My Popular-as-Hell Best Friend Is Annoying, So I Want to Get Him a Girlfriend and Shut Him Up - Chapter 174 & 175 & 176

Chapter 174: The Reason for the Lie

“Huh, ha, wait, what!?”

The scene was so unexpected that I couldn’t react properly.

What? Is it that bad?

Does she hate me so much she’s crying?

I didn’t expect her to forgive me easily, but this intense reaction is honestly shocking.

What should I do?

Should I back off…?

“—don’t hate me?”

“Huh?”

Shaken by Kirita Akari’s tears, I missed the words she suddenly spoke.

What did she just say?

“Do you—not hate me?”

Kirita Akari stares at me, her eyes trembling with anxiety.

There’s no way I should’ve missed that.

I thought the study camp incident made her hate me.

I expected some friction even with an apology, maybe even me feeling down about it.

So why is she looking at me with such a desperate, pleading gaze?

Our positions are completely reversed.

“Of course not. If I hated you, I wouldn’t be here apologizing.”

I say it strongly, clearly.

Would I go out of my way to apologize to someone I don’t want to get along with?

I’m not that good of a person.

“…Really?”

“Don’t make me say it again. I don’t hate you.”

“…!”

In that moment, Kirita Akari’s face crumples.

Her quiet tears turn into loud sobs as she lets her emotions flood out.

“Waaahhh!!”

“Whoa!?”

Kirita Akari collapses to the floor, crying out loud as if forgetting this is a public place.

She wipes her tears with both hands, her body shaking.

“I’m so glad… so glad…!”

Only now do I realize she’s crying tears of joy.

She’s genuinely relieved to know I don’t hate her.

“…”

I don’t know what to say in a moment like this, and I’m honestly at a loss.

It’s good that this is a quiet area.

If this were somewhere more visible, I’d look like a total criminal.

I can’t just leave her crying, but floundering without doing anything won’t solve this.

“…Haa.”

I scratch my head lightly, then crouch down to meet Kirita Akari’s gaze as she sits on the floor.

When her eyes meet mine, I ask.

“…Can I ask you one thing? I asked before, but why did you act like you liked Uryu when you actually liked me?”

I hesitated but decided to go for it.

The reason I got so heated was definitely because of this.

She openly confessed to liking me, but her actions didn’t match.

Thinking back calmly, she barely approached Uryu.

Still, there’s no reason to pretend to like him.

If Uryu had actually fallen for her during their interactions, that’d be too unfair to him.

It’d ruin my plan to get Uryu a girlfriend.

There’s no upside, so why didn’t Kirita Akari stop?

This is the one thing I still can’t wrap my head around.

“Anything’s fine. Just tell me what you were thinking.”

“Like, maybe it was hard to bring up because I had expectations of you.”

“Or maybe I misunderstood, and you never meant it that way from the start.”

Last time, I messed up by not listening to her and just unloading on her.

That kind of approach makes it impossible for someone to speak up.

They can’t say what they want to.

So this time, I’ll meet her halfway.

If this hallway corner is good enough, I’m ready to listen for hours.

“Y-yeah, you’re right. I have to say it clearly, or you won’t understand.”

Sniffling and wiping her eyes, Kirita Akari speaks.

There was a reason.

I feel relieved even before hearing it.

“Um, you remember what I said after our date, right?”

“That you’d stop trying to ask Uryu out?”

“Yeah, that.”

How could I forget?

Worried about talking to Uryu, Kirita Akari went on a date with me.

I perfectly mimicked Uryu, but within a minute, she told me to drop it.

It turned into a normal day out.

I thought that helped her build some tolerance for Uryu.

But when she said she’d stop pursuing him, my mind went blank.

“The thing is, by then, I was already starting to have feelings for you…”

“Oh, uh.”

It’s a bit surprising, but it makes sense.

If she started liking me, she’d hesitate to move forward with Uryu.

“But after that, we didn’t talk much, did we?”

“Well, yeah…”

Back then, I had no reason to talk to Kirita Akari if she wasn’t interested in Uryu.

I figured spending time on her was less efficient than cheering for Rando-dono.

That’s how I thought at the time.

“That’s when I realized.”

“You only paid attention to girls who liked Aoyagi-kun.”

“…Well, yeah.”

It’s a misleading way to put it, but she’s not wrong.

At first, I didn’t like it.

But I got excited about every possibility of Uryu getting a girlfriend.

…Wait a second.

Is that why Kirita Akari didn’t deny liking Uryu?

“So, I thought if I kept acting like I liked Aoyagi-kun, you’d pay attention to me…”

Kirita Akari’s candid confession leaves me speechless.

I’m so stunned, I can’t even muster a quick response.

