Chapter 4: “Is the Arrival of My Popular Phase a Step Toward Ruin?”

 

Yo, everyone. I’m Ryouta, the loner otaku.

A loner otaku’s after-school life is just heading to Animate or holing up in their room playing games while watching anime, right?

Until recently, that was my life too… but, well, a lot’s happened, and now…

“Crap, I gotta think about how to reply to these LINE messages…”

I’m working on replying to LINE messages.

As soon as I got home from school, I plopped into my gaming chair and started fiddling with my phone, but before I knew it, a ton of LINE messages had piled up.

Normally, I only get LINEs from my parents or my sister, so I just ignore them, but this time, the senders are…

‘Ichinose: Hey, wanna talk about the movie we’re going to see?’

‘Miyama: Ryouta, look! I found a pill bug on my way home from my part-time job!’

‘An image has been sent from Kuroki.’

I’m getting back-to-back LINE messages from the three most popular, beautiful girls in our class.

There’s no way I can just ignore these.

‘Ichinose: The Chichi-kyun movie… I was too embarrassed to go alone, but you’ll come with me, right, Izumiya?’

‘Miyama: Ahh! This time it’s a tadpole! So gross but kinda cute!’

‘An image has been sent from Kuroki.’

The barrage of LINEs from these three beauties shows no sign of stopping.

Just three days ago, the only person I was exchanging LINEs with was my otaku buddy Tanaka, but in just three days, I’m getting messages from three girls—a situation straight out of some pickup artist’s playbook.

“If you do not see a man for three days, look at him with fresh eyes.”—this must be what they mean.

Ugh, replying to these is such a pain…

Or rather, I’m just genuinely worried about sending some creepy reply since I’m such a loner.

For now, maybe I should keep emojis to a minimum? And for stickers, I’ll avoid using anime ones with anyone except Ichinose…

The fact that a loner like me, who can’t even use LINE properly, is getting spammed with messages from the top-tier beautiful girls like they’re desperate for attention—it’s proof you never know what life’s gonna throw at you.

‘Ichinose: After the movie, I wanna hit up Animate. It’s kinda hard to go there alone, y’know.’

‘Miyama: Whoa! Look at this! A rainbow! Ryouta, can you see it from your window? The rain stopped, and there’s a rainbow in the sky!!’

‘An image has been sent from Kuroki.’

Let’s see… Ichinose is talking about the movie we’re going to, Miyama’s sending me kid-like daily life updates, and then Kuroki… what the heck is she doing?

Kuroki Rui’s been sending me nothing but mysterious images for a while now.

Even without this, she’s got this unsettling vibe, so why’s she sending me stuff like this…?

These images aren’t, like, dangerous to look at, right?

Just to be safe, I long-press to check without marking it as read… wait, what!?

The moment I long-press Kuroki’s chat, my eyes nearly pop out of my head.

“W-What the hell is this…!?”

What Kuroki sent was—a selfie of herself in her track team uniform.

Maybe she took it after a meet? Her usual flowing black hair is tied up in a ponytail, and her skin’s exposed more than usual.

Kuroki Rui’s slender body is clad in a tight green uniform.

Because of the uniform’s design, there’s no fabric over her midriff, so the impossibly slim waist and stunning curves of the perfect beauty Kuroki Rui are on full display.

Even though she’s on the track team and should be tanned, her toned midriff is strikingly pale.

And above all—her faintly visible navel.

I can’t help but fixate on that navel.

Normally, I wouldn’t care about a track team photo, but this navel peek makes me swallow hard.

Because that vertically elongated navel of Kuroki’s has an allure that makes me want to trace it with my finger.

It’s not something you usually see, but catching a glimpse like this—whether it’s a navel or a nipple, it’s the same, so it’s no wonder I find it erotic.

W-What kind of sexiness is this…?

I’d never looked at Kuroki Rui in a sexual way before, but seeing this photo, I’m starting to feel weird things about her navel.

Her gorgeous navel line, hitting all my weak spots, makes me grit my teeth.

“N-No way, if I get turned on by a selfie like this, it’s my loss…!”

My finger, still long-pressing, accidentally taps again, opening the chat.

Crap, I marked it as read!

Too late… a new LINE message from Kuroki comes in.

‘Kuroki: Oh, you read it! ♡ So, what do you think of me in my track uniform? Cute, right?’

Kuroki sounds like she’s in a great mood as she asks.

Damn it… marking it as read plays right into her hands. I screwed up.

Kuroki Rui, with her perfectionist streak, is trying to make me—the only guy from our middle school who didn’t confess to her—fall for her and confess.

In other words, I absolutely can’t let her figure out that I got excited over her navel in this photo.

‘Kuroki: Those three photos? You can save them if you want. I won’t know what you do with them, so don’t worry! ♡’

So, what, is this supposed to be one of those so-called “sexy selfies”?

…Whatever the purpose of these photos, I’m muting Kuroki’s LINE for now.

“Still… to think Kuroki Rui would come at me this aggressively to make me fall for her.”

Just the fact that I shared an umbrella with Kuroki Rui would probably be an insanely valuable event in anyone else’s eyes.

If Ichinose hadn’t called out to me back then, what would’ve happened between us?

Wait, now that I think about it, before Ichinose interrupted, Kuroki was about to say something…

“Ever since that day…? Or something like that.”

What’s this “that day” Kuroki was talking about?

Did something happen back in middle school…?

“I haven’t got a clue… but maybe Tanaka would know something.”

Guess I’ll ask Tanaka tomorrow.

☆☆

—The next morning.

Walking under a dreary, overcast sky, I head to school early, making my way toward that guy’s spot.

My goal is to meet up with Tanaka Kanade, my otaku friend from the same middle school.

“Tanaka’s always at school early in the morning, hanging out there before homeroom, right…?”

Tanaka Kanade is a loner otaku like me. Short, with long bangs covering her eyes, she mumbles in a tiny voice around popular kids but is a total chatterbox at home.

Well, when she’s geeking out with me about otaku stuff, she talks so much you’d think she’s a stand-up comedian.

Tanaka, like Kuroki, is one of the few people from my middle school, and her grades are good enough to rival even Kuroki Rui’s.

Tanaka and I, as fellow loners, spent three years in the same class in middle school, casually chatting about our hobbies.

But since starting high school, we’ve been in different classes for two years straight, so we naturally talk less now.

“Alright, I’m here.”

The school rooftop, surrounded by a chain-link fence.

It’s a popular spot during lunch, but first thing in the morning, it’s empty—perfect for loners like us.

I climb the ladder to the top of the rooftop’s utility shed.

There, sitting and fiddling with her phone, is a petite female student.

“Ohooo~! If it isn’t Ryouta-kun! Long time no see!”

“Don’t start with that oho voice, Tanaka.”

“O-Oho voice!? I-I didn’t mean it like that…!”

Her red-rimmed glasses are hidden behind her bangs.

Despite her small frame, she bought an oversized uniform (probably to show off) expecting to grow into it, but even as a second-year, the sleeves are still baggy like moe sleeves.

She looks like a loli. Inside, she’s an otaku… a hopeless Kudo Shin●chi.

“It’s been a while, Ryouta-kun.”

Tanaka Kanade—she’s my one and only otaku friend.

“By the way, it’s pretty cloudy today, huh?”

“Yeah. Looks like it might rain this afternoon.”

“Maybe, huh?”

It’s only 7:30. We’ve got an hour until morning homeroom, so I could just chill with Tanaka like this—but!

“That’s not it!!”

“Hyaa! Why’re you yelling all of a sudden? Got some emotional issues or something?”

