My Popular-as-Hell Best Friend Is Annoying, So I Want to Get Him a Girlfriend and Shut Him Up

Chapter 145: A Gentleman’s Taste

“Oh…!”

Opening the semi-automatic sliding door to the open-air bath, I was greeted by a breathtaking sight, hard to believe it was outdoors.

The first thing that caught my eye was the largest hot tub on the left, sheltered by a thatched roof for rainy days, with a few people already relaxing inside. To the right was a smaller tub with slightly cloudy water, a sign listing its therapeutic benefits.

Straight ahead, a stone staircase led up to what seemed like another tub.

Man, I’m insanely hyped right now. The long-awaited hot springs, the long-awaited open-air bath.

“This place is great, huh? I come every year, and with the mountains so close, it really feels like you’re in nature.”

Standing beside me, waxing poetic, was the epitome of lean muscle perfection, Aoyagi Uryu. Apparently, he always visits this place whenever they use the villa.

“For you, that’s some refined taste. Seeing the dim mountain ridgeline and swaying trees in this twilight is pure class.”

“In autumn, the foliage lights up, showing a whole different side.”

“You jerk, now I’ve gotta come back in fall because of you!”

Imagining the mountains dyed red, the corners of my mouth lifted involuntarily. A refined scene distinct from summer—what’s worth seeing if not this?

“Um, you two…”

As I soaked in nature and chatted with Uryu, Horimoto Shoki approached with an oddly deferential tone.

“You’re late, man. Didn’t we finish washing up at the same time?”

“Well, yeah, but you two are so bold, I got kinda intimidated.”

“What’re you talking about?”

In this thrilling environment, Horimoto Shoki was fidgeting, his gaze wandering.

Then, slowly, without looking at us, he pointed toward our lower halves.

“Aren’t you guys gonna wrap a towel or something?”

Noticing the towels slung over mine and Uryu’s shoulders, Horimoto Shoki seemed baffled. Looking closer, he had a towel tightly wrapped around his waist.

“What’s the point? It’s bad manners to bring a towel into the tub.”

I was the one baffled by his confusion. Why bother wrapping a towel around your waist when you’re just gonna take it off?

“I know that, but isn’t it embarrassing walking around like that?”

“No clue what you mean. We’re legally naked outdoors—why choose anything but becoming one with nature?”

“Yukiya’s logic is the one that makes no sense, but it’s just guys here. What’s there to be shy about?”

“Uh… am I the weird one…?”

Even after hearing us out, Horimoto Shoki’s guard didn’t drop. What’s with this guy? Does he think his junk’s getting all the attention in this free-swinging situation? Talk about overinflated ego.

“What, you got some impressive heirloom compared to us?”

“The opposite! Mine’s way too pathetic to show!”

“Dude, I don’t have the slightest interest in looking…”

Apparently, his “son” hasn’t grown much, and he’s embarrassed to expose it.

“If only you two were a bit more… average-sized…”

“Look, comparing to some default size is pointless. What matters is the expansion rate.”

“If the base value’s small, expanding doesn’t mean much!”

“Shut up, you’re just arguing for the sake of arguing. Uryu, say something.”

“Hm, does size even matter? Nobody’s looking.”

“Well, y’know, for the future, girls might—”

“Dismissed.”

“Why!?”

Deciding it was pointless to listen to this idiot’s ramblings, Uryu and I headed to the big tub.

Ahh, this is it. Sinking into the perfect water temperature, feeling the natural breeze on my upper body—this is the pinnacle of open-air bathing.

“Man… hot springs are the best.”

Uryu sat beside me, clasping his hands and stretching upward. Even he seemed worn out from the study session, though I’m not sure if it’s physical or mental.

“Hey, don’t ignore me!”

But the serene mood was shattered by the whiny voice of Horimoto Shoki, still hung up on his underdeveloped “son.” I get you’re hyped, but there are other guests, so keep it down.

“You guys totally imagine it, right? Getting all lovey-dovey with a girl?”

“Nope.”

“Wha!?”

Horimoto Shoki’s reaction was straight out of a comedy routine, like he couldn’t believe our answers.

“That’s crazy! All the girls here today are super cute!”

“Sure, they’re top-tier in looks.”

“So you imagine it, right!? They’re bathing just a wall away—don’t you imagine it!?”

