My Popular-as-Hell Best Friend Is Annoying, So I Want to Get Him a Girlfriend and Shut Him Up - Chapter 165 & 166 & 167

Chapter 165: Stubborn Fool

“No. I’m going home alone.”

I bluntly rejected Tsuyu’s invitation. I wasn’t in the mood to talk while walking, and I didn’t want to think about anything extra. I said it and waited for her to leave, but—

“No way. You’re coming with me, Yukiya-san.”

“What?”

The little miss stood her ground, pouting, not moving an inch.

“You don’t want to ride the train home, right? With me, we can go by car. Onii-chan comes with, though…”

Beyond the parked bus, a sleek black luxury car waited, its steering wheel on the left. Nearby, Uryu was watching us. If he’s waiting for Tsuyu, I should wrap this up fast.

“I said no. I’m going alone—don’t make me repeat myself.”

It might’ve been the first time I used such sharp words with Tsuyu. We didn’t meet often, but I rarely raised my voice with her. She was usually sensible and good at reading the room.

“Yukiya-san, don’t make me repeat myself. I said no.”

Far from backing down, Tsuyu shot back head-on, completely ignoring my mood or tone.

“Got it, Yukiya-san? I spent last night planning how to flirt with you, but that weird trial ruined everything! If I can’t even go home with you, it’s not worth it!”

“That’s your prob—”

“If you really want to go alone, fine. I’ll wait outside your house, so give me an hour for a drive date.”

“Look, I—”

“If you just want to be alone, wander around here. When you’re done, we’ll leave together.”

I was stunned—she gave me zero say. Was Tsuyu always this inflexible? Sure, she could be childish, but still.

Doesn’t she worry about me disliking her for pushing like this?

I’ve always done things my way, consciously keeping people at a distance. I don’t care if I’m hated—that’s how I’ve lived.

But Tsuyu’s different. She likes me, wants to be my girlfriend. Yet she’s charging ahead, ignoring my opinion. Isn’t she anxious about this? Is she so blind she can’t see the risk in her words?

“Hey, Tsuyu, cut it out.”

So I said it, testing her.

“You might want this, but I don’t. I said I want to go alone, and you’re ignoring me. If you’re this stubborn, I might end up hating you.”

Looking her in the eye, I said it clearly.

If she backs off easily, it’s just her getting carried away, and this ends. That’s fine by me—I don’t want Uryu or Horimoto’s meddling comments. If Tsuyu sees me as a jerk and ends the talk, I can go home. Done.

“What are you talking about? You wouldn’t hate someone over something like this.”

Instead of flinching, Tsuyu laughed, hitting me from a completely unexpected angle. It felt like a blunt object to the head.

She didn’t say “me”—she said “someone.”

How could Tsuyu say that?

“Because, Yukiya-san, you listened to my selfish request back then.”

“Back then?”

“When I fought with Dad and didn’t want to go home, you let me stay at your place.”

That was a week ago. Tsuyu, clashing with her parents over her future, stayed at my house. Yeah, that was pretty selfish too.

“Compared to that, wanting to go home together is nothing. This wouldn’t make you like or dislike anyone.”

“…Idiot, you’ve got it backward. It’s because it’s a small thing that it’s annoying and makes me dislike you. Didn’t that cross your mind?”

“Yukiya-san, you’re digging your own grave.”

“What?”

As I explained seriously, Tsuyu giggled, cutting me off.

“I can’t believe someone who cares about me this much would hate me.”

She caught me off guard again. Blinking, I shut my mouth as she spoke gently, like she was teaching me.

“If you really wanted to hate me, you’d just do it without saying anything. You wouldn’t bother pointing it out or asking me to change. The fact that you’re telling me means you don’t want to hate me, right?”

“…”

The word “wrong” got stuck in my throat.

It’s absurd. I’m fine with being hated, but I don’t want to hate others? That kind of person shouldn’t exist. I believe that deep down, yet my mouth didn’t deny her.

