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

Chapter 195: Taking Care of Ryota-kun Makes Me Happy ♡

After that, I decided to explore the shopping mall at the station with Nozomi Himesaki.

At a general store, Nozomi Himesaki showed me various trendy items. Normally, I had no interest in such things, but seeing her talk so excitedly made it strangely fun.

Time with Nozomi Himesaki passed quickly, and by the time we left the station, it was already dark.

Since Nozomi Himesaki attracted attention, I couldn’t let her walk home alone at night, so I escorted her home before heading back myself.

“Today was really something…”

I felt glad to hear Nozomi Himesaki’s true feelings, but I couldn’t help wondering what she’d do next.

A super naughty, lonely, introverted otaku like me worrying about her might be an insult from her perspective.

“Friends… huh?”

When I thought about it, I never actively tried to make friends.

I naturally got close to my best friend, Kanade Tanaka, in junior high, and we just ended up hanging out together. Even with the three beautiful girls, despite some initial drama, we naturally became close.

But that might be a happy thing.

If I hadn’t met Kanade Tanaka, I might’ve been like some heroine, muttering to an imaginary friend named Tomo-chan or hiding in a forest practicing conversations with My Friend-kun Number 1.

It was the same with the three beautiful girls.

If I hadn’t met Yuria Ichinose, I might never have learned about hair wax or trendy fashion. If I hadn’t met Kuroki Rui, I wouldn’t have become such a masochist. And meeting Airi Miyama helped me realize the true value of big breasts.

What could I do for Nozomi Himesaki as her friend?

I took out my smartphone and opened lime.

Just then, a message from Nozomi Himesaki arrived.

‘Nozomi Himesaki: Thank you for today, Ryota-senpai! I had a lot of fun. By the way, what kind of materials do I need to learn about super naughty stuff?’

What a hopeless junior.

Materials… I’d lend her some. I had an infinite supply.

☆☆

Freed from the absolute obedience dog promise and becoming friends with Nozomi Himesaki gave me some peace, so I spent a leisurely weekend.

I woke up leisurely at noon, went back to sleep leisurely, and woke up again leisurely in the evening.

“Hey… it’s less leisurely and more like I overslept and wasted my precious Saturday.”

But that was typical for a leisurely weekend.

My family was out for their own errands today, so I had to make and eat dinner myself.

If only Kuroki Rui with her ridiculously huge heart apron were here… I thought with faint hope as I went downstairs.

“Well, following the example of the classics club’s detective, I should at least be able to make yakisoba on my own.”

As I thought this and entered the kitchen from the hallway, I suddenly felt something off.

Clang, clang… an unpleasant sound echoed softly down the hall.

It was probably… the sound of metal rubbing against metal.

“S-Someone’s in the kitchen…?”

A thief, or maybe…

I cautiously peeked into the kitchen… and then.

“Hehe, good morning, Ryota-kun? You finally woke up.”

“K-Kuroki Rui!? Why!”

There stood Kuroki Rui, her heart apron even bigger than before, in the kitchen.

Her hair was tied back in a ponytail like during competitions, and she wore the school tracksuit under the apron.

“You… w-why… could this be… my mom?”

“Yup. I heard from your mom you’d be alone, so I stopped by after club activities.”

“Stopped by? Even if we’re in the same direction, my house isn’t exactly on your commute.”

“Hehe… it’s fine, it’s fine. Taking care of Ryota-kun makes me happy.”

It’s fine, it’s fine, but it’s not fine at all…

“More importantly, that sound earlier…?”

“The sound? This.”

Kuroki Rui stirred a ladle in a large pot used for curry, making a clanging noise.

An empty pot!?

Did I mess up something again? Was she mad…?

No, no way. There’s no way Kuroki Rui knew that famous yandere scene. It was just a coincidence.

“More importantly, Ryota-kun.”

“Y-Yes!”

“What do you want to eat tonight?”

I was nervous about what she’d ask… but it was just that.

“Uh, um, yakisoba, maybe.”

“When I’ve got the pot out… yakisoba?”

“Oh! No, curry then!”

“Hehe… got it. Can you help me make it?”

“Y-Yeah.”

The menu got decided as I went with the flow.

Why did I feel like a husband under her thumb?

I followed Kuroki Rui’s instructions, got out the curry ingredients, washed my hands, and helped cook.

“Why do you go so far to be nice, Kuroki Rui? You’re tired from intense club activities, yet you come to cook for a guy wasting his weekend like this… it’s almost like…”

“Like?”

“No, nothing. Anyway, thanks, Kuroki Rui.”

“Hehe… you’re welcome.”

Kuroki Rui, unusually shy, took the vegetables I washed and started cutting.

No matter what I said, I felt like she saw through me, so I had to be honest.

But I still didn’t get why she went this far.

“By the way, Ryota-kun.”

“What? That’s all the vegetables…”

As I struggled to peel the last potato and handed it over, I turned to see Kuroki Rui staring at me with a blank face.

“I thought I saw Ryota-kun’s hand in Nozomi Himesaki’s story on Isosta… was I imagining it?”

The moment I heard that, the potato slipped from my hand, rolled into the sink, and I felt the blood drain from my face.

“N-Nozomi Himesaki and I… you already kinda knew, right? You snooped about the hair on my shoulder and figured stuff out back then!”