“Keep your voice down.”

“Ow!”

To tame Horimoto Shoki’s relentless energy, I gave him a sharper-than-usual chop. This is a public place, so let’s be considerate.

“Look, imagining their naked bodies is pointless. You can’t do anything with a fantasy.”

“That’s where image training comes in! It’s a must for manifestation types!”

Horimoto-kun? That’s manga logic.

“Man, if I imagined stuff every time I met a cute girl, I’d turn into an idiot.”

“Being an idiot’s fine! High school guys are just brain-pink idiots!”

“Uh… right…”

Wow, Horimoto Shoki, usually a bit wary of Uryu, is steamrolling him today. Is this topic that important to him? It’s so absurd it’s almost funny.

“…Damn it…! So I’m the weird one…!?”

Splashing the water with his fist, Horimoto Shoki sulked, clearly unconvinced. Uryu and I exchanged slightly flustered glances.

Well… sure. If it means that much to you, you can have the win, no problem.

“Yukiya, are we the bad guys here?”

“No clue.”

Overwhelmed by Horimoto Shoki’s fervor, Uryu and I could only scratch our heads.

Chapter 146: The Maidens’ Chat 7

“Um, I have a question.”

Tsuyu had been stunned by the seniors’ outrageous banter, but she couldn’t stay overwhelmed forever.

“Is everyone close with Onii-chan?”

As the lively atmosphere settled, Tsuyu threw out her question to fulfill her role.

From what Yukiya told her, everyone except Haruka and Ai-chan had feelings for Uryu. Knowing that, as his sister, she felt compelled to learn about her brother’s potential love interests.

“Super close! We’re in the basketball club together, so we talk a lot!”

The first to answer was Haruka, still clinging to Miharu. Since she doesn’t have romantic feelings for Uryu, she spoke confidently without hesitation.

“If you’re saying that, I’m close too! We’re in the same club!”

Next was Sora, who’d brought a terrifying vibe to the scene earlier. As Uryu’s kouhai, she might seem to have fewer interactions, but as the boys’ basketball club manager, she likely has the most after-school contact.

In fact, Tsuyu often saw her asking Uryu questions during the study session. You’d need a certain level of closeness to approach him that casually.

“Your feelings are one-sided, though. Not that I’m one to talk.”

As if to counter Sora, Mayoi jumped in, having also been proactive with questions during the study session.

“I think we’re getting closer, but I still feel a slight wall. Honestly, I don’t really get what Aoyagi’s thinking.”

Despite her usual bold tone, Mayoi’s expression carried a hint of melancholy. Uryu’s lack of response to her during the study session might still be weighing on her.

But as if picking up on her feelings, a reassuring voice chimed in.

“You don’t need to worry about that. I asked Onii-chan about everyone yesterday, and he said you’re all close friends.”

Yesterday, Tsuyu had talked to Uryu about the study camp participants. He didn’t say anything negative, and even when pressed for his honest thoughts, he stood firm. It’s probably true. Of course, he didn’t call Ai-chan, the only one he doesn’t know well, a friend, but that’s unavoidable.

“R-Really? Then it’s fine, I guess.”

At Tsuyu’s words, Mayoi softened, showing a rare shy side. Whether from embarrassment or the hot springs, her cheeks flushed slightly.

“Uryu-kun’s a bit hard to read since he’s nice to everyone.”

“The only time he’s casual or real is with Yukki, right?”

“Seeing that level of ease makes us feel like we’ve got a long way to go.”

“Haha, Onii-chan really loves Yukiya-san.”

While digging into Uryu’s love life, Tsuyu felt relieved that the girls hadn’t surpassed Yukiya yet. At least her brother wasn’t about to start dating anyone anytime soon.

“Were you worried about your brother, Tsuyu-chan?”

Miharu asked gently, her saintly smile making Tsuyu falter for a moment, as if her thoughts were laid bare.

“Not worried, exactly. He hasn’t had any girls around since starting high school, so I was wondering how things are now.”

Truthfully, she’s fine with him not having a girlfriend right away, but saying that to people who like him would be harsh.

“Sadly, he’s still chummy with his guy friends.”

“Guy friends, or mainly Hirose-kun, I guess.”

“And the man himself acts all annoyed.”

