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 9: I'm not kidding, it's true.

Chapter 9: I’m not kidding, it’s true.

Before long, the mysterious time came to an end.

Katase, being released from Hiiragi’s pressure, was no longer covering her face with her hands. Her cheeks still had a tinge of redness, but well, it would probably fade away soon.

But, you know… Are you really, okay? Wouldn’t this start affecting your daily life afterwards, that ‘stuff’? It feels already to the degree that anyone will get worried, about Katase I mean. It’s like, she is that character who would continuously think “Please don’t point towards me, sensei!”, in her mind during class, and have cold sweat all throughout because of that.

As I was worrying about it on my own, unexpectedly, our (Katase and my) gazes met. But, she quickly looked away.

Katase’s complexion, which was supposed to gradually cool down, suddenly boiled. Is this already at the level of suspecting social anxiety disorder?

“—-So, what are we going to do next~?”

Whether Hiiragi noticed the change in her best friend or not, she casually asked me in a relaxed tone. However, allow me to say just this one thing… You’ve picked the wrong person to ask for opinions.

“Eh, what, haven’t you decided yet?”

“It’s not that I haven’t decided—it’s that I haven’t thought of any in the first place.”

Hiiragi pointed her index finger sharply in amusement.

“Nope, even if you say it like it’s super important, it’s only troublesome in the end.”

“My motto is to go with the flow!”

Ah, now I see. So, you’re someone who goes without a plan in the first place. I completely understood now.

“Ahh well then, how about just taking a walk around there for the next ten minutes and calling it a day already?”

“”Eh…””

Both of them blatantly showed reluctance to my charming suggestion. Katase, you’re now as cold as ice, as if the blushing from earlier was a lie. No really, that’s really something actually.

“But well, realistically speaking, there’s no way we’d get any decent ideas from Kazari-kun!”

“That’s rude, Yuzuki-chan. Even though he is a Kazari-kun, he still tried his best to think of something worthwhile, so you shouldn’t make fun of him.”

Hey there, Katase? It seems like you’re defending me, but in the process it’s like your true feelings are slipping out with that “even though” statement, you know?

“Alright, alright, it was all my bad—so, what are we going to do next? Sayo.”

“Fuu~un, let’s see… what should we do…”

They must have realized that I’m not reliable enough. Hiiragi and Katase discussed their plans for the rest of the day amicably without me.

And while casually observing their conversation and actions, I seriously thought… As I thought, Am I really needed to be here after all?

＊＊＊

As a result of their discussion, we decided to go window shopping for clothes, and thus, the three of us headed to the shopping mall directly connected to the station.

Just being for a day called holiday, the store was quite crowded.

I feel like I’m getting dizzy from all these people… I SO WANT TO turn back already…

While I inwardly complained, the steps of the two girls ahead of me were quite light.

Wow, they’re sparkling so brightly, so dazzling, being young is so nice~… Just what is this old man-like impressions coming from me…

“Ah, how about we stop by here?”

“Un!”

It seemed like they found a promising store, as Hiiragi and Katase stopped their tracks. Fumu, Let’s see, let’s see… I followed their gaze to where they were looking , as they stopped.

…This place, seems quite intimidating for a ‘guy’ such as me.

At a glance, it’s clear that this is speciality shop endorsed only for women.

Wait, what the!? Be it the customers, or the staff or even the cash counter, there are only women out there!? Well, that’s quite normal though I guess.

“—–Hey, Kazari-kun! Don’t just stand there spacing out, come over here already!”

“Wh? Ah, Righttt….”

Called by Hiiragi, I headed towards them.

“Hey hey, Sayo! Don’t you this looks super cute?”

“Yeah~, it’s cute but… don’t you think you’re being a bit too daring?”

[TL notes: A much better tl would be, “Yeah~, it’s cute but… don’t you think you’ll be pushing a bit too hard with this.”]

It seems very true that Girls really can’t ignore an eye for cute things, huh? Watching them pick up clothes and try them on in front of the mirror, that thought came to me.

