I Was Unreasonably Dumped By My Girlfriend And Had My Heart Broken. When I Rescued A Beautiful Girl Who Was My Former Classmate And Idol In My Class From A Group Of Yarisa, My Gray College Life Started To Shine - Chapter 50

Episode 50: Anyway, Shizuoka is a Long

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Tokyo Station on that day was overflowing with people, people, and more people.

As expected, it’s said to be the center of Japan’s railway network.

I thought Ueno Station was quite crowded, but honestly, it doesn’t compare.

It’s probably because today is the first day of Golden Week, a long holiday period.

It took us twenty minutes from reaching the entrance of the Tokaido Shinkansen to get inside, and then we had to let two trains pass before securing available unreserved seats. Somehow, Aoba and I managed to board the Nozomi train bound for Shin-Osaka.

The train had just departed.

Fortunately, we shifted our reserved seats to a later time, so we wouldn’t bump into Asuka.

It’s been roughly two hours since we left home.

Well, there’s a specific reason for that.

I glance down at the souvenir bags piled up at the foot of the two-seater.

“…Did we really need to buy this much?”

Then I directed my question to Aoba, who was sitting by the window.

I’ve been thinking about this since we bought them.

“Well, you know, I have quite a few friends to meet up with. I can’t just go empty-handed, right?”

From deciding on souvenirs to waiting in the long queues of popular stores, all of this led to the current time.

What I bought, after some hesitation, was just a box of “Hiyoko” because I figured I couldn’t go wrong with it. Aoba, on the other hand, got around five boxes in total, including trendy items like strawberry tartine and lemon mini-tarts.

We bought them from various stores, so the bags are divided into three.

“Oh, it’s not like I’m saying Keito-kun doesn’t have friends?”

“Then, don’t imply it. Besides, I also have plans to meet up with some high school friends. There’s a class reunion or gathering.”

“I see… Is she coming too?”

I can tell who she’s referring to by “she”.

“No, she said she’s not coming, so I decided to go. It’s better not to run into her anyway.”

“I see. So, you’ll be meeting both high school and middle school friends?”

Well, there are no such plans.

I have acquaintances from both middle and high school, but I wouldn’t call them middle school friends.

I was about to respond when Aoba pointed at herself.

“Hikari would be in a different category,”

“Well, yeah, you’re also my university friend. Besides you, I’ll also meet some middle school classmates. There’s a girls’ party, will Keito-kun come too?”

“I’m not invited to class reunions. There’s no way I’d go.”

Or rather.

“It’d be rare if any of the girls among my middle school classmates remembered me.”

“I don’t think that’s true. I remembered you.”

Aoba tilts her head, but she’s one of those rare individuals.

Even when we were in the same class, I’ve been called “Nojima-kun” before.

When I said, “I’m not from an electronics manufacturer,” she apologized normally, and it somehow became awkward.

While I reflect on those bitter memories of youth, Aoba eventually takes out her smartphone from her pocket.

And, to my surprise, she switches it to the front camera and points it towards me.

“I’ll ask just in case, what’s the reason? Insta?”

“Unfortunately, I’m just a viewer there. I want to show it to everyone when we meet. How about it?”

“…Can I refuse?”

If it’s already out of my hands.

Honestly, I’m not particularly thrilled about it.

“Well, then I won’t show it! I won’t show it so can I take a picture?”

“…Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?”

“It’s fine, I’ll take a picture.”

It’s somewhat forceful, but if it’s not going to be shown to anyone else, it’s not worth refusing.

I lean a bit towards her since my face isn’t fitting on the screen.

But for some reason, she subtly moves towards the window, causing me to be out of frame again.

“…Sorry, was I too close?”

“N-No, it’s not that. Um, it’s more like… this is due to my circumstances… Yeah! I just wanted to get ready a bit!”

Aoba says so and uses her smartphone as a mirror to adjust her hair.

Her face is inexplicably turning as red as an apple.

What was there to be embarrassed about?

If I look back at her actions so far, this shouldn’t be that big of a deal.

Thinking that, Aoba once again holds up her smartphone.

“This time it should be okay! Can you come a little closer?”

The line sounded like she’s used to taking selfies, but her body doesn’t cooperate.

Her arm holding the phone is shaking, her face is still red, and she’s even tightly closing her eyes.

“…Is this really okay?”

“It’s fine!”

Still, Aoba persists in taking the picture.

But due to her closed eyes, she can’t even press the shutter properly.

I, who has become a makeshift smartphone stand, take over and press the button for her.

The resulting photo is disappointing.

Aoba, an exceptionally beautiful girl, has her eyes closed and is trembling slightly, making her image blurry. As for me, I have a plain, unremarkable expression on my face.”

No matter who sees it, it’s a mediocre shot.

“…Should we take it again?”

Even if Aoba were to retake it in this state, it wouldn’t turn out well, but I suggest it anyway.

“Y-Yeah!”

From there, we took several pictures.

Since we were using an app without a shutter sound, we shouldn’t have bothered anyone around us, but we did attract some attention.

We finished taking pictures when the train passed through Shin-Yokohama and entered Shizuoka Prefecture.

And the results weren’t great after all.

Feeling tired, or rather futile, I reach for the chocolate snacks I brought along and munch on them.

“Wow, I got a really good one!”

Such a casual action was captured by the camera.

When I saw the screen, it was a scene where I was putting a piece of chocolate into my mouth.
Since I didn’t think I was being photographed, I had a foolish expression, looking at Aoba, the photographer.

Personally, I didn’t think it was particularly good, but…

“Hehehe, this should have been how it was from the beginning.”

Aoba seemed satisfied on her own.

“Is it funny?”

“It’s not funny, but it’s very Keito-kun like. I’ll use it as a message profile picture.

She immediately starts setting it up.

I still don’t understand what’s so funny, but even so, her slightly smiling face right now is more attractive than the forced one she had earlier.

Thinking that, almost unconsciously, I take out my smartphone from my pocket.

Since she took it without asking, it should be fine to return the favor.

I launch the camera app and press the shutter.

Looking at the photo I took…

“…So, it ended up like this after all.”

In the end, Aoba, with her eyes closed, was captured in the picture.

“Well, you know, it was pretty obvious you were taking pictures. So, you want to take another one, more secretly this time?”

“…I’ll do my best.”

“Even though I’m already aware of it.”

“Then should we chat…?”

“Yeah! Then I’d like to tell you about the dream I had yesterday.”

With nothing out of the ordinary, our usual conversation begins to pick up pace.

―Meanwhile, the Shinkansen continues to run.

Well, still, Kakegawa. Shizuoka is not going to be out of the way at all.