Chapter 427: Spending the Time Alone

With the remaining time left for the PE, since there’s no Orimura-sensei who I thought would be waiting for me there and Eguchi-sensei only asked why I showed up, I got time for myself again.

Perhaps I would see them again after I was done with my Secretary Job for Shizu to ask if that ramen they promised was still on. With what happened yesterday, Orimura-sensei could probably change her mind so I had to ask.

I had options of going to the infirmary again and seeing Hina but… Kikuchi was with her and she’s just faking her sickness. It would be somewhat pointless. I could only talk to her later when I visited their club again or when I sent them to the bus station.

Shio might be resting in her room as well but there’s no valid excuse for me to see her.

As for Ogawa, given that it’s Friday today - if I could talk to him like I planned to shatter his delusions then all the better.

That way, the weekend would smoothly end with fewer problems that would involve his delusions.

Besides, after the PE Classes, there would still be half an hour for the 7th period before club hours start.

That’s why to kill time and make use of it… I went to the Book Club.

I thought of going to the Library but the Librarians would surely ask why I wasn’t in my class. Moreover, I doubt they would allow a student to go in when it was clearly still school hours.

In the Book Club, I could ask Haruko for the key and to spend my time there until it’s time to go back. I just had to go there after the 7th period to open the clubroom for them and give the key back.

Well, clubrooms that were being used had their keys on the President after all. Although seldom, thievery was still happening. Moreover, the Poem Appreciation Club and Book Club had that secret room. If it was discovered, I had no idea how they would be able to explain that.

I guess Haruko already got that risk covered.

As for the empty rooms and abandoned rooms we were using… Some were neglected while some were rooms Nami or Izumi-senpai and Arisa-senpai used their connections to the Student Council.

After messaging Haruko, the girl immediately agreed and asked for me to wait below the stairs of the School Building.

I waited like she asked and thought that it would be her who would be bringing me the key.

However, to my slight surprise, it was one of the three girls that I hadn’t truly targeted yet. As the only 2nd year among the three and perhaps a classmate of Haruko, I immediately noticed the low twintails orange-haired girl, Yuika-senpai, carefully and confidently descending the stairs.

She still had the same dead-looking or expressionless face but looking at her from afar like this, it’s kinda contradicting how she seemed to be exuding great brilliance.

It’s not like the innocence Aya often exuded but it’s almost like Kana’s contrasting shy demeanor and maturity that she often shows me.

I wasn’t really looking for a chance to start a route or to get to know them… with my issues piled up, I wouldn’t have a chance to attend to it.

Unfortunately, Haruko must be thinking differently. Sending this introverted girl here to give me the key, Haruko was most likely hoping that I would use this chance to give this girl a positive impression of me.

“Here.”

By only using one word, Yuika-senpai already cut off that window to give her a positive expression.

Stretching her arms with the key dangling at the tip of her forefinger, Yuika-senpai was looking behind me instead of right straight at me.

I could do something about that but I would pass on it this time. There were just too many issues I still hadn’t resolved yet so… being acquainted with her or them was already enough for now.

“Thank you, senpai. Can you also pass my thanks to Haruko?”

Catching the key from her fingertips, I thanked her normally.

“No problem.”

After saying that, she turned around and began ascending the stairs again. This time, she appeared to be hurrying up as if she’s afraid to spend another second with only the two of us.

Well, that’s understandable. Besides, although it wasn’t apparent, the girl was also afraid of men like the other two. For us to have a simple exchange like that was enough proof that… the girl was also trying to overcome her fears.

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Leaving the School Building and arriving at the Book Club, the smell of books permeated the air. And being alone here, I guess I could say that it was peaceful.

Picking a book from their rows of shelves filled with books of different genres… I didn’t pick a fiction one but something about a study about marketing or management.

Mizuki praised that I had the necessary skill to dabble in her line of expertise. Ishida-senpai was looking forward to what I would accomplish at the Cultural Festival. I was hired as a trainer in a boxing gym despite not being a boxer.

The expectation on me was truly somewhat high and I didn’t think I deserved it. Nonetheless, I was up for improving myself so… even without those expectations, I would do what I could do and if I excel at it then, that would mean I was lucky.

Living with all of them, it’s a long and arduous road. I know. But I won’t give up until… I achieved it. Or we achieve it.

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Time passed and I became engrossed in the book I picked. Perhaps, if Rae or those book-eating machines saw me, they would think that I was like them because of the concentration I put in reading it to properly digest what the book was trying to tell and impart.

All the issues piled up in my mind were all swept away and put on the side. It’s not that I forget them, I just didn’t want to think about them when I decided to focus on what’s in front of me.

Moreover, even the messages I sent to my girls before starting were also left unread. Perhaps most of them would pout at me for sending a message and not replying.

If I didn’t set an alarm, I would probably continue reading until Haruko and the others from this club arrived here.

After putting the book back where I took it and replying to the messages I forgot to reply to, I left the club room and locked it.

Making my way back to the School Building, I got the timing right as everyone that was at the Gymnasium was only going back.

When my classmates saw me, some of them tried to make a conversation by mentioning what happened. It didn’t really affect me and I didn’t really care about it as long as my initial aim of saying that was achieved.

They thought I was exaggerating and I had no girlfriend and that I was forced to say that to escape that situation where Fukuda and Ogawa were ganging up on me.

As for what would those two think. They might really suspect but with none of the girls following me outside, even if they brush away what I said, they would only think that I was keeping it a secret and they would have a different girl in their mind that could be my girlfriend if my having a girlfriend was true.