I'll Take Nanase-san, Who Is Small And Adorable, Away From Her Cheating And Clueless Ex And Make Her Happy. - Chapter 301: The Two Friends Whose Behavior Felt Off.

The Two Friends Whose Behavior Felt Off.

“Morning, you two. Walking to school together again, I see.”

“Reika! Good morniiiing! Listen, listen! Just now, Yuusuke-kun said—”

“Wait! No—hold on! That’s a misunderstanding! A total misunderstanding!! And Hiyori-san, please don’t look so excited to spill it!!”

“…It’s freezing outside, yet somehow you two are still radiating enough heat to warm the whole classroom. Honestly, I’d like to stand next to you just to thaw out.”

And so, barely a second after entering the classroom, I found myself desperately trying to stop Hiyori-san from reporting our earlier exchange to Hachimura-san, which in turn earned me a very warm, very knowing look from her best friend.

With a carefree nyahaha, Hiyori laughed, then glanced around the room before asking:

“Huh? Yuuki’s not here yet?”

“Yeah, I haven’t seen her either.”

Homeroom would begin any minute, yet one of their trio—Kumakawa Yuuki—was still nowhere to be seen.

As I followed Hiyori’s lead and casually scanned the classroom, something else caught my attention.

(Gakuto…? He doesn’t look so good…)

Yusa Gakuto—basketball club member and one of my closest friends.

Normally he was all cheer and energy, yet he sat slumped at his desk with an unusually gloomy expression.

Just as unease settled over me, Hiyori’s bright voice rang out beside me.

“Ah! There she is! Yuuki, good morning!”

“Ah… Hiyori. Morning. Morning to you too, Reika, Ogami-kun…”

She greeted us, but her voice lacked its usual spark.

It wasn’t just me who noticed. Both Hiyori and Hachimura-san leaned in, concern clear in their eyes.

“What’s wrong, Yuuki? You look kinda down.”

“Doesn’t seem like it’s just the cold getting to you either. Did something happen?”

“Ah… yeah. A little.”

As she spoke, she flicked a brief glance toward Gakuto—something I did not miss.

Between his earlier expression and her behavior, a suspicion formed in my mind, and before I could stop myself, I asked:

“Could it be… that something happened with Gakuto?”

“Eh? Ah—no, nothing like that. But, wow, you’re sharp. Not exactly right, but not totally wrong either.”

I let out a small sigh of relief. So it wasn’t a fight or drama between the two.

But it was also clear that whatever they were troubled about, the issue wasn’t unrelated to him. Sensing that as well, Hiyori and Reika pressed a bit further.

“So something did happen involving Yusa-kun? Now that you mention it, he does look kind of down…”

“If it’s hard to say, you don’t have to force it. But if you’re worried about something, talk to us.”

“Thanks… really.”

Their gentle concern drew a small smile from her. After a quiet sigh, she lifted her face and spoke softly.

“…Actually, I had something to do in the staff room earlier, so I went there… and ended up overhearing Tanuma-sensei talking with another teacher…”

“Tanuma-sensei? What did you hear?”

Tanuma was the advisor for the basketball club—the club Gakuto belonged to. So naturally, I assumed it was about club activities.

Judging by Yuuki’s expression, it wasn’t going to be good news.

But even then, the truth exceeded every bad possibility I had imagined.

“…They said the basketball club is being suspended.”