I Was Oblivious to the Subtle ‘Yandere’ Side of My Nonchalant Sex Friend Gyaru - Chapter 24-25

Chapter 24: 

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

♤♤♤

“Hey.”

It was after school. Waiting for me at the front gate as I hurried to leave was Asou-san.

“Hello. We’ve been running into each other a lot lately.”

“I was waiting for you, Aoyama-kun.”

“Well, I figured as much. So, what do you want? If it’s about the other day—”

“What are you doing this Saturday?”

“What do you mean… Oh, right, we’re both off this week, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s our store’s once-a-month maintenance day. The manager’s only coming in for the morning, but he was all excited saying he finally gets to go on a date with his girlfriend.”

“That’s good for him.”

“So, what about you, Aoyama-kun?”

“I… well…”

Every time this happened, I regretted not having a hobby I could rattle off in moments like these. Until middle school, my weekends were always filled with baseball, so when someone asked what I did in my free time, I never had an answer.

“So basically, you’re free.”

“No, that’s not—”

“If you’re having to think about it, that means your plans aren’t that important. Come shopping with me?”

“Shopping?”

“Yeah. I actually have to buy something for a friend that day, but there’s a limit of one per person.”

“So you want me to come along so you can buy two?”

“Exactly. I’ll treat you to lunch, so come on, okay?”

“…I don’t want a repeat of last time.”

If her ex-boyfriend saw us together again and started something… This time, I was afraid I really might punch him.

“Oh, that should be fine.”

“Because I threatened him last time?”

“T-That’s part of it, but… I heard a while back that he’s supposed to be on a seminar trip around this time.”

“I see.”

“So that’s why, I’m really counting on you!”

“You could’ve just turned your friend down.”

“Well, they asked back when I was still dating him. I got all carried away and said ‘Sure!’ so now it’s really awkward to say no.”

“Then just go with your friend.”

“She’s got club activities. Geez, do you hate the idea of going shopping with me that much?”

“It’s not like that…”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll text you the details later.”

And with that.. Before I could say anything more, Asou-san practically sprinted off like she was making a clean getaway.

“Seriously…”

“Hey.”

“Eh—whoa!”

“What’s with that reaction? Don’t look so surprised when you see my face.”

As I stood there staring after Asou-san, a voice called out. When I turned, there was Kurenai, looking a bit sullen.

“W-What is it?”

“Nothing. I was about to head home when I saw you. I can talk to you at school, can’t I?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Come on, let’s go. We’re headed the same way anyway.”

“…Yeah.”

I’d thought Kurenai had already gone home, since she usually left the classroom ahead of me without waiting. But I guessed it’d be nosy to ask where she’d been or what she’d been doing. She’d probably just say, “Jealous? Gross,” or something like that.

As we left through the front gate, Kurenai walked alongside me. Walking home together like this—it hit me that it was actually our first time, and the different atmosphere of the walk made me a bit nervous.

“…Hey.”

“W-What?”

“You don’t have to act so jittery. Or is there someone who’d be upset to see us together?”

“There’s no one like that.”

“The person you were talking to at the gate—was that Asou-senpai?”

“You saw that? Well, yeah.”

“She’s beautiful. Is she your type?”

“Don’t talk like Yumekawa. Why do I have to get grilled just for talking to a woman?”

“Because.”

“Because?”

“…Nothing. She just looked like she was having a lot of fun with you.”

“She’s always like that. Even just now, she was asking me to go shopping with her on Saturday. That’s all it was.”

“…I see. So you won’t be around Saturday.”

“Well, it shouldn’t take that long.”

“Hm. So, what about that day?”

“What do you mean?”

“Should I… Not come over?”

“…What do you want to do?”

“I’m the one asking you a question.”

“…”

If I said I wanted her to come, wouldn’t it just make me seem like some guy desperate to sleep with her every day? It wasn’t like I didn’t want to, but… That wasn’t the point.

“…Well, I might want you to come.”

I just want to see you. 

But I couldn’t bring myself to say that out loud.

“I see. Then, let me know what time.”

Kurenai responded curtly. She answered and walked ahead. I followed a few steps behind her and eventually… My apartment building came into view.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Chapter 25: 

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

『Good morning! I’m planning for us to leave a little after nine tomorrow morning, so let’s meet at our part-time place, okay?』

It was Friday night. I was lying on my bed when I got a message from Asou-san. As I was secretly checking it, Kurenai, who was using her phone next to me, sat up and looked over at me.

