Lonely Me And The Lonely Caring Goddess - Chapter 286: What Could Have Been.

What Could Have Been.

Monday morning, on the way to school.

“Man… even if it was just a practice match, getting that close really makes you uneasy.”

Natsumi-senpai was talking about the women’s tennis practice match that took place yesterday.

With the invitational match scheduled during the school festival, yesterday’s game had apparently served as the final real-world practice before the big day.

They hadn’t been so overconfident as to expect an easy win, but they had gone in thinking they could take it with some margin to spare.

“But you won, didn’t you, Natsumi-senpai?”

“Yeah, I did. If we’re talking individual matches, sure. But since it’s inter-school, it doesn’t mean much if only I win.”

“True enough.”

For the record, Natsumi-senpai apparently took her match in straight sets—exactly what you’d expect from the ace of the girls’ tennis team. I could practically picture the fan club going wild in the stands.

“Even if time is short, we’ve got no choice but to cram in as much practice as possible before the festival.”

“Mm. We can’t invite them all the way to our school and then put on a pathetic showing. Starting today, I’m roped into hardcore training too.”

“I see. You can’t let Yuuji see you looking anything less than impressive, right?”

“Y-Yuuji has nothing to do with this!?”

“Hmm. So you wouldn’t mind losing? No regrets at all?”

“Uu… that’s…”

“Fufu… Why not just admit honestly that you want to look cool in front of your boyfriend?”

“Still can’t be straightforward, huh.”

“Shut up!! Fine, I’m not straightforward, okay?!”

“Pfft…”

“Grr…”

Oops—dangerous territory.

Their banter was so entertaining I couldn’t help but laugh, earning myself a sharp glare from Natsumi-senpai.

Still, the way she gets so flustered when teased… that gap between her usual confidence and this vulnerability is honestly one of her best points (according to Yuuji, and I agree).

“Kazunari-san, do you have something you’d like to say?”

“I’ll hear it for him.”

“Uwaa… whenever it’s about Takanashi-kun, you two…”

Sara-san and Hanako stepped in front of me, blocking Natsumi-senpai’s glare.

Their tone was noticeably serious, enough to make even Natsumi-senpai falter.

“Isn’t it perfectly natural for a wife to protect her husband?”

“A big sister protects her little brother. That’s the truth.”

“Haa… fine, fine, I’m the bad guy here…”

Natsumi-senpai let out an exasperated sigh and drooped her shoulders in defeat.

Of course, even she knew the two weren’t seriously threatening her—but in the moment, I had no idea what to say either.

Well… at least it’s peaceful today.

***

“So you fill in this part like this…”

“Aaah! Don’t do extra stuff!!”

“Hey, it’s getting on my hands!?”

With the school festival drawing near, even after classes ended, the classroom had become a workshop. Groups working on signs, costumes, and decorations were busy from morning till evening.

Seeing it all really drove home how close the festival was getting.

“What’s wrong, Kazunari?”

“I just feel kinda bad sitting here watching without helping…”

“I get how you feel, but we’ve got our own student council work to do. It’s better to draw a clear line there. Besides, jumping in halfway when you don’t know the workflow would probably just slow everyone down.”

“U…”

Hanako-san was right, of course.

If someone like me—who hasn’t been following the process—started meddling, I’d need explanations and would likely cause more trouble than help.

That would be completely counterproductive.

“Hanako-san’s right~”

“You focus on the student council stuff, Takanashi-kun. We’ve got this covered.”

“Yeah, what she said.”

“…Got it.”

Yeah… I know.

Even though part of me feels bad for not pitching in when everyone’s busy, they’re all telling me it’s okay.

So I’ll respect their roles and leave it to them.

“Fufu… Kazunari is so kind… good boy, good boy.”

Nade nade…

“Um… Hanako-san?”

I’d just settled into my seat, accepting the situation, when Hanako-san reached over and began patting my head like she’d been waiting for the chance. Naturally, everyone around us could see.

It felt a little embarrassing right now, but seeing how happy she looked… I couldn’t bring myself to stop her.

So… well… it can’t be helped.

“…I’m finally starting to understand why Hanako-san calls Takanashi-kun her little brother.”

“…Same. It really does feel different from how you treat a boyfriend.”

“…But doesn’t that just make her an extreme brocon?”

