I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 35

Chapter 35: I’m Happy

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《Hiroko Anno’s POV》

The chime for the final day of tests rang. The moment I put down my pencil, the strength left my shoulders. But this time, I had the most confidence I’d ever had. I took one deep breath and gently stroked the vocabulary notebook inside my desk. I remembered the twenty-five-minute times four sessions I had spent in the library with Mukei-kun.

We had agreed, if I stopped, I would immediately ask questions. I had kept that promise. Right before the entrance area, Mukei-kun was waiting. His uniform collar was neat, and when our eyes met, he gave me a small bow.

“Good job today.”

“Good job today.”

I said as well. Our voices overlapped. A warm feeling spread deep in my chest. When we changed shoes and stepped outside, he paused a little and then spoke.

“Hey, today… Do you want to go have a small celebration, just the two of us?Do you remember the café above the bookstore? I saw they have a limited-time soda.”

My heartbeat sped up. “The two of us” lingered in my ears. My voice nearly disappeared, but I didn’t want to run away. I touched the rabbit keychain with my fingertips to calm myself.

“Um… I don’t dislike it. Actually, I’m happy. …Yes, I want to go”

Saying it myself only made my heartbeat rise more. Mukei-kun nodded with his usual calm smile. We left school together and got off at the station with the big public library. We went up the escalator and entered the café. A window-side seat was open. The menu photo had a small “limited time only” written on it.

“I’ll get the red one.”

“Then I’ll take the blue.”

We finished ordering and sat down. There were many people around, but I could only see Mukei-kun. Every time our eyes met, nervousness and happiness came in turns.

“How was the last math problem?”

“I hesitated a little with the range after finding the vertex. But I didn’t forget to flip the inequality sign.”

“That’s great. Your confirmation of the antecedent in English got faster too.”

Being praised made my throat feel slightly ticklish. I asked in return.

“How was Japanese for you, Mukei-kun?”

“…For Japanese, Anno-sensei’s corrections really helped me.”

“S-sensei?”

“Yeah, Anno-sensei.”

“I-I’m not a teacher though…”

We both let out small laughs. After laughing, my chest felt even lighter. Our sodas arrived. The ice clinked. Even the small act of receiving the straws from each other made me strangely happy. We lightly clinked glasses with a quiet murmur.

“Then, good job on the tests.”

“Good job today.”

I took a sip. The sweetness of strawberry spread across my tongue and settled softly in my throat.

“This is my first time doing something like this. I’m happy. A celebration… Just the two of us..”

“Me too. I liked our library study time, but being able to talk like this is also nice.”

His words were so direct, and the warmth in my chest deepened. I didn’t look away and said to him.

“I’m happy too.”

After finishing our drinks, we stopped by the stationery section. A pale blue bookmark with a tiny rabbit design caught my attention. I hesitated, then chose that one. On the elevator ride back, Mukei-kun fell silent for a moment. Even when the doors opened, he didn’t move, and when I called his name, he blinked and said to me.

“I was thinking…”

I wondered what he had been thinking about. I didn’t ask, but it didn’t feel like anything bad. In front of the ticket gates. With the flow of people, it wasn’t a place where we could easily stop. Still, I wanted to say what I needed to say.

“Thank you for inviting me. …Please do this again. You know, something like this…”

“Of course. …But isn’t this a d-“

“D-don’t say it…!”

A date. This had definitely been a date. The exchange was funny, and we both laughed. Before I was pulled into the ticket gate crowd, he said “Good job” once more and I gave him an enthusiastic nod. 

When I got home, Onee-chan poked her head out from the living room. Her hair was tied up, and she held a mug with both hands.

“Welcome back. …That face means it’s report-time, huh?”

“Y-yeah.”

I put my bag on the table and took out the little bag with the bookmark. I placed it in front of my sister.

“Cute. It’s totally like Hiroko at first glance.”

“Today, I… I had a little celebration with Mukei-kun. Just the two of us.”

Saying it made the center of my chest heat up. My sister leaned forward over the table.

“Just the two of you! Nice. Where?”

“The café above the bookstore by the station. We drank the limited sodas… We talked about the test, and went home.”

I told her in order. I felt like my voice sounded calm, but I knew the back of my hand was slightly sweaty.

“How was it?”

“…I was happy. I was nervous. But there wasn’t a single unpleasant moment.”

My sister nodded with satisfaction and gently patted my head.

“You’re using more words now. Did you tell him you want to go again?”

“I did. I said, ‘Please do this again.’”

“Good girl. Next time, you suggest the place. Tell him you want to go to an amusement park.”

I opened my memo pad and wrote small notes.

・Next time… Somewhere to read that isn’t the library

・Amusement park

・Bench at the park by the station

・The bakery at lunch

Just writing them made my chest warm.

“Hey, Hiroko.”

“Yeah?”

“Mukei-kun said he ‘liked’ the library study time. And I said I liked it too.”

Saying it brought back the mood of today. Quiet, safe, and moving forward.

“That’s a good relationship. No need to rush, but you’re not standing still either.”

“Yeah. …I feel like I can keep trying.”

My sister smiled and offered me her mug. It was a cup of warm herbal tea. I took a tiny sip.

“By the way, what about that bookmark?”

“I’ll use it for exchanging books with Mukei-kun. It has a little rabbit on it, so it’ll be my mark.”

I slipped the bookmark into my light novel. There wasn’t that satisfying sound of the corners being protected, but the pages came together cleanly, and my heart felt calm.

“Hiroko.”

“Yes?”

“Today’s a day you can proudly say you had fun.”

My sister smiled at me. That made me happy.

“It’s thanks to you, Onee-chan. Thank you.”

“Come on!!! Hiroko, you’re way too cute! I feel amazing. My little sister keeps getting more adorable!!”

She reached out and gently touched my cheek.

“I love that expression. You did great.”

“Thank you.”

Today, I was truly happy. Ever since I met Mukei-kun, I had gained more and more things that made me happy and excited.

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