My Popular-as-Hell Best Friend Is Annoying, So I Want to Get Him a Girlfriend and Shut Him Up - Chapter 56 & 57 & 58

Chapter 56: Promise 2

“Yukki! Uryun! Miha-chan! Thanks for lunch, it was super fun!”

The lunch meeting, which was pretty much pointless for me, came to an end, and Kamishiro Haruka left first, saying she had to head to a different classroom.

As she walked a few meters and looked back, she reminded me of an overly attached dog.

“Good for you, Uryu. She used three whole syllables for your nickname.”

“At this point, she might as well just call me by my name.”

“She’s not the type to listen to that, is she?”

“Yeah, she’ll probably be back to ‘Ururun’ by tomorrow.”

“That’s rough.”

“Says the guy who’s smirking about it.”

Obviously. Seeing you in trouble makes me happy, you know.

But man, today was such a waste.

I had the perfect chance to get Uryu and Tsukikage Miharu to eat at the same table, but I couldn’t make anything happen.

The main reason is that I didn’t have the mental energy to try, but I can’t help thinking she could’ve been a bit more proactive.

If she had the courage to take the initiative, she probably would’ve ditched me as her wingman long ago.

“Yukiya-kun, can I talk to you for a sec?”

Just as the three of us were about to head back to the classroom, Tsukikage Miharu called out to me.

Since she specifically singled me out, it’s probably not something to discuss with everyone.

“Yukiya, I’ll head back first.”

“Alright.”

“Thanks for today, Uryu-kun.”

“No problem. Let’s do it again sometime.”

“Sure.”

And Uryu, reading the room perfectly as always, exchanged a quick greeting with Tsukikage Miharu before heading back to the classroom.

He’s as flawless as ever.

“What’s up? Is it about Uryu?”

I mean, most of the time, conversations with Tsukikage Miharu revolve around Uryu.

That’s why I’ve been dragged to the infirmary or other places for talks like this.

“No, it’s something different today.”

“Different? Then I’ve got no reason to listen.”

“Maybe, but I thought it’d be nice since I found a fellow skipper.”

“A fellow skipper?”

I was wondering what she meant when Tsukikage Miharu got to the point.

“On the day of the sports festival, wanna hang out together?”

Her words, delivered with a smile, took me a moment to process.

But then I remembered the phrase “fellow skipper” and it clicked.

“You’re skipping the sports festival, right, Yukiya-kun?”

“Obviously. No way I’m spending the whole day running around.”

“But you’ll still be around the gym, right? If you go to another classroom and a teacher catches you, you’ll get in trouble.”

“Yeah, probably. I’ll likely be loafing around somewhere in the gym.”

“I’m the same, so I’d be happy if you’d keep me company.”

I see. If that’s the case, it’s not about Uryu, but it’s worth considering.

In Tsukikage Miharu’s case, it’s not exactly skipping, and I can sympathize with her stance on sports.

Since I’ll probably be bored anyway, hanging out and chatting with another slacker might not be a bad idea.

“But, like, can’t you hang out with the other girls who aren’t playing? As long as you stay near the gym, it’s basically free time.”

“I don’t want them to worry about me. Everyone always checks on me when I’m watching alone.”

That’s such a Tsukikage Miharu reason, I thought.

She doesn’t want to distract everyone who’s focused on the sports festival by making them feel concerned for her.

Not everyone takes the sports festival that seriously, so it feels like she’s the one overthinking it.

“Got it. Let’s meet up after the opening ceremony, assuming Uryu doesn’t get in the way.”

When I said that, Tsukikage Miharu gave a slightly more innocent smile than usual.

Huh, so she can pull off more than just her mature smile.

I’m not used to it, but as expected of one of the “Harehare” crew, that kind of gap has enough charm to take down a whole crowd.

“Thanks. Thanks to you, Yukiya-kun, I’m actually looking forward to the sports festival.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. I’m not preparing any entertaining stories.”

“You’re entertaining enough, Yukiya-kun, so it’s fine.”

“That doesn’t feel like a compliment…”

As we continued the conversation, Tsukikage Miharu and I headed back to the classroom.

Since it wasn’t about Uryu, I realized it wouldn’t have mattered if he’d been there, but she probably didn’t want to talk about skipping in front of him.

Fair enough—Uryu would’ve given us a lecture, and we wouldn’t have gotten anywhere.

At the time, I was only thinking of it as a way to kill time during the long sports festival.

I never could’ve imagined that so many people would end up joining us.

Chapter 57: Love Consultation

After having lunch with one cool guy and two goofballs, I was planning to skip club activities and kill time in the library after school when someone called out to me from behind.

“Hi, Hirose-kun!”

“Hm?”

I turned around to see a guy I didn’t recognize standing there.

His hair was styled with wax, and his expression had a kind of bright vibe.

He wasn’t on Uryu’s level, but he looked like the type who’d be popular with girls.

