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 31 & 32: A Date with the Cool Queen-Type Gal | The Conclusion I Reached

Chapter 31: A Date with the Cool Queen-Type Gal

“Eh, we can all come too!?”

Hinawa stepped forward and asked Hari directly.

The movie tickets were neatly lined up in a row.

“As long as I say it’s fine, it’s fine. There was never a rule that a date had to be just two people, was there?”

“Well, sure, but…”

Hinawa’s expression twisted, clearly not convinced. You could see she was torn—was it really okay to bend the rules of what was supposed to be a competition?

Platina, meanwhile, looked like she couldn’t care less.

“Hinawa, I’ve already bought the tickets. Just accept it.”

“But Hari, you’re really okay with this?”

“Of course. You’re all my best friends.”

Honestly, after the last three already admitted their “boyfriends” were just lies, the whole concept of one-on-one dates and winning or losing had already started to collapse.

At this point, I wasn’t even sure what being the “judge” was supposed to mean anymore.

Hari’s easygoing attitude—like she was tossing the competition aside—actually felt like a relief.

If we just blurred the lines, watched the movie together, and ended it with a casual, “That was fun, see you at school,” that honestly sounded perfect.

“Suitengu-san is a saint.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

Hari tilted her head, puzzled. She had no clue about the situation behind all this.

We grabbed drinks and popcorn together, then headed toward the screen.

On the escalator ride up to the theater floor, I turned to Hari and spoke.

“Smart move. At a movie theater, you don’t even have to talk for two hours.”

Classic Hari—out of everyone, she’d been the least fired up about this whole “group-but-also-individual” date setup.

And well, silence during a screening was just basic courtesy anyway.

“Exactly. The real point of a movie date is how lively the conversation gets afterward.”

“But you realize your ‘time slot’ basically ends when the credits roll, right?”

“Not really. We’ll all go eat after the movie, so it’s fine.”

“…You even planned that far ahead, huh. Impressive.”

Wait. Was this some advanced strategy to sneak in extra time beyond her allotted two hours?

“Honestly, what surprises me more is that all four of us had completely different plans. I only picked a movie by process of elimination. If Kizuki had to repeat the same kind of date over and over, that’d wear you out, wouldn’t it?”

“…True. The later dates do end up at a disadvantage.”

“Exactly.”

“Still, a movie works better once you’re already close. If it’s a very first date, it’s risky. You’re watching the same film, but if your takes clash, the whole post-movie talk could flop.”

“Today’s theme is supposed to be ‘the most fun date,’ right?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“Then this is already our second outing together, isn’t it? If you treat it like a ‘next date’ instead of a first one, the movie problem disappears. That’s why I figured it’d work.”

Maybe it was thanks to our talk at the cafe the other day, but I could feel a decent level of trust from her now.

It was actually kind of fascinating how each of the four had their own completely different approach.

Miyu, going with the classic “safe” date plan.

Hinawa, focused on moving around and having fun.

Platina, awkward but still thoughtful after what happened the other day.

And Hari, who’d mapped out her date with me in a concrete way, building right off what had come before.

Comparing them like this, it really hit me—girls’ perspectives on romance were wildly different.

No wonder people messed up when they just went in with “general rules.”

The real trick was probably adjusting yourself to the person right in front of you.

“What if the movie ends up being total garbage?”

“That’s way better than it being just so-so. If it’s bad, we can have fun trash-talking it.”

She was surprisingly laid-back about the whole thing as a viewer.

“Then why bring the other three along too?”

“Because it’s more fun when everyone can share their thoughts, right?”

“…”

…And here I was, ashamed of how petty my own thinking was.

I’d always been the type to watch movies alone, so it never even crossed my mind to enjoy one with a group.

“I honestly thought maybe you just didn’t want to be alone with me.”

“Wait, Kizuki, you actually thought that? You’ve gotten way too used to being a loner.”

“Dates are supposed to be just two people, aren’t they?”

“Once you’re close, it’s normal to hang out with friends too.”

That was such a riajuu way of thinking.

The whole “sharing time easily with others” thing just wasn’t a reflex I had.

Easy to forget now that we talked so much, but… these girls were the Five-Star Gals, after all.

“So for Suitengu-san, a boyfriend and best friends are equally important, huh.”

“Oh? So Kizuki-kun would rather it just be the two of you?”

“Of course. That way I can focus on the person I like.”

“Kizuki, you’re secretly kind of a romantic, huh.”

“And Suitengu-san, you’re way too cool about it.”

“…Alright, fine. I’ll admit it—I only picked a movie because even if we don’t talk, the time still passes. It was my little safety net.”

Hari didn’t bother putting up a front—she just said it straight.

“Good thing you told me upfront. Would’ve messed with the judging otherwise.”

I never once forgot the role I was supposed to play.

“Oh, so you really are judging properly. What kind of things are you even looking for?”

