Chapter 3: “Who Is Kuroki Rui?”

Drip drip, drip drip…

The faint sound of rain hitting the window wakes me up.

The rainy sky this morning is so gray and cloudy it doesn’t even feel like morning.

“What the hell, it’s only 6:30?”

Yesterday, I found out Ichinose Yuria’s secret that she’s a hidden otaku, but that night, I got dragged into her otaku rants, talking about anime until late.

She’s usually so low-energy, but when it comes to anime, she gets super chatty, huh.

“Still sleepy… maybe I’ll go back to sleep…”

“Yo, Ryouta! Get up already! Onee-chan ate all your breakfast!”

“You’re telling me after the fact?!”

And yeah, there really was no breakfast left.

☆☆

Under the rainy sky, I head to school with my umbrella.

Seems like the rainy season started today, so I’ll probably need an umbrella for a while.

I put my umbrella in the stand at the school entrance.

My umbrella’s handle has anime character masking tape on it, so it’s not likely to get stolen.

“Oh, morning—Izumiya-kun.”

As I’m changing my shoes at the shoe lockers, Kuroki Rui, who came up behind me, greets me.

Her jet-black straight hair, petite and refined features, and that dignified presence.

As always, her perfect superhuman aura is intense, not a single flaw…

“M-morning.”

I reply curtly.

“It’s rainy today, huh?”

“Y-yeah.”

Just because our seats are next to each other, we’re having this casual conversation. It feels like she’s closing the distance way too fast.

Was Kuroki always this talkative?

“Oh, Rui-chan, morning!”

“Morning, Rui!”

The other two of the beautiful girl trio show up after us.

“Morning, you two. What’s up, Yuria? Feeling lonely without Airi, so you came to school together?”

“That’s not it. Airi’s umbrella broke or something, so I had no choice but to let her share mine.”

“Jeez, Yuria. You were the one who sent me that love call to come to school together!”

“Don’t make up weird lies!”

While poking Miyama’s cheek, Ichinose glances at me briefly.

Right, gotta make sure yesterday’s thing doesn’t get out.

“What’s wrong, Yuria?”

“Nothing… I’m heading to class first.”

Even when Kuroki asks, Ichinose keeps a poker face, brushes it off, and heads to the classroom.

“…I see.”

“Rui-chan? What do you mean, ‘I see’?”

“Oh, nothing. Let’s go, Airi.”

As Kuroki says this to Miyama, she glances at me for some reason and lets out a small smile.

W-what was that just now?

☆☆

In the end, Kuroki only talked to me that morning, and during breaks or while moving between classrooms, she didn’t say a word.

But—that just makes it feel even creepier.

If she noticed something about me and those two… that’d be bad.

Of course, the changes in my relationships with Miyama and Ichinose only happened yesterday and the day before it, so there’s no way she could’ve found out.

But Kuroki Rui’s IQ far surpasses that of an average person, and I’ve heard a legend that she once predicted every question on a periodic test by reading the teacher’s mind.

On top of that, she dominated every event she entered at the Junior Olympics in middle school, and in her first year of high school, she got an A rating for Tokyo University’s medical school mock exam—a true genius Yamato Nadeshiko.

That’s why the only ones who can talk to her as equals are those two, who have something she doesn’t.

Miyama Airi has ultra-high-school-level busty assets that Kuroki lacks, and Ichinose Yuria, with her trendy gyaru fashion and captivating thighs, has weapons that outshine Kuroki’s.

Because Miyama Airi and Ichinose Yuria have such distinct qualities, they can confidently talk to Kuroki Rui, and honestly, the three of them are just really close.

That’s exactly why, if Kuroki found out a loner otaku like me was holding onto secrets about Miyama and Ichinose, she’d definitely confront me to protect her two precious friends.

If that morning exchange was her way of probing… I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

Another possibility is that either Ichinose or Miyama consulted Kuroki about me knowing their secrets.

