Volume 3 - CH 8

Volume 3, Chapter 8: Exaggerated Rumors that Spread, with Extra Drama

→ Eat alone

Eat with Hanae

"―― Geez! Because of Ikuto, it’s gotten annoying!"

During lunch break, Reika and I were having lunch together at the school cafeteria.

Seated across me, Reika grumpily brought food to her mouth.

Reika seemed angry when she said that, but did she forget that her actions added fuel to the fire?

"You know, Reika. It's your fault that it caused so much commotion."

"T-that's...because...”

"Missed me that much?"

"W-wha?! What are you talking about?!"

Looking at Reika, who had turned bright red while thinking that she was fun to tease as ever, a sting ran through both of my sides.

Ignoring that pain, I recalled what happened earlier.

There was an uproar in my classroom before I came here.

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As soon as it was lunch break, Riku came to me with a strange look on his face.

I wondered if he had forgotten his lunch, but the words that came out of Riku's mouth wasn't about him asking for money.

"―― Say, Ikuto. Is it true you took Azumi-san from Tendou?"

"What's up with that? Don't say bad things that people could hear."

"No, don't you know? Guys from other classes were talking about it."

Perhaps it was spread by a student who witnessed the quarrel from earlier in the morning.

Maybe because there weren't many present at the time, I was relieved that it wasn't rumored as much.

"Aren't rumors just rumors? Don't exaggerate that kind of stuff."

"Well, I don't believe it either, but when I look at that..."

Riku's gaze fell on Susumu Tendou.

Sitting on the last row by the window, Susumu Tendou emitted an aura of unhappiness a bit too much.

Even Hareyama seemed like she didn't want to approach him now, let alone our classmates, and they all stared at him curiously from afar.

"...In any case, don't spread weird rumors."

"Got it. So...did you rob him?"

"It’s not a robbery, he chose to do that."

"What do you mean?"

Riku asked me with a wild look on his face, but I gave out a perfunctory answer and waved him away.

Some rumors couldn't be helped, but I didn't want them to be greatly exaggerated by adding unnecessary drama to the story.

I wasn't the one who was pitiful, it was Reika. If you keep quiet, it would eventually die down.

I was thinking that Reika might have thought that way too, but then that someone who wasn’t thinking about it at all arrived.

It was the rumored party. The person who appeared was Azumi Reika, the one thought to have been NTR-ed.

It wasn't unusual for Reika to come to this class. It was a well-known fact that she always came to see Tendou.

Most of my classmates didn't seem to mind, but Riku and a few others looked at Reika with interest.

"W-where will she go? Is it that way?! Over there?! Or to me?!"

"It's not you. It's probably Hareyama's seat."

Riku's eyes were glued to Reika. Unlike before, he started looking at me, Reika, and Tendou with amusement.

There was no way she would come to me under these circumstances. No reason to add oil to a sparking rumor.

"...Yo, she's heading this way."

"It's just a coincidence."

"...Look, she just passed by Tendou."

"She's just meeting her friend."

"...Hey, she's right next to you."

"..."

When I shifted my line of sight from Riku to my side, there, stood a pretty girl with side-tails tied by a ribbon, her cheeks stained red.

Wasn't she cute? Well, she was, but that wasn't the point.

"C-come with me for a bit."

"...I'm about to go eat my lunch."

"T-then...how about we eat together?"

"No, I'll go with Riku and ――"

"―― No, no, no, no! We're good! Do take your time~."

Riku said this in a uselessly loud voice and walked out of the classroom with my friends.

I took out my wallet from my bag and left the classroom with Reika, feeling the classroom's attention gathering on me.

As we did, we passed by Tendou, but Reika didn't react in a particular way. But I was glared at by Tendou-kun.

But still, everything just happened. At the very least, it was now known to our class, and this might get troublesome.

"As expected of Jimichi-sama."

"I guess it can't be helped~, I just wasn't that appealing."

"Speaking of which, I heard about something..."

"What is it?"

"Jimichi-sama had a date with President Yukinaga and a pretty girl from the first-years."

"Really?! Isn't that amazing?! Then, she's the third person?!"

"How nice~. I wouldn't mind being the fourth."

"Eh?! Isn't that like a harem in some games?!"

"Although, if it's Jimichi-sama, I think he could for four or five..."

"Well, that's just Jimichi-kun for you."

"Nothing short of Jimichi-sama."

"Anyway, for now..."

""""Don't worry about it, Tendou.""""

...It might not get too troublesome after all. Everyone seemed like they were conveniently convinced.

