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 29 & 30: A Date with the Laid-Back, Mysterious Gal | When a Boy and Girl Get Too Close in a Tiny Room

Chapter 29: A Date with the Laid-Back, Mysterious Gal

“A manga cafe, huh.”

The place she led me to took up one floor of a worn-down multi-tenant building.

“After that standard date with Miyu, and Hinawa’s hyperactive one back-to-back, you’ve gotta be tired, right? This is the perfect spot to take a break.”

…Was she actually being considerate of me?

No—this was Platina we were talking about. She always put herself first. And it’s not like she had any reason to care about the guy she literally tried to kick out of the Fives.

“Still, I appreciate it.”

“Mm. I don’t like running around for no reason either.”

See? Called it.

Strangely enough, out of all today’s dates, the one with Platina Kongouji had me the most on edge.

Not long ago, she’d summoned me by letter just to warn me away from their group. And yet here she was today, not rejecting Hinawa’s crazy idea, even going along with it.

Of course I was wary. There had to be some hidden motive.

The last thing I wanted was to say the wrong thing and make it blow up in my face, so I kept my guard up and simply followed her lead.

She handled the check-in like she’d done it countless times and guided us to our booth.

A small private cubicle with a flat mat seat, just wide enough to stretch your legs.

“…We’re both going in here?”

I had to double-check.

“It’s a date, after all. Supposedly.”

She gave me a look like, what are you even asking at this point?

By the time I came back with a drink and a stack of manga, she was already in full relaxation mode.

Jacket and shoes off, cushions laid out, sprawled comfortably.

Even in a manga cafe, Platina’s stylish outfit gave her this weirdly elegant aura.

“Already started, huh.”

“Mm.”

“What are you reading?”

“Kochikame. My goal’s to finish the entire series.”

She didn’t even glance my way, eyes still glued to the page.

“200+ volumes… quite the challenge.”

“And what about you, Kizuki-shi?”

“I’m checking out a series that’s about to get an anime.”

“Doing homework for fun? That’s so you.”

“I’d been curious about it anyway.”

“So you’re the type to prep even for dates?”

“Didn’t expect a manga cafe date, though.”

“What’s wrong with being alone in a tiny booth with a cute classmate?”

“Can you not say that about yourself?”

“You nervous?”

“Obviously.”

“And why’s that?”

For the first time, Platina finally looked up at me.

“Ask your chest.”

“Hellooo, boobs? Is Kizuki-shi nervous ‘cause of how I’m dressed?”

Platina casually grabbed both of her breasts and talked to them like puppets.

“If you already know, don’t ask! And that’s sexual harassment, by the way!”

“Please. Call it fan service. Right now, I’m offering you unlimited ogling, free of charge.”

“As if I’d do that!”

Clear bait. And after her letter stunt the other day, I knew better than to walk into it.

I slid down onto the mat, making sure to keep as much distance from Platina as possible.

“You don’t have to curl up in the corner like that. Or are you one of those types who feels safer in cramped spaces?”

“No, it’s just that your ridiculously long legs are in the way.”

“I like reading manga in whatever position feels comfy. That’s one rule I won’t bend.”

“And thanks to that, I’ve got zero room to breathe.”

With Platina hogging half the booth, I was left shoved up against the wall.

“If you wanna stretch out your legs, go ahead. I’ll just rest mine on top.”

Of course, she had no intention of budging an inch.

Fine then—two could play that game. I stretched my legs out.

And right on cue, Platina casually draped her own over mine.

I tried my hardest to ignore it and bury myself in the manga instead.

“You seem pretty unfazed by this. Do you come here often with your boyfriend?”

“…Boyfriend? I don’t have one.”

“…What?”

“I said it was a lie.”

“Give me a break already.”

At that point, it wasn’t just my body that felt drained—my brain was too.

Hearing the exact same confession for the third time today was enough to push me to my limit.

“Judging from that reaction… Miyu and Hinawa already told you they don’t have boyfriends either, right?”

“…So you noticed.”

“Their slip-ups were way too obvious.”

Yeah, if even I’d picked up on it, of course Platina had clocked it long ago.

“If you’d just pointed it out from the start, none of us would’ve had to keep patching lie after lie. Who even started the whole thing anyway?”

“…”

And then—silence. For the first time, Platina was at a loss for words.

“Kongouji?”

“…Yeah. It was me.”

“So it was your fault!?”

I couldn’t stop myself from shouting.

Chapter 30: When a Boy and Girl Get Too Close in a Tiny Room

“Kizuki-shi, raising your voice in a place like this is bad manners.”

Like she had any right to lecture me—I bit my tongue before saying it out loud.

“So this is the so-called ‘status quo’ you’re trying so hard to protect?”