That could explain why Kuroki’s got her eyes on me… No, that’d mean they’d risk exposing their own secrets, and I don’t want to believe those two would do something like that.

“Yo, Ryouta!”

After fourth period, while I’m zoning out at my desk lost in thought, a hushed voice calls me from the seat in front.

Miyama, sitting in front of me, is half-turned, beckoning me with her hand.

Since it’s already lunch break, neither Ichinose nor Kuroki, who sit beside us, are around.

“Hurry and check LINE. Meet there.”

While I’m pulling out my phone, Miyama gets up and wanders off somewhere.

W-what’s that about?

‘Miyama: Wanna eat lunch in the empty classroom on the third floor? Yuria’s at the culture festival committee, and Rui-chan’s at a club meeting, so Airi’s got nothing to do~’

She even sent an angry octopus sticker with a “PUNPUN” vibe.

Another lunch invite, huh?

But this time, she picked a place where no one would see us, so maybe she’s actually being considerate?

Still, an empty classroom… that means we’ll be completely alone, right?

Could it be—Miyama’s fallen for my hidden “manly charm”?

…Nah, no way. Not even a millimeter of a chance.

Thinking as calmly as if I were in sage mode, I realize I don’t have any hidden charm whatsoever.

Lunch alone with Miyama… Man, if only some ero scenario would happen so I could cop a feel of those breasts…

Thinking crude thoughts, I buy an onigiri at the school store.

No, no, forget ero scenarios—right now, it’s about Kuroki.

Yesterday’s issue with Ichinose got sorted out somehow after talking to Miyama, so maybe I should consult her about this too.

☆☆

The third floor is where the science and home ec rooms are, so unless there’s a class, hardly anyone comes up here.

Wait, but isn’t this empty classroom usually locked…?

Despite my doubts, I put my hand on the sliding door, and it opens easily.

Inside, there are just six desks and chairs up front, nothing else.

“Ryouta, you’re late~!”

As I step in, Miyama’s already eating lunch alone inside.

“S-sorry.”

Apologizing, I set my onigiri on the desk next to hers.

“Ryouta, that’s all you’re eating for lunch again?”

Like yesterday, since it’s just an onigiri, Miyama asks with a worried look.

“Y-yeah, pretty much.”

Part of it’s because I’m broke, but I’m also just not a big eater to begin with.

Meanwhile, Miyama’s chowing down on the takeout version of the katsu curry she was eating yesterday.

How much does she love katsu curry, seriously?

“You actually went to the arcade yesterday, right?”

“Y-yeah, I mean, you told me about it, so I had to check it out.”

“Even so, if you really didn’t want to, most people would’ve bailed, y’know?”

“Huh, really…?”

“Yup, you’re super serious, Ryouta!”

Miyama says this while stuffing her face with katsu curry.

Not sure if she’s praising me or poking fun—it’s a weird line.

“Hey, Ryouta, do you like Yuria?”

“N-no, no way!”

“Really? You’re always sneaking glances at Yuria, so I thought you had a thing for her.”

S-seriously… someone other than Ichinose caught me staring at her thighs?

Gotta be more careful about (checking out thighs and chests) from now on…

“Oh, okay. I thought you liked Yuria, so I was trying to help you out.”

“H-help?”

“Yup. Originally, I was gonna go check out that arcade in the next town yesterday. But after hearing about you and Yuria, I passed the job to you. Thought I could play Cupid for you~”

Cupid, my ass. Keep your flower-field brain in check.

If Miyama had gone instead of me, the beautiful girl trio would’ve been on the verge of breaking up.

“By the way, who told you Ichinose was at that arcade?”

“A friend from another class. She commutes from the next town and saw Yuria going into the arcade at the station. Another friend said the same thing, so I was curious.”

“Wow… that many friends? Miyama, you’ve got some serious social connections, huh?”

“Huh? My face is small! I use a beauty roller like crazy! Look, look!”

