Chapter 12

“…I’m dead tired.”  

In the end, just as he had feared, things played out in the worst way possible, and in just a short time over lunch, Satoru was completely drained.  

Technically, his identity hadn’t been exposed, so he was unharmed in the end. But the unnecessary anxiety he had to endure was more than enough to wear him out.  

Not that blaming her for it would do any good—she’d just brush it off with, “You’re the one getting worked up over nothing.”  

To make matters worse, thanks to the whole Reika situation, the atmosphere in the classroom remained restless throughout the afternoon.  

Sensing the unsettled mood, the teacher grew increasingly irritable, which only added to Satoru’s misery.  

By the time the school day finally ended, he was completely slumped over his desk, utterly drained.  

“Whoa, you look wrecked. So, finding out Hatsune-san had a boyfriend really hit you hard, huh?”  

“Nah, it’s not like that…”  

She was the main reason, of course, but there was no way he could actually explain that.  

At the same time, letting people assume he was heartbroken could spread weird misunderstandings, which would be just as bad.  

So, he made sure to deny it, but the way his voice came out weak and unconvincing didn’t help his case.  

“That so…? Well, there’s always next time. Besides, you’re already talking to a girl just as beautiful as her, aren’t you?”  

“N-no, I’m telling you, I’m not heartbroken…”  

“Come on, no need to act tough. But you do need to move on, you know?”  

Something about the way he responded must’ve made Seiya think he was desperately trying to deny reality.  

Satoru regretted his weak reply, but honestly, no matter how he answered, Seiya probably would’ve said the same thing.  

For better or worse, Seiya always acted quickly out of concern for Satoru.  

That was just the kind of friend he was.  

Still, the way he was subtly trying to push Satoru toward Ruri was definitely not appreciated.  

It wasn’t just because of his relationship with Reika—Satoru simply wasn’t good with girls like Ruri.  

For an introvert like him, someone that extroverted was exhausting to deal with. And with how friendly she was with everyone, there was no doubt he’d get dragged into unnecessary trouble with other guys.  

That said, the last thing he wanted was to cause any issues for Seiya, who was trying to act as a middleman.  

Which meant his biggest challenge was figuring out “how to make her lose interest in him.”  

What the hell am I even thinking…? 

It felt awful to realize just how low his thoughts had sunk.  

But still, I won’t let Reika be the one to feel hurt.  

No matter what, that was one thing he refused to change.  

No matter how much she toyed with him, how much she made his heart race, or how many unreasonable things she put him through, just as Reika called Satoru “the most precious person to her,” he, too, knew without a doubt—Reika was irreplaceable to him.  

It was just that… he kept getting completely overwhelmed by her extreme ways.  

Which was exactly why, no matter how indifferent he acted on the surface, no matter how much he pretended to resist, in the end, things always went the way she wanted.

※※※

“Your phrasing today was pretty smooth.”  

“What might you be referring to? The part about being perverted yet a shy mess?”  

“No, no—that’s not the point. I never put that on willingly, so why did you make it sound like I did and paint me as some pervert?”  

“Ara, if you didn’t like it, you should’ve stepped in and said so yourself.”  

“Ugh…”  

At this point, their exchanges had become almost a routine spectacle. Not that Satoru was intentionally letting her take control—definitely not.  

“That’s not what I meant. I was talking about that line—’someone worthy of this school.’ That probably made most of the students assume you don’t have a boyfriend on campus.”  

“…Their vision is full of blind spots. How could they fail to notice that the best man is right here?”  

She seemed exasperated with the other students, yet for some reason, she was looking at him with a condescending glare.  

It made no sense to him, but he decided to continue the conversation anyway.  

“That’s a harsh take. Some people have taken notice of me, so you don’t have to go that far.”  

“And that’s only because you’ve started styling your hair and dressing the way I suggested, isn’t it?”  

“Now that you mention it… yeah, I guess so.”  

“And along with that change in appearance, you are not a virgin anymore and much calmer now.”  

“I mean, yeah, I can talk to girls normally now.”  

“Basically, I molded you into my ideal image, and that transformation happened to be well-received by the other girls. If I hadn’t stepped in, no one would have noticed you at all.”  

“Yea… can’t argue with that. If not for you, I probably wouldn’t be like this.”  

By the time people—Seiya included—started saying he had “changed” or treating him more favorably, he was already in a relationship with Reika.  

“So many people jump at things that already shine, without trying to polish rough gemstones themselves. That’s why they end up disappointed by small flaws and let go so easily. Or they get distracted by something else that glitters.”  

“That’s a unique way of putting it, but… I kind of get what you mean.”  

“If you take something you believe holds the greatest value and carefully polish it yourself, it not only becomes your ideal—it also becomes something you cherish, even with its flaws.”  

“Wait… was that a subtle dig at me just now?”  

“Of course. You have so much strength in you, yet you keep acting weak—it’s a little disappointing. Though, that’s part of what makes you adorable, too.”  

She had slipped in a critique of his shortcomings, but just as she said, it seemed she had also come to find them endearing.  

“That’s exactly why, no matter how many people start wanting the gem I’ve polished, I have no intention of giving it away. I plan to keep refining it and treasuring it for the rest of my life.”  

“…Hearing you say it like that is kind of embarrassing.”  

“Fufu. I’m complimenting you, so you should just accept it gratefully.”  

Hearing such straightforward praise from her felt strangely out of place.  

But still, it didn’t feel bad. Not at all.