So You’re Telling Me I’m in My Popular Phase!? - Chapter 46 & 47 & 48 & 49 & 50

Chapter 46: Unexpectedly, Machida-san!?

“Sorry, Itabashi-san. Is it okay if I text my mom quickly to say I’ll be late?”

I was supposed to be home early today, but I have to tell her I’ll be late because I’m going to Itabashi-san’s house.

“Hm? Yeah, it’s fine.”

“Thanks.”

I immediately sent the text.

‘I’m going to a friend’s house for a bit today, so it looks like I’ll be late. Go ahead and eat dinner.’

“Alright. Sent.”

A little while after sending the text, a reply came.

‘Of course! It’s a girl anyway, right? Izumi-chan? Well, take your time coming home♪’

That old hag!

Why is she only sharp at times like this!

“H-Hey, Ryu-chan.”

Itabashi-san called out to me while fidgeting.

“Hm? What’s up?”

“Umm…”

“Huh? Sakura and Ichikami-kun?”

Eh?

When I turned around, there was…

“Why is Machida-san here!”

“Why is Toyomi here!”

No, seriously, why!?

“What do you mean ‘why’, I am on my way home.”

Bad timing!

“Your timing is bad!”

Oi! Don’t say that, Itabashi-san!

“More importantly, what are you two doing here?”

Uwah uwah! Machida-san is coming this way!

“Umm, that is, well…”

I’m panicking so much the words won’t come out.

“Wait a sec, Toyomi, come here.”

Itabashi-san took Machida-san aside and is saying something to her.

“You two… are…?”

I can only catch bits and pieces.

About 15 minutes later.

“Sorry, Ryu-chan.”

Machida-san lightly bowed and went home.

“She didn’t get any weird misunderstandings, did she?”

“Yeah, probably. Surely.”

That’s vague!

“How much longer until your house, Itabashi-san?”

“Hmm, just a little bit.”

“Got it.”

We walked for about 5 minutes.

“Here it is.”

It seemed we arrived, so when I looked, it was a small detached house.

“Wait a moment.”

“Yeah.”

Just like that, Itabashi-san went inside the house.

“I’m ho~me.”

Even so, it’s small. About half the size of my house. Is that an exaggeration?

Unexpectedly poor!?

It’s still a detached house, though.

“Ryu-chan, I got the okay so come in.”

“O-Oh.”

I was beckoned by Itabashi-san who came out of the entrance.

“Sorry it’s cramped.”

Yeah, I know.

“Ah, I don’t really mind.”

“Thanks, then come in.”

Invited in by Itabashi-san, I enter the house.

“Excuse me for disturbing you.”

Chapter 47: Unexpectedly, the Itabashi House!?

“Ryu-chan, this way.”

I was immediately let into Itabashi-san’s house and guided to the living room.

“Oh. Is your mom or anyone here?”

“Yeah. Both my parents are here.”

Haaaaah? Why is your dad here too! What should I do if they think I’m their daughter’s boyfriend!?

“S-Sorry for intruding~.”

“Wait, Ryu-chan!?”

When I tried to escape, I was stopped by Itabashi-san with all her might.

“What are you doing? Ryu-chan!”

“No, I mean. First off, calling me Ryu-chan is——————”

“Oi, what are you doing?”

Gyaaaah! Her dad came out! And his face is scary!!

“Ah, Dad. This person is Ryu-chan♪”

Wait a sec! Don’t say it like ‘This person is my boyfriend♪’!

Wa-wa-wa! Her dad’s face is getting scarier and scarier!

“Oh, been a while, huh Ryu. Ya got big. How is it? Ya been doin’ well?”

“Eh?”

What, what? Why does he know me?

“What’re ya doin’ spacing out? Hurry up and get in the living room.”

But he’s scary!

“Y-Yes.”

I hurriedly entered the living room.

“My, long time no see, Ryu-chan~.”

When I entered, Itabashi-san’s mother came over, waving her hands patapata.

“H-Hello.”

“Jeeez~. Ya don’t need to be so formal. Call me Mama like ya used to.”

It seems her mother knows me too.

“He never said that. Ryu-chan used ‘Tousan’ and ‘Kaasan’, right?”

“It’s a joke. Sakura, you’re getting all serious.”

“Jeeez~.”

Itabashi-san, saying “Jeeez~”, looks somewhat happy too.

“U-Umm…”

“That’s right, Ryu-chan forgot about Sakura back in kindergarten.”

She said what I was about to say for me.

“Is that so…”

“Is that right…”

Uwah! The atmosphere suddenly got dark.

“So we just gotta have him remember, yeah?”

“That’s right!”

Suddenly, her dad stood up.

“Well then, Ryu-kun. Since it’ll get late, have dinner at our place.”

