NOVEL WEB Chapter 24
“Ah… as expected, Kaneda messed up again, huh.”
Kise, who heard about Shirasaki at the convenience store he stopped by on the way home, reacted as if it was entirely within his expectations.
“Haha… well, it’s very Kaneda-like, isn’t it?”
Kuromiya, who had also been a victim of Kaneda’s antics, wasn’t surprised and seemed to think it was something Kaneda would indeed do. Well, his smile was rather strained. He’s probably seriously repulsed by Kaneda’s actions.
Kaneda’s reputation, which was already at rock bottom, continued to plummet.
“Sato-kun… thank you for helping me.”
“Eh? No… it’s really not a big deal.”
What does ‘it’s not a big deal’ mean!? Am I an idiot!? If I were a socially adept, attractive extrovert, I’d probably have some clever lines to say here…
We had been worried about Shirasaki today because she seemed down.
The reason for her mood was probably what she had consulted Kaneda about, although she didn’t tell us the details.
Neither Kuromiya nor Kise pried into that matter, possibly respecting her unwillingness to talk about it.
“Hmm. Honestly, it might be better for Sato to stick close to Hana for a while.”
“… Honestly, I would want that… maybe.”
Shirasaki said this, looking somewhat apologetic.
Well, it’s understandable. She’s probably afraid of experiencing the same thing from Kaneda again.
Even if people say she’s an angel or the strongest girl, Shirasaki is still just a girl.
“Wouldn’t it be better for Sato-kun to stay with us?”
“I agree with Nene. Including Sato in our group would be best… rejoice, Sato-kun. You now have a harem, a dream for otakus.”
“…No, no, this isn’t a harem at all.”
“Oh? You say that, but you’re grinning.”
“Eh!?”
“Just kidding~”
This woman! She’s toying with the heart of an introverted otaku! Whenever I talk to Kise, I feel like I’m being teased at his pace.
“By the way, why aren’t you wearing your glasses, Sato? Were you trying to look cool while helping Hana?”
That’s not it!
“No, Yayoi-chan, actually Sato-kun has really good eyesight. He wears glasses to dim his vision because seeing too clearly tires him out.”
“Oh, really? You know a lot about Sato, don’t you, Nene?”
“Eh~? Not really~?”
“Ah, you do look pleased about it…”
Somehow, Kuromiya looks happy and Kise looks like he’s realized something.
While finding their exchange strange, I look at Shirasaki again.
…She still looks less energetic than usual. What should I do? Kuromiya and Kise didn’t press her about it, but something’s definitely bothering her.
Should I give her what I bought at the convenience store earlier? But… um…
I lack the courage to act at this crucial moment. I don’t know if what I’m about to do is right.
Before I know it, we’ve reached the station gates.
Shirasaki seems to have perked up, maybe because of the casual conversation with Kuromiya and Kise. But is it just me, or does she still look forced?
“Sato-kun, thank you for today.”
“No, um… Shirasaki, are you okay?”
When I ask, she shows a troubled smile and lies,
“…I’m fine. Bye-bye.”
That’s why I grab her hand as she tries to go through the ticket gate. She looks surprised and stares at me with wide eyes.
“…Here.”
I take out what I bought earlier—a chocolate snack (strawberry chocolate flavored)—from my bag and give it to her.
“…Eh? What’s this for?”
“When chocolate and strawberries combine… they’re, um, unbeatable. So, you’ll be full of energy… or something?”
“…!!”
This is so cringy. What am I saying? What’s this ‘full of energy’ nonsense? Am I stupid?
This is definitely making her uncomfortable! Ahhh!!
I simply wanted to cheer her up a bit since I couldn’t offer any advice…
“So, that’s what it is!!”
I move away from the ticket gate, trying to escape from my awkward self.
I’ll go home, bury my face in my pillow, and scream. And forget about this!
…This is definitely going to be a dark chapter in my life.
“Wait!!”
Suddenly, my hand is grabbed from behind. I turn around to see a breathless Shirasaki.
“…Sorry, Sato-kun. Can you stay with me for a bit?”