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

Chapter 46: Shouting Love in the Center of the Classroom

‘EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH’

“Andou! Are you seriously friends with Asakura-san?!”

“Us guys made a non-aggression pact to keep idiots like Yamada from carelessly approaching Asakura-san, our unattainable flower, and you used your ‘loner’ status to get close to her?!”

“See? See?! I told you so, didn’t I?!”

‘Shut up! Yamada, be quiet!’

“Hey, Andou! What’s the meaning of this?! Is this really true?!”

“…………”

(Ugh~~ It finally came out… I thought this might happen someday. Even though I’m a ‘loner,’ I knew that all the boys in school (except me) had secretly made a non-aggression pact not to make moves on Asakura-san… But what was I supposed to do when she talked to me first?! I tried not to talk much at first! Even if I tried to be friendly, a loner like me wouldn’t be suitable for Asakura-san anyway… Plus, I didn’t want to be targeted by all the boys in school for making a move…

But—)

‘Good morning, Andou-kun!’

‘Would you like to… p-pair up with me?’

‘What’s this… Isn’t this a dirty book…?’

‘I love you, Andou-kun!’

(After being shown all those… different sides of her, it’s only natural I’d want to talk to her more)

‘Hey, Andou!’

“…My secretary did everything.”

‘Class Rep!’

“Why are you throwing this to me?! And why are you all taking that seriously?!”

(Geez, how am I supposed to handle this…)

“What is Asakura-san saying?!”

“No good! She’s only been saying ‘It’s true!’ What happened to the perfect beauty Asakura-san? Today’s Asakura-san is totally ponkotsu!”

“What’s that about?!”

(And Asakura-san being like that…)

“Hey hey! Are you really friends with Andou-kun, Asakura-san?!”

“It’s true!”

“What do you call the central island among archipelagos?”

“Main island!”

“And you went on a date yesterday…”

“It’s true!”

(Fufufu, it seems my classmates are accepting Andou-kun and me as I planned… Hm?)

“Hey, did you hear? That Asakura-san is friends with Andou-kun…” whisper

“Seriously hilarious… Like, that’s impossible, right?” whisper

“Isn’t the difference in status too much?” whisper

“Stop it. Asakura-san must be embarrassed being rumored with someone like Andou-kun…” whisper

(Eh… What is this?)

“Damn it… beaten by someone as boring as Andou…” mutter

“Really, why is someone like Andou getting along with Asakura-san?” mutter

“Yeah, we’re way better than that guy.” grumble

(Why is everyone… saying bad things about Andou-kun?)

“…………”

(I knew it. I understood. I comprehended.

Asakura-san and I are ‘different.’ We clearly live in different worlds. I didn’t forget just because we’re light novel buddies. I knew this relationship couldn’t last forever.

After all, Asakura-san is a ‘beauty’ that makes everyone step back, while I’m a ‘loner’ whose existence nobody notices. Before even considering if we match or not, it’s already strange for us to stand side by side.

My existence lowers Asakura-san’s ‘reputation.’ My involvement reduces Asakura-san’s ‘value.’ I knew this would happen… That’s why I tried not to get involved with Asakura-san so many times…)

‘Mofyo!’

‘Thank you for coming today…’

‘Here, Andou-kun, say “ahh”?’

‘H-how long are you going to touch them?!’

‘You can’t look at other girls’ breasts!’

(But I—couldn’t do it. This is all my responsibility. Because I kept thinking I wanted to ‘talk’ with Asakura-san… wanted to ‘be with’ her more—)

“STOP SCREWING AROUND!”

“…Eh?” whisper

“What…?” whisper

“H-hey… that’s…” mutter

“…………”

(A-Asakura…san? Why are you shouting…)

“I—don’t think it’s embarrassing!”

“?!”

(Is Asakura-san crying…?)

“Phew…”

(Andou-kun, listen… to my feelings. I won’t misspeak this time)

“All of you! How dare you say ’embarrassing’ when I’ve been listening quietly! How dare you say ‘boring guy’!

How much do you all know about Andou-kun?! What do you know about him?! I ‘know’! I know what an ‘interesting person’ Andou-kun is… what an ‘amazing person’ he is… I ‘know’!

How much do you know about Andou-kun to say such things?!

Andou-kun is an ‘amazing person’! He reads more light novels than me and knows lots of interesting stories, and who knows that he always gets 100 on math tests? Furthermore, when I caught a cold and missed school, he delivered handouts and even came to visit me. How much did any of you know about Andou-kun? I know everything! I know that Andou-kun is ‘awesome’ and that he’s a very ‘kind person’!

So if anyone in this class wants to ‘laugh at’ Andou-kun, I’ll murder them!”

(Haha… Asakura-san, saying murder—

‘So what would you think if someone who doesn’t know it said “The Eighth Son Reincarnation is boring”?’

‘I’d murder them.’

—As expected of the gremlin)

“So… I’ll say it proudly, with my chest held high!

Andou-kun is such a wonderful person, and I don’t think being with him is ’embarrassing’ at all!

This person called ‘Andou-kun’ is my most beloved ‘friend’!”

(I-I said it!)

“Wow…”

(A-Asakura-san, amazing. Even I, the Class Rep, am embarrassed by such a bold confession. After being told all that, surely the class will—)

‘Ah… (they get it)’

(They figured it out… So, what about the crucial Andou-kun?)

“A-Asakura-san… just now, was that…”

“H-hya! No, Andou-kun, that wasn’t—”

(Wait, me! After saying all that, are you still going to deflect? You need to be honest!)

“—not wrong! Andou-kun, those were my honest… f-feelings!”

“I-I see…”

(Now, Andou-kun. Let me hear your answer!)

“Asakura-san.”

“Y-yes!”

“…………”

(Ah, finally my efforts as Class Rep will be rewarded…)

‘…………’ gulp

“Hey! Hey? What’s happening right now?”

‘Shut up! Yamada, be quiet!’

“Thank you… I’m sorry. I didn’t realize your feelings, Asakura-san… I’m really happy about your feelings.”

“Th-then!”

“I never thought Asakura-san considered me such an important ‘friend’! I’m so happy I’m starting to cry…”

“Eh?”

“…Huh?”

(Andou-kun, wait! Asakura-san’s words just now were clearly a confession of romantic feelings, right? A-and you… thought it was an enthusiastic ‘friendship declaration’?!)

‘E-EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!’

(Andou-kun, that’s wrong! I feel—)

“Asakura-san, I feel the same way… Really, I should have said this first. So I’ll say it now.

Please be my ‘friend’!”

“Yes, gladly!”

(Andou-kun feels the same as me?! Whatever, I don’t care anymore! Yahoo!)

“EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

‘EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!’

“A-Andou-kun?”

“Hm? What is it, Asakura-san?”

“Ehehe~~ I just wanted to call your name♪”

“I-I see…”

(My feelings didn’t get through properly, but now I’m properly ‘friends’ with Andou-kun! This counts as progress, right!)

(I’m… a coward. Even though Asakura-san thinks of me as such an important ‘friend,’ I’m a little scared of that. Because I’ve realized… no, maybe I’ve always known. I ‘like’ Asakura-san. If she finds out about these feelings, Asakura-san and I won’t be able to remain ‘friends.’

So I choose to stay ‘friends’ with her while hiding these feelings. To not lose my first ever ‘friend’ in life—)

“Asakura-san, please take care of me from now on.”

“Ehehe~~ I-I should be saying that…”

(Please, let these feelings—to this person) (Andou and Asakura)

(Be conveyed)

(Not be conveyed)

Translation Notes: