Volume 1 Chapter 3
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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 becomes 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 pretty pitiful.

The last effect after that is I get stomachache until I cannot hold it anymore so I must go to nurse room. Maybe my stomach isn’t as strong as the protagonists in the eroge games.

During the sixth class period, my stomach then starts to become less turbulent.

My posture is no longer that much concerning anymore. Right now the nurse teacher then leaves the room.

Right next to me right now is Kiriko, who during this period is free from teaching class, sitting here like as if alternating the duty.

Additionally, she talks like the king in the game. When I listen to it, it sounds pretty mawkish.

“When I heard that Seiichi has stomachache until you got sent to the nurse room, my heart almost stops beating,”

“You’re kidding me,”

“I’m going to punch your stomach,”

“Hey, please don’t, strictly speaking please don’t otherwise I’ll throw up,”

Kiriko actually dashed to this nurse room.

And additionally opened the door and yelled loudly that “Are you alright Seiichi!?” as well.

I almost shouted back because I was shocked with that sudden noise. After that Kiriko got told off by the nurse teacher as expected.

“But if you think about it, just only the two lunchboxes that girls had made I still couldn’t manage to finish all of them. I’m very incompetent.”

“Okay, it’s my fault then…”

I am truly suffered like when I was eating a kilo of rice at the GoGo curry restaurant.

Well Kiriko-senpai, I cannot conclude whether you have gone completely brutal or worry about me like an egg in a rock.

“Well but eating among three people with Ayame and also Hatsushiba? It seems very happy.”

“Ayame, it was Kiriko-senpai who ordered, didn’t she? And Hatsushiba doesn’t lose interest at all so it cannot be helped as well. No actually, Ayame is another person doesn’t give up as well.”

“Goddamn it, I cannot think at all of what’s good about my cousin right here.”

“During this time I also have spoken with other people consistently like as if I wanted to know as well.”

Especially with Hatsushiba.

“If we leave it like this, you’ll be hurtful because of the girl like when you were in primary again,”

“Please stop digging my terrible past memories, I beg you,”

I could say during those days I was still friendly with people truthfully. But that doesn’t mean that I want to return to past or solve anything.

“Don’t worry, I already thought that it’s not possible to do it randomly.”

But I have a requirement that I have to do like my life in school without collapsing.

“The thing about Ayame you really have helped a lot. During this time Ayame still doesn’t have any new problems coming in.”

Kiriko-senpai spoke with a smile.

“This is Kiriko-senpai, who Ayame had used strength on before, like are there any causes every time or not?”

“…Why do you think like that?”

“It’s because I don’t know as well that how was that girl like before. But right now I know that girl isn’t a person who uses strength without any good reasons.”

“Oh I see,”

And Kiriko-senpai continued with a gentle face without clear explanation.

“That girl uses strength every time when there’s some reason seriously. Like joining to stop people from extorting money or bullying each other. If not then it may be due the other side started first, for example.”

“…”

“But even if it’s the other side’s fault, using strength is still not the right thing to do. That girl seems to have a problem with that thing, such a hot-tempered person.”

“It seems she’s a boastful person…”

“That’s why I’m teaching you about that thing to let you know. Let’s make it like, what do they call it, love’s slavery?”

“No it isn’t…! And being a teacher please don’t say create a love slave,”

Once we have talked up to there, the bell rang indicating the end of period six at the right moment.

“Then I shall go to homeroom class period first and then I’ll come again. If you’re still not feeling well, go to sleep first. I’ll tell your homeroom teacher for you. Anyways, please don’t force yourself too much.”

Kiriko-senpai told me like that and then she exited the nurse room.

And then the bell rang telling that homeroom period is over.

But my stomach is still whirling, let’s rest for a while.

Today there’s a special event, but before the event would start, there’s still plenty of time remaining.

“Aramiya, are you alright?” “Aramiya, are you okay?”

And both of the two girls entered the nurse room. Obviously there are Ayame and Hatsushiba.

Both of them are holding the bag handle on one side.

“…Well, bringing my bag to me is very pleasing but why do you both have to carry just one bag…?”

Both of them stared at each other.

“Because Hatsushiba doesn’t want to let go,” “Because Ayame doesn’t want to let go,”

And both of them claimed together at the same time like that.

Let’s question about the previous incident for a bit, it appears that the story is like this,

Both of them were about to visit the patient so they both were trying to fight over with the bag that I left in the classroom.

And while they are fighting over the bag,

“Ah, uh, why don’t you both carry the bag? Otherwise the bag would split up until the stuffs inside would fall out first.”

Tozaki suggested like this.

And both of them then carry it compromisingly. Well done Tozaki. I’ll add love points for you in your mind.

“Thank you both of you,”

I said thank you but both of them are doing sad faces at the moment.

“It’s because I forced you to eat, so it turned out…”

“Yuuka…even I knew that Ayame would do it for you but it was still made competitively. I’m sorry.”

Both of them seem to look kind as if those chaotic events that happened during noontime were a lie.

“I was the person who chose to eat and another thing is I got to eat delicious foods as well, therefore, there’s no need to apologize. I am actually the person who should apologize to make you guys feel uncomfortable.”

I really wanted to bring those two’s nail dirts and boil them for my younger sister to eat. What kind of person makes the one kind of ingredient such as an egg to become an omelet with poor taste? There is no such as genius. Once I finished eating they didn’t say anything of what ingredients were included in the dish. But what I know is that my tongue was damaged for a while… Actually, just only me thinking of comparing is already nonsensical.

“You still can’t move?”

Ayame asked with looking concern. Agh, like this I don’t know what to do.

“If I force myself for a bit I can still handle it,”

“Umm, then no problem, don’t force, I’ll…stay with you until you feel better,”

…This girl seems to say something that makes me feel blushed.

Oh damn, my face is starting to get redder.

“Ayame-san, you seem to change from previously…”

And at that time Hatsushiba spoke emotionlessly.

No actually it isn’t emotionless, I feel like her voice is hidden with some complicated plain emotion.

“Hatsushiba…”

Ayame accidentally made a hesitating voice.

“But right here Yuuka also doesn’t want to give up as well, Yuuka never wants to surrender?”

Hatsushiba smiled sweetly. Her voice is back to normal.

That voice doesn’t sound like feel like before anymore. Then what was that?

“…No one beats who or loses to who, both of you are outside my target.”

“Aramiya, you are very heartless,”

Hatsushiba laughed with a sweet voice. She tried to ignore from what I said.

“And I have already decided that I’m going to be ideal for you until you’ll look towards me.”

Ayame also announced accepting the fight without giving up as well.

Damn it, you girls, please return to the monitor right now.

“I’ll tell you, I’ll never going to look at you at all,”

“Hahaha, Aramiya, did you just prepared your jokes?”

“Yes or no, if yes I’ll stop throwing jokes at you, Aramiya,”

“Then Yuuka shall like you instead,”

“No, I’m supposed to like you instead,”

“Go ahead, since when!”

“It seems Aramiya doesn’t want to play with me,”

“If from what I just said is true, then it’s great,”

“Enough, enough! Please be silent!”

Why at this time these two people are like a pipe and a flute! Isn’t it actually true that they are very close!?

“For god’s sake…”

And while I’m thinking at that time, suddenly, there’s a sound calling that seems unfamiliar echoing in the nurse room.

“Ah,”

Hatsushiba quickly grabbed her phone and stared at the screen. Her face then becomes pensive.

“Excuse me, I’ll be right back,”

Hatsushiba told like that and walked out of the room.

I eavesdropped and heard different sentences that “I’m still at school,” or “That issue not yet,”

Can she speak a bit more quietly?

“Hatsushiba may still be busy with her voice actress work.”

Ayame claimed.

Oh, yes that’s true.

“Just now I saw a gloomy face or is the work very tolerating,”

“No it isn’t, she herself said that she wanted to become a CV for a long time ago since during primary school,”

“Wow since during that time?”

“I heard that her father praised her that she has a good voice so she suddenly wanted to be. He told me happily with a smile.”

Ayame’s facial expression looks pretty gentle.

Just now I have been thinking that are those two girls actually close friends or not. Or is it actually true…

“…I could say does Ayame know Hatsushiba as well?”

“Yes I do, we know each other since studying at primary school in the same class. Sometimes we play together for two people as well.”

When I hear this it reminds me of what Hatsushiba had said before.