“Whoa, hold on. Let me sort this out.”

I put a hand to my forehead, organizing my chaotic thoughts one by one.

“So, you liked me, but thought I wouldn’t talk to you if you approached me normally?”

“Y-yeah.”

Kirita Akari’s cheeks flush faintly pink.

Reflecting on such a bold confession must feel like a bit of a shame play.

But I won’t stop until I fully understand.

“And if you acted like you liked Uryu, I’d talk to you like before?”

“E-exactly…”

She looks down, embarrassed, and I’m not confident I can respond smoothly.

In short, Kirita Akari pretended to like Uryu just to talk to me.

To get my attention, to stay connected with me—that’s the only reason she lied.

It’s such a wild plan, but given my personality, it’s not entirely off the mark.

I can’t help but let a single sentence slip out.

“Man… just how much do you even like me…?”

“Auuh…”

In an instant, her faintly pink cheeks turn bright red.

Chapter 175: Moving Forward

I barely stop myself from sighing and speak to the flustered Kirita Akari.

“For now, I get it, but talk properly with Uryu.”

“Like I said before, it’d be a mess if Uryu actually fell for you.”

Since she’s liked, it’s not impossible for Uryu to develop feelings.

They should clear that up before any accidents happen.

If Uryu genuinely falls for Kirita Akari, that’s a different story.

“I don’t think Aoyagi-kun would like me.”

“I didn’t think you’d like me either.”

“Y-Yeah, sorry…”

“No, you don’t need to apologize.”

I can’t help but soften when Kirita Akari looks dejected.

What is it? Her earnest apology makes it feel like liking me was a mistake, and it’s oddly sad.

Still, I don’t know why Kirita Akari likes me.

It’s not negative thinking, but I can’t pinpoint any moment where my actions won her over.

If she says something vague like “you’re kind,” I’d just tilt my head.

Honestly, it’d help if she could tell me specifically which action or moment stood out.

But the fact is, Kirita Akari likes me romantically.

Whether I understand it or not, that’s the unchangeable reality.

If that’s the case, I need to give her an answer.

“About your confession…”

The moment I bring it up, Kirita Akari’s expression tightens.

Sitting on the floor, we lock eyes with tense anticipation.

“Should I answer right now?”

“…What does that mean?”

Kirita Akari counters my question with one of her own.

She’s saying no, but she must be that nervous.

“Even if I answered now, it wouldn’t be good news for you.”

So I tell her my feelings clearly.

I’ve never seen Kirita Akari as a romantic partner.

Being liked doesn’t mean I can date her.

I don’t believe in dating and hoping to fall in love later.

I don’t have the right to date her with that mindset.

“…I see.”

I thought my words were harsh, but surprisingly, Kirita Akari smiles faintly.

It doesn’t look forced—she’s smiling at me gently.

“But that means if I don’t get an answer now, there’s still a chance, right?”

“…Yeah, I’d want to answer seriously after thinking it through.”

I hesitate for a moment but nod.

I wonder if it’s okay to make her wait, but there’s no trace of worry on her face.

“Then that’s totally fine! I didn’t expect an okay right away anyway. And the way you said it, you’re not planning to date Tsuyu-chan, right?”

I’m surprised when Tsuyu’s name comes up.

Kirita Akari knows Tsuyu confessed to me.

It’s natural she’d think about Tsuyu.

“Yeah, it’s the same with Tsuyu.”

I only ever saw Tsuyu as a little sister.

In that sense, maybe Kirita Akari and Tsuyu are starting from the same place.

“Good. It was worth mustering up the courage. I’m on the same playing field now.”

Kirita Akari closes her eyes, clasping her hands over her chest.

Relieved to hear about Tsuyu’s situation, she lets out a small breath.

“I really am glad I fell for you, Hirose-kun. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.”

“W-Well…”

Being hit with such direct feelings up close makes even me feel embarrassed.

Her pure smile, free of sadness or pain, is so beautiful it catches me off guard.

“So, I’ll start making my moves from now on. If I slack off, Tsuyu-chan might leave me behind.”

“Moves…”

Come to think of it, I used to tell her to make moves.

What exactly is she going to do?

“What do you mean by moves?”

Curious, I ask directly.

Kirita Akari freezes as if her thoughts short-circuit, her face turning red with a boom sound effect.

“Th-That’s, you know! All sorts of things! I’ll attack in all sorts of ways!”

As usual, it’s too vague to know what she means.

It’s so unclear, it’s almost scary.

“G-Go easy on me, okay?”

“Only if that stops Tsuyu-chan.”

“Tsuyu?”

I imagine it.

Asking a scheming Tsuyu to “go easy” and what she’d say.

“Haha, did you say something just now?”

