I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 29

Chapter 29: The Change of Mood in the Classroom

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《Sora Mukei’s POV》

On Wednesday morning, the moment I arrived at school and put down my bag, I noticed a slightly different presence mixed into the usual smells and footsteps.

“Good morning, Mukei-kun!”

Yua Miura waved her hand while sucking on a candy as she greeted me. She looked like a typical gyaru, but she was always up early in the morning.

“Good morning, Miura-san. You really like sweets, huh?”

“Yeah! I’ve got extras too~”

As I greeted Miura-san, Kiritani-san came over toward me.

“…Good morning, Mukei-kun.”

“Good morning, Kiritani-san.”

Until now, Kiritani-san had never greeted me. She kept it short, but her gaze met mine directly as she spoke. The classroom was still sparse with students, but even Miura-san looked surprised. Normally, Kiritani-san was polite and popular in class, but she was usually more reserved, so this was unusual behavior for her.

Could it be because of what happened yesterday?

“What’s this? Mukei-kun, did something happen with Mizuki?”

“No, nothing at all.”

“Liar! How suspicious!”

Miura-san looked skeptical. But there really was nothing, so I had no way to explain.

“Good morning. Mukei-kun, Yua. Huh? What’s with this atmosphere?”

Hino-san laughed, her ponytail swaying. The memory of basketball sweat came back to me briefly.

“Well, Mizuki just greeted Mukei-kun.”

“Really? Hmm, what’s your relationship?”

“Nothing at all.”

Even Hino-san was asking, so I explained to both of them that nothing had really happened.

Being greeted by three of the class’s most beautiful girls in the morning had caused the boys to stare at me intensely. Good thing Akira and Okabe hadn’t arrived yet.

“O-Oh, good morning, Mukei-kun.”

A little later, Anno-san greeted me, speaking a bit louder and clearer than last week.

“Good morning, Anno-san.”

Being spoken to by four beautiful girls wasn’t unpleasant, but it felt different from my usual daily life, and I felt a bit bewildered.

“Good morning, Sora.”

“Good morning, Akira.”

“Huh? The class is so noisy. Did something happen?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Is that so?”

I never thought I’d feel relieved just by looking at Akira’s face. When the short break chime rang, Kiritani-san came over to my desk.

“Mukei-kun, you’re on duty today, right?”

“Yeah.”

I looked at my name written on the blackboard.

“Could you help me bring prints from the science room for three classes? The teacher asked me to bring them.”

“Huh? Me?”

Normally, her friends and the boys would swarm around her.

“…You’ll help someone if they’re in trouble, right?”

Kiritani-san’s words echoed what I had said yesterday when I tried to help her from her big brother. She smiled with just one eye, showing a mischievous charm. I hadn’t known she had this side of her. I had thought of her as a serious, class-representative type.

“Okay, I’ll help.”

“Thank you.”

We walked out of the classroom side by side. Suddenly, I felt the gaze of my classmates, and Akira looked utterly hopeless. I wanted to step aside, but somehow, Kiritani-san’s eyes seemed to forbid it. In the science prep room, the prints bundled in a manila envelope were heavier than expected, weighing down my arms. I left a third of them to Kiritani-san and matched my steps with hers.

“Thanks for yesterday…”

She said it while looking at the corner of the envelope. She spoke quietly so the others around her wouldn’t hear.

“It’s nothing to thank me for.”

“Let me say it. I want to say it.”

She said that while lightly tucking her bangs behind her ear. For just that second, the hallway air felt a little sweeter. As expected of the top among the three most beautiful girls. Every small gesture was elegant.

“Is it heavy?”

“I’m fine. But Mukei-kun, are you really okay carrying that much?”

“…I’ve been training my body.”

“Wow, reliable, huh.”

A teacher waved from down the hallway. Once the handoff was done, she lightly grabbed just the returning envelope and said without looking back.

“Thanks, Mukei-kun. I might rely on you again.”

Her light footsteps faded. I exhaled once, and in the direction she left, I saw a shadow.

At noon, under the camphor tree, half in sunlight, half in shade, I tore a piece of bread and sipped milk. Anno-san’s lunch again had the tamagoyaki in the center.

“Today… You were talking with Kiritani-san, weren’t you?”

Anno-san spoke as I started eating.

“Yeah, there was a bit of something yesterday.”

“Yesterday?”

Today, Anno-san was more talkative than usual, and I somehow felt like I was being scolded for some reason.

“Yeah. I had the chance to talk with Kiritani-san and her big brother.”

“Her big brother?”

“Yeah. He’s blond and looks scary, but he’s actually handsome and a good person.”

“That scary blond man is her big brother?!?”

Anno-san showed a surprised expression as I explained.

“Yes. Is something wrong?”

“N-No!”

I wonder what happened? I didn’t push to ask further. After that, we talked about books, and before returning to the classroom, she waved her hand slightly.

“See you.”

“Yeah… See you.”

As I pulled the classroom door, the scent of mint reached me first.

“Ah, Mukei-kun, do you want some gum?”

“Thanks, Miura-san.”

“Hehe, it’s mint. Oh, and… if anything happens, I can talk to you, right?”

I realized her words were half-joking but sincere.

“If something comes up then.”

“Hehe, I’m counting on you to do just that.”

As she left, her expression seemed slightly gloomy.

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