“And it’s not just me. During the camp, you grumbled and complained, but you still helped everyone out. Someone that soft can’t hate people so easily.”

“And, well, I love that about you,” she added, wrapping up her point.

Honestly, I was floored. I’ve always lived not caring what others think of me.

I never considered how I feel about others. There was no point. Nobody could possibly like me, right?

Yet right now, Tsuyu and Akari clearly like me. Uryu and Horimoto don’t pull away either. I want to deny it, but this is reality.

The reason I can’t accept it is obvious.

I’m scared of letting people in. I’d rather not have anything than risk losing it. That day in my first year of middle school, I decided that.

“Yukiya-san…?”

Even though it’s not cold, my body started trembling. Everyone keeping me at arm’s length, like an outsider. Terrified eyes staring at me from all directions.

Just one act, done with good intentions. Yet everyone around me vanished. The more I stood up for what was right, the more people left.

I never want to go through that again.

“Yukiya-san!?”

Unable to stand, I dropped to my knees.

“Are you okay!?”

Tsuyu immediately knelt beside me, rubbing my back. She’s so kind, yet I’m scared to even touch her affection.

“Yukiya, you alright?”

Uryu, watching from afar, rushed over.

Hey, Uryu, I think I’ve hurt you the most. So why have you stuck around? What did you gain from being with me? If I hadn’t spent time with you, I wouldn’t be this torn up.

“…Sorry, can you guys drive me home?”

“Of course!”

“Tsuyu, grab Yukiya’s stuff. Yukiya, need a shoulder?”

“No, I’ll walk.”

Feeling their concern, I slowly headed to the car. I wanted to go alone, but my body felt too heavy to argue.

“Um, I’m sorry. This is my fault…”

“Idiot, how’s it your fault…?”

Tsuyu’s not to blame. I’m just weak, collapsing like this in a moment.

Man, what a mess.

Chapter 166: Homecoming

I used to have friends. Back in my first year of middle school, around this time of year—four years ago. I wasn’t the center of attention, but I think I was the one who got the group going.

Still, I got teased a lot. Why? Because I looked androgynous, almost girly. Even as a kid, I was often mistaken for a girl, but in middle school, wearing a boys’ uniform, the teasing ramped up. That’s why I hate being called cute.

But I’d heard it so much I built up a tolerance and barely cared anymore. Dad’s advice to “think from their perspective” helped a lot. So, I could tell the class bully probably liked a girl in our group. He teased me to get closer to her—I got that.

He was clumsy, sure, but it was still annoying. Knowing reacting only fueled it, I ignored the bully’s taunts, even though they ticked me off.

Maybe that was a mistake. Ignored by me, the bully shifted his target to my friend. It went way beyond teasing, bad enough to make my friend cry.

I couldn’t hold back my anger at that nonsense. I could handle it when it was just me, but why attack my friend? Did he think he could get away with it?

So, I hit back—hard enough to make him never want to mess with us again. The restraint I’d kept when it was just me crumbled, and it all poured out.

I think I was laughing as I succeeded. Watching the bully scream and writhe, I felt exhilarated. I taunted him on purpose to make sure he’d never come near us again. That’s when I noticed.

—The stares usually aimed at the bully were now on me.

“Hirose-kun, that’s too much…!”

Don’t screw with me. I didn’t do it for fun. When it was just me, I dealt with it fine. I only acted because I couldn’t stand seeing my friend suffer. So why am I the one getting blamed?

Why won’t anyone take my side?

Soon after, the homeroom teacher called me in. A teacher who seemed uninterested in kids, only caring about appearances.

“Do it properly and apologize.”

It didn’t even sound like the same language. Judging the situation without looking at the context, the kind of person who’d never make it as a lawyer. I didn’t bother explaining the whole story to him.

My actions spread through the class, then the whole grade, and I was instantly isolated. The bully apologized to my former friend, and they got along fine after. Our roles had completely switched. The normalcy of it terrified me.

I reflected. I shouldn’t have acted for friends. Thinking beyond myself ruined everything. I realized I should just live for me.

