I Was a Loner Who Tried Finding an Otaku Friend on a Matching App and Ended Up Matching with the Number-One Beauty Who Won the University Miss Contest - Chapter 21-22

Chapter 21: Miss Con Queen and Shopping (A Bad Premonition)

I just went along with what Yui-san wanted, and we headed from the cafeteria to the co-op supermarket near the university.

It looked like Yui-san was gonna cook something and treat me…

Since she offered it herself, she’s probably pretty good at cooking. Probably. Definitely, maybe.

But honestly, forget the cooking part—somehow the conversation ended up with Yui-san coming to my room. Is this really okay?

“Top-ranked Southeast University Miss Con Queen sneaks into underclassman guy’s room for a secret date ♡”

I could already see that exact headline popping up in some weekly gossip mag inside my head.

No way, right? There’s no chance the Miss Con queen actually gets sniffed out by tabloids… right?

“We’re going in, Akito-kun. Grab a basket.”

“Y-yeah, got it.”

The second we stepped inside the store, the smell of fresh produce totally took over my nose.

Ahh, this scent kinda calms me down, y’know?

“Okay okay, Akito-kun. Now that we’re here at the supermarket, I’ve got one warning for you.”

“Warning?”

What’s she gonna say?

Maybe stuff I don’t like to eat since she’s cooking?

Or maybe something about what she’s planning to make?

“Um, so…”

“Y-yeah?”

Yui-san suddenly got this super serious look on her face, so I kinda braced myself without thinking.

“Snacks… are capped at 1000 yen, okay?”

……Huh?

Snacks?

“W-wait, snacks? And 1000 yen is way too generous—like, that’s some insanely sweet home life!”

“Eh? But lately if you buy the industrial-size super-jumbo potato chips, the industrial-size super-jumbo chocolate, and the industrial-size super-jumbo soda, it goes over 1000 yen super fast?”

“That’s only because you’re buying way too many of those giant industrial packs! Normal sizes don’t go over!”

I had no idea how to even react to that joke—or whatever it was—because I couldn’t tell if she was actually joking.

“More importantly, we’re just eating lunch in my room. Why are you trying to buy giant industrial packs of snacks in the first place? If you leave leftovers in my room and I have to slowly eat them over days, that’s gonna be a problem for me.”

“It’s fineee~ Even if we can’t finish today, next time I come over I’ll just eat them~”

“Oh, really? Then… wait, hold up a second!”

Did she just casually say “next time I come over” like it was the most normal thing ever?

“Yui-san… you’re not planning to come over just today, but like… multiple times, are you?”

“Eh, is that not okay? One time or two times, what’s the difference~”

One or two times!?

Was my assumption that this was a one-and-done thing completely wrong!?

Do extroverts just automatically turn “visited once” into “coming over all the time”!?

A-and if this keeps going and my room turns into Yui-san’s hangout spot or something…

“Southeast University’s #1 Miss Con Queen makes repeated visits to underclassman guy’s room ♡”

That headline better not happen!!!???

“You’re hating the idea that much… so is there maybe something in your room you don’t want me to see?”

“N-no, there isn’t… anything like that.”

“Suspicious. Guess I’ll have to come check regularly from now on!”

“Seriously, what for!?”

Yui-san was saying all this super cheerfully, but there’s literally nothing fun in my room for her to see.

Well, once she comes today she’ll realize it’s just light novels everywhere and there’s nothing to play with, so she’ll probably get bored and stop coming eventually.

“Yui-san, let’s put the whole ‘coming regularly’ discussion on hold for later, okay?”

“You really don’t want me coming over that bad!?”

“Flip it around—would you want a guy friend like me coming over to your room multiple times?”

“Jeez… Akito-kun, you perv ♡”

“Why do you immediately twist it that way!”

She’s been completely dominating this whole conversation and it’s kinda frustrating, but I gotta get us back on track.

“Anyway, let’s just focus on today. What are you gonna cook for me? The ingredients depend on that.”

“Today it’s gonna be everyone’s absolute favorite~”

“That’s exactly why I’m asking what it is!”

