A Twisted Introvert loner Like Me, Mentally Wrecked One-Sidedly due to Love, Throws Away the Love Letter Sent by the foremost School's Beauty, Leading to an Unwanted Romantic Comedy - Chapter 10: Being treated differently.

Chapter 10: Being treated differently.

After that, we went around and visited various other shops. It seemed like Hiiragi and Katase each found something they liked and ended up buying a few things.

“―― How about we grab lunch soon?”

It was already past noon. There was no reason to refuse Hiiragi’s suggestion, and Katase felt the same.

“Alright, then follow me!” Hiiragi led the way. She claimes to know a really delicious place it seems.

With anticipation in our hearts—or rather, with hunger gnawing at our stomachs—we walked for about five minutes until Hiiragi stopped in front of a quaint little brick-built shop and turned back.

“This place… I can’t say it too loudly, but it’s a hidden gem known to a select few.”

“Wow! As expected of you, Yuzuki-chan! You know everything!”

Following Hiiragi’s subdued voice, Katase responded in a hushed tone and made a small victory(guts) pose.

“Fufu~n… now isn’t that right~?”

With a hand on her hip, Hiiragi puffed out her non-existent chest proudly with an ‘Ehm!’. She seemed quite confident.

I peeked inside the shop through the window. Despite it being lunchtime, there weren’t many customers. Perhaps it was due to its location, but even so, it wasn’t bustling.

Isn’t it just some not-so-popular shop despite Hiiragi’s praises? While Katase showered Hiiragi with compliments, I harbored suspicions.

――――――――――――.

Feeling ashamed for even doubting a bit, to a degree that I want to punch myself to oblivion. To have that as the first emotion come to me, to that degree the menu of this place turned out to be delicious.

It wasn’t just the taste. With reasonable prices friendly to high schoolers’ wallets, a cozy atmosphere, and a place that made you forget about the hustle and bustle of life even for a moment… Ah, I see. This was indeed the best hidden gem one wouldn’t want to share. Although it’s kind of sorry for the staff of this store, though.

“Nn~! It just melts in~”

“Right~. Yuzuki-chan, can I become a regular here?”

“Of course, feel free to! I’m glad you like it~.”

Two girls sitting across from us were enjoying their dessert. Katase, in particular, looked like a melting snowman.

“And what’s more~ Sayo~”

“What~ is it, Yuzuki-chan~?”

“Kazari said that, he will be treating us it seems~”

“Eh~ Really~? Thank you for the treat~, Kazari-ku~n!”

It seemed they were intent on melting my wallet as well.

“Hey, Hiiragi-san? Lies is not nice, you know, got it?”

“Aww~, come on~! It’s not like you’re going to lose something, right~”

“It’s definitely going to lose. From my wallet, that is.”

“A man who pays for a girl’s share is cool, you know~”

“Nope, a truly cool guy doesn’t easily do things that make him look cool. In other words, a guy who confidently suggests splitting the bill here is the actual cool guy… Now that’s said, I will be counting on splitting the bill justifiably.”

“What’s that? That’s so uncool… Nn?”

You really got no shame nor a lid to cover that mouth of yours oi! As I retorted inwardly, Hiiragi suddenly took out her smartphone.

“…A call?”

“Yeah, un… —-I’ll be right back, okay.”

It seems her smartphone’s seemed a little too busy today… Watching Hiiragi leave the store, I couldn’t help but think so.

“…………”

I had noticed since we were bantering with Hiiragi, the way Katase kept looking at me with a stunned expression.

“…Umm, is there something on my face?”

“Eh, yaa――――Unn, –nn! There’s nothing on your face! …Ah, sorry for not saying it earlier, but thank you for covering me from that waitress.”

“Ah, no worries, don’t mention it.”

“….Un.”

Katase, placing the spoon on the plate, looked down and lightly bit her lower lip. Rather than gratitude, her face speaks more on being dissatisfied.

Had I inadvertently done something to offend her whilst not aware of it? Unable to find out anything that on looking back at what we did the day so far, I pondered what to do.

