Why Is the Prettiest Girl in School Trying to Talk to a Loner Like Me during Lunch Break?

Chapter 137 – Charm

“Thank you very much”

(Tch! Never appear before me again! You harem loner bastard!) (Shop assistant)

“I can’t believe I ran into Momoi-san in a place like that… But I’m really grateful you helped me choose clothes. I wish I could thank you somehow…”

“Ahaha, you don’t need to worry about that at all~♪ Besides, the clothes you bought today are for dates with Sakura, right? So it makes sense you couldn’t consult Sakura about it~”

(Hmm, but I think normal couples would use that as an excuse to go clothes shopping together on a date… Well, that might be too high a hurdle for Andou-kun.) (Momoi)

“But personally, I was surprised that Andou-kun would secretly study fashion for Sakura’s sake like this~?”

(Honestly, Andou-kun gives off this vibe like he doesn’t care about appearances at all, right? But thinking back, when we went to the movies or pool before, he wore the bare minimum appropriate clothes—maybe that was the result of efforts like this?) (Momoi)

(Actually, I ended up with Momoi-san after buying clothes, but what should I do now? Since I’m basically a ‘loner,’ I don’t know how to handle meeting acquaintances outside like this…) (Andou)

“Ahaha… Well, in my case, considering who I’m dating, when we inevitably stand side by side people compare us…”

“Ah, true, when Sakura stands next to you… Yeah, I understand that feeling. I can’t wear careless outfits when hanging out with Sakura either.”

(Sakura and I get hit on constantly when we go out together. Well, I chase them off each time though…) (Momoi)

“The stares from people around us are really something! Really something!”

“Ah, I see…”

(True, when Momoi-san and Asakura-san stand together, the ‘difference’ is incredible…) (Andou) ←Distant look

(Sakura is so beautiful and cute she’s constantly a target for pickup attempts. Compared to that, I’m tall, not as cute as Sakura, and the guys who approach me all have their eyes on my ‘chest’! Really… Everyone looks at Sakura and me so differently~) (Momoi)

“That’s why I’m really grateful Momoi-san was here today.”

“Yeah yeah! Right? Because compared to Sakura, I have less charm, so I balance out better standing next to Andou-kun, right?

Wait, who has less charm than Sakura!?”

(Well, through my long relationship with Sakura I’ve come to terms with that complex—) (Momoi)

“Momoi-san, what are you saying… From my perspective, you’re plenty charming too?”

(Whoaaa!?) (Momoi)

“Eh, A-Andou… kun? What are you saying?”

“No… I mean exactly what I said?”

(No no no, being the second most popular after Asakura-san in class and saying you have no ‘charm’… What is this ‘oppai’ saying?) (Andou)

“But Momoi-san, you’re popular.”

“Eh, ah… Well yeah but~ That and charm as a ‘girl’ are different~”

“But guys at our school confess to you, right? Isn’t that the ‘charm’ you’re talking about?”

“Eh! Andou-kun, how do you know that!?”

“Ah, crap…”

“Hmm~ That reaction… It was Sakura, wasn’t it~?”

(Sorry, Asakura-san!) (Andou)

(Sakura~ Next time we meet you’re getting the tickle punishment~) (Momoi)

“Sigh… True, like Andou-kun said, I’ve been confessed to several times. But you know, those people either misunderstand me matching the mood as ‘she likes me!’ and confess, or they blatantly stare at my ‘chest’!”

“I-I see…”

(I-it’s not like… I’m only looking at her chest or anything…?) (Andou)

“So maybe that’s why. Somehow, I feel like none of them see ‘me’ as an individual?”

“Hmm. But I think that’s wrong?”

“Eh, Andou-kun, what’s wrong?”

“Hmm, how should I put it… I remember before when I said your ‘character’ was ‘real,’ right?”

“Ah… Yeah, that happened!”

(Right, that time I was worried whether friends I made with my performed ‘character’ could be called ‘real,’ and Andou-kun dismissed my worries by saying it was ‘real.’) (Momoi)

“So it’s the same thing. Sure, those people who confessed might have misunderstood your ‘bright character that matches others’ as ‘she likes me,’ but conversely, that means you had enough ‘charm’ to make them misunderstand, right? Because you including that ‘character’ are the individual ‘Momoi-san,’ so even if they’re only attracted to your character, I think that’s ‘part of Momoi-san’s charm.'”

(Honestly, Momoi-san tends to overthink things… Since she observes others so carefully, is she the type who needs others to understand her just as deeply?) (Andou)

“B-but… When I’m with Sakura, only Sakura gets hit on?”

“That’s just because my girlfriend is exceptionally charming, it doesn’t mean Momoi-san lacks charm.”

“Ehhh!? Andou-kun, you’re praising your girlfriend there!?”

“Ahaha, but it’s okay. Momoi-san has plenty of charm! And besides—well… I think your ‘chest’ is one of your sufficient ‘charms’ too… you know?”

(Sufficient ones that Asakura-san lacks…) (Andou)

“Eh… H-hmm, I see~ So Andou-kun thinks my ‘chest’ is charming too~?”

“!? T-that’s just my subjective ‘opinion’! I-it’s not in a weird way! Seriously!”

“Oh ho ho… Is that so~? Hehe~♪”

“Momoi-san!? You definitely don’t get it from that reaction!?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine~♪”

(But I see… Even Andou-kun who knows my ‘character’ thinks this ‘chest’ is part of my ‘charm’… Then that’s ‘acceptable’ too, right?) (Momoi)

“Oh right! Andou-kun, you said you wanted to ‘thank’ me earlier, right~?”