I Ended Up Pretending to Be the Boyfriend of a Beautiful but Tough Classmate for Just a Month, but It Seems That She Has Awakened Her Yandere Tendencies Because of That. - Chapter 38

Chapter 38

“…Huh?”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

Did she just say she’s staying over?

“Don’t make me say it twice. Look, the wind’s still strong, and the forecast said it’d rain tonight.”

“What about your parents?”

“They never come home on weekends. They’re probably drinking somewhere and staying at a friend’s place.”

Takamiya said it so matter-of-factly, staring at the rattling window. Then, she glared at me.

“Don’t like it?”

“It’s not that, but…”

“But what?”

“Well, you know, how am I supposed to explain this to my parents?”

“Don’t worry about that. I already messaged your mom on Line, telling her you’re at my place.”

“…What exactly did she say?”

“She said, ‘If he’s staying over, take care of my stupid son.’ Haha, she’s definitely thinking something weird, isn’t she?”

Takamiya laughed as she said that, but it’s not like weird thoughts hadn’t crossed my mind too.

A high school boy and girl spending the night under the same roof.

Even someone like me, who’s clueless about romance, knows what that could imply.

Of course, I know Takamiya doesn’t have those intentions.

I know that, but still…

“Well, if it’s really necessary, why not invite Mika over too?”

“Mika won’t come here.”

Takamiya immediately cut me off.

“What? Why not?”

“Uh, well, she just likes her own house. She says she can’t relax in someone else’s place.”

“I see… But still—”

“What? Is there some problem with staying here with me?”

Her dampened gaze stabbed into me.

“…No, not really.”

“Then it’s settled. Alright, let’s prepare to stay up late. I’ll make coffee again—I’m boiling water.”

Suddenly, her mood brightened, and she happily left the living room.

Left alone, I looked around the spacious living room and noticed the large pendulum clock.

It was well past 10 PM.

Looking at the time, I gave up.

“Sigh… Of course, there are plenty of problems.”

Oblivious to my feelings.

You might not think anything of me being around, but I’m still a guy, you know.

It’s not easy to hold back.

What were you even thinking?

If this is your idea of perfectionism…

As your boyfriend, just how much are you willing to let slide?

♡

“Sigh… I’m going to die.”

If Mika were here, she’d probably laugh.

But this isn’t a laughing matter.

Spending an entire night with Suzukaze-kun…

I created this situation myself.

I wanted this.

And yet, my heart feels like it’s going to burst.

I stared at the water in the saucepan that refused to boil, trying to steady my breathing.

“I wonder if Suzukaze-kun’s heart is pounding too…”

He didn’t seem flustered at all.

He’s not the type to show much emotion anyway, so it’s hard to tell.

Still, he could blush a little, you know.

Or does someone self-centered like me not interest him at all?

Is he only staying with me out of a sense of responsibility and obligation from the promise?

Or is there something more?

Hey, I mustered up my courage, you know.

So sometimes, maybe you could…

♤

“Here’s the coffee.”

Takamiya brought over the freshly brewed coffee, placing the tray on the table with a slightly grumpy expression for some reason.

Her emotional instability never fails to baffle me.

“What’s with the face? Did the coffee not turn out well?”

“No, that’s not it. You just don’t get it.”

“What are you even talking about?”

“Never mind. Anyway, since we’ve got time, why don’t we talk about the election? I’ve been thinking about some ideas after consulting Mika.”

“Sure. Since we slacked off today, let’s do a quick meeting now.”

Talking about the election was convenient for me, too.

It’d keep my mind off unnecessary things.

“Alright then. Frankly, I think I’m going to lose at this rate.”

Takamiya stated calmly, holding her coffee.

“Yeah, I think so too. Even though there are a lot of girls, we’re completely losing the male vote, which is nearly half.”

“Not to mention, upperclassmen who don’t know me might split their votes elsewhere.”

“So, we need to secure those votes along with the girls’ votes. The more I think about it, the more impossible it seems.”

Determination and grit only work in shonen manga.

I already knew that, but as the event draws closer, reality hits harder.

“Ugh… I’ve thought of various speeches and pledges, but nothing stands out. Is this just going to end up exactly as Maria planned?”

“Anything but that. Serving on the student council with her would be hell. And she’d definitely target me.”

“…Sorry, it’s all my fault, isn’t it?”

“Blaming someone won’t help now. Besides, I don’t want someone like her as student council president either.”

I tried to dispel the gloomy mood with strong words, and Takamiya glanced at me.

“So, you want me to be the president?”

“Yeah, much more than Jinguji. No, I want you to be president.”

“W-Why would you say that…? I’m just a man-hating, mean girl.”

“At least you’re self-aware. And you understand people’s pain because of your own experiences. That’s a strength others don’t have.”

Her past trauma has made her a difficult girl with a dislike for men.

But I think Takamiya is kind.

She’s moody and emotional, but deep down, she cares about others.

That’s why, aside from Jinguji, no one seems to truly hate her.

If everyone could see that, then maybe, just maybe…

“…You’re overestimating me. I’ve never cared about how others feel.”

“But you do now, don’t you? You’ve faced yourself and learned to understand others’ pain. Not many high schoolers can say that.”

“…Yeah.”

Blushing slightly, Takamiya nodded shyly.

Just as I finished my coffee and was about to ask for another drink, Takamiya let out a yawn.

Checking the clock, I realized it was already past midnight.

“Whoops, it’s this late already. Let’s call it a night.”

“Yeah, I’ve been busy all day, and I’m exhausted.”

Stretching her arms, Takamiya yawned again, clearly sleepy.

As she gathered the empty cups onto the tray, she suddenly froze.

“What’s wrong? If you’re tired, I can—”

“No, that’s not it. Um… Are you planning to sleep here?”

“Well, if there’s no other room, I was thinking of taking the sofa.”

“But if my mom comes home, that might be bad, so, um…”

Mumbling, Takamiya hesitated before going quiet again.

As I tilted my head at her behavior, she murmured softly.

“…Want to stay in my room?”