The conversation shifted from Uryu to Yukiya.

Having grasped Uryu’s situation, Tsuyu set aside her study camp mission and asked what she most wanted to know.

“What’s Yukiya-san like at school?”

Of course, she meant her crush, Hirose Yukiya. Having only met him after school, Tsuyu was deeply curious about his school persona. She’d heard bits from Uryu, but they were fragmented, so she wanted to ask now, with Yourei High students gathered.

“Like at school? I guess he just lives however he wants.”

Izumo, who’d been in Yukiya’s class since first year, answered first. The vague description somehow felt easy to picture, which was amusing.

“He shows up late to class like it’s normal, and before you know it, he’s crafting something.”

“Yeah, exactly! He’s so carefree. People call me carefree, but I can’t compete with Yukki.”

Haruka nodded to Izumo’s words. Though unspoken, the others seemed to share the sentiment.

But then Sora offered a different take.

“I agree he’s carefree, but he’s really kind too. He listens to your worries seriously.”

“True, sometimes he’s so attentive it’s surprising. Despite his sharp tongue.”

“But he’d never admit to being kind, right?”

“Yukki’s shy like that. It’s kinda cute.”

“Cute’s a forbidden word. It’s Hirose-senpai’s landmine.”

“What’re you talking about? His landmines are meant to be stepped on.”

The girls chatted more animatedly about Yukiya than Uryu. Since he’s easy to tease, their thoughts spilled out freely.

“Really…”

Hearing about Yukiya’s school life, Tsuyu’s face naturally lit up. She was thrilled that the Yukiya she knew matched their descriptions. As they said, he’s carefree everywhere. Grasping that simple truth was a big win for Tsuyu.

“Oh my, Tsuyu-chan’s got the face of a girl in love.”

“What, no way, you’re into Yukki?”

Noticing Tsuyu’s obvious expression, Izumo teased playfully, and Haruka jumped in right away.

To them, it was just a light jab to tease a younger girl with some leeway, connecting it to a love story. There was no deeper intent, but—

“Yes! I’m totally into Yukiya-san!”

Tsuyu’s cheerful affirmation froze the warm hot spring air solid.

“Huh, what?”

Even the emotionally volatile Ai-chan and the usually calm Miharu were stunned.

The accidental revelation that “Aoyagi Tsuyu likes Hirose Yukiya” left everyone dumbfounded.

“Um, everyone? Is something wrong?”

Oblivious to the seniors’ shock, Tsuyu merely tilted her head at the sudden silence.

Chapter 147: A Gentleman’s Taste 2

“Time to get out?”

“Eh!?”

After soaking in the first tub for about 15 minutes, Uryu’s suggestion made Horimoto Shoki let out a shrill cry.

“What’s up?”

“No, it’s just, there are other tubs—don’t you wanna try them?”

“There seem to be a lot of people today. No need to squeeze into a cramped spot.”

“But don’t you need to train? I thought you’d be into that stuff, Hirose-kun.”

Horimoto Shoki pointed at what’s called a “beating bath,” where water flows through bamboo and pours down from above.

Seriously, this guy saw that and called it training? He’s using the word “training” for that trickle of warm water?

“You mocking waterfall asceticism, huh?”

“Wha!? Why am I getting yelled at!?”

“This guy’s done real waterfall training. He doesn’t want it compared to that.”

“Exactly. If people thought that counts as training, I’d feel bad for the waterfall.”

“Feel bad for the waterfall…?”

“Shut up. If you’re so insistent, go feel how lukewarm that beating bath is yourself.”

“Lukewarm or not, I don’t know waterfall training, so I can’t compare…”

Grumbling, Horimoto Shoki got out of the tub and headed toward the beating bath. Someone’s already using it, so he’s waiting, but couldn’t he have checked if it was free first?

Watching him is pointless, so I decided to move.

“Hey, Hirose-kun!? Where you going!?”

“Sauna. Gonna sweat it out.”

“What!? I can’t hear you at all!”

“No sense of refinement in that guy.”

Ignoring Horimoto Shoki’s pleading, puppy-dog eyes, I headed to the sauna next to the cold plunge.

“What’s up, Uryu? You coming too?”

“No point watching Horimoto.”

“Totally agree.”