“Yes, sometime around during early primary school, we both used to play together for two people.”

Hatsushiba also used to say something like that.

But that’s another thing, for whom who knew someone since primary…both of them seems to look quite distant from each other.

Or once the time flies so it becomes like this?

“Huh,”

Hatsushiba returned to the nurse room. She’s making a tiring voice which is not suitable of being a Seiyuu before doing a worrying face.

“Excuse me, Yuuka also has a Seiyuu work as well, and thus, may Yuuka go back home first,”

“Then I’ll see you later, Hatsushiba, today’s lunch was very delicious,”

“Thank you, Aramiya, and please don’t do anything bad to Ayame-san okay?”

“Of course I won’t, come on just go home,”

“You’re such a black-hearted person, but anyways, I’ll go now. Ayame-san please do not be opportunistic while Yuuka isn’t here!”

Ayame who was critically acclaimed didn’t say anything at all.

And then Hatsushiba walked out of the nurse room with carrying her own bag as well.

There are only me and Ayame in the nurse room for two people. Ayame’s face becomes a bit duller.

“Was it because of that incident…really?”

She held her hands on her chest and said something alone unhappily.

“What is it?”

“Ah ugh… it’s like… I may have threatened some important people of hers…Uh, I’m sorry. Can you try act like you actually didn’t hear it?”

I secretly hesitated but I think that Ayame probably won’t going to tell.

If she wants me to keep quiet like this for a long duration, I can. But since I’m free anyway, I’ll ask her as much as I can ask for.

“Then I shall not ask about that thing, let me ask you this, do you used to play with Hatsushiba quite often?”

“Oh, umm, yes…but that thing was since during childhood,”

“What did you guys like to play?”

“We played casually like going to the public park or played at home sometimes,”

Wow it sounds casual like what she claimed.

“But after that when we entered junior high school, we became truly distant from each other,”

She made a sad face as expected. Since during that time, wasn’t she living alone for most of the time?

But the story from here onwards, I may not be able to ask her anymore.

“…Well I’m not going to ask you anything offensive but if you have anything you want to tell just tell it. You just made foods for me to eat, therefore, anything that you want to complain or seek advice, I am happy to listen to. Some stories if you tell out loud it could be great.”

Ayame seems to look confused.

“…But why you are very kind today?”

It turns out that she doesn’t trust me instead.

“Because I want to reward you for your obligation. From the outside I am just an ordinary kind human but just doesn’t care about the 3D world at all.”

“…Saying like this, what do you mean? No actually, about the outside…”

“Never mind,”

Once I said like that, her face looks more fresh for a bit.

“Umm, okay,”

She answered faintly but very honest.

“…By the way, would it be better if you go home today first?”

“No, even if I go home there’s nothing for me to do anyway,”

Once she said that, Ayame dragged a chair in the nurse room to sit beside me.

…I thought in my mind that if she clenches right now, there’s no way I could disobey for sure.

But I could say in the eroge games, this nurse room is like the second branch motel of the school…

On the other hand, the first branch is the storage room inside the gymnasium. That branch only has some stuffs such as mats, jumping horses and many prepared equipment.

…She probably won’t do anything to me right? When we are together for two people, I thought that I’m not capable of fighting with Ayame.

It’s truly a sadness of a person who’s introverted with staying in his own house.

“How’s your stomach?”

“It’s still heavy,”

“Really?”

Once she said that, she then sits at the rear of the bed. She places her hand on the blanket that’s on top of me somewhere just right on my stomach.

“Eh”

And then Ayame rubs my stomach through the blanket without hesitation that I don’t know what to do.

…Ah, I feel a little bit better, it’s better than me doing it myself.

The feeling that cannot be sensed in the 2D world isn’t that bad as well.

“You like it?”

“Umm, I feel great,”

“This is just my first time doing this. I’m not certain about it as well.”

“I like it, like this”

“Really…I also feel that your movement like this tells me that you like it as well,”

This girl enjoys saying something that makes me blush every time.

My stomach expands and deflates depending on the rhythm with happiness as well. It seems Ayame secretly enjoys with that movement too.

But the only thing is it feels better for a bit until I feel that the stuffs inside my stomach move downward constantly.

“Ooh…I’m sorry, it’s about to come out,”

The enemy attacks.

“Hey wait, you, just a moment,”

“Sorry, I can’t hold it any longer,”

Agh, I need to use the toilet urgently.

And at the moment I lifted up half of my body—

“You guys! What are you guys doing in this sacred place such as the nurse room…………whoa,”

Suddenly, the nurse room door opens with full power following with Kiriko-senpai dashing into the room.

She came in with a giant face…before changing her face instantly in the next second.

I don’t know as well of what is she misunderstanding. But I don’t care about Kiriko-senpai anymore. May I quickly use the toilet first.

“Phew…”

What a relief. Why does removing some big stuffs is such great comfort.

But just now what did Kiriko-senpai misunderstood?

I tried to think back to conversation just now with Ayame once again.

“I feel great,” “I’ve just did this for the first time,” “I can feel your movement,” “It’s about to come out,” “I can’t hold it any longer,”

…Umm, it’s unlikely to be safe, if we listen to those words from outside, then it’s likely to misunderstand.

That’s why I need to ask people to please separate each other’s voice.

…Any lusty things, you seem to be very sensitive, Kirikio-senpai. I thought in my mind and then walked smilingly back to the nurse room. It appears that,

“Please don’t talk and making it lead to misunderstanding in the nurse room again!”

I got hit by Kiriko-senpai who has an extremely red face. Why is this world seemed pretty injustice?

Once I’m cured from stomach-ache, I am now able to do part-time job more efficiently.

After part-time work, I visited a beef rice restaurant at a cheap price. I wanted to find something to fill my tummy. Although during noon I ate an excessive amount of foods, after work I still feel very hungry. My engine burns fuel really fast.

Usually after part-time work, I’ll go eat dinner at home but today my mum sent a message saying that “for today please find something to eat outside home.” Hence, I’ll have to use my own money.

Once I did the part-time work and when this part of income disappears, it makes me feel pretty sad. But anyway, just only this my life is already spoiled. I have a foldable phone, smartphone which can be used for playing internet. Both devices, Kiriko-senpai is the person who paid of them. My smartphone has signed contract for using limitless internet. But recently I just asked for a receipt, it appears that both devices combined cost over ten thousand yen additionally.

At this price it is affordable to buy one eroge game. This is why I asked her that can I not use both foldable mobile phone and smartphone but instead I want ten thousand yen. Then I got rejected that “In your dreams ★”.

“What…”

I was planning to go home right after leaving the restaurant. However, I met somebody I know instead.

This time it isn’t Ayame but it’s Hatsushiba. She changed to wear non-uniform clothes. She’s wearing a night dress, Cardigan and also a mini skirt. She dresses really like a woman.

Has she finished her Seiyuu work yet? She’s with a man as well but doesn’t seem to look like it’s a manager.

Looking from the atmosphere doesn’t seem to look good. It may probably turn out to look unsafe as well.

That man is saying something to Hatsushiba on one side and on the other hand, Hatsushiba is listening with feeling terrified.

It’s because the more Hatsushiba does a cheerful attitude, the more clearly that facial expression can be seen from the brain.

…No actually, if you look at the man carefully I can actually remember.

It was the person who used to attack Ayame before and then was going to swarm me previously.

If I’m not wrong, his name is…

“I’m not free to play with you guys, go away, Songou,”

Yes, Ayame calls him Songou. Does he know Hatsushiba too?

…I have a feeling there’s going to be some trouble.

I’m secretly curious sometimes about what they are talking about but it’s certain that I cannot hear them.

Going closer would cause a difference, and the difference would become a trouble.

Another thing like just a while ago, once they have finished talking and the man turned his back to Hatsushiba and going to separate— but it appears that Hatsushiba pulled his shirt back as if it’s a scene where a woman got dumped by a man and the woman wanted to reconcile.

Hatsushiba’s face become pale. She tries to saying something seducing that man but the man flicked his hand from her and dumping her as a detachment from Hatsushiba. Then he disappeared into the crowd of marketing area.

The only remaining is Hatsushiba bending down her head looking sorrowful alone. She looks truly painful.

“Huh…”

I sighed. The male protagonist of eroge games used to say that you shouldn’t go interfere with other people’s business… But once it has reached the important scene it always makes me feel I wanted to interfere. If I don’t interfere it would be a bad ending.

