I’m an Introvert, but After Taking Care of the School’s Most Beautiful Girl Who Lives in an Apartment When She Was Sick, She Became Attached to Me and Started Inviting Me Over to Her Place! - Chapter 77

Chapter 77

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“…Huh?”

The flashy third-year’s voice dropped low, drawn down by Sorato’s tone. He stepped closer to Sorato and scowled at him threateningly.

“Oh, you finally turned this way? I figured if I didn’t say it like that, you’d just keep brushing me off.”

But Sorato showed no sign of being intimidated by the third-year. Instead, he returned to his usual easygoing demeanor, tilting his head as he spoke in a calm, contrasting tone. The third-year, on the other hand, was clearly seething, furious at having cold water poured on what he thought was a good moment, and he shot Sorato a glare filled with resentment.

“Do you even know who you’re talking to?”

“I don’t know your name, senpai. And you don’t know mine either, right?”

“That’s not what I’m asking. I’m asking who the hell you think you are, butting in like this.”

In an instant, the air in the classroom froze another degree. It was so quiet it felt as though no one else existed besides them.

“Who do I think I am, huh… Well, putting that aside, how about you let go of Natsuki-san’s hand? She clearly doesn’t like it.”

“Huh~? That’s not true. Right? You’re happy we invited you, aren’t you?”

Switching completely from his earlier tone, Sorato spoke gently as if making a suggestion, turning his gaze to Kaon, who had been getting swept along at his side.

Now’s your chance.

Sensing Sorato’s look, Kaon gave a small nod in response.

“—P-please stop…”

For just a moment, the third-year’s grip loosened. Seizing that opening, Kaon shook his hand off and took a large step back, directing a gaze of fear and contempt at him.

“Ahh, come on! …Things were going so well, and some gloomy nobody had to ruin it. How are you gonna make this up to me?”

Despite being blatantly rejected, he stubbornly believed that her attitude toward him was nothing more than embarrassment-born shyness. And with his mood thoroughly spoiled, he turned the completely unreasonable brunt of his anger toward Sorato.

“Make it up to you? All she did was shake your hand off, and you’re taking it out on me. Don’t you think that’s pathetic, no matter how you look at it?”

“…You’re really getting on my nerves. I’m seriously starting to get pissed off now.”

“You’ve been pissed off this whole time. Oh. Don’t tell me, is this where you go, ‘Now I’m getting serious!’ or something?”

Sorato’s deliberately provocative remark finally made a vein bulge on the third-year’s forehead.

“With that many piercings that violate school rules, are you really that desperate to look tough?”

“That’s still better than being a creepy loser like you. I’m more handsome, I’ve got money. I’m taller than you, and my voice is better too. You don’t get to talk back to me, you damn nobody.”

He deliberately positioned himself to emphasize the physical difference between himself and Sorato, folding his arms proudly. Even so, Sorato’s gaze didn’t change. He remained relaxed, never letting the unyielding flame hidden deep within him go out. Letting out an exaggerated sigh, he shrugged and began speaking in a languid tone.

“Thaaat’s exactly why I’m saying your way of thinking is lame. You threaten people with intimidating words, shut them up, and then force things your way. What are you, an elementary schooler throwing a tantrum?”

“What are you even trying to say? You come out here all fired up with a scrawny body, and now you’re giving me a polite little lecture? Who do you think you are?”

Growing thoroughly fed up with the flashy guy’s argument, which had already lost the point entirely, Sorato raised his voice slightly and pushed back again.

“…Who do you think you are? This is a second-year classroom. You barged in where everyone was eating and having fun, ruined the atmosphere, and then forcibly put your hands on Natsuki-san. …Did your brain regress all the way back to being a toddler?”

“Y-you…!”

Provoked beyond his limit by Sorato’s tone, the flashy guy finally clenched his fists and stomped forward, swinging his arm high—

Here it comes!!

As the flashy guy closed in right before him, Sorato caught sight of a familiar figure out in the hallway and spun around sharply. Then, drawing in a huge breath, he used all his air to shout at the top of his lungs.

“TEACHERRRR! HEEEEELP MEEEEEE!!!”

“!? Suzuya! What’s going on—Arai! What are you doing!?”

Yes. Just as the fist of the frustrated senpai was about to come down on Sorato, their homeroom teacher, Tanaka, happened to be passing by. Peering hurriedly into the classroom, Tanaka rushed over to the flashy guy called Arai.

