RIIING!!!

Chairs creak, and bags are ruffled. Muffled voices bid goodbye to the last teacher before class dismissed.

"Hey. You free later?"

"Wanna go to the karaoke?"

"Tomorrow's Saturday. You down to play in the arcade?"

"Sorry, I have homework to do,"

The voices of the class students chat as they pack their things, and a few leave the class.

My consciousness has awakened, and I look around in confusion. A bit of drool, and my eyes adjust to my surroundings.

Where the fuck...

Oh...

Right... Class is done...

I haven't slept properly today. I just pulled an all-nighter, and I almost had a promotion in my game... If only I had enough time.

I look to the left, though confused. My eyes try to adjust to this person beside me.

My vision was still blurry, and I couldn't tell what I was looking at.

The somewhat slim figure in a blurry silhouette quite resembles something, and it moves its arm across from left to right in a repeated motion.

As my eyes adjust and my ears stop being muffled, I see this short, pink-haired girl waving at someone in my direction...

I can't say it's me. Probably someone beside me...

I shake my head and look beside me.

...

There was no one but other students passing by the hallway.

Maybe it's just Yoichi, whom she bid goodbye to before she probably packed her things.

I look back and...

"Haruto, can you hear me? Hello...?" She waves in front of my face as if trying to get my attention.

"W-wah? Aika?" 

"Didn't you hear me? Yoichi's waiting outside with Misaki-san."

"Oh... Well, go on ahead. I don't know why you're calling me. I just wanna sleep..."

I lay my head back in my arms...

...

It's so quiet and peaceful that I can hear the cold air breezing through the air-conditioning unit in the classroom.

At this point, I'd rather sleep than go home right now. I'll wake up when it's dark anyway.

...

BUGOOM!

"Hey! What the hell!"

I felt the force of something push against me, resulting in the collision of my chair and the other empty chair on the right side.

"Let's goooo! Get uuuupp~!" Aika pushed my shoulders with force to actually startle me after that loud collision.

"F-fine... Fine!!! Why are you acting so aggressive...?" I responded as I fixed my chair and irritatingly scratched my head.

"Haruto isn't even responding to me! You're acting as if we're not even friends,"

"Friends..?"

Since when?

"Ohh... Don't act dumb. Just get up!"

As we left the classroom, I saw an eyesore in the distance just beside the school lockers. Well, it's obviously him and Hinagi.

"Yoichiiiiiiii~!" Aika's voice echoed across the hallway.

Tap tap tap tap tap...

Both of them turned their heads to Aika and me.

"Aika-chan!" Yoichi called as he smiled and waved at her from the distance.

"Yoichiii-kuuuun~! I got somet- UWAAAAAAAH!"

Wham!

"Umm... It-ta-tai.. O-ouch... That hurts."

Aika rubs her head as she is left dumbfounded by herself collapsing.

"Aika-chan... How can you still trip over nothing...?" Yoichi fell down on his back with a weird and crooked posture.

If he ever opens his eyes and looks down...

Well... light blue and white stripes... That's all...

"Sh-Shimizu-san? Are you oka- Iyaaaaaaaa~!" Hinagi runs towards Yoichi...

She tripped, too, falling towards Yoichi, and a crash noise echoed through the hallway.

"Mmmmph~!!!"

...

I'm not describing the next scene.

...

SLAP!

"Pervert, pervert, pervert!"

"I didn't see anything! I swear!"

I rolled my eyes as if something like this was expected to happen anyway.

I'm too unfazed to even ask if the gods enjoy putting up such an act.

"You guys done?" I asked as I nonchalantly watched them fix themselves up after that.

Hinagi and Aika's faces turned red, and they tried to calm themselves as they fixed their clothes.

Yoichi went to the other corner, doing the same thing, but the effect on him was stronger.

It's as if they're trying to hide their embarrassment in front of me. 

The silence afterward started to become deafening, aside from the patting of their clothes.