“No, that’s not it! I didn’t come here to have an old-married-couple conversation with you!”

“O-Old married couple? Marrying a loner otaku like Ryouta-kun… nah, that’d be rough.”

“You’re a loner otaku too!”

Tanaka sticks out her tongue playfully.

“Alright, enough joking around. What’s up?”

Talking to Tanaka is so easy that I end up letting my guard down.

Time to get to the point.

“So, here’s the thing…”

“Yeah?”

Tanaka adjusts her bangs and tilts her head slightly.

“Everything I’m about to tell you is the truth, okay?”

“You’re being awfully dramatic about this.”

I’m not trying to be dramatic.

I just don’t think anyone would believe I got close to the entire popular girl group in a single week, so I’m emphasizing it.

“In my class, there’s this group of girls—Ichinose, Miyama, and Kuroki, right? You know, the ones in your class last year.”

“Ohh, those gorgeous girls I’ve got nothing to do with. Come to think of it, they’re in your class this year, aren’t they?”

“Y-Yeah, exactly.”

“Huh. But those three and us loner otakus are, like, never gonna cross paths, right? Did they say something mean to you or what?”

That’s what anyone would naturally assume. But no, Tanaka, you’re wrong.

“Actually… I kinda ended up getting close to all three of them.”

“…Huh?”

Tanaka reacts exactly as I expected.

She takes off her red-rimmed glasses, wipes them with her uniform, and puts them back on.

“You? Getting close? With those three beauties?”

“Yeah, I don’t care if you think I’m lying. It started with a seating change where I got surrounded by them, and somehow, we ended up getting along.”

“H-Heh?”

Tanaka’s mouth moves like she’s chewing on something weird, her face full of confusion.

“Uh, if I may ask, has your tendency to daydream gotten worse lately, Ryouta-kun?”

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me!”

“Because it’s unbelievable! How does a loner otaku like you, destined for lifelong virginity and a NEET wizard, end up buddies with those dazzling girls!?”

Her impression of me is way too harsh… a complete stranger would have a better opinion.

“W-Wait! Are you being threatened by those three? Are they making you treat them, stealing your stuff, or sending you weird things!?”

Well, Miyama did make me treat her to katsu curry, Ichinose took (or I gave her) a UFO catcher prize, and Kuroki’s been sending me weird stuff…

“A-Anyway! I can’t get into the details, but I swear we got close! You’ve gotta believe me, for the sake of our friendship!”

“Our friendship… Okay, fine, I’ll believe you for now. Go on.”

Tanaka nods slightly, her expression still half-skeptical.

You’re the one who derailed the conversation in the first place.

“So, in that group, there’s Kuroki, who went to our middle school, right? Apparently, she got confessed to by every single guy in our grade back then.”

“Oh, that story? Yeah, I heard a rumor that you were the only one who didn’t confess to her.”

“R-Rumor!? How did anyone know I didn’t confess? Did someone go around asking every guy in our grade if they confessed to Kuroki!?”

“Actually, back in middle school, there was this… rule among the girls.”

“A rule?”

“Among the girls our age, there was this thing called the ‘List of Guys Who Confessed to Kuroki Rui.’ All the guys in our grade were head over heels for Kuroki, which caused a lot of inconvenience for the other girls. It was abnormal for every single guy to be smitten with her.”

“Yeah, I can see that…”

Even as a guy, I could tell how bizarre that was.

“What do you mean by inconvenience?”

“If Kuroki was super popular, it meant the guys the other girls liked wouldn’t pay attention to them, right?”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

“So, to figure out if their crush had already been rejected by Kuroki, the girls would share info they saw or heard in a LINE group and make a list. They’d check the list before making a move on their crush.”

“S-Seriously…!?”

I couldn’t hide my shock at this revelation, something way too intense for middle schoolers.

Girls went that far!? That’s terrifying…

But maybe because Kuroki Rui was such a rare, extraordinary existence, the other girls had to resort to these tactics.

“Well, I was a loner, so I just overheard about the list during gym class by chance. I also happened to hear the rumor that you didn’t confess to her… but since you were a loner otaku, no one cared, and the rumor fizzled out.”

It stings my pride as a guy, but I can’t argue with that…

“Wait, so you heard about the rumor, but you never actually saw the confession list yourself, Tanaka?”

“Huh? M-Me?”

“Even a loner otaku like you was in the thick of puberty back in middle school, right? Didn’t you have a crush or two? Weren’t you curious about what they were up to?”

“N-No… I mean… I…”

Tanaka takes off her glasses and wipes them while staring at me intently.

She’s got this habit of wiping her glasses whenever she’s shocked or flustered, so it feels like she’s hiding something from me.

“I-I… didn’t really need to hear about it, or rather, I already knew, you could say.”

“Huh?”

“I mean—uh, well, you see! I-I’ve always been devoted to my 2D faves! Back then, it was otome game characters, but now I’m all about V-tubers! And you’re the same way, right, Ryouta-kun?”

“Y-Yeah, sure.”

So, Tanaka’s been a 2D stan this whole time, huh.

Now that I think about it, this might be the first time we’ve ever had a conversation like a love-life talk with Tanaka.

I kinda thought she might’ve had a thing for some popular guy in class, but… yeah, once you’re hooked on 2D hotties, there’s no going back to 3D guys, huh.

“Guess we’re both the same as ever, huh?”

“………”

“Hm? Tanaka?”

“……Mmph.”

“W-What’s with the puffed cheeks? Did I say something to piss you off?”

“It’s nothing! Anyway, let’s get back on track. Didn’t you have something to ask me about Kuroki-san?”

“Crap, you’re right.”

Now’s not the time to get sidetracked.

“So, here’s the deal. Apparently, Kuroki’s had her eye on me since middle school because I never confessed to her. She’s such a perfectionist that it bugged her I was the only guy who didn’t. And when we talked about it, she mentioned something about ‘ever since that day,’ but ‘that day’ is really nagging at me… Do you have any guesses?”

“How would I know!? I barely had any connection with Kuroki-san! The only times we crossed paths were when our names were posted side by side as first and second place on the test rankings, or when I was on the broadcast committee and passed by her during her student council president greetings!”

“Y-Yeah, fair enough.”

“Is this ‘that day’ thing really bothering you that much, Ryouta-kun?”

“Yeah. It creeps me out that Kuroki knows something I don’t. And just to be clear, there was zero rom-com vibe between me and Kuroki in middle school. I’ve never saved a beautiful girl in my entire life.”

“Yeah, that tracks… You saving Kuroki-san? …Hm?”

“What’s up, Tanaka?”

“Oh, no… I just feel like I’m remembering something. It was… let’s see…”

Tanaka mutters to herself, trying to recall something.

Does she actually know something? I haven’t got a clue…

“Ryouta-kun, I might have one possible lead.”

“What? Seriously?”

“I was on the broadcast committee in middle school, right? The broadcast committee handles things like MC-ing or setting up equipment backstage for events. So, during assemblies, I was always backstage, and during our second-year graduation ceremony, there was this incident.”

“An incident?”

“Yeah. Right before the farewell speech, Kuroki-san, who was the representative for the underclassmen, forgot the paper with her speech in the student council room.”

“What…!? Kuroki did?”

“Yep. Even someone like Kuroki-san was juggling track and a ton of other stuff as a second-year, so it must’ve been tough to deliver the speech without the paper. It caused a huge commotion backstage.”

I had no idea something like that happened…

Sure, Kuroki Rui was handling both student council president and track team captain duties in our second year, so she always seemed swamped, but for a perfect superhuman like her, that’s a surprisingly human mistake.