However, I’m still worried of why Hatsushiba is doing that kind of face. And why is she staying with the guy who used to mess around Ayame. Well it’s not because I’m concerned about Hatsushiba or anything.

…But she still has an obligation from the food too. Kindness is something that people like us should not forget even a bit.

I approached Hatsushiba and greeted her. Hatsushiba was astonished before turning to me.

She’s doing a paranoid face obviously but once she has seen that it’s me, she looks relieved.

“Come on, it’s Aramiya? You made me shocked. I’m glad to see you here too.”

“It’s late already, what are you still doing here? Are you collaborating with any criminals or something?”

“Why would Yuuka do anything like that? Aramiya instead, what are you doing here late at night?”

“I just finished my part-time work,”

“Eh, Aramiya does a part-time work as well?”

“…What, don’t you know?”

I thought that almost every friend in my class has already knew about this.

Once I have started my part-time job, all my fellow classmates— especially the boys like to come and ask me to pay for their meals regularly even though an hour of mine is only enough just to buy five bottles of water…

I heard she told me for all the time that I thought she knew it already…but anyway, never mind.

“I’m doing a part-time job at a convenient store, I’m keeping the money to buy games,”

“It seems you really like them,”

“Of course, I really like 2D world,”

“…Don’t you trust a girl?”

“I don’t really trust,”

When Hatsushiba said something like that, she makes a curious face and looks a bit lonely.

“Have you ever experienced any terrible events before?”

“I’ve experienced sometimes during primary school, like being betrayed until got shocked for at least three times.”

Hatsushiba spoke quietly like this and the continued.

“And about those stories, are you able to forgive them right now yet?”

Hatsushiba said me like this. It’s certain that this thing I don’t have to think at all.

“There’s no way…no actually, no matter what, that thing had made me start playing games. If that thing I may be able to forgive. I’m just wrathful with myself but not the incident.”

“Is it inverse?”

She received my jokes chilly.

“Hatsushiba also has something that cannot be forgiven or what?”

“It isn’t about being forgivable or not but it is secretly a bit complicated.”

It may because I was in this kind of situation before so she looks quite vulnerable. I’ll try tease her for a bit.

“Or is it—”

I haven’t even asked, about Ayame’s story? Hatsushiba already warned me beforehand.

“Hahaha, guys who like to dig up the past stories, most girls hate you know?”

So her card is still stiff.

“I’m sorry, I won’t ask anymore,”

If then I should change the attacking direction since there’s an opportunity to speak quietly between two people.

“Hatsushiba, are you tired because of Seiyuu work?”

“Not actually…”

“That man that I saw previously, it doesn’t look like he’s a manager,”

“You’ve seen it as well?”

“I only saw it when you guys were separating,”

I lied a bit in order to not let Hatsushiba be aware by reasoning.

Nonetheless, I also didn’t hear what they were talking about so there’s not much difference.

“We are friends since childhood, our parents are close to each other, our houses are close too,”

“Hmm,”

“Are you jealous?”

“Nothing,”

“From what they said without any concerns is actually like this right… Yuuka just experienced this for the first time ever,”

Her eyes are glaring at me with cold calmness.

“Being friends since childhood then means that guy just a while ago had studied in the same primary school as you right?”

“No actually, he was in primary at a private school but during junior high school I and him both studied at the same place.”

Weren’t they together during primary school? Ayame, Tozaki and also Hatsushiba probably used to study in primary and junior high school in public school. So does that mean that guy moved from primary in a private school to junior high school in a public school?

I could say it sounds strange because the district where we live has many different schools. Looking from the location it seems there’s no need to choose whether you want to study private or public school. I secretly have a feeling that most people who have chosen private school would probably more likely to continue at private school.

…This fact I may be looking at the other side pessimistically myself. There may be an issue with the entrance exam results as well.

“Then shall I better go home now? Actually I wanted to go home with Aramiya like this more?”

“I think I’ll go buy something first before going home,”

“What are you buying? Yuuka wants to go as well,”

“An eroge game,”

“…Well Yuuka can handle with that thing but if having to follow you together may be too soon or not…”

If she follows me, I would be in trouble. Then I shall come up with an excuse so that she won’t go back home together with me.

“Then if I can go home alone with secluded heart and I shall see you tomorrow then, Aramiya,”

“Okay, see you and please stop being worried soon,”

“…You also know that I’m anxious too?”

“Well I might know a bit,”

“If we don’t love each other, it’s unlikely that it can be seen,”

“Oh you’re being funny, just go home,”

“Hahaha, bye-bye,”

Hatsushiba said like that and waved goodbye then went home.

And since I’ve said I’ll be going, then I’ll visit the

Eroge game shop for a while.

The shop is probably still open.

I headed to the electrical appliances wholesale shop, computer games department at the 18+ corner.

The shop separates each area with a barrier. The entrance is covered with hanging clothes so that nothing inside can be seen and then I entered without any hesitation. I tried blending with the working age people with young face may still work.

…I do know that doing this isn’t a good thing to do.

“Eh…”

But I didn’t expect somebody I know right here.

“…Ah, Ara, miya?”

I met Ayame. Even if she wears a hat that covers her eyes and a scarf, but it’s her for sure. Even if she wears jeans and a long-sleeve shirt that are colorless and not attractive, but her face and her head are standing out too much anyway.

Additionally, in her hand is carrying an eroge game box too. Wow, this girl seems to look insanely suspicious.

The game that she’s carrying is called…no I cannot say this thing.

Well, I didn’t expect she would appear at the eroge game corner.

 

But her characteristic doesn’t look extraordinarily young so it’s unlikely that she’ll get caught.

“……”

We both became quiet tumultuously, no actually, if we’re not quiet then what can we do.

I think when we meet somebody we know in an eroge game shop or anything like that, we knew already that we shouldn’t greet, maybe, I’m not sure either.

Therefore, I could only lean out my head to see if there’s anyone walking pass by.

“…!”

But she quickly grabbed my arms tightly.

Wait, wait, I sent my eye expression to her saying that ‘hey don’t’.

But she could only shake her head swiftly, oh for god’s sake…!

The last result of ours is leaving the shop without buying anything.

“What are you doing here?”

Once I asked, Ayame’s face becomes redden.

“Nothing, I just finished playing my game so I wanted to buy the next game…”

“That game?”

I meant the game that if I say the name it’ll make my mouth coy.

“Na, na, na, no! Th, that thing I just picked up and coincidentally Aramiya came at the same time instead…! No, it isn’t like what you’re thinking!?”

“Okay, okay,”

“Please believe me…”

Ayame is delighted with tears. I just saw her doing this depressive face this much for the first time as well. Previously, I have felt before that girl does an angry face most of time.

“It doesn’t matter at all, I haven’t told this to others yet at all,”

I’m also not that evil-minded or anything. I myself also have eroge games that I don’t want other people to share as well.

“I don’t want you to look at me in that way instead,”

“I’m just kidding, and looking at you, you don’t seem to look like a person who plays these kinds of games.”

“What, you’re just kidding? You’re very evil,”

Ayame said and then able to smile with relief. She constantly changes, that’s nice. She’s such a person who’s truly rich of emotions.

When she was in that room I could only see her tedious face and it turns out like this is something strangely new.

“Then I shall go home first, Aramiya,”

And we have reached the intersection road.

“Okay, goodnight Ayame,”

Once I have said like that, Ayame then made a little bit of astonishing face before she replied with happiness that,

“Okay, goodnight Aramiya,”

And then Ayame disappears onto the streets during late night at this hour.

I thought in my mind frivolously that I got an inhibited behavior again then gone home.

Today there won’t going to be any problems like yesterday. I won’t perceive people’s eye expressions or gossips at all until the end of homeroom period.

I am prepared for period one tomorrow with peaceful mind. About the eye expression it would probably be me who’s familiar by myself. But if that’s the case then it doesn’t matter. The only thing I want right now is peace.

“Hey brother! Have you got any handkerchiefs and tissue papers yet or not? If not Yuuka shall give one for you!”

My nosebleed is about to spurt, hey no, how’s it going to spurt but why is the peace really fragile like this!

“Hatsushiba, that’s enough!”