“She doesn’t seem like she’d stop…”

“Pfft!”

When I voice my honest thought, Kirita Akari bursts out laughing.

Now it’s my turn to feel relieved.

She was hurt because of me, but her cheerful smile seems to be back.

I can say I’ve achieved my goal for now.

“Ah!”

Speaking of goals, I remember.

I have more than one goal today.

Just like with Kirita Akari, there’s another person I need to apologize to.

“What’s up?”

As I stand, Kirita Akari brushes dust off her skirt and looks at me.

“Sorry, I actually have two favors to ask.”

“For me?”

“Yeah.”

I explain that I also hurt her friend, Misono Izumo.

I don’t know if it’s related, but she’s absent today.

I want to share the exam material covered in today’s classes with her.

And I make a request to help mend the hurt I caused her.

“I see. I knew Izumo-chan was absent today, but that’s what happened…”

“Sorry. It’s my fault for being so immature.”

“No, I’m not mad or anything.”

“Huh?”

Kirita Akari’s unexpected response leaves me stunned.

Her friend was treated harshly—why isn’t she angry?

“Of course, I think you went too far in some ways. But I also think Izumo-chan can be too pushy sometimes. t’s not like only one of you is at fault. And you’re trying to apologize now. If I got mad at you, I’d be a really awful person.”

Kirita Akari gives a wry smile.

As I stand there dumbfounded, she adds, “Plus…”

“Friends fight. It’s normal. You can’t get close without fighting. If you think you went too far, just apologize. There’s nothing complicated about it.”

I feel like my heart’s been cleansed.

It’s not normal.

I didn’t think my words could be forgiven so easily.

But hearing it from a third party gives me a fair perspective.

Fighting isn’t bad—it’s expected.

“Did Misono Izumo and I look like friends?”

I didn’t think we were.

I didn’t think I had the right to call us that.

From my perspective, that was obvious.

“Yeah. If you weren’t friends, you wouldn’t talk so happily together.”

Kirita Akari’s words wake me up.

Forget what we think of each other for now.

To others, we looked like friends.

Fighting, arguing, apologizing, forgiving—that kind of relationship.

“I see.”

There’s no need to hesitate anymore.

All that’s left is to face Misono Izumo and share my feelings.

“Can I count on you for that thing?”

“Yeah, it’s a bit embarrassing, but sure.”

Having reconciled with Kirita Akari, I entrust her with the favor.

I start preparing to meet Misono Izumo.

After that, I rush around the classroom and cafeteria, making the same request.

In the warm summer season, running around makes me sweat.

I wipe it off and keep moving forward.

But right now, the sweat doesn’t bother me at all.

Chapter 176: Escape

With ten minutes left in lunch break, my first mission was complete.

It wasn’t smooth sailing—there were some annoying hiccups—but I did what I wanted to do. Now, I just need to hear how Uryu fared.

Hurrying back to the classroom, I spot Aoyagi Uryu chatting with classmates. Even slouched carelessly in his seat, he looks like a damn painting. It’s a stark reminder that looks are ninety percent of a person’s charm.

Not that this guy’s just a pretty face—he’s a handful for other reasons too.

“Hey, the sweaty prince finally shows up!”

“Don’t slap pointless titles on me, Mr. Refreshing Mask!”

“My bad, Sweaty-kun.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“What, you actually think you’re a prince? That’s… yikes.”

Ugh, this guy’s the worst.

He comes at me from the get-go with the clinginess of a spider’s web, but I don’t have time to play along.

Once I confirm our classmates have faded into the background, I turn to Uryu.

“You were sitting there all carefree, but did you actually complete the mission—”

“No need to ask. Here.”

With that, Uryu tosses back the item I entrusted to him.

“Whoa, careful! What if it breaks, you idiot?!”

“If it breaks, guess you’ll have to fix it with sheer willpower, haha.”

“This isn’t a joke…”

I asked him to handle it because I don’t think my willpower can fix everything, and he’s laughing like it’s nothing.

“By the way, I went above and beyond, so it’s looking pretty damn good.”

“Above and beyond?”

“Yup.”

When Uryu explains the details, I realize he’s done way more than I expected.

“You were doing that the whole lunch break?”

“Nah, I ate first, then got to work. If you’re gonna do something, might as well make ‘em happy, right?”

I’m speechless. Unlike Kirita Akari, who needs detailed instructions, Uryu delivers results beyond what I asked for without any hand-holding. I’ve thought this before, but Hisame-san really should give him more credit.

“Well, that’s all I can do. The rest is on you.”

Uryu flashes a slight smirk my way.

Right. He’s completed my orders—exceeded them, even.

Now it’s up to me to meet with Misono Izumo.