"So... what are you gonna do this Saturday?" Hinagi asked everyone while the rest looked away from each other. 

I tried my best not to look away and keep my face as straight as possible, even though I was also getting second-hand embarrassment in the back of my mind.

In these tough times, it's better to man up and act nonchalant, or else I'll be the one on the receiving end, too.

"Well... I got nothing so far at the moment, but my older sister seems to be quite busy with her stuff, and I might help her," Yoichi remembered as he put his thoughts back up again.

"Oh! I know, I know! Let's all go watch the movies! I actually got tickets right here!" Aika pulled out the tickets from her skirt pocket and revealed three tickets for three people.

"Oh... Great! Now all of us can watch the movies together. I'm also free tomorrow," Hinagi thought as she looked through the three tickets.

Well... Looks like I'm leaving then... No reason to continue after all.

I skedaddled out of their way, knowing they'll continue as I remember how it goes...

 

"Haruto! Where are you going!?" Aika shouts at me as I attempt to leave the school building.

"Huh? I'm going home. Well, I mean, you guys are chatting there, so of course..."

"I know you're free tomorrow; don't try to avoid us, hehehe..." She giggled as she approached.

"Wanna watch a movie with us? I bought tickets for four of us," she added.

F-four?

W- Wait a minute... That's not how it goes!

I raise my eyebrow at what she said.

"Hmmm...." 

I'm really free, but I will be playing another session the entire weekend, which might be the most productive thing I'll ever do. 

A ranked promo is just right on the tip of my hand,

"Come on, just say yes!" 

"Look... I don't know what your intention is, but... ask someone-"

She grabbed my arm to her chest, cheeks puffed, and with cute puppy eyes looking up at me as if begging me to join them.

"Please...?"

No... You can't just do that to me.

This losing childhood friend is really something else. Aren't you a bit too assertive?

Actually, why are you even dragging me to this?

I made up my mind, closed my eyes, sighed deeply...

"Fine.. I'll join," I replied at her request.

She had a jolly smile and ran back towards Yoichi.

"Yoichi! I told you we already have someone!" She said as she made her cute little pose with a peace sign beside her face and a wink.

"Yatta! That's good, Aika-chan," Yoichi commented as he rubbed his face after the slap mark.

"Don't ever try to leave the cinema. I really wanted to watch it with friends,"

"Wait, Aika... Didn't you say you're supposed to do your missed homework on the weekends?" Yoichi asked with concern.

"Umm... Actually..." Aika looked away with a hesitant look.

"You said you didn't know how to do the homework and asked your classmates. Did you?."

"Uhhh~! No! I-it's because if you weren't sick, I would have finished my homework anyway without anyone's help!" Aika retorted.

"You didn't have to take care of me. I'm fine on my own! Besides, if there would have been someone to at least take care of me, Yana-san would have... But thanks..." Yoichi looked away in embarrassment.

Aika's cheeks turned red, too, as she received thanks from him.

Hinagi and I awkwardly glance at each other as if we were invisible to Yoichi and Aika.

"What?" I asked.

"N-nothing...!" Hinagi shrugged off and just awkwardly watched those two.

"Why are you staring at me, then?"

"A-anyways, I'll be leaving... I hope you go home safe," 

A limo arrived in front of the school gates.

The door opened, and a man dressed in an elegant suit stepped out and gave his seat to Hinagi as she waved back at the rest.

Yoichi and Aika's jaws are dropped as they watch her enter the vehicle, as flashy as possible.

I, however, just don't want to react.

"Yoichi! She had a limo! You've been trying to get close to a rich girl, after all? Is that why you left me?"

"N-no! I didn't know she actually was..."

"Bleh~! Whatever, besides, let's go home together!" Aika hopped around as the three of us walked together.

Aika and Yoichi are currently beside each other while I just walked behind them.

It's a bit awkward for me to be with them after all.