 

She spoke with a too sweet voice until it’s up to point where I get annoyed. This has already stepped over the cuteness line for a long way. Nevertheless, I’m still able to handle Hatsushiba well enough until she can’t be hated. Huh, if I have to listen simultaneously with the music accompaniment, how well is it going to be.

“Hey brother, you like to say something like this don’t you—”

The sweet voice calling like that, the people are going to misunderstand.

My younger sister also studies in this school but she never calls me sweet brother or anything. Hence, only one flash people would know what the story is about.

Even if all the fellow classmates mostly still don’t know what is happening anyway.

In the group of girls, there’s only Ayame who’s doing a face showing that there seems to be jokes as well.

“Hey, it’s like this, it’s not about whether I like it or not,”

“It doesn’t matter at all brother! Yuuka shall look after my elder brother by myself!”

Damn it I’m feeling tired.

I quickly grabbed Hatsushiba and escape from the classroom as soon as possible to the staircase where there’s nobody once again.

Even if over there is a sacred place for me to calm myself down, but recently it’s starting to be seen more as ancient ruins.

“Please don’t do that when there are people in the classroom!”

“Why, why not?”

“I’m in the classroom as an Otaku quietly!”

But I could say there hasn’t been anybody calling me brother for a long time already. I can’t even remember since when as well.

These recent two years, my younger sister likes to call me a burnt eggplant for most of the time. Before that she used to call me goddamn, even before that she called me an elder brother. The memory that she used to call me an elder brother became just a past already. When I think about it seems pretty sad.

“Let’s say, please don’t call me an elder brother or anything like that,”

“Then how about brother? Or sir brother?”

“It’s no different at all! Please stop playing jokes about elder brother!”

“Sir brother,”

“That’s even worse!”

“Alright, you burnt eggplant!”

“Hey! Are you my younger sister!”

Additionally, she said something really insulting as well. She really deserves to be a Seiyuu.

“Hahaha, I’m joking, just joking,”

She suddenly switched back to her normal voice.

Hatsushiba, you seem to enjoy with fooling me around.

In addition, she also was talking to herself as well. But if we think about it, it seems pretty strange right. The thing that’s actually strange is her brain.

I thought she’s going to be a person who’s more decent than this. But in fact, she may crazy more than I thought.

Or is she naïve? …But at least it’s great that she’s no longer sorrowful like yesterday anymore.

“But is it true that you who was asked by a teacher to stay with Ayame?”

Then Hatsushiba asked like that without letting me standing up to the point.

“…where did you hear that from?”

Once I have a reaction like that, Hatsushiba then smiled more widely.

“Yuuka just tried throwing a stone to ask only, but it is concluded that in fact that is actually true right,”

“…Why do you think like that?”

“Because of during the music class period previously, once I asked ‘did anyone pleaded?’ I saw her face looking a bit hesitating. When I think like that it’s approximately like this.”

At that time, was she able to tell that I look hesitant. Her eyes are really sharp.

“Shall Yuuka go complain instead? But please don’t throw this story to the students or anything like this.”

“No need, firstly, I’m not with Ayame because of that only,”

“…Really? Then because of what actually?”

“Well I don’t know what to say,”

“It’s probably because you really like her right?”

“Are you joking, please don’t drag me into that story, even 3D I don’t even want as well.”

I don’t think that this is love. If that feeling likes infantile such as during primary, I can still call it as love.

“Umm, if I don’t know why Yuuka is secretly distressed,”

“If you can break your heart, I would be very happy,”

“I ● won’t ★,”

“Even if you smile while talking, it doesn’t help at all,”

But I think she’s looks interested in Ayame a bit too much.

The fear that I and Ayame would get into relationship—I do understand, but,

…Okay, let me try,

“May I ask, what does Hatsushiba like about me?”

“If you ask me where, it’s already difficult to hide. By the time I realized, the eyes have already followed,”

“Love at first sight?”

“Do you like that kind of atmosphere?”

What is that, I’ve never heard that before.

Well, from now I may require braveness and acting skills that when they are seen, people would think that hey you can do it. It reminds me of the eroges that have been eaten regularly with bread every day. I just have to act like a flirting male protagonist would be enough.

But will I be able to trick Hatsushiba or not…hey, but no actually, even if I get caught then it doesn’t matter.

“If then,”

“Hmm?”

“May I kiss you?”

“Eh,”

I moved one step forward to Hatsushiba.

“Well I’m a bit interested as well,”

And then I grabbed Hatsushiba’s arms without letting her go.

“I just been interested by somebody for a bit, you like me, don’t you?

“What, I thought you’re not interested in 3D world…”

“Hatsushiba myself is wrong, at first I was never truly interested at all,”

I flick away the responsibility. It seems like from what I become interested is Hatsushiba’s fault.

“Are, are you joking me? Aramiya, it doesn’t seem to look real at all…! Only this fact, Yuuka also know too…!”

“Once I kissed, it could serious,”

I added a tension to hold Hatsushiba’s arms, pressed her against the wall and then moved my head towards her.

And at that time,

“No! Stop it! Why do you—”

Hatsushiba then disobeyed with feeling fearful on her face. She pushed me away strongly to show that she doesn’t accept it.

I let go of her and separated from Hatsushiba.

“Ah…I’m sorry, re, really Yuuka isn’t disgusted but it’s too sudden and I also wanted to wait until we truly like each other first before we kiss rather than kiss first then feeling interested in each other…”

Hatsushiba has smiled again and said minimally.

But the attitude of “disobedience” that she showed for few seconds just now, at that second she came back to be herself again for sure.

Moreover, right now she hasn’t despised me and also acting as if she doesn’t want to despise me again.

I just tested whether if she truly likes me or not only. But in another aspect, the result obtained may be more than expected.

…Anyway, it’s still cannot be concluded only with this. Saying that she wants me to actually like her first before kissing rather than kissing first before liking— if I say this is normal, it’s actually normal.

 

But actually, if that had happened and being despised on me totally, that would be better in another way too.

“Ara, miya…?”

And I heard a familiar sound so I quickly turned my head to look at it.

Ayame is standing absent-minded right there …or did she just saw that incident?

“…!”

And then Ayame ran away without saying even a single word. Oh no, that facial expression just now is a total misunderstanding.

“I’m sorry, Hatsushiba, from now on I shall not do anything to test your heart anymore!”

I bent down my head to apologize to Hatsushiba and after that I quickly run with full speed to catch up with Ayame.

Ayame is running very insanely fast. Not just only unable to catch her up, but also gone out of the vision.

I just saw her ran past the front of the room. So that means she probably didn’t return to classroom.

And for a few seconds later, the bell then rang.

“Huh huh… damn it, the first period bell rang again…”

What should I do? If I let her totally misunderstand, it may make her able to separate from me. I also want it to be like that as well.

 

But if I let her misunderstand it’ll make me feel concerned. However, why am I running after  her? This is more than what Kiriko-senpai ordered me already. I didn’t expect at all that I have to taste the feeling flavor of an eroge game male protagonist that have to run after the female protagonist.

For god’s sake, is like this called being totally insane or not?

“I think I have to skip class for once…”

I have decided. Damn it, this is just the first time that I have ever skipped a class.

And where did that girl go after skipping class?

In the school there’ll be teachers on duty walking around to examine without certainty. So the chance that we’ll get caught is quite high.

Thus, it has to be a spot that’s eye-catching for the school and the teacher doesn’t go to observe.

I’m thinking of the meeting room but it’s unlikely that Ayame would go to that room.

If I talk about the outdoor that has nobody’s shadow, it has to be—

“I finally see,”

Ayame is sitting down looking crestfallen.

“Ara…miya…”

Right here is behind the school building where nobody comes to observe and it is also a place where Ayame confessed her love.

If we talk about a place where rarely people would come or even teachers come to walk around, I tend to think about this place suddenly.

Ayame’s looking tired or has she run out of energy to run already.

“I have to tell you first from what you’ve just seen previously was a misunderstanding?”

“Wh, what are you saying! We– weren’t you trying to kiss her!”

“Yes, well if you’ve seen it could be like that, but since the beginning until the end, I didn’t intend to be like that at all!”

“Then what do you mean!”

And then I told all the reasons for her to listen in detailed that I actually tested whether Hatsushiba truly likes me or not.

“Oh really?”

Ayame sighed with some signs of relief.

But suddenly she’s making a furious face and stood up in front of me before there’s going to be loud noises ‘slap’ echoing after that. And the pain has passed to my cheeks.