But still, it’s really hard to find a place to rest my eyes. Everything looks so fluffy and bubbly… it’s like my brain vocabulary is being annihilated.

“—–Nn? What’s wrong, Kazari-kun?”

Concerned about me staying silent, Hiiragi tilted her head looking towards me.

“Ah, nope… I’m just not that used to stores like this. So, I’m desperately looking for a place to have my eyes take a break from these.”

“Huh? What the heck are you even sayi—”

Hiiragi suddenly stopped there and took out her phone.

“Sorry, I’ll be right back, okay.”

Perhaps it was a call, Hiiragi bowed her head and then hurriedly left the store.

“…Any idea who was it from?”

“I wonder.”

The conversation that arose between me and Katase was just that.

“…………………..”

After that, I followed Katase around in the store for a while.

She kept picking up and putting back clothes from the rack, clearly not as focused on shopping as when Hiiragi was here. Occasionally, she would send concerned glances in my direction was the clear proof of that.

[TL: Bruh, you gotta be kidding me… SHE IS LITERALLY CHECKING HOW YOU ARE REACTING! Ugh…]

I’m really sorry for having you be mindful about me all this much. But please have in your heart to forgive me. Cause this place is really, not kidding at all, a tough spot to be the only guy in.

“—-What kind of clothes are you perhaps looking for?”

Wha!? W-when did she…?! Without making a sound, the woman approached and cheerfully asked Katase what kind of clothes she was looking for —it was unmistakably A STORE CLERK.

“Ah, nope, well, I’m just looking at them…”

“Ah, you have quite a discerning eye, customer ma’am. The clothes you’ve picked up in your hand right now are our store’s best sellers!”

“Eh, ahh, um, re—really?”

“Yeeeees! And moreover, the thing is—”

What a smooth follow in, and before I knew it, the store clerk had started her sales pitch with a vibrant performance.

Without any remorse for being pushy, moreover, seeing this store clerk firing off her sales pitch like some machine gun after rising from dead, I kind of wanted to applaud her seriously… but, in terms of Katase-san, she seemed to have no room for such indulgence.

I glanced at her out from the corners of my eye. She was smiling with a troubled expression as she continued to listen to the relentless sales pitch of the store clerk.

If it were me, I’d just ignore her and move to a different store, but it would be cruel to force that decision upon Katase… But then again, staying silent and watching also feels uncomfortable, moreover being forced to buy something I don’t want to, would leave a bad taste in my mouth in the end. I don’t want to do anything too unfamiliar, but there’s no choice.

“Umm, excuse me, sorry to interrupt.”

“Ah, yes, what is it? Perhaps boyfriend-san?”

I’m not her boyfriend! Despite thinking that inwardly, I spoke to the store clerk with the utmost humble attitude I could manifest.

“Um, she’s, not good dealing with people who happens to be a bit pushy about things… if there’s anything we need, we will let you know… So, please, if you can…”

“I–I’m really sorry… I got too excited and went completely carried away— I am really, really, sorry for making you both feel uncomfortable.”

“Ah, nope, please, it’s not so serious to apologize for…”

The store clerk bowed deeply to Katase.

While Katase, on the other hand, was communicating with gestures that there was no need for her to go that far and apologise for it.

“—–Please continue to enjoy your date, okay? Well then.”

The store clerk, raising her head, smiled brightly and, then left us saying goodbye.

She probably was left misunderstood, but well, we’ll never meet again anyway, so it doesn’t matter whatever she thinks about us.

“D-d-d-d-d-d-d-date, like a, s-s-so, it’s not…”

It seemed like it wasn’t an easy problem to brush off for the person next to me. I’m sorry, okay? To have someone like me mistook for your boyfriend.

Following Hiiragi’s suggestion upon her return, we decided to move to a different store.

As we left the store

, I felt like I heard the inner voice of the store clerk shouting, “So you’re not going to buy anything after all!” But that must absolutely be just my imagination, so let’s just say this was just my own internal monologue, yes, something I thought in my own mind—nothing malicious, or making fun, I promise.