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 17: Totally in Sync, Aren’t You?

Chapter 17: Totally in Sync, Aren’t You?

June had rolled in, bringing with it blazing hot, summer-like days and muggy, suffocating rainstorms, trading places one after the other.

This morning was one of those sweltering ones—the kind that already carried the smell of summer.

After fourth period in another classroom, I was on my way back to Class 2-D when it happened.

Catching me while Hari wasn’t around, the other three members of the Fives suddenly pounced on me with questions.

“Hey, like—didn’t you and Hari get super close all of a sudden?”

Hinawa leaned in on me like some hard-boiled detective from an old Showa-era drama.

Interrogation mode, full force.

Way too close.

“Yeah. It’s honestly the first time I’ve ever seen Hari-chan talk with a boy every single day.”

Miyu’s eyes went wide, like she couldn’t believe it either.

“Kizuki-shi, what kind of dirt did you dig up on Hari?”

Platina gave me a suspicious look.

“I just… listened to her talk, that’s all.”

I laid out the plain truth.

“Ehh, you expect me to believe that’s enough to make Hari talk to a guy?”

Hinawa narrowed her eyes at me.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Like—doesn’t it feel a little like romance? Love vibes, maybe? Kyaha.”

Hinawa’s expectations were as simple as ever.

“If love started just from talking, nobody would ever struggle to find a partner.”

“But that is how love starts! All you need is love!”

“…The Beatles? Really?”

“See, you knew it! Knew you’d catch that reference, Ikoi. My dad loves them, so I listened to their songs a ton when I was a kid.”

Gals had a strong interest in romance.

Riding that momentum, Hinawa leaned in until she was practically pressed up against me.

I had to lean back just to avoid her chest brushing mine.

“First of all, Suitengu-san already has a boyfriend, right? I’ve got no role to play there—and no intention of butting in either.”

Better to declare my stance before any misunderstandings cropped up. No scandals here!

“What, you can talk with Hari and not fall for her? That’s crazy! Ikoi, are you just bad at romance?”

“Or maybe the elegant beauty type, like Hari-chan, just isn’t your thing?”

“Come on, Hari’s sharp edge is addictive, isn’t it?”

Clearly, the three of them were big Hari fans.

Which only made my lukewarm reaction all the more confusing to them.

“…Well, if nothing else, I can see you three really are bound by strong friendship.”

Three-on-one was too much to handle.

Each one of them was a beauty in her own right, but grouped together like this, their combined radiance was overwhelming.

“Don’t think you can sneak around without me.”

Right on cue, Hari showed up—turning three gals into four.

“Kizuki, surrounded by cute girls like this… you look like you’re having fun.”

She teased me, clearly enjoying my helpless expression.

“If that honestly looks fun to you, you should probably get your eyesight checked before you hurt yourself.”

Surrounded by the Five-Star Gals, there was zero fun vibe.

If anything, all I felt was that there was nowhere left to run.

“Thanks for the warning. For the record, my eyesight’s just fine.”

“Then I guess it’s just your personality that’s rotten.”

“Oh, bold of you to say. But if you ever lay a hand on one of the three, you know what’ll happen, don’t you?”

Wow, talk about trust issues.

Like the gorgeous Fives would ever look twice at me.

Worrying about that was a total waste of time.

“Before it even came to that, you’d stop them, right, Suitengu-san?”

“Yes, yes. And Hinawa, don’t crowd him so much.”

Noticing how genuinely troubled I was, Hari stepped in and peeled Hinawa off me.

“Ehh, I was just curious if maybe Hari was cheating with Ikoi.”

And just like that, Hinawa blurted it out with ridiculous honesty.

The other two instantly covered their faces like, oh no…

“As if! No way!!”

Hari shot back, loudly and firmly.

“But, Hari-chan… why have you been talking to Kizuki-kun so often lately?”

Miyu’s innocent, crystal-clear gaze locked onto her.

Faced with that kind of pure question, lying felt like it’d bring down divine punishment.

I snuck a glance at Hari—only for our eyes to meet.

“Suspicious. That eye contact is totally suspicious.”

Platina didn’t miss a thing.

““It’s just coincidence!!””

We both shouted at the same time, voices perfectly in sync.

“Whoa~~ you two are so in sync!”

Hinawa cheered, though to me it felt more like provocation.

Sure enough, Hari snapped, and Hinawa bolted away laughing.

They say three girls together are noisy as a beehive—

Make it four, and it was complete chaos.

“Kizuki-shi. Even from the perspective of us, her best friends, Hari’s changes are obvious. Don’t you think you should share the reason behind it?”

Platina spoke like she was being perfectly logical, but the sly grin on her face screamed plotting something.

“I agree! Let’s just have lunch together, all five of us!”

Hinawa was all fired up.

“Fine by me. It’s not like there’s anything to hide.”

Hari accepted without hesitation.

“Kizuki-kun, if you don’t have plans, would you join us?”

Miyu asked politely, almost apologetically—such a kind girl.

Since they were all eating at the cafeteria today, I didn’t bother going back to the classroom.

Armed with my textbooks, notebooks, and pens, I tagged along with them instead.

Each of us grabbed our food of choice, then regrouped at a table big enough for everyone.

“────”

Now came the problem.

When I got back, Hari and Hinawa were sitting on one side, while Miyu and Platina were on the other.

Holding a tray with kitsune udon and a rice ball, I froze for a second.

Four sets of eyes immediately locked onto me.

“Kizuki, you’re not sitting?”

“Ikoi, come sit over here!”

“Kizuki-kun? What’s wrong?”

“Now, now, give Kizuki-shi a moment to deliberate.”

In the end, I set my tray down and sat next to Miyu.

“Ah, thanks. Here, this water’s for you, Kizuki-kun.”

Miyu set a cup of water down in front of me.

“Chigira-san, thank you. That really helps.”

An angel.

With how crowded it was, I hadn’t managed to grab one myself, so it honestly made me happy.

Lunch break was precious—I wanted to relax as much as possible.

It even looked like the four of them had waited until I arrived before starting.

With a quick “itadakimasu,” the five of us began our meal together.

“By the way, Kizuki-shi—why did you choose to sit next to Miyu?”

Platina went out of her way to toss that question at me.