In the After School Library, A Refined Lady's Romantic Comedy Can't Be Compromised - Chapter 2 - Act 2(1)
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- In the After School Library, A Refined Lady's Romantic Comedy Can't Be Compromised
- Chapter 2 - Act 2(1)
Translator: Lilo
Editor: Ryuubii
Chapter 2: Average Day Was Well Off The Average Value
Act 2(1)
Lunch break, after morning classes were finished.
Like the other day, I was visiting the cafeteria together with a certain group in my class.
‘Lunch box, huh…’
As I arrived at the table with my food tray, I looked at it and remembered my conversation with Hasumi-senpai this morning.
As I said at that time, there’s one if I go back home.
But should I really take Hasumi-senpai’s word for it? She was already in a bad mood because she didn’t think well of me, so if I took her word for it and offered her my lunch box, she might become even more grumpy…
‘Nah, I don’t think so.’
I quickly reconsider.
Hasumi-senpai said it herself, didn’t she? She said, “If I don’t like something, I’ll say so, and if I don’t want to do something, I won’t do it in the first place.” Therefore, she would not make such a proposal if she didn’t want to do it. If she said she would do something, she would do it responsibly.
Hasumi Shion is a person with no hidden side.
However, this is by no means equal to her being friendly with everyone. If she has someone doesn’t like, she will act that way all the time. But then again, that’s just who she is. There must be only a few she hates. And one of those “few” is certainly me.
When dealing with me, she’s always so bitter. Well, that just shows how much she doesn’t think well of me, and her reputation might suffer if she is seen like that at school. But I don’t think she would be able to be so flexible and treat me the same way she treats other students at school, given her personality. It would be better to be careful not to run into her at school as much as possible.
After deciding so, my eyes turned to the entrance of the school cafeteria.
I wondered what was going on and immediately knew why. It was a group of several female students with Takinami-senpai being at the center. I caught a familiar face out of the corner of my eye, and my eyes were drawn to it before I even noticed it.
The air in the cafeteria immediately changed a bit with the arrival of Takinami-senpai. My classmates also noticed her and whispered something to each other. Is this the power of Takinami Ruika, one of the twin jewels our Akanedai High School prides in?
As I idly looked at Takinami-senpai, she also recognized me.
Takinami-senpai looked surprised, as if she had not expected to see me here. Then, after saying a word or two to her friends who were with her, she quickly walked over towards us.
“Hello there, Makabe-kun.”
A greeting together with a smile.
“Rare. You’re having lunch here?”
“Well, I don’t have any other choices.”
“Oh…” As soon as I replied with a wry smile, Takinami-senpai brought her palm to her mouth and let out a sound in a small voice.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Takinami-senpai apologized as her expression clouded.
Crap. I revealed too much. I should have thought a little more about how I said it. If I had done so, she wouldn’t have given this kind of look.
I cursed myself for being so careless.
“Hey, Takinami-san. This is?”
They were friends of Takinami-senpai who caught up with her.
One of them asked. Because of her slightly tawny eyes and calm demeanor, she had a kind of strange sex appeal, although she probably had no intention of doing so.
“Oh, Takajou-san. This is Makabe-kun, a member of the library committee.”
“Seniors, pleased to meet you.”
I greet everyone through a senior called Takajou as Takinami-senpai introduces me.
“Hey, Makabe. You know Takinami-senpai?””
“Ah, Naoi-kun!”
“Eh? No way.”
The situation instantly became chaotic.
Naoi Kyouhei approached me from the side of the table. He is the leader of this group.
The reason why the seniors were surprised to see him was because in essence, Naoi is the male equivalent of Takinami Ruika and Hasumi Shion.
He has good looks and can study well. Combined with the fact that he is the ace of the handball team and is considered to be the next captain, his reputation as a good-looking guy that can do everything is well deserved. It is no wonder that he is well known even among other grades.
“I didn’t expect seniors to know my name. It’s an honor.”
