Why the Cool Beauty, Who Repeatedly Keeps on Read and Ignores, Only Replies to Me - The Beautiful and Aloof Girl Wants to Know the Lonely Me - 07 - Alone With Saeki

A week has passed since that lottery that changed fate.

Since then, the messages from Saeki on LIME have completely stopped, and when I opened the chat screen with her, the message from before saying “Instead of ignoring it, how about explaining yourself quickly” appeared.

I responded to that with a “kowtow” stamp, but there was no reaction afterwards, and the conversation completely stopped.

But well, it’s convenient for me that LIME isn’t coming from Saeki, so I’m just living my usual lonely high school life without worrying about it.

Saeki became a member of the cultural festival executive committee, so maybe she’s too busy to use Lime.

Speaking of the cultural festival… What is our class going to do for the cultural festival? It’s not decided yet, but is that okay?

About two weeks left until the cultural festival.

I feel like it’s about time to start preparing, but… well, it has nothing to do with me.

Though I thought that, one day—.

“…O-Ogami.”

In the morning, Harada from the back seat called out to me as I arrived at school.

He usually only calls me when he’s making fun of me, but today he looks unusually serious.

Sensing that something was wrong, I turned to him silently.

“What’s up?”

“U-um, sorry, I have something to discuss with you.”

“A discussion?”

“Could you change your mind about not being on the executive committee?”

“…Huh?”

It’s too sudden, so I couldn’t help but let out a pathetic voice.

In other words, it means to resign from the executive committee. Even though he was so motivated because he could do it with Saeki.

“What’s wrong? You were so happy when I gave you the lottery ticket.”

“That’s… “

Listening to Harada’s story, it was exactly what I had feared.

Apparently, Harada tried to talk to Saeki as a fellow member of the executive committee, but he was always ignored, so he couldn’t have a conversation, and it seems like the preparations for our class haven’t progressed at all.

Harada’s behavior is also bad, but Saeki is too irresponsible.

Well, Harada was ignored by Saeki and not taken seriously, and Saeki is indifferent to things she’s not interested in, so I thought it might turn out like this, but… I didn’t expect it to actually happen.

“I can’t stand it anymore!”

“Then don’t ask me… “

“But still! Originally, it was the lottery ticket that Ogami drew, so don’t you have some responsibility too!”

It might seem like Harada is being overbearing, but ultimately, since I’m the root cause, I can’t assert myself strongly.

In fact, I knew that Harada was targeting Saeki, so I took advantage of Harada’s psychology and assigned him work.

Even so, it was he himself who accepted that lottery ticket…

To put Harada in his place, it would be wise to push him away here, but on the other hand, if I insist on “You do it,” there might be a crack between me and the cheerful group, and they might become enemies.

To make neither friends nor enemies— I’ve always valued maintaining that balance.

So it wouldn’t be wise to get worked up here.

“…Got it. I’ll tell Machibari about the change.”

“I-Is that okay?Ogami.”

“Yeah.”

When I agreed, Harada said “Thanks a lot!” and went back to the sunny group.

Geez, because he’s not being taken seriously by Saeki, he wants to quit… what a cocky guy.

Someone like that won’t succeed no matter what they do.

However, I’ve been dragged into trouble again…

“Kotoku-kun, why do you look so serious?”

As I was making a serious face, Tamari, who had just arrived at school, called out to me.

“I-It’s nothing.”

“Geez, are you hiding something from your ‘beloved’ me again?”

“Sigh… I’m tired even of responding to that.”

Tamari brought her face close to mine with a flirtatious smile that made my stomach churn in the morning.

“I’m now the executive committee member for the school festival.”

“Kotoku-kun is on the executive committee?”

“Harada said things weren’t going well, and the work was impossible.”

“That’s troubling, but… why did Kotoku-kun end up doing it?”

Yeah, I figured I’d be asked that.

It’s hard to say I pushed work onto Harada because of my own petty actions.

As I hesitated to reply, Tamari furrowed her brows and grabbed my arm.

“Kotoku-kun, are you being bullied?”

“Bullied…? No, it’s not like that.”

“If you are, I’ll tell Harada!”

Angry-faced Tamari was about to head towards Harada, so I stopped her, saying, “Wait, wait.”

“It’s, it’s not like that!”

“Not like what?”

“…Actually.”

Reluctantly, I explained everything to Tamari.

Then, the anger that was directed towards Harada until a moment ago was now directed at me.

“Cheating is not okay, Kotoku-kun!”

“I-It’s not like I was cheating…”

“Really, Kotoku-kun, you’ve always been like that since long ago. Saying you don’t make enemies while acting all aloof.”

“I-It’s not a big deal. I just believe in not making friends or enemies.”

With a disappointed expression, Tamari returned to her seat, saying, “I worried for nothing.”

What’s up with Tamari… She doesn’t even know who I’m taking this stance for.

Freed from Tamari’s grip, I glanced towards Saeki’s seat.

Saeki was as quiet as ever, sitting at her desk and reading a thick book.

Anyway, since we’re going to be on the executive committee together, I should at least greet him.

I entered the chat room with Saeki and sent, “Sorry for the suddenness. I’m taking over from Harada as an executive committee member, so let’s work together.”

It’s been about a week since we last talked, so I might get left on read too.

Saeki might have stopped sending Lime because he’s tired of talking to me.

After a while, the message was marked as read, but there was no reply.

Finally, I get the infamous left on read treatment too.

Saeki said before that he won’t do things he’s not interested in.

He’s not interested in the work of the cultural festival executive committee, so he lacks motivation, and he’s not interested in talking to me either.

At this rate, I’ll end up doing the work of the cultural festival executive committee alone.

I can understand why Harada got fed up.

Alright, for now, I’ll consult Machibari about this matter and ask to change the female executive committee member too—

That’s when it happened.

“Saeki: Lunch break, library.”

“…I got a reply.”

**

During lunch break in the library.

There were about four round tables placed by the windows, and Saeki was sitting at one of those tables, waiting for me.

Saeki’s long straight hair swayed in the wind blowing through the window.

With a languid expression, Saeki reading a book looked just like a scene from a teen movie.

I silently took a seat on the chair opposite Saeki.

“Ogami-kun, do you know why I’m angry?”

“Huh, were you angry?”

“…”

Usually expressionless and rarely showing emotion, Saeki scrunched her eyebrows and frowned.

“Why did you give the lottery ticket for the executive committee to that guy, even though you drew the red circle?”

“Oh, so you noticed.”

“Don’t underestimate me.”

Saeki said, narrowing her eyes.

Her gaze seemed to penetrate through me, and not wanting my thoughts to be read, I suddenly averted my eyes.

“It’s okay to be a little happy… isn’t it?”

“Huh?” 

Saeki muttered under her breath.