Wait, this guy’s wearing a cardigan too. Is he worried about his camisole showing through or something?

I’ve never worn a camisole, so I wouldn’t know.

“Who’re you?”

“Eh…?”

When I asked, the guy’s face visibly sank, like he was shocked.

Hold on, that unconfident expression… I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before…

“Kidding, right? We were in the same class last year.”

“Sorry, it’s on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t place you.”

“What, you really don’t remember? We’ve hung out a few times, haven’t we?”

A few times? If it’s only a handful of times in the same class, that’s basically the same as not hanging out at all.

Especially since last year’s class was full of larger-than-life characters.

“Just tell me your name, and we’ll go from there.”

“I’m Horimoto Shoki. Ring any bells?”

“Now that I think about it, I’m terrible at matching faces to names.”

“Then why’d you ask for my name?!”

“Oh!”

His retort finally cleared the fog in my memory.

Horimoto Shoki—yeah, I think there was a guy like that in my class.

But there’s one thing that’s not adding up.

“Were you always like this?”

The Horimoto Shoki I knew wore glasses, had bangs so long they covered his eyes, and gave off a totally unimpressive vibe.

He was shy and wishy-washy, nothing like the guy standing in front of me.

“Haha, I actually put in a lot of effort over spring break.”

Horimoto Shoki scratched the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed.

I see, so he reinvented himself when the new school year started.

This look’s cleaner and fresher—pretty good, isn’t it?

“You’re like a different person.”

“Really? Hearing that from you, Hirose-kun, gives me some confidence.”

“Great, great. See ya.”

“What!? Wait, hold on!”

Just as I shared my thoughts and started to leave, he frantically stopped me.

“What? Isn’t this just you showing off your glow-up or whatever?”

“No way! I actually have something I want to talk to you about…”

“Go talk to your friends.”

“Eh, you and I aren’t friends, Hirose-kun?”

“Someone you haven’t talked to in two months since we changed classes counts as a friend to you?”

“Ugh…”

When I hit him with that obvious sore spot, Horimoto Shoki predictably flinched and went silent.

It’s not like being in different classes changes the fact that we were classmates last year, but still.

“…Sorry. I’ve been trying to get closer to the guys in my new class.”

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it? Talk to them about it.”

“No, there’s a reason I can’t…”

Horimoto Shoki lowered his voice, looked away, and started fidgeting with his index fingers.

His appearance has changed a lot, but that wishy-washy personality is exactly the same.

“What’s the reason?”

“Well, it’s, uh…”

I went out of my way to ask, but Horimoto Shoki still wouldn’t spit it out.

Why do I have to deal with some guy’s problems?

If it was about helping Uryu get a girlfriend, I’d jump at the chance.

“It’s… well, it’s about a love-related issue…”

“…”

“Hirose-kun, could you not make that blatantly disgusted face…?”

Hearing it was about love, I must’ve let my feelings show on my face.

Needless to say, I want to get out of this conversation as fast as possible.

What do I gain from helping this guy get with a girl?

“I’ve finally started to feel confident in myself lately…”

Despite my thoughts, Horimoto Shoki shifted his gaze to the window and began his reminiscent monologue.

It’s like some trendy BGM is about to start playing.

“Thanks to you, Hirose-kun, I realized there’s nothing I can’t do if I try. I worked hard at studying and sports, and it paid off. My makeover went well, I made friends in my new class, and even some girls called me cool. I know it’s weird to say it myself, but I think things are going pretty smoothly.”

I don’t remember doing anything for him, but apparently, I inspired him to work on himself, and now he’s living this fun, fulfilling life.

Sounds like a nice story—guess there’s no need for me to help.

“So now, I want to try my hand at love, but I’m stumbling right out of the gate.”

“You got someone you like?”

“Y-Yeah. I’ve been interested in her since first year.”

“Who is it? Someone I know?”

“Hirose-kun, you’re actually gonna hear me out?”

“Nah, never mind.”

“Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to cut you off! I just thought you always end up listening to me!”

“Shut up. Get to the point, or I’m leaving.”

“I’ll say it, I’ll say it! Don’t go yet!”

With that, Horimoto Shoki took a deep breath and told me.

“It’s… Kamishiro-san, from our class…”

She’s got a boyfriend, buddy.

Chapter 58: To the Gym!

Kamishiro Haruka’s popularity has been overwhelming since our first year.

Considering her looks and personality, it’s only natural, and I fully understand why she’s said to be the top in our grade.

But I thought that popularity had hit a ceiling once word got out that she had a boyfriend.

No matter how much she might act in ways that cause misunderstandings, once people know that fact, no one can move forward—they just admire her from afar and leave it at that.

So I was a bit surprised to hear someone so clearly express feelings for Kamishiro Haruka like this.

“…It’s probably impossible, right?”

Maybe he took my silence as disapproval, because Horimoto Shoki said that with a hint of self-deprecation.

“What is?”

