I Was Oblivious to the Subtle ‘Yandere’ Side of My Nonchalant Sex Friend Gyaru - Chapter 44-45

Chapter 44: 

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“A festival, huh…”

I was on my way home from work. Looking more carefully, I noticed that posters for the festival had been put up along the roadside here and there.

According to what Manager had said, it was held every year on the day of Tanabata, and this year, since it happened to fall on a Sunday, the excitement was even higher. On the night of this once-a-year festival, there would be fireworks, too.

Apparently, couples who watched the fireworks together would live happily ever after. I wouldn’t have believed in stuff like that back in the day. But now, I found myself hoping just a little.

At the same time, I felt uneasy. I didn’t even know how to ask someone to go with me, and even if I did, I’d probably just get something like, “I’m not going to some dumb festival.”

Still. It wouldn’t do me good worrying about all that before even saying anything. I just needed to get my thoughts in order by tomorrow or the day after, before she came over again…

“Huh? Kurenai?”

“Good work at work today. You came straight home today, huh.”

“Ah, yeah. Wait, why?”

“It’s not like I have to come over right after school every time. It’s just better to talk at night. Besides, it’s boring at home.”

As I stood there surprised to see Kurenai at the front door, she knocked on it lightly and said.

“Hurry up and open it.”

I quickly unlocked it, and we went inside together. Once we were in the room, and she sat down on the bed, Kurenai asked something unexpected.

“Hey, are you going to the festival?”

“…Huh?”

“What’s with that reaction? It’s not that weird a question to ask. Everyone’s been talking about it nonstop.”

“Ah, yeah… I don’t have any plans to go.”

“I see. Has Asou-senpai or Arisu invited you?”

“Asou-san maybe, but why would Yumekawa invite me?”

“Well, that’s because… Never mind. So, are you working that day?”

“No, apparently even the restaurant is closed on that day. I heard all the places around here shut down.”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’s such a pain every year because everything is closed.”

Hearing the festival brought up made my heart skip for a second, but well—Kurenai was a local, and she was probably just talking about an annual event she was used to. Still, given the topic, maybe I could casually invite her?

While I hesitated… Kurenai said.

“Hey, would you come with me to the festival?”

I was so surprised my voice cracked.

“Eh?”

“Don’t make weird noises. Look, you might not know this, but it’s really inconvenient on the day of the festival. Even the convenience stores close. You can’t get food or even water unless you go to the festival.”

“Then why not just stock up in advance?”

“Everyone has that same idea, so the supermarkets have huge lines the day before, and everything sells out. I bet your workplace will be slammed too.”

“…Seriously?”

Hearing it was that big a deal, I started feeling a little weighed down.

I really hate being busy.

“Anyway, that’s the reason.”

“I mean, it’s just shopping. You could go alone.”

“I don’t want to get hassled by some weirdo. Or are you saying you won’t protect me?”

“N-No, I didn’t mean that…”

Even though I was honestly happy, I reflexively acted the opposite of what I felt and immediately regretted it. No matter the reason, the person I’d wanted to invite to the festival was now inviting me instead. There was no reason to say no.

“…Sorry. The truth is, I was thinking about inviting you too.”

“…Why?”

“W-Well, no big reason or anything. I just kinda wanted to check it out.”

“Asou-senpai didn’t invite you?”

“She did. But, you know, there’s that matchmaking legend about the festival, right? I figured I shouldn’t give her the wrong idea.”

“It’s okay if it’s me?”

“…You and I aren’t at the kind of stage where we need to worry about that stuff anymore.”

Again, what came out of my mouth was the opposite of what I meant. Kurenai simply responded.

“I see.”

“So, what now? It’s pretty late.”

“…I’ll stay over. Actually, I’m going to sleep.”

She slipped into the futon quickly and turned her back to me.

“Okay then, I’ll turn off the light.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“…Good night.”

I called out and got into bed too. The room grew quiet, and for a while, I stared at Kurenai’s back, thinking about everything.

If it’s with you, I wouldn’t mind being misunderstood. I wouldn’t mind if that bond becomes real. In fact, I want it to.

That was the thought that kept floating through my head. But for some reason, I just couldn’t put it into words. Eventually, as sleep began to pull me under…

“…Yo.”

Kurenai murmured something. But I couldn’t make out what it was and without asking her to repeat it, I drifted off to sleep.

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Chapter 45: 

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“Morning, Minato! The exams are coming up, huh~”

A few days had passed since I’d recovered, and it was about time for exams. But as always, Yumekawa didn’t seem to care about that in the slightest. She energetically greeted me in the morning like usual.

“Morning. Come to think of it…  Yumekawa, you’re good at studying, aren’t you?”

“Well, so-so, I guess. But you did pretty badly in the midterms, right?”

“Leave me alone. As long as I’m around average, it’s fine.”

“You’re not going to aim for university?”

“Who knows. I won’t know until the time comes.”

“Then you should study just in case. You’ll panic when it really counts~”

“Well, you’re not wrong.”

“Right? So, you have to study.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll do it when I get home.”

“That’s exactly what people who don’t study always say! Hey, we’re having a study group soon. Do you wanna come, Minato?”

“Study group? Where?”

“At my place, probably. Of course, I’ll invite some other friends too.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I—”

“It’s fine, right? Right?”

“…Like I said, I—”

“Okay, then let me know your schedule later!”

“Ah—”

Without listening to a word I said, Yumekawa walked straight back to her seat.

Seriously, what is she, my mom or something? She’s always trying to drag me into things. Well… I mean, if no one pushed me, I probably wouldn’t study at all. Maybe studying once in a while isn’t so bad. I should just accept it. But wait, all her friends are girls, right?

This might be kinda awkward…

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In the end, the study group was set for tomorrow evening. Yumekawa decided that on her own, and since I happened to have the day off from work, I couldn’t find a good excuse to say no, so I just let it happen. That part was fine.

But the problem was, she never told me who else was coming. Maybe I was overthinking it, but every time I tried to ask, she’d dodge the question.

“So yeah, that’s the situation.”

“I see… That makes sense.”

When I told Asou-san about it at work, she nodded like she’d figured something out.

“What do you mean, ‘makes sense’?”

“I’m just guessing, but… No one else is coming to that study group.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s because Yumekawa-san wants to study alone with you.”

“No, but why would—”

“Ahh, you’re so dense. Are you really not romantically involved with Yumekawa-san?”

“I’m not. We’re just classmates.”

“Hm.”

This time, her expression shifted as if her prediction had missed the mark.

“Well, either way, you need someone to help you study, right?”

“That’s true. But if it’s really just the two of us, I’d have to think about it.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know… It’d be kind of awkward.”

“But if you’re just friends, it shouldn’t matter. Doesn’t that mean you are thinking about her that way?”

“…I’m not.”

That wasn’t the case. I was thinking about someone. To be precise, about Kurenai.  I kept wondering what she’d think if she knew I was going to study with Yumekawa, just the two of us. 

That was all I could think about.

“Ahaha~ You don’t have to worry about me, you know? Anyway, good luck studying tomorrow.”

Laughing, Asou-san disappeared into the kitchen. Well, I’d like to believe that Yumekawa wouldn’t pull something like that. But if it did turn out that no one else was coming… Well, I’d deal with it somehow then.

Most likely, Asou-san was just reading too much into things.

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