“I thought maybe all your dates came with a plus-three of friends.”

“Those three are just special.”

Hari glanced toward the others, riding a step above us on the escalator.

“Best friends with an unshakable bond, huh.”

Yeah… as a guy, there was no way I could ever fully step into that world.

Maybe this was what the fans of the Fives meant when they called it their “sacred zone.”

“Right. They’re just as precious to me as Koi-chan, the friend I told you about before.”

With light steps, Hari hopped off the escalator ahead of me.

“Koi-chan, huh…”

That childhood friend you’re talking about?

You don’t even realize he’s right here, walking behind you.

“I wonder what she’s like these days. She had such a cute face as a kid, I bet she grew up into a real beauty.”

“Sorry to disappoint, but just because someone’s cute as a kid doesn’t guarantee they’ll grow up that way.”

From the very start, I’d always been male.

And now I was a full-fledged high school boy.

No matter how you looked at me, there was no way I could pass as a girl.

“Don’t ruin my memories like that.”

Hari shot me a sharp glare.

Even though I thought I’d gotten used to her by now, those sudden dagger-like eyes of hers still sent a chill down my spine.

“If you let your imagination run too wild, the disappointment later hits harder.”

“Who cares! I’ll never meet her again anyway, so I can imagine whatever I want.”

…Except, we already had met again.

She just didn’t realize it.

“…Hey. What if I told you I’m actually Koi-chan?”

Before I realized it, the words had slipped out of my mouth.

Chapter 32: The Conclusion I Reached

She turned toward me, fixing me with a serious stare.

I stayed quiet, taking it head-on.

But before long, Hari couldn’t hold the tension anymore—she burst out laughing.

“Kizuki, so you do make jokes like that. You totally caught me off guard.”

It must’ve struck her funny bone, because she laughed loud and free, not caring who was watching.

In her mind, Koi-chan was still a girl, no matter what.

“Ahh, but your name is Ikoi, right? So yeah, I guess calling you Koi-chan isn’t too much of a stretch. Nice catch.”

At least she wasn’t mad—that alone was a relief.

Nothing ruins the mood of a movie more than sitting next to someone who’s angry.

“Alright then. Time for the fun part—let’s enjoy the movie.”

With Hari leading the way, we stepped into the dimly lit theater.

“I’m wiped out already, so pray I don’t fall asleep.”

“If you do, I’ll shove popcorn up your nose.”

She grabbed a handful and started mock-throwing them at me like target practice.

“At least aim for my mouth.”

“Hmm, not sure. If you snore next to me, that’s execution-level stuff.”

“…Well, at least our seats really are side by side.”

“Of course. It’s still supposed to be a date, after all.”

For now, I decided to just focus on my role—and enjoy the movie while I was at it.

Hari’s pick turned out to be a romance film.

A boy and girl meet by chance.

They waver between love and friendship.

In the end, even though they both feel the same way, they choose to part and walk separate paths.

It was a good movie, sure. But honestly, just once I wanted fiction to let the two lovers actually end up together.

Maybe it was because I’d seen so many movies like this before, but I could tell where it was headed halfway through—and that kept me from getting fully pulled in.

By the time the ending hit, my mind was stuck on one boring thought—why couldn’t it just give me the happy ending?

The credits started rolling.

I glanced to the side—and saw Hari crying.

She was trying to stay quiet, but the tears streamed down in waves, glistening against her pale cheeks.

I slipped her a handkerchief.

“It’s clean—go ahead and use it.”

“T-Thanks…”

Her voice cracked through her nose as she accepted it, gently dabbing at the streaks on her face.

Watching her faintly glowing profile in the theater’s darkness…

That’s when I made up my mind.

☆☆☆☆☆

When we left the theater, the sun had already set.

The air had a chilly bite to it, so naturally the plan shifted toward grabbing dinner together.

The four of them walked ahead, chatting happily about what to eat.

It was the usual scene—just them, shining as always, without me.

“Mind if I announce today’s results first?”

I spoke up on my own.

“Ooh, Ikoi! Bold move. Dragging it out would be lame anyway, so yeah—let’s do it here and now, the big results show!”

Hinawa held out her hand like a host shoving a mic toward me.

“Alright then, Ikoi! Out of all the dates today, which one was the most fun? No favoritism allowed! Give us your honest answer!”

Her flashy hosting got everyone’s eyes on me.

Even though they were smiling, a faint tension lingered in the air.

“As a date—the one I thought was best was… Chigira-san.”

I gave my answer straight, no buildup.

“Eh—seriously!? Yay!”

Miyu literally hopped on the spot, too happy to contain it.

Hari and Platina, meanwhile, just nodded like they understood—no complaints, no sulking.

“By the way, mind if I ask what sealed the deal?”

Hinawa, clearly surprised, pressed in even deeper without holding back.

“Well, first of all—every single date had your personalities shining through. Each one was fun in its own way.”