[T/N: On line 107 and 108, Ryouta says “Miyama tte kao hiroi nda na” which translates to “Miyama, you’ve got some serious social connections, huh?”, Miyama probably misheard it thinking he just said “Miyama kao hiroi” which translates to “Miyama has a big face” or “wide face”]

Miyama leans in, desperately showing off her “small face.” That’s not what I meant…

“But in the end, Yuria wasn’t there, right? Maybe my friends got it wrong?”

“W-well…”

“Even if I ask Yuria directly about going to the arcade, she won’t say anything, huh?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

No way I can answer that. As if Ichinose Yuria would ever admit she’s “hunting for busty beauty prize figurines” at the arcade.

“Oh, by the way, Ryouta, didn’t you talk to Rui-chan this morning before me and Yuria showed up?”

“Huh…?”

“I was curious. What were you and Rui-chan talking about?”

Did Miyama invite me to lunch to fish for that info?

And this time, not in the cafeteria but in an empty classroom where we can talk one-on-one…

Makes sense—Miyama sees me as the only one who knows her secret. It’s natural she’d be curious if she saw me talking to her friend Kuroki.

So I still haven’t earned Miyama’s trust… I knew that already, but still.

“Look, I’m not so loose-lipped that I’d spill your secrets. You’re suspicious of me, aren’t you?”

“Huh? What’s that about? Why bring that up now?”

Miyama looks dumbfounded, licking her spoon with a clueless expression.

“N-no, I mean, you’re trying to figure out if I leaked your secret, right?”

“Haah, Ryouta, you totally don’t get me! I’m not that complicated! If I suspected you about the secret, I’d just ask you straight up!”

“Oh, really?”

“What I wanna know isn’t about you—it’s why Rui-chan was in such a good mood!”

Good mood…? What’s that supposed to mean?

I try to recall my conversation with Kuroki, but she didn’t seem particularly cheerful…

“Rui-chan’s always super stone-faced when she talks to guys, y’know?”

“Stone-faced?”

“Like, her eyes are screaming, ‘I’m not interested in what you’re saying.’”

“So, like Ichinose’s guy-hating vibe?”

“Hmm, not exactly like Yuria’s guy-hating thing, but more like she looks down on guys?”

Looks down on guys…?

“But when she was talking to you, Ryouta, she seemed kinda happy…”

“R-really?”

“Even on the day we changed seats, when Rui-chan introduced you, she was in a good mood.”

Now that she mentions it, Kuroki did seem pretty cheerful when she was explaining to the others that we went to the same middle school.

“That’s it! Rui-chan totally likes you, Ryouta!”

What the hell is this busty flower-field brain saying?

“That’s why her expression softens only when she’s talking to you! I’m sure of it!”

“That’s way too simplistic… Kuroki and I had zero contact before the seat change, y’know?”

“But you went to the same middle school, right!? She probably fell for you without you even noticing! Kyaa!”

The busty flower-field brain squeals, cupping her cheeks with both hands.

“Ah! I just thought of something awesome~”

I’ve got a bad feeling about this…

☆☆

“Alright, Ryouta, I’m heading back to class! Return the key to the staff room~”

After finishing lunch, Miyama bounces out of the room, her busty assets jiggling as she runs off.

She said something about thinking of something “awesome,” but what was it?

Miyama’s way more of an “airhead” than I thought, so I just hope she doesn’t bring some kind of bombshell like Ichinose did.

Still, the idea that Kuroki Rui likes me? That’s as impossible as the world turning upside down.

But the fact that Kuroki acts differently around me… yeah, that’s definitely intriguing.

Is it because we’re from the same middle school? Hmm, I don’t get it.

The high school I go to, Prefectural Natsuhama Central High School, is a bit far from my old middle school, so the only people from there are me, Kuroki, and my otaku friend Tanaka from the next class.

Plus, this is one of the top public high schools in the prefecture, and most of my middle school classmates who applied here didn’t get in.

