Do You Like Romantic-Comedy Protagonists? - Chapter 4: Do You Like Kyouko Hachiya? 1

Chapter 4: Do You Like Kyouko Hachiya? 1

On the way to school, a male student walked alone, hand on his chin, lost in thought.

Akaishi Yuuto, an utterly ordinary student found anywhere.

Since the distance between his home and the high school was considerable, Akaishi commuted by train, walking from the nearest station to the school.

His grades weren’t at the absolute top, nor were they at the bottom. He leaned toward the upper tier but had no standout traits, born into an ordinary family, living ordinarily, and possessing a critical personality.

As he walked slowly, lost in thought, a voice called out from behind.

“Morning, Akaishi-kun! You doing okay?”

Suijou trotted up beside Akaishi, peering into his face.

“Oh… Suijou-san…”

“Ugh, we’re classmates, so no polite speech!”

Suijou made an “X” with both hands, bringing them to her mouth.

The school’s top beauty, Shio Suijou, combined girlish charm with the alluring elegance of an adult.

Akaishi acknowledged the beauty in every one of Suijou’s gestures.

“By the way, what were you up to just now?”

“Oh, just thinking about something.”

“Huh? What about?”

“Well…”

Akaishi lacked the confidence or courage to say, Why is Sakurai so popular with you all?

“Suijou—!”

“?”

Their conversation was interrupted by a sudden voice from behind.

Sakurai, having spotted Akaishi and Suijou, came running over.

“Morning, Suijou. And… Akaishi? Morning.”

“Morning, Sakurai-kun.”

“…Yo…”

Sakurai called out to Suijou and added Akaishi’s name almost as an afterthought.

Even then, he didn’t seem to remember Akaishi’s name accurately. After yesterday’s incident, Sakurai’s use of a question mark after Akaishi’s name made Akaishi wonder if he had no intention of remembering people’s names properly.

“The weather’s nice today, huh, Suijou?”

“Yeah, it’s really nice out.”

“Good weather puts you in a good mood, right?”

“Totally! Nice weather makes you feel great, doesn’t it?”

Suijou and Sakurai created their own intimate space, excluding Akaishi.

As they chatted, Akaishi took a step back, falling behind them.

“Hm? What’s up, Akaishi-kun?”

Noticing this, Suijou called out to him.

“Nah, you two are talking, so I just stepped out.”

“Whaaat? Come on, let’s talk together! The three of us!”

“No, I’m good here.”

“Suijou, don’t push Akaishi too much. He’s fine where he is.”

“Ugh, fiiine.”

Sakurai advised Suijou not to force Akaishi into the conversation.

Unintentionally, this was proof that Sakurai wanted to talk to Suijou alone and saw Akaishi as an outsider.

Akaishi couldn’t understand why Sakurai was so popular.

How could a guy who excluded other boys to create his own utopia with girls be so popular with them? Akaishi couldn’t fathom it.

“Morning, Sousuke~!”

“Ow!”

Arai crept up from behind and slapped Sakurai’s shoulder.

“You’re looking cool today too, Sousuke. I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah… You’re always like this.”

“Haha…”

As usual, Arai pledged her love to Sakurai, and Suijou gave a wry smile, scratching her cheek.

“My, if it isn’t Sakurai-kun. What are you doing in a place like this, with a girl on each arm?”

“Hey, you idiot! Didn’t you say you were biking to school today?”

“Everyone, quiet down!”

Starting with Arai, Sakurai’s entourage began to gather one after another.

As the entourage crowded around Sakurai, Akaishi stepped back a few paces, distancing himself from the utopia Sakurai had instantly formed, choosing to remain uninvolved.

Why was a guy like this so popular? Akaishi resumed his walk to school alone, pondering this.

※

Sakurai and his entourage entered the classroom, and a short while later, Akaishi did too.

Seeing Sakurai arrive, one male student approached him.

“Yo, Sousuke! Another grand entrance today, huh?”

“It’s not that late!”

Sakurai responded to the boy’s teasing with a wry smile.

This was Sakurai’s only friend, Shoto Kirishima.

Of average build and below-average grades, Kirishima was even less remarkable than Akaishi, an utterly ordinary male student with no notable traits.

The one difference was that this boy…

“Hey, you all came to school with Sousuke? Looking cute as always today.”

“Shut up, trash.”

“Be quiet.”

“Haha, Shoto’s getting roasted!”

“What a harsh way to put it, sheesh…”

He poured his endless lust toward the female students.

Despite receiving insults and mockery in response to his greeting, Kirishima didn’t get upset and just shook his head.

Watching this, Akaishi couldn’t help but wonder.

Why did Sakurai have only one male friend?

Akaishi had never seen Sakurai talk with any other boys besides Kirishima. The boys sitting near Akaishi muttered things like, “Why only him…!” or “Ugh, so jealous…!” while biting their handkerchiefs, envying Sakurai, but they weren’t his friends.

Despite being so popular with girls, why did Sakurai have so few male friends?

Akaishi glanced at Sakurai, lost in vague thoughts.

※

“Hey, you, lend me your face for a sec.”

“Huh?”

After classes ended and it was after school, one of Sakurai’s entourage called out to Akaishi.