In a World of Reversed Chastity, I’m Surrounded by a Clingy Older Woman, a Walking Red Flag, and an Exhausted Office Lady - 3

Chapter 3: The Landmine-Type Childhood Friend College Girl

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The time was 15:00.

“Yo, Renka.”

“Oh, Aoi. You look cool today too. Seriously, Aoi is the only one who wins in life.”

“Yeah, yeah. Quit saying convenient things and hurry up and work on the report.”

“Okaaay.”

After finishing my third period, I went to the meeting place as I had promised Renka yesterday. I had classes starting from first period today, so I left a note for Shinonome-san, who had been sleeping soundly, and quietly slipped out without making a sound.

Some people might think, “Hey, isn’t that way too careless?” But ever since college life started, the only person besides family who had entered my house was Shinonome-san. In other words, if anything went missing from my house, it would automatically mean Shinonome-san took it, so the culprit could be identified easily. So, there was nothing to worry about… that was part of it, but more than that, I simply believed Shinonome-san wasn’t that kind of person.

Also, it would have been pitiful to wake her up when she was sleeping so comfortably. Ah, but today was a weekday. If she had work or something, maybe I should’ve woken her up?

“Hey, Aoi? Did you get bored talking to me? Am I boring? Do you not need me? Am I unnecessary?”

In that instant, it felt like the air temperature had dropped several degrees. A chilling sensation brushed against my skin. When I looked beside me, Renka’s face was extremely close as she stared straight into my eyes. It was because I had been lost in thought and hadn’t been listening to her. If I made even one wrong choice here, there was no telling what she might do.

That kind of intensity seeped out from Renka. Sometimes, Renka ended up like this. If I worried about something else while she was right in front of me, this would happen.

“Ah, sorry. I was thinking about something. We’re friends, so I wouldn’t get bored talking to you. Your stories aren’t boring, and you’re not useless. If I thought you were unnecessary, I wouldn’t go out of my way to help you with your report, right?”

When I asked that, the intensity radiating from Renka faded, but she started to look uneasy.

“That may be true, but I’m anxious. You’re kind and cool, Aoi, so I worry that you’ll throw away a landmine girl like me.”

It was true that Renka liked wearing outfits that screamed the “landmine girl” look, and just like her appearance suggested, she sometimes spiraled like this. But fundamentally, she was kind and fun to be with. That was why I was with her.

“Being a ‘landmine girl’ doesn’t matter. You can wear the clothes you want and do the makeup you want. There’s no way I’d throw away a super cute girl like you, Renka. I’m here today because I enjoy being with you.”

When I honestly told her what I felt, her face quickly turned bright red. I had just said something incredibly cheesy. It was so embarrassing that I felt like my own face was turning bright red too.

“I-I see. Then… yeah, ehehe. I see. You want to be with me, Aoi. It’s good because it’s me.”

Renka loosened her mouth into a sly grin and covered her face. Come to think of it, Shinonome-san did something like that yesterday too. Even though their styles were different, Shinonome-san and Renka didn’t seem completely dissimilar. But rather than being a “landmine,” Shinonome-san had more of a languid, fleeting air about her.

If I had left her alone yesterday, it felt like she might’ve just wasted away as she was.

“…Hey, Aoi? What are you thinking about right now?”

A colorless voice whispered in my ear. When I looked beside me, the girl who had been smiling moments ago now had a face like a Noh mask, almost like an AI-generated face that barely seemed human.

I hesitated over whether to tell the truth, but instinctively felt that talking to Renka about Shinonome-san would not be a good idea. But I didn’t have the skill to tell a convincing lie, and I didn’t want to lie to Renka (because I didn’t know what would happen if I lied and got caught).

With no good idea coming to mind, I continued facing Renka’s Noh mask-like expression.

“Haah.”

She let out a sigh.

“I guess it can’t be helped. I won’t press any further. Everyone has things they don’t want to talk about.”

“Thank you.”

“But in return, make sure you properly think about the report with me. And next time, let’s go eat together.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

“No problem. I’m an understanding woman, after all.”

Renka puffed out her chest—one that was on the larger side and didn’t quite match her slightly childish, loli-like face—and declared that proudly.

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