My Popular-as-Hell Best Friend Is Annoying, So I Want to Get Him a Girlfriend and Shut Him Up - Chapter 95 & 96 & 97

Chapter 95: Afterparty

“What’s with this crowd…?”

The Class B afterparty, meant for the championship team and volunteers, is being held at a somewhat pricey family restaurant—not that Saisomething place.

The reason it’s not at whatever-Zeria?

They couldn’t handle a group of 27 people.

Honestly, finding a place for this many on a Friday evening is next to impossible.

Karaoke seemed like the only option, so getting into this restaurant feels like a miracle.

“Everyone seated? Order whatever you want at your tables!”

Uryu, maybe the organizer, walks around calling out to the Class B crew.

Why the star of the championship is playing host, I don’t know, but no one else seems up for it.

Misono Izumo’s off doing something and didn’t come.

I’m settled in the corner of a four-person booth by the wall.

It’s a victory party, so Uryu told me to sit in the middle, but I refused.

Be grateful I even showed up.

No one’s next to me, but across are two vaguely familiar girls—Girls A and B, the ones who once joked that Uryu and I were dating.

They’re smiling creepily but not saying a word.

Even after ordering, they’re silent.

It’s starting to get scary.

Can I switch seats now?

“Alright, everyone got their drinks?”

Everyone ordered the drink bar, holding their favorite juices, while I counter with the free water the waiter brought.

Spending money on drinks?

Nah, I’d rather put it all toward food.

That’s my style.

“Here’s to the sports festival—cheers!”

““Cheers!!””

Following Uryu’s lead, classmates raise their glasses with a shout.

Amid the clinking, I sip my water.

Tastes fine.

Propping my elbow on the table, I scan the Class B crowd.

Guys and girls who don’t usually talk are chatting away, bonding.

There’s a guys-only table since we’ve got more boys, but they’re having a blast too.

I bet they used the sports festival as an excuse to set this up.

“Hirose-kun, you were great in the game.”

As my spinach sauté and hamburger rice arrive, Girl A finally speaks.

I braced for something weird, but it’s normal enough to put me at ease.

“That epic fist bump? I savored every second!”

“No way, the high-five after was way better!”

Never mind.

They’re not even critiquing the game.

What’s got them so fired up?

“But, like, Aoyagi-kun’s tap-in shot was amazing, right?”

“Yeah, total ‘we trust each other’ vibes.”

“Big mood~”

Joining their talk might make me dumber, so I ignore them and dig into my food.

It’s family restaurant quality—nowhere near Dad’s cooking.

But since Uryu’s paying, I’ll eat every bite.

“Mind if I sit here?”

As the two across from me start arguing and things heat up, Uryu, making his rounds, comes over with a glass in hand.

“Oh, Aoyagi-kun!!”

“Please, take our seats! We’ll vanish like the rookies we are!”

“Eh, wait—”

Uryu’s arrival sends their excitement into overdrive.

Faces red, Girls A and B bolt to find new seats.

Those two have insane energy—they should try stand-up comedy.

Uryu was about to sit next to me but moves across when he sees them leave.

“Yo, having fun?”

“If it looks like I am, you need a doctor.”

They call it an afterparty, but talking to Uryu like this is no different from usual.

Did I really need to come?

I’m half-serious.

“Good work out there.”

Uryu raises his glass, so I reluctantly clink my water against it.

“Eating something good? You’re the star—don’t hold back.”

“That reminds me, I’ve got something to talk about.”

“Talk?”

I get a bit annoyed at Uryu’s exaggerated head tilt but ask anyway.

“Uryu, you could’ve won without me, right?”

After I left, Uryu was unstoppable, like the two markers didn’t matter.

I missed the end talking to Misono Izumo, but he scored more, so I don’t think I was necessary.

I threw it out as conversation fodder, but Uryu smirks, raising one index finger.

“I’ll answer, but you’ve gotta answer my question first.”

With that preamble, he gets serious and asks.

“When you got the nosebleed, why’d you punch Watanabe?”

Watanabe’s probably the elbow guy—Elbow-Tetsu.

“What, you mad about my retaliation?”

“Nah. Not hitting back wouldn’t be you.”

Huh?

I thought he was pissed about me attacking a basketball club teammate, but that’s not it.

“Then what’re you getting at?”

“I wanna know why you went for a face punch.”

Like when Kirita Akari asked, I freeze for a second but recover and snap back.

“Look, I’m bleeding from the nose. Punching’s not weird when I’m pissed, right?”

“It is. You’d have chopped their head off. You don’t do obvious attacks like that.”

“…”

I go silent, unable to respond.

He’s right—I’ve always gone for head chops when annoyed, no matter who.

Uryu’s seen it enough to know.

He wouldn’t say this otherwise.

“Not gonna explain? Then I’ll guess.”

“Do whatever.”

“Alright, I will.”

Uryu clears his throat and lays out his take.

“Truth is, you were trying to help Watanabe, weren’t you?”