“Now, on a different note, there was another incident during that second-year graduation ceremony, right, Ryouta-kun?”

“Y-Yeah… I definitely remember that one.”

That was—the incident that happened during the graduation ceremony when we, as second-years, were seeing off the seniors.

Since we second-years didn’t have much to do and were just sitting there, I ended up dozing off in my folding chair.

Dozing off alone would’ve been fine, but the moment I nodded off—somehow, I felt my body flip, and when I snapped my eyes open, I’d fallen off my chair without realizing it.

It happened right during a silent moment after the graduates’ names were called, so I drew every single pair of eyes in the room.

I was sure I’d made a total fool of myself, but then my homeroom teacher rushed over and, for some reason, assumed I was unwell. I got carted off to the hospital, where they found nothing wrong but diagnosed me with mild dehydration just to be safe.

The truth—that I’d just fallen asleep and wasn’t sick—got mistaken for a health issue, and I ended up worrying everyone. I’ve only ever told Tanaka the real story.

“Wait, what does my dozing-off-and-getting-hospitalized incident have to do with Kuroki’s speech paper incident?”

“Your dozing-off-and-hospitalized incident and Kuroki-san’s speech paper incident. They seem like two separate events, but they’re actually connected. Your fall ended up indirectly resolving Kuroki-san’s issue.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You fell right after the name-calling was done, right? Because you collapsed, the ceremony was paused for a few minutes. During that time, someone was able to grab the speech paper from the student council room.”

So… indirectly, I saved Kuroki?

“Then… ‘that day’ she mentioned…”

“This is just my guess, but it’s probably that graduation ceremony, don’t you think?”

So, Kuroki thinks I saved her during the graduation ceremony, took an interest in me, and then realized I was the only guy who hadn’t confessed to her…?

…Hold on a second. That ceremony was at the end of our second year. If she’s been targeting me since then, does that mean I’ve been on Kuroki’s radar for two whole years?

“Ah! It’s about time to head back to the classroom. Shall we go, Ryouta-kun?”

“Y-Yeah.”

Still feeling a bit uneasy, I leave the rooftop with Tanaka.

When we reach the second-year classrooms, Tanaka stops me before heading to her own class. “Can I have a sec?”

“We talked about a lot, but in the end, you’re not gonna confess to Kuroki-san, right?”

“Huh? O-Of course not!”

“R-Right! No way someone like you could confess!”

I feel kinda mocked, but… she’s not wrong.

A loner like me confessing? That’s just impossible.

“Alright, I’m heading back then!”

“Y-Yeah. Thanks, Tanaka.”

With that, we part ways.

Thanks to Tanaka, I feel a lot clearer now.

I’m not sure if that graduation ceremony is really the key, but the fog in my head’s cleared up a bit. I owe Tanaka a thank-you next time.

Feeling refreshed, I head back to the classroom with a bright expression, but…

“Hey, did you guys study for the classical literature test, Airi, Rui?”

“I did. What about you, Airi?”

“Nope! Rui-chan, let me copy off you!”

“No way.”

In the classroom, the three beautiful girls are chatting side by side, and my seat’s been taken by Miyama.

Oh, come on! This is the ultimate awkward loner moment: the “Uh, that’s my seat…” scenario!

Should I kill some time somewhere else?

But there’s only two minutes until morning homeroom, so I’d better just sit down…

Miyama should move if she sees me coming.

As I slowly approach my seat, my eyes suddenly meet Miyama’s.

Please move, Miyama…!

Thinking that, I reach my seat, and Miyama, as if reading my mind, widens her eyes.

“Oh, right! This is Ryouta’s seat, isn’t it? Sorry, sorry~”

Miyama starts to get up… wait, Ryouta!?

I-Idiot! I nearly shout out loud, panicking.

Calling me Ryouta in front of Ichinose and Kuroki is bad news!

“—Ryouta? Wait, Airi, you’re calling Izumiya-kun by his first name…?”

““!””

Kuroki’s reaction is lightning-fast, and her comment freezes the air in the room.

If it was just a slip-up, maybe it could’ve been brushed off and smoothed over, but we’re dealing with the razor-sharp Kuroki Rui.

“—Why’s that, Airi?”

Kuroki Rui, blessed with every talent except her massive chest and thighs, wasn’t about to let that slide.

Plus, Kuroki already heard from track team members that Miyama and I were eating together in the cafeteria.

No wonder she’s suspicious…

Kuroki’s eyeing us with even more doubt than usual, her gaze as dark, heavy, and murky as today’s overcast sky.

“Oh! I always call guys by their first names! It’s, like, a habit from calling my boyfriend’s name!”

Miyama quickly improvises an excuse.

Nice one, Miyama! That’s a pretty sharp comeback for you.

That should—.

“Hmm. So, what do you call your boyfriend, Airi?”

“Uh? Um…”

Miyama, who just pulled off a clever retort, suddenly clams up.

“Yo-Youta, yeah!”

Hey! Why, of all names, one so close to mine (Ryouta)!?

“Ryouta and Youta… kinda similar, huh?”

Kuroki’s gaze shifts toward me.

No, it’s not me! Don’t get the wrong idea!

I shake my head vigorously to deny it.

Then, Ichinose, who’d been quietly observing, glares at me too.

Even Ichinose…?

“Airi telling us her boyfriend’s name, huh? That’s new.”

“Well, I thought you weren’t that into this kinda talk, Yuria.”

“…Whatever. Come on, Airi, get to your own seat before the teacher yells at you.”

“R-Right!”

Thanks to Ichinose, the conversation finally dies down.

Phew… Ichinose is like the lubricant for this group of girls.

Kuroki, who’s so sharp she notices everything, and Miyama, who’s careless and laid-back.

Those two could start bickering like this all the time, so Ichinose’s presence is essential.

I let out a sigh of relief and sit down.

Maybe because Miyama was just sitting here, there’s a faint sweet scent of her perfume, and the chair’s still warm.

Miyama’s not just got a huge chest but a solid big butt too, huh? The chair’s nice and toasty…

“……”

As I’m thinking impure thoughts, a sharp glare comes from Kuroki on my right.

N-No way, did she figure out I was thinking about Miyama’s big butt…!?

Panicking, I feel another stare from my left.

“…God, you’re getting way too full of yourself. How’re you so chummy with Airi too?”

Ichinose mutters under her breath with a sigh.

Even Ichinose… No, this time, is it just my own fault?

I’m starting to realize the weight of carrying each of these three girls’ secrets.

☆☆

—After school.

I felt sharp stares from both sides all day, but… nothing else happened, and the day ended.

It’s Friday today.

Sunday’s my movie date with Ichinose (or so I’m convincing myself), so I’m planning to buy some clothes on the way home today.

I can’t exactly show up in my usual tacky hoodie and baggy jeans, after all.

Even if I’m a loner, if I’m walking next to Ichinose Yuria, the school’s top gyaru, I’ve gotta look the part.

For clothes, I’ll swing by the department store near the station…

“—Oh, Ryouta, you’re finally here~!”

The moment I reach the school gate, Miyama pops out from beyond it (her massive chest bouncing and swaying).

“M-Miyama? What’re you doing here?”

“I was waiting for you! I wanna try the new Starbucks Frappuccino!”

“New Frappuccino?”

“Come on, you promised before! An after-school Starbucks date with me! And you’re treating, of course! ♡”

Oh, right, she roped me into treating her again with some excuse last time, didn’t she?

She’s definitely gotten a taste for it after that katsu curry.

But cute is justice, and huge boobs are justice too.