Naoi bashfully chuckles, but somewhat proud.
“It’s natural, right?”
“Of course.”
“That’s right.”
The seniors verbally agreed.
And, again, unsurprisingly, this group led by Naoi Kyouhei is well known within the school.
As a result, the top groups of the school caste began to interact with each other.
Of course, the center of attention was Takinami-senpai and Naoi.
Perhaps because they were aware of each other’s existence as the Naoi group and Takinami group, but hadn’t had a chance to make contact, they were pretty excited. Takinami-senpai’s group, who had probably come here with that intention in the first place, went to the vending machine at the right moment to buy something to drink, and then came back here to continue chatting. Some were standing, others were pulling chairs from nearby seats.
Takajou-senpai, who had been watching everyone with a grin, suddenly tugged at the sleeves of my shirt and Takinami-senpai’s blouse. Perhaps she was aiming to take advantage of the timing that everyone’s eyes were on Naoi, the only two people who looked back were me and Takinami-senpai.
“So the reason Takinami-san often went to the library by herself was because of Makabe-kun?”
Takako-senpai whispers, covering her mouth with her palm as if she was having a private conversation.
“It’s nothing like that.”
“You’re misunderstanding us.”
We both denied it at the same time.
“Look at you guys getting along.”
Takajou-senpai looked smug and broke into a happy smile.
When I looked at Takinami-senpai and told her to say something, she just winked back at me. She might be denying it, but her true feelings said otherwise. I knew it, she was an enemy after all.
“Makabe-kun is not just a friend of Naoi-kun’s, but also seems kinda cool.”
“Heard that? Isn’t that great, Makabe-kun?”
Takajou-senpai looked at my face and said something like that, and Takinami-senpai immediately got on board.
“Flattery won’t get you anywhere, okay? Do you enjoy teasing underclassmen?”
“Oh, it’s pretty fun, you know?”
“I know, right?”
The two seniors laugh at their own selfishness.
“Since we’re already at it, let’s tease him some more.”
After saying this, Takajou-senpai stood right behind where I sat and wrapped her arms around my neck. She hugged me from behind.
“If you and Takinami-san aren’t like that, then how about me?”
She then whispers in my ear.
“How about you…? What do you mean…?”
“Geez, don’t play dumb. You already know what I’m talking about. Why don’t we become like that and do something only we can do by becoming like that?”
“…?!”
She was saying it with a giggle, so she’s probably just joking. In fact, she said she was going to tease me earlier. However, due to her strange sex appeal, it seemed very tempting. Because of the hug, there seemed to be a sweet fragrance in the air, whether it was perfume, shampoo, or just my imagination.
“Now, now. That’s enough. Makabe-kun looks troubled.”
However, Takajou-senpai was soon pulled away by Takinami-senpai.
“Oh, I fished something big. I knew it.”
“I-it’s nothing like that.”
Takajou-senpai’s focus remained vague, and Takinami-senpai’s face turned red in denial at the point Takajou-senpai made.
However, wouldn’t it be counterproductive to do so? It would look like she was desperately trying to hide her obvious fondness for him… although, since it’s Takanami-senpai who’s an expert at hiding her true intention, is she intentionally denying it to convey her true feelings? After all, if she gets serious, she can even lie with a straight face.
“I’d like to exchange numbers if you don’t mind.”
Takajou-senpai asked with her smartphone in hand.
“Or would you prefer a social media account with naughty selfies?”
“Ha?”
I immediately made an unintentionally silly noise.
“Y-you’re joking, right?”
“Who knows?”
I questioned her, however, she just smiled meaningfully.
No way she’s serious, right? I froze, not knowing how to react.
“Hey, Makabe, what’s going on over there? Let me in too.”
Just as I was about to ask Takinami-senpai for help, Naoi’s voice came flying from across the table.
“Shut up. I’m in the middle of something.”
What’s more, at a level that might not even be a joke.
When I replied back, the place erupted in laughter.