CH 16

Touma-kun Can't Overlook

Translated by AmaLynne

Well, a few days have passed since then, and now is the last day of the mid-term exam.

But there is no need to panic.

I’m all about my time.

For that reason, I need to minimize my study time.

However, if my grades fail, the blame will probably be placed on games and novels.

My pride will not allow me to do that.

It’s not that video games and novels are bad.

So I take my classes seriously and try to avoid doing them at home as much as possible.

And for now, as long as I’m better than half of the grade, I’m good to go.

It’s lunchtime now, but I had a good feeling about the test in the morning.

I think I probably got at least a 70 on the test.

……By the way, I have been texting Shimizu frequently.

This is exquisite……and it’s over before it becomes a hassle.

I can’t deny that I’m having fun……and that I’m enjoying it.

I was sitting on a bench near the gymnasium, where no one was around, thinking about such things.

Then I hear a voice from somewhere……

What? …That……

Two men are cornering one man in the back of the gym.

……Is he being bullied?

……Well, I’m not on the side of justice.

Sorry, don’t take it personally……I’m just trying to live in peace.

I had finished my lunch and I was about to get up and go somewhere else.

But then I heard a line I didn’t want to hear.

「I’m not! I’m not paying you any more money! This is money your father worked so hard to earn! Of course, I’ll apologize to him later! I’m not asking you to pay me back! I’m going to work for it and pay it back!」

Well……that’s a good dare.

I don’t hate it.

「What the fuck! What did you just say? Nerds like you talk big!」

「You fucking nerd!」

「Whoa!」

The bullied man is prodded and falls.

「Hmm? What’s this?」

「Oh, you know, the kind of thing nerds read? Don’t bring this stuff to school!」

「Stop it! That’s the first edition of the Battle of Alzar!」

I hurriedly pulled my hair back.

Then I tie it up with an elastic band and take off my glasses.

I also open all the front buttons of my school run.

In that state, I approach them.

「Hey, scum!」

「Ah! What the hell are you?」

「I don’t know you…have you ever seen such a spirited bastard?」

「I’m only going to say this once. Apologize for that.」

「What? Oh, you’re on the side of justice?」

「Wow, no. That’s so lame.」

「No, I think it’s even tackier for you guys to be mugging people nowadays.」

「What? You!」

「It’s more than that…I’m not on the side of justice. I said, apologies for that book. Do you have any idea how hard the author worked to produce that one book, and how hard the people involved in it worked?」

Most unforgivable of all…what he’s stomping on right now is my bible…!

He’s my favorite novelist and my favorite author of all time…!

「What? What is this guy talking about?」

「He’s crazy, isn’t he?」

It’s easy to beat these guys……

But I don’t want to use violence…

…Okay, let’s just do this for now.

Kick the fence next to me as hard as I can!

A resounding clang! The sound echoes through the air!

「What the fuck?」

「What’s he doing?」

「Look, if you don’t get out of here, somebody’s gonna come. Are you sure?」

「Tsk! Damn it!」

「I’ll remember your face!」

The two of them run away from the place.

「T-Thank you!」

I put back my hair and glasses.

「Don’t thank me. I’m not trying to help you. Just, if you’re thanking me, you can keep your mouth shut about me.」

「T-That? Yoshino-kun of the same class…?」

「Oh, yes. I usually keep it under wraps for a reason. I’m a big fan of the author. I just couldn’t pass it up. That’s good, right?」

「R-Right. Yes! It’s good, isn’t it? I’m a big fan too!」

At that moment, I hear a voice behind me.

「Hey! What’s that noise?」

Oh, that’s not good… It’s Ota-sensei, the head of the school year.

He’s not a bad guy, but he can get a little overheated at times.

「What have you guys been up to!? …..Hmm? You, you’re dirty! Oh yeah! You were bullying him!」

「Oh, uh, no…」

Tanaka-kun becomes flustered.

It can’t be helped, I’ll just have to follow along meekly until the misunderstanding is cleared up.

It was then that I heard a familiar voice……

「No! Yoshino-kun would never do such a thing!」

「Shimizu-kun? What do you mean?」

「I know him! I assure you! He would never do such a thing!」

Shimizu was appealing to Ota-sensei with a very serious expression.

「I-I see. Well, if you say so much, then maybe he did.」

「Y-Yes! He help me……from being bullied……」

Tanaka-kun said this, even though he was getting a little butt-whooped.

「…I see. I said some bad things to you. I’m sorry!」

「No, it’s not unreasonable under the circumstances. I hope the misunderstanding has been cleared up.」

「Hmm, can’t overlook the oppression…unlike what it looks like, you’re a hot guy. Well, you there. Can I talk to you for a minute?」

「Yes!」

Tanaka-kun was taken back to the school building by Ota-sensei.

I was alone with Shimizu in the back of the gym.

「Shimizu, where were you watching from?」

「Eh? No, that…to be precise, I didn’t see the scene…I just watched Yoshino-kun sitting on the bench, and suddenly I got that feeling…I thought something was wrong…」

Shimizu said this with a downcast look on her face.

She said he was looking……well, that’s okay.

「So you don’t know what happened then? Why did you do it?」

「Eh? Because, Yoshino-kun would never do such a thing.」

Shimizu stares at me with eyes that are truly full of belief…

…It’s nice to be trusted, isn’t it?

「Hey, hey, what if it’s not?」

「Ummm, then I’ll…scold you! Yes! I’ll scold you!」

「Hahaha! Well, that’s scary!」

What a funny and good girl, Shimizu is……

「Y-You laughed at me…but that’s okay. Yoshino-kun, you seem to be having fun.」

Learn more

Saying that, Shimizu smiled.

Unexpectedly, I was fascinated with her……

After that, we talked about the test and went back to the classroom separately.

Of course, the afternoon test went perfectly.

Now the game is back on!

I go home in a good mood.

Then I go home, relax in the living room, and get a text message.

It was a text message from Shimizu asking if I can come over again on the Saturday of the second week of June. 

「Brother? What’s wrong? You look so happy.」

「Hmm? …Really? I have that face?」

「Yes, you did. Oh~? You got a girlfriend?」

「No, I don’t have a girlfriend.」

I go into my room to escape pursuit.

……Well, I’m happy.

……Now, what should I do?