I got slapped by Ayame.

“But you are such a cruel bastard, don’t you know… what do you see in a girl… what do you see in Hatsushiba as?”

…What she said is correct, that action a while ago in terms of male status… no actually as a human status is very cruel.

I don’t have anything to argue. I’m really too overjoyed.

This fact even there’s a reason, it is still not appropriate to do so.

The facial expression of Ayame that slapped my face doesn’t contain only anger but also has complications until it cannot be described briefly. I think there must be a story about me threatening Hatsushiba included in there as well.

Ayame probably had warned me.

Because when she slapped me, my eyes are open wide, another thing is when there’s somebody who teaches me something reasonable it makes me feel more relieved.

“Okay, I don’t that what I did was wrong, I shall go and bend my head to apologize to her properly,”

“…Good,”

“I shall go and apologize to her properly again,”

Until there, Ayame then becomes more peaceful as well.

“I’m sorry that I slapped you, did that really hurt?”

“It doesn’t matter,”

She then uses her cold hands to rub my face. I feel more relaxed.

After that,

 

The weather then becomes vivid at the right time so we both chose to skip class definitely.

I’m afraid as well if Kiriko-senpai knows about this. But anyway, just only once shouldn’t be a big deal.

This is just the first time I skipped class so I secretly feel a bit nervous too.

We both are sitting together leaning against the wall behind the school building, and skipping class together.

“Hey, Ayame, I have something to ask,”

“Hmm?”

“Do you think Hatsushiba really likes me?”

She’s making a face as like, eh?

“Didn’t she confess her love to you already?”

“It’s true but because of what I don’t know. I think she likes me since the previous year. But I almost never have spoken to Hatsushiba at all and I don’t really look that decent or anything,”

Additionally, looking at the case of kissing attempt a while ago, I think that she doesn’t really like me.

“Re, really? But I think you do look cool,”

Beauty is in the eye of the holder right…

“Please don’t judge by your personal aspect and no need to compliment as well,”

“I didn’t compliment you…”

She mumbled.

“Or have you ever saved her like when you had saved me before?”

“There has never been any event like that for sure, I can guarantee,”

“It isn’t because of you just have forgotten right?”

“…I don’t think so,”

If there’s actually an event like that, I can still understand.

People like us if we’re not outstanding in studying, playing sports, appearances or behaviors, it’s unlikely that there would suddenly be people coming to fall in love naturally except that they have knew each other for a long time, I could still understand.

“Then I don’t actually know why,”

“I also said that I don’t know either. Is Hatsushiba a person who’s interested in other people easily? Or does she like especially Otakus?”

Once I have asked like that, Ayame then started to consider for a while before claiming that “well”.

“Is there anything?”

“Since during primary school, it seemed like she likes to tell her dad about praising her. During primary, once people started to tease about that thing, then she stretched out to say that ‘Because Yuuka is a Father-con!”

So Hatsushiba is a father-con. Looking like this, the truth may be that she must rely on others right? Well previously during on the way back from part-time work that I saw her staying with Songou, her attitude is really curbing like someone being afraid of getting dumped…Wait, I’m going off topic already, let’s stop thinking about it.

“No, it is not like that…other things that are not related to that style at all?”

“Umm, liking especially Otakus or not, I don’t know either but if friends since childhood she does have some, houses are nearby and the parents seem to be close to each other. I remember she used to say that her father also works at the same company too.”

That story I heard from Hatsushiba herself already. But the information about her father working at the same company is a new thing.

Ayame then continued explaining with a smooth voice.

“During primary school she studied in a different school from my childhood friends. In that case, during childhood she kept telling stories about that guy regularly… I also thought as well whether she likes that guy or not but this thing I’m just thinking by myself.”

“Really… And the guy that you just mentioned, is he Songou who just recently carped her or not?”

When I revealed that name, Ayame’s eyes then widened like a goose egg.

“Y, you, how do you know about that?”

“There’s one place where I saw him talking with Hatsushiba for two people so I tried asking her to discuss about that,”

The guy that came to attack Ayame is Hatsushiba’s friend since childhood. His body is thick with deep voice according to Tozaki’s information. And even it was just a short period of time, but he used to be Ayame’s boyfriend once too.

“And Songou that you just mentioned—”

I was about to ask her that was he used to be her boyfriend? But it appears that—

“Seichiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii! Did you skip classsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!”

Kiriko-senpai yelled from a very far distance with also an image of her running from the other side. She’s making a face like a giant.

How does she know that I’m here? Oh, it’s because of the GPS anyway.

Damn it, around here the GPS is accurate too… I should have left the device in the classroom before leaving the classroom.

Then I and Ayame got dragged to the parents meeting room very swiftly.

I and Ayame both got dragged to the parents meeting room to listen to sermon for a long period of time before being released.

I stretched my body after waiting to be released for a long time… while we were being chanted, Ayame was only complaining that it was her fault which delayed the time of us being released. But the other side is Kiriko-senpai, some stories I may still be unable to tell, I’m still unable to tell the truth anyway.

“I’m sorry, Aramiya…”

“Eh, sorry of what?”

“Well because I ran away from you so this thing had happened,”

Oh, she meant about skipping class?

“No actually, uh, the cause is that I made you misunderstood instead,”

If I didn’t test Hatsushiba’s mind, this wouldn’t have happened.

“…Well but why did you try to run after me then?”

I got asked by question that secretly was unintentionally to be asked.

“If you think about it carefully, for you, if you let me totally misunderstood, would it have been better or not…?”

What should I do? How should I answer?

…No actually, why do I have to be impatient? Just answer to what I was thinking is enough.

“Letting you misunderstood makes me feel concerned,”

“…Your idea seems to be difficult to understand right?”

“It’s not as difficult as yours,”

“Or is the chance that I’ll become your girlfriend is starting to pop up a bit?”

She secretly looks at my face constantly.

“No,”

“……”

Ayame squinted her eyes unsatisfactorily.

“Then please tell me more about what is your ideal looks like,”

“Why do I have to tell you then?”

“Well, hadn’t you ever seen girls in your ideal in the real world?”

“There’s no way anyway,”

“Right? But if I really see it then it’s not bad as well,”

…There’s no way.

“…Then maybe there’s no way you’re going to betray me or make me feel dissatisfied right…”

But if I think about it again, this is called an ideal that’s a bit too vague.

For sure if I got these things as well, it would be great too, but…

“There’s no way I’m going to betray you for sure and I’ll try not to make you become dissatisfied too,”

“…Well I’m not sure if you can do that for most of the time or not.”

People like us at last tend to change our minds. The 2D has an advantage that there’s no change.

If there’s a next episode being released it would be a different story but even in that case it is still existent in the closed world anyway because the game plot has only been chosen for the interesting parts.

About the story of the male and female protagonists getting married, after that they’ll live their lives without anything special for the next fifty years which I’m not interested to watch. The needs for that style I think there are hardly any.

And if I’m not single, I wouldn’t have accepted it since the start already—

…Oh yes,

If the rumors about doing prostitution work are possible that they aren’t true. So that means Ayame may still be a virgin?

Well right now, it is believed that she hasn’t done it yet but the previous story is still a mystery.

Actually, no matter if she’s single or not, the literal person I still wouldn’t approach her anyway!

But it is still stuck in my mind anyway…

“…”

I looked around, okay there are nobody. If I’m going to ask when, should I ask right now?

“Hey Ayame, may I ask you something that makes you a little bit worried?”

“What’s the matter with you? You seem to be very opinionated about the matter…”

“For you, have you ever been doing any prostitution like from what they rumored or not?”

Once I finished talking, then she smiled beautifully and asked that,

“Do you want another slap? This time do you want a whole punch?”

I knew it; she’s also holding her fists. In my head could only think that I shouldn’t have done it seriously.

Since I was born I have just seen a girl who smiled fearfully for the very first time right here!

“Hey wait, wait!! I’m sorry, I have looked for trouble too much!”

“No, actually you didn’t look for trouble too much but I was shocked that you at me in that way instead. I knew this for a long time already that people have rumored like that, but normally who’s going to believe…”

She’s making a very sad face.

I may be very fortunate that I didn’t get punched.

I have to thank the trustworthiness that has been accumulated until now maybe?