Platina, looking completely unfazed, laid out how the whole “everyone has a boyfriend” lie even started.

“It was right after we moved up to second year. That day, I wanted to go home early, but the others tried to stop me. Half-joking, I said, ‘My boyfriend’s waiting for me,’ and the next thing I knew, all three of them started chiming in with their own boyfriend stories. And that’s how we got here.”

“…You really are a bunch of besties, huh.”

“Fufu, what’s wrong with that? At first I thought I’d come clean right away… but then?”

“But then?”

“…It got fun to watch.”

She let out a fake, over-the-top laugh—“Uhahaha!”

“Too much screwing around!”

A chicken race of lies that wouldn’t end until someone slipped.

“And thanks to that, you ended up in the enviable role of going on four dates in one day. Honestly, you should be thanking me.”

“Yeah right. Don’t pretend you’re not still hoping I’ll back off from the group.”

Sure, the result might be the same whether I left on my own or was pushed out—but the feeling was completely different.

“Your presence is basically a ticking time bomb. No one knows when or how it’ll blow—today, tomorrow, maybe half a year from now.”

“Then use your so-called friendship power to defuse it.”

I had no intention of messing things up, but I really wished she’d stop dumping all the responsibility on me.

“Love’s magic is way stronger—and way nastier—than you think. It can make a woman shine, or it can destroy everything.”

“That’s up to each person to decide. Even best friends shouldn’t force their values on each other.”

“Mm, but plain old logic is boring. Kizuki-shi, why not just settle for me? I promise you won’t regret it.”

Her voice was tempting, dripping with sweetness.

But the way she treated herself like some kind of “consolation prize” rubbed me the wrong way.

“Caring about your friends is fine, but to me, you’re also an attractive girl. If I ever seriously accept an invitation like that, I’ll do it properly—by confessing to you myself.”

“…So you’re the old-fashioned type, huh, Kizuki-shi.”

“When I fall for someone, I want to treasure them as much as I can. Doesn’t matter what era it is.”

“…That’s pretty manly. I like you even more now.”

“Then don’t cheapen yourself with pointless self-sacrifice.”

From what I’d seen these past few weeks, the bond between the Fives was far stronger than Platina gave it credit for.

“…Alright. You win. I’ll take back what I said and trust you instead. From here on, I’ll leave the choices up to you.”

With that, Platina finally surrendered and said nothing more.

The conversation faded, and we both sank into our manga.

At some point, Platina’s body started leaning my way. Her shoulder brushed mine.

She didn’t seem to notice—or if she did, she didn’t move away.

Through her clothes, I could feel the warmth of her body… and a faint, pleasant scent. Perfume? Or maybe shampoo?

“Hey.”

“What is it?”

“You’re heavy.”

“Calling a woman heavy? That’s rude.”

“No, I mean—your shoulder’s on mine.”

“And?”

“Doesn’t that bother you?”

“Not at all.”

In this tiny booth, a girl was leaning right against me.

That was it. Just that.

And yet, my focus was completely shot. The panels and dialogue on the page slipped past my eyes without sticking—the story gone in an instant.

After a while, even my own breathing started to feel too loud.

Meanwhile, Platina sat there like it was the most natural thing in the world.

With people you can normally talk to forever, silence suddenly felt unbearable.

I froze, unable to move an inch.

Then my ears—without even trying—picked up the suspicious noises coming from the booth next door.

Realizing what it was only made things even more awkward.

“When a boy and girl are pressed together in a tiny room like this, it’s natural to get aroused.”

Platina whispered the answer like it was obvious.

“You—seriously?”

“Kizuki-shi, keep your voice down.”

She pressed a finger lightly to her lips, signaling for quiet.

“How can you act so calm?”

“It happens all the time.”

Because we were whispering, our faces ended up closer than ever.

Seriously—why did we have to feel tense just because the booth next door was breaking the rules?

“Kongouji, doesn’t this get to you?”

“Of course it does. So—wanna counter with some action of our own?”

Platina had just dropped something outrageous.

But I could tell right away she was covering it up as a joke.

Her manga had long since been forgotten—her ears and the back of her neck were flushed red.

At some point, she’d even pulled her legs back from where they’d been draped over mine, now sitting prim and proper like a normal girl.

“I’m gonna grab a drink. Maybe pick out another manga too. Got any recommendations? Something short I can finish before time’s up would be nice.”

With that, I stood up.

“…Yeah.”

For once, Platina followed without a single complaint.

☆☆☆☆☆

We regrouped at the park once more.

Finally, it was time for today’s last date—my partner: Hari Suitengu.

“Alright, everyone, come with me.”

Hari’s destination turned out to be a nearby movie theater.

She’d already bought tickets for all five of us. After printing them out, she handed one to each of us.