’t it such a coincidence? Let’s go home together.”
“……. Coincidence?”
“It’s not like I waited for Hii-chan but, well, since we happened to meet here? Let’s just go home together.”
He clearly appeared to be waiting for someone, but was it not so?
Nonetheless, who would just happen to be leaning by the schoolgate until this late hour? I don’t understand the city boys living in the 23 wards[1].
“I’m going back with these two afterwards.”
“…… Eh.”
“Does Chiha want to come along too?”
For an instant he had a crestfallen look, but his expression immediately brightened up as though light was beaming out when I invited him. Could it be, this fella wanted to leave school with me very badly?
Why doesn’t he frankly say that he wants to go home together? It’s not like I’ll reject him if he spoke up frankly, but I wouldn’t even know if he doesn’t say it properly.
Sunohara’s restless gaze alternated between Kousaka and Hiwatari before it fell on me again. With the ends of his eyebrows lowered and after a few seconds of being in a fl.u.s.ter, he nodded solemnly. Was my invitation something that invites so much bewilderment?
“Is Chiha on the way home from club activities?”
“Well, yeah. I basically have club activities everyday except Sundays, you see. That’s why I just happened to have club activities, I really just happened to have them.”
“I see.”
You don’t have to repeat ‘just happened’ so many times.
No particular conversation came up, so I stared at the backs of Kousaka and Hiwatari who walked in front. Kousaka seemed to be talking about something, but Hiwatari seemed to find that annoying as he fended it off.
Because I was walking while looking at those two, we reached Hitotose High School’s Moyori Station before I knew it. Kousaka and I take the same descending[2] train line, Sunohara takes the ascending one and Hiwatari uses the private railway, so we’ll be going our separate ways here.
I tried to go through the faregate as we moved to wait for our respective trains, but Sunohara held the hem of my clothes silently. Sensing something exceedingly troublesome from his action, I felt a huge urge to go home.
“Hii-chan, ask me “What’s wrong?”! Haven’t I been giving out an aura like I wanted to talk?”
See? I told you something troublesome was coming.
Sunohara puffed his cheeks into a pout and looked at me with sullen, narrowed eyes. This fella is the annoying sort of cunning guy. Suppressing the surging tiresome feelings, I let out a sigh.
“I won’t understand if you don’t say it clearly.”
“I’ll say it clearly then. Listen to me. Hii-chan, listen to what I have to say!”
“I got it. I got it, so don’t speak so loudly.”
It’s bad enough that Sunohara has sparkly-ish looks that attracts the eyes of people. But we stand out even more with him speaking so loudly like that.
This is what I get when I lend him a listening ear once. It’s because of this that guys who’re used to having people listen to them are troubling.
“Sorry, Kousaka and Hiwatari, go back first. I’ll go after listening to what Sunohara has to say.”
“Gotchaー. See ya tomorrow.”
I waved my hand lightly at Kousaka who gave a wry smile.
I then wanted to wave to Hiwatari who stood beside Kousaka like he’s dumbfounded, but the expression he had was more awful than I expected, so I stopped. It’s like his thoughts of “Is this guy right in the head?” are keenly transmitted. I’ll likely have the same expression as Hiwatari if I were in his position.
“See ya too, Hiwatari.”
“Do your best.”
“Aah, …… un.”
I totally don’t want to do my best, but this matter will become much more troublesome if I ditch him, so I’ve no choice but to do my best.
After seeing off the two who pa.s.sed through the faregate, I looked in Sunohara’s directionapprehensively only to find him on the verge of tears. Why. Why, are you about to cry, now. The one who wants to cry is me. I felt so unsettled that I stood stock still. Stupefied, I continue to stare at his pretty face.
“Hii-chan, …… I was rejected when I asked Sena-san for a date. Apparently, “I can’t go out alone with a guy because I have someone I like”, she says.”
Is that sarcasm towards me? No matter how you think about it, isn’t the person Sena likes, me?