Eh? It’s going to get late? Can’t be helped, I guess.

“Understood. Thank you very much.”

Just like that, her father left the living room. Where did he go?

Her mother said, “I’m gonna get serious today!” and headed for the kitchen.

“Sorry, Ryu-chan.”

“No, I don’t really mind.”

“Thanks.”

Itabashi-san smiled sweetly.

That face is cheating!

“Even so, the whole family’s Kansai dialect is intense.”

This was the thing I was most curious about.

“Well, yeah. Both Mom and Dad are from Hyogo Prefecture.”

Hehh~ I see. That’s why Itabashi-san speaks Kansai dialect too.

“Oi, Ryu. Watch these videos of sports day and stuff from kindergarten.”

Her father returned to the living room and started playing a DVD.

Chapter 48: Unexpectedly, the Kindergarten Era!?

“Alright, let’s watch it right away.”

“Waah! This is kinda embarrassing!”

I’m starting to feel nervous too.

“Y-Yes.”

Itabashi-san’s father pressed the start button on the remote.

“Kagayaki Kindergarten’s sports day is startiiiing!”

The sports day began with the adorable voices of kindergarteners.

“Enter the Rabbit Class!”

At the teacher’s voice, the children of the Rabbit Class enter.

“Ryu-chan, I’m nervous!”

“Y-Yeah.”

One after another, the other classes enter. Our Bear Class is last.

“I wonder if Izumi is okay?”

Izumi is a bit shy around strangers and looked anxious the whole time, so I’m worried.

“Jeeez~. You’re always talking about Izumi-chan. You gotta tell me what kinda girl she is later, okay?”

“Yeah.”

Izumi has already entered and is looking around restlessly.

“Ryu-chan, we’re next.”

Next is the final group, the Bears.

“Now then, for the final group. Enter the Bear Class!”

Finally, it’s our entrance.

“Let’s do our best!”

“Yeah.”

I’m super nervous. But I think Sakura is feeling the same way, so I want to do my best.

“Ah! Papa, Mama!”

Sakura found her parents and is waving her hand. Where is my Mama?

“Ryu! Over heeeere!”

“Mamaaa!”

Thank goodness, she’s actually there.

“Onii-chan, do your besht!”

My little sister, who is still small and can’t speak clearly yet, came too. I have to do my best.

“First up is radio calisthenics!”

One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four.

The first event ended without issue. Is radio calisthenics an event?

“Next is the ball toss for the Turtle Class and Dog Class.”

We did various things after this event too.

However, the real performance starts now! My biggest event of the day, the 25-meter dash.

I’m definitely going to show Mama and the others my good side!

“Next is the 25-meter dash race. Participating students, assemble!”

” ” “Yaaay!” ” “

Lots of kids came over. I definitely won’t lose!

“Ryu-kun, do your best!”

Izumi is cheering for me.

“Ryu-kun, do your best, okay.”

Sakura is cheering for me too.

Of course, Mama and Aki should be cheering for me too. I absolutely won’t lose!

“Ready, set, go!”

They run one after another. I’m not up yet, but I’m super nervous.

I’ll do my best!

Wow, everyone is fast. I have to run with all my might too.

“Ready, set, go!”

Finally, the group before me ran. I’m next.

This is bad, my legs won’t stop shaking.

“Onii-chan is definifitlwy gowwa wiw!”

I heard Aki’s voice. She can’t say it properly yet, but my confidence came back.

“Aki—! Onii-chan is gonna do his best!”

I shouted loudly toward Aki.

“Yaaa!”

I really have the greatest little sister, I thought.

Finally, it’s my turn. Alright!

“Ready, set, go!”

Chapter 49: Unexpectedly, a Savior!?

The result was me being in last place.

The reason being, I tripped in the middle of it.

It hurt—both my body and my heart. Everyone’s worried faces were conversely frustrating. I was angry at the teacher who came to help.

“Ichikami-kun! Are you okay?”

There’s no way I’m okay! It hurts. No, more than that, it’s embarrassing. I’m a pathetic guy…

That is what I thought.

Just like that, while being watched by various people, I returned to my seat.

“Ah! Ryu-chan, are you okay?”

“Yeah! I’m fine!”

My fake smile was lame. There are various reasons why a kindergartener would think things like this. Well, that’s irrelevant right now.

“That’s good. You didn’t cry even when you fell, Ryu-chan really is a cool boy, isn’t he.”

“Thanksh.”

What part of me is a boy! What part is cool! I’m just lame.

I was spacing out, and before I knew it, it was lunch time.

“Okay then, everyone go to your families and eat lunch, and please come back here by 1:30!”

” ” ” ” “Okaaaaay!” ” ” ” “

“Good answer. Alright, dismissed!”

At the teacher’s voice, everyone starts splitting up.