“Well, I mean, there’s no way someone like me could date Kamishiro-san.”

“Why not?”

“Uh… because we don’t match at all, don’t you think?”

“In what way?”

“In what way… like, our looks?”

“Who thinks that?”

“When you say who, I guess the people around us.”

“Why does it matter if other people think your looks don’t match? Why does that mean you can’t date?”

“W-Well, that’s…”

“See? You can’t even answer. Your worries aren’t even a big deal.”

I said that and gave Horimoto Shoki a light chop on the head.

“Ow!”

“Stop overthinking and take action. Who cares what others think? As long as you and her are on the same page, that’s all that matters.”

“But…”

“No buts, no wars. Why are you even stressing out before you’ve started? The girl’s got a boyfriend, you know.”

“…Right, so there’s no way I could—”

“That’s not what I meant. If you like her, then steal her away, boyfriend or not. That’s no reason to give up.”

“S-Steal her?”

“Obviously. Isn’t that why you came to me about this?”

My words made Horimoto Shoki fall silent for a moment.

If her boyfriend was at our school, it might be different, but he’s already graduated.

There’s no need to hesitate.

They’re not legally bound by a marriage certificate or anything—stealing her away isn’t an issue.

It’s just the boyfriend’s fault for not holding on to her.

“You’re right. Yeah, that’s it.”

Horimoto Shoki muttered to himself, as if convincing himself.

“My friends in class told me I should give up because she has a boyfriend, that I’d just be a nuisance to Kamishiro-san. But if I really want to date her, I shouldn’t give up until she’s genuinely annoyed with me.”

And then the lovesick boy in front of me looked at me with newfound resolve.

“Yeah, I definitely want to pursue Kamishiro-san. I want to be her boyfriend.”

“Good for you.”

Gone was his earlier wishy-washy demeanor, replaced by a determination that matched his appearance.

Not bad—he’s got a pretty decent look in his eyes.

“So, I’ve been thinking about something.”

“What?”

“It’s about the sports festival. Both the boys’ and girls’ events are basketball, right? Well, Kamishiro-san mentioned in class that she’d help with practice after club activities if anyone wanted. So I was thinking of heading to the first gymnasium after club activities.”

“Sounds solid.”

It’s a natural way to get closer to her using the sports festival as an excuse, and Kamishiro Haruka would probably think well of Horimoto Shoki for trying hard.

Not a bad plan.

“And here’s where the consultation part comes in.”

“You want me to go with you to the gym after club activities, right?”

“Huh? How’d you know?”

“How? It’s obvious that’s where this was going.”

“Well, yeah, I guess.”

“Even if Kamishiro Haruka’s willing to help with practice, it’s hard to approach her alone. But you don’t want to go with your classmates who also like her. So I’m the perfect choice since I know her and don’t have any feelings for her.”

“Y-Yeah. I thought since you’re close to Kamishiro-san, she wouldn’t be wary of you. Will you come with me?”

“We’re not that close, but I’m already in this deep. I’ll tag along for today.”

“Thanks, Hirose-kun!”

Horimoto Shoki grabbed my hand and started shaking it vigorously.

His cool, determined face reverted back to that wishy-washy vibe.

Guess that part doesn’t change so easily.

“Let me make this clear: this is a one-time whim. You’re on your own after today.”

“Got it! Thanks!”

“Now go to your club already.”

“How about we meet in front of the first gymnasium about five minutes before club activities end? I’m wrapping up early today!”

“Got it.”

With that, Horimoto Shoki flashed a smile, turned around, and walked down the hallway.

Man, why did I agree to this?

There’s literally no benefit for me.

Maybe I’ll pray that some god is watching my good deed.

※

With that thought, I headed to the library again.

Author’s Note

Thank you as always.

Since the number of characters is growing, I’ve organized them below by class for simplicity.

• Natori Mayoi (名取 真宵), 2nd Year Class A, formerly 1st Year Class B, delinquent
• Hirose Yukiya (廣瀬 雪矢), 2nd Year Class B, formerly 1st Year Class B, protagonist
• Aoyagi Uryu (青八木 雨竜), 2nd Year Class B, formerly 1st Year Class B, cool guy
• Misono Izumo (御園 出雲), 2nd Year Class B, formerly 1st Year Class B, class representative
• Hasegawa-sensei (長谷川先生), 2nd Year Class B, old man
• Kamishiro Haruka (神代 晴華), 2nd Year Class C, formerly 1st Year Class B, goofball
• Horimoto Shoki (堀本 翔輝), 2nd Year Class C, formerly 1st Year Class B, wishy-washy
• Kirita Akari (桐田 朱里), 2nd Year Class D, formerly 1st Year Class D, hard worker
• Tsukikage Miharu (月影 美晴), 2nd Year Class D, formerly 1st Year Class B, goofball
• Rando Sora (蘭童 空), 1st Year Class A, energetic girl
• Ai-chan (あいちゃん), 1st Year Class A, Ai-chan