Setting aside the mystery of how a busty flower-field brain like Miyama got accepted, Kuroki probably treats me differently because it’s rare to meet someone from our middle school.

So there’s no way it’s what Miyama’s imagining.

“Hmph… don’t underestimate my loner experience. I’m not some delusional loner who misreads signals.”

I lock the empty classroom and head to the staff room.

☆☆

I made it through the afternoon classes without once looking at Ichinose’s thighs, attending the dull lessons relatively seriously, and finally reached the end of the school day.

Alright, what to do after school today?

The day before yesterday, I bought Breasts Sucking at Tsutaya, and yesterday I went to the arcade in the next town, so my after-school time’s been pretty hectic lately…

It’s raining today, so I’ll just head straight home. I’m broke anyway.

I finish getting ready to leave, grab my bag, and head to the school entrance.

In the end, I still don’t know what Miyama meant by that “awesome thing” she thought of… What was it?

“…Oh, you’re finally here.”

When I reach the entrance, Kuroki’s there… Wait, why is she here?

Looking closely at her hand, I see my umbrella’s handle with the anime character masking tape wrapped around it.

“That’s… m-mine!”

I don’t know why.

Still, there’s no mistake—Kuroki Rui is holding my navy-blue umbrella, waiting for me.

“…K-Kuroki?”

Why is she standing there with my umbrella?

Unable to process the situation, I put on my leather shoes for now.

Calm down, this has to be a mistake. Surely Kuroki confused me with someone else—

“Izumiya-kun, I was waiting for you.”

Yeah, seems like it’s not a mix-up.

I figured as much since she’s holding my umbrella.

“Airi said she’s short on time before meeting her boyfriend and wanted to borrow an umbrella, so I lent her mine.”

Without me asking, Kuroki mutters the reason like she’s talking to herself.

So this is all that busty flower-field brain’s doing… Unforgivable, that busty… At least let me cop a feel!

“But after lending my umbrella to Airi, I’d have no way to get home, so Airi asked you to help, right? Since we’re from the same middle school and our routes home are pretty much the same.”

I know absolutely nothing about any such request!

“Sorry for dragging you into this, Izumiya-kun.”

Dragged into it doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Miyama’s got the wrong idea, thinking Kuroki likes me, so she deliberately set up this (absurd) romantic event of us sharing an umbrella home.

Fine, I’ll concede it’s Miyama’s fault… but even knowing that, there’s something I can’t wrap my head around.

“Airi’s such a handful, isn’t she? So head over heels for her boyfriend… I’d love to at least see a picture of him.”

To begin with, how did Kuroki… know this navy-blue umbrella was mine?

“Hey, shall we get going?”

“……Y-yeah.”

There’s no way I can refuse in this atmosphere.

If I turn her down here, things’ll get awkward with Kuroki.

No matter how intimidating she is, I want to avoid a strained relationship with Kuroki, who I’ll be sitting next to in class for over half a year.

I mean, Kuroki could easily share an umbrella with another friend… so why is she fixated on me?

Kuroki’s house is a large, traditional Japanese-style place near mine.

Miyama’s idea that Kuroki can share my umbrella all the way home is surprisingly logical… but even so, normally no one would want to walk home with a bottom-tier loner like me, right?

“Hey, mind if I open this umbrella?”

Before we leave the entrance, Kuroki starts to open my umbrella.

“You’ve been using this umbrella since middle school, right?”

“H-huh? Y-yeah.”

“Hehe, thought so.”

How the hell does she know that!?!

“Alright… this umbrella’s pretty big, huh?”

“I-I’ll hold the umbrella.”

“Oh, how kind of you.”

I take the umbrella from Kuroki as she opens it and let her step under it.

“Pardon the intrusion~”

“……”

I’m so nervous I can’t even speak.

We’d never talked before the seat change, so why’s she closing the distance so fast?

“Hey, Izumiya-kun.”

As we start walking, Kuroki, on my left, looks up at me and speaks.

“You got a girlfriend recently, didn’t you?”