“Well it can’t be helped. Don’t you know how many people have rumored you about the prostitution thing, but even that’s the case, I’m still certain right now that you didn’t do it? Really I swear,”

Once I said like that, Ayame then gave out a big sigh.

“No matter if it’s now or before, I still didn’t do it. Not even once as well, are you satisfied yet?”

Before she’s going to tell with a serious face like that,

“Really?”

“The people who do prostitution are doing it to find money, am I right? But in this case I think that guy may be worried so he gave a lot of pocket money. I’m not that hungry for money that much and even if I am, I wouldn’t do that either.”

“Re, really?”

I sighed with relief …eh?

“Hmm? Did you just feel relieved?”

“Yaa!?”

“Did you just feel relieved when I haven’t done that at all!?”

“No, not at all!”

“Then why did you sigh?”

“I sighed because I’m fortunate that I didn’t get punched actually!”

“You said something and it means another, are you Tsundere?”

I didn’t think that I got called as Tsundere by a gangster girl!

“How am I a Tsundere!?”

“Well you’re Tsundere for the entire body aren’t you, once you’ve started to want for tenderness, I also feel happy too,”

“No, it’s not true I cannot accept it at all!?”

Hey! It’s actually true!

“Alright, okay,”

Damn it, once she started playing eroges, she seems to become much cleverer in something not sensible!

But if she has never done prostitution work so that means Ayame is still a virgin?

But during junior high school she also used to have a boyfriend. But wait that’s just when we’ve newly joined junior high school. So that means it was during first year high school then. Isn’t it too early to be well-mannered since that time?

But no actually, I think nowadays children have experiences very early even if the information is completely wrong.

“–♪”

It seems Ayame’s emotion has risen up since a few minutes ago. At this time, it isn’t the right time for sure to ask whether she’s still a virgin or not right?

Just only saying ‘have you still been doing prostitution recently?’ already makes her angry anyway.

“Huhu…”

Another thing is that it seems once Ayame has happiness, then I became stunned.

Then why was I worrying at the start that the girl is truly a virgin or not…?

And the school has dismissed and I went to do my part-time job. The people in the shop today are very few until it’s countable by fingers.

About the fact that I skipped class, right now Kiriko-senpai is keeping that to herself without telling my parents. I think I would be intimidated by this story for me to do something insanely crazy again for sure. But right here I have to admit it.

She said to me while Ayame isn’t here that,

“It isn’t because you inhibited Ayame’s behavior am I right?”

But I suddenly refused.

By the way, once I came back from being dragged, I wanted to go and apologize Hatsushiba once again but it appears that she has an urgent work coming in so she had to go home first already. Tozaki brought a lunchbox with a half size of yesterday’s and a piece of paper to me in a paper note saying that,

“I’m sorry,”

It turns out that I have to sit down thinking a bit more of what is she saying sorry for.

Is it about her refusing me or other things?

…But I could only think that,

I don’t know if it’s true or not but all the recent events seem to link with each other everywhere.

Ayame, Hatsushiba, Tozaki and also Songou, all studied at the same primary school.

In addition, Songou, during primary we both studied at the same school too.

Ayame and Hatsushiba also seemed to be friends before as well during primary school.

Hatsushiba and Songou are friends since childhood. On the other hand, Ayame and Songou used to be in relationship for one month during junior high school.

I can gradually see for a bit of sudden of what had happened.

But it turns out that there’s a basket being put down with a loud bang at the cashier until my concentration scattered. What kind of person doesn’t know the circumstance?

I lifted up my head.

“What?”

It appeared that it’s Ayame… how many times already.

Finally, she came to visit me at my part-time job workspace. No actually, when did she enter the shop?

Well, I didn’t pay attention to the customers at all for several minutes as well.

“Why are you here?!”

“Ms. Kotani told me,”

Kiriko-senpai keeps snooping into other people’s business once again…

“What? I’m a customer right?”

She grins with a smile while talking to me. What kind of girl is she, could she be evil?

But today it turned out that I asked about strange things until she became furious again so I cannot be doubtful.

“One hundred and thirty yen for one order, two hundred and thirty-two yen for one order—”

“And how about sushi?”

“Eh?”

“Aren’t you going to heat this food for me?”

“…Ah, would you like me to heat it for you?”

“Oh, umm, no thank you,”

Then why the hell were you asking this! Also, Ayame is grinning with a smile constantly as well. Damn it, does she find me doing a part-time job that funny? Or is this a way to seek revenge from what I’ve done to her previously?

“By the way, what time will you be done with your part-time work?”

“The store has some strict rules. Employees are not allowed to go home. Please pay the bill quickly and go away as far as possible,”

“Okay I’m sorry, but can you please talk normally if you can,”

For god’s sake,

“Just only fifteen minutes until I finish my work,”

“Then I shall wait,”

“For what?”

“It doesn’t matter, I’m still free, I want to sit down and talk as long as we want,”

Anything naïve, this girl seems to be very brave. If she was only a 2D person, then I won’t complain at all.

“Eight hundred and seventy-four yen,”

“Eh, I’ll pay with NANACO-CHAN then,”

“In that case, please insert your card right there,”

…Once we’ve talked like this, then I handed the goods to the customer.

At that time, there’s a teenage customer who opened the automatic door to exit my store without buying anything.

In my mind I thought that ‘never mind’. Anyone can exit the store without buying anything, however,

“Hey you, what did you hide in your shirt pocket, take it out,”

Ayame shouted at that customer and suddenly started chasing after him.

That customer becomes astonished until he turned his face back. It seems he’s a senior high school student like us. He made an astonishing face.

Ayame then walked with long measured steps to grab his shirt. Wow that’s creepy.

“I told you to quickly take it out,”

“Alright!”

It appears that the things that he took out from the pocket are many packets of small snacks. Whoa, he is truly a thief.

“Hey, do you know how difficult it is to make money? Thinking of grabbing the money easily without putting effort that suits the difficulty, aren’t you embarrassed at all?”

…This isn’t the time to be absent-minded.

“Boss, something has happened,”

I asked someone to look after the bobbery and went to call the owner of the store.

In this case I have to thank Ayame for catching the thief before something worse would happen.

“Here you go, I have to thank you for what happened just now,”

Once I’ve finished my work, then I exited the store to meet Ayame who’s waiting outside and gave her a can of coffee.

“Thank you,”

She carries the can with her two hands with cherish.

“Even if I could tell that it was a thief,”

“I could tell without clear explanation actually. Another thing is how is it forgivable for stealing things, and here is also Aramiya’s workspace too,”

“You seem to look very serious, I couldn’t believe that the thief was going to be a misbehaved child.”

“…I myself may not be like that because I just wanted to try being it,”

“Then because of what that made you became like that?”

“You are so questionable today,”

“…Well maybe,”

I asked about her being a prostitute rumors and even about Hatsushiba. It seems during these days I’m a bit too curious about many things…

Even though my life is only curious about female protagonist should be enough.

“Finally, you have started to become interested in me am I right?”

She spoke cheerfully.

“No, I’m just curious,”

“You’re really black-hearted,”

She stared at me with squinting eyes. It seems during these days she stared at me like this very often.

“But if you’re just curious, I may not be able to tell you. I also have something that I wanted to ask you as well. If you tell me first, then I’ll tell you after.”

Well, it seems very compromising for exchanging ideas.

“If I could tell, I would be able to tell you,”

“Okay, it means you’ve made a promise then,”

Then Ayame opened the coffee can, took one sip before turning her head to look at me.

“How did Aramiya became interested to go to 2D world that much?”

She came at with this style of question.

“Well, are you trying to ask me why am I addicted to eroge games right?”

“Yes correct,”

The cause isn’t something that I can go talk to anyone and additionally, saying that is like showing off my own bad luck as well.

But telling Ayame should probably still be alright.

“By the way, you do know right that I don’t trust 3D girls,”

“Umm, well that is…”

Ayame nodded doubtfully.

“I’m also not like that since the start actually,”

“I also didn’t know that you’re interested in Eroge games since primary school or something…”

I myself also didn’t think like that. If I’m correct, no matter if it’s true, I still couldn’t enter the shop and buy it anyway.

“It seems it’s a concealed story like I got tricked by a girl during primary school.”

“Wait, being tricked that is…”

“I used to receive a love letter from the person I had a crush on,”

“What…!?”

Hey, I didn’t want you to be shocked with that story.