“Is it Asou-senpai?”

“Yeah. She said to come to the part-time place at nine in the morning.”

“That’s early. I guess I should go home.”

After confirming what time I had to meet Asou-san, Kurenai started getting dressed.

“Well, we’re probably just going shopping, so it should be over by noon.”

“I see. Well, if it looks like it’ll take too long, I’ll just go home.”

“Got it.”

If we at least exchanged contact information, we wouldn’t have to worry about these misunderstandings. But I didn’t have the courage to ask.

I kept imagining her saying something like, “I can’t stand it. You’re only contacting me when it’s convenient for you,” and I just couldn’t bring myself to ask.

Besides, I wasn’t confident in myself either. I felt like I’d only reach out when I was lonely or wanted something. If that happened, I felt like our relationship would become even more hollow than it already was.

“Well, see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”

Kurenai left without hesitation. By the way, she said she didn’t need me to see her off. The past few days, she had seemed to be in a better mood, but today, she looked grumpy again.

◇◇◇

“Morning! Sorry about today.”

The next morning. When I got to the part-time place, Asou-san was waiting for me in front of the restaurant.

“Good morning. So, where exactly are we going for this shopping trip?”

“I didn’t tell you? We’re taking the train to the next town.”

“Wait, that’s pretty far.”

“You’re free anyway, right? So what’s the problem?”

“Well, I have a bit of something this afternoon…”

“Oh, you have plans? Maybe a date with that girl from before?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Come on, if we hurry, we’ll be back by noon. Let’s go!”

While Asou-san was full of energy, I couldn’t stop worrying about the time. Just getting to the next town by train would take us past ten. And I had no idea if the place we were going was close to the station or not—plus, we’d have to shop and make it back. We’d probably be well into the afternoon.

I should’ve checked what time Kurenai planned to come. If I was going to stress this much, I should’ve just worked up the nerve to ask for her contact info yesterday. If I kept her waiting, she’d probably be in an even worse mood.

As I followed behind Asou-san, that was all I could think about.

◇◇◇

“Wow, this place really feels like a big city.”

After we got off the train, a totally different scene unfolded compared to the station near our school. Right outside the station were big chain karaoke boxes, electronics stores, and coffee shops.

“It’s really developed here.”

“Yeah, a few years ago, a soccer team was founded here. That caused a boom, and it all blew up like this. It’s convenient for us, though.”

“So, where are we shopping?”

“Geez, don’t rush. We’re heading there now. It’s in that electronics store. Today’s the release day for the limited Lover Rabbits straps.”

“Again with those rabbits? I don’t get what everyone sees in them.”

“I know, right? But apparently they’re going viral online because they’re supposed to bring good luck.”

“Hm.”

It’s probably just some celebrity promotion working too well. If those mass-produced mascots really have magical effects, world peace would’ve been achieved long ago.

While thinking cynical things like that, I followed Asou-san. We crossed a big scramble intersection and entered the electronics store.

“Wow, it’s huge. Hey, look. There are so many restaurants too.”

“Yeah. But more importantly, where’s the sales area?”

“Good gracious. You’re so boring, Aoyama-kun. I think it’s on the second floor.”

We took the escalator up, and immediately saw where it was. In the big open floor, there was a single massive line stretching out from one spot.

“Do we have to line up there?”

“Whoa, look at all those people. But we came all this way, so let’s do it. Hurry, hurry.”

As we rushed to the end of the line, I noticed that most of the people already waiting were couples.

“It’s mostly couples, huh.”

“Yeah. Supposedly, besides helping you find love, the charm also makes things go well with whoever you buy it with.”

“Hm.”

They should just learn more about each other so they wouldn’t need to rely on good-luck charms.

But then I thought about myself and felt a pang of guilt. I’d never really faced Kurenai properly. I didn’t even know her contact info. Not once had I told her directly that I wanted her. I always left it up to her.

And yet, when she didn’t come, I got lonely. Even today, I told her to come over, and here I was out shopping with someone else.

Just what am I even doing?

“…Hey.”

“Y-Yeah? What is it?”

“Aoyama-kun…”

Snapping out of it, I found Asou-san looking up at me with an awkward expression on her face. Then, glancing down, she quietly asked.

“Aoyama-kun, do you… Do you have someone you like?”

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー