Can I brag about my very devoted wife to you?

Lovers’ Declaration!

If the rumors are left unchecked, there will be people like the newspaper club who will get strange ideas and start probing.

It’s not a joke; Riko is such a popular figure that she’s attracting a lot of attention.

But if the truth happened, the fact that we were living together might be exposed. With that in mind, we went back to class and announced our relationship.

Riko and I had a quick meeting, and we decided to lie as accurate as possible so that our story would remain intact. I wasn’t very good at talking, so Riko took over the role of explaining it.

“Riko, what is this school newspaper about!? Are you two really together!? … Is that so!? Eeeehhh!? Seriously!?”

Asakura, who seemed to have come to school while we were gone, came running up to us, screaming. Her classmates gathered around to hear our reply, and we were quickly surrounded. Sawa, who had been waiting at the entrance of the classroom for me to come back, joined in.

“Hey, hey, hey! What do you mean? I thought you were just childhood friends!”

“We were actually dating. Right? Minato-kun.”

Riko is too cute as she tilts her head and smiles.

— But this isn’t a good time to be admiring her. At any rate, I hurriedly shook my head and answered Riko’s question. My classmates looked at me and Riko alternately as if they couldn’t believe it.

“They said they were dating…”

“I can’t believe it…”

“Hanae-san, does Shinyama have some kind of weakness for you…?”

“No, I don’t think Shinyama can do that… But that makes it even more of a mystery.”

I get the reaction from people I expected.

Well, you’re right.

Even I can’t believe that I’m the boyfriend of the most beautiful girl in school.

Riko, however, looked miffed and twisted her left hand around my arm, keeping our right hands linked. I felt as if my arms were being hugged by Riko, and in many ways it was bad.

“Why is everyone saying that I have some kind of weakness?”

“It’s because it’s too impossible for… Riko and Shinyama-kun to be going out! I don’t know what’s going on with you, but you’ve never taken any good-looking guy’s confession at all, right…!? Could it be that Riko doesn’t like handsome guys!?”

When Asakura excitedly approached her, Riko remained calm as usual. She then revealed something that froze everyone in place.

“Eh? Why? Minato-kun is really cool, isn’t he?”

At that moment, the classroom fell silent. The sad silence was like a denial to everything that Riko had said.

Ugh…

I know I’m not the most handsome person in the world, but it’s hard to be looked at with pity all at once.

I’m sure Riko was being kind when she covered for my appearance, but I’m happy to have heard this…!

“Well, well, they say love is blind, and that’s okay… But are you really, really dating?”

“Yes!”

“I don’t believe it at all…”

Sawa stared at me with narrowed eyes. My classmates shook their heads in agreement.

Hey, Sawa.

You’re my friend, and I would appreciate at least someone on our side…!

Just after I thought that in my mind, I realized.

Oh, no.

The other day, Sawa had asked me about my affair, and in a moment of anguish, I had said, “There’s someone else I like!”, or something like that.

So now Sawa must think I’m a bastard for going out with Riko when I should have another girl I like.

Looking closely, I can see that Sawa’s gaze is much more stern than that of the other students.

I’m going to have to make a proper excuse for this later…

“It’s sad to hear you say you don’t believe me…”

Riko muttered sadly, and our classmates shrank back apologetically. I guess they all felt like they were bullying Riko.

“I’m sorry, Riko. We were just surprised. It’s not like we’re seriously doubting you.”

“Do you mean it?”

“Yes, yes. Right, guys?”

Our classmates hurriedly nodded at Asakura’s voice.

If this is the way things are going, we might be able to make it work.

Immediately after I had hoped so—

“I’m so glad. I’ve been in love with Minato-kun for a long time, and now I’m finally going out with him, so I wanted Rei-chan to support me.”

“Ehh!? You mean you’ve fallen for him!?”

Asakura’s eyes widened.

“Yeah. I love Minato-kun, so I confessed my love to him. That’s why I’m so happy right now.”

They all opened their mouths and looked at me at the same time. But I couldn’t hide the fact that my face was getting redder and redder.

Because I can’t believe that Riko will say “I love you” to me, even if it’s a lie…

Oh, no.

My heart is starting to race.

“Shinyama…, what kind of virtues did you have in your previous life…?”

Sawa muttered in a strained voice.

That’s right…

I’m certainly getting a lot of happiness from Riko that I’m not worthy of; maybe I was a prophet in a previous life.

“Ehh. Then that also applies to me! I’m sure I worked really hard in my previous life to meet Minato-kun now! Hehe!”

Wait, wait, Riko!

You need to tone down the cuteness a bit…!

I know you’re doing your best to make everyone believe in you, but my heart can’t take it…!

When I started to really think about it, the main bell finally rang. Riko and I looked at each other for a moment, nodded slightly at each other, and then went to our seats. For some reason, Riko looked really happy, and I don’t know why, but that cute expression stayed in my mind like an afterimage.

Translator & Editor: Riciel