“Uryu.”

“What?”

“…Thanks. You really helped.”

“Gross.”

“Huh?!”

My heartfelt thanks are shot down with two blunt syllables.

“I thought it this morning too, but that polite gratitude shtick is creepy.”

“Stop calling me creepy, damn it!”

“Can’t help it, it’s what I think.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?!”

I’m already struggling with this unfamiliar act of sincerity, and he’s shutting me down completely. It stings, okay?

When I snap the question at him, Uryu raises both hands and shrugs.

“You don’t need to thank me. You and I aren’t like that, right?”

“What?! You thanked me when I found Tsuyu, didn’t you?!”

“That’s case-by-case! If you keep thanking me for every little thing, you’ll wreck your throat!”

“I don’t have that much to thank you for! Getting a big head, are you?!”

“You’re the one with the big head! Who said I wanted your thanks?!”

“Oh, you said it now! Even if you save my life, I won’t so much as nod in gratitude!”

“I don’t need your damn thanks! Just keep acting all high and mighty like usual!”

“If you’re gonna go that far, I’ll act as smug as I want! I’m about to have you cover for my school escape, and I won’t say a word of thanks!”

“I told you, I don’t need it! I’ll handle the teachers, so just go already!”

“Alright, I’m outta here!!”

“Have fun!!”

Before I know it, we’re shouting at each other. This happens a lot when I talk to Uryu, but unfortunately, the class rep who’d normally step in isn’t here.

I’m about to go meet that very class rep.

Grabbing my stuff, I slip through less-traveled hallways and staircases to escape the school. It’s exam period, so surveillance is tighter than usual, but no one expects a student to skip out before classes end.

Uryu’s got my back. All I need to do is my part.

With that in mind, I successfully escape the school.

※

The moment Hirose Yukiya vanishes from the classroom, Aoyagi Uryu swiftly pulls out his smartphone and makes a call.

The call connects almost instantly, and a voice comes through with a beep.

“Hello, this is Hirose.”

Uryu’s calling Yukiya’s father, Hirose Tomoya. When Yukiya contacted Uryu from his own phone earlier, Uryu saved Tomoya’s number just in case.

“Uh, this is Aoyagi.”

“Could it be Uryu-kun? Hello! Yuu-kun’s always in your care.”

“N-no! It’s my little sister who’s in your care!”

Uryu tenses up slightly at being addressed by name. His sister Tsuyu has been helped with her future plans, but this is Uryu’s first time speaking with Tomoya directly.

“So, what’s the matter?”

“Oh, right.”

Tomoya’s question snaps Uryu back to the point. He didn’t call to chitchat.

That said, the topic isn’t exactly easy to bring up.

“Well, about Yukiya-kun… he’s kind of taking an unauthorized early leave.”

“Unauthorized early leave?”

“Yes. But it’s not like he’s doing anything bad! He’s acting for a friend’s sake!”

“It’s okay, Uryu-kun. Yuu-kun isn’t the type to cause trouble without a reason.”

Tomoya’s voice is shockingly calm—hardly the reaction of a father who just heard his son ditched school.

Uryu knew Yukiya was close with his dad, but now he’s starting to understand why.

“So, you’re saying there might be a call from the school, but I shouldn’t worry?”

“Exactly.”

“Thanks for the heads-up. I might’ve panicked a bit without the warning. This helps.”

Just as Tomoya guesses, Uryu’s call is to ensure Tomoya doesn’t worry if the school contacts him about Yukiya’s actions.

Uryu had considered the possibility that skipping school could get Yukiya in trouble, but there’s no trace of panic in Tomoya’s voice over the phone. It’s the calm tone of a father who trusts his son completely.

“And thank you for being friends with Yuu-kun. He’s got a few quirks, but he’s a kind kid. I hope you’ll keep getting along.”

“Y-yes! Honestly, Yukiya-kun’s made things pretty fun for me too!”

“Glad to hear it.”

After a bit more small talk, Uryu ends the call with Tomoya. Then he remembers he’s still in the classroom.

He’d gotten so caught up in the conversation. Tomoya’s gentle way of speaking made it easy for Uryu to respond.

(How did that father produce that personality of a son…?)

Uryu tilts his head at the massive question. Is the mother the odd one? Is Yukiya some kind of genetic mutant? Or did something happen to him later in life?

But dwelling on it won’t get him anywhere. It’s not like Uryu’s dissatisfied with Yukiya’s personality as it is.

Uryu reflects. Even though it was an emergency, talking to Tomoya was nice.

Because in that short conversation, he gained one small thing.

(Next chance I get, I’ll try calling him Yuu-kun.)

Imagining that moment, Uryu looks down and chuckles to himself.