Animania: Everyone Loves Me

The warm sunlight outside the window was cut into fragments of gold, and time reversed back to that quiet and lingering afternoon.

Gotou Hitori still remembered everything that happened at that time.

"Bocchi-chan, you like the president, right?"

This was the first sentence Yumiko said to her after finding her.

Like thunder on a sunny day, it instantly made Bocchi shiver.

Her most secret inner thoughts were exposed by an outsider. The little social phobic panicked, blushing as if her face was about to drip blood, yet still tried to stutter and deny it.

But Yumiko didn't give her that chance.

The tall girl stood in the light, her smooth golden long hair like the frozen setting sun. As the breeze rose, her lips lifted into a smile that could be called "charming."

"I've actually already been dating the president, you know?"

Her tone was gentle, and her attitude was kind, but the news she revealed was like a sharp sword, stabbing deep into Bocchi's soft heart.

In fact, she should have been mentally prepared long ago.

'The president is such a flawless existence, even the sun is not half as dazzling as him.'

'Yumiko-san is also a super popular social queen standing at the top of the social circle.'

The two standing together perfectly illustrated what "a talented man and a beautiful woman" meant, what "a match made in heaven" was.

'And someone like me, gloomy and plain, more useless than a watermelon bug, yet shamelessly tried to stay by the president's side just because of his gentle personality…'

'Clearly, it was nothing more than wishful thinking, overestimating myself.'

"I-I lost…", Gotou Hitori was spiritless, like a sewer rat who had strayed into a bustling metropolis, wanting only to flee back to her dark but familiar den underground, "I'll go find Hiratsuka-sensei right now to apply for a leave from school… I'll also withdraw from the club… I won't dirty your eyes anymore… sorry for disturbing you all this time… red bean paste… privacy… Marseille…"

"Wait, did you misunderstand something?"

Yumiko was dumbfounded, but quickly stopped Bocchi, who was about to cry, "I said all this not to drive you away, I just wanted to ask… Bocchi, do you want to join in too?"

Gotou Hitori: "..."

After a long silence, the pink-haired girl sniffled, her tearful sky-blue eyes still a bit confused.

"Eh?"

'Is this… a test by Yumiko-san?'

Like a scene often played in Taiga dramas, the main lord intentionally tests their arrogant subordinates for signs of treachery, and if there's even a hint of rebellion, the cup is smashed as a signal for guards to rush in and chop them to pieces.

Gotou Hitori trembled as she looked toward the direction outside the clubroom, imagining that behind the door, three executioners with swords were waiting. If her words were even slightly wrong, they would rush in and cut her into mincemeat.

"Though I don't know what you're thinking…", Seeing her too shy to speak, Yumiko sighed, "But this isn't a test, okay? I'm really talking to you sincerely, Bocchi-chan. Are you interested in joining in?"

"B-but…", Gotou Hitori was still dizzy, really unsure what kind of medicine Yumiko was selling in her gourd, and why she suddenly came to say all this.

"To tell the truth, I've actually been dating the president for a while now," Yumiko lightly coughed, "But back then, I was worried it would hurt you, so I deliberately hid the news…"

'Then why suddenly confess now?'

Bocchi didn't speak, but her eyes clearly asked that question.

"Of course, it's because someone else already made the first move," Yumiko pinched her chin, making a thoughtful gesture, "Do you still remember Nagasaki-san from the Tsukinomori that day? We only met once."

Bocchi thought for a moment, then nodded hesitantly.

"Now, she's also the president's girlfriend."

Gotou Hitori: "Eh eh eh?"

Although such things are not uncommon in today's society, little Bocchi's face still turned red with a "whoosh," and after suppressing herself for a while, she still asked quietly, "Yumiko-san… aren't you angry?"

"Not at all," Yumiko spread her hands like a tiger, no doubt a solitary animal, but when well fed by the zookeeper, it could peacefully coexist with others in the zoo.

Her situation was quite similar. It wasn't about whether she was fed or not anymore; it was a matter of one person being unable to eat it all.

Of course, it must be clarified solemnly, this had nothing to do with her personal fetishes. She simply enjoyed sharing. [T/N: —_—]

"Actually, I originally wanted to pull you in first. I just didn't expect Nagasaki-san to act so fast," Yumiko stepped forward, placing both hands on Bocchi's shoulders, not giving her a chance to run, "If you keep hesitating like this, even the third spot might get snatched by someone else."

"B-but…"

"Don't tell me… you want to say you don't like the president?", Yumiko seriously looked into her eyes, "Words can lie, but eyes can't."

"Ugh…", Gotou Hitori's brain couldn't handle such a complicated situation and just wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

But this was exactly what Yumiko wanted.

'Faced with a timid and socially anxious Bocchi-chan, sometimes you just had to push her.'

'Even a rabbit will bite when pushed. As long as she has no retreat and no chance to escape, maybe she'll rise up… right?'

"If you really don't agree, I won't force you," Yumiko paused and then asked, "But are you really willing to give up the spot beside the president and hand it over to someone else?"

This time, the pink-haired girl was silent for an especially long time.

'But…'

She raised her head, gathered all her courage, and though her voice was small, it was firm.

"N-not willing!"

———

The memory ended there.

Even Bocchi herself couldn't believe that she could be so bold, so firm.

Though she quickly returned to her timid and socially anxious self, at least she gave a response.

Seeing her attitude, Yumiko was also happy, patting her on the shoulder with a satisfied look, saying things like "Don't worry," "I'll help you," "You and I, sisters together, the president is nothing to worry about", words that were very embarrassing.

Bocchi didn't know what she was planning.

But for the once unreachable love in her heart, she was willing to cooperate.

"...That's the situation. President, what do you think?", After briefly explaining her plan, Yumiko leaned forward expectantly, her emerald eyes shining.

"No problem, but… won't this be too hard on Bocchi?", Kaito frowned slightly and looked at the pink-haired girl beside him.

It was normal for Yumiko to want to invite him out shopping on the weekend, nothing unusual about that.

But Bocchi was also on the invite list. That was a big problem.

With her extreme introversion and social anxiety, asking her to go out to crowded places was basically the same as throwing her into a pit of despair.

He expected Bocchi to object, but the girl unexpectedly changed her usual timid and weak self, glanced at him quickly, and then softly said in a very small voice, "I… I'm fine with it."

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