Their houses are near each other for sure, but I'm just one street away from them, and it kind of feels very unusual to be walking together with them. 

As if I don't belong here...

Usually, I would see the two walk home together in the manga panel front. You can see their expression, hear what they're talking about, and understand what they're planning to do.

But this... It's off-putting to look at the same people from behind.

Sigh... 

People who have a friend group like this will also feel awkward if you have two people who are close, and you're just there. 

So I see no reason why Aika would try to ask me to join them in going home together.

Though I might know them from the manga, it is no business of me to even try to butt into their conversations.

The pink-haired girl continues skipping across the sidewalk while Yoichi usually walks beside her.

Just by looking at them from behind, I guess this is really how it feels for a side character to be butting into things that are none of their business.

I sighed as I continued staring at the two, who seemed to be already enjoying each other's company.

As they left and waved goodbye to me, they reminded me about tomorrow for our movie. At least I'll have to continue my first half of the playtime session later.

---

The next day arrived, and I stood at the cinema entrance.

Wearing my casual dark blue shirt and beige cargo shorts, I await until the set time.

The movie looks interesting in some way. The genre is action, and it looked more like a typical *ollywood Action star movie.

Oh well, a movie is a movie for me. Might as well watch it...

I look at my phone and tap my foot in a rhythm. I think I arrived a bit too early...

Was it because I was excited to join them? 

No... No way... Why would I be excited to go with the girls and Yoichi's company...? 

I know that, but come on... No need to overthink. I'm just here because I got nothing to do, and that's it...!

 

Pipo!

My phone notification popped up...

I scrolled through my notifications...

Look ahead. Are you blind?

-Misaki Hinagi

I did look ahead and...

Hinagi approached me with a pouted expression. 

I took a proper look at her again as I blinked my eyes rapidly. 

Hinagi looks gorgeous!

She wears a dress that befits a rich girl, but her clothes are a bit different this time. 

She still fits the rich girl vibe.

However, in the manga, she wore a light-colored floral dress with a few fabrics folded along her shoulders until her chest, giving off a feeling of summer girl-type clothing.

This time, though, she wears a long-sleeved black shirt with baggy green pants and a long-sleeved black shirt that portrays much of her curves.

You wouldn't even notice that she would be there in a crowd. It's because she's really noticeable with that cute face, and to give her something more flashy will just put her as the center of attention.

She must be a fashion genius to blend herself with the crowd despite being the girl who always stands out in class.

"Aren't you a bit early, Haruto-sama?"

"Ughh... Yeah, I got nothing to do anyways beforehand, so..."

She approached me in front, and I looked away with a laugh.

"You're excited to see us, aren't you?" She grinned as she approached my face.

No, no, no... Don't try to use your charm on me like what you did to Yoichi.

"W-well, y-you s-see... A-actually..." 

I nervously stutter until something ticked off from what she said...

"Aren't you a bit early too? Maybe you're the one who's excited and went here before they arrived," I stuttered before I started wondering why she, too, arrived a bit early.

"H-Huh? O-of course not...! D-d-don't mistake me with the same thought as you. Isn't it normal to check around the place we go before the set time?" Hinagi stuttered more than me.

"Hmmm... You have a point... I mean, you've been close with Yoichi lately. It would make sense that you came here earlier for that reason..."

"H-Huh? Y-Y-Yeah... Totally went here for Yoichi... It's a good thing Miyoshi-sama bought a ticket,"

Huh... Really...

Well, you're the main female lead, of course you should.

"Hmph... Suit yourself, Hinagi," I shrugged.

What else could I say? It's obvious. I know what's gonna happen.

Her falling head first to him is pretty much a given. After all, I assumed it was a past interaction that happened when they were kids that may be the reason she fell in love with him. I respect their relationship in that way. 

I'm just paving the way for myself because I don't know which path to take. I just follow the steps I think I know.

I shake my head as I come back to my senses.

"Haruto? What are you thinking so hard?" Hinagi asked as she approached me with curiosity.

