I Was Oblivious to the Subtle ‘Yandere’ Side of My Nonchalant Sex Friend Gyaru - Chapter 38-39

Chapter 38: 

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“Morning, Minato! Let’s have a good time today.”

Morning. When I arrived at school, Yumekawa greeted me like always. No, actually, she looked more enthusiastic than usual, but maybe it was just my imagination.

“Yeah. I mean, are we planning to go somewhere or something?”

“I told you, didn’t I? I want to check out your part-time job place!”

“I don’t remember you saying that.”

“Geez, you’re so cold. Besides, if we hang out at your part-time place and you have a shift today, you can just clock in to work right after that.”

“I’m the kind of guy who likes to keep work and private life separate.”

“Wow, so modern.”

As always, Yumekawa took the lead and kept the conversation moving on her own. Well, knowing her, she probably just wanted to see me working so she could tease me, or maybe she wanted to see me and Asou-san working together and tease me about it.

“Well, whatever. Anywhere’s fine.”

“Yay! But hey, if you’re so big on keeping work and private life separate, does that mean Asou-senpai’s love advice counted as private?”

“It’s the opposite. I was just looking out for her so she wouldn’t have to take time off, because it’d be a problem if she did.”

“Hm. Well, I’ll just take your word for it.”

While we were having that conversation, Kurenai came into the classroom a little late, like usual.

“Oh, Yuzu, morning! Are you feeling okay?”

“…Morning.”

Standing in front of my desk, Yumekawa waved her hand energetically and called out, but Kurenai just gave a curt greeting and went to her seat.

“Geez, Yuzu is so cold.”

“Hey, are you two really childhood friends?”

“Eh, are you curious? Could it be that you actually like Yuzu, Minato?”

“See, it’s because you say stuff like that that we end up having awkward conversations like yesterday. Don’t go trying to pair everyone up.”

“Haha, true. If we did that, then people would start asking about me and you, Minato.”

That casual remark of Yumekawa stuck with me a little. I’d never really thought of Yumekawa as a best friend, but I did see her as someone I could talk to about random stuff. But if either of us developed romantic feelings, I guessed even this kind of relationship we had would come to an end.

If by chance we both liked each other, that’d be nice, but love usually never worked out that conveniently. Complications like this were precisely why so many people had relationship troubles.  Well, I doubted that would ever happen with Yumekawa.

“Anyway, after school, alright? And don’t say anything weird to Asou-san.”

“Got it, got it. See you later, then.”

Finally, Yumekawa went back to her seat. I let out a quiet sigh of relief and turned my eyes away from her. That was when I felt someone watching me from somewhere else. Was someone staring at me?

I looked around the classroom, trying to pinpoint the source of the strange feeling, but no one met my eyes. Could it be Kurenai…? I thought as I looked her way. But Kurenai just rested her elbow on her desk, staring ahead with a bored expression on her face.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

Chapter 39: 

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“Welcome… Oh, Aoyama-kun?”

Right after school, when I arrived at my part-time job, the manager greeted me with a surprised look.

“Ah, sorry, Manager. My classmate wanted to check this place out.”

“Good evening. I’m Arisu Yumekawa.”

“Good evening, I’m Fujisaki, the manager here. Well now, Aoyama-kun, you’re quite the sly one, huh?”

“Manager, it’s not like that.” 

I said quickly while heading to our table. Honestly, why did everyone assume things just because I was with a girl? It made it look like I was some shameless player.

“Haa.”

“Hehe, so this is how you act at work too, Minato.”

“I don’t need to put on an act or anything.”

“Hmm. But it’s my first time here, and I bet a lot of our classmates come here, right?”

“Who knows. I’m too busy to notice.”

While we were talking, one of the staff came to take our order. Of course, it was someone I knew.

“Hey there, Aoyama-kun. Showing up with a company, huh?”

“Asou-san, please don’t tease me like that.”

“Ahaha, you really can’t take a joke. Um, Yumekawa-san, right? Do you remember me?”

“Yes, Asou-senpai. I kind of forced Minato to bring me along today.”

Yumekawa and Asou-san exchanged greetings.

Then Asou-san spread out the menu.

“Today the hamburger steak is our special.” 

She said before stepping away for a moment.

“Asou-senpai is so pretty, isn’t she?”

“Yeah, she gets hit on by customers all the time.”

“So while you were protecting her, the two of you started getting closer, huh?”

“You’ve been reading too many comics. That’s the manager’s job anyway.”

“Aw, boring. Hey, I’ll have the hamburger steak. What about you, Minato?”

“I’ll go with pasta. It’s easy to make.”

“Wow, you’re thinking like an employee. Hehe, that’s so you, Minato.”

Once we decided on our orders, we rang the bell, and this time the manager came to take them. After we ordered, Asou-san returned again a little while later.

“Thanks for waiting, here’s the pasta.”

“Thank you.”

“The hamburger will be out in just a bit, Yumekawa-san.”

Then Asou-san went back to the kitchen.

“Wow, that looks so good. Minato, can I have a bite?”

“Sure. Here, use this small plate.”

“Thanks. Hehe, Asou-san totally looks jealous, you know.”

“No way.”

“She is. Call it girl’s intuition. But don’t you feel anything? You know, after having someone as pretty as Asou-san interested in you?”

“I’ve never looked at her that way. If I fell for every pretty girl, I wouldn’t be able to watch TV.”

“Haha, true. So what’s your type, then?”

“I don’t really have one.”

“Yuzu.”

“Huh?”

She blurted it out quickly. Yumekawa’s cheerful smile vanished in an instant.

“You like someone like Yuzu.”

“Wait, how did you jump to that conclusion? About what happened yesterday—”

“So you don’t? Then you really don’t have anything going on with Yuzu?”

As Yumekawa leaned forward, Asou-san happened to come over with our order.

“Here’s your hamburger.”

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, she quietly set the plate down and left without another word.

“…Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“Ah, sorry… Itadakimasu. Mmm, it’s good.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Yeah. But really, you don’t have anything with Yuzu?”

“…Why do you care so much?”

“Because… Well, Yuzu is my friend, after all.”

“I see. There’s nothing going on between us.”

This conversation is going nowhere…

I thought as I shut it down and started eating my pasta. Yumekawa seemed to finally give up, slowly eating her hamburger while murmuring to herself, albeit the gloomy expression still fixated on her face. 

“It’s really good…”

Eventually, we finished eating, and Yumekawa said she was going to head home.

“Well, I’m stuffed. I’ll go home now. Thanks for coming along with my whim.”

“It’s fine. I’m starting work anyway. Get home safe.”

“Yeah.”

She stood up and reached for the bill, but I stopped her.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“It’s okay, really.”

“It’s fine.”

“…Okay, I’ll let you foot the bill then.”

Then Yumekawa left the restaurant alone. After seeing her off, I gathered our dishes and brought them to the kitchen. And with that, my part-time shift began.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー