I became the boyfriend of the school's madonna, who had turned down numerous confessions, but somehow, without realizing it, I wasn't just playing a role anymore - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Towards Official Recognition

“I’ll apologize in advance. I’m sorry.”

It was a message sent after returning from the festival, around the time I had put Kokoa to sleep.

The sender was Kuroyuki-san, but honestly, I didn’t fully understand.

It’s not like I had no idea what she might be apologizing for. If it’s about the misunderstanding with Kokoa, then her apology would make sense.

But—why apologize in advance? What could she be sorry about before anything happened?

“About what?”

For now, I decided to ask. 

However…

“On Monday, you’ll understand. I’m sorry.”

She didn’t tell me. Moreover, why was she using such polite language? She had a refined demeanor, but she didn’t use honorifics with anyone other than upperclassmen.

Perhaps she felt an overwhelming sense of guilt towards me.

It felt unpleasant…

I couldn’t help but think that way.

◆

Then came Monday, and the school was in an uproar.

No, that’s not accurate. It was more than an uproar.

Because…

“Hey, Shirai! What’s this about you dating Kuroyuki-san!?”

“Are you seriously kidding me!?”

The boys accused me, and…

“Misaki-chan, why Shirai-kun…!?”

“Reconsider it…! It’s not too late…!”

The girls tried to convince Kuroyuki-san.

Of course, there were guys siding with Kuroyuki-san among the boys. This scene unfolded right after arriving at school. In fact, students from other classes and grades were involved.

“What are you talking about?”

I pretended not to know. I had an idea, but I wanted to know how much they knew.

“Don’t play dumb! People saw you two being all chummy at the festival on Saturday! You even made a declaration that you’re dating!”

“I heard you’re already making babies…!”

I see. I understand now.

Some guys were already spreading ridiculous rumors. Well, considering the situation, some people were inevitably frozen in thought.

“Raito…!”

While surrounded by the guys, Kuroyuki-san jumped into the circle.

And with the way she addressed me, I figured out her thoughts on the situation.

“What’s wrong, Misaki…?”

Honestly, it was not a joking matter. However, if the rumors had already spread this widely, denying them wouldn’t change anything.

Especially since, unlike me who had no friends, she had quite a few. During and after the festival, she must have received numerous messages from the girls asking about us.

In retrospect, despite the existence of Kokoa, it was strange for her to exchange contact information with a guy like me. At that time, she probably already received messages.

And she wouldn’t ignore them—she would definitely reply.

So, we admitted that we were dating, didn’t we?

Assuming that, her messages now made sense.

While I wished she had told me first, she had already filled in the gaps.

She was a kind but shrewd girl.

“Hey, he called her ‘Misaki’…!?”

“So, you two were really dating…!”

The guys who sensed the nature of our relationship had their faces filled with despair

Because she was free, there was still hope no matter how many rejections they faced. However, if she already has a boyfriend, there is no room for them to pursue her, so this reaction is inevitable.

The real issue lies with the girls.

While there are some girls who are excited as if celebrating, many cast stern looks at me.

They don’t seem to be convinced that their friend and someone they admire, Kuroyuki…or rather, Misaki…would get together with an unpopular student like me.

Well, I can understand.

If I were in their shoes, I might feel worried too.

“Everyone, I’m sorry for hiding it until now. Some of you might already know, but we’ve been dating.”

Thinking that she could confirm my intentions by me calling her name, Misaki entwined her arm with mine.

Then, she rested her head on my shoulder and displayed the brightest smile she could muster.

As a result, a storm of astonished exclamations erupted both inside and outside the classroom.

“Misaki-chan, you’re being deceived!”

“Could it be that someone is holding something against her…!?”

Unlike the guys who were feeling down or had their minds wandering in a distant world, the girls were still pressing on. While it’s understandable that they might not be satisfied, judging by their expressions, it seemed like they were genuinely worried about Misaki.

In this situation, I thought Misaki was blessed with good friends.

That’s probably thanks to her personality.

“Everyone is misunderstanding Raito-kun. He’s very kind and a wonderful person.”

Misaki, with her gentle smile and calm voice, began persuading the girls. She seemed composed now, even though when I arrived at school, she was panicking while dealing with the girls.

“That’s impossible…! We know Raito-kun very well because we’ve been together for more than a year at school—!”

“But doesn’t that mean you only know him at school? Why criticize him based on just that?”

I figured out why I felt pressure.

She was smiling, but deep down, she was angry.

It was the first time since entering school that I saw the school’s Madonna get angry.

“Um, well, that’s…”

“At least I know Raito-kun better than anyone else. Even so, I decided to date him. Why is everyone complaining about it?”

“Because, Misaki-chan, we don’t want you to regret it…”

“Okay, let me ask you this. When I was being bothered by a guy, were there any boys who came to my rescue?”

A sudden question was thrown at them. The boys who were met with her gaze quickly averted their eyes.

Normally, even if they were bluffing, they would answer with something like, “I would come to the rescue,” but perhaps due to her pressure, they ended up being honest.

“You guys can’t raise your hands, huh? During the festival, there were several boys who pretended not to see. Of course, not everyone here was in that situation, and it might be natural for Raito-kun, who is my boyfriend, to come to my rescue. However, there are people who can’t do that ‘natural’ thing, you know?”

She’s not usually a talkative person, but her being talkative now conveys that she’s serious.

“At the very least, he is someone who would try to protect me even if he himself is in danger. I also know that he’s a kind person who can adjust his perspective to match the other person’s. If you continue to speak ill of him, as his girlfriend, I will get angry, okay?”

It seems like her final words were decisive. Those in the classroom looked embarrassed and lowered their heads, while those in the corridor sneakily made their escape.

No one wanted to make an enemy out of Misaki, who was admired throughout the school.

“Phew… sorry about that. Want to sit?”

With the conversation settled, Misaki directed a gentle smile at me. In response, I didn’t say anything unnecessary, just nodded and took my seat.

After confirming that I had sat down, Misaki returned to her seat, and our classmates, looking dejected, one after another took their seats.

It felt as if the class was being dominated by Misaki.

Of course, she probably didn’t want things to turn out this way, but the influence of her words was too strong and concerning.

For now, I decided not to anger her. It’s true that when a usually calm person gets angry, it’s really scary.