The Story Of How I, A Gloomy Guy, Ended Up Surrounded By the Top-Tier Beautiful Girls In Class After A Seat Change - Chapter 51-52

Chapter 51:

Kuroki Rui was mysteriously waiting for me outside the school (?), so I ended up going to school with her.

Kuroki was walking beside me in her summer uniform with her usual proud black hair fluttering in the wind, showing off her beautiful profile.

I’ve gotten used to seeing Airi and Yuria, so I find her chest and thighs a bit lacking, but Kuroki Rui’s face is just too perfect no matter how many times I see it.

Her perfection in academics, athleticism, and even appearance, coming all the way to pick me up… It makes me happy, but also feels a bit overwhelming.

The reason she persistently approaches me is probably because in middle school, I was the only one who didn’t confess to her, a true perfectionist.

Her obsession with trying to win over someone like me, who is like this, is really amazing.

“…”

“…”

(But we haven’t said a word since earlier…)

I wonder if I should start a conversation from my end.

Should I talk about the cultural festival…? But that seems too ordinary, and I really don’t want to bring up the topic of Snow White myself.

(Then…)

I gaze intently at Kuroki’s school uniform.

“K-Kuroki… that summer uniform looks cute.”

This situation was too heavy for an introverted person like me to find a topic.

After thinking hard, I blurted out a comment like a creepy otaku.

(Oh no, I messed up.)

When an attractive person says “cute,” it’s taken as a genuine compliment, but if a creepy otaku like me says it, it might be interpreted as “Hehe… that summer uniform is cute, I want to lick it.”

“Eh…? Oh, thank you, Ryota-kun. I didn’t expect Ryota-kun to compliment me… I might feel a bit embarrassed.”

Kuroki said that with a surprised blink.

I thought she would be totally put off… but she seemed to be blushing…?

“Hehe… I see. Ryota-kun, you think I’m cute too, huh?”

“I-I mean, Kuroki is…”

“What about me?”

“…Cute, right?”

Skillfully led into it, I ended up saying “cute.”

“Hehe, Ryota-kun.”

Saying “cute” was embarrassing, and I didn’t want to say it in front of her too much…

“Look forward to the cultural festival.”

“Huh?”

The word “cultural festival” suddenly came up.

And it wasn’t “I’m looking forward to it,” but “Look forward to it”…?

“By the way, Ryota-kun, why did you decide to play Snow White in the cultural festival play?”

The conversation completely shifted to the cultural festival that I didn’t want to talk about.

I knew she would ask that…

Of course, from Kuroki’s perspective as the prince, she would be curious why I became Snow White, the partner role.

I also wanted to know why Kuroki became the prince, enough to ask Airi.

“I didn’t do it because I wanted to. Hino pushed me into it, so I had no choice.”

“No choice?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t say I want to play Snow White, right?”

“Is that so? I thought maybe you had that kind of interest, Ryota.”

“Why would I!”

It seems Kuroki, for some reason, thought I had a cross-dressing fetish.

Even though there’s absolutely no such element.

“Hehe. But whatever the reason, I feel relieved. Ryota, thank you for becoming Snow White.”

“W-Why?”

“That’s… a secret.”

Kuroki said with a smile, bringing her index finger close to her nose.

What’s with that… I’m really curious now.

“Hey, Rui… Oh, Ryota!?”

As we approached the high school, Yuria Ichinose came up from behind.

“W-Why are you two going to school together?”

“Ah, no, this is…”

“We’re the prince and Snow White, so we thought we should communicate a bit. Ryota isn’t at fault, so don’t glare at him.”

Kuroki stepped in between us and apologized with clasped hands.

Yuria muttered, “I understand,” with a sullen expression.

It seems like the strange misunderstanding has been cleared up.

“Well, I’ll also come to pick you up in the morning.”

“Huh?”

“I’m also the prince, so I’ll come to pick you up from now on. I’ll communicate with Ryota too.”

“That’s a great idea! Right, Ryota-kun?”

“Uh, yeah…”

So, from now on, will these two come to pick me up every morning…?

—

Chapter 52:

It became widely known in high school that I would play the role opposite Yuria and Kuroki in the cultural festival play.

As I walked through the school towards the classroom, I felt an even colder gaze piercing through me.

“Hey, isn’t that the introverted guy playing the lead with Kuroki-chan?”

“I’m jealous, but no matter who plays the role opposite those two, it just doesn’t match well.”

“Well, yeah. Even if we act together, there’s no way we can date those two.”

The boys who were jealous seemed to think that even if introverted guys like me became their partners, it wouldn’t change their relationships.

In other words, it seems like I’m completely seen as a joke.

(Actually, I have been friends with those three beautiful girls even before the play…)

Suppressing the urge to say that, I spent another day of high school life.

After school, Hino, a male member of the cultural festival committee, appeared in front of the blackboard.

“Alright, let’s start preparing for the cultural festival today. Those who can stay after school, please do.”

There it was. After-school cultural festival preparation.

It’s the worst event where extroverts play around while preparing.

I didn’t participate in the cultural festival preparation at all last year because of this, but this time, since I have a lead role, I can’t just go home…

(If I leave without helping with the preparation despite having a lead role, it will create a bad atmosphere.)

Even though I’m a loner, I don’t want to ruin the atmosphere around me. I just want peace as a loner introvert.

“Yuria, Airi, I’m counting on you.”

Kuroki, on my right, said this to Airi and Yuria before leaving the classroom.

“Rui-chan must be having a hard time.”

“Well, it’s the Inter-High where they aim for the fifth consecutive win. Plus, Rui’s life is at stake…”

While playing with her hair, Yuria watched the sliding door behind where Kuroki had left with a worried look.

(Come to think of it, Yuria was also worried about Kuroki when deciding on the prince role.)

In the end, it became a double cast, but Yuria probably wanted to focus on track and field.

(Without Kuroki, it seems like there will be fewer people left in the class…)

“Hey, hey, Ryota, isn’t it a bit empty here?”

“…Well, that’s how it is.”

As expected, the only ones left in the class were those assigned roles in the play, a group of introverted girls responsible for the script, and the committee members Yuria and Hino.

Maybe it would have been better to make it mandatory for everyone except the sports clubs to stay.

Yuria and Hino were talking in front of the blackboard, and after reaching a decision, Yuria walked towards me.

“Yuria, what should Airi and I do?”

“Well, about that…”

Yuria sat down at her desk and turned her chair towards me and Airi to start talking.

“Hino seems to be discussing with the script group, so those of us with roles are supposed to gather cardboard.”

“Cardboard gathering?”

Both Airi and I tilted our heads simultaneously.

“Every class needs a lot of cardboard every year, right? So the unwanted cardboard in the school won’t be enough. We need to negotiate with nearby supermarkets or convenience stores to collect more cardboard.”

Oh yeah, I remember the extroverts in last year’s class struggling with cardboard collection.

“For now, those with roles need to stay, but if the script isn’t ready, we can’t proceed. Cardboard is first come, first served, so Hino wants us to efficiently split into two groups and collect them.”

“Got it! Then, shall Airi, Ryota, and I go out together?”

It’s not going out, it’s collecting cardboard.

It seems like Airi is completely in play mode.

Well, for extroverts, cultural festival preparation is like a little game.

But for introverts, it’s too much unwanted work.

“Got it, Airi. Let’s go with the three of us.”

Airi and Yuria…

I look around at Airi and Yuria.

It would be bad if my secret got out, so I need to be careful not to act too familiar with either of them.