The Story of How I, a Guy Who Couldn’t Care Less About School Castes, Somehow Ended Up Making All the Five-Star Gals Fall for Me - Chapter 02: Gals Are Energy Drinks for the Soul

Chapter 02: Gals Are Energy Drinks for the Soul

“Of course! This year I get to be in the same class with all my best friends. Obviously it’s fun!”

Hinawa declared proudly, her grin sparkling.

Most flashy girl groups usually paired off with equally flashy guys—the handsome types or the athletic stars.

But that rule never applied to the Five-Star Gals.

Their bond, built over years of friendship, was so strong that no guy could ever wedge himself into their circle.

At the start of the new school year, the so-called first-tier boys—handsome, athletic, and full of confidence—charged in like racehorses, desperate not to miss their chance.

And yet, every single one of them… crashed and burned.

To this very day, not a single guy had managed to break into their group.

That unshakable stance of never giving in to flashy approaches was exactly why the Fives had idol-level popularity with both boys and girls.

Gals are energy drinks for the soul.

With no boyfriends in sight, guys could dream freely without feeling crushed.

And because they never fawned over boys, girls didn’t see them as rivals.

Especially that second part—it was huge.

If even one of the Fives ever showed up as your love rival, you’d instantly feel doomed.

That’s how overwhelming their charm was.

But for Ikoi Kizuki?

All of that was nothing more than background noise.

His thoughts boiled down to, “Wow, those are some ridiculously cute girls, huh.”

And that was it.

Gingamine High School was considered a prep school even by Tokyo standards, but thanks to its long tradition of valuing freedom, it didn’t have the stiff atmosphere of a study-first, ironclad academy.

As long as you handled your responsibilities, things like hairstyles and uniforms were left up to you—within reason.

That was why ordinary students like Ikoi could blend in just fine, while unique types like the Fives could spread their wings and enjoy school life their own way.

“So, Hiwatari-san—why did you call me over?”

“I want you to answer a question for us.”

Hinawa said that, flashing a glance at the close friends sitting beside her.

“If it’s something I can answer.”

Since it was self-study time, Ikoi naturally assumed it’d be about the midterm exams.

But Hinawa the gal had no intention of sticking to his expectations.

She crooked a finger at him, beckoning him closer.

Ikoi leaned down obediently—

And in that moment, she whispered right into his ear.

“(Rank the four of our boyfriends and tell us who’s the best one.)”

Now that was a gal-like thing to say.

Out of nowhere, one of the class idols casually dropped the bomb that she had a boyfriend.

Actually, not just her—all four of them did.

For hardcore fans of the Fives, this was a nuclear-level nightmare.

If they’d been actual idols, a reveal like this wouldn’t just cause a scandal—it’d mean suspended activities, or worse, outright disbandment.

Ikoi slowly closed his eyes, trying to process Hinawa’s outrageous request.

So basically: each of the four had a boyfriend, they were secretly competing over whose was the best.

And he was being chosen as the judge to rank them?

Why him?

He had absolutely no idea.

“You should talk about that kind of thing during break time.”

Ikoi honestly couldn’t care less.

The kind of guys the popular girls in his class dated wasn’t even remotely his concern.

“Whoa, so blunt! That’s hilarious.”

“Just do whatever you want.”

“Eehh, but we can’t settle it ourselves, that’s why we’re stuck!”

As always, Hinawa Hiwatari was a bundle of fun.

Ikoi didn’t actually dislike her relentless cheer.

Her antics were never boring—though they were definitely on the pushy side.

“Why me, though?”

They’d been in the same class for not even a full month, and their conversations up until now had been practically zero.

“C’mon, Ikoi—you’d totally give us a calm, unbiased answer. Y’know, like… a third-party view or something.”

“…Third-party perspective?”

She didn’t even say it right, but that clumsy way of talking somehow only added to her charm.

Even at a prep school like this, that kind of airheadedness was… well, very Hinawa.

“Now then, Mister Judge, please take your seat.”

Hinawa dragged over an empty chair and motioned for him to sit down.

“If you and your boyfriend are the best for each other, that should be enough. If you’re only comparing and deciding you’ve ‘lost,’ are you just gonna break up? Ranking relationships doesn’t make sense.”

“See?! That unwavering vibe of yours is exactly what makes you reliable! Just like I thought!”

Hinawa grinned in satisfaction, forcing Ikoi into the seat at the Fives’ table despite his clear reluctance.

“There are plenty of other guys who’d be better for this.”

“Nope! Secrets can only be told to someone who’ll keep their mouth shut tight.”

“…I thought you were the type to casually talk to anyone about anything.”

“Girls’ privacy is super strict.”

Her face suddenly turned serious as she leaned in closer.

Her eyes sparkled, her eyelashes looked impossibly long—and at that distance, meeting her gaze took either experience or nerves of steel.

“Ohh, you looked away. That’s cute, you’re embarrassed.”

Hinawa’s smile bloomed, her whole face lighting up in delight.

“Huh?”

When Ikoi looked at Hinawa’s face up close, he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

He hadn’t noticed it before since he usually only saw her from a distance,

But at this range… she looked oddly familiar.

“…Hiwatari-san, have we met before?”

“Well, duh. We’ve passed each other in the hallway a bunch of times.”

She wasn’t wrong.

Whenever the Five-Star Gals walked toward you, it was impossible not to notice—even if you tried.

“You actually remember passing by me though?”

Ikoi was just an average high schooler.

No flashy looks, no standout traits—nothing that should’ve stuck in someone’s memory.

“Actuallyyy… I’ve kinda been curious about you for a while?”

She leaned in with that teasing, suggestive tone.

“Don’t mess with me. I’m leaving.”

“Aw, don’t get mad! I’m serious about wanting you to be our judge!”

“I’ve never even dated anyone before. There’s no way I can do that.”

Ikoi spoke honestly.

He’d never confessed to anyone, and no one had ever confessed to him.

To him, romance was like some exotic animal—he knew it existed, but had never seen one in real life.

Asking a romance-level-1 guy like him to judge the love lives of top-tier gals was like sending a newbie to fight the final boss on the tutorial stage. An impossible game.

“Really? I thought you’d be popular, Kizuki-kun.”

The one who said that in surprise was the tiny, cute, healing-type gal sitting beside them.