Knowing Miyama’s situation, if treating her to food helps those massive boobs grow even more, isn’t that my ultimate goal…!?

Plus, I brought extra cash today for clothes shopping, so I’m good.

Alright! I’ll treat her and make those massive boobs even bigger!!

“What’s up, Ryouta? You’re spacing out. Don’t tell me you’re not thrilled about going to Starbucks with Airi?”

“I’d be honored to accompany you!”

“Pfft… hahaha! Why’re you talking like some lowlife lackey!?”

Miyama clutches her stomach, laughing hysterically.

“Man, Ryouta, you’re just so easygoing. Funny, too.”

“Y-You think so?”

I’m just a plain old loner, though.

“I said ‘treat me! ♡’ and all, but since you treated me to katsu curry last time, maybe Airi should cover it today?”

“No way, I’m definitely treating! I’m gonna make it happen!”

“M-Make what happen?? What’s that mean?”

Crap. My true desire to turn Miyama’s massive boobs into ultra-massive boobs slipped out!

“Uh, um, if you’re that insistent, I’ll let you treat, Ryouta… Thanks!”

Miyama gives a slightly awkward smile as she thanks me and starts walking ahead.

If we’re going to Starbucks, it’s gotta be the one near school…

That place is always packed with students from our school, so it’s bound to spark some bad rumors…

The Starbucks closest to our high school is insanely popular, especially with the girls.

The shop’s got that chic vibe, and inside, it’s filled with flashy high school girls.

Not a single loner like me in sight, nor any gloomy otaku girls like Tanaka who only hit up collab cafés.

Is it really okay for a loner otaku like me to be in a place like this?

Man, I’m so out of place here.

“Airi’s getting the matcha and peach one. What about you, Ryouta?”

“Huh? Uh?”

“Matcha and melon cool with you?”

“Uh, y-yeah, sure, sure!”

“Geez, why’re you so nervous?”

I’ve been acting sketchy since we walked in, and now, standing next to Miyama at the counter, I’m completely stiff.

“So, a matcha and peach Frappuccino and a matcha and melon Frappuccino, correct?”

“Yup, that’s right. Thanks!”

I’m a nervous wreck, but thanks to Miyama, we manage to place the order, and I handle the payment.

Starbucks is totally enemy territory for a loner like me—an away game, a hostile arena.

“God, Ryouta, are you seriously nervous at Starbucks?”

“Miyama, you don’t get loners at all! This place is crawling with popular kids—it’s a total no-man’s-land for me.”

“Huh? I don’t really get this loner-popular kid stuff, but…”

Ugh… this is why princesses from the beautiful girl clique are so clueless.

“If Airi’s a popular kid, then you’re one too, Ryouta! You’re buddies with me, after all!”

“Nah, I’m a loner.”

“Why not!?”

While we’re bantering, our Frappuccinos arrive on a tray at the pickup counter.

I grab the tray, and Miyama and I start looking for a seat.

As we search, we inevitably draw stares from the other high school girls around us.

Please, don’t assume I’m her boyfriend.

“How about here, Ryouta?”

“Uh, y-yeah.”

Miyama picks a two-person table by the window and sits down.

I set the tray on the table and sit across from her.

“Let’s dig in!”

Miyama holds her Frappuccino cup with both hands, happily sipping away.

Is it really that good?

It’s piled high with whipped cream, and the melon bits and matcha make it this intense green… It looks kinda wild, to be honest.

“Hey, the girls around us totally think you’re Airi’s boyfriend, huh?”

“Yeah, seems like it.”

“I’ve never had a boyfriend, so I wouldn’t know, but does being as close as we are make it look like we’re dating?”

Normally, I’d say no way… but gossips are creatures who live for drama.

Bottom line, those girls just want something to squeal about, so they’re probably turning a loner like me into “the boyfriend” for their juicy rumors.

Even if I were some ugly dude totally mismatched with Miyama, they’d still peg me as her boyfriend.

“Come to think of it, you really don’t have a boyfriend, huh, Miyama?”

“Duh! The boyfriend thing’s just a cover to hide my part-time job!”

With Miyama’s specs, it wouldn’t be surprising if she did have a boyfriend, so I could never quite tell if she was lying until now.

She’s so desperate to keep her job a secret that she’d spin such an obvious lie…

“Man, I got chills this morning when you said ‘Youta’ in front of Kuroki.”

“Oh, that? Rui-chan asked for my boyfriend’s name, and I totally panicked. ‘Youta’ just popped into my head!”

“What the heck’s that supposed to mean?”

“I don’t even know! Anyway! Today’s not just about the Frappuccino!”

“Huh? You want something else to eat?”

“No, not that! I mean the ‘great idea’ I came up with when we ate lunch together in the empty classroom!”

Great idea… Oh, right.

I thought Miyama’s “great idea” was setting me up to share an umbrella with Kuroki, but that was actually Kuroki’s scheme, wasn’t it?

So, Miyama’s “great idea” is something else entirely, right?

Miyama sets her Frappuccino down and pulls her phone out of her school bag.

“Airi wants Rui-chan to get closer to you, Ryouta!”

“Uh, huh?”

“And if Rui-chan’s into it, I think the first step is for you two to kominikeshon!”

“Communication, you mean.”

“Yeah, that!”

This is starting to feel like a real airheaded vibe.

Kominikeshon? What’s that supposed to mean?

“So! The ‘great idea’ Airi came up with is—ta-da! The ‘LINE Communication Strategy!’”

“It’s communication, not—wait, what!?”

Miyama announces this while opening the LINE app on her phone.

Did she just say LINE Communication Strategy!?

“LINE’s perfect, right? You and Rui-chan can talk easily that way! Get close on LINE first, and then gradually in real life too—wouldn’t that be awesome?”

“Uh… yeah.”

That’s absolutely not happening, and the real problem is…

“So, let’s start by exchanging LINEs!”

The fact that I’ve already exchanged LINEs with Kuroki is kind of an issue… but the real problem is our chat history.

Even if I can brush off the fact that we’ve already swapped LINEs, the issue is that in my chat with Kuroki—there’s her sexy selfies!!!

“Come on, Ryouta, get your phone out!”

If Miyama sees that photo… I’m done for, no question!

“I sent you Rui-chan’s LINE ID! Add her and start chatting!”

Miyama’s completely misunderstanding the situation.

What Kuroki feels toward me isn’t affection—it’s purely her perfectionist drive to conquer me.

Proof? She sent me that navel-baring selfie, trying every trick in the book to get me hooked.

And if Miyama sees that navel selfie, it’s game over… I’ve gotta derail this conversation somehow.

“What’s wrong, Ryouta? Come on, chat with Rui-chan on LINE!”

Miyama Airi is just a simple, ditzy girl.

Same with her job situation.

She tells short-sighted lies like claiming she has a boyfriend, which are bound to get exposed, and she’s terrible at covering them up.

Plus, chatting on LINE isn’t gonna magically make a guy and girl closer!

Fine, if it’s come to this…!

“Alright, Miyama. I’ll talk to Kuroki on LINE later!”

“Later”… a phrase used not just in daily life but also in otaku circles.

When another otaku recommends an anime or character, you say, “I’ll check it out later!” and then never do—a classic pattern, not just for otakus.

Alright, I’ll just let this fizzle out and—

“No way! Do it now!”

Miyama’s being annoyingly persistent today.

Ugh, what a pain…

What do I do? If this keeps up, I’ll have to show Miyama my chat with Kuroki!

If that happens…

“—Huh? Ryouta, what’s this?”

“N-No, it’s not what you think, Miyama!”

