Even Today, the Genius High School Programmer Cashes In on Day Trades, Completely Flustered by Beautiful Girls' Growing Affection. - Chapter 38: Classic Lines of Misplaced Resentment.

Classic Lines of Misplaced Resentment.

“This is already the fourth time! I’m telling you, it has to be Okazaki-senpai and her group!”

Hina was in full serious mode, which was rare for her. She looked genuinely angry.

It was lunch break.

The five of us were eating together as usual.

“It might be possible, but we don’t have any proof.”

“But come on, it clearly started increasing after what happened with Yanagi-senpai, right? There’s no doubt about it!”

Hina was still fuming.

“Who’s Yanagi-senpai?”

“Yanagi Souta-senpai. A third-year and the former captain of the soccer club. He’s known as the most handsome guy in the entire school,” Shingo explained. As expected from our school’s resident intelligence officer.

“Does this Yanagi-senpai have something to do with it?”

“It was about two weeks ago, I think? Yanagi-senpai confessed to Yukina,” Hina continued.

“Okazaki Nanase-senpai was basically the center of Yanagi-senpai’s fan group.”

So that was how it connected.

There was a senior named Okazaki Nanase. She was a big fan of Yanagi-senpai. And that same Yanagi-senpai had confessed to Yukina.

“And Yukina… turned him down.”

Yukina gave a small nod.

“So why does that make Okazaki-senpai suspicious?”

“Originally, among the fans, there was this atmosphere that if Yanagi-senpai and Sakuraba ended up together, it couldn’t be helped. Like, the school’s top handsome guy and the school’s top beautiful girl dating — everyone should just celebrate it.”

Yukina kept her gaze lowered. Shingo went on.

“Actually, Yanagi-senpai had already told his close friends that he was going to confess to Sakuraba right after the final retirement match of the season. Everyone was really excited about it.”

But the result was a spectacular failure.

“I see… So it’s that whole ‘poor Yanagi-senpai’ thing?”

“Exactly. Even though Sakuraba-san didn’t do anything wrong.”

“What a pain. That’s some serious misplaced resentment. Where did the actual wishes of the people involved go in all this?”

“You’re absolutely right,” Shingo said, looking exasperated.

“And the day after the confession was rejected, Okazaki-senpai went straight to Yukina to complain.”

Hina, still in serious mode, continued.

“Is that true?”

I turned toward Yukina.

“Eh? Y-yeah…”

“What did she say to you?”

“Um… well… things like ‘that’s impossible,’ ‘don’t get full of yourself,’ ‘I’ve never liked you anyway’… something like that.”

“Classic lines of misplaced resentment. Did she get violent at all?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“I see. Still… just that alone isn’t enough to prove she’s the one leaving the notes. It smells really suspicious, though.”

I turned the situation over in my mind, but with only this much information, it was hard to make any decisive moves.

“For now, if another weird letter shows up, let’s report it to the school. Though Yukina’s shoe locker is in the camera’s blind spot, so catching the culprit might be difficult.”

Should we secretly install our own small camera?

There were decent compact surveillance cameras available these days. If another note appeared, it might be worth considering.

“Anyway, if anything else happens, let me know anytime. Even if it’s late at night, you can message me on LINE if it’s urgent.”

“Got it. Thank you, Kousuke-kun. And sorry everyone for making you worry.”

Yukina’s voice sounded cheerful, but it was obvious she was forcing it.

The others all wore worried expressions as well.

Only now did I truly understand just how much Hina had been concerned. I could only hope this wouldn’t escalate into something more serious…