Being the Best Friend in a Romantic Comedy Isn't Easy! - Chapter 5: The Junior Heroine is Essential

Episode 4: The Junior Heroine is Essential

“Tsuji-senpai! I’m definitely going to the same high school as you!”

—Graduation day in middle school.

At the school gate, Tsuji and I were talking with a junior girl.

The junior was holding onto the hem of Tsuji’s uniform, her eyes swollen with tears.

It was the last conversation between a girl who adored her senior and that senior before they parted ways.

I, Aoba, watched this romantic comedy scene absentmindedly.

“Ah, I’ll be waiting, Hinata Hinata.”

“You absolutely have to wait for me, okay!?”

Kawasaki Hinata. She had sunset-colored hair and eyes that were often described as bright red.

Her hair, reaching down to her waist, was tied into two ponytails behind her neck.

She was petite, with her head reaching about our chest level, and she had a healthy, toned physique.

Usually, our confident junior was now a mess of tears.

“Don’t go falling for any pretty ladies! You have cute little me, okay!?”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it. You make sure to study hard, okay?”

“I wiiiiiillll!”

It’s not like we’re parting forever, yet she’s so lively…

I lightly tapped Hinata’s head with the round tube holding my graduation certificate.

“Seriously, your grades are terrible, so make sure you study, alright?”

“S-Subaru-senpai, shut up! Meanie!”

Still crying, she turned her face towards me and growled like a beast.

The difference in how she treats me and Tsuji is huge… Not that it matters now.

“If you keep this up, Tsuji might find a beautiful girlfriend in high school!”

I said teasingly, and Hinata’s face quickly changed to a look of panic.

As you can see, Hinata is always full of unnecessary energy, and her expressions change frequently. Since her thoughts show on her face immediately, it’s honestly entertaining to watch.

Well… she’s more noisy than anything, but talking to her is fun.

“Tsuji-senpaaaaai!!”

“No, Subaru is just saying random things, okay!? Subaru, stop bullying Hinata.”

“Sorry, sorry. Her face is a mess, and it’s funny. Tehe!”

“Ugh, you’re really grossing me out, Subaru-senpai.”

“Why are you suddenly so calm?”

And so, this energetic girl full of emotions is our junior from middle school, Kawasaki Hinata.

—Why did I suddenly remember this?

Because.

×　×　×

—Present day.

“There you are, senpai!”

“H-Hinata…! You’re causing a scene…”

A girl’s voice called out to us as we were enjoying lunch together.

I turned my head to see two beautiful girls standing there.

The same lively voice as in middle school, and a pouty face.

The girl called Hinata glared at us with her sunset-colored eyes.

“Huh? Oh, Hinata!”

Kawasaki Hinata, our junior from middle school.

And Tsuji, the one she was looking for, was waving his hand nonchalantly.

This guy probably has no idea what Hinata is feeling right now… Even though she’s clearly fuming.

“Don’t ‘Oh, Hinata!’ me, Tsuji-senpai! I was looking for you!”

Hinata stomped over to us—no, to Tsuji.

Following her, another girl approached with an apologetic look on her face.

Ignoring Hinata for the moment, I raised my hand slightly towards the other girl.

“Hey, Shino-chan.”

“Hello, Subaru-san. Sorry for interrupting…”

She gave a small bow. This was Asahi Shino.

Yes, Asahi.

“Shino is here too, huh?”

“Yeah, brother. Sorry for interrupting your lunch. Hinata was so insistent…”

“I can imagine…”

Shino-chan, who called Tsuji “brother,” frowned apologetically.

Asahi Shino. A traditional beauty with long black hair, embodying the essence of a Yamato Nadeshiko with her reserved demeanor.

Shino-chan is Tsuji’s sister… though not by blood.

When we were in first year of middle school… Shino-chan was in sixth grade. Tsuji’s father remarried Shino-chan’s mother, making them siblings.

Yes, she’s his stepsister.

A beautiful, kind, angelic stepsister.

—Yeah. So what is this romantic comedy situation?

A stepsister is a staple in romantic comedies, isn’t it!?

In fact, I feel guilty for taking the important position of childhood friend!

“So, Shino, why are you two here? You said you were looking for me?”

Despite being stepsiblings, they act like real siblings. Tsuji cherishes Shino-chan a lot, and Shino-chan adores Tsuji.

“Well, Hinata here—”

“Senpai! I heard there’s a super cute transfer student! Is it true!?”

Hinata butted in between the siblings.

Oh, the transfer student…

So that’s why she was in such a hurry to find Tsuji.

