CH 25

Group lunch

Translated by HamletJr

Edited by Spynine01

Before I could talk about Asamiya-san, we all sat down on the steps behind the school building.

Hasumi, who regularly ate here, laid out a hand towel and sat down on it.

Seeing this, I asked Rinka.

“Rinka, do you have anything to place under your bottom? Your clothes will get dirty if you sit bare like that.”

I checked with Rinka to make sure she was okay, since I’d called her out here on such short notice.

I don’t really mind if my pants get dirty, so if she doesn’t have one, she’ll just have to put up with my handkerchief or jacket.

Hasumi’s face paled at my comment as she hurriedly stood back up.

“I-I’m sorry! That was tactless of me! I-I will be your chair instead, Rinka-san!”

“You don’t have to be so scared of me, Hasumi-chan… Also, I’ve brought my own hand towel with me, so it’s all right.”

“Don’t worry, Hasumi. She’s actually a really kind person at heart.”

Seeing Hasumi look so terrified of her made Rinka depressed as she took out her own hand towel.

Her hand towel was cutely designed and it had a picture of a cat on it.

Now that I think about it, she does like cute things, huh?

After everyone was finished with their preparations, we started eating our lunches.

“Ehehe~, your bento looks delicious, Hasumi-chan! Did you make that beautiful-looking omelet by yourself?”

“Hiih?! I’m so sorry! A lowly-being like me got carried away with my shabby omelet! I’ll just eat the dirt around here!”

“Hasumi, calm down…! Also, stop reading too deeply into Rinka’s words!”

―Actually, thinking about this rationally, isn’t this somewhat of an incredible situation?

I’m eating my lunch at school with girls other than my little sister and my band members…!

Akane, it looks like the so-called “youth” has come for your Onii-chan.

If you do your best, I’m sure you can definitely get a boyfriend too, but―if you do get one, your Onii-chan might just jump off a cliff somewhere.

“―Err, so, Suda-kun? You said, ‘Asamiya-san wasn’t smiling this morning,’ but wasn’t she just smiling cheerfully at everyone like usual…?”

While I was completely intoxicated by this dream-like scene, Hasumi asked me a question about what I had just said.

I then sighed and retorted at her like some old nerdy geezer.

“Hmph, how shallow of you. I’ve been watching Asamiya, that is, Shiorin’s, smile every day, and it’s obvious to me that she is definitely depressed about something, but she is forcing herself to smile.”

Normally I would be shunned and ridiculed as a repulsive and creepy otaku, but since Hasumi had similar tendencies to me, she didn’t really mind as she replied to me.

“N-No way… I’ve also been stealing glances at Asamiya-san’s smile every day while pretending to read my book, but I never noticed such a thing… I really am no match for Suda-kun, huh…”

Listening in on our conversation, Rinka mumbled something to herself.

“B-Being watched by Ritsuki every single day? How envious…! I also want him to notice me…!”

There was no doubt that Rinka was most likely disgusted and repulsed at my behavior, but right now, I was more concerned with learning about Asamiya-san’s situation and figuring out how to help her.

I was fine if she chose to report me and have me arrested afterwards.

I wonder if I’m going to be put in jail.

“Therefore, I would like to ask Asamiya-san if there’s something bothering her, but since I’m too much of an introvert, I was thinking of asking you for help, Rinka-san, if you don’t mind… Besides, I’m sure she’d find it easier to confide her problems to a fellow girl.”

“Hmm~? Are you that worried about this Asamiya girl, Ritsuki?”

Rinka had a displeased look on her face once more.

Well, obviously she’d be averse to taking a request from a stalker-like person like me.

However, Asamiya-san’s problems might be grave in nature.

It’d be too late if something were to happen to her.

“I’m begging you! I’m sure someone like you, Rinka, can call her out and ask her about her circumstances, right? I really want to help Asamiya-san! Hasumi’s also an introverted otaku like me, so there’s no way she can talk to Asamiya-san!”

“Suda-kun…? You have a point, but still, even I would feel hurt, you know…?”

At my request, Rinka looked as if she was biting down on a bitter bug as she made a bitter expression.

“Well, if it’s you, Ritsuki, then I’ll do anything you ask of me. Besides, it seems like this will help her out.”

Seeing her begrudgingly accept my request, I sighed and said.

“No, I won’t force you. I’m sorry for calling you out here, Rinka. If it comes down to it, I’ll just muster up my courage and tell her to meet me in the classroom when no one else is around, just the two of us. I’ll directly as―”

“Hold up! Y-Your method is way more dangerous, after all. I’ll go and ask her about her problems! Leave it to me!”

She must have judged that it would be more dangerous for me, a person who was pretty much a stalker, to come into direct contact with Asamiya-san.

She hurriedly accepted my request.

It kinda feels like I threatened her into doing so though.

And so, after finishing our lunch, we headed to the classroom to talk to Asamiya-san while it was still lunch break.