I’m dumbfounded.

The question’s so out of left field, I stop in my tracks.

“Is your girlfriend… maybe Yuria or Airi?”

“N-no, no, no! There’s no way a bottom-tier loner like me could date beauties like Miyama or Ichinose!”

“Obvious agitation, usually quiet but denying it rapidly, hand gripping the umbrella trembling excessively… Conclusion: definitely lying.”

Uselessly sharp observation skills. Is she a detective or something?

“Hey, why are you lying to me? We’re from the same middle school, right? Right?”

Kuroki leans her face closer to mine.

Being from the same middle school doesn’t mean anything more or less than that!

Unable to step away because of the rain, I endure it, my face heating up.

“I’m not lying! I’m not dating anyone!”

“Then why were you getting along so well with Airi?”

“Miyama?”

“You had lunch with Airi in the cafeteria yesterday, right? I heard it from a friend on the track team. Why’d you get so close?”

Is it already common knowledge that I had lunch with Miyama?

“Hey, answer me.”

Could it be Kuroki’s worried about that…?

Makes sense—she’d be concerned if her best friend was getting chummy with a loner like me.

“That was… just me thanking Miyama. The day before yesterday, I ran into her at a store, and she let me have something I wanted.”

I’m not lying.

I ran into (a working) Miyama at a store, and she let me have (kept aside) something I wanted (Breasts Sucking Volume 1).

“Really? There’s nothing going on with Airi?”

“Obviously. To begin with, I doubt a beauty like Miyama would fall for a loner like me.”

“…Hehe, good to know. That’s a relief.”

Kuroki lets out a sigh, visibly relieved.

She must be thrilled her best friend Miyama isn’t dating a toilet bug like me.

Her refreshed expression is so beautiful it could win an art award.

An overwhelmingly stunning beauty… It’s hard to believe someone so otherworldly is right next to me.

Kuroki may lack bust or thighs, but her face is more gorgeous and refined than any girl I’ve ever met, with a captivating charm that draws you in the more you look.

“This is embarrassing to admit, but I’ve always been a perfectionist.”

Calming down, Kuroki suddenly starts talking.

“I need to be perfect in studies, sports, and have the respect of parents, teachers, and everyone around me, or I’m not satisfied.”

So, basically, “If my best friend Miyama dated a guy like him, it’d tarnish my perfection,” right?

Relax, Kuroki, I’m not in that kind of relationship with Ichinose or Miyama—

“So I’m relieved you didn’t become Airi’s.”

The rain gets heavier.

Under the same umbrella in front of the empty school gate, Kuroki and I stop and lock eyes.

“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean—?”

When I ask, Kuroki smiles.

“You know, you were the only guy from our middle school class who didn’t confess to me.”

Just… me…?

So every other guy in our class confessed to Kuroki at least once?

I don’t know why Kuroki’s saying this.

But it feels like she’s saying her “perfection” was incomplete because I didn’t confess.

Is what Kuroki’s saying even true?

It’s hard to imagine every guy in our middle school class except me confessing to her.

It’s just not realistic.

But—the strange thing is, if Kuroki Rui says it, it feels like it might not be a lie.

“Oh, you doubt me?”

“N-no, it’s not…”

“Just so you know, it’s true. Every guy from our middle school class confessed to me at least once. You were the only one who didn’t, Izumiya-kun.”

Saying that, Kuroki slyly raises the corner of her mouth.

A warm, sunny smile that doesn’t fit this rainy day.

“J-just one question: what about the guys who were dating other girls?”

“They only chose other girls after I rejected them, right? Hehe, they all wanted to eat Chateaubriand but settled for kalbi or loin… Love is cruel, isn’t it?”

The cruel one’s your analogy…!!

I barely held back the urge to retort.

“But—you were different, right, Izumiya-kun? You didn’t even look at the meat. You were like a herbivore… That’s what set you apart from the other carnivorous guys.”

