When I Picked Up A Stunningly Gorgeous Downer-Type Beauty In Front Of The Entrance. - Chapter 27: The classroom without my Neighbor-san.

The classroom without my Neighbor-san.

“Hey, Hinata-kun. Did you have a fight with Sajou-san?”

The question came from a classmate girl in mid-September.

It had been two weeks since the lazy and peaceful summer vacation ended, and the second term began.

Sitting on a chair, staring blankly at the ceiling, I looked at her with a slow movement.

With a timid demeanor, my classmate, seeming somewhat cautious, shook her head loosely.

“Not really.”

…Probably. I added silently in my mind.

“Really?”

She looked at me skeptically, beside me.

The seat next to me, where Sajou-san used to sit, was now empty.

When I glanced at the empty seat, I felt a sense of loneliness as if a cold wind blew through my heart. For about a month now, every day, without fail, I would let out a sigh, as if fulfilling some unspoken quota. Nothing to be proud of, achieving this quota.

Then, suddenly, Sajou-san disappeared.

From school. From my home. Without a word.

No matter how much I tried to think about the reason, my head, devoid of any cooling system, stopped thinking early on due to the summer heat.

She stopped coming to my house in mid-August.

It was precisely when we went to the pool together.

Thinking back to that time, I couldn’t help but think how bold it was, even considering my own actions. Being in the vinyl pool with Sajou-san… Hmm. Even now, just remembering it makes me feel overwhelmed by the power of her breasts, almost overflowing from the black bikini.

That was all fine, but…

She left in embarrassment, as if running away, still wearing the black bikini, jumping out into the hallway of the apartment. It was quite bold. I was truly impressed by her courage.

At that time, I was just floating in the water, my limbs and fingers wrinkling until they looked like prunes, without thinking about anything. But when dinner time came and there was no ring of the doorbell, I started to wonder, “This is strange,” with doubt creeping in.

After two or three days, that doubt turned into certainty, and before I knew it, I was staring up at the ceiling of the classroom, letting my soul drift away.

Did I do something to offend her?

Or did something happen on Sajou-san’s side?

Without knowing any contact information, I had no way to confirm anything, so I spent my days attending classes while feeling anxious. Of course, in such a state, I couldn’t focus on the lessons properly, and I didn’t even pretend to answer when called upon. I just stared blankly, prompting someone to jokingly suggest, “Should we put a bucket of water on your head and make you stand in the hallway?” while half-seriously placing their hand on their forehead.

I kinda wanna try that, I thought in the midst of my spreading consciousness.

“Because she suddenly stopped coming, I’m worried. Most likely, among the girls, it’s become a rumor that you cheated on her, Hinata-kun.”

“…Wait a minute. Who is solemnly spreading these baseless rumors?”

It’s way too much. Just because a little smoke rose, why do they immediately think there’s a fire or a bomb?

“In arguments between men and women, it’s always the man’s fault…”

“Have you realized that such an attitude only makes men more stubborn? And besides, we’re not even dating, let alone having arguments.”

“Oh. As for the boyfriend stuff, it’s been assumed among us that you’ve gone all the way.”

“Hey!”

That’s not cool at all. Don’t turn fantasies into reality. Handle with care, it’s a live one. Don’t plug your ears.

“By the way, the second rumor is about pregnan—”

I quickly flicked the top of the girl’s head with my finger, despite her being a girl with pink hair. It was the type of action that could be forgiven

“Aww, you hit me!” she mimicked being hurt, holding her head, as I let out a sigh, feeling exhausted.

The girls in the class were troubled indeed.

But, honestly, I couldn’t assert that I wasn’t at fault.

Without being able to meet Sajou-san, I had no way to confirm anything, and the only thing I could confidently say was that we hadn’t seen each other lately.

But Sajou-san, too.

Even if she had to leave, it would have been nice if she had at least explained the reason.

I thought so, but I also accepted the unspoken agreement not to pry into each other’s affairs, which was my own doing, and I knew it was pointless to complain just because it became inconvenient.

It’s only now that I truly realize.

The relationship between Sajou-san and me was one-sided.

Sajou-san would wake me up in the morning.

Sajou-san would also make my lunch.

Staying over at my house was also Sajou-san’s initiative.

And—being held in her arms was always initiated by Sajou-san.

So, by just cutting off contact from her side, I could go about my daily life without ever meeting her.

The physical contact from Sajou-san. But I never took any action from my side.

The fundamental reason for the fading of our relationship lay within me.

Was Sajou-san relying on me? Or was it me who was relying on her?

Well, it’s probably both, I guess.

Feeling a slight shock at that thought, and even feeling lonely, I self-deprecatingly think that it’s heartless of me to just rot away in the classroom without doing anything.

Socializing with people is tiresome.

The more intimate you become, the more energy it takes to maintain the relationship, and there’s no limit to it.

For me, it’s a very bothersome thing, and I was content with just superficial relationships where I put on a polite smile.

Because of that, I’ve never had friends to hang out with outside of school in my life. Especially not best friends. I spent my sepia-toned youth alone at home, engrossed in retro games.

It was comfortable, but at the same time, it was lonely being alone.

That’s why, without doing anything, just being together was enough.

The relationship with Sajou-san, where such a thing was allowed, was ideal for me, a source of solace.

I want to do something about it somehow.

But if Sajou-san doesn’t want it, I couldn’t bring myself to forcefully hold her back. Maybe it’s because I find socializing tiresome and have little attachment to others.

There was a lack of emotional intensity, to the point of twisting the other person’s will just to say “I want to be with you.”

As I analyzed myself again, words escaped from my mouth, “I’m heartless…”

The classmate girl who was still nearby raised her eyebrows in suspicion and asked, “Did you do something after all?” I didn’t.

At least if there was an excuse.

Always leaving it to others no matter what. I hate that about myself.

But still, I couldn’t help but wish.

Then, our homeroom teacher popped in and spotted me, gesturing for me to come over.

“Can I have a word?”