“This… is this a photo from Rui-chan? Were you using it to jerk off every night? Gross! Stay away from me, you pervert loner otaku!”

That’s how it’d end up!

If pure, innocent Miyama said something like that to me… the shock would make a shut-in life inevitable.

To avoid that, I’ve gotta think, me! Find a way to get through this without letting Miyama see Kuroki’s navel selfie…!

“W-Wait…! Isn’t Kuroki at club practice right now?”

“Oh, yeah, maybe. Rui-chan might be at practice.”

“Y-Yeah, sending a LINE during club time won’t get a quick reply, so I’ll message her later.”

“Aww, but…”

“Don’t worry! I’ll send you proof of our chat later! So, can we do it another time?”

“Hmmm… well, I guess that makes sense. Rui-chan said her meet’s coming up, so maybe later, huh?”

Miyama finally gets it.

If Kuroki weren’t on the track team, I’d be totally screwed.

I take a relieved sip of my Frappuccino.

“Airi really wanted to see you two chat in real-time… bummer.”

“Why’re you so set on hooking me up with your friends, Miyama? Same thing with Ichinose.”

“Well… this time, it’s partly because Rui-chan seems to like you, Ryouta, but.”

“But?”

“Airi just wants everyone to get along, y’know?”

Everyone getting along?

“If you get close with Yuria and Rui-chan too, I think we could all have a fun school life together. When you’re at school, you’re always reading light novels and don’t seem like you’re having fun. Since our seats are close, I want you to enjoy hanging out with us, Ryouta.”

Miyama says this shyly before sipping her Frappuccino again.

Let me correct what I thought earlier: Miyama isn’t just a ditzy girl—she’s actually pretty kind. It’s because she’s kind that she overthinks and worries about others.

“Don’t worry, Miyama. Even if I don’t force myself to get close to Ichinose or Kuroki, just talking with you is fun enough for me.”

“Really? You have fun hanging out with Airi?”

“Y-Yeah. I can’t really explain why… but it’s fun.”

It might not be the kind of “fun” Miyama’s imagining, but seeing her massive boobs bounce next to me is definitely fun (in a certain sense).

“Got it… Then maybe we should scrap that earlier plan.”

“Huh?”

“The LINE thing. You don’t have to force yourself to talk to Rui-chan, and we don’t know how she really feels, so maybe you can just keep hanging out with Airi! You said it’s fun with me, right?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“So, from now on, Airi’s gonna make your high school life super fun!”

Miyama beams with a smile as bright as the sun.

I’m genuinely impressed by how she can say something so straightforward without a hint of embarrassment.

“Plus, we’ve got that ‘special bond’ where we share secrets, so it’s only natural we’re close, right?”

“Uh… y-yeah.”

Still, there’s probably no romantic feelings on Miyama’s end.

If I weren’t a cynical loner otaku who overthinks everything, I’d probably be head over heels for Miyama’s pure-hearted sincerity.

“You keep Airi’s secrets, and Airi makes you happy. That’s a total win-win, right?”

No matter how you slice it, I’m the only one winning here… but whatever.

“Hey, let me try your melon one, Ryouta!”

“Mine? Hold on—!”

Miyama snatches the matcha and melon Frappuccino I was sipping slowly and drinks from it without a hint of hesitation.

Whoa! Hey, hey! That’s an indirect kiss!

“Mmm! The melon’s super yummy~! Wanna try my peach and matcha one, Ryouta?”

“N-No way! More importantly, indirect kiss!”

“Oh, you’re the type who cares about that kinda thing?”

“Obviously it’s a big deal! My straw, of all things!”

“I don’t really mind, though…?”

Miyama Airi, for better or worse, is a natural airhead. Once she considers someone a friend, she completely drops any guard or sense of discomfort.

No, no, even if that’s true, you’d normally be cautious about an indirect kiss with the opposite sex! Right!?

“I don’t even think twice when swapping drinks with Yuria or Rui-chan, so it just slipped my mind. If it bothers you, Ryouta, You can take it back, though?”

“No, it’s perfectly fine. Please, keep it as is.”

“Why the formal talk?”

The melon and matcha Frappuccino comes back to me from Miyama.

M-Miyama’s straw… and she used it after I did… an indirect kiss straw!

If my lips touch the straw that Miyama’s soft-looking lips grazed, what’ll happen to me?

In all my years of life, I’ve never even had a first kiss.

To think that an indirect kiss chance with a busty beauty like her would just fall into my lap.

I swallow hard and move to drink the melon and matcha Frappuccino… but.

“Hey, what’re you two doing?”

A familiar gyaru voice from behind…

Even without turning, I can feel the presence of those thighs.

W-Why… is Ichinose Yuria here?

“Oh, Yuria! What’s up?”

Miyama sounds a bit flustered but talks to her as usual.

“‘What’s up’?… I saw this guy taking your drink through the window, so I came in…”

Ichinose’s piercing glare stabs right through me.

“This is confiscated! I’m drinking it.”

“Ahh…”

Ichinose grabs my Frappuccino and chugs it down in one go.

My… kiss virginity… remains unclaimed.

“Anyway, why’re you two all chummy at Starbucks? After that ‘Ryouta’ slip this morning, are you guys actually dating?”

“No, no, no! Ryouta just treated me to a Frappuccino as a little thank-you!”

“A thank-you? Is that true, Ryouta?”

“Uh, yeah. Kinda… wait?”

R-Ryouta!? W-What’s that about, Ichinose!?

I didn’t catch it at first, but Ichinose has casually started calling me Ryouta too.

“Fine then… Airi, let’s go home.”

“R-Right!”

With that, Ichinose turns on her heel and heads out of Starbucks.

“Thanks for everything, Ryouta! See ya!”

“Y-Yeah…”

Miyama looks a bit confused but chases after Ichinose and leaves.

My first-ever after-school date with a girl… ended so abruptly…

Left alone in Starbucks, I sink into my thoughts, feeling awkward.

Suddenly, my phone pings with a LINE notification.

‘Ichinose: Sorry Airi made you treat her. Also, I’m calling you Ryouta now. You can call me Yuria.’

Apparently, Ichinose thinks Miyama forced me to treat her and went out of her way to apologize.

That misunderstanding works in my favor, but why is Ichinose calling me Ryouta now!?

And telling me to call her Yuria…

“And I’ve got a movie with her the day after tomorrow… What’s gonna happen?”

☆☆

And so, the nerve-wracking Sunday finally arrived.

Today, I’m… going on a weekend date with a girl.

The meetup time is 10 a.m. Since I’m going out with Ichinose, I put extra effort into my appearance, got ready early, and left the house.

I’m meeting Ichinose at the station in the next town over.

Speaking of the next town, it’s a place tied to a traumatic moment for Ichinose, where I learned her secret… but even so, she suggested the movie theater there.

For a gyaru like Ichinose, getting caught watching a (shameless) movie like Chichi-kyun at our local theater would be seriously bad, so I guess it can’t be helped.

Thinking about all this, I take the train from my local station to the next town and wait for Ichinose in front of the station.

A few minutes later, a familiar gyaru emerges from the station.

“Sorry, Ryouta, did I keep you waiting?”

Today’s Ichinose is wearing a sheer white cropped top with a black-and-white monochrome cardigan layered over it.

And her high-waisted denim shorts shamelessly show off her irresistibly plump thighs—absolutely erotic.

Perfect gyaru fashion… or rather, to flaunt such perfectly erotic thighs so boldly… it’s practically like she’s naked.

“I said, stop staring! I told you to cut it out last time too!”

Ichinose cups my cheeks with both hands and yanks my face upward.

