The Story Of How I, A Gloomy Guy, Ended Up Surrounded By the Top-Tier Beautiful Girls In Class After A Seat Change - Chapter 30-31

Chapter 30:

Finally, the nervous Sunday has arrived.

As an introverted otaku, Sundays typically involve watching Nichiasa in the morning and tweeting my thoughts about exciting scenes on social media. From noon till night, catching up on anime I’ve stored up is routine. For an otaku, Sunday is the perfect day to indulge in the ultimate combo of indoor activities with anime or games.

But today is different for me.

(Today, I’m… going on a holiday date with a girl.)

For someone like me who’s always been an introverted otaku, today marks my first-ever “holiday date.”

And the partner is none other than Ichinose Yuria, a gal who belongs to the top-tier girls’ group in our class hierarchy.

(To think I’ll be going on a date with her, who boasts tremendous popularity among guys for her well-developed chest and artistically thick thighs…)

I can’t help but be excited, but Ichinose turned out to be an otaku herself. It ended up with us deciding to see a movie together, so this may not be an actual date.

It might not be a date, but it’s a proper outing between a guy and a girl.

Since I’m going out with Ichinose Yuria, a stylish gal who’s always at the forefront of fashion, I can’t just walk beside her in my typical messy otaku fashion. Therefore, the day before our date on Saturday, I prepared diligently. Normally, I’d avoid fashion-related content, but I studied trendy fashion and learned how to use wax and hairspray from a fashion creator’s video channel.

I bought oversized clothes with slightly flashy designs like shirts and pants (I won’t call them trousers to avoid sounding like a complete introvert) from a nearby Chelcro store, aligning with recent trends. I also picked up wax and other supplies from a convenience store.

(Right now, I’m totally a sun-loving extrovert.)

While I’m usually an otaku, I want to be seen as someone who’s fashionably cool on holidays — that’s my true desire, despite the typical otaku thoughts.

With such otaku-like thoughts, I confirmed that my tickets were booked for Sunday morning and left home.

“Here we go…!”

☆☆

I decided to arrive earlier than our meeting time, at 10 AM, so I left home ahead of schedule.

We’re meeting at a station in a neighboring town. Speaking of it, this town is like a trauma-level place where her secrets were exposed to me.

Even so, Ichinose suggested the movie theater in the neighboring town.

(For someone like Ichinose, if it were known that she watched a daring film like “Nyu-kyun” in a local movie theater, it could be seriously bad. So, maybe there’s no other way.)

While Ichinose being exposed as an otaku is a serious problem, it would be worse if it were discovered that she and I were on a movie date. Considering all these, we settled on the movie theater in the neighboring town.

As I pondered over all this, I arrived at the nearest station.

(The next train is in 3 minutes, huh.)

Should I kill time playing a mobile game…?

“Oh my, isn’t that Ryota-kun?”

Suddenly, a voice reached me from behind.

My smartphone slipped out of my hand as I was about to take it out to play a mobile game.

I had completely let my guard down.

I thought it would be fine as long as Ichinose wasn’t seen.

But it turns out it’s not just about Ichinose.

It’s about me too.

If someone saw an introvert like me dressed up in an extroverted fashion on holiday, it would naturally raise questions among people who know me.

And if that happens, they would inevitably touch upon Ichinose’s secret too…

“Wax and perfume…? Hehe, why so dressed up? Where are you off to?”

Her face is as beautiful as ever, with her ponytail revealing a glimpse of her nape, and it’s breathtaking.

Wearing our high school’s track team jersey, she looked unexpectedly lively compared to her refined demeanor.

“Why are you… here, Kuroki?”

“Why do you ask? It’s just an off-campus practice for the track team. ♡”

Before our date, Rui Kuroki, the final boss, appeared.

—

Chapter 31:

On the day of our date.

I styled my hair with wax, feeling confident, even dabbing on some perfume, when before me (or rather, behind me might be more accurate) appeared the flawless superwoman heading to track practice, Rui Kuroki.

(This awaited coincidence was truly a “devil’s coincidence.”)

“What’s up, Ryota-kun? Ah, could it be you’re ‘excited’ by my ponytail?”

Standing behind me on the station platform, Rui Kuroki swayed her ponytail.

“Hehe… My nape is showing, embarrassing~”

“…?”

“Hey, why so quiet? Instead, Ryota-kun, why are you all dressed up like this?”

