01 –  Hey he-hey, you, y-you, you Cutie over there

After the end-of-July closing ceremony, I was enjoying the sense of freedom from school and thinking about what to do next.

Should I play games? No, binge-watching anime is tempting too. Or maybe I should check out that manga I was curious about the other day—

“Whoa, this is bad. I can’t stop grinning.”

School can be tough, but the relief after it ends is irresistible.

I packed up my things and stood up.

“Whoa! What’s up with those grades? That’s so dumb!”

The door at the back of the classroom was blocked by some outgoing students discussing their grades.

It seemed like they were pretty worked up, so it wasn’t a good time to ask them to move. I gave up and headed toward the door at the front, which was farther away.

“And then, that guy—”

“Hahaha! What’s that? It’s too funny!”

At the teacher’s desk, another group of outgoing students was having a lively conversation about something else.

A flashy guy with blonde hair and piercings was being discussed by a girl with a loud, high-pitched laugh, making a big show of it.

They were even more flamboyant than the group blocking the back door. They openly broke school rules and, if called out, would retaliate.

Rumor has it that he’s frequently out on the town at night.

Fortunately, the door at the front wasn’t blocked since the students were gathered around the teacher’s desk, so I tried to sneak past them quietly.

But—

“Ah!”

Before I knew it, my body had spun around, and my vision was filled with the classroom floor.

I had tripped.

It was probably because of the umbrella which was left leaning against the desk, which had stuck out into the hallway.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch.”

Fortunately, I hadn’t hit the ground face-first, and I didn’t seem to be injured.

Just as I was about to stand up as if nothing had happened—

“Gahaha, you’re so lame! You fell in the classroom!”

Hah, this is the worst.

When I looked up, the flashy blonde delinquent from earlier was pointing at me and laughing.

“Ahahaha.”

I forced a wry smile and tried to quickly leave the scene.

Or at least, that was the plan.

“Ugh…”

Suddenly, the back of my collar was grabbed, and my neck was being choked.

“Hold on a sec, Otaku-kun. Since we’ve got you here, why don’t you listen to me for a second?”

“Come on, Kento, don’t be mean to Otaku-kun,” said the girl next to him.

However, her face and voice still carried a mocking smile.

Wait, wait, wait, I’ve seen this exact situation in light novels and dramas before.

Please, God, let me go home like this. I’ll do anything…!

“It’s fine, Mika. Otaku-kun… you know, I actually have a girlfriend,” the delinquent, who was called Kento, started talking.

It seemed there was no escape for me.

Even the more introverted students around me were looking at me with pitying eyes.

“Oi Otaku, are you listening?”

“Y-yes!”

“So, you know, my girlfriend’s been really cold since we started dating. Yesterday, she rejected me because of a test, and before that, when I just tried to touch her, she slapped my hand away. Isn’t that awful?”

Isn’t that 100% your fault?

I thought that, but there was no way I was going to say it out loud.

“That’s the worst. Why don’t you just break up with her?”

“But she’s got big bre**ts and a cute face,”

“Wow, Kento, you’re such a perv!”

The other flashy guys in the group teased him.

“Shut up. Anyway, Otaku-kun, help me out here.”

With a smirking face, the delinquent Kento said this to me.

I knew exactly what to do in this situation.

“Uh, well, I don’t have any experience with romance, so I don’t really know what to do…”

My ultimate move—try to brush it off with a smile.

Please, just give up.

And please, never talk to me again.

“That’s not it. I actually came up with a brilliant plan just now… Hmm, yeah. It would be too cruel to just make you do it without knowing the plan, so if you understand what it is, I’ll let you off the hook.”

What’s that supposed to mean? It’s really irrelevant.

Since he’s a delinquent with a monkey brain, it’s probably something like forcing a confrontation.

“Well, um, maybe complimenting the other person a lot… or something?”

“What’s that? I’m not doing something lame like that… You have to show off your good side.”

“Huh?”

“You know, like showing off your good points by helping someone in trouble, like in dramas or manga.”

Aren’t you the one causing trouble with your hitting on and harassment?

I thought that, but the delinquent’s suggestion was more serious than I expected.

“But, is it really that easy to get hit on in such a convenient way?”

“Oh, that’s right. So, Otaku-kun—go hit on Sena.”

“Huh?”

After a few seconds, I realized what he meant and regretted not running away immediately.

“Hey, Hey, h-h-hey, you, you cutie over there.”

In front of the school gate, I stumbled over my words like a broken robot as I tried to talk to the beautiful silver-haired girl.

Why did it come to this…

“What is it?”

“I, um, know a place where the apple pie is really good… w-w-would you like to…?”

“…? What do you mean by ‘would you like to’?”

“Huh? Um… I-I mean… would you like to go together…?”

I was scrambling to come up with an answer, my mind going blank.

Seeing me like this, she…

“I’m sorry, but I have a boyfriend.”

She dismissed me with that statement.

Her eyes were very cold, as if she was looking down on me.

Of course, being hit on by some nobody with an awkward demeanor would be unpleasant.

Hang in there, me. Just a little longer.

“D-Don’t say that. The apple pie at that place is really good…”

At that moment, someone appeared from behind me and grabbed my shoulder.

When I turned around, it was the blonde delinquent with piercings in both ears—Kento.

“You sh*t, what do you think you’re doing hitting on my girl?”

“W-Who are you?”

I was desperately trying to play the part of the clueless creep, my voice trembling.

“I’m her boyfriend! How dare you scare my girlfriend like that!”

The delinquent raised his fist.

Wait, wait, wait, that wasn’t part of the plan…!

I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the pain.

“Hinno-san, we’re not done talking yet, so could you please not interrupt?”

For a moment, I didn’t know who had spoken.

When I opened my eyes, the silver-haired girl was holding back the delinquent’s fist with her hand.

“W-What? No, this guy was trying to hit on Sena!”

“Just be quiet.”

Her words were as cold as ice.

I was completely confused, having expected to be punched by the delinquent and not understanding what was happening at all.

“You’re inviting me for apple pie, right?”

“Y-Yes.”

“Sure.”

“………………………………………What?”

Silence filled the air. The delinquent was just as shocked as I was. Even after several seconds, I couldn’t process her words.

“Sure”…? Does that mean she’s agreeing to go eat apple pie with me?

No, that can’t be right. 

After all, this delinquent and the silver-haired girl are supposed to be dating… That’s why I was forced by the delinquent to hit on her—to give him a chance to show off by “rescuing” her from being hit on.

“Hey, hey, hey! Sena, you’ve got to be kidding me! We’re dating, and you’re cheating right in front of me, your boyfriend?!”

“Yes, that’s exactly what’s happening. So, I’m breaking up with you here and now. It was a short time, but thank you.”

“W-What…?”

“Shall we go?”

With that, she grabbed my hand, leaving the stunned delinquent behind. She then leaned in close to my ear and whispered—

“You know a place with delicious apple pie, right?—You’re going to take responsibility for this, right?”

She whispered those words.

Cold sweat trickled down my back.

I was forced to hit on a delinquent’s girlfriend.

And somehow, it worked—

Ah, so this is what they call a “shuraba”.

I somehow had a feeling there was no escaping this anymore.

(TL: so it’s in the title too, shuraba → mess, like um fighting between people, but contextually between women, or I guess related to love. Anyways, I’ll be doing this noberu too. This one gave good vibes so I started tling this. Well, Enjoy folks! don’t forgit to comment)