Pulling open the heavy wooden door, a wave of heat rushed out. A fireplace-like heater sat in front, flanked by two-tiered wooden benches. Luckily, no one else was inside.

Perfect. I had something to talk about with this guy.

Flipping the sand timer by the window, Uryu and I sat side by side. Breathing the hot air and feeling a slight choke, I really felt like I was in a sauna.

“So, Uryu, how’s studying going?”

After a bit, I asked him. I wanted to hear about today’s study session.

“Decent enough.”

“No issues even with all that teaching?”

“Rando-san aside, teaching Natori-san was exam stuff, so it didn’t take much time.”

Ugh, this is why perfect superhumans are a pain. Izumo thinks she closed the gap with Uryu today, but this guy doesn’t feel the least bit hindered despite helping others. She can’t let her guard down until the exams.

Whatever. That’s that, this is this. One more thing I wanna ask.

“How about it? Gotten any closer with the girls?”

The whole point of this study camp was to move Uryu’s love life forward. Sure, Izumo suggested it, but for me, this is the main event.

“C’mon, there wasn’t time for that.”

“Idiot, you were teaching two of them.”

“I just answered their questions. That’s not ‘getting closer.’”

“Sigh…”

His predictable response bummed me out. He didn’t seem annoyed, so he’s not against it, but he’s got a knack for not seeing girls as girls. I’m starting to feel bad for Rando-dono and Natori Mayoi.

“You not interested in girls or what?”

“Of course I am. What’re you talking about?”

“Your words and actions don’t match…”

I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve had this exchange. He says he’s interested, but he barely talks about girls. I still don’t know what kind of girl he’s into. I get why Tsuyu’s so overprotective of him now.

“Cut it out already. I’ve told you, I’m the one annoyed here—your crowd’s a hassle.”

Since getting close to Uryu, I’ve had more girl talks and consultations about him. Why do I have to deal with that? I’ve always thought that.

“So hurry up and get a girlfriend to calm things down. I just want some peace.”

As long as Uryu’s single, the consultations keep coming. If he gets a girlfriend, that’ll spread, and I’ll get way fewer approaches. That’s why I shifted to helping the girls.

But there’s no sign of Uryu getting a girlfriend. Is his bar too high, or does he just not care? He keeps saying he’s interested, which makes it even harder to figure out.

So today, I said it again, throwing words to wake him up. All to get him to spill his real feelings.

“You make it sound like you’re the only one inconvenienced.”

It was a response I hadn’t expected at all. The sauna’s heat didn’t help my thoughts settle.

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I’m inconvenienced because of you too.”

“What? If it’s about me trying to set you up, I’m not backing down.”

“Not that. Listen up, I’ll say it clearly.”

Uryu took a breath and turned to me.

“You think every girl’s into me?”

“Huh?”

He said he’d be clear, but I couldn’t grasp the question’s intent. What’s he been getting at?

“Don’t ‘huh’ me. Answer.”

“No way. Sure, you’re insanely popular, but charming 100% of people you meet? That’s impossible.”

“Oh, you get it? That makes this easier.”

“What’s with you? If you’re gonna be clear, just say it.”

His condescending tone pissed me off. He didn’t need to drag it out—just say what he wants. As I waited for his response, fuming—

“Then it’s not weird for there to be a girl who likes you instead of me, right?”

Another incomprehensible statement came from Uryu’s mouth.

“Idiot, no way someone like that exists.”

“But you never thought Tsuyu liked you, did you?”

“…!”

He hit a sore spot, and I was at a loss for words. It’s true—I always doubted Tsuyu’s feelings. Even after her confession, I kept thinking it couldn’t be.

“Someone like you wouldn’t notice if a girl liked you.”

“Notice what? With you and me side by side, no one’s crazy enough to pick—”

“That kind of crazy is what love’s about.”

Uryu’s piercing words left me speechless. His words, from someone who’s only liked and not in love, kept echoing in my head.

“You’re out here giving love advice without getting that? That’s a joke to me.”

“…”

“Just understand this: you’re not the only one struggling.”

With that, Uryu stood and headed for the door. I’d come to the sauna to lay into him, but he’s the one who left satisfied.

“Wait.”

I called after his back. That last jab made me need to ask.

“You saying you’re struggling—can I take that to mean that kind of struggle?”

I’m annoyed because of Uryu, and I told him why.