Naturally, my gaze shifts to her face.

“Talk to my face, not my thighs!”

“S-Sorry!”

“Why do you even stare at my thighs? Is that your fetish or something?”

“Yes.”

“Instant answer—gross!”

Of course, getting scolded is part of my fetish, so I can’t help but grin. Man, I’m such a creep.

“Ugh… fine, just keep that stuff to me. If Rui or Airi found out about your fetish, you’d have no place to hide.”

“Y-Yeah…”

“So stop looking already!”

Every time my eyes drift downward, Ichinose grabs my cheeks and lifts my face again.

Her hands are soft and smooth, so it’s honestly not bad.

“If you’re just ogling my thighs during the movie, I’ll poke your eyes out.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am…”

Thank god Ichinose is an understanding gyaru.

“Alright, let’s head to the theater, Ryouta.”

After meeting at the station at 10 a.m., we make our way to the movie theater.

It’s a bit of a walk from the station to the nearest theater, so I’m walking side by side with Ichinose, but…

As we pass other women on the street, I notice Ichinose’s face is smaller and her waist slimmer than anyone else’s.

Looking at her like this… Ichinose is just on a whole other level of cute.

And in her case, she’s got that “otaku” trait, fulfilling every condition of an otaku-friendly gyaru at 100% or more—a truly rare existence.

“What’s up, Ryouta? Staring at me. Thighs again?”

“N-No! What do you take me for!?”

“A thigh-peeking pervert otaku.”

“W-Well, you’re not wrong…”

“Normally, you’d deny it, you know!”

With my track record, I can’t exactly argue…

“Ryouta, can I ask you something?”

“W-What?”

“Today’s Ryouta… how do I put it… you’re kinda… cool, aren’t you?”

Me, cool?

Being called cool by a woman other than my mom might be a first in my life.

The last time I heard it was… right, my elementary school entrance ceremony.

“Ryou-kuuun, let’s take a picture in front of the school gate okay~?”

My mom urged me to take a commemorative photo for the ceremony.

“Yup! Ryou-kun, you look so cool! Say cheese!”

Back in early elementary school, my mom was still super invested in raising me.

Now she’s all about sepak takraw with her mom friends, but back then, she was a kind mom.

Rejoice, Mom. Even a guy like me got called cool by the school’s top gyaru.

I’m so happy that tears well up in my eyes.

“Whoa!? Why’re you getting teary-eyed!?”

“Because… I…”

“Ugh, fine, here’s a handkerchief. Wipe your tears.”

Ichinose pulls a white handkerchief from her tote bag and hands it to me.

“You’re as high-maintenance as Airi. You’re a guy, so act like it. Geez, you’re not a baby.”

“Baby play…?”

“No! Why do you hear it like that? Did you even clean your ears?”

“Ear-cleaning ASMR!?”

“Haah… this otaku’s hopeless.”

Ichinose lets out a big sigh and slumps her shoulders.

“Well, I’m an otaku too, so we’re kinda the same.”

“You like ear-cleaning ASMR too, Ichinose?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

What? So Ichinose doesn’t listen to ear-cleaning ASMR huh…

“Anyway, on a serious note. When you found out I was an otaku, didn’t you think I was kinda gross or something?”

“You, gross? Why?”

“Because… to you, I’m this gyaru on the outside but the same kind of otaku as you. That’s, like, contradictory, right? Kinda smug or annoying.”

I’ve never once thought she was smug…

“So, thinking about it now, I was wondering what you really think of me… like, it’s been on my mind.”

Ichinose mentioned before that she’s been hung up on something that happened with friends in the past.

So maybe she’s worried about the kind of tension that comes up in relationships like that.

In that case, I’ve gotta be honest and tell her how I really feel.

“I’m grateful for you.”

“Grateful? For me?”

“Yeah. Girls who understand a creepy otaku like me’s culture are super rare… Just the fact that you’re an understanding gyaru makes me insanely happy.”

“Is that how it works?”

“Y-Yeah.”

After I say that, Ichinose purses her lips and lets out a “Hmnn.”

“More importantly, I told you to call me Yuria, but you’re back to ‘Ichinose’ again.”

“Oh. Sorry, Ichi—“

“Yuria!”

“Y-Yuria…… chan.”

“Don’t add ‘chan.’ It’s creepy.”

So many demands… but somehow, I feel like I’ve gotten a lot closer to Ichinose.

The vibe’s pretty good… but the movie we’re about to watch is, of all things, the busty battle action flick Chichi-kyun.

“Getting to see Milk-tan’s breast milk on this huge screen is seriously thrilling!”

Ichinose gushes with excitement as soon as we reach the theater.

She’s probably the only gyaru in the world who’d get hyped over her fave’s breast milk.

We take our reserved seats side by side.

The people around us are stereotypical otakus, making Ichinose and me stand out like sore thumbs.

“Kinda feels like we stick out, huh?”

“W-Well, yeah.”

“Ryouta, are you usually, like, that kind of guy?”

Ichinose glances at the heavyset guy in a moe T-shirt sitting in the front row, panting heavily.

Calling them the stereotypical anime otaku might be pure prejudice, but honestly, the theater is packed with nothing but moe T-shirt-wearing older guys.

“I’m not that far gone… but, well, I might wear a moe T-shirt once in a while.”

“For real? Then why didn’t you wear one today?”

“W-Well, that’s…”

I fumble for an answer.

If I said something like, It’s my first time going out with a girl, so I got hyped and went for a date vibe, I’d definitely come off as a creep…

Thinking back, I was pretty giddy up until we got here.

“Hey, why not?”

“Uh, um! It’s… because I’m walking next to Ichinose, or something.”

“Because you’re walking next to me? What’s that mean?”

“I-I mean, an otaku in a moe T-shirt can’t just walk next to a beauty like Ichinose, right? And I thought it’d be rude to you if my hair was all messy.”

“……”

Ichinose suddenly goes quiet and turns toward the screen.

Wait, did I… make her mad?

“Uh, hello? Ichinose?”

“Ryouta, do you really think I’m a beauty?”

“Of course I do! Wait, you’re not actually aware of it!?”

“I-I’m aware! It’s obvious I’m cuter than most people. Sure, I know that, but…”

“But?”

“Just… knowing you think so too.”

W-What’s that supposed to mean?

Is she saying it’s creepy that I think she’s cute?

“Also! You’re back to calling me Ichinose again!”

“Oh, sorry… Y-Yuria.”

“Yup, that’s better.”

Ichinose nods, looking satisfied, though it feels like she’s dodging something.

Man… Ichinose can be a bit high-maintenance like Miyama, huh.

☆☆

After the 120-minute movie ends, there’s this strange lingering vibe.

I thought it’d just be all about the fanservice, but the story was surprisingly gripping. The reasons behind the heroines’ busty battles and how they got their massive chests were deeply layered—it wasn’t just about them groping each other.

Plus, being bombarded with so many characters’ huge boobs made my brain glitch. I started wondering why Ichinose, sitting next to me, was even wearing clothes… My head was totally fried.

“God, it was just perfect. The reason Milk-tan’s boobs got so huge, and all the insane foreshadowing leading up to her breast milk becoming a weapon—it was so moving, I could cry.”

“Y-Yeah…”

After the movie, we head to the Animate in the station’s shopping complex to buy some Chichi-kyun merch.

Going to Animate was part of the plan for this movie date from the start.

The shopping complex in the next town’s station has the arcade where I met Ichinose, along with all sorts of stores, including Animate.

When we reach the sixth floor and spot the familiar Animate sign, Ichinose’s eyes light up like a kid entering a theme park as she steps inside.

