Chapter 12: An Unexpected Enemy (Souta’s Point of View)
For once, I’d come to school alone, hurrying toward the classroom.
That was because today, I had to explain the current situation to Kanae and give her instructions on what to do next.
Seriously, why do I have to do something like this… I’m the type who really doesn’t want to deal with troublesome things at all…
Even I couldn’t help letting out a sigh.
“To begin with, that idiot Kanae really doesn’t have enough awareness that she’s a party involved…”
Kanae doesn’t quite understand her role as a childhood friend or as a member of our group.
Well, sure. Unless you’re someone like me, who’s constantly experienced similar situations through light novels and has always been honing problem-solving skills, it’s probably hard to grasp those subtle nuances.
“But if that’s the case, then in the end, it means I’m the one who has to give her instructions…”
Honestly, I’d like to just fade out like this and transition into a peaceful loner life, but there’s no way Chris, Rinka, or Azaka-senpai would ever allow that.
The three beautiful girls around me absolutely refuse to let me live a loner life, no matter what.
And starting today, my childhood friend Kanae is getting added to that mix too. It’s like something straight out of a harem light novel, and for a gloomy loner like me, it’s honestly a bit much.
So at the very least, please let me scream my true feelings inside my own heart.
Everyone, please, I’m begging you, just let me live a peaceful loner life!
…But no matter how loudly I cry out from the depths of my soul, the current situation doesn’t change.
The fact remains that without me, that miraculous group dynamic wouldn’t hold together.
And the reality is that without me, Kanae would lose her guide going forward.
“Haa… I guess this is just the fate of a childhood friend, huh. Good grief…”
Taking care of a clumsy childhood friend must be a childhood friend’s duty after all. Thinking that, I decided to accept my fate.
And yet, contrary to that resigned state of mind, a smile naturally crept onto my lips.
Honestly… maybe I really am a bit too softhearted.
As I shrugged at my own weakness and slowly shook my head…
`“…I’ll take responsibility…!”
A line completely out of place for a school hallway echoed through the air.
When I reflexively looked over, I saw Kanae, the very childhood friend who’d been occupying my thoughts just moments ago, pattering into the classroom with hurried footsteps.
And standing there in front of the sinks on the opposite side was another childhood friend, Yukiya, frozen in place with a stunned look on his face.
I called out to Yukiya.
“Hey, what’s with that spaced-out look this early in the morning?”
“Ah, oh, it’s Souta. Morning…”
Yukiya seemed kind of floaty. He looked like he’d just been with Kanae, so did something happen?
“Hey, Yukiya. Did you do something to Kanae?”
Even before hearing anything, my tone ended up sounding accusatory. I guess that just means that no matter what I say, Kanae really is an important childhood friend to me.
Maybe intimidated by my pressure, Yukiya answered in a fluster.
“N-no, she just lent me a towel. That’s all, really…”
Yukiya wore an awkward expression.
What’s with this guy’s reaction? Does he feel bad toward me or something? Or is he just embarrassed?
If it’s the former, then he’s completely missing the mark. How Kanae feels about me is something you can infer from her actions and attitude, but I’ve got no intention of reading between the lines, and I’ve never made Kanae my girlfriend either.
And even if Kanae were in the position of being my girlfriend, I’m not so narrow-minded that I’d get angry just because she lent someone a towel. I’ve got no intention of forcing anything on her.
And if it’s the latter, then that’s just being way too inexperienced. Well, unlike me, Yukiya’s probably still a virgin, so maybe it can’t be helped. Anyone without experience is awkward around the opposite sex.
That said, even I, a gloomy loner at heart, only ended up having secret relationships with a few girls back in middle school after they approached me first. And they were all girls I stopped dating and even stopped talking to afterward, so I’ve got no intention of flexing some kind of virginity superiority anyway.
So while I watched Yukiya out of the corner of my eye, I added this.
“Well, it looks like Kanae’s got someone she’s interested in, so I don’t think there’s any ulterior motive.”
It felt like I was warning him, and I didn’t like that. But Yukiya is a guy too, and with the kind of misunderstandings virgins tend to have, you never know what he might do if it comes down to it. For Kanae’s sake, a little warning is probably necessary.
Besides, right now things are really tense within our group, and Kanae’s got an important role to play. By getting a step closer to me, she can boost her influence and help manage our relationships. Sorry to Yukiya, but I don’t have time to deal with him.
“Yeah… you’re right.”
Taking in my words, Yukiya smiled weakly.
Maybe Yukiya had feelings for Kanae. But there’s nothing that can be done about that. What needs to be respected is Kanae’s feelings.
It might sound cold, but I’m not going to step in and support him either. Yukiya’s problems are something he needs to resolve himself.
…And while I was thinking all that, we reached the classroom.
I parted ways with Yukiya, who’d come along from the sinks, and headed to my seat.
The Kanae in question was sitting in her usual seat diagonally behind me, staring fixedly at something without moving.
I wondered what she was looking at, but this wasn’t the time for me to speak up. I deliberately acted as if I were ignoring her.
“H-hey, Souta-kun. You came in with Yuki-kun just now, right? How was Yuki-kun acting?”
See, just as expected, Kanae was the one who spoke to me.
In response, I warned Kanae about how to deal with a virgin like Yukiya, and also told her that I’d lightly warned Yukiya myself.
Kanae went through a whole range of expressions on her own, maybe surprised, maybe moved, then turned her face back in the same direction she’d been looking earlier and froze again.
Good grief. I’ll explain the current situation and give her instructions after first period ends.
I made that call and turned forward to start getting ready for class.
But that was a mistake. I never thought I’d end up a step behind like this…
“Yuki-kun!”
The moment first period ended, Kanae shouted in a voice that echoed through the entire classroom.
And with every classmate there, including me, watching, Kanae rushed straight over to Yukiya, grabbed him, and dragged him out of the classroom.
In the next instant, the classroom they’d left behind erupted into chaos. The carefree ones jeered, and the lowlifes made vulgar guesses.
As I listened to that, I thought to myself that I have a duty to protect Kanae, and that Kanae has an important role within our group.
I immediately went after the two of them.
Kanae and Yukiya, who’d left the classroom, were on a stair landing a short distance away where there weren’t many people around.
“Wha…!?”
Faced with the shocking sight before me, I understood it clearly.
Ah, Yukiya… it looks like you’re nothing less than an enemy to our group.
A small shutter sound rang out.
With my smartphone in hand, I turned on my heel and started running.