Chapter 193 – Oncoming Storm

When Takei went through the daily motions of his life today, he felt like there was a strong gaze aimed at him no matter where he went.

The second he had stepped out of his home in the morning to go to school, Takei felt an eerie presence nearby and tried to search for it.

He searched all around the area for the ominous presence, but nothing could be felt.

Even as he walked to school, the strong gaze was still glued onto him.

Am I imagining things?

Takei was beginning to believe that he was just imagining the weird presence or odd gaze that was being felt. There was surely no reason for someone to follow someone as boring as him.

"Oh, it's Akari and the girls up ahead."

He quickly forgot what was happening to him in the morning and entered a light jog to catch up with the group of girls.

Him and Akari typically walked to school in the morning together, but it didn't always happen everyday.

A day or two during the week would be put aside so they can maintain good relations with their friends.

After all, it wouldn't be too good if Takei and Akari cut off all connections and relationships after they got together.

"Hellllloooooooo everyone! How are all you fine ladies on this wonderful morning?" Takei asked while trying to mimic a frivolous tone.

Helena waved at him with a pitiful expression. "Sorry, Takeichi. I don't think the popular guy act is gonna work out for you."

Rikka and Arisa had similar reactions to Takei's antics.

"I'm dying from the second-hand embarrassment of that cringy line."

"It wasn't that bad... Okay, it was."

With no allies on his side, Takei depressingly stared at the ground. "I'm never doing that again..."

As if someone had called an angel down to help him, Akari interjected and tried to save Takei's dignity. "I thought that was cute?"

"Cute... huh? I'd rather you call me cool, but that'll do for now. My dignity is already in shambles," Takei sighed.

The group eventually met up with Eiji and Ryuto as they were walking to school. Now that the entire friend group was together, it was looking like a good day at school was about to be had.

"Are you feeling unwell? You seem a bit on edge ever since this morning," Akari asked him as she caressed his back.

"Ah, yeah... Sorry about that. I've just been feeling a strong gaze aimed at me ever since I left the house this morning," Takei explained. "I don't know if it's actually real or not, but I feel like someone has been constantly watching me..."

Akari continued to pat his back to calm him down. "It's okay. If someone is out to hurt you, I'll protect you no matter what. If it ends up being nothing, then that's the end of that. Simple, right?"

"..." Takei wasn't sure of how Akari was so good at consoling him, but he was glad that she was here to calm him down.

"Thank you for protecting me, my prince charming," Takei grandly stated.

"It twas nothing much, my princess," Akari played along with the joke.

Once they got to school, the gaze and ominous presence disappeared entirely which meant that Takei could finally relax.

"I don't want to dismiss it entirely, but that gaze could've just been my imagination playing tricks on me. Surely there's no one that would be willing to stalk someone as boorish as me, right?"

Before he knew it, the first half of the day was done and lunch was about to begin.

The first couple classes of the day were pretty tedious since they were core subjects, which was the reason why Takei was completely tuckered out by lunch time.

"No energy... Need food... Help... Dying..."

"Oi, stop being overdramatic. It's lunch time anyways so get up and grab some food."

Eiji was not at all enthused to see Takei lazing around and begging for food, so he slapped Takei hard on the back.

"We're all going to be waiting in the cafeteria, so hurry up and come," Eiji said as he left the classroom.

Now that it was only Takei in the classroom, the normally full room felt oddly desolate.

"Time to get up then..."

Takei got up from his desk and left the classroom to head towards the cafeteria for some lunch.

At least, that was what he was planning on doing before he was interrupted.

There was a letter with a heart sticker that was sitting in the front of the door to his classroom that he was just in.

"What is this?" He bent down and picked the letter up.

It couldn't be here just a moment ago since Eiji just left, which means the owner dropped it off here in the timeframe of Eiji leaving and me getting up. Then does that mean...? Is this letter for me?

Takei wasn't sure if this letter was addressed to him or not, so he opened the letter after contemplating it for a few moments.

—

Dear Takei Tanaka,

Please come to the rooftop at lunchtime.

Sincerely,

Your Admirer.

—

It seemed that the letter was indeed addressed to him.

Another confession? It hasn't been that long since the last time I got a confession letter. Wait a minute... Does that mean I'm in my popular phase now?!

Doing as the letter instructed, Takei headed towards the stairs that led to the entrance of the rooftop. He tried to keep a straight face the whole time, but the whole peculiarity of the situation was making him nervous. An ominous gaze and a confession in the same day? Takei did not believe for a second that these things were mutually exclusive.

Opening the door to the rooftop, Takei spotted a lone girl standing with her back faced towards him.

"Hello, Takei. Long time no see?"

The lone girl was none other than the girl he saved yesterday, Mitsuki Fujiwara.

—

Supreme Idiot Couple Meter: 38 -> 42%

A love letter from a mystery girl?!

Serious-san: I wish that was me...

Sugar-chan: Do you want to sleep on the couch tonight?