Normally speaking, would you say something like that to the perpetrator of you getting rejected for a date? It’s troubling even if you tell me head-on about something that I can’t help with. Will it be fine if I tell Sena. “I can’t answer your feelings”, in this situation where she hasn’t even confessed to me?
With a disconcerted mind, I simply looked at him as he sniffed with teary eyes.
“It’s troubling even if you say something like that. I’ve said it again and again, but I don’t like Sena-san. However, I don’t feel like cheering Chiha’s feelings on either. Because it’s bothersome.”
“I know. I’m not blaming Hii-chan. It’s just that I felt very sad, and wanted Hii-chan to listen.”
“Why is it me?”
Sunohara has many friends. It’s no surprise, seeing he’s the central personage of his cla.s.s, an ikemen, and is sociable.
He’s different from the cla.s.s’ normie like me. Sunohara is truly a human on the riajuu[3] side, yet he comes all the way to me to consult about love. Moreover I’m his rival in love. Towards such a person, why?
The tips of Sunohara’s fingers touched the tips of mine.
“Maybe because Hii-chan won’t indulge me.”
Sunohara held my fingers lightly. As he continued to touch my fingers no matter how many times I shook him off, I gave up and let him do as he pleased.
When I raised my head after realising I was paying too much attention to my fingers, Sunohara’s face was closer than expected. I was exceedingly startled although I didn’t let it show on my face.
“I believe I’m plenty indulgent to you.”
“Eh~, you are mean.”
“Really? I’ll be kind then.”
I gave a shot at saying words I didn’t mean, thinking to use whatever works to soothe Sunohara so I can go home. However, he appeared like he wanted to say something to me again.
It’s already 8pm. It’ll probably be 8.30pm by the time I reach home. Takafumi will worry if I return too late, so I’d like to head back soon.
“I lied. Hii-chan’s kind. I get why Sena-san likes Hii-chan. If I’m Sena-san, I will definitely also choose Hii-chan instead of me.”
“You don’t have to flatter me.”
“It’s not flattery.”
Honestly, I’m not particularly happy about being praised by Sunohara. More importantly, making Takafumi worried unsettles me more.
At that moment, the smartphone in my back pocket vibrated. Fetching it and looking at the screen, I received a message from the perpetrator of making my heart unsettled, Takafumi.
You’re late in coming back. Are you having dinner? Along with a cute emoji, such a message was sent to me.
“Hii-chan.”
I tried to type that I’ll be eating, but my phone was s.n.a.t.c.hed away the same instant a dissatisfied-sounding voice entered my ears.
“Give me back my smartphone, Chiha.”
“Who’s Natsuka Takafumi, Hii-chan?”
“He’s my cousin. Don’t look at it without permission.”
I don’t know what he’s dissatisfied with, but Sunohara was incredibly p.i.s.sed.
“Dinner, he says…… Are you living with this person, Hii-chan?”
“Yes but, so what?”
“I’m going to Hii-chan’s place today.”
Squeeze, he grabbed my hand and pulled it with all his strength. We pa.s.sed through the faregate with my hand still being held, and I was abducted to the platform of the JR descending line that I usually take.
“Nah, you don’t have to come over.”
“Don’t wanna. I’m staying over at Hii-chan’s place.”
“I’m saying it’s a bother.”
Sunohara looked very hurt.
He’s pitiful, but honestly it’s a bother to suddenly be told “Let me stay over” by a fellow I don’t intend to get along well with. Certainly, it was relatively enjoyable that one and only time we hung out, but I didn’t intend to get along with him so well.
I don’t intend to…… but, it’s also true that I’ve been getting swept away by this annoying and cunning expression whereby he made studied sniff sniff sounds with his nose and looked at me with a sorrowful face.
But if I don’t steel my heart here, there’s no doubt he’ll continue to come and stay over from now on.
“That’s right, huh. It’s a bother, huh.”
“Aah, it’s a bother.”
“Ehhhh, Hii-chan!”
Departing at 20:18, the Chuuou descending line. Before I’m aware of it, the thick-skinned Sunohara was already riding on the same train as me.