Chapter 96: The Revelation Session

Uryu’s take was this.

In the boys’ division final of the sports festival, my entry helped Class B mount a comeback.

Whether true or not, many in the crowd probably felt that way.

Then came the unexpected accident—the elbow to my face, which looked malicious.

The arena, buzzing with excitement, fell silent from the shock.

It wouldn’t have been surprising if Watanabe, the Class C guy, became a target of hate.

My nosebleed wouldn’t stop, forcing me to the bench.

If Class C had won, people might’ve blamed my exit, denying them a fair evaluation.

Worse, some might’ve thought Watanabe did it to win.

So, to prevent Watanabe from getting unfair backlash, I punched him in the face to reduce sympathy for myself.

That’s Uryu’s theory.

“How’s that? Not spot-on, but pretty close, right?”

Despite his words, Uryu’s expression screamed confidence in his reasoning.

His smug attitude is seriously irritating.

“What’s in it for me?”

“Nothing. It might even hurt your rep for playing hard.”

“Exactly. Why would I do that?”

“Why? That’s obvious.”

Uryu smirks, his lips curling.

“‘Cause, deep down, you’re soft on people.”

That’s Uryu’s big reason for my actions.

To spare a hardworking, earnest student from future school trouble, I acted to stay the victim.

Because I’ve got a generous heart.

“Time for the answer check.”

“…Tch.”

Uryu’s creepy grin prompts an obvious tongue-click from me.

God, he’s blabbing arrogantly about something that doesn’t need digging into.

“My reasons don’t matter. Class B won, end of story.”

I’ll admit some second-years at the scene felt sorry for me after the accident.

But we won even after I bailed.

Class C didn’t get trashed, so my punch was meaningless—just retaliation.

“Oh, so you’re admitting my ‘kind act’ theory?”

“Nope. I just did what I did.”

“And that led to the punch? Man, are you embarrassed it got found out?”

“Shut up! This talk’s over. Your turn!”

“My turn?”

“The final. You were holding back in the first half!”

“Oh, that.”

Uryu’s response is lukewarm, like he’s not interested.

It’s a sensitive topic, so he glances around cautiously before looking at me.

“Yeah, I could’ve at least matched their scores. If I’d been more serious.”

That’s a problem statement.

Aoyagi Uryu, not going all-out in the final, put the team in a pinch.

Some would find that unforgivable.

“Why the hell did you do that? If you prioritized winning, you wouldn’t think like that.”

Sure, Uryu might’ve had reasons.

Basketball’s grueling, and pacing himself could’ve limited his first-half output.

Still, letting a four-goal gap open with him on the court could’ve tanked morale, making things worse.

My entry seemed to turn it around, but still.

“You’re right. Winning the final was secondary.”

“What? Then what was that halftime speech?”

He said he didn’t want to lose without using all our strength, which is why he wanted me in.

Now he’s saying winning was secondary. I can’t tell what’s true anymore.

“That was a lie. Honestly, I just wanted to play basketball with you.”

His raw, unfiltered truth hits me, and my eyes widen in shock.

If he’s telling the truth, he hijacked the final for his own sake.

Just to play with me.

“It’s true I thought you wouldn’t flinch against experienced players. But I didn’t expect you to shine like that. Thanks to you, we caught them off-guard at the end. That kind of thrilling game’s rare, you know?”

Uryu talks animatedly, his usual mature vibe overshadowed by a childlike excitement.

He must be that satisfied with today’s game.

“That’s the deal.”

“What deal? You did whatever you wanted!”

“Doesn’t matter. Without me, we wouldn’t have made the final.”

This guy’s shamelessness.

It’s been a parade of stuff we can’t let others hear.

“I figured you’d do something, but I didn’t expect the nosebleed.”

“I didn’t plan that either!”

“Haha, true.”

This jerk shows zero remorse, laughing like a fool, even though none of this—elbow and all—would’ve happened if he hadn’t pushed me to play.

I can’t talk, since I jumped in for matcha, but still.

“Hm? Phone.”

As our talk wraps, Uryu pulls his phone from his chest pocket. Someone’s calling.

“Hey, Nee-san?”

It’s Hisame-san, apparently.

He’s taking the call right here?

No, he took it because it’s Hisame-san.

“Now? I’m at the sports festival afterparty… What?”

Uryu’s expression shifts.

His relaxed face tightens instantly.

“No, I haven’t heard anything. When did this happen? …Two hours ago? Yeah, yeah.”

His tone changes.

He’s more serious than usual, talking to Hisame-san.

“I’m heading back now. Don’t push yourself, Nee-san—I’ll handle it. …Yeah, that’s best. I’ll hang up.”

Uryu ends the call, pulls out his wallet, and slaps two 1,000-yen bills on the table.

“What’s up?”

He’s clearly about to leave, so I have to ask. What’s making him ditch the afterparty he set up?

