The Story Of How I, A Gloomy Guy, Ended Up Surrounded By the Top-Tier Beautiful Girls In Class After A Seat Change - Chapter 152-153

Chapter 152: The Overwhelming Paradox of a Shy Guy’s Popular Phase, Swarmed by a Beautiful Junior

How does Himesaki Nozomi know about the conversation I had with Rui…?

After returning to Natsuhama City from the Kanto region, I was about to head home when the mysterious junior, Himesaki Nozomi, stopped me.

Her red hair, tied in a half-up style, overlapped with the blazing crimson sunset behind her.

“What exactly were you discussing with Kuroki-senpai? It looked like you were bowing and asking for something… Was it, perhaps, a confession?”

“N-No! Rui and I aren’t like that!”

“Rui… Oh? So Ryouta-senpai calls Kuroki-senpai by her first name?”

If that’s the case, why is she addressing me by my first name when we’ve barely met?

“We’re just in the same class and get along. There’s nothing improper between us.”

“Is that so? But I’ve heard that Kuroki-senpai is someone who rarely talks to boys, known for her pure nature.”

Seriously, this junior keeps pressing one question after another… She’s relentless, like a barrage of machine-gun pitches.

“H-Hey, Himesaki-san. Do you really need to pry into your senior’s private matters like this? If you like Rui so much, why don’t you ask her directly?”

“That’s why I’m asking the person in question right now.”

“…Huh?”

“To begin with, I have no interest in Rui-senpai.”

What on earth is she saying—?

Then, Himesaki took a step forward, closing the distance between us.

“I’m interested in you, Ryouta-senpai.”

Her tone was calm yet sharp.

There was something in her gaze that reminded me of Rui.

“Interested in me? W-Why?”

“Because you’re close with Kuroki Rui, admired by all the boys in school, friendly with Airi Umiyama, the school-wide idol, and even with Yuria Ichinose, the top gal in our grade. Not to mention, you know that second-in-class Tanaka something-or-other. Someone like you naturally stands out… and I want you for myself.”

“W-Want me!?”

What the heck… I never imagined that someone like Himesaki, a beautiful junior, would think that about someone like me, practically a speck of dust.

If I were part of the student council, I might have made the first move myself… Well, Rui would definitely kill me, though.

“I’ve lived abroad for a long time, and ever since I came to Japan, life’s been utterly boring. But after seeing you at the cultural festival, I became curious and started looking into you.”

“I-I see… I guess I’ve become famous enough for juniors to notice me.”

“…Heh.”

“H-Hey, Himesaki-san?”

“Sorry. I just can’t help but smile at the thought of getting what I want.”

Her smile felt different from Rui’s confident smirk—mysterious yet captivating.

From what I’d heard from Tanaka, she was supposed to be more of an honor-student type… Something seemed off about her.

“I’m the kind of person who’s greedy when it comes to what I want. But I’ll leave it at introductions for today.”

“Uh, ah, okay.”

“I’m looking forward to the second term, Ryouta-senpai. See you then!”

Himesaki spun around and walked away without looking back.

W-What was that junior all about?

She said she wanted me… Does this mean I’m finally in my popular phase!?

(Valentine’s Day next year is starting to sound exciting… even though it’s still summer.)

For the past few years, my Valentine’s Day has been limited to department store chocolates from my mom, a Choco Bar from my sister, and that oddly large, handmade pink heart-shaped chocolate Tanaka gives me every year.

“Huh?”

As I walked home, thinking about my encounter with Himesaki, my smartphone buzzed with a notification from Lime.

‘Yuria: Here’s my address. Come over tomorrow at 10 AM. I’ll be waiting.’

A Lime message… from Yuria?

An invitation to a girl’s house—for the first time in my life.

“Heh. No doubt about it, my popular phase… It’s finally here!”

Still, I couldn’t help but be overjoyed, like a delusional otaku getting carried away.

—

Chapter 153: Spending Time at Yuria’s House (Ambiguous Meaning)

The next day.

To thoroughly observe Yuria’s maid outfit—which had caused quite a stir during last year’s cultural festival—I made my way over.

