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 14: You Got Me Again

Chapter 14: You Got Me Again

Hari and I left school together and hopped on the train.

Since the station near campus had too high a chance of running into classmates, we shifted to Ikebukuro—still within both of our commuter passes.

Surprisingly, the conversation didn’t run dry along the way.

Though, to be fair, most of it was Hari talking while I just nodded along.

Even walking side by side, it was obvious how many people’s eyes were drawn to her.

Inside the packed station or outside on the streets, young and old, men and women alike—everyone turned to watch Hari Suitengu.

Meanwhile, she carried herself with perfect posture, completely unfazed.

“Kizuki, what should we do for lunch? What do you want to eat?”

“I’ll go with whatever you want.”

“That’s the most annoying kind of answer, you know.”

“Then—anything you don’t like, Suitengu-san?”

“Oh? Asking about dislikes means you’ve got a place in mind, don’t you?”

“Sort of.”

“I don’t have any. Spicy food, cilantro—totally fine. So, take me somewhere good.”

“…Got it. It’s a bit of a walk though, you okay with that?”

“Sure.”

We skipped past the usual chain restaurants near the station, and I led her to a place I knew.

It was a casual Vietnamese restaurant, tweaked with a bit of Japanese flavor.

“Didn’t expect you to know a place like this, Kizuki.”

“I came here once with a friend. Even as a guy, I left full and satisfied, so I can vouch for the food.”

“I was sure you’d drag me to a curry place or Thai restaurant.”

“Want to switch to one of those instead?”

“No. Since you recommended this place, now I’m curious.”

We were shown to a table, opened the menu, and leaned in to look together.

“Kizuki, what’s your pick?”

“The lunch set with a bánh mì is foolproof. You can pick a main dish with it.”

“I know tom yum soup and pho, but… bánh mì?”

“It’s basically a Vietnamese sandwich. Packed with meat, veggies, cilantro—super filling, but not too heavy. Tastes great.”

“Then I’ll go with the tom yum noodle set with bánh mì.”

“I’ll take the large pho set.”

We placed our orders, and while waiting for the food, the conversation flowed naturally.

Hari kept the talk going—about midterms, about the Fives, about little everyday things.

The food arrived, and we ate until we were stuffed, sipping our after-meal drinks when she finally circled back to the main topic.

“So you’re seriously gonna use me as your punching bag?”

“Don’t make it sound so bad. It’s just venting. Still… why this place? The food was amazing, but why here of all spots?”

“If we’d gone to a chain restaurant, there was a real chance someone from school would’ve overheard us.”

“…Wait, so that’s why you picked this place? You sound like some celebrity sneaking around incognito.”

“You girls aren’t all that different—at least in certain circles.”

At school, the four of them were treated like idols.

And honestly, their “stats” were so high they’d hold up even outside of school.

Just a little while ago, while I’d stepped away from the table, some random guy had approached Hari.

A scout, apparently.

She only took his business card before sending him off, but even the company name was one I recognized—a big-name talent agency.

Hari Suitengu’s beauty really was on another level if she caught the eye of actual professionals.

“But seriously, Kizuki—your panicked look back then? That was pretty funny.”

Hari brushed it off like she was used to it. She had no interest in showbiz.

“Can’t risk another fiasco like at the family restaurant. Just being extra careful.”

“If my secret ever gets out, I’m coming after you, so be ready. I’ll make you my punching bag for real.”

She threw a playful punch, and I just shrugged my shoulders.

“…Didn’t think you had a cheeky side, Suitengu-san.”

“Is that a problem?”

“Nope. If you’re relaxed, that’s a good thing.”

“…Weird though. Talking to you like this doesn’t feel like the first time. Feels like we’ve had plenty of conversations before.”

Even Hari seemed surprised by the thought, letting the words slip out.

“Well… technically, it’s not our first time.”

I gave her a modest confirmation.

“When exactly?”

“…Forgot.”

“Hey, at least remember that much.”

“Come on, who actually remembers the last time they talked to a classmate?”

“Sorry, the vibe I usually have with Hinawa and the others just slipped out.”

“Talk however’s easiest for you.”

“Then I’ll do that.”

Hari swirled the straw in her iced tea with her fingertips.

“If only you could talk to other classmates with the same vibe.”

“Kizuki, you’re the exception—that’s why it’s easier with you.”

Hari tossed the blame onto her nerves—or maybe the people around her—in that careless way of hers.

“But with your best friends in the same class, isn’t it fine? No real need to force yourself to get close to others.”

I blurted out something blunt.

Overcoming your weak points takes effort—sometimes more than it’s worth.

“What about next year! If we end up in different classes, it’ll be lonely!”

“You really worry too much.”

“Call it forward-thinking.”

Guess it’s all in how you phrase it.

Strengths and weaknesses were probably just two sides of the same coin.

“Once we’re third-years, we’ll all be buried in exam prep anyway. Won’t matter much.”

“Still, you’d want to chat with close friends during breaks, wouldn’t you?”

I wouldn’t know. I didn’t have anyone I could call a close friend.

“What about last year? Back in first year, the four of you were in different classes, right?”

“During breaks, I’d go to Platina’s classroom.”

“So you chose Kongouji-san. What about the other two?”

“Hinawa and Miyu are the type who can make friends in any class. I felt kind of guilty barging in on them.”

“Yeah… that sounds like the two of them.”

When it came to social skills, those two were the top of the Fives.

“Platina, on the other hand, is fine being on her own.”

“Then why not copy that mindset of hers? Seems like a practical solution.”

“Impossible. Platina’s a genius—I could never pull that off.”

Shot down without hesitation.

“From where I’m standing, Suitengu-san, you’re not so different from her.”

“I only manage by forcing myself. I’ve always been the type to put on a brave face. I hate quitting halfway, so I end up pushing myself to the limit.”

She said it like she was talking about someone else.

“So basically, you’re stubborn.”

“More like a perfectionist who just makes life harder for herself.”

“Is that why you hate letting people see you fail?”

I took a sip of my iced coffee before cutting in.

“…You got me again.”

Her expression twisted into obvious frustration—seemed I’d hit the mark.

“Kizuki, were you a fortune-teller in a past life? Or maybe a counselor? Or a con artist, perhaps?”