"H-huh? Oh... n-nothing, I might have left my stove open before I left,"

"Shouldn't you go back to turn it off?" Hinagi asked with actual concern.

"That's a joke, of course,"

"Hmm.... I can't tell if you're joking when you've been thinking that hard,"

"I thought of a joke a bit too hard, haha," I shrugged.

....

She looked at me closely, analyzing my face my expression, and as if she was looking at every wrinkle and pores of my face.

Stare...

...

"Hmmph.. If you say so, Haruto... and use a facial wash. Those pimples are ruining your face," She nodded and sighed in relief.

"W-what!? You b-"

Her gaze sparked, and I stopped mid-sentence.

That was almost a cheap shot. I sighed and gave up on thinking about it.

"Should we grab something to eat or wait for them? We're an hour early before the set time," I asked.

She looked at me, and her eyes widened.

"H-Huh!? It's that early?" 

"How long have you been waiting?"

"I was here for two hours!"

"So you stayed here longer than me! That makes it three hours before the movie starts,"

"Umm... Y-yes...?" Her face becomes red, and her bangs cover her eyes.

"Then what were you even doing this entire time?"

"I... I..."

"I what?"

"I went here early because I was excited to see everyone here...! I was looking forward to watching movies with everyone!"

Well... It's understandable, though, I think...

She may be the female lead and the spotlight of the manga, but she really looks forward to everything, and she tries her best to hide it...

"That's... Normal..."

"Eh~?"

"Why did you think that I arrive a bit earlier than set time, too?"

"You said you didn't have anything to do, repeatedly,"

"Well, it's not only that. I would've been at home this entire until fifteen minutes before said time, and I'll head out,"

"Huh... It sounds like you're really a lazy guy who loves to procrastinate until the last minute. That's not healthy, you know?"

"Wow, all of a sudden, you became harsher than the last one,"

That kind of hurts me a bit.

"Actually, how are you after the last time we went to Yoichi's place? I'm kind of concerned with how you acted there,"

...

As she looked at me, her face relaxed, and she took a big sigh.

"You...You big fat meanie~! Don't remember that! Get that off your brain... Delete it from your memory!"

She tiptoed and tried to hit my head with her slender arms...

I covered my head with my arms and moved away from her, trying my best to deflect her little head-bashing combo...

Stop!

I'm not hurt because she hit my head multiple times.

The way she's acting is too freaking cute, and I'm being attacked by her cuteness...

"Hey, hey, hey...! Stop!"

"I won't until you forget that thing! Don't ever tell that to Yoichi~!"

"I won't, I won't...!"

After her continuous attempts to hit my head but couldn't even reach me, she stopped and looked away.

She paused for a second with her face looking opposite of me.

...

She turned around and took a big sigh.

"My parents said that I'll have to take a ride in our family car for a while. They said commuting was a bad idea after all that happened to me,"

"I-It could've been any worse if that was in the case. It's a good thing you're still fine,"

"It's not..."

"Huh?"

"I was really excited to see what it's like for anyone else to commute. Moving around the city through public transport... It was an interestingly fun experience,"

"I... I'm really sorry about that,"

She slightly fumbled with something from her hand. Though I couldn't tell exactly what it was, it sounded like some sort of plastic wrapper.

"Let's just wait for them... It's not your fault," She said as she smiled at me.

-

It's been thirty minutes, and we have been silent...

We waited for a while as we both found a seat just around the mall, a few paces near the movies.

Just us waiting and hoping for the other two to arrive any second.

We sit on our chairs in silence. We awkwardly just look at each other in just a few glimpses...

Opening my phone, I tried to entertain myself as much as I could in this awkward waiting phase.

To make myself look busy, I unintentionally opened the weather app and the calculator.

I don't even know what I'm doing.

I tap-tapped the calculator, trying to calculate nothing. When I open the weather app, it just shows a loading screen and a previously updated weather.

