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 - v2 Chapter 13: A problem that even handsome men can't solve.

Chapter 13: A problem that even handsome men can’t solve.

“Mind if I sit here?”

“Not really, but are you sure it’s okay for the team leader to be hanging out in the shade?”

“It’s all fine. We’re winning for now, and this is just a practice match. No one will complain if I slack off a bit.”

With a slightly mischievous smile, Ryougoku sat down beside me.

“Was it you, Kazari-kun, who spread the word about my secret feelings for Katase?”

So that’s what this was about… Understanding why Ryougoku had come to talk to me, I answered while watching the game absentmindedly.

“Do you think I have friends to share other people’s secrets with and laugh about them?”

“Ahaha… Yeah, that does seem unlike you. Besides, what do you mean by the kind of friends to share secrets with and laugh about them together?”

“Nietzsche said, ‘One rarely retains one’s own secrets; if one’s lips are silent, one chatters with one’s fingertips,’ right?”

“Sorry, I’m not much into philosophy… but that’s a pretty spot-on quote.”

Ryougoku said this, while looking a bit troubled, as I turned to face him.

“First of all, by confessing that to me, it’s no longer a secret.”

“True. You do strike it where it hurts the most. So then, who could have… maybe someone figured it out from my behaviour.”

“Wouldn’t it be ‘Hiiragi’ or someone like that?”

“That I don’t think so.”

“………”

“—-Ah, right now was, I mean…”

I went along with words that assumed Hiiragi knew about this already and continued the conversation with that pretext. But Ryougoku didn’t interrupt and answered as if it was obvious.

It was as if he was admitting that Hiiragi had been the person who was at the bike racks during the rain.

Ryougoku’s eyes darted around as if searching for an excuse, but eventually, he sighed in resignation, and sighed heavily.

“Pulling a fast one on me, huh? You’re pretty sly, Kazari-kun.”

“It’s your fault for giving me a reason to do so. So, why at that time, did you pretend not to notice back then?”

“Let’s just say it’s because I’m weak and an anxious person myself.”

With that, Ryougoku stood up, clearly not intending to explain or talk further.

“Thanks, Kazari-kun. At least now that I know that you’re not the source of the rumour, I am at least one step forward.”

“That, are you referring to the issue between Tachibana and Katase?”

Ryougoku nodded. Given his usual indifferent attitude, I had assumed he didn’t care, but apparently, that wasn’t the case.

“I’m not entirely uninvolved either. I also want to do something about it… but I can’t even find a thread leading to the solution.”

I feel exactly the same.

I silently agreed with him in my mind.

“Ryougoku-kuuuuuuuun!”

A loud voice called out Ryougoku’s name.

Both Ryougoku and I turned to look in the direction of the voice simultaneously.

Rushing towards us in her gym clothes was Machimura, who often hung out with Hiiragi.

“What’s wrong?”

“Huff… Huff… Yuzuki and… Yuzuki and Tachibana-san started fighting! Please! You have to stop them!”

Machimura pleaded desperately, while still barely able to catch her breath, with her hands on her knees.

I had anticipated something might happen, but I didn’t expect it to turn into a fight.

Ryougoku must have been thinking a similar thing. His expression said it all—this was the worst-case scenario.

I and Ryogoku exchanged glances with each other, then without a word, took off at that direction.