The Case of Liking the Most Beautiful Girl in the School Even After Being Told Not to Like Her - Chapter 21 - Is That Not a Good Enough Reason?

Chapter 21 – Is That Not a Good Enough Reason?

On June 28th, four days before the examination, I asked Iori what she thought as soon as she arrived at school.

“Iori, do you think it’s possible for a sister and brother to be in love?”

“Eh, what? Do you maybe like Asai-kun?”

“No, it’s not like that, but I’ve been wondering…”

I don’t know why I question this myself. But I’m curious.

“Hmm~, I think it’s possible. After all, you’re ‘step’-siblings, right?”

“I see… So it’s possible…”

It’s weird… Ever since Asai-kun consulted with me yesterday…I’ve been feeling impatient.

—Last night.

“A date with Shirai-senpai?”

On June 27th, five days before the exam week, I asked Mina-san, who seemed to know a lot about dates, what a date was like.

“Yeah, a date is just like going out normally, right?”

I think it’s just a special way of saying “date” and what we do is just like going out with friends, and I check with Mina-san to see if that is correct.

“No, the other person said it was a date, right? Then it’s a date.”

“So, it’s a date…?”

“Isn’t that good? Shirai-senpai might have a crush on Yuuto-kun.”

I wonder if that’s good… She’s certainly kind, good-looking, and I can’t imagine how happy I would be to go out with her… However, I wasn’t at all happy when Mina-san told me earlier that she was happy for me. What on earth did I want Mina-san to say?

“Have you ever dated anyone, Mina-san?”

“No, I haven’t. I’ve been asked out a few times, but not by anyone I really like. Well, my advice is that you don’t have to be so uptight just because it’s a date, okay? Just enjoy the photo exhibition together. The other person probably wants to be with you like usual, too…”

Should I just be myself as usual? If I’m nervous, I won’t be able to enjoy the things I enjoy.

“Thank you, Mina-san. I’ll just enjoy it normally.”

“Yeah, that’s good. By the way, who is that photographer? I didn’t know you liked photography.”

“You never asked. I like looking at pictures, but I think I prefer taking pictures. I go to various places and take pictures as a hobby.”

I took pictures with my camera, but I also took pictures with my smartphone, so I showed Mina-san the photos I had taken so far on my smartphone. Mina-san then took the phone from me and looked at the photos and got excited.

“Wow~, that’s an amazingly beautiful star. Do you have any more pictures?”

“Yeah. If you slide here… There you go.”

“Where’s this? I want to go there!”

Mina-san saw a picture of a waterfall I took last year when I went alone to a place with beautiful autumn leaves, and looked at me.

“I’m planning to go in the autumn, do you want to go with me, Mina-san?”

“Yes, I want to go.”

“I don’t know if you’ll remember, but I’ll tell Mina-san when I go.”

Mina-san gave me back my phone and I was going back to my room when she grabbed me by the hem of my t-shirt from behind. She pulled me back with a yank and I turned around. When I looked back, I saw Mina-san looking down.

“Mina-san? What’s wrong?”

“…It’s…nothing…”

Mina-san took her hands off my hem, sat down on the sofa and started watching TV.

What was that?

＊＊＊

And up to the present…

At that time, why did I try to keep him back?

Yuuto-kun must’ve been troubled…

“Mina, where do you want to eat today?”

A few minutes after the lunch break, classmates around me started eating lunch. I looked back at the seat behind me, but Asai-kun had already left the classroom with Katayama-kun.

“For today…let’s eat in the classroom. Let’s eat together. Come on, Iori too.”

“Ah, yes.”

I took my lunch and went with Iori to where the kids in our group were gathered. As usual, I was immediately welcomed.

＊＊＊

After school, I decided to study until 5 o’clock. I turned around and called out to Yuuto-kun before he left.

“Asai-kun, are you working part-time again today?”

“No, not today. What about Mi—Tachikawa?”

Just now, Yuuto-kun tried to call me “Mina-san”, didn’t he? I just laughed at that, and Yuuto-kun looked at me with a face that said what was funny.

“You can call me Mina at school too. I’ll start calling you Yuuto-kun from now on. It’s fine for other people to know that Yuuto-kun and I are already living together.”

“I see… So, Mina-san, are you going to stay and study today?”

“Yes, I can concentrate on something more at school than at home… There are so many things that tempt me at home…”

“Things that tempt you? Such as?”

“Like smartphones, TV, fashion magazines? If they’re near me, I’ll look at them.”

In my case, I study better at school, where there is nothing to tempt me, because when I’m at home, I don’t study at all.

“Ah, I relate to that.”

“Right?”

I was so excited that he sympathized with me that I immediately grabbed both of Yuuto-kun’s hands. Because it was so sudden, Yuuto-kun was surprised.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I can’t help but get excited because there are people who sympathize with me…”

I pulled my hands away and smiled bitterly when Yuuto-kun opened his mouth.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to show more of that?”

“I definitely don’t want to do that. Anyway, since you sympathized with me, why don’t you study here too, Yuuto-kun? That said, Iori will be here as well…”

When I mentioned Iori’s name, who had not returned after going to the staff room, Yuuto-kun grabbed his belongings.

“No, I won’t. It would be awkward if I were with you and Nakahara-san.”

“Well, I guess you’re right… Then, how about inviting Mori-kun?”

When I mentioned Mori-kun who was still in class, Yuuto-kun rejected me.

“I’ve never spoken to Mori and it’ll still be awkward. I’m telling you, I’ve never been involved with someone Mina-san is on good terms with.”

I know that, but…it would be nice if we could get along with each other on this occasion. But, well, maybe it’s meddlesome to think like this.

“Well, how about we do it together at night at home?”

“I don’t mind, but why are you so eager to study together with me?”

“I just want to do it with you… Is that not a good enough reason?”

“No, it’s okay. Well then, I’ll be going home first.”

“Yeah, see you later.”