“On the letter it said something like ‘Please come to this place, I’ll be waiting for you’, I fell into it, I didn’t think that it was going to be a trap.”

Thus, I have to be aware of Hatsushiba’s love letters quite carefully.

If we didn’t meet in school, I would never go there for sure.

“…Are you waiting in vain?”

“If it’s only that then it’s great, the place where we planned to meet up was only the bus stop. Once I went there I would be waiting there all of the time. It was a day during winter, it was so damn cold.”

Until now I still could feel my hands were totally numbed.

“Until late at night I thought I was going to go home but once I walked to the bus stop, it appeared that the last bus had departed already so I didn’t have any transportation to take me back home. At the place I’d just seen it for the first time. It was dark and also I was afraid so I continued walking and chose a way that there were vehicles passing a lot. Then for sure I was lost. Not even one police station could be found. And then once I got onto a bus, I used electronic money since I didn’t have any money in my pocket at all. That was why I couldn’t call from the public telephone as well. We can conclude that I couldn’t ask for help from anyone at all.”

When I think about it right now, being unfortunate is actually being screwed, but at that time I still could think of finding ways without stopping too.

In fact, if I actually had sought help from someone or anything, it would had been done already.

“And then what happened next…?”

“Unfortunately, no policemen came to find me or take me back home. My parents informed about a missing person already by they themselves didn’t think that I would had went to that kind of place. The letter that was written that I went there at that time, I was still carrying it with me. And it seemed like my classmates including the person who tricked me also told that I didn’t know where I’d been to. Finally, I got to sleep on a bench in the public park until morning that a police came to find me. Thinking about it, it was fortunate that I insanely didn’t die first but I felt like I got pneumonia.”

Ayame holds her fists tightly and doing a stressful face.

I could feel the violent fury deeply in her eyes like as if she’s trying to be furious instead of me…

“What was that, don’t you get scolded or something for doing this at all?”

“At the end I just got warned. I gave the letter for my teacher to see already but that girl turned out to act minimally by saying that she neither mentioned that she sent it to me nor intentionally tried to make a fool out of me or anything whatsoever. In addition, the guy who was close to that girl, was collaborating with her as well.”

When I think about it right now, during that time I was also very boastful with many things until people could disapprove of me.

After that, I heard something mouth-to-mouth saying that the guy who’s close to that girl was the person who forced her to do it.

“Right now, the problem is,”

In one aspect, the story from now on would become my move.

“Eh, there’s still more?”

“After that it turned out that I became addicted to other girls like the same for twice the time during my primary school time again,”

“Wait, what?”

“Hey, please don’t do that doubtful face yet! Because that time I was innocent!”

“No, no, it’s not like that…”

“When I got tricked for the first time, I thought that girl was a devil! But once I got tricked by other girls like the same way once again for the second time, until that point I had to conclude that no matter which girls have guys next to them, they’re all devils anyhow.”

When I got tricked for the third time, even my parents were fed up, there was only Kiriko-senpai who was truly worried about me. Once it had reached the third time, she let me carry a mobile phone with me and then set for enabling GPS to work so that whenever I got lost, she could go and save me as soon as possible.

It might be because Kiriko-senpai felt guiltier than when I received the love letter happily until my heart beats very fast. It turned out that she couldn’t tell that it was a trap until she couldn’t stop me in time.

“Then after that I started doing things whatever I wanted continually. I became addicted to games and manga. To say it correctly, I probably got these stuffs to sooth my mind like those female protagonists that didn’t betray me and also saying gently. I also gained some love experience indirectly with true love as well.”

That’s why I started to gradually stop being interested in girls in the real world.

This is because all the 2D female protagonists have better affections than in the 3D world in every aspect.

Then I gradually started to check out girls that are bright—innocent—flawless—like an angel.

I don’t want to find those that got created once again by the hell.

“This time during junior high school, I played one flirting girl game and really enjoyed it. The girls are also cute and I went to search some information which it appeared that this girl had been taken out from eighteen or above category to for everyone category. I faked my age on the internet and bought that game as an eighteen or above version to play. After that, I’m in that category from now on.”

During that time my pocket money wasn’t much so it was quite painful.

Even right now it is still painful but if this is compared to during that time, they are different like the sky and the earth.

“Oh it’s like this right…?”

“Nowadays, I don’t hate girls as much as I used to already. But nevertheless, I have already decided that I still can’t be in relationship anyway.”

The fact that hate lesser than before isn’t because of me forgiving the girls but it’s because I’m interested in literal girls lesser than before instead.

In the 2D world itself, female protagonists that trick each other do exist too. But in my cases, at the end they’ll tell each other why they had to trick each other or something like that and then become friends once again. If not, they would trick continuously and there’ll be other female protagonists coming to appease instead.

But in the real world, there were only girls that tricked me and after wouldn’t come to clean up anything at all.

So my ideal would be female protagonist that is innocent which is still a virgin and not passed through anyone yet.

I could say it isn’t strange that I prefer the innocence without any doubt.

“Well, such a concealed story right? Then it’s Ayame’s turn now,”

“Ah, umm, but before I’ll start,”

“Hmm? Up until now please don’t say you’re not going to tell,”

“No,”

Ayame put down the coffee can that she drank onto the ground and then hugged me without realization. Ayame’s head is exactly right at my chest.

“Hey…!?”

“Excuse me, when the same gender did the same to me would make you feel painful,”

Is she counting too broad or not!?

“No, well I don’t want you to apologize or something…”

“When I hear it, it makes me really angry, I’m sorry,”

“You’re not wrong at all… right?”

“Yes, but I don’t know, I feel that no matter what there must be someone consoling you anyway,”

…Right, it feels very warm, if I didn’t hug anybody like this, I would have forgotten already.

It seems that it is actually warm like this… Those ideas are flying past my brain. Whoa I really feel too embarrassed.

Then Ayame separated from my body and smiled delightfully.

I became blushed over the limit until I have to trigger Ayame to tell me the story instead in order to reduce my emotions.

“Affirmative, but it is just an ordinary story,”

And then Ayame started telling the story jerkily.

“Have I told you already right that my parents had divorced?”

“Yes,”

“Before that happened, my parents got along together very well. If I say it correctly, they might have shown it they were good together but there was one day they just suddenly divorced. My dad and my elder sister then separated and I was studying at a primary school at the same place. During those days were incredibly painful.”

Ayame is making a mournful face like as if thinking about the past while telling the story.

“Those alimonies I didn’t understand at all even a bit. My mum went home very late every night. Therefore, I had to go home by myself all the time. Thinking of that time, I started to change in a strange way gradually since those days.”

“The strange thing is…”

“If I have to say it, it’ll make me feel embarrassed in a way, but it was like kind of lonely maybe. The fact that I didn’t get to see my mum and there was one day I broke the school’s window, the emotion was like what was I pranking, so my mum was called to school.”

“…”

“So at that time I was an idiot, so I thought of doing anything terrible so that I could meet my mum. It was incredibly stupid. So I chose to skip classes and had some fights… I wanted to see my mum so much until I intentionally did something terrible like that.”

Even though this story sounds normal, it is still not funny.

“Once I moved up to junior high school, then I fully became a gangster. Apart from that I was rampaging as well and there was once I was thinking of stealing something from the shop too. I entered the mall to see if I could find a way and planned to do the task on the following day. But at that time when my mum was ill from working too hard, that was why I managed to know that my mum worked very hard until being soaked with sweat in order to gain some small amount of money to look after me, even if the whole story already does seem to look obvious.”

“So you did you turn over a new leaf… right?”

“Yes, once that had happened, I managed to repent myself that from what I did so far were very stupid. My mum also contacted my dad. After that I then got to meet my elder sister and dad regularly. So at that time I felt a bit better than before.”

But when she said that she turned over a new leaf… Ayame in senior high school still looks like a gangster.

And then Ayame explained as if she’s about to answer my curiosity.

“But by that time, it was already too late. The guilt of being a gangster has been ingrained already. I also had made other people got into trouble so I was thinking about the nemesis.”

“…”

“Even if you try to change your image back to normal, no one would still talk to you anyway. Moreover, it may turn out that those idiots like me may come to start a fight with me more often. Hence, I soon wanted to become a gangster once again and return to the past that I couldn’t stop fighting. This is why I had to wear earrings, dressing to make it look true when actually I don’t want to do it… The emotion makes me act like a rogue gangster.”