“…Either way, I’m jealous…”

“…And on top of that… she’s with Satsukawa-senpai… ughhh…”

“Good boy, good boy. Kazunari’s a good boy.”

“……”

Umm… what do I do…

Hanako-san looks so genuinely happy that I can’t bring myself to tell her to stop.

At the same time, it’s starting to attract more attention than I expected, and honestly, I’m getting a bit embarrassed.

Well, it’s not like this will cause any new misunderstandings at this point, so that’s not a worry.

Still… how does it look from the outside, having a classmate pat my head in the middle of the classroom…?

“…………”

“…Yamakawa, it’s only natural you’d care, but…”

“…Shut up, I know.”

“…You’ve still got lingering feelings, huh. I get it.”

“…Uwaa.”

Slide…

“Excuse us.”

“Excuse u~s.”

“Pardon the intrusion.”

The classroom door slid open and three unfamiliar faces strode in without hesitation.

Well… “unfamiliar” might be generous—I don’t know that many people to begin with—but putting that aside.

What really stood out was how distinctly different the three of them were.

One was the textbook “I’m smart” type: glasses, intellectual aura, the whole package.

Another was a flashy guy who immediately started checking out the group of girls near the entrance.

The last one looked the most normal… but there was something smug and condescending about him. A different flavor of overconfidence from the glasses guy. I had no idea what he was so proud of.

A trio this mismatched was unusual enough, but were they even friends? They’d come in together, yet they were completely ignoring each other.

“Sorry to barge in, but is Takanashi—”

“Oh, there he is. Vice President-sama~ what’re you doing?”

“! …Ho? Cheating, huh? Pretty bold.”

“…Huh?”

I didn’t understand what they were talking about at first, but the moment their eyes landed on me, their expressions changed completely.

They clearly had business with me—and the fact that they’d come all the way here didn’t bode well.

As they started marching straight toward me, Hanako-san stepped forward and blocked their path.

This scene felt awfully familiar…

“Whoa! The student council’s angel-chan!? She’s in this class?! Damn, up close she’s seriously cu—”

“Kazunari, do you have business with him?”

“No, just ignore—”

“Shut up, sleazeball. I don’t have time to babysit kindergarteners.”

“Ngh…!”

Hanako-san’s merciless verbal strike left the flashy guy speechless.

At least the noisiest one had been silenced. Maybe we could actually get somewhere now.

“Kukuku… Calling him a kindergartener is surprisingly accurate. Suits an idiot perfectly.”

“What’d you say?”

“If you three want to fight, take it outside. And you—cute face, but that harsh tone doesn’t suit you. You’re talking to your seniors, at least use polite language—”

“Gross. Calling someone ‘you’ right off the bat is so full of yourself it’s embarrassing to watch. Trying that hard to act cool is just pathetic.”

“!?”

Hanako-san’s calm, cutting remark left even the smug guy speechless.

I hadn’t liked his attitude either, but I doubt he expected a girl he’d just met to call out his “character” so bluntly.

That actually felt pretty satisfying.

Also… these guys definitely weren’t a real group.

I checked their collars—second-years. Not that I had any intention of treating them as seniors.

“Pathetic. Whatever, these idiots don’t matter. Takanashi, we need to talk. Come with us.”

“…I don’t really—”

“There’s no need to move. We can talk here.”

“…Then let’s talk here.”

Fine… whatever.

Nine times out of ten, I could guess what this was about. If it’s what I think, the whole class already knows anyway.

“H-Here?!”

“What, you can’t even talk about it in front of other people? If it’s something that embarrassing, I don’t need to hear it.”

“No… I mean…”

“Sigh… You three can’t even muster the courage to talk about the girl you’re interested in in public? A guy like that thinking he can compete with Kazunari is a hundred years too early.”

“““Wha—!?”””

The moment Hanako-san said “girl,” all three of them froze in shock.

Meanwhile, my classmates wore expressions that basically said “yep, called it.” To me, it wasn’t surprising either.

Still… I should probably have Hanako-san step back soon.

“Hanako-san, thanks. I’ll take it from here.”

“…Okay. I’ll be right behind you.”

She nodded and… stood literally right behind me.

Right there?!

Well, at least she stepped back, so it’s fine.