Me, a herbivore…?

I’d say I’m as carnivorous as it gets (loving busty and thick thighs)…

“Hey, deep down, you actually like me, right, Izumiya-kun? You were probably just too shy to confess, weren’t you?”

“…Sorry, but I don’t feel that way.”

“You do like me, don’t you? Come on.”

Kuroki comes at me with her full-force smile.

This girl… she’s trying to forcefully sway me for the sake of her perfectionism.

I’ll admit her face is insanely beautiful. And honestly, the nice scent from her prized black hair’s been making my heart race nonstop.

“Come on, say you like me.”

“I said—”

I try to back away as she gets closer, but the rain leaves me no escape.

“Hehe, just now realizing?”

“No way, you—”

As long as we’re under the same umbrella, if one stops, the other can’t move. It’s like being restrained.

“Alright, let’s start a little game.”

Kuroki declares with the biggest grin of the day.

“The rules are simple. Until you say, ‘I like you,’ right here, I’m not moving from this spot. If you really don’t want to say it, we can stay here until morning—that’s fine too.”

“D-don’t be ridiculous! I’m going home!”

“The rain’s getting heavier… Leaving a girl out in this downpour… That’s harsh, Izumiya-kun.”

This girl…! Is she that desperate to make me confess…?!

“What’s it gonna be, Izumiya-kun? Leave me here at the gate, or confess and feel relieved?”

What do I do… No matter how talented and stunning Kuroki is, confessing like this just feels wrong.

“Stop teasing me. I’m not saying I like you, and you wouldn’t even be happy hearing a forced confession, right?”

Desperately, I throw out some straight-up logic… but.

“…What if I said I’d be happy?”

“H-huh? No way!”

“It’s true. Because ever since that day—”

That’s when it happened.

A pretty hand with light blue nails reaches from behind, resting on Kuroki’s shoulder.

“Hey, Rui? Finally found you… What’s this?”

Turning around, I catch a glimpse of plump thighs peeking from under a skirt.

These thighs… Ichinose!

I avoided looking at them during class today, but they’re burned into my brain whether I like it or not.

“Why are you and Izumiya going home together? You promised to walk home with me, Rui. If you’re flirting, pick someone else.”

“I-Ichinose and Kuroki had plans to go home together…?”

“Airi borrowed Rui’s umbrella for a date with her boyfriend or whatever, so Rui was supposed to walk home with me. I told her to wait since I had culture festival committee stuff, but… why’s she under your umbrella, Izumiya?”

Something’s off.

Kuroki said at the entrance that Miyama told her to go home with me.

“Come on, Rui… let’s go.”

Ichinose pulls Kuroki from my umbrella into hers and starts walking.

Thanks to Ichinose, I dodged that showdown with Kuroki… I should honestly be grateful.

Thinking that, I start walking too, when my phone vibrates in my pocket.

Looks like a LINE notification.

‘Ichinose: I was cold to you because Rui was there. Sorry, Izumiya.’

Got it, so that’s why she was so icy. Ichinose must be caught in the middle—tough spot.

As I go to close my phone, a notification pops up: “A message from a user you’re not friends with.”

“Not friends…?”

The name that jumps out is “Kuroki.”

‘Kuroki: Hehe, we got closer, so I added you as a friend ♡ Keep what happened a secret, okay? If you spill… who knows what’ll happen ♡’

‘Kuroki: Also, I’m definitely going to make you fall for me, Izumiya-kun ♡ You can wait without worrying, alright?’

Two back-to-back LINE messages scarier than a horror movie.

Worry? More like pure terror!

Why’s a loner otaku like me being targeted by the generation’s ultimate beauty…?!

My peaceful life… it’s definitely gonna get wrecked.

And so, (reluctantly) I ended up holding the secrets of the three top-tier beauties in our class.

Thanks to the seat change, I know secrets about these girls sitting near me that no one else does…

And I’ve got a sinking feeling my high school life’s about to get even crazier.