At the same time, I felt grateful.

—To my former friends, who taught me friendship has no value.

If just one person had stood by me in that moment, I might’ve thought differently.

Snapping out of that daydream, I faced reality.

There’s no one around me. There never will be.

That’s Hirose Yukiya’s truth.

*

“We’re here, Yukiya.”

Riding in the Aoyagi family’s fancy car, I arrived home in about twenty minutes.

There was barely any talk during the ride—I kept my hands clasped, face down.

“Thanks, you helped me out.”

“Yukiya-san.”

As I grabbed my bag and thanked them, ready to head inside, Tsuyu stopped me with a worried look, like she might cry.

“Um, can I stay with you?”

Her words made my head hurt more. I shouldn’t have faltered during our talk—she’s feeling responsible for something unrelated.

“I’m fine, no problem.”

“But…!”

“Really, I’m okay. Once I’m inside, I’ll be good.”

Not a lie. If I think about what caused this, getting home will fix it. If I can just reach the one place where I can truly relax.

“Really?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. Uryu, sorry for the hassle.”

“…You sure you’re okay?”

Uryu looked at me, his expression mirroring Tsuyu’s.

“At school tomorrow, it’s business as usual, right?”

“…Yeah.”

That was a lie. There’s no guarantee. My situation could go any way depending on what happens next. Honestly, I had zero reasons to be optimistic.

But I wasn’t going to say that. Right now, I just wanted to get away from these two—these two who care about me.

“See you tomorrow.”

“…Yeah.”

“Yukiya-san! Let me know how you’re doing tomorrow, through Dad or Onii-chan! I’ll be waiting!”

Taking in Tsuyu’s loud voice and Uryu’s quiet one, I opened my front door.

As I sat in the entryway to take off my shoes, I heard the living room door open. Slow footsteps approached—the only person in the world who’d greet me like this.

“Welcome back, Yuu-kun. Did you have fun?”

Seeing Dad’s usual smile, my tear ducts suddenly gave way.

“Whoa.”

I stood and hugged him tightly, pouring all my strength into my arms around his back, as if to prove I was here.

It must’ve been weird for Dad. He couldn’t know what I was feeling, but he didn’t ask anything, just patted my head.

That warmth was the most comforting and painful thing for me right now.

“…Calmed down?”

Noticing my grip loosen, Dad asked in a gentle tone.

“Yeah, thanks as always, Dad.”

“No problem. Anything for you, Yuu-kun.”

“—Dad.”

Pulling back from his kind smile, I met his eyes. After the whirlwind of yesterday and today, I’d been waiting for this moment.

“Can we talk?”

Dad nodded with a smile.

Chapter 167: Dad’s Intentions

“Huh?”

Entering the living room, I found it empty. A pile of laundry and an ironing set were there, indicating Dad had been working moments ago.

“Where’s Mom?”

Mom often sleeps late on weekends, but it was 4 p.m. Surely she wasn’t still asleep. Normally, she’d be hogging the TV, playing games.

“Mom’s at Nono-san’s place.”

“What, alone?”

Nono-san is Mom’s only real friend, someone she’s been close with since high school. I’ve met her a few times and, out of respect for her polite speech, call her “Desuwa Baa-san” (Fancy Old Lady).

I was shocked. Mom, going out alone on a weekend? She’s always fighting me for Dad’s attention, yet she didn’t drag him along when I wasn’t here? Is it going to snow tomorrow? In Australia, maybe.

“Taka-kun got his heart broken, apparently.”

“Heartbroken? That kid’s pretty mature.”

Taka-kun is Desuwa Baa-san’s only son, a first-year middle schooler. I pictured him as a dignified, handsome boy, but he got rejected?

“The person he’s liked forever has someone else now.”

“Idiot, that’s what he gets for not confessing sooner.”

“So Mom’s going to cheer him up today.”

“Wrong person for the job…”

What’s Desuwa Baa-san thinking? Our mom can’t handle a teenage boy’s emotions. Her brain’s too full of Dad and video games—a total airhead.