I head toward my family too.

“Ryu! Over here!”

Called by Mom, I head that way.

“Ryu~, that 25-meter dash was a pity, huh.”

What part of it! Wasn’t I just simply lame for tripping!

“Tell me what part!”

I shouted at my parent for the first time.

“I-I’m sorry…”

“Ryu…”

The atmosphere became dark. It’s my fault, it’s all my…

“Onii-chan, cool!”

“Aki…?”

My little sister Aki is staring at me with sparkling eyes.

“What part was good?”

This time, I asked calmly.

“Everything! Onii-chan tried his besht! So he’s cool!”

Aki…

“Aki, thanks…”

I gave Aki a tight hug.

“Ehehe, Aki’s Onii-chan is cool.” (T/N: So that’s why he’s a massive siscon.)

I was saved by her saying that. I was happy.

“Jeez. Let’s hurry up and eat lunch.”

” “Yeah!” “

I ate a lot of the bento Mom brought. It was delicious.

“Ryu-kun!”

Izumi came running over.

“Ryu-kun, are you okay? Are you hurt or anything?”

“I’m fine, Izumi worries too much.”

“But, Ryu-kun is Izumi’s precious friend!”

At that time, I thought, ‘There are lots of people who cherish me. So I shouldn’t be discouraged by little things!’

“Go play with Izumi-chan.”

“Okay!”

Told so by Mom, I start running off with Izumi, just the two of us.

“Aki is going too!”

Including Aki, that’s three of us.

It’s almost 1:30.

“Alright, Onii-chan is going now.”

“Yeah! Do your besht, okay.”

“Yeah!”

I started running.

Chapter 50: Unexpectedly, a Sports Family!?

Just like that, the afternoon section’s events ended too.

Well, it was just dancing, though.

More importantly, I love Aki.

She always comforts me. I wonder about being comforted by my little sister, but for me, I’m truly happy.

“Onii-chan! I love you!”

“I love you too.”

Embarrassingly, my first love seems to be with my little sister.

“I remembered!”

About 30 minutes after starting to watch the DVD, I was finally able to remember Itabashi-san.

“You finally remembered!?”

“Yeah.”

Itabashi-san stroked her chest in relief, going ‘Thank goodness~’.

“My bad.”

“It’s fine, really.”

Thank goodness. Even so, why did I suddenly start missing Aki after watching that DVD?

“Come to think of it, Itabashi-san, I feel like I’ve spoken about Izumi before, but did you forget?”

“Hmm, I remember, but in the end I didn’t know what kind of person she was. More importantly, are you going to call me Itabashi-san forever from now on?”

Itabashi-san tilted her head and asked.

“Is that no good?”

“It’s not no good, but, how should I say this…”

I should probably say it.

“Got it. Sakura, long time no see.”

Then, Sakura’s face turned red and she started waving her hands violently.

“Uuu, shu-shuddap! Hauuu.”

Sakura bit her tongue magnificently.

“Ahaha.”

“Don’t laugh~.”

Yeah. This feeling is definitely nostalgic.

“Oi, right in front of the parents.”

Sakura’s father called out to us.

Crap, super embarrassing.

“S-Sorry.”

“It’s fine, really. Isn’t it just youth?”

“Mom, don’t say things that make you sound like an old lady.”

“My, my. Grandpa, you mustn’t anger our daughter, ya know.”

“Wait, wait. Granny, the one who got scolded was you.”

“Was that so? Hohohoho.”

“Mom! Dad!”

Sakura stopped the couple’s comedy skit, her face red and her body trembling.

However, her parents didn’t learn their lesson.

“Granny, I hear our daughter is getting married.”

“I know, Grandpa. The partner is Ichikami-kun, right?”

“Indeed it is.”

Eh?

What do they mean? I’m losing track of the conversation.

“Cut it ouuuut!”

Ah, Sakura has seriously snapped.

“Hahaha!”

“Fufufu.”

Sakura’s mother and father are laughing.

“Jeez, I won’t forgive you!”

Sakura charged toward her mother. Actually, back with the delinquents earlier, Sakura was super strong. Dangerous! Run away, Sakura’s Mom!

“Fufufu, hup.”

She caught the charging Sakura, hooked her leg, and tripped her.

Eh?

Wait, that’s a Judo move, isn’t it? Why?

“I used to do Judo in the past, you see.”

“I did Karate. And a little baseball and soccer too.”

Ohhh. Unexpectedly, they were a sports family.

“Uuu, hey Ryu-chan. Do you remember going on an outing with my family?”

Released by her mother, Sakura asked me while looking depressed.

“Nope.”

Hmm, I don’t remember at all.

“Wait, Sakura, that is!”

“No, it’s fine. Let me talk.”

“Understood.”

Hmm? What’s going on?