It is sunny so... nothing important...

Except I caught a glimpse of Hinagi just looking my way while I tried to do my best not to gain her attention by the corner of my eye.

I put my phone down and looked at her direction. 

Just her direction. Not her, and at the corner of my eye, she would look away.

Did I do anything wrong?

...

I checked the time, and I noticed that...

They're late...

3:14pm

They would be late for the actual screening of the movie if they didn't arrive in another fifteen minutes...

But just me and Hinagi waiting here is ten times more awkward. We haven't talked for the past few minutes, and I don't have any interesting topics too...

Video games? Latest anime trends? My favorite cosplay? Ranting about how the latest chapter of the manga I read just a few days ago could've done better if the main character had just killed the villain already with his special ability power? No, that's too hypocritical.

 If only I could have just understood Hinagi and the rest better rather than thinking of nothing more than just having to like A, B, and C.

I can't believe skimming over their personalities and details could put me in such a bad situation. 

This is what happens if you only look through the story and manga rather than the depth of the characters themselves...

Goddammit Itachi!

I have failed in socializing!

No, those topics aren't even what a normie would talk about.

I heard the voices from afar. Although it's quite rowdy in the mall, those two voices are too decipherable.

"You couldn't have just waited for me outside! Stupid baka!"

"No can do... We had others waiting, and you can go,"

"Hmm... If it weren't for Misaki-chan, you would have waited for me anyway... Hmph,"

I look from afar, and I can see two of them just plainly arguing...

It's usual to see them like that, but man... 

Their arguing makes me annoyed, too, in some other way.

"Shimizu-kun!" Hinagi stood up from her place and approached him.

"Oh, Misaki? You arrived?"

"N-No, I was with Haruto," She looked behind, gazing at me as I just looked at her like a confused puppy.

As they arrived at the front of the cinema, I joined them too and waited for our seats.

This is the part where we finally get together...

As we all took our seats in the middle of the theater, waiting for our movie, it was honestly... Exciting.

The formation of our seats, too, is quite funny, actually...

Yoichi is in the middle between Hinagi and Aika...

Aika sits beside me, and I'm in the last column of the seat.

It makes sense that Yoichi will be in the middle...

After all, he's the harem protagonist.

However, what sits wrong with me in this scenario is that it's just only three of them that are supposed to enjoy the movie.

Why am I included here?

The flow of the story isn't how it's supposed to go.

BLAM!

The loud bass-curdling speakers arose at high volume.

They start to tickle my ears with those sound effects as the movie's opening starts...

I only know a little of this movie, but... I'm here anyway...

"Shhhhh.....! Yoichi-chan, Hinagi-san! Be quiet!"

Aika excitedly shushes the two as her eyes are glued to the screen.

I don't know about you, but to be that excited for an action star movie?

Is it because of the actor or the story?

---

An hour has passed...

The movie's pacing is honestly... Interesting!

I glue my eyes to the screen and lean my body forward, hoping for the action movie to start doing something...

It's as if I wanted to see where they go with this...

How could a sequel of some 80s action movie make me this invested?

I looked to my right and observed the three...

Hinagi and Yoichi are right now.

She leaned her head on his shoulder while the harem protagonist rested his head on the chair, just like the usual pose I saw in the manga. 

Well, it showed from the manga panel to the front of them. Looking at the side just gives me another perspective. 

To think Hinagi looked forward to the point she missed her sleep... Yoichi, though, really was busy last night.

Aika's eyes are glued to the cinema's big screen. 

She seems to follow my mannerisms, too. Her body leans forward, her arms on her legs and her hands resting on her chin.

She looks like that kid's dad from some anime who asked him to get in a robot. Her eyes stare intently at the screen, anticipating if the action hero will survive the next risky action done with the plane.  

It's quite intriguing knowing that Aika, being probably a childish girl, would be interested in such a niche action movie.

She turns her head to me quickly.

Shit...

