The Issue of Why I'm Frequently Mentioned in Conversations Among S-Class Beauties ~Please Stop Fabricating Things I Have No Memory Of~ (Dropped) - Chapter 23: Encounter with the S-class Beauty (Yuna) ②

Chapter 23: Encounter with the S-class Beauty (Yuna) ②

After strolling for a few minutes, Haruya arrived at the drugstore and caught sight of some students sporting the same high school uniform as him in the bustling crowd. 

Although he doubted anyone would recognize him as “Haruya Akasaki,” he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of tension coursing through his body. He took a deep breath and made a beeline for the waxing corner as soon as he stepped inside.

Thankfully, there were no other students in the waxing section wearing the same uniform as hi. Haruya heaved a sigh of relief and began scanning through the waxes on display.

—Red, black, green, pink, and so on.

While some wax cases were sorted by color, the wax that Haruya was seeking was a premium item, kept separately. His excitement bubbled up inside as he spotted a large container of wax, resembling a spray can. It would have been an unbelievable sight for those who were familiar with Haruya’s typical laid-back high school life.

“This is it, this one!”

Unconsciously, Haruya rubbed his cheek against the product, but then quickly snapped out of it as he saw the neatly organized waxes. He grabbed the wax he was looking for, which was on the pricier side, and headed towards the checkout when suddenly, something unexpected happened.

“Ah.”

A surprised voice, one that Haruya was familiar with, or rather, a voice he had heard before, reached his ears from behind.

(This sounds familiar…)

He turned around in surprise and saw Yuna, her eyes wide and her surprise recognizable.

Yuna was dressed in a casual outfit, wearing loose-fitting clothes that looked slightly disheveled. She was carrying a basket in her hand, containing everyday items and some small cosmetics. It seemed that she had happened to run into Haruya while heading towards the checkout, and she looked at him with widened eyes.

“…It’s just a coincidence, huh?”

“…Y-yeah, it seems so.”

Haruya was slightly taken aback, as he hadn’t expected to meet Yuna again so soon after seeing her yesterday. Yuna, on the other hand, remained composed, and her expression didn’t reveal anything. It was typical of her to keep her emotions in check.

“Are you also shopping after school?”

“Well…yeah, something like that.”

Yuna’s blue eyes focused on the object Haruya was holding as her dark hair swayed. He looked a bit self-conscious as his appearance was not as put together as it usually was on weekends when he took the time to dress up.

Yuna approached Haruya, closing the distance between them, despite Haruya trying to hide his face. She looked momentarily puzzled but still moved closer.

“Wow, so you were here to buy wax. It’s…stylish, isn’t it?” She said with a gentle smile.

Her words implied that she was complimenting Haruya’s sense of style.

Haruya’s lips slightly arched up, as he was happy because he was being told that he was implicitly fashionable.

“Well, I was running a bit low on it.”

“I see. But I’m here to buy cosmetics, too, so it looks like we’re kind of the same.”

She raised the shopping cart up to her head, “see,” she said, showing him what’s inside.

“But, I’m surprised.”

“Why is that so?”

“Well, I can’t tell if you’re wearing any makeup or not.”

Normally, girls of her age would wear makeup, but Yuna didn’t let it show that she was wearing any. Haruya was doubtful, as her white cheeks and well-defined eyes and nose seemed to be well-maintained.

“…Those words make me happy, but in my case, it’s natural makeup. Maybe it’s hard to tell for guys.”

“…Is that so?”

“Probably. Girls would notice right away.”

“…Are you wearing makeup now?”

“Well, just lightly, though.”

It must have been frustrating for Haruya, who couldn’t see that Yuna was wearing makeup despite being someone who enjoys fashion and appearance. He frowned and stared at Yuna’s face intently.

“…U-um, it makes me shy when you stare at me like that.”

“Ah, uh…sorry.”

As he watched Yuna’s black hair curling around his fingers and saw her face blush faintly, Haruya also felt guilty, so he quickly looked away and tried to pass the moment.

♦︎♢♦︎

Haruya and Yuna, after settling the bill despite the awkward atmosphere, were talking outside the shop. The topic of their conversation was not about “shoujo manga,” but rather more private matters.

“Well, speaking of that… You should be careful not to stop by in your school uniform, you know,”  Yuna said, pointing her index finger sternly at Haruya’s chest.

Haruya couldn’t help but smile wryly at Yuna’s strict opinion. “Yeah… I know, but it’s a hassle to go home and change first.”

“I understand how you feel, but…” Yuna paused, acknowledging Haruya’s sentiment.

While it was true that Haruya found it troublesome to comply with the school rule, there were other reasons as well. To be frank, there were plenty of students who broke the rule and came to the drugstore in their uniforms, as evidenced by the occasional sight of high school girls in uniforms inside the store.

Although Haruya didn’t use the excuse of “others are doing it, so I will too…” because it wouldn’t hold up, deep down, that was how he truly felt.

“Well, I suppose I might be projecting my own ideas onto you, considering that others are already breaking the rules…” Yuna quickly tried to backtrack, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of her mouth as she heard Haruya’s response.

“That’s not true. I actually find it admirable and thoughtful of you,” he reassured her.

“What I meant to say is, you could put some casual clothes in your bag and change when necessary. It’s probably the best approach to deal with this,” Yuna explained.

Yuna had been sharing information with Haruya about “loopholes in the school rules” in her usual meticulous and considerate manner. It was likely that her bag contained her uniform.

“I didn’t know there was such an option. Thanks for letting me know,” Haruya expressed his gratitude.

“It’s just that you always have such great style. I was worried that you might attract the teachers’ attention if you broke the rules,” Yuna said calmly, showing her consideration. 

She was concerned that if anyone got caught breaking the rules, the consequences could be severe. Yuna was worried about that possibility.

In reality, Haruya had managed to keep a low profile at school and not attract the attention of the teachers.

“It’s really thoughtful of you,” Haruya said, feeling puzzled by Yuna’s concern.

“Oh, it’s no problem at all. I…I’m just grateful for everything right now,” Yuna replied with a faint smile, but Haruya couldn’t quite grasp the meaning behind her words.

“Grateful? For what?” he asked, curious.

Little did he know, Yuna was actually expressing her gratitude towards Haruya himself.

“…for this encounter,” Yuna said, her words catching Haruya off guard.

“Uh, well, me too. I guess it’s mutual,” Haruya replied, feeling a little embarrassed and scratching his cheek. Yuna seemed to have wanted to say exactly that, as she simply said “Then” and quickly dashed away from the scene.

Despite being taken aback by her sudden departure, Haruya watched her figure with surprise and admiration.

“…It was like a storm. But still, it’s surprising to be able to reunite with her, a fellow comrade, in such close proximity,” he thought, his eyes wide with astonishment. However, soon after, Haruya began to feel a certain discomfort.

(…Huh? Come to think of it, how does she know the rules of my high school?)