I absolutely didn’t want her to stay on the front line and draw more hostility. If anyone was going to be targeted, it should be me.

So… now what.

I’d said we could talk here, but if things got messy, it would inconvenience the whole class. I refuse to back down when it comes to Sara-san, but that’s separate from causing trouble for everyone else.

Which means… moving locations might be unavoidable.

“Fine. If you’re going to embarrass yourselves here, that’s on you. I’ll be direct: stop hitting on Satsukawa-san.”

“Seriously. Because of you, weird rumors are spreading about Satsukawa-chan. Or are you the one spreading them?”

“Taking advantage of the fact that she can’t outright refuse because of student council stuff is cowardly. And spreading irresponsible rumors about being engaged? She’s troubled because of you. So back off already.”

“…Huh?”

What the hell are these guys talking about?

Of all the twisted interpretations… some people really are something else.

Plenty of people had dismissed the rumors as fake outright. But these three had actually grasped the content of the rumor and twisted it into the most convenient, off-kilter conclusion possible.

This was going to be annoying in a whole new way…

“I don’t know what rumors you heard, but Sara-san and I are legitimately engaged. ‘Hitting on her’? That’s just your wishful thinking.”

“F-First-name basis?!”

“Uwaa, so clingy~”

“Wow… the delusions are strong with this one.”

I wanted to throw their words right back at them—clingy, pathetic, all of it.

Because it described them perfectly.

“…Pfft… massive boomerang.”

“…There’s no cure for stupidity.”

Hearing Yamakawa and the others’ not-so-subtle jabs, the three scowled in irritation.

But guys like this are predictably stubborn and troublesome.

Talking to them reasonably would be a waste of time. The fastest way was to show undeniable proof and send them packing… but the problem was the proof itself.

A normal photo of me and Sara-san might work if they just didn’t believe the rumors.

But these types would dismiss anything short of ironclad evidence. A simple side-by-side photo? They’d find some excuse to nitpick.

Which meant…

“I’ve dealt with plenty of guys like you before, so I know talking is pointless. You’ll just keep throwing tantrums like kids until you’re forced to accept reality, right?”

“Hah?! What’re you even saying?”

“Your delusions are the ones that need fixing—”

“Shut up, idiots.”

“““!?”””

I deliberately raised my voice and applied pressure, taking the initiative.

Explaining in detail would be a waste of time. Right now, cornering them so they couldn’t talk back was more efficient.

Besides, if we could just get through until the school festival, I’d make sure these clowns never had room to fantasize again.

So let’s end this quickly.

“You’ve been acting like you know everything, but are you friends with Sara-san? Acquaintances? Don’t tell me you’ve never even spoken to her. I can ask her directly—so any lies will be exposed immediately.”

“…Tch.”

“…W-What the hell, this guy suddenly—”

“……”

“Can’t answer? That means you’re strangers. Yet you’re talking like you know her business? Then who said she’s troubled? If it’s not just your imagination, you should be able to answer, right?”

“T-This guy… just let him talk and—”

“You bastard—”

“Who do you think you’re talking to—”

“I’m talking to a bunch of idiots who can’t even face reality. Though I doubt your happy little brains can even understand that.”

!?

W-Why?!

“Hah?! Who the hell do you think you’re—… talking to?”

“S-S-S—”

“Satsukawa…-san?!”

Standing at the open classroom door was none other than Sara-san.

She fixed the three with a cold, contemptuous stare—as if looking at trash.

The three froze in place, unable to move.

Wait—why is she here?!

“…Oh… the wife showed up.”

“…She sensed her husband was in trouble?”

“…Yo, that’s bad, right?”

“…Worse than last time… no, seriously bad vibes…”

“Haa, I made it. You really go overboard whenever it’s about Takanashi-kun.”

Ehhh?! Even Natsumi-senpai?!

Why?! What is happening?!

“S-Sara-san, Natsumi-senpai, why are you here?!”

“Huh? Well, why…?”

“I called them.”

“Ehh?!”

Hanako-san—when did you?!

Looking back, she was holding her phone. She must have contacted them right after stepping back.

Of course I was happy to see Sara-san, but honestly… I hadn’t wanted to drag her into this farce.

“I understand how you feel. But the fastest way to deal with idiots who won’t listen is to bring the wife. You said yourself that trying to reason with them is a waste of time.”

