The Story of Waking up With My Beautiful Childhood Friend and Realizing We Had Spent the Night Together - Chapter 39.3

Interlude: My Class Has Way Too High Facial Attractiveness Scores by Mob

This class… doesn’t it have way too high facial attractiveness scores?

I, Ono Yuko, suddenly thought.

No, not suddenly. My senses had just gone numb, but I had always thought so.

My seat is in the very back row of the classroom.

From here, where I can see the whole classroom, I casually look around…

(…There are a lot of handsome guys and beautiful girls.)

I let out a sigh without thinking.

There was a secret, anonymous year-wide facial attractiveness ranking.

For some reason, almost all the top rankers are gathered in this class.

(…What is this, some kind of celebrity school?)

Does this class have some kind of face screening?

…No, since I’m in it, that can’t be.

A sad conclusion.

No matter how I struggle, my facial attractiveness score is around 50.

It’s not the kind of face that gets selected.

But the others…

“Oh, Ono-san. Do you have a moment?”

“Eh…?”

When I look up, there’s a beautiful girl with a soft smile.

(…Kashiwagi-san.)

Kashiwagi Koto-san.

Second place in the year-wide facial attractiveness ranking.

Her score is… I think it was 68.

She’s not flashy, but she’s a beautiful girl who gives off a sense of warmth, and she’s incredibly popular with the guys.

…In a way, even more than that No.1.

A beautiful girl who feels within reach.

Guys are all weak to that.

“Um, what’s up?”

“Yeah. I’m on library committee duty right now, taking a survey for additional books we want, so if it’s okay, could you write something here?”

“Ah, yeah. Got it. Is after school fine?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

She waves and says see you later as she leaves.

Her soft light brown hair sways, and her calm voice heals the heart.

…The guy who marries that girl will surely be happy.

I seriously think so. Her looks and personality are too ideal.

“He’s” wasting her… I thought that when.

“Fuhee—. It’s so hot outside! Ahh, the AC is nice! Oh, hey everyone!”

A light brown-haired guy bursts into the classroom.

He’s fanning himself with a fan and flapping his shirt.

“…It’s because you pointlessly run. You would’ve made it if you walked.”

A bit later, a black-haired guy who looks somewhat lazy follows.

He annoyedly brushes away his stuck forelocks and rolls up his shirt hem.

At the voices of those two, several girls including me quickly turn around.

…Among them is Kashiwagi-san too.

Sweaty and roughly wiping it off, they look boyish and a bit sexy.

(Miyama-kun and… Amano-kun.)

…These two are also top-ranked handsome guys.

“Even so, isn’t it too hot? It’s already October, you know?”

Miyama Renji-kun.

Third place in the year-wide facial attractiveness ranking.

Score of 66.

Light brown hair styled with wax, perfectly refined features.

He’s exactly what you’d call polished.

…And the other one.

“Yeah, so don’t drag me into it. If you’re gonna run, run alone.”

He mutters discontentedly while biting into a chocolate bread in his hand.

Amano Iori-kun.

A androgynous, cute beautiful boy who could even pass as a girl.

He’s the dark horse of this class who won over Kashiwagi-san.

But about him… even among the voters, opinions are divided.

Girls who like active, manly types give him low scores.

On the other hand, girls who like delicate idol types have a lot of fans.

…To be honest, I’m one of his secret fans.

A melancholic beautiful boy… delicious.

His facial attractiveness ranking is fourth to sixth.

Score of 64.

The kind who really hits it for those he hits.

“Don’t be so cold—. We’re a duo, right—?”

“Old, gross, overbearing.”

Amano-kun annoyedly shakes off Miyama-kun who puts an arm around his shoulder.

…Another good “Ioren” today.

I clench my fist without thinking.

A clever older brother type and a somewhat downer, blunt younger brother type.

That relationship is “industry-wise” very delicious.

In that sense too, these two are popular.

…Clatter.

Then Amano-kun sits down in his seat.

…Next to mine.

(…F, fufu…)

The seat change at the beginning of this month.

I miraculously ended up next to Amano-kun.

As soon as he sits, a refreshing deodorant scent gently tickles my nose.

…I almost took a huge deep breath, but I held it back with iron will.

And when I sneak a glance at his profile…

“…Ah, Amano-kun.”

“…Hm? What?”

He turns back with a puzzled face.

On his cheek.

“There’s chocolate here?”

I point to my own cheek, poking it.

Then, still with that puzzled face, he wipes his cheek with his finger.

“…Thanks.”

He smiles shyly and wipes the chocolate on his hand with a tissue.

(…So cuuute!!)

It felt like a zing! sound effect went off deep in my head.

Ah, how wonderful.

The embarrassed face of a usually cool beautiful boy.

This alone could make me eat three bowls of rice.

I’ll store it strictly in my brain memory.

Tonight’s side di… ahem. My dinner companion is decided.

…But just as I thought that.

—Shiver.

“…!?”

Suddenly, an intense chill runs down my spine.

My body jerks involuntarily.

(…Eh, what? What’s going on?)

I quickly turn around.

