Translator: Lilo
Editor: Ryuubii

Chapter 5: Makabe Shizuru Is Not Cut Out For Romance

Act 3(2)

Although the entire school body was divided into about five screens to watch the film, the beginning and the end were the same.

After the movie, the lobby was filled with students just like this morning. Everyone seemed to be talking about what they were going to do afterward. Occasionally I overheard conversations about the contents of the movie.

Now, what should I do?

I have not discussed this with Hasumi-senpai, but she probably would eat lunch with her friends. I’m sure she would not mind if I went back to the Hasumi residence and ate whatever was in the kitchen, but I still think it would be safer to go home after eating something with Karube and Heshikiri-san.

“Makabe-kun.”

As I was pondering, my name was called.

When I looked in the direction of the voice, I saw Takinami-senpai there. Takajou-senpai and others were also with her.

Takinami-senpai wore long pants and an oversized blouse. The other seniors were also dressed in their own beautiful clothes.

“Hello there, Makabe-kun.”

Takinami Ruika greeted me with a tender smile as if yesterday’s exchange was a lie.

“Hello. So you were also on this floor, Takinami-senpai.”

“Yes.”

It was the same for me, and I treated her as a kind librarian.

“We were just going to have lunch. If you don’t mind, would you like to join?”

This is her testing me―is what I thought.

It’s like an ultimatum.

Whether I accept or decline this invitation will be decisive for our relationship in the future.

“Thank you for the offer, but I’ll decline. I’m not a good company for you seniors. I just wish Naoi was here.”

But my answer remains the same.

Takinami-senpai let out a sigh of resignation.

“See, I told you.”

A person in the group around her tugged at her sleeve. She said it in a low voice, but I could hear her clearly. I think this voice is one of the ones I heard at the entrance to the school the other day.

“And with that rumor, if you were going to talk, I think it’s best to keep it in the library.”

“Eh…?”

Takinami-senpai tilted her head as she looked at the person who tugged her sleeve, and then looked at me as if she suddenly realized something.

“You, is this your intention…?”

“……”

Well, I guess she would know it sooner or later.

“Come on, let’s look for Naoi-kun and the others.”

Takinami-senpai then moved away from me as her friend pulled her by the arm.

My heart ached again.

As I was about to board the elevator to go down to the ground floor, I found Naoi Kyouhei and his cronies, including Izumikawa, in the elevator. Takinami’s group did not seem to be able to find them in the crowd.

We rode the elevator together.

In this case, people would naturally be silent, but since we were riding together with good friends and we were surrounded by students from the same school, everyone was talking loudly. Amidst this, only Naoi and I stood shoulder to shoulder and kept silent.

“Yo.”

“Yeah.”

I didn’t expect him to say anything, I felt more conscious than necessary―the words we exchanged were very brief and meaningless.

The elevator arrives at ground level.

The lobby is also still full of students meeting their friends or chatting without going outside yet.

I think I need to talk to Naoi. However, he had no classes and was released at the Sannomiya terminal station at an earlier time than usual. If I bring up a heavy subject, it might damper the conversation. Also, I’m not sure if this is the time to talk about such things.

“Nao―”

“Ah, it’s the librarian!”

The voice that jumped out belonged to Shiiba Akane-senpai.

And then… sure enough, there she was, along with the member of her group, Hasumi-senpai.

“Makabe-kun… Oh, Naoi-kun is here too. I was wondering if you would like to have lunch together?”

“Eh? Really?!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

The first to react to Hasumi’s invitation were Naoi’s two cronies.

And as for Naoi and I, we were both puzzled and very conscious of each other.

Frankly, I would like to avoid sitting around the same table with Naoi now if possible. I’m sure he feels the same way. No, maybe even more than me. But Naoi cannot refuse. As he is not alone at the moment. As a leader, he would not be willing to involve his friends in his own problems.

Since Naoi cannot take that option, I have no choice but to decline.

“Listen, listen, Librarian-kun.”

Just then, Shiiba-senpai spoke to me.

“I know a great place. Since I knew we were going to be dismissed at this kind of time, I’ve reserved a table for about ten people, with the possibility of increasing or decreasing the number of people.

“You’re surprisingly flexible.”

I’ve always had a noisy and rash image of her.

“Right? Akane is surprisingly kept together at times.”

Hasumi-senpai spoke.

“Fufun. We are four sisters, which is rare nowadays, and I am the eldest.”

“Ah, so that’s how.”

Surprising. She had the look that If she came running at me with her arms outstretched, I would catch her and hold her in my arms.