That is a perfectly reasonable question.

As for me, I’m a class loner, a bottom-tier person in the social hierarchy, and an introverted otaku.

So, if I’m grooming myself on the station platform on a Sunday at 9 am, anyone would naturally suspect “something’s up.”

“Could it be… a date?”

And the shadows of a girl suspecting me… is inevitable.

(Anyone would do that. Even I would… It’s such a common question.)

It’s not because Rui Kuroki is a flawless superwoman or has insight, but simply common sense.

Now, how do I navigate this?

When an otaku cleans up on a Sunday to meet their crush… Alright, there’s only one way.

“Um… I…”

If an otaku wants to look cool and groom themselves, that’s the only explanation.

“Yes! I’m going to see my ‘crush’ from now on.”

“Crush?”

“There’s a real-life event of my crush happening in Tokyo today! So I left early this morning to make it to the event starting in the afternoon!”

Desperately spinning a tale of my ‘crush activity.’

But this is a brilliant comeback.

Typical otaku tends to groom excessively when meeting their crush at a real-life event, wanting to convey an image far from the sweaty ‘otaku’ stereotype.

(Only because of my usual introverted otaku image. It’s a perfect comeback.)

Like with Airi Miyama yesterday, I realize that becoming an adult means becoming better at lying (justifying sneaky lies).

“Hmm. Is that so?”

“S-so yeah! Embarrassing, right? Ahaha.”

“Because Ryota-kun has a crush, he doesn’t like me.”

“Huh?”

Rui Kuroki’s beautiful face suddenly clouded over.

And my instincts say this is “bad.”

“Because Ryota-kun has a crush, you won’t say anything cute about my ponytail even though I went to the trouble. And because Ryota-kun has a crush, you haven’t even read the bleeding-heart-service swimsuit selfie I sent yesterday. It’s all that ‘crush’s’ fault. Right, Ryota-kun?”

W-wait, Yandere mode!? And a swimsuit selfie…!?

Because I muted Lime the other day, I haven’t been checking Rui’s Lime, but a swimsuit selfie!?

Even in this situation, I find myself wanting to see it… No, wait!

“Li-liking you, Kuroki and my crush activity are two different topics!”

“…Then why? Don’t you think I look cute with my ponytail?”

“T-that’s… It’s too late to say you’re ‘cute’ now!”

“Huh?”

In that moment.

Unusually for Rui Kuroki, her cheeks flushed.

From a clouded face, like a ray of sunlight overflowing, Rui Kuroki brightened her expression.

“Wow, Ryota-kun, you think I’m cute like normal people do, right?.”

It was a statement made in desperation, but it worked like a charm.

(While I admit she’s cute, maybe it’s a harsh reality that God doesn’t grant her ample chest and thigh volume.)

“If you think I’m cute, will you support me too?”

“Huh? Support?”

“Or was what you said earlier just a flattery lie to appease me?”

Rui Kuroki’s sharp gaze pierces me.

Uh-oh… If it’s exposed as a lie, Kuroki’s interrogation might further delay our date!

(If that happens, my date with Ichinose might…!)

I have to align my story here.

“T-there’s no way it’s a lie. If I didn’t say you’re cute, you’d be upset; if I did, you’d doubt me… Isn’t that harsh?”

“Ry-Ryota-kun… Hehe. So you’ll support me too, right?”

I’m unsure what she means by “support,” but she’s oddly cheerful, so I’ll go with that.

“In that case, as thanks for supporting me, I’ll increase my daily selfie from one to two.”

“W-what!?”

“Servicing fans is the duty of the one being supported.”

“I-I don’t need that…”

“And… the selfies might get a little more daring, just a bit. ♡”

Saying this, Kuroki leans close to my ear and boards the train, arriving on the opposite platform.

(Daring selfies…!?)

Kuroki’s words echo in my mind.

(Kuroki’s selfies… not just two now, but daring…!?)

In other words… could they be… truly… erotic selfies!?

I gulp nervously.

(I should have managed this situation. Yet now, instead of relief, I’m left with regret.)

I’m supposed to be dating Ichinose today, but I’ve been thrown off by Kuroki’s provocative remarks since morning.

“Damn you, Kuroki… she left behind an unbelievable bomb.”

It’s frustrating, so frustrating… but for now, I confirmed the swimsuit selfies Kuroki had already sent.