Cases like this, you would expect jealous gazes and angry shouts from your classmates, but for some reason, they all nodded in agreement.

Well, it was better than being glared at by envious guys, or being accused as a playboy by girls.

I never thought that being the center of the class would let me live like this. Guess it couldn't be helped, I had to try my best for the final exams.

Overhearing my classmates' clamoring, I headed to the school cafeteria with Reika.

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Back to the current scene.

I quickly ate my lunch, and finally cut to the main topic with Reika, who also just finished.

"―― So? You have some business with me, right?"

"W-well...I have a little request."

This didn't seem like the usual Reika. It was rare to see her stutter her words to the point where it was hard to hear her.

I should release the tension in the air. I checked the condition of my throat and used the most handsome voice I possibly could.

"Tell me about it. Anything for my lovely Reika, you know? Hehehe..."

"O-okay..."

Oh? I thought tsun mode would appear just like usual, but did she malfunction? Dere came out instead.

I lowered my head a bit and thought about it. As I was thinking about how unusual this was, I felt a sharp pain on both sides of my body.

I ignored it again, and waited for Reika to speak.

"Um, y-you know...? I...would like you to meet my dad."

"...Huh? Why? Am I going to ask for her daughter?"

"I-it's not that! Um...he said to bring you..."

"Bring me...?"

What was with this unsettling premonition? Was he going to tell me I couldn't have his daughter, so I should leave?

What was up with that. At that time, I would have no choice but to flaunt money using all the power from Earth Road Pharmaceuticals.

But how much was Reika worth? I couldn't possibly put a price on her.

So, was I backed in to a corner...? Such thoughts were passing through my head as I felt pain from my sides.

"Guh...why are you such an expensive woman! And you happened to be excellent, too!"

"W-what's with you all of a sudden?! So, are you coming? I can only ask you, Ikuto."

I didn't know why, but when she said she could only ask me, I wanted to do something about it.

However, it was the father-in-law. If possible, I would have liked for a light jab from a mother-in-law instead.

Well, for the time being, I was going to visit Reika's dad on our next day off.

"―― By the way, how long are you going to keep ignoring us?"

"How terrible. Focusing on Reika-senpai all this time..."

Finally, Mutsuki-senpai and Shigure, seated on either side of me, spoke up.

Actually, I met them on my way to the cafeteria.

Apparently, while waiting for me at the exit point of the second-year floor, they heard the rumors about me and Reika.

"You guys are pinching me too much. I'm definitely bleeding internally."

"Isn't it because Ikuto-kun kept ignoring us?"

"Right! He didn't look at us at all."

I already cleared the girls about the rumor, and with looks of relief, they suggested to have lunch together.

Reika was somewhat reluctant, but she couldn't clearly refuse the two people she just met for the first time, so we ended up together.

"Rather, Prez, Shigure, too...you're too close to him."

"Oh my, that's not the case, isn't it?"

"This is just the usual for us."

Not close they said, but their arms were intertwined with me. Seeing this, Reika let out her usual sharp gaze.

The two, thinking nothing of Reika's grumpy expression, moved their bodies even closer.

"Y-you guys are definitely too close!"

"Because now, I don't really have to hide it anymore."

"That's right. I'm a member of the Jimichi Harem, too."

For some reason, when Mutsuki-senpai and Shigure heard the rumors, it seemed that there were also gossip about me having a harem, in addition to the ones with Reika.

What the hell is a Jimichi Harem. I thought it was a bad rumor, but there was no way I could put it down to rest even if I did say something.

"Don't just make me a part of it."

"Oh, is that so? Then Reika-san will just keep silent and watch?"

"It's good to have fewer rivals!"

"I-I...but I didn't say I wouldn't join?!"

Maybe because they were harem mates, they seemed to have become quickly acquainted.

They started calling each other by their first names and also exchanged numbers. I was really amazed at their enthusiasm.

It might be better to have a harem that got along with each other than one that didn't...but how was this even ethical in the first place?

Was I doomed to be stabbed in the back after all?

Other than my classmates, the brainwashing hadn't extended its reach. In fact, ever since I came to the cafeteria, I had been subjected to all kinds of stares.

Although, why didn't these girls seem to care? If it's a red light, we'll cross together...was it that sort of thing?

"I made a chat room! I'll invite all of you."

"Jimichi Harem...isn't there a better group name than that?"

"Well, it's not like I'm going to show it to anyone, so it's fine."

Well, if they were having fun, that was fine with me.

I couldn't find a better word than father-in-law. It's not literal, but it's used to call someone's father without using their name. I couldn't just keep calling him, Reika's dad, could I?