“…Sorry, Yukiya. There’s trouble, and we need all hands on deck. I hate to ask when you came to the party, but can you help?”

With a grave tone, Uryu explains what’s going on.

“Tsuyu fought with our parents and ran out of the house. She’s been gone for over two hours in this rain, without an umbrella.”

Chapter 97: At the End of the Gaze

Uryu and I slipped out of the afterparty due to an urgent matter.

Some girls seemed really disappointed about Uryu leaving, but others, muttering cryptic things like “sneaking off together…,” sent us warm looks.

I don’t get it, but it feels like a misunderstanding.

Stepping out of the family restaurant, the rain’s intensity hits me.

It’s summer, but it’s already dark—definitely not a time to dawdle.

The rain’s loud, so we hurry to the station.

After passing the gate, I get the details from Uryu.

Apparently, Tsuyu had asked her father for a serious talk this evening, with her mother present.

She spoke her mind, but they didn’t agree at all, and she stormed out in a rage.

Hisame-san wasn’t at the family home but learned about it when Tsuyu’s worried mother called to check if she was at Hisame’s place.

Hisame considered searching but stayed put in case Tsuyu showed up, entrusting the search to Uryu.

The situation’s serious because Tsuyu’s been gone over two hours and left without her phone or wallet.

With no way to contact her, everyone’s in a panic.

If it gets much later, they might need to involve the police.

“She can’t use the train, so she shouldn’t be far, but two hours makes narrowing it down tough.”

Uryu’s face twists with worry.

It’s natural—he’s scared for his little sister’s safety.

“God, if she’d just told me she was talking to Dad…”

“Talking about her future, right?”

“What, you knew?”

“Heard a bit before.”

“Man, Tsuyu really trusts you.”

Uryu’s expression softens slightly.

“If she hadn’t met you, she probably wouldn’t have even thought about changing her path.”

“That’s too much. She was thinking it, just couldn’t say it. That’s what it sounded like with you and her.”

“Yeah. Me and Tsuyu were always tiptoeing around Dad…”

“Then Tsuyu’s choice isn’t wrong. She might’ve gone about it badly, but telling your parents what you want isn’t a mistake. I’m rooting for her.”

“…Yeah, I want to respect her choice too.”

“Then snap out of it. You’re her brother.”

My pep talk seems to work.

Uryu looks stunned for a moment, then flashes a grin.

The tense air finally starts to lift.

“…Man, you’re more her brother than I am.”

“Idiot, I’m just a stand-in. You’re her real brother.”

“Damn right.”

Uryu slaps his cheeks hard, his eyes blazing with resolve, wiping away all doubt.

That’s it—the usual perfect you is all we need.

No need to falter, even in a crisis.

“Yukiya, sorry, but can you check family restaurants or convenience stores near your place? Two hours means she could’ve walked three stations, maybe hiding from the rain somewhere.”

“Got it. You’re searching around your house?”

“With this rain, I don’t think she went far. Maybe I should’ve asked Nee-san to help too.”

“Dragging her out this late’s not cool. What if something happened to someone that pretty?”

“Whoa, you’re all kindness today. Change of heart?”

I said I wanted the usual Uryu, but the usual Uryu’s annoying.

“I’ll give you my number. Call if you find her… Wait, you can’t call me.”

“I’ll borrow Dad’s phone, no problem. I’ll give you a missed call when I get home. Call if you find her.”

“Deal.”

I jot down Uryu’s number.

Just as I finish, we reach his station.

“Yukiya, I’m counting on you.”

“Yeah.”

The train doors open, and Uryu bolts out at breakneck speed.

He’s calm now, but his urgency to find Tsuyu hasn’t changed.

I feel the same.

I head straight home, skipping family restaurants or convenience stores.

I’ve got my bag, and I need to borrow Dad’s phone.

I’ll start searching once I’m set—tomorrow’s a holiday, so I’m in for the long haul.

Yeah, I’m pretty kind. I knew that already.

Seven minutes later, I reach my station, pass the gate, and hurry home.

The shopping street has some arcades—Tsuyu could be taking shelter there.

The rain pelts the plastic cover, loud and chaotic.

I doubt she’s been wandering in this.

Maybe she’s closer to the Aoyagi house than we thought. I’ll head that way while searching.

I walk, lost in thought. I’m not in search mode yet—just heading home before I start.

The rain’s noise is irritating, and it’s a boring stretch of walking.

※

That’s why it took me so long to notice the lone figure sitting in front of my house’s gate.

“…Huh?”

I thought it was a statue.

Maybe Dad, on Mom’s orders, randomly put a decoration there.

No way a person would be sitting out in this torrential rain.

It can’t be a girl in a school uniform at the end of my gaze.

I rush closer, and the “statue” moves, noticing me.

Standing, she smiles brightly, as if the rain doesn’t exist, unbothered by her soaked clothes.

“Good evening, Yukiya-san! I came to hang out, as promised!”

There, under a missing person alert, was Aoyagi Tsuyu.