“You’ve got no sense~ You’ll find out when it’s done, so just wait patiently ♡”

While saying that, Yui-san was already super quick about picking ingredients and tossing them into the basket I was holding.

…Am I the only one getting an even worse gut feeling right now…?

—

Chapter 22: How About the Reward of Getting Your Butt Kicked by the Miss Contest Queen?

Yui ended up tossing whatever meat and veggies into the cart kinda randomly, and just like she said earlier, she also grabbed a bunch of bulk snacks and drinks.

Before we went into the supermarket she was empty-handed and super light, but who would’ve thought we’d walk out with both hands stuffed full of shopping bags…

“Ugh, sorry for making you carry stuff, Akito-kun.”

“Well, I’m the one who’s gonna get fed, so honestly… I’m kinda glad you ended up paying too, y’know?”

“No no, it’s fine! I’m your senpai, after all! Let me do at least this much.”

Yui puffed out her big chest proudly while making it bounce and jiggle with every step.

Every single time she gets all confident like this, I think the same thing—girl, you’re already huge, so can you please stop thrusting your chest out like that? It makes it impossible not to stare.

I mean, yeah, I could just look away, but c’mon… I’m a guy. It’s physically impossible.

“So, like, how many more minutes to your place from here, Akito-kun?”

“It’s about ten minutes from campus, so from here it’s probably six minutes or so. Just turn right at the next intersection and it’s right along the main street.”

“Roger that~!”

Yui gave a cheerful little salute and started walking side by side with me.

Surprisingly, her steps were pretty small and kinda slow, so I made sure to match her pace.

…But yeah, I still can’t stop wondering.

I glanced at her profile while thinking.

“Yui-san, um… there’s something I’ve been wondering about.”

“Hm? What’s up?”

“Why are you always so nice to me? You’ve got tons of other friends, right?”

I just asked her straight up since it was bugging me.

Sure, we became friends through that crazy perfect matching thing, but the one who felt all “fate!” about it was regular old me. To Yui-san—the literal Miss Contest queen—it probably wasn’t some big destined moment or anything.

So why the heck is she always hanging around me like this?

“…Wait, am I being annoying?”

“No, that’s not—wait, what would happen if I said you were annoying?”

“Right now, in the middle of this busy street, I’d start bawling like ‘Waaah waaah!’ and scream ‘How could you abandon me like that?!’ over and over till you’re dying of embarrassment.”

“…Okay yeah, you’re not annoying at all.”

I answered instantly to dodge Yui-Woof mode.

“Phew~ Good, I was worried for a sec.”

“You literally just forced me to say it, though.”

I gave her a deadpan stare while she grinned all carefree.

“But seriously… you’re not annoying. Like, at all. Actually, I’m really happy about it.”

“Huh? You’re happy?”

“Yeah. Before I matched with you, I literally had zero friends.”

Sure, sometimes she gets a little overwhelming, but deep down I actually love how much attention she gives me—even when it’s too much.

Like with the part-time job thing before, and even right now.

“Having someone who actually talks to me is already awesome, and then that someone is you—someone who’s cute on the outside and the inside? Of course I’m happy.”

“…! O-outside a-and inside… cute…”

“Uh, Yui-san?”

“Wha—! That was a joke just now, right? You’re just getting revenge ‘cause I always tease you! Yeah yeah, I get it! I totally get it~! I’m the senpai here so I’m totally chill about that stuff~!”

“What are you even muttering to yourself…”

Yui’s cheeks were bright red as she pouted and kept spilling out a bunch of weird excuses under her breath.

“Anyway, Akito-kun, you’ve got the same hobbies as me, we click when we talk, plus you’re fun to tease—so of course I wanna hang out with you. I don’t have to act like a perfect honor student around you, so it’s relaxing.”

“Um… you’re still mumbling. And your face has been red this whole time. You okay?”

“I’m not red!”

“Sigh… Y’know, Yui-san, you’ve got a bit of that ‘tsundere-but-actually-super-twisted’ vibe going on sometimes.”

“Sh-shut up!”

And with that, Yui delivered a light kick right to my butt—like that one famous anime opening move.