Being the Best Friend in a Romantic Comedy Isn't Easy! - Chapter 10: Haruka Makes a Proposal

Episode 8: Haruka Makes a Proposal

“Huh? Aoba, why did you use your healing skill at that moment?”

“No, can’t you see my HP? It’s in the red?”

“This boss, once its HP drops to twenty percent, always inflicts a nasty debuff and doesn’t attack on that turn.”

“I see, I see.”

“So, with my attack, it’ll just hit twenty percent…”

“Got it?”

“If you quietly buff me, you can finish it off with your next attack.”

“Huh, seriously?”

Tap tap.

The next day during lunch break, I was playing an event quest in multiplayer mode with Nagisa in the classroom.

The reason being, there are exclusive rewards for multiplayer…

Honestly, I’m not confident in my combat power, but Nagisa-sama’s superb play was carrying us perfectly.

Fufufu… young girls these days are quite dependable.

Meanwhile, Tsukasa, Haruka, and Minase were chatting happily.

Last night, Nagisa mentioned it on LINE, but Haruka and Minase, the Double Heroines, seemed to have gotten quite close.

I envy that. I’d like to have a heartwarming chat too.

“Aoba, even if the worst happens, please give me a buff… Hey Aoba, are you listening? This isn’t just playing around, okay?”

It seems this wasn’t just playing around.

“Yes, teacher.”

I want to have a heartwarming chat too!

I’m not even a bit of it.

“Um… Do Aoba and Nagisa always play games together?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah. But… most of the time, either Rui gets in the way or Nagisa beats me up.”

“Haha… yeah, that’s probably true. Aoba-kun always gets yelled at by Rui.”

“I see… I’ll remember that.”

Hey, you three. I can hear you loud and clear.

That’s exactly right! It’s so right that I can’t retort!

And Minase doesn’t have to remember such a thing!

You’re not giving a strange impression at the moment!

“Aoba, hurry up.”

“Hey, hey. Then I’ll give you all of mine! Take it! Uooo!!”

Give it to me! My hot feeling!

“I should be able to do this… I hope…”

The gauge for the special attack is filled as planned, and Nagisa taps without hesitation.

On the screen, the golden-haired handsome man, wearing silver armor, Lancelot, gathers power in his sword with a cool shout.

He was the new character we got yesterday.

As a character implemented for this event, he possessed numerous skills advantageous against the event boss.

According to Nagisa, just having Lancelot makes the difficulty level a whole different story.

Certainly, he’s powerfully strong. I thought that, but it was like that…

As expected of a handsome man, his looks, voice, and abilities are great. Even Subaru loses to him.

When Lancelot swung his sword powerfully towards the enemy, a shining wave of light cut through the boss monster’s body.

And on the screen, along with fanfare, the words “STAGE CLEAR” were displayed.

“Alright!! Nice one, Nagisa!”

“Hehe, piece of cake. Surprisingly, it went well, huh?”

Nagisa gives me a V-sign.

Surprisingly, huh… This was an ultra-high-difficulty quest, you know?

Even on SNS, it has a reputation for being difficult…

As expected…

“Well done! I guess it was because of me?”

“Yeah, yeah, it was a good combination.”

“That’s right!? …Huh?”

A good combination?

By the way, Lancelot is too strong.

Why not use him anymore?

Isn’t it obvious to clear the quest using a strong character? It’s boring, right?

Oh, I see…

This is the mark of a gamer.

Indeed, not only with Nagisa but in various competitive games, she preferred to use characters mainly evaluated as weak.

According to her, “Isn’t it more exciting to beat strong characters with weak ones?”

Everyone has their own playstyle, and there’s no correct answer, but I thought it was pretty cool…

“…Next, how about a challenge with low-rank characters? In that case, should I prioritize healing in the formation? But…”

Maybe she forgot about the clear earlier, but Nagisa was already thinking about the next play.

She opened the character list and frowned.

Looking forward to Nagisa-sensei’s future activities.

“Oh, finished?”

Mm, mmm, with a lingering victory…

While I was immersed in it, Tsukasa, who was talking with Haruka and the others, called out to me.

“Yeah, thanks to Nagisa-sensei. What’s up?”

“It’s a proposal from Haruka-san, but… Nagisa-san, is it okay too?”

“Huh? Ah, um, yeah.”

Although Nagisa had been staring at her smartphone, she hurriedly turned her head to look left when Tsukasa called out to her.

Hmm.

If it had been me who called out to her――

“I’m still playing? No problem.”

Nagisa switched her smartphone to sleep mode and turned off the display before putting it on the desk.

After checking that Nagisa was ready, I asked Tsukasa again.

“So? Haruka’s proposal… Should I ask Haruka?”

“Ah, um. I’m going to talk to you.”

Haruka nodded and looked around at us.

What’s Haruka’s proposal…? What on earth is it?

I couldn’t figure it out, so I just waited for the words to come out.

“Maybe a study group after school… How about that? And we could also make it a friends gathering with Minase-san!”

“A study group?”

We’ve never heard of it in advance, and at the same time, we both looked puzzled.

No, I understand the meaning of the word “study group.”

When I heard it was a friendship gathering, I imagined more like… a party, but there’s nothing we can do because it’s just before the test.

“Hey, the regular exams are starting in two weeks, right? How about we all study together for them?”

“Hmm, hmm. So basically, I get to learn from Tsukinose step by step…”

“Subaru, you’re not studying with me!”

“Why not!!?”

What’s so sad about studying together with the guys!

Besides, study groups are a classic trope in romantic comedies, right!

Sitting side by side. Two people teaching each other at close range.

And then, their eyes meet.

Blushing cheeks. Slowly closing the distance between them.

And then, and then…!!!

“And then, eeeehhh!!!”