‘Is there something else you want to ask or talk about probably?’ Asking that would be also awkward. Also, if there wasn’t anything else, it would feel somewhat awkward… Well, it already feels quite awkward now as well though.

“…Kazari-kun seem really close to Yuuzuki-chan isn’t it, huh?”

As I pondered what I should do about this, Katase, still looking somewhat reserved, looked at me with a clear voice saying that.

“Nope, we’re aren’t that close.”

“Unn~unn, you are… Because Kazari-kun, you doesn’t use formal language when you are talking with Yuzuki-chan, and also, you calls her by her first name… —both of you seem so close and sweet when you talk as well…”

Katase looked hesitant as she turned her gaze towards me.

“You use formal language with me… don’t call me by my first name… and always act like I am some stranger…”

As she said, while I could be quite casual with Hiiragi, I couldn’t help but be overly mindful or —keep a small distance with Katase as I interacted. Apparently, this had given her the impression that I was being overly formal, making her feel like I was treating her like I do to a stranger.

However, this was just a matter on considering each person’s personality and adjusting accordingly. If she didn’t like it, I would admit my wrong approach until she allowed me to be more casual. Then as you wish, I shall then be as crude as I can be from now on.

“…………”

Ah, arre? Isn’t this… was more embarrassing than I thought?

Even though I knew I could talk to Hiiragi in a relaxed manner like this, the words just wouldn’t come out as easily as I thought it would.

Switching from formal language to casual with someone you’ve been using formal language to from the very beginning would be this hard of a task, I never knew that.

Most probably, people with good social skills can do it without feeling awkward about it in the least… Or perhaps those people with good social skills don’t even use formal language with someone their own age in the first place, not that I know that well about it.

Unable to bear Katase’s uneasy yet hopeful gaze, I slowly look away.

“…If, uh, Ka–Katase doesn’t like being talked in formal language, then I’ll have a more casually speech now on…?”

“…………”

Eh, ignored? Even though my heart was pounding so hard that it could burst from doing that, yet you ignored me?

I grimaced while looking at the ceiling fan spinning gracefully overhead, getting anxious about Katase’s lack of response.

…Impossible, this situation is just too unbearable!

This is just too much too hard of a task, thinking, I fearfully turned my attention back to Katase.

However, she had a rather mischievous smile on her face.

“Kazari-kun. I wasn’t able to hear it properly, so can you say that again?”

“Nope, you definitely heard it all clear and sound, didn’t you? You’re definitely had the clear intention of teasing me right now, didn’t you?”

“…You’re speech again turned formal.”

[TL: Truthfully speaking, distinguishing sentence in their way of speech, that is ‘Keigo’ and ‘Normal’, feels a bit hard of a task. So please, don’t mind me about it. I am not using my utmost vocabulary to make things sound formal and informal. Just going as the characters speak. I hope not making the sentence sounding more ‘Keigo’ or ‘Normal’ doesn’t pose a bad taste for you readers. ≧◡≦]

“Ah, no I mean, that right now was…… let me rephrase okay—- No, you definitely heard me, didn’t you? You were totally teasing me, weren’t you?”

“…… Fufu, somehow this feels so weird.”

Such an awkward conversation. But was it good――or rather, was it even better?

“I like this kind of feeling.”

Katase smiled innocently, like a child saying that.

“――Sorry, sorry, it was from my friend… tte arre? Did something happened?”

And so, after returning, Hiiragi looked at Katase and asked with a puzzled expression.

“Unn~unn, nothing happened at all!”

“Really? Still, you seem to look happier or like, having a real fun time now.”

“I’m sure it’s because of this pudding a la mode that makes you think that way!”

Scooping up the pudding with her spoon and bringing it to her mouth, Katase exclaimed, “Nmnn, so dewicio~us,” supporting her melting cheeks with her hand, looking as if she was the happiest person in the planet altogether.

“Could it be…”

With just one glance, I knew Hiiragi was thinking something really ridiculous.

So, I pretended and made sure to not notice the curious gaze Katase was expectantly directing towards me.