“Tch! Let go of me!?”

“Quiet! You were about to hit a junior!”

Even with the teacher present, Arai tried to resist, attempting to shake off Tanaka’s grip on his wrist. But as expected of a P.E. teacher, Tanaka didn’t give an inch, despite Arai’s larger build. And when Arai started struggling violently, Tanaka finally barked at him.

“—That’s it. I’m telling your mother this time!”

“““…Huh?”””

At that moment, Sorato, Tenma, and Kohaku’s voices perfectly overlapped.

“W-wait! Don’t do that! Hey!?”

“Just come with me! You’re going to student guidance!”

As everyone was thrown into confusion, Tanaka—apparently knowing something about the situation—dragged away the thoroughly shaken Arai and left the classroom.

“With all that bravado, a mama’s boy…”

“Guess that’s what you call a gap.”

The two placed their hands on Sorato’s shoulder as if to say “good work,” while also looking bewildered by the unexpected revelation that Arai might be a mama’s boy. Just moments ago he’d been wearing a smug, confident grin, yet the instant Tanaka mentioned his mother, he’d only resisted verbally and hadn’t put up any physical struggle at all.

“I really don’t get how people like that think…”

“Yeah. And I don’t want to.”

“Phew… that was scary…”

Looking utterly exhausted, Sorato slumped into a chair by the wall and weakly leaned back against it. This tension was completely different from what he’d felt with Kaon. His heart was pounding violently. His legs had actually been shaking, and he hadn’t even prepared words to smoothly handle the situation.

The other guy had been far taller than him, with a practiced, intimidating presence. If Tanaka hadn’t shown up at just the right moment, Sorato might’ve been beaten senseless by now. To be honest, he had no calculation that he could win. But there had been something he absolutely couldn’t give up.

Even as exhaustion washed over him and his body resisted moving, Sorato still had one more thing he needed to do. Slowly, he stood up from the chair.

“Still, you really went for it, Sorato. There’s no way I could’ve done that.”

“Yeah. I’m honestly terrible with people who seem that persistently nasty.”

Passing by Tenma and Kohaku as they talked, Sorato walked over to the group of female students gathered near the windows.

“Um… are you okay?”

“Yeah, thank you, Suzuya-kun!”

“No problem. I was getting kind of annoyed too while hearing it from the side. So thanks for giving me a chance to vent.”

Sorato gave a weak, droopy smile and told a convenient lie in front of everyone so their relationship wouldn’t be exposed.

(Liar.)

Without getting further involved or starting any more conversation, he returned to his friends. Watching his retreating back with a gentle, relieved smile, Kaon murmured that in her heart.

(Not just a little… you got really angry for my sake, didn’t you?)

Because she knew his sunlike kindness and his calm, rainlike smile so well, Kaon could say it with certainty. Sorato had, for once, let his emotions show and vented his anger. And once they’d decided not to make their relationship public at school, they had to act with the same distance as before. Inside him, that promise and the scene before his eyes must have tangled again and again. Dutiful as he was, Sorato had been caught between his feelings.

But in the end, he prioritized what mattered most and saved Kaon.

“—Eh!? R-really!?”

“But—”

“Sorato-kun is actually kinda…!”

“That—!”

Triggered by a single voice, the classroom erupted into chatter in an instant. It felt even noisier than before the incident, and the two who were waiting for Sorato to return to his seat watched the scene with fond smiles.

“Woo~ look at you, popular.”

“You became a hero, but now Natsuki-san’s surrounded again… are you really going to be able to keep your relationship hidden?”

“Honestly, I’m not confident anymore… I didn’t care when I was seeing her popularity as just another guy in the background, but as her boyfriend, there’ll be no end to it if I react to every single thing like this…”

“Being a beautiful girl’s boyfriend is tough, huh?”

“Well, we’ll help out a bit too.”

Having reaffirmed his resolve as her boyfriend, Sorato couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the thorny path ahead of him. But…

—Because it’s Kaon’s request, I’ll behave… But if you do anything weird, I’ll punch you, you bastards…! I couldn’t punch anyone like I swore this morning, but I protected her properly. So for now… that’s good enough.

Sorato, step by step, seemed to be breaking out of the shell of his former, timid self.

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