“Oooh, listen to you, sounding all professional—very judge-like.”

I ignored her quip and kept going.

“Not once today did I feel bored. Honestly, I had a blast. And out of all of them, Chigira-san’s was the most date-like date—the kind anyone could enjoy. That’s why I gave her first place. That’s it!”

I judged as fairly as I could—no lies, no bias.

“Alright then, let’s all give a round of applause for everyone’s efforts. And Ikoi too, good job surviving the day.”

With Hinawa leading the charge, the clapping began.

No grudges, no hard feelings—winner or loser, it was all smiles.

“So, what do we do for round three?”

The moment the applause ended, Hinawa casually threw the idea out like it was only natural.

“Wait, hold on. This is supposed to be the end, right?”

“Eeh, we’ve gotta have a rematch! Let’s make it so the one with the highest overall score becomes the grand champion. And of course, Ikoi, you’ll keep being our judge ☆”

She pitched it like it was the easiest thing in the world.

“There was never any rule like that. And I have no intention of accepting. This was a one-time thing. From here on, even at school, I’m done talking with you girls. I’ll just go back to being a regular classmate.”

““““Eh!?””””

The Fives shouted in perfect unison.

“There’s no point in playing along with this farce anymore. Just say your own boyfriend’s the best—that should be enough.”

After all, the whole premise of this contest was to decide whose boyfriend was number one.

But three of them had already admitted that their “boyfriends” never even existed.

With that, the entire foundation of this game had crumbled. I had no reason to keep being their judge.

I glanced over at Hinawa, Miyu, and Platina one by one.
Judging by their faces, they understood exactly what I meant.

“Come on, what’s the big deal? Doesn’t matter anymore. We’re friends, so let’s just hang out!”

As always, Hinawa tried to brush everything aside with her carefree energy, forcing the mood forward.

“She’s right! Kizuki-kun, don’t say something so sad.”

Miyu, clearly caught off guard, looked flustered and restless.

“Kizuki-shi… are you really fine with that?”

Platina, since she was the one who’d once urged me to quit in the first place, didn’t press me too hard now.

“To be honest, I’ve been meaning to say this for a while. Being with you girls—so popular and flashy—makes other people start talking to me more too, and it’s exhausting. On top of that, being the only guy in a tight-knit girl group just feels awkward. People whisper, make assumptions—it’s a hassle. I know it ruins the mood to bring this up at the end of a fun day, but I hope you’ll understand.”

I explained myself as honestly as I could.

But Hari was the first to shoot it down.

“I don’t like that you’re suddenly saying something so cold and formal!”

“You were the least enthusiastic about these dates to begin with, weren’t you?”

“That’s not—!”

“But you went out of your way to buy tickets for everyone at the movie.”

“T-That’s…! Whatever! I just wanted to enjoy it with all my best friends, okay!?”

“Of course, I know that. Suitengu-san, you’ve always been someone who cares deeply about your friends. I’m probably just being the boring killjoy here.”

“Then take it back.”

Hari’s face was dead serious.

“Don’t worry. Unlike you, I’m fine on my own. You’re the one who admitted I was strong, remember? Our ways of thinking have been different from the start—forcing it won’t—”

“Kizuki!”

She cut me off, snapping my name.

“See? That habit of getting mad so fast—I already told you it’s a bad one.”

“If you’re trying to provoke me, I’ll get really mad.”

Hari wasn’t taking the bait.

“You get it, don’t you? No matter how you look at it, I don’t belong in this group. I have no reason to be here, no need to be here. That’s all.”

Unlike before, the Hari Suitengu standing here now didn’t need Ikoi Kizuki’s help.

The Five-Star Gals were complete with just the four of them.

The Fives had no place for a guy.

“A guy who doesn’t care about social ranks is suddenly worrying about how he looks with us? Screw what other people think!”

Hari, clearly unsatisfied, stepped in closer.

“I’m just tired of being your punching bag every time you throw out one-sided declarations like that.”

I shook my head, like I’d finally reached my limit.

“Hah? You’re saying it’s my fault now?”

“…It hurts too, y’know. Having you keep misunderstanding me like this.”

The words slipped out—ones I’d never planned to say.

“Misunderstanding? About what…?”

Of course, Hari didn’t have a clue.

“Not knowing—that’s the right answer for you right now. And I’m fine with that.”

My voice came out cold, like I was pushing her away.

Hari’s face froze, like she’d been struck.

Even my half-baked act carried enough weight to convince her.

“Well then… bye.”

I turned my back on the four of them and started walking home alone.

Until now, distance had made it easy to pretend I was just a stranger.

But being this close to Hari, while she still didn’t realize I was Koi-chan… it hurt too much.

I finally had to admit that to myself.

In the end, I was the one who couldn’t keep up the lie—

And so, I ran away from the Five-Star Gals.