I turn my head back to the movie screen. I've been staring at her for too long.

Not because I'm scared to see her reaction or something; I am totally interested in the movie, after all... Haha!

"The enemy pilot is right behind me! Prepare a defense mechanism!"

BRRP BRRP BRRP BRRP!

BOOM!

ZOOOM!

The two suddenly woke up from an almost ear-deafening explosion made from the movie, startling both of them.

Yoichi looked around for a while, and then he looked at Hinagi, who was still laying her head on his shoulder.

It certainly is quite a sight for him because I can tell even though I'm two seats away.

Aika looked at me with a smile and then learned towards me...

"Yoichi-san's acting too sleepy," she said to me near my ear.

I looked at her with an agreeing expression and nodded.

"You don't need to tell me. I can see that," I said back to her ear.

She looked at me with a pout as if I said something wrong.

---

We exit the cinema and leave with mixed expressions...

Aika stretched her arms and gave out a huge sigh...

"Haaah~! That movie is really satisfying. It's like I am inside that movie, too," 

"It was too loud," Hinagi rubs her ear as if trying to relieve her eardrums from those speakers.

"It's alright. The sound effects are amazing, too. Wish I could watch the sequel." I have also watched a movie similar to that anyway, and it somehow follows the same plot.

"Huh...? That is the sequel! It's also a good ending too! It's how it was supposed to close a movie franchise! The first movie came out in the 80s, so it would make sense to close it out with him teaching the new pilots before retiring!"

Aika ranted to me as if I'd review-bombed the movie we watched, even though I actually wanted more, but hey... It was a good movie.

"Yoichi wasn't even bothered at all! How could he even sleep in such a loud movie?" Aika added.

"H-He does?" Hinagi asked as she looked at Yoichi.

The two glanced at each other, then looked away.

"Yeah, those two slept through the entire movie. Can't believe they slept through a good movie. What a waste of Aika's tickets," I murmured.

"G-Gomen, I was really, really tired. I had to help my older sister last night, and I have to finish something up before we were here,"

Oh, really... Does the harem protagonist have to finish something up and not think much of it? How convenient...

"Ehhhh...? No wonder you were late. You really didn't think much about who you were with, and I had to call you multiple times before you could pick up your phone. Your childhood friend and your classmate want to go with you..." Aika sarcastically answered.

"Oh, right! Speaking of help..." Yoichi quickly approached me and distanced himself from the girls.

"Itachi-san, this is going to be a bit of a sudden, but... Can you help Aika-chan's homework for me? I still have to take care of something with Hana-san..."

"Hana-san?" I tilted my head...

"Hana-san is my older sister, and I need to help her with a few tasks, so I don't think I'll be there to help Aika-chan..."

Ohh...

Shimizu Hana, his older sister... She called me rude.

"Huh, I see... That sure will put a lot of work for you, I guess," I nonchalantly said as I looked at Yoichi with my eyes rolling.

He begged me as he bowed his head to me.

"Please Itachi-san! I don't have anyone else to ask for help except you,"

Tch... Well... 

I guess there are limits to being a protagonist, too...

"Fine... But you owe me in return. I like getting compensated for something,"

"Thanks! I'll treat you later for that... Haha.." Yoichi smiles as he rushes back to the rest of the girls.

Well...

That's another task for me.

I enjoyed the movie for the time, and I think I got nothing else to do after this movie.

Oh right! My promos!

I immediately left their vicinity. I have to finish it up before I lose it!

"Ehh~? Where's Haruto?" Aika asked as they had a great talk with the three.

"Hey! Tsk~! That stupid ramen bowl-looking guy! He could've stayed longer!" Hinagi shouted...

"W-Wah? Hinagi-san? That's too sudden!"

"N-Nothing..! Don't fuss over it," Hinagi embarrassingly answered as she placed her hand behind her back, as if trying to hide something behind the two.

Behind those hands were two same-branded mint candy wrappers that Haruto gave to her.