After I Picked up a Notebook Filled With Intense Emotions, the Girls Started Acting Strange

◇

“He” needs to understand.

Why I ended up like this.

Why did I have to do something like this.

Why I was able to endure all this pain.

Why my heart is racing so much right now.

He has a duty to learn it through his own body.

I won’t let him run away.

This is my plan, and no one will get in the way.

◇

“…A plan?”

After finishing the study group and getting home, I finally forced myself to pick up the notebook again and read where I left off.

It was clear that some secret was hidden inside it.

I had to make sure once more whose feelings were written in this notebook, and to whom they were meant.

But after a few minutes of reading, I went back to the beginning, hoping to find some clue.

There was nothing that stood out.

All I learned was that this notebook could drain my energy just by reading it.

No, maybe it was just that the emotions written inside were way too intense.

And then, I finally reached a new page.

For the first time, the word “plan” appeared, separate from the feelings written so far.

◇

First, the main goal.

To reach it, I need to study him in detail.

I’ll write down everything I already know about him.

・Handsome

・Amazing

・Nice voice

・Kind

・Popular

・Handsome

・I like his eyes

・I like his nose

・I like his mouth

・I like his teeth (especially his canines)

・I like the back of his neck

・I like his hairstyle

・I like him

・Kind and handsome

I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him I like him.

li li li li li li

li li li li li li li

li li li

li li li li li li li li li

li li li

li li li li

li li

ke ke ke ke ke ke ke ke

ke ke ke

◇

I suddenly flip out.

I slammed the notebook shut. Unfortunately, I couldn’t read any more that day.

At this rate, my brain was about to short-circuit.

Just when I thought she was finally starting to write something concrete, this.

I was so exhausted that I used up all my energy and woke up the next morning completely drained.

“Good morning, Shiomi-kun!”

“Ah, yeah. Good morning.”

Sena-san is here again today.

Why is she waiting by the elevator of my apartment building?

How did she get past the automatic lock?

“It’s rehearsal!”

Does she really think that’s a magic phrase?

And can she seriously stop reading my mind so casually?

“Yuu-kun. Good morning!”

You too? And while I’m still trying to make sense of it, she somehow opens the automatic lock and walks into the lobby like it’s nothing.

Wait, isn’t that the kind of lock you open with a code only the manager or real estate office should know? How do you know it?

Hey, what’s going on with the security here?!

And please, both of you, don’t start sparking fireworks the moment your eyes meet.

◆

After that, we went to school as usual.

I made sure to warn the two of them not to cause a scene like at the family restaurant yesterday.

It was a bit hard with Yukina, but thanks to Sena-san’s persuasion, she finally agreed.

Even though the rumors had settled down, people were still staring.

It wasn’t exactly comfortable, but the two of them didn’t seem to care at all.

The ones getting even more attention than me were Shindou and Kuroe-san.

Shindou… or rather, the two of them together, walked to school like they were showing off, and went straight to the classroom.

The other students had heard the rumors about Shindou over the past few days, and their first thought seemed to be, “Why?”

─Eh, Shindou and Kuroe-san?

─So the rumor that they’re dating was true?

─I heard someone saw them alone at the family restaurant studying together yesterday.

─Oh, I saw them too! They were showing off really loudly.

─No way, our Kuroe-san…

─No, that can’t be. That’s Kuroe-san we’re talking about.

─She’s gonna get stolen away.

─I’m sure she could find someone much better…

─Like me?

Those were the kinds of whispers from around them.

Shindou didn’t care at all. He walked into the classroom proudly, like he was showing off a designer accessory.

Even for us, hearing about their relationship yesterday still feels strange.

Kuroe-san isn’t that close to us, so it’s really none of our business.

But over the past few days, we’ve seen some of Shindou’s not-so-great side.

Even knowing it’s meddling, I can’t help but worry about her.

He’s always been confident, but why has he become so arrogant?

It didn’t feel this bad back in our first year.

There must have been something that triggered this change in him.

“Then see you later, Rei.”

“Yes. I’m looking forward to lunch.”

“…Hehe.”

“…”

Saying that, Shindou parted ways with Kuroe-san right in front of my seat and returned to his own.

He clearly noticed me and smirked in a half-look-down kind of way.

I don’t know how Kuroe-san can watch this and not get annoyed.

“Hehe. He’s got some cute sides, right?”

“Y-Yeah.”

So this is what they call a weakness that comes from falling for someone.

I was spoken to from the seat next to me, and I didn’t know how to answer.

“Um.”

Then I felt someone staring at me from somewhere. A bad feeling hit me, and when I looked that way, Shindou was glaring straight at me.

So annoying.

Bzzm, bzz.

…What now?

Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz. Bzzm, bzz.

As soon as I noticed Shindou’s gaze, my phone started vibrating like crazy.

For a moment, I thought it was broken, but that wasn’t the case.

The lock screen was flooded with an insane number of new messages.

I was grimacing as I unlocked it and opened it.

“Mizuki: Hey, why are you talking to Kuroe-san?”

“Yukina: Talk to me more, too.”

“Yukina: So you don’t want to talk to me after all?”

“Yukina: Did you block me?”

“…Haa… ha…”

All I could do was let out a dry laugh.

I couldn’t even bring myself to look up at the two of them anymore.