Do You Like Romantic-Comedy Protagonists?

Chapter 13: Do You Like Rom-Coms? 3

In the gymnasium, where all students were gathered, a candidate’s speech for student council president was reaching its climax.

“Thus, I am running for student council president. Please lend me your strength. I pledge to make this school a better place!”

Akaishi idly watched the candidate delivering their speech from the podium.

After the candidate’s speech, there would be a supporting speech, and Akaishi noted with little interest that running for president required friends to back you up, perhaps proof that individual strength alone wasn’t enough, he analyzed privately.

As the candidate’s speech concluded, a noise came from the back.

Turning slightly, Akaishi saw Sakurai and Hachiya at the gymnasium entrance, being scolded by Kanna.

Hachiya, standing beside Sakurai, was flushed and smiling loosely despite the scolding, and Akaishi realized her rom-com strategy had likely succeeded.

Initially, when Sakurai and Hachiya were absent from the gymnasium, several teachers had gone to search classrooms, and Akaishi thought it was selfish of them to cause trouble for others just to play out a rom-com scenario.

At the same time, he deeply reflected that, although he’d spoken offhandedly to get Hachiya off his back, he might have spurred her on.

Losing interest in Sakurai and Hachiya, Akaishi turned his attention back to the speech.

※

The student council candidate speeches ended, and they returned to the classroom.

Fully understanding a person’s character in such a short time was impossible, so Akaishi voted for the candidate who seemed intelligent with a strong vocabulary.

Afterward, there were many semi-mandatory school events, and Akaishi, showing slight fatigue, handled them mechanically.

※

The school events concluded, and the day’s classes were over.

Being in the go-home club, Akaishi immediately headed home.

While walking to the nearest station, he was suddenly slapped hard on the back.

“I did it!”

“…”

Turning around, he saw Hachiya.

“You’ll leave a maple leaf on my back.”

“That’s such an old phrase.”

Akaishi rubbed his slapped back, grimacing, but since Hachiya wouldn’t approach without reason, he probed.

“No club today?”

“Kanna-sensei’s feeling lazy, so it’s off!”

“…I’m not in a club, so I wouldn’t know, but do clubs get days off that easily?”

“…? That’s how it works, right?”

“Is it…?”

Akaishi cast a slightly disapproving glance at Hachiya, who wasn’t particularly dedicated to her club.

He guessed she’d joined the club to chase Sakurai without much conviction, and her frivolous lifestyle irritated him.

His motto was to avoid interacting with others as much as possible, so he pushed the emotion aside and shifted gears.

“Whatever. What’s this ‘I did it’ about?”

“I did it, I did it! Today, something amazing happened with Sousuke!”

Hachiya, excited, stepped closer, and Akaishi backed away two or three steps from her intensity.

Hachiya eagerly recounted the day’s events, filling in what she and Sakurai had done, and Akaishi understood.

“How’s that, Akaishi! I’m making huge progress with Sousuke, aren’t I!? We’re practically counting down to dating!”

Hachiya clutched her cheeks, her slender, graceful limbs moving animatedly.

Her face was completely relaxed, almost comically blissful, and seeing this softer side of Hachiya, unlike her usual self, Akaishi imagined what her adventure with Sakurai must have been like.

“That’s great. Where’s Sakurai now?”

“No idea. He said he had something to do at school and told me to go home, so I’m heading back.”

With Sakurai absent, Akaishi asked further.

He smirked inwardly, thinking Sakurai might be off having another rom-com moment with someone else, unbeknownst to Hachiya.

As they talked, Akaishi and Hachiya reached the station and boarded a delayed train.

“So, guess what Sousuke did, Akaishi?”

“No clue.”

“He covered my mouth! I was so shocked, I thought my heart would leap out!”

“Uh-huh.”

“And then Kanna-sensei came to the locker room, and I was tense the whole time!”

“Right.”

Hachiya kept talking about her rom-com moments with Sakurai on the train, and Akaishi listened, giving half-hearted responses, noting how thrilled she was to have gotten closer to him.

“Oh, I get off here.”

While Hachiya rambled about her moments with Sakurai, the train reached an urban station, and she got off.

“See ya, Akaishi. Later.”

Hachiya turned to wave, but Akaishi got off at the same station.

“…? Huh… Akaishi, weren’t you getting off at the next station?”

Puzzled that he got off at her station, Hachiya questioned him.

For a moment, she choked, wondering if he had some urgent business with her.

“Nah, my house is easiest to get to from here.”

“…What’s that mean?”

Hachiya tilted her head at Akaishi’s response.

“Just what I said.”

“But when you went home with me and Sousuke, you didn’t get off here.”

The mismatch between her memory and reality caused confusion.

“Yeah, that time I got off at the next station.”

“…? But this is the best connection, right? Why? Did you have something to do at the next station?”

“No, I just couldn’t stand the vibe with you and Sakurai. I thought it’d be best to leave you two alone, so I got off at a different station on purpose.”

“What… You’d do something like that…”

Hachiya pouted, annoyed that Akaishi changed stations to avoid being with her and Sakurai.

“It was for you guys.”

“…Maybe you’re right.”

At that moment, Hachiya realized a discrepancy in the timeline between Akaishi’s actions and her request for his help with her love life.

She recalled that Akaishi had gone home with her and Sakurai before she’d asked him to assist with her romance.

In short, she understood that Akaishi had intended to leave her and Sakurai alone even without her request.

“Well, I’m heading to platform three.”

Leaving the speechless Hachiya, Akaishi walked toward platform three.

Realizing he had no interest in her, Hachiya felt oddly unsettled.

Anyone would feel bad knowing they weren’t seen romantically by the opposite sex, she told herself.

Despite this, Hachiya unconsciously grabbed Akaishi’s sleeve.