“And then once you’re back to become a gangster… those fighting issues were reduced?”

“At least those idiots who came to make fun of me have significantly reduced,”

“…Since that time right?”

“Hmm?”

“For you, you seem to have issues with others in order to help somebody all the time right?”

“…If you look at me in a pleasant way, I’m glad to hear that. But actually, it’s not always like that. When I saw it, it just makes me feel annoyed that’s it. I excused that I wanted to save others in order to reduce my temper only.”

“Really?”

“You seem to be very stubborn. Anyway, if you think like that then I’ll take that for granted. From now on, I’ll do something like that then.”

“Hey no, I actually wanted you to quit having arguments,”

“I know, once I stay with you, I do realize as well that doing that would only make me tired for no good reason,”

The reason truly suits of being Ayame but would it truly mean like that or not, I don’t know either.

“Because of that,”

Once Ayame said like that, the light on the streets shines for me to see her faint red cheek.

“Well it’s true, however, I lost all of my friends including Hatsushiba as well…”

“…”

“When I was in junior high school, I was isolated all the time. During senior high school, I was also isolated too. Not even one person came towards me. I also knew that I had no more standing point. The reason why I come to study junior high school here is because my mum complains all the time that I must come here. Well, coming here still causes problems constantly… or skipping class something like this. No matter how much I studied, it still doesn’t feel enjoyable even a bit…”

Since during senior high school, I’ve never actually seen Ayame talking with anyone closely at all.

I thought in my mind that during junior high school, she herself may be something similar like this.

“And at that time, there had been someone who came to save me,”

“Eh?”

“Those idiots were chasing after me. I had been tempted to go into a narrow space and got surrounded. At that time, I laid myself down that well it seemed I wouldn’t be able to survive. It was time to face the karma already. I was alone until that time, and thinking that somebody would suddenly come to rescue me would be too fortunate… I thought like that but it appeared that,”

…Wait, don’t tell me that you mean,

“Suddenly, somebody just appeared to call the police for rescuing me. At that time, how should I say, I didn’t believe in god or anything like that, but I could truly feel the destiny.”

She actually meant me too— but Ayame misunderstood already.

“I didn’t intend to help you by going to rescue you, I did that for my own survival only,”

I told the truth to her. If she still misunderstands that story, I’ll quickly solve it as soon as possible.

“I do know as well, if you were actually thinking of saving me, you wouldn’t have escaped when I still hadn’t called for help right? You ran away before; you didn’t look after me until the end.”

…Ayame, you already knew it right.

“Then why?”

“In that case I was still helping anyway,”

“Well, it is actually true, but…”

“I was isolated for fourteen years already and you came to rescue me. Saying that you didn’t purposely help sounds impossible.”

…I tried asking myself, even if I was never in that kind of situation before so I could only imagine.

She felt very warm-hearted like when I got lost and there was somebody who came to rescue me or not?

I feel like I wanted to let go of my heart for those people…

“After that it made me feel inconclusive and distracted until I didn’t know how to tell. Then I came to confess my love… and you said that if it’s not a 2D girl so you don’t want it, then I had to start fighting,”

Then Ayame turned to me nicely.

“At that time, I was still unconscious, but,”

Then she stared at my eyes.

“If right now I can talk utter with my mouth,”

She opened her mouth a bit.

“I like you, Aramiya,”

She said simply and directly with a bright voice and a strong impression.

The words that flow with that voice make my heart beats out of the rhythm.

Ayame didn’t imitate any attitudes in the eroge games but she revealed the truth inside her heart for me to perceive.

Not letting me vacillate, I cannot do it.

“Ah, ooh…”

“Obviously, you don’t need to answer me right now. Initially, I still didn’t feel like I was following your ideal at all. Therefore, I’ll try approach you more, closer and closer than this.”

I couldn’t say anything. I was boastful for all the time that she’s just trying and one day she’ll get bored of me.

But just now, the truth inside her heart has sent directly to my heart for the very first time.

Oh damn it, no, my pulse is starting to accelerate.

I have to say something—

“Oh hey, Ayame,”

Then there’s a thumping noise interfering from nowhere, I and Ayame quickly turned to look at where the noise came from.

“Songou…”

Ayame roared.

The guy with that time is standing there alone. He really came at a bad time.

It seems he didn’t bring any of his gang, but I’d better press the number 110 on my phone first just in case.

I’m prepared to press the call button.

“You two seem to be having a good thing going on there, not bad at all,”

“If it’s good then how does it bother you, go away,”

“Yes it does? I was thinking that we should go home together tonight,”

He said with normal looking eyes. So he is actually her ex-boyfriend then.

But Ayame is very brutal with the other side who’s her ex-boyfriend or is it because of her ex-boyfriend that made her brutal.

“Goodnight your ghost, I don’t seem to remember at all that I used to be your boyfriend. You just suddenly followed me by yourself don’t you?”

“You’re just acting too shy,”

Then that guy said that,

“We did reveal our innocence of each other, didn’t we?”

He said with a still face like as if it isn’t a big deal.

My eye vision then moves to stare at Ayame instead.

“It’s not trueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!”

Her face is full of burst like I’ve never seen it before.

Her eyes are very sharp until I could feel the sense of killing.

Her whole body radiates a savage color like it is ready to attack at any time.

…Eh, then it means that… it actually had happened before right?

“Well it is true, if you go argue in order to provoke the celibacy, it’s not going to re-germinate again,”

“You’re being illogical! Shy about your parents! It’s already your fault since you used those kinds of methods…!”

“No matter what method, at last you and I will still be together anyway,”

“No, no! Those things I cannot accept it at all!”

Ayame turned out to be in disadvantaged… what does this actually mean?

“Well it’s true that my skills are terrible. That time I was still little and it was just the first time too. Then I had waited for you to fall asleep first before I did it. If I did that had made us hate each other, I’m really sorry. I myself also liked you for a long time already.”

“…Shut up otherwise you’ll die for sure,”

Songou made an eye contact on Ayame and then gazed towards me.

“Hey you, you’re are actually a coward,”

Suddenly, he called others as a coward as well. But anyway, I myself am also a coward, who no matter what, calls the police immediately whenever something happens.

“…What?”

“What are you related to Ayame?”

“…Why the hell do I need to tell you, you damn thug?”

“…Hey, who are you calling a thug? Otakimoi like this, how is it great for god’s sake… Otherwise this Buhi is better going to tell the police again,”

That guy still doesn’t bite his tongue once again, and acting that he’s going to go.

“Wait,”

“What?”

“Are you seeking to find the rhythm? You seem to have found the right rhythm,”

“…Hey you, don’t be too overconfident? Like you, I can punch you until you don’t have an appetite for the rest of your life. No matter if I started the fight, my dad always said one phrase to me that I would be released from the crime case anyway.”

“Then why are you afraid if I’m going to call the cops? All at first, previously and just now too,”

“…”

Songou frowned, ignored my words and then walked away. I don’t know whether he can’t be bothered to argue or actually got stabbed in his black heart. But it seems previously, this guy’s style seems pretty dramatic.

And then Songou’s shadow slowly disappeared in the darkness already.

“A, Aramiya!”

Suddenly, Ayame interfered into my sights.

“Wh-what?”

“No, nothing, I didn’t do like that…!”

“Umm, you don’t need to emphasize that much…”

I didn’t pay attention to her that much, actually I didn’t, right.

Just only thinking that type of guy and Ayame was in a relationship before, I don’t know why it makes me feel annoyed right away.

“I did not do it, I did not do it, I did not do it! When I woke up I was putting on my clothes, and didn’t feel any pain at all!”

When waking up? Do you mean after that night had past?

No actually, I have a feeling that the story isn’t like that…

…But, if I bring the story that Songou and Ayame had spoken to combine together, or it is a way to force my heart…?

And at that time, I thought like that.

“Ah…”

Ayame who’s looking at me is making a sorrowful face before running away.

…I left all the things that I bought from the convenient store.

The feeling that ended with a person confessing her love, by the way I realized, it had gone into the wind already.

*END OF CHAPTER 3*

 It’s a short slang in Japanese that defines at “Kimoi Otaku”, in Japanese, it translates as a disgusting otaku

 Refers to the sound effect or SFX, meaning “oink”, possible to refer someone like a pig in a very bad way

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