After Distancing Myself From the Childhood Friend Couple Who Looked Down on Me, I Started Interacting With a Small Animal-Like Beautiful Girl - Chapter 11

There is less than a week left until the actual test.

Classes have increasingly turned into self-study sessions for test preparation, and the atmosphere among classmates has become slightly tense. During break time, there were people who opened their English vocabulary books.

“Yoshizaki… study with me…”

After school, Kubo grabbed my shoulders with faint tears glistening behind his glasses.

It seems that even when he tries to study after coming home, he ends up getting distracted by manga, anime, and SNS, and can’t concentrate at all. It seems that it was difficult to ask other friends for help because they had club activities.

There was no reason to refuse, and above all, it was a request from Kubo, who has always been kind to me. I nodded immediately.

“Sure. Where are we doing it?”

“That’s a relief… I wanted to say here but…”

Kubo glanced back over his shoulder.

The figures who usually aren’t in the classroom after school were there, and I sensed Kubo’s intentions.

In the classroom, Daiki and Serika’s group remained.

“Daiki~, do you want to eat this?”

“Oh, thanks. You remembered my favorite one.”

“Because I’m your girlfriend. This is only natural.”

“Serika is really a great girlfriend~.”

Daiki strokes Serika’s bright brown hair. Serika was smiling happily as she leaned closer to Daiki.

The gazes directed at the two who were flirting using sweets ranged from cold to envious.

When I was next to that lovey-dovey couple, their public display of affection and sweet whispers made me feel unbearably embarrassed. When I gently tried to admonish them, they ended up saying things like, “Shut up, non-couples,” and “You’re just jealous.”

Now that we are apart, the behavior of my childhood friends, who have no sense of shame, seems even worse.

Kubo wouldn’t want to be here either.

“Shall we do it in a small group or in the library?”

“…I really appreciate it.”

“No, I haven’t really studied outside of the classroom or at home much. Maybe it’s okay once in a while.”

When I said it in a way that didn’t make it feel like I was being considerate, Kubo smiled broadly.

“Let’s leave it at that.”

Kubo said that the library was too quiet and uncomfortable, so it was decided to use a small classroom instead.

Carrying my belongings, I head towards the classroom door.

“Ah.”

“Aah.”

When I opened the door, a small female student appeared in front of me, and our voices overlapped as we made eye contact.

“Saitou-san. Didn’t you just leave a moment ago?”

“I just remembered I left my phone in the drawer.”

“That was dangerous…”

Noticing that I was blocking the way, I moved to the side.

Saitou-san said “Thank you” and entered the classroom.

“Yoshizaki and bed… are you heading home with Kubo now?”

She almost said “bedhead glasses” just now.

“Uh-uh. We’re thinking of moving to a smaller group and studying for the test. Right?”

“Huh? O-oh right.”

Kubo looked at me with an awkward movement and then looked at Saitou-san. He probably froze for a moment because he didn’t expect her to call his name.

Come to think of it, I’m the first one besides Kubo to be called by name by Saitou-san.

Saitou-san nodded with a “Hmm” but for some reason, didn’t go to get her smartphone.

I call out to her as she looks down, deep in thought.

“Saitou-san, the smartphone is–––”

“Is it okay if I join?”

“…Huh?”

Saitou-san interrupted me and asked.

I thought I had gotten used to her sudden outbursts, but without a subject, I really can’t understand.

“Can I join you to study for the test?”

Adding a subject, Saitou-san asks again.

I exchanged glances with Kubo.

While being pierced by the gaze of the people remaining here from behind.

“But you were just about to go home, weren’t you?”

“The time to go home isn’t fixed. I usually don’t have any particular plans and just go home early.”

“Ha, haa…”

“Am I not allowed?”

Saitou-san tilts her head slightly and looks up.

I felt a sensation as if my heart was being pierced, similar to when I was looked up at by Maru in its clingy mode.

“…It’s not okay, you know. Is it okay if we take a break too?”

“Y-yeah, totally fine! Welcome!!”

“Mm, that’s good.”

In the incredibly high-pitched voice of Kubo, I can tell that he, like me, is struggling to keep up with this situation.

Study session with a girl as adorable as a small animal. My mind is busy with this sudden event.

“I was planning to focus today for sure, but…?”

While watching Saitou-san go get her phone, Kubo whispers to me.

I was also overwhelmed by anxiety that made it seem impossible to focus on studying for the test.

“Let’s go.”

Prompted by Saitou-san after she has returned, we step out into the hallway.

“Wait–––wait a minute!”

A voice calling out to us reached us, and the three of us turned around.

Standing there was Daiki.

Somehow, he was trying to put on his usual refreshing smile, but his cheeks were slightly twitching.

That is… Daiki when he was quite flustered.

“Hey, hey Saitou-san.”

“…What?”

“If you’re going to study, why not do it with us here? The more people there are, the more we can help each other, and above all, it’s more fun.”

“I don’t particularly want to do it with you.”

“…!”

Saitou-san immediately replied in a voice that clearly had a lower tone.

Daiki’s eyes widened for a moment and he then set his sights on me.

“Hey, Yukito, come over here with the two of them. You won’t say no either.”

“No, I’ve already left the group on your side…”

“If you left on your own, I don’t care about it anymore. Besides, you don’t understand a lot of things without me and Serika around, do you? You were never good at studying, and you used to come crying to us about it.”

“…Ha.”

Leaving the group was entirely my own decision. If he wants to do that, then fine by me.

No matter how much he wants to connect with Saitou-san, does he really have to go out of his way to paint me as someone who can’t study? We’ve studied together, but I don’t remember ever begging for help.

…How far is he going to look down on me? He was my childhood friend who spent all that time by my side, or at least we were supposed to be.

Besides, it’s strange to keep pursuing Saitou-san persistently, even though he was rejected once, especially in front of Serika.

“So, you know, with us–––”

“…It would be a hassle for you if I’m not good at studying. Your time with Serika would be wasted, too.”

I step forward and face Daiki.

Daiki raised an eyebrow slightly, but he didn’t lose his smile.

“N… no, that’s not true.”

“You don’t have to force yourself to go out with someone like me, Daiki. I’m sorry for everything up until now.”

“Huh…?”

I somehow manage to move the tense facial muscles and create a smile. It will probably turn out to be a terrible smile.

I glanced at the open classroom door and turned my back to Daiki, who had a blank expression.

“I’m sorry, both of you. Let’s go.”

I call out to Kubo and Saitou-san and move forward.

“Hey, Yukito…!”

My left arm is suddenly grabbed.

The eyes of Daiki, who is always brimming with confidence, were clearly trembling. It’s a face that says he can’t believe it at all.

I guess I thought that somehow or other, I would give in.

Actually, I used to be like that.

“Hurry back… Serika, she’s waiting for you.”

I remove the hand that is gripping me tightly and lightly gesture with my chin to indicate the spot.

The classroom door that Daiki had left open while chasing after us. From there, Serika had been peeking her face out the whole time.

Taking advantage of the moment when Daiki suddenly turned his head back, I hurriedly went with the two to the small classroom.

I immediately heard someone calling me, but I didn’t turn around.