“I agree. Though I didn’t expect her to sprint full-speed through the school…”

I knew Hanako-san had a point—several, actually.

I’d thought the same thing.

But… still.

“Also, the second she read the message, she was already running here. That’s way too fast.”

“Can’t be helped! Sara dashed out of the room! And since it’s about Takanashi-kun, she went super fast… like she’s in the track club or something!”

“Natsumi, save the irrelevant commentary for later.”

Sara-san scolded Natsumi-senpai in a slightly sharp tone, then moved to my side—glaring at the three as if daring them to move.

When she reached me, she gently placed her hand on my left arm and looked up at me with worry.

“““Naa—!?”””

“Kazunari-san, are you all right? Did they do anything to you?”

“…I’m fine, but—”

“We can talk later. Right now…”

For the first time, Sara-san let her anger show clearly on her face.

The Sara-san who always handled everything calmly and dispassionately was now openly furious.

This was extremely rare.

She must be that angry at these idiots.

“To be honest, I’d like to remove these fools who dared trouble my precious Kazunari-san immediately… but I’ll ask first. What exactly did you want with him? Answer now.”

“P-Precious?!”

“S-Satsukawa-san, is that really—”

“I said… answer.”

“Hiii!?”

Her words remained polite.

Yet the chill in her voice was enough to make even listeners shiver.

Her sharp, powerful gaze radiated an overwhelming “something.”

Hit by that intensity, the three went pale and clamped their mouths shut.

“…S-Scary…”

“What the hell… Satsukawa-senpai is terrifying…”

“…Even looking at her… feels bad…”

“U-Um, Satsukawa-ch—”

“ANSWER ME RIGHT NOW!!!!!”

“Hiik!?”

The flashy guy’s careless tone seemed to flip a switch—Sara-san’s voice exploded with fury.

Her usual quiet demeanor made the outburst all the more shocking.

Even the classmates who had been watching fell silent, faces showing surprise or fear.

“What’s all this commotion?! What’s going on?!”

!?

From the same doorway, the homeroom teacher burst in, shouting.

This was completely outside my expectations!

The warning bell hadn’t even rung yet—how is the teacher here this early?!

Why today of all days…?

The teacher scanned the room, looking back and forth between us and the three.

We hadn’t done anything wrong, but I absolutely didn’t want Sara-san to get scolded.

I was about to force my way in and shield her—

“Sensei! This is—”

“Takanashi, be quiet. I can guess what’s happening.”

“…Huh?”

The teacher silenced me, then turned a stern glare solely on the three.

“You three—staff room. Now.”

“Why me?!”

“I-I didn’t even do anything!!”

“W-Wait, I—”

“Sensei~ those senpai were trying to gang up on Takanashi and pick a fight~”

“““!?”””

I almost reflexively thought “What are you, in elementary school?” but I knew Yamakawa was doing it for me, so I kept quiet.

Hearing that, the teacher’s expression grew even harsher. The three averted their eyes awkwardly.

“Satsukawa being here because of Takanashi makes sense. But what are you three doing in this classroom? I’m not taking Yamakawa’s word as gospel, but since you’re causing a disturbance, you’re going to explain yourselves.”

“Um…”

“T-That’s…”

“Well…”

The three tried to speak, but nothing came out. With defeated expressions, they began shuffling toward the door…

“Wait.”

But Sara-san’s voice stopped them in their tracks.

As she stepped toward them, I tried to follow—only for Hanako-san to grab my hand from behind.

…She’s telling me to let Sara-san handle this?

With the teacher here, it should be fine. I decided to stay ready to jump in if needed and watched closely.

“Since you’ve gone this far, I assume you’re prepared for the consequences? From this moment, you are my enemies. I’ll respect the teacher’s presence for now, but if I see your faces again… I will not hold back.”

With that, Sara-san turned away as if they were no longer worth her time. She came back to stand in front of me, placing a concerned hand on my chest.

The three…

Whether because Sara-san had called them her enemies, or because they finally grasped the reality of the situation—

They wore looks of utter despair and hurriedly fled the classroom.

The teacher gave us a nod, then followed after them.

It passed like a storm. I’m not even sure if it was properly resolved or not…

But one thing became painfully clear: incidents like this could happen again in the future.