“That said, she’s still a bit of a trouble to handle.”

“Stop saying that.”

Shiiba-senpai glares at me with half-lidded eyes.

“That’s why it only happens sometimes.”

Said Hasumi-senpai.

“I mean, for the time I spent at home being a reliable sister, I want my friends to spoil me at school… Well, let’s leave it at that. Alright, let’s go to the restaurant, okay?”

“……”

Crap. I missed the time to decline. So I guess this is why she can be reliable at times? No matter. Let’s look for a chance to talk with Naoi.

***

We walk along the sidewalk with the large street and the Sannomiya Center Plaza building visible.

Karube and Heshikiri-san, who had been with us earlier, were no longer present. Naturally, Hasumi-senpai and Shiiba-senpai showed their usual friendliness and invited them to join, but the two declined. I think they would be worn out when working with this group because of their personalities.

The group naturally formed with Hasumi-senpai and Naoi in the center of the lead, and I was unable to find the right moment to call out to Naoi.

“Akane is good at bringing in men, right?”

“Stop it.”

As we moved to the restaurant that Shiiba-senpai had reserved for us, the chatter was lively with her as the topic of conversation. Even though it was lunchtime, we were able to have lunch without having to wait, thanks to Shiiba-senpai. Pity.

“I guess I do look like a mascot because of what I do. Then if I said that we should start at being friends first, they will see that it wasn’t as they imagined it to be.”

“Oh, that’s the guy’s fault.”

It was Naoi who answered.

“Even if you have preconceived notions, that’s the way Shiiba-senpai really is, and you have to accept that.”

It was a very honor student-like opinion. Shiiba nodded his head in delight and said, “Naoi-kun, those are some good words!”

The other seniors and Naoi’s cronies laughed.

A friendly atmosphere.

I followed them hoping to talk to Naoi somewhere―but somehow I felt out of place. I should have left and gone with Karube and Heshikiri-san.

§§§

After having lunch at an Indian restaurant reserved by Shiiba-senpai, we walked around the Sannomiya area and disbanded.

Since we siblings and Naoi share the same nearest station, we were together until the very end. Most of today’s members went off one by one, and when the last one got off, it was just me, Hasumi-senpai, and Naoi.

We got off the train at Myodani and exited through the ticket gate.

This would be a good time to talk to Naoi. If I say that I have something to talk to him about, Hasumi-senpai will probably go home first, and although it’s a bit unfair, Naoi won’t be able to shove me away in that situation.

As I was thinking so, Hasumi-senpai, who was walking in the lead, turned around and suddenly opened her mouth.

“So, are you guys fighting or something? You don’t talk at all.”

Naoi and I involuntarily look at each other… But, we quickly looked away.

“N-No…”

“That’s not really…”

I can’t tell the truth even to Hasumi-senpai. Rather, it’s because it’s Hasumi-senpai that I’m unable to say anything, so I fell silent.

“Well, you’re both guys. I guess there’s a lot going on.”

Hasumi-senpai saw this and gave a small wry smile.

“You know, Naoi-kun. Shizuru may not look like it, but he’s surprisingly a good guy. His hand was on cast just a while ago, right? Did you know why?”

“Hasumi-senpai!”

“It’s fine, right? It’s quite heroic after all.”

I tried to stop her, but she didn’t care at all. She even sent me a mischievous wink.

“No, I haven’t heard.”

Said Naoi.

“That injury is from the time Shizuru was stabbed while defending me when a guy pulled a knife on me.”

“Huh?”

It was indeed a shock to the ears. Or, perhaps, it’s more accurate to say that he was taken aback by the sheer bravery of the action.

“Well, that’s the gist of it. But don’t you think he has guts? I may be overreacting, but he saved my life. So, Naoi-kun, please be good friends with Shizuru.”

Furthermore, Hasumi-senpai now turned to me.

“Shizuru, too. Naoi-kun is my cute junior, so you should get along with him.”

She said that as if she was telling a child.

I could not be the only one to say “yes” as long as Naoi had not responded. If I answered “yes,” it might force Naoi, who had not yet sorted out his feelings, to answer, or it might turn him into a sulking child alone.

Hasumi-senpai looked at us and sighed.

“I guess it’s not that easy. Well, fine. That’s all I can say… Naoi-kun, see you later.”

“Ah, okay.”

Naoi responded apologetically.

Then Hasumi-senpai turned on her feet and started walking, and I followed her.

Naoi kept looking at me as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he never said anything until the end.