“Wow… this is legit paradise.”

“First time at Animate, right?”

“Kinda. I mean, it always felt like too big a hurdle to come alone.”

I totally get that feeling.

For Ichinose, her gyaru appearance probably makes her stand out awkwardly, but even for a creepy otaku like me, my first time at Animate felt like stepping into some sacred otaku domain—super intimidating.

Once you get used to it, though, it’s like walking into a fast-food joint.

“Having you here today, Ryouta, makes me feel so much more at ease.”

“R-Really?”

Oh man… I’m not used to people relying on me, so this sudden trust is making me so happy I might just lose it…

“Oh! The Chichi-kyun special display!”

Spotting a corner dedicated to Chichi-kyun merch, Ichinose leans in eagerly to check out the goods.

Animate’s been leaning more female-oriented lately, but even so, Chichi-kyun’s popularity is soaring, enough to warrant its own special display.

“Milk-tan’s boob mouse pad and a baby bottle modeled after her massive chest!”

“Whoa, Chichi-kyun’s got merch like that too?”

I didn’t know about that, so I’m genuinely shocked.

Wait, what the heck is a baby bottle modeled after a busty character!? Both the buyers and sellers are nuts.

“Ryouta, mind if I take a sec to decide what to buy?”

“Sure, take your time. Pick whatever you want.”

This might take a while… Alright.

While Ichinose browses the Chichi-kyun merch, I decide to check out the light novel section across from the display.

I already finished the Breasts Sucking novel I bought last time, so maybe I’ll grab a new one.

I pick a light novel based on its cover art and turn back toward Ichinose, who’s still deliberating at the Chichi-kyun display.

“So, decided what to buy?”

“Hmm. Ryouta, which do you think—the baby bottle or the boob mouse pad?”

Normally, a date with a girl would involve something cute like picking out clothes at a store, with flirty moments like, “Which outfit’s cuter?” But for us, it’s a baby bottle versus a boob mouse pad… What kind of choice is this?

“Uh, the boob mouse pad seems more practical, maybe?”

“Yeah, but I really wanna savor Milk-tan’s breast milk splash, y’know?”

As a Chichi-kyun anime fan, I get what Ichinose is saying, but if Miyama or Kuroki heard her talk like this, their jaws would hit the floor.

In the end, Ichinose buys both the boob mouse pad and the baby bottle.

“Phew, that was some solid shopping.”

Ichinose leaves Animate in high spirits.

She’s totally an otaku in gyaru clothing now.

Seeing a busty, thick-thighed gyaru holding that iconic blue Animate bag is honestly kinda refreshing.

“…Wait, this bag…”

“Hm? What’s up? Is there a hole in it or something?”

“Uuh no, no, it’s nothing.”

Huh? What was that about?

“What’s next? I’ve got one more place I wanna hit.”

“Another place?”

Ichinose nods eagerly and starts walking.

“Obviously, the arcade, right?”

☆☆

At Ichinose’s suggestion, we swing by the same arcade as that day.

“Ryouta, play the claw machine again!”

“Sure, but is there a prize figure you want?”

“Totally.”

Ichinose heads to her target machine and points at the prize figure.

It’s another anime girl figure, as expected.

I go through my usual practiced routine to aim for the figure.

“Hey, Ryouta.”

“What’s up, Ichinose?”

“I told you to call me Yuria! You keep slipping back.”

“I’m just not used to calling girls by their first names, alright?”

“Then get used to it with me. I feel more comfortable being called Yuria.”

“Really?”

Yuria, Yuria…

Calling a girl by her first name still makes me nervous.

But if Ichinose herself wants me to call her Yuria that badly… fine.

“Y-Yuria… that good?”

“Yup, perfect. Also, when we came here last time, we were total strangers, but a few days later, we’re friends hanging out here. Kinda wild, right?”

“Yeah. I never thought I’d be chatting so casually with… Yuria like this.”

Not just Yuria, but I never imagined I’d end up this close with Miyama or Kuroki either.

“Yuria, why’d you become an otaku?”

“Why I became an otaku?”

“Yeah. I’m kinda curious about what got you into anime and stuff.”

I figured Yuria might have some dark past, so I’d avoided asking about it, but today, I’ll pry just a little.

“I’ve never really talked about why I became an otaku… It’s from when I was a kid, so it’s kinda fuzzy.”

Yuria continues, smiling shyly.

“It was back in early elementary school.”

“That far back!?”

“Yup. I was playing at the neighborhood park almost every day, and one day, I got handed this certain manga.”

“A manga book?”

“It was a shonen manga, kinda ecchi. After reading it, I got totally hooked on manga. And I looked up to the gyaru heroine in that manga, which kinda made me who I am now.”

So, the school’s number-one gyaru, Ichinose Yuria, has her roots in a manga…!? That’s way too unexpected.

“So, that manga basically gave birth to both the gyaru Yuria and the otaku Yuria, huh?”

“Hmm, when you put it that way, maybe?”

I can only be grateful to whoever gave that manga to the gorgeous Ichinose Yuria, with her perfect face, chest, and thighs, for sparking both her “gyaru” and “otaku” sides…

“But what kind of sketchy adult hands an ecchi manga to an elementary schooler at a park?”

“No, no, it wasn’t an adult. It was a kid around my age.”

“An elementary schooler!?”

“That kid was always sitting alone on a park bench reading manga, so I invited them to play. We ended up hanging out, and when they left, they gave me the manga.”

“That’s how it happened…”

An elementary schooler reading ecchi manga… To think there was another precocious kid like that besides me.

Back in elementary school, I couldn’t read ecchi manga at home, so I’d read them outside. That kid was probably the same.

Hearing Yuria’s story makes me kinda nostalgic.

“What about you, Ryouta? Why’d you become an otaku?”

“M-Me? Well, uh, you know…”

“Hm?”

“M-More importantly, Yuria! I think I’m about to nab this figure.”

“No way, really? Only 400 yen? That’s awesome!”

I smoothly shift the topic back to the claw machine.

I can’t exactly talk about why I became an otaku…

My reason is way too embarrassing compared to Yuria’s.

When I was in kindergarten, I sat on my busty, thick-thighed older cousin’s lap, and ever since, I’ve been obsessed with huge boobs and thighs, eventually diving into 2D… No way I can share that insane story.

I’ve been a full-on precocious perv since way back.

☆☆

Chichi-kyun merch and a beautiful girl figure in tow, Yuria heads to the station platform, arms full.

“Today was seriously the best. Thanks, Ryouta.”

“I’m just glad you had fun.”

My first-ever date… If Yuria’s satisfied, I guess I did alright?

“Don’t call me Yuria in front of Airi or Rui, okay?”

“Telling me to call you Yuria, then not to… You’re so high-maintenance.”

“I don’t mind if you call me Yuria, but it’d be a mess if Airi or Rui got the wrong idea, don’t you think?”

“Please let me call you Ichinose.”

“Pfft, yeah, exactly.”

After that “Ryouta incident” with Miyama, Kuroki was already digging into me. If I started calling her Yuria, things would get even messier—it’s inevitable.

“With culture fest prep starting next week, it’s gonna get busy, but hang out with me again, Ryouta.”

Yuria says this with a soft smile.

Unlike before, she’s been showing a much softer side throughout this date, I think.

And with that, my first-ever date comes to a close.

We board the train together, but Yuria gets off one stop before me, so we part ways on the train.

Once Yuria’s gone, I’m finally alone.

“Phew… I was so nervous…”

But honestly, it was fun… this date.

Feeling the day’s fulfillment in my chest, I get off at my stop… but.