This summer break, I’ve been under the beck and call of the three beauties, but it just so happens that Airi is working today, and Rui is still in Kanto for the Inter-High.

In other words, no one will find out, and no one will complain about me being alone with Yuria this time.

When I spent the night with Airi, a certain photo of us sweating on top of the futon (Battle Room!) ended up in Rui’s hands because of Airi’s carelessness. However, there’s no such worry with Yuria. Plus, Rui is in Kanto, so there’s no chance of an unexpected encounter.

The phrase “when the cat’s away” couldn’t be more fitting.

That said, for someone like me—a socially awkward guy—being invited to a girl’s house is a first in my life.

Back in middle school, I played almost daily with Tanaka in my room. But that was my “home turf,” where I felt comfortable. Going to a girl’s room is entirely foreign territory.

The possibility of stumbling upon strange, unknown items in a girl’s room (like those mysterious boxes in the bathroom) is very real.

Well, Yuria already found a condom in my room, so it would be mutual even if I found something odd in hers.

Before heading to Yuria’s house, I stopped by a local convenience store to buy a gift: an assortment of baked goods. After checking the address she gave me on Lime, I started making my way there.

“Uh, so to get to Yuria’s house from here, I just… huh?”

Looking closely, the address… isn’t this in a high-class residential area?

Yuria’s house, when I arrived, was surrounded by tall, classic iron fences. The white walls and black roof of the long, elegant Western-style mansion had a stylish garage to boot.

Through the gaps in the fence, I could see a large dog lounging on the lawn inside.

“Is this really part of the same Natsuhama City?”

It felt like I’d been transported into the world of MOTHER.

If I were to describe it using another metaphor, it was like stepping through a tunnel and entering a completely different place.

“Ryota! You’re finally here. Good morning.”

As I stood stunned by the size and grandeur of the house, Yuria, who had been watering the lawn, stopped the water and walked toward me.

“O-Oh… good morning.”

She appeared in denim hot pants and a white crop top—a bold style that could’ve been straight out of a Western movie.

The rips in the denim seemed like they might tear further thanks to her thick thighs.

That denim… I’d buy it at any price.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“Ah, no, it’s nothing. By the way, this is a little something. I hope you and your family enjoy it.”

“Wow, really? Thanks, Ryota!”

After seeing her house, my “little something” felt like a truly insignificant gift.

Maybe I should’ve bought a branded cake instead… but with the time we agreed to meet, no stores were open.

“For someone who’s usually such a perv, you’re surprisingly thoughtful at times. Even though you’re a perv.”

“What do you mean, ‘even though I’m a perv’!?”

“Because it’s true. And you’ve been staring at my hot pants for a while now.”

Yuria lifted my chin with one hand, forcing my gaze upward.

I won’t deny that I’d been talking to her thighs, though…

“It’s honestly ridiculous that our dog is smarter than you.”

“That big dog of yours is smart?”

“Yeah… Oh, I know! If you can be smarter than that dog, I might just take you in as my pet.”

“Really!? You’d do that?”

“Wow… the fact that you’re eager about that is seriously gross.”

Laughing nervously, Yuria grabbed my hand.

“But anyway, why don’t we head inside? It’s boiling out here.”

“O-Okay… but wait a second. I still need to prepare to greet your parents.”

“It’s not like you’re here to announce an engagement or anything. Besides, my parents are on an overseas trip right now.”

“Overseas? On a trip?”

“Yeah. They love traveling abroad. I stayed home this year because I wanted to hang out with everyone.”

“I-I see…”

So, her parents being wealthy and into international travel… wow.

That’s on a completely different level from my mom, who’s obsessed with Sepak Takraw, and my dad, whose only interest is saving money.

Trips abroad are a distant dream for my family.

“Anyway, it’s just me here, so relax a bit.”

In other words… I’d be alone with Yuria.

The thought made me tense up (even down below).

Alone with Yuria, plus taking photos of her in a maid outfit from every angle… Isn’t this basically the real deal already?

“By the way, I’ve got a suggestion.”

“A suggestion?”

“If you want… since my parents aren’t here, why don’t you stay over tonight?”

…Wait, what?

This… this has to be the real deal.