Probably not thinking at all. Taka-kun loves our mom for some reason, so just seeing her is enough, no matter the excuse. Poor Taka-kun, his crush being used as bait.

“You should’ve gone too, Dad. You guys always go together.”

“She asked me to come, but I said no.”

“What…”

Dad said it casually, but this is a top-three Hirose family crisis. Dad never turns down Mom’s invitations. He’s head-over-heels for her, so why today?

My eyes must’ve demanded an answer, because Dad gave me his usual gentle smile.

“I wanted to be here when you got back, that’s all.”

—Come on, give me a break.

After all the confusion and pain I’ve been through, hearing that from someone I love makes every emotion spill over. What’s wrong with me? Am I this weak?

“You wanted to talk, right?”

“…Yeah.”

Calm down, Yukiya. Everything comes after talking with Dad. With Mom gone, it’s perfect—no interruptions.

I sat across from Dad at the dining table. In this space where we could talk openly, I asked the question that had haunted me throughout the study camp.

“Why did you make me go to the study camp?”

Akari’s situation, Izumo’s confrontation—through all the torment, this question gnawed at me.

“You know, right? How I keep people at a distance. That I don’t need friends. But you took Tsuyu’s request and sent me to that camp. You even lied to me.”

Honestly, it hurt so much. I know Dad didn’t mean harm.

But knowing my situation, him acting like it didn’t matter—I couldn’t accept it. He’s not someone who’d do things I hate; I’m certain of that.

That’s why I needed to know what he was thinking, right now.

“Hey, Yuu-kun, remember? When you told me you didn’t want friends, I asked you to do just one thing.”

“Of course. ‘If you feel respect for someone, act on it.’ Right?”

Dad told me that while I could push people away, I shouldn’t stop seeing them as individuals. If someone’s beautiful, appreciate it. If someone’s admirable, show respect. That’s his wish.

I haven’t neglected that. I chose my club at Yourei High based on it, and I respect Rando-dono for her unwavering feelings for Uryu. I reject friendship but not emotions—I’ve followed Dad’s words faithfully.

So why bring it up now?

“Then, Yuu-kun, why do you think I asked you to do that?”

Instead of answering, Dad threw another question at me. It was a head-scratcher.

I’d never thought about it before.

Dad always acts with my best interests in mind. When I cry, he’s there. When I laugh, he’s as happy as if it’s his own joy.

When I said I didn’t need friends, he listened earnestly. Without him, I wouldn’t be who I am. I genuinely believe that.

I’ve never doubted his words, so I never questioned his reasons.

My mind didn’t have an answer that would satisfy him.

“Here’s a hint: it’s kind of like the study thing.”

“Study…”

The study thing probably refers to him telling me to take at least one subject seriously. The reason’s simple: if I want to study later, slacking now would put me behind.

If it’s similar, then he’s worried about me starting something. There’s something I can’t neglect.

“If you feel respect for someone, act on it.” Unlike the study advice, it’s abstract, hard to picture.

Let’s think backward. Without Dad’s words, I wouldn’t have looked at others. I wouldn’t have cared about them. I might’ve lost interest in people entirely.

“Yukiya-san wouldn’t hate someone over something like this.”

Suddenly, I recalled Tsuyu’s words from earlier.

True, I’ve pushed people away, sometimes with insults.

But not because I hated them. I just didn’t want to connect. I didn’t think badly of them.

—Because of Dad’s request. Push people away, but don’t stop seeing them as individuals.

All this time, I’ve been preparing to not hate people.

“Your question is pretty much the answer to mine,” Dad said.

His preface helped me piece it together.

Respecting someone means taking an interest in them. Doing that consistently means staying interested in people. It’s almost the same as liking them.

But taking an interest in people and pushing them away don’t coexist easily. Over time, pushing away gets harder. Knowing this, Dad still made his request.

All for one simple reason.

“I asked you to do that so you’d be ready to make friends whenever you wanted.”

Dad’s ever-present smile glistened slightly, his eyes seeming to well up.