As the train pulls into my station, I spot a beautiful girl with long eyelashes sitting on a bench on the platform, reading a paperback.

As the train arrives, a strong gust of wind sweeps through the station platform.

The beautiful, delicate black hair of the Yamato Nadeshiko sitting on the bench sways wildly in the wind, and the pages of the paperback in her hands flutter rapidly.

She was squinting down at her book, but gradually, her gaze lifts, and finally, it lands on me as I step out of the train doors.

Track team jacket and shorts.

Needless to say, the Yamato Nadeshiko sitting there was Kuroki Rui.

“Oh…? hehe.”

Kuroki, likely on her way back from track practice, was sitting on the bench right in front of the train car I exited.

Spotting me, she closes her book and slowly stands up.

“What a coincidence, right? Ryouta-kun.”

With a pshuu sound, the train doors close behind me.

Why is Kuroki… here!?

“All dressed up like that. Were you on a date with someone, Ryouta-kun?”

“…A d-date? No way!”

“Really? But you kinda smell like a girl…”

“M-Maid café!”

“Maid café?”

“Y-Yeah! Otakus are creatures who go to maid cafés on Sundays! Sad beings who crave the attention of maids because girls don’t normally give them the time of day! Got it!?”

I desperately degrade myself, hoping to make Kuroki lose interest in me.

If I play up the creepy otaku act this much, even Kuroki will—

“Oh… poor Ryouta-kun.”

“R-Right? If you feel bad, just leave this creepy otaku alone and—”

“Hehe. In that case, wanna go on a little date with me after this?”

“A d-date?”

Kuroki, suggesting a date to me, who’s supposedly fresh from a maid café (or so I claimed).

Pretending to pity me—a guy who can only flirt with girls at a maid café (or so I claimed)—she flips the script, acting like she’s reluctantly offering to go on a date, when it’s clearly her real intention.

Could it be… Kuroki’s playing me on purpose?

“Come on, Ryouta-kun, no need to be so on guard. It’s not a big deal of a date. It’s already evening, so we’ll just walk around the station together.”

“W… Why do you go this far, Kuroki?”

“This far?”

“I’m just a loner at the bottom of the class, y’know? Even with your perfectionism, isn’t this overkill?”

“Were you happy?”

“Huh?”

“When you saw me on the bench, were you happy, Ryouta-kun?”

Kuroki sits back down on the bench, flashing a gentle smile.

She might really be doing this on purpose.

“So, let’s do it. A little stroll date.”

I still can’t see the full reason behind Kuroki’s obsession with me… but whatever it is, I’m not cold enough to just say “see ya” when a girl’s inviting me out.

Or rather, when she goes this far, I can’t bring myself to say no…

“Fine. I don’t know if it’s a date or not, but we’re heading home from the station together anyway…”

“Hehe.”

“Why’re you laughing?”

“Oh, nothing. Let’s go, then.”

☆☆

We pass through the station gates and walk side by side down the main street.

Instead of her usual sweet perfume, Kuroki smells faintly of a crisp deodorant.

Her profile is as stunning as ever—high nose, long eyelashes.

Looking at Kuroki beside me, I painfully understand why she’s hailed as an unparalleled beauty.

Sure, her perfectionism makes her a bit quirky, but Kuroki’s specs are just unreal.

“Oh, a kitty.”

As we pass a park along the main street, Kuroki spots a stray cat wandering in and follows it into the park.

“H-Hey, Kuroki!”

Chasing after Kuroki, who’s chasing the cat, I head into the park too.

Kuroki crouches down, skillfully making calling sounds with her tongue to lure the cat closer.

A chubby, round calico cat.

It’s not exactly cute by any stretch.

But even this fat cat is putty in Kuroki’s hands as she pets it.

“You like cats, Kuroki?”

I crouch beside Kuroki, who’s playing with the cat, and ask.

“Hmm… If it’s between you and a cat, I’d pick the cat, I think.”

I lost to a cat!?

“Oh, you look so disappointed.”

“I’m not! Definitely not!”

“Getting jealous of a cat? That’s kinda cute, Ryouta-kun. Oh, do you want me to rub your tummy too?”

“Absolutely not.”

I retort, keeping my impure thought of wanting to see her navel to myself.

“Hehe, but cats… they’re special to me.”

“Cats are special?”

“Yeah… I used to have one. It’s gone now, though.”

Whoa, that got heavy fast… Did I step on a landmine?

“But thanks to that cat… another special thing came into my life. I’m grateful for it, and I love cats.”

Another special thing? I don’t quite get it… but that’s another mystery about Kuroki.

“Hey, Kuroki. I get that you love cats, but enough’s enough, right? Shouldn’t we head home?”

Since Kuroki’s still petting the cat’s belly, I urge her to get moving.

“What, Ryouta-kun, jealous because I’m giving the cat all my attention?”

“That’s not it! I’m just tired from today, y’know… And you must be tired from track practice too, right?”

“Well, that’s true, I guess.”

After my reasoning, Kuroki finally stands up.

“Bye-bye, kitty.”

With one last reluctant pet, Kuroki starts walking.

Kuroki’s definitely a bit odd.

Normally, she’s not too bright or too dark—just calm and refined. But when she’s with me like this, she shows a softer smile.

Maybe it’s just her perfectionism driving her to make me fall for her… or is it something else?

“About that cat story earlier, what did you mean by another special thing being born?”

“…You wanna know?”

“Yeah, it’s been bugging me a bit.”

Kuroki has this habit (or something like it) of starting cryptic stories and leaving them unfinished, so I figured I’d better ask now, or it’d stay a mystery.

Kuroki nods slightly and begins to speak.

“When I was in elementary school, my cat got really sick out of nowhere. We took it to a skilled vet in the next town over.”

Oh, the cat she mentioned earlier—the one that’s gone now.

“Thanks to that vet, the cat got better quickly, and the illness was resolved. But… the problem happened on the way back.”

“On the way back?”

“There’s a big multilevel parking garage near the station in the next town, right? While my mom was moving the car, the cat, now full of energy, escaped through the car window.”

“Whoa, that’s bad.”

“Yeah. I was in tears, frantically searching for the cat with my mom. Cars were coming and going in the garage, and I was terrified it might’ve been run over… but.”

Kuroki stares at me intently.

W-What’s with that look all of a sudden…?

“A boy appeared in front of me and my mom.”

“A… boy?”

“That boy had my cat on his shoulder, eating a wafer with his right hand while holding a blue bag in his left.”

“Sounds like a pretty dexterous kid.”

“Hehe, right? But to me, he looked insanely cool.”

Kuroki covers her mouth, chuckling as if recalling the memory.

N-No way that’s cool…!

“He said he was in the next town for his mom’s errands… After he gave me my cat back, he disappeared somewhere, so I never got his name. But the way he didn’t say much was so cool and mysterious.”

That’s cool? Kuroki’s sense of cool is a bit off, if you ask me…

“So, my other special thing is that boy. There you go—feel better now?”

“Yeah. Thanks for telling me.”

“…That’s it?”

“Uh? Y-Yeah.”

As we talk and walk, the grand Kuroki mansion comes into view.

“…Ryouta-kun, you might regret it if you let me slip away.”

“What’s that supposed to—“

“Thanks for walking me home. The stroll date was fun—we got to talk about a lot.”

Kuroki opens the gate to her mansion and steps inside.

“I’ll send you another photo tonight too ♡”

With a quick wink, Kuroki heads into the mansion.

I can’t exactly say “no thanks” here… Maybe I really am just a pervert after all, realizing it too late.