I Just Wanted a Peaceful Life After Transferring, but I Fell into a Rom-Com Trap and a Hidden Battlefield No One Knows About

Chapter 13: My School Life is Always Full of Surprises…

“Finally done!”

After school, Sasaki-sensei called me over and asked me to tidy up the desk in the office.

It was a real struggle sorting through the mountain of files, but I somehow managed to finish the job.

After that, I headed back to the classroom as usual, gathered my things, and was about to leave—but not to go home. Instead, I was heading to the clubroom.

Because of the rumors that spread all over the school, I, who just wanted to stay unnoticed and live a normal life, ended up becoming the center of attention.

Not just me, though—Nakano Ouka, Tsunekawa Momiji, and Satohama Ayana, who were also caught up in the rumors, were in the same boat.

But their situation was completely different from mine. They were already famous in school, with tons of boys crushing on them, so most people were just surprised.

Meanwhile, I was a complete nobody who had just transferred in. That meant most reactions toward me were outright hostile.

Well, at least the girls and a small number of boys looked at me neutrally.

Luckily, the chaos didn’t last too long. The one who put an end to it was none other than our homeroom teacher, Sasaki-sensei.

Sasaki-sensei spread the word that we were all members of the same club, and the rumors gradually died down.

But because of that, I, who had always gone straight home after school, was now stuck going to the clubroom every day.

Of course, there’s no real club activities or anything.

In the end, even if I go to the clubroom every day, there’s nothing to do. The only thing I can do is read books. That’s it.

By the way! There was a time when I fought to protect a bullied student, but now I don’t get involved in things like that at all.

That doesn’t mean I neglect my studies, though! I’m not just some otaku!

I just… have some weak spots.

I suck at Japanese and English, but I do decently in other subjects. Though, I have no idea where I rank in class.

I mean, I just transferred here, so I still don’t know how high or low the standards are.

But at my previous school, I was always in the top 100. Never dropped out of that range.

So, I guess my grades aren’t too bad. At the very least, I can help my little sister with the stuff she doesn’t understand.

Anyway, back to the club. Every day, the only thing I do there is read. Whether it’s manga, novels, physics or biology textbooks—whatever’s in my hands, I just read.

Nakano and the others also do their own thing every day. Nakano messes around on her phone, Tsunekawa reads books like me—probably literature, but I’m not sure.

And Satohama practices karate, so I often can’t concentrate on my book.

But, well, it is what it is.

Speaking of which, ever since she first called me “Nagisa-chan,” she hasn’t stopped.

I’ve told her to quit it so many times, but she won’t. She even said the name is cute, so she’s keeping it.

I gave up. If she wants to call me that, whatever.

Anyway, that’s how things are right now. We all just do our own thing, occasionally making small talk. That’s the kind of club this is.

Officially, it’s a branch of the Literature Club, but in reality, Sasaki-sensei created it as a temporary group after talking to the Lit Club president to calm down the rumors.

It’s only a matter of time before it disbands.

When that happens is up to Sasaki-sensei, but for now, I still have to come here every day.

“Hello, I was asked by Sasaki-sensei to help ou—…huh?”

I arrived at the clubroom and slowly opened the door.

The moment the door slid open with a “clatter,” my eyes were met with—

Wait. What the hell is this!? Two half-naked girls!?

Oh, come on, don’t tell me I just walked into the wrong room and there are two girls in here wearing nothing but their bras!?

“Uwaa~ Pervert!!”

“M-Misaki-kun! Get out, now!!”

As their screams hit my ears, I finally realized what was happening.

Wait… aren’t those Nakano and Tsunekawa!?

Why the hell are they undressing here…!?

“This pervert! Prepare yourself!”

Huh?

I turned around, but before I could even grasp what was happening, a powerful punch landed square on my nose.

In that instant, my vision went completely black, my body lost all strength, and I collapsed on the spot.

“OWWWWWWW!!!”

The sharp pain shooting through my nose made me instinctively clutch at it while writhing on the ground. Who the hell just did that!?

“M-Misaki-kun!”

Nakano rushed over in a panic to help me up.

“Aha~ sorry, Nagisa-chan! I totally thought some pervy guy was peeping on us girls changing.”

“Oi! So you were the one who hit me!?”

Of course. This kind of punch—there’s only one person in our group who could throw one with that kind of force. It had to be Satohama.

And she just swung without even checking first!?

“Hehe, my bad~”

“You call that an apology!?”

This girl… she doesn’t sound sorry at all!

“Aha… It was just a misunderstanding, and Ayana-chan didn’t do it on purpose, you know?”

“More importantly, why were you two changing in here in the first place?”

“Well… Earlier, Momiji-chan and I went to the restroom together, but the pipes were busted, and when we turned on the water, it splashed everywhere. Our clothes got completely soaked… At first, we thought we’d have enough time to change before Misaki-kun showed up, but…”

“But I just had to walk in at the worst possible moment, huh…”

If only I had been a little later… Why did I have to open the door right then!?

…Wait, no! Hold up!

The real issue here is that they decided to change in a place like this in the first place!

They knew I was coming, and yet they just went, “Oh, let’s quickly change before he gets here!” Yeah, this is totally on them!

And yet I’m the one suffering for it…

“Aha… Really, I’m sorry, Misaki-kun!”

Nakano apologized, looking a little embarrassed.

But after getting decked by Satohama, there was nothing I could do about it. I just let out a long sigh.

“…Just my luck. Whatever.”

Muttering to myself, I pulled out a book from my bag, sat down like always, and started reading.

The girls went back to doing their own thing as if nothing had happened.