The news of Tsukinose transferring here had spread even to the underclassmen…

Well, students from other classes kept coming to see her during the breaks…

A top-tier beauty transferring in would naturally pique everyone’s interest.

Even if I were in another class, I would definitely go see her. Because I want to see a beautiful girl!

“Oh, that’s all it was.”

“All it was!? Senpai, this is a big deal for me!”

Tsuji remained nonchalant, while Hinata was panicking. This scene was very familiar from our middle school days.

Given how much Hinata likes Tsuji, it’s understandable she’d be upset.

A super cute girl transferred into the class of the guy she likes.

As a junior, she already has limited time to be with him…

Even Hasumi was in a panic this morning…

“Kawasaki-san, you’re as energetic as ever.”

Nagisa commented nonchalantly while sipping her milk coffee from a straw.

Hinata and Shino-chan just entered this school as first-year students and are best friends. They have already interacted with us multiple times, mainly because of Hinata.

Using the excuse of visiting Tsuji, she often came to see us, creating a connection with Hasumi and Nagisa as well.

By the way, Nagisa-san, of course, went into her shy mode when meeting Hinata and Shino-chan for the first time.

“She’s too energetic.”

Hinata was so focused on Tsuji that she didn’t even look at us.

This must be a big event for her.

Such a troublesome junior.

“Hey, Hinata.”

I called out to her.

“What is it! I’m in the middle of an important conversation with Tsuji-senpai—!”

She turned to me with an angry face, but upon recognizing me, her expression turned blank.

Blink, blink.

“Oh, it’s just Subaru-senpai. You were here?”

Such disrespect.

“What’s with that attitude?”

“All boys except Tsuji-senpai look like potatoes to me.”

“You should see an eye doctor.”

Hinata laughed cutely.

She always underestimates me, doesn’t she?

I sighed at Hinata’s unchanging antics.

“Oh, Haruka-senpai and Rui-senpai! Hello!”

“Hehe, you finally noticed us. Hello, Hinata-chan, Shino-chan too.”

“Hello, Kawasaki-san, Shino-san.”

“I’m sorry… Hinata’s causing trouble for you…”

“It’s fine! Don’t worry about it.”

Shino-chan bowed her head, and the two seniors reassured her.

Wow… she’s really polite. It’s hard to believe she’s the same age as Hinata.

How does she manage to get along with such a whirlwind?

Maybe it’s because they’re together that it works.

Hinata pulls the reserved Shino-chan along, and Shino-chan supports the rambunctious Hinata.

They might actually be a good combo.

“So, Hinata.”

“Yes, Tsuji-senpai!”

Her eyes sparkle when she talks to Tsuji. It’s like a scene from a shoujo manga.

“About that transfer student… Look.”

“Huh?”

Tsuji slowly turned to Tsukinose, and Hinata followed his gaze.

Tsukinose, who had been confused by the sudden intrusion, smiled warmly as soon as Hinata looked at her.

Her expression was perfect.

“Ahem. I believe I’m the transfer student you’re talking about. I don’t know if I’m a beauty, though…”

Don’t worry, you’re a beauty by anyone’s standards.

“Awwawa! Shino! There’s a girl I’ve never seen before with Tsuji-senpai! And she’s super pretty!”

“Calm down, Hinata. This is the transfer student.”

“Eeh!? Is that true, Tsuji-senpai!?”

“Yes, it’s true. This is Tsukinose Rei, our new classmate.”

“Awwawa…!”

Such a busy girl.

Hinata couldn’t handle the reality.

Just like Hasumi this morning, she was about to short-circuit.

Shino-chan was trying her best to bring Hinata back to reality.

“Um… are you okay?”

Tsukinose stood up and spoke to them with a worried expression.

Hinata shuddered at her voice. It seems she came back to her senses.

She glared at Tsukinose.

“I… I…!”

Huh?

“I will never lose to you! Waaaaah!”

“Hinata!? Hinata!”

Leaving behind an impressive exit line that would surprise any villain, she ran off.

…

And silence followed.

Only Tsukinose was left looking worried that she had done something wrong.

“It’s okay, Tsukinose. This is just our junior being her usual self.”

She barged in, caused a scene, got all worked up, and left on her own.

Is she a storm incarnate or what?

“Um…”

Hasumi scratched his cheek, trying to fill the awkward silence.

There stood Shino-chan, who had been left behind.

There was Tsukinose, who had been inexplicably challenged.

And then there was us, still trying to make sense of the situation.

There was only one thing we wanted to ask:

“What was that all about?”