Then, from the classroom entrance, one girl is looking this way.

The moment she steps into the classroom, classmates’ gazes all focus on her.

“…Ah…”

No way I’d mistake that figure.

(…She’s here.)

I can’t help but have that rude thought.

But it can’t be helped.

That girl is just that “extraordinary.”

“Ah, Yukimura-san! Morning—!”

“Yukimura-saaan, I can’t do the homework—, help me—!”

Seeing her, the class girls all call out at once.

—Yukimura Mizuki.

Needless to say, the one at the top of this school’s hierarchy.

A school-wide top beauty with god-blessed looks.

Facial attractiveness ranking, overwhelming first place.

Score threateningly over 80.

Her beauty and aura, unbelievable for a high schooler, make you want to bow just looking.

And right now, for some reason, she’s staring at me.

(Eh, what…?)

Why is she looking over here?

I don’t know, so for now, I give a vague smile and nod.

Then she gives a small nod back.

After that, she looks away and starts talking to other classmates.

(…Eh, what was that…?)

What was that just now?

I barely ever talked to Yukimura-san before.

After all, she’s the goddess at the school’s peak.

While I’m just an insignificant mob character A.

Our statuses are too different; conversation shouldn’t even be possible.

And yet…

I have question marks over my head.

Eventually, the teacher comes in, and I take classes still confused.

—And so, the day’s classes end.

It’s after school, but…

…Pouring rain.

At the school building entrance, I’m standing alone.

“…Ahh…”

A deflated voice escapes.

Outside is a perfect downpour.

Not a bit of mercy.

…Weird. The forecast said cloudy.

Damn you, weather lady, you planned this.

(What should I do…)

There are a few options, at least.

1. Get soaking wet and sprint to the station.

2. Dash to the convenience store and buy an umbrella.

3. Borrow an umbrella (folding one okay) from someone.

1 is out. 2 isn’t much different since it’s far.

So that leaves…

“—Ono-san?”

As I’m counting on my fingers, a boy’s voice from behind.

I turn around, and there is.

“Ah, Amano-kun?”

The cute boy I glance at every day.

My fave, Amano Iori-kun, tilts his head looking at me.

“Eh, w-what?”

“No… you’ve been standing there forever. Maybe you don’t have an umbrella?”

He says that and frowns a bit worriedly.

Ah, that expression. Don’t direct it at someone like me.

Brain camera rapid-fire inevitable.

In my mind, I rapidly click the shutter.

“So, if it’s okay…”

He says that and looks at the umbrella in his hand.

…Eh, wait a second?

I mentally hit the brakes.

(This flow… no way?)

In my head, a hazy scene plays.

“My umbrella, want to get under? It should be fine with just you.”

…Eh, does that happen? Like in shoujo manga?

My chest pounds with expectation.

No, no way. I think not.

But… maybe.

(A chance… for a fairy tale?)

As I stare nervously. Amano-kun…

“Want to use my umbrella? I have a folding one just in case.”

…Yeah, figures—.

All strength drains from my body.

Of course… right.

For a mob like me (facial score 50), such convenient things don’t happen…

Yes, I knew that.

That’s a privilege for heroines (facial score 60+)!

But… but!

(…A chance like this won’t come again!)

Luckily, it’s pouring outside.

Not something a single folding umbrella can handle.

So then…!

“Ah, Amano-kun…!”

“…? What?”

…What should I do. Will he think I’m weird?

I mean, Amano-kun has a girlfriend!

It might count as cheating… right?

N-No, sharing an umbrella should be… safe?

(…Screw it, saying it is free!)

I slap my cheeks hard.

Amano-kun in front of me flinches (cute), but no time for that.

Seventeen years of hardship. No guy experience.

Once in a lifetime, I should be allowed to dream!

“Me and… you…”

Just as I start saying that.

—Shiveeer!!

“—Hii!?”

“Eh? Ono-san?”

In an instant, an unbelievable chill assaults my spine.

It’s almost like a biological instinct.

A chill like feeling death’s approach.

—No further. Can’t go on.

I intuitively feel that.

If I proceed from here, I’m done.

It’s beyond a hunch—a certainty.

Right now, I’m at the most important crossroads in my life.

“…N-No. It’s nothing.”

“Eh, really? You jumped a lot though…”

He looks at me somewhat creeped out.

That expression chips away at my mental health more.

“R-Really… it’s nothing!”

Unable to bear it, I dash out of the building.

“Eh? W-Wait, Ono-san! Umbrella—”

Amano-kun’s panicked voice gets drowned out by the rain.

With terror and regret, my already plain face crumples as I run to the station.

“Uuu… damn iiiit!!!”

Tears overflow thinking of the missed fairy tale.

…Am I going to stay a mob forever?

Is dreaming of a fairy tale wrong?

(No… that’s not true!)

Even I, someday…!

Believing that, I, Ono Yuko (17 years old • no boyfriend history = age), run.

Toward the day I grab my fairy tale.

…

…By the way, a little after that.

When I learned who Amano-kun’s girlfriend is—I realized this decision was the greatest “wise judgment” possible.