“Aoba, you’re so loud.”

“Sorry.”

Startled by the voice that flew in from next to us.

“I think it’s a good idea. There haven’t been many opportunities like this.”

“Is studying really necessary for Tsukinose-san? From what I saw, she seemed totally prepared for the test.”

“Haha, that’s not true at all. Besides, it’s more fun than studying alone. And I want to get closer to everyone.”

“What about you, Aoba-kun?”

Huh… Tsukinose-sensei teaching me step by step?

However, I do want to get along with Tsukinose for my future.

Besides, it’s just yesterday.

If I turn down the offer again, I don’t know what Nagisa will do.

When I turn to Haruka, he looks at me anxiously.

Hey, don’t look at me with that cute face. I’ll accidentally fall in love with you.

I laugh and give him a thumbs up to blow away that anxiety.

“It’s fine!”

“Yeah! Thank you!”

“It’s okay, Haruka-chan. I’ll do my best for everyone.”

“Who…?”

Hmm… study group, huh? Looks like fun.

I’m looking forward to how the relationship between the Heroines and Tsukasa will develop.

“So, when will that be?”

“It’s sudden, so isn’t starting tomorrow a bit much… What about starting from tomorrow? Is Tsukinose-san okay?”

“Well, um… yes. I think it’ll be fine.”

“What about everyone else?”

To Haruka’s question, we both nodded “okay”.

Starting from tomorrow, a study group… I’d like to grin and watch Heroines and Tsukasa rather than study.

That’s what I’m thinking.

“A-ah, um… Excuse me. Can I ask you something?”

Tsukinose raised her hand timidly.

We turned our faces to Tsukinose.

“I don’t mind answering within my limits, but… can I ask about everyone’s grades?”

“Our grades?”

“Yes. I think it would be easier for me to help if I knew beforehand…”

Indeed, that’s true.

Even if two people who are bad at math teach each other, it would be disastrous.

“Hey, what’s this… Do you understand?”

“Hmm? I don’t understand!”

“I don’t understand either!”

“Hahaha! We’re in this together!”

What kind of hell is this?

“I think I’m a little weak in math and English.”

Surprisingly, Haruka is not an outstanding student.

I’m struggling with my studies quite a bit.

But it’s not like I’m getting straight F’s or being at the bottom of the class.

There’s a part of me that seems perfect but is actually missing.

Yes, it’s an essential attribute for heroines.

“I see… Asahi-san, what about you?”

“Me? Well, yeah… I guess… yeah.”

“Well, I’m not at the level of getting straight F’s.”

“Subaru, could you phrase it a bit better?”

Subaru is like “lower middle” or something.

It’s not terribly bad, but it’s not good either.

He dodges the tests with ease. That’s what a man named Subaru is.

“I see, I see… Haha, I got some good information.”

“Hey, Tsukinose-san? What do you mean?”

“It’s a secret.”

Hey, you two? Please stop getting affectionate all of a sudden?

“Next, I’ll ask Nagisa-san…”

As soon as the voice spoke, Nagisa’s shoulders shook.

This guy… He was talking so much earlier, but… Did he not say anything during the school guidance yesterday?

From the look of it, he probably didn’t say anything…

“I-I’m sorry… I’m good at math, but… I’m not good at Japanese…”

Hesitating.

No matter how many times I see it, I don’t get tired of Nagisa’s communication-shy mode.

The gap with his usual self is amazing.

And Nagisa is not good at Japanese.

He said many times last year, “Do you understand the author’s feelings? You can’t understand that.”

Oh, I think he’s weak… I thought so back then.

“Hmm… So, lastly, Aoba-san.”

“Me? Just say the word, and I can do anything.”

“Huh?”

Huh?

Is my answer surprising?

With his blue eyes trembling.

“What subjects are you weak in…”

“None.”

“Huh?”

Huh?

Is my answer really unbelievable? Puzzled, Tsukinose looked at the guys.

His gaze seemed to confirm whether what I was saying was true.

No, excuse me, Tsukinose?

“It’s amazing how you can study normally, Subaru.”

“Hey, what do you mean by surprising?”

“Really… surprising.”

Uh, I think that’s too much.

Why would I look like a stupid character?

This gentleman who surpasses his head in the earth called Subaru Aoba, this man.

──Oh, like this? I see, I understand.

“Well, that’s…! Thanks to you, I’ve got a rough idea. Thank you very much.”

“Please take care of me from tomorrow. I’m really looking forward to it.”

With a gentle smile that suits Tsukinose.

──Jeez. If you show me such a happy face, I can’t say anything more today.

There were still many things I wanted to say, but I sighed and discarded those words.

Let’s forgive Tsukinose’s smile for today.

“Haruka-san.”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for proposing the study group. It was for Tsukinose-san, right?”

Oh?

“Haruka-san.”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks for suggesting the study group. It was for Tsukinose-san’s sake, right?”

Oh?

“Um, ah, yeah…”

“Haruka-san really is kind. Looking forward to the study group starting tomorrow.”

“E-eep…!”

It was so sudden.

While I looked away, a romantic comedy unfolded.

Haruka’s face turned bright red instantly, emitting a strange squeal.

“Peep peep.”

“Of course, Nagisa-san, please take care too.”

“Huh… um… sure…”

Nagisa nodded quietly while looking down.

…

This is… awkward! Where am I?! A classroom!

I squinted and quietly observed the entire scene.

Sensing my gaze, Subaru tilted his head in confusion.

“Hm? What is it, Subaru?”

“… You’re totally clueless, aren’t you?”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Sigh… I’m just saying you’re good at thanking people, you idiot.”

This guy is definitely clueless.

My sigh of resignation was all that remained, filled with an indescribable feeling.

“Huh?”

I couldn’t tell where that voice came from.