My Beautiful Childhood Friend Is Working in a Maid Cafe For Some Reason - Chapter 37

Yukina’s request for a morning greeting had become routine.

However, by the third day, it hadn’t completely gone unnoticed. There was still a bit of murmuring around.

Well, it was just a greeting, and we didn’t talk beyond that. What kind of game was this?

Even so, I figured that after a few more days, it would settle down.

Humans tend to treat things that don’t directly involve them as just part of the scenery. So, with a little more patience, the issue with the greeting would likely resolve itself.

But there was a more pressing problem at hand.

I slid open the door to one of the empty classrooms.

“You’re here, Oyama.”

“You’re late, Senpai.”

Inside were Tadokoro and a male student. That student was Taichi Akiba, a classmate and a member of the Maid Club.

“Senpai, since you were late, I had to spend all my time with Akiba-senpai.”

“Hey, Tadokoro. That’s my line. You’re too loud. Can’t you be quiet for a bit?”

“But that’s because Akiba-senpai doesn’t pay attention to me!”

“Shut up. I can’t stand noisy girls like you, especially ones like you.”

“That’s so mean! You’re so mean, Senpai!”

Akiba and Tadokoro bickered while seated. This was a usual scene in the Maid Club.

“Senpai, don’t you think Akiba-senpai is being mean?”

“He’s not mean at all, right, Oyama?”

“Yeah, not at all. I totally agree.”

“Even you, Senpai!? I’m seriously going to cry!”

“Go ahead and cry if you want.”

Of course, Tadokoro’s tears were fake. So, I ignored her.

Leaving Tadokoro to her antics, I took my seat. In the classroom, there were two tables put together, with Akiba and me at one and Tadokoro at the other. Akiba and I left a seat between us, and Tadokoro sat in the middle.

At first glance, it might look like we don’t get along, but that’s not the case. Well, we aren’t particularly close either, but this is just how we are. By the way, Akiba, Tadokoro, and I are all members of the Maid Club.

“Oh, by the way, Senpai, how are things going with that super cute girlfriend of yours?”

Tadokoro suddenly stopped crying and asked.

So it was fake crying after all…

“I’ve told you many times; she’s not my girlfriend. She’s just a classmate.”

I answered, looking at Tadokoro’s completely dry eyes.

“Are you still pretending? She didn’t seem to mind you at all!”

“Are you blind? Do you want me to recommend an eye doctor?”

“No thanks. How about I recommend a hospital where you can learn to understand women better, Senpai?”

“Not necessary.”

As we were talking, Akiba joined in.

“Are you talking about Himemiya Yukina?”

“You saw it too…”

“Yeah, it was quite the rumor. Though now it’s changed to something even more incomprehensible.”

“That’s a rumor too…”

It was probably about the greeting. Something like, “A guy who had no connection with Yukina Himemiya suddenly started greeting her.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Oyama suddenly started greeting Yukina Himemiya. He doesn’t talk to her at all otherwise but starts the day with ‘Good morning’.”

“How do you even know that…?”

“I heard it.”

Akiba is in the class next door. It wasn’t surprising that he knew, but if this had spread to the entire third year, that would be pretty embarrassing…

“Senpai, what kind of play is that? Are you into greeting fetishes?”

“I don’t know! And what is a greeting fetish?!”

“It’s when you feel pleasure from greeting someone. It makes you feel good.”

“I don’t feel that way, and it doesn’t make me feel good!”

In fact, it was a pain!

…But if I were actually a masochist who found pain pleasurable, would that mean greeting fetishes exist? That’s terrifying.

“And if you’re always greeting her first, doesn’t that mean you two are dating?”

“We’re not dating. Anyone can greet someone.”

Exactly. It’s just a greeting. “Good morning,” “Hello,” “Good evening”—anyone can say these things. Being labeled as someone’s lover just because of a greeting is ridiculous.

“You greet your friends, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

“So, if that friend is a guy, does that mean you’re dating him? If you greet more than one, are you two-timing? If girls greet each other, does that make them yuri?”

“Okay, okay, I get it. You’re not dating. I understand.”

“Listen, don’t say anything unnecessary. Especially now that we’re drawing attention because of the recent incident.”

I had to make sure Tadokoro understood. She’s the type to say unnecessary things whenever she opens her mouth. The rumor that I was a pervert started because she talked about the maid cosplay incident.

“Well, whether Oyama is a pervert or dating Yukina Himemiya doesn’t matter.”

It matters a lot!

I had to correct any misunderstandings, or it would cause problems later.

But right now, those things didn’t matter.

“On a certain day in June, they will attack…”

“Yeah…”

“Yeah, that’s right…”

Akiba spoke gravely, and Tadokoro and I nodded solemnly. The atmosphere in the classroom suddenly darkened.

“The midterm exams are coming!”

The midterms. One of the five regular exams held throughout the year. This was the first major test since starting the new school year, the first challenge for students.

“How did you do last time?”

“I was ranked below the halfway point of the class for the whole year.”

“I’m about the same as Tadokoro.”

“What about you, Senpai?”

“Me?”

I recalled my grades and chuckled lightly.

“From the bottom, I was fifth!”

I’m an idiot. I’m fully aware of that.

That’s why I’m not ashamed of it.

The biggest shame is not realizing you’re an idiot and acting like one!

“But do we have to go through this routine every time? People’s grades don’t change that much.”

We had this conversation every time the exams approached. So, everyone knew there wasn’t anyone particularly smart in our group.

“Yeah, no one here is good at studying anyway.”

“Why are you looking at me when you say that?”

“Because it’s weird that Akiba-senpai wears glasses but isn’t good at studying! Aren’t glasses supposed to be for smart characters?”

“Apologize to every glasses-wearing character out there.”

“Haa, you’re really useless, Senpai. I was hoping you’d teach me if you were good at studying.”

“Even if I were, I wouldn’t teach you. At most, I could teach you how to grovel.”

Tadokoro was exasperated, and Akiba was slightly annoyed.

“So, today’s activity is to study for the exams together.”

Akiba, who was somewhat in charge, proposed the idea.

“Sounds good. It’s better to struggle a bit than do nothing.”

“That’s not something a senpai who’s fifth from the bottom should say.”

“…Hey, apologize by putting your forehead to the ground.”

So, today’s activity became exam study. But, in the end, it didn’t yield much results.

As the time to leave school arrived, we left the classroom.

“I’ll return the key, so you guys go ahead.”

Akiba, holding the key, said.

“Oh, right. Oyama, you should study when you get home.”

“Why?”

“Why? Don’t you know what happens if you fail?”

“You get supplementary classes during summer vacation, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I also had to come to school during the first half of summer vacation!”

“So did I.”

But that was just for a week. It’s not a big deal to come to school for a week when there’s nothing else to do during summer vacation.

“That’s only until the second year. If you fail in the third year, it’s supplementary classes every day.”

“…What? Every day?”

“Yeah. That’s why I’ll study at home too. I really don’t want to have supplementary classes every day.”

As I stood there in shock, Akiba said “See you” and headed towards the staff room.

“Senpai, too bad for you!”

Tadokoro turned around suddenly, reacting to something.

“…What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Really?”

“Let’s go home!”

I wondered what that moment with Tadokoro was about. But for now, my summer vacation was the bigger concern.

Maybe I should study a little when I get home…

Thinking about that, I headed home.