Volume 1 - CH 3

I headed up the stairs, aiming for the classroom of the second-years. I heard a lot about Aizawa Rena’s boyfriend from Ashida. As compensation for that, I gave her great detail on my best 5 cute parts about Natsukawa that only I probably knew about, and she apparently enjoyed that. While walking away, she gave me a comment going ‘Yeah, it was all your misunderstanding. Gross~’ with a big smile on her face. What’s that for? Courtesy? I’ll kill you.

Anyway, Aizawa Rena’s ex-boyfriend’s name is Arimura Kazuki, and he’s a Senpai in his second year. According to Ashida, Aizawa would often come to the second-year classroom, and have him escort her back to the first-year classrooms. Just from that, you can guess that she was quite attached to Arimura-senpai.

I pushed up my fake glasses that were part of my disguise as I walked up and down in the hallway. The disguise is just to make sure. It’d be scary if someone from the upperclassmen knew about me. So, I want to avoid getting into any unnecessary trouble.

“…There he is.”

Arimura Kanzaki. I looked him up on social networks as well. Compared to the pictures, he’s got shorter hair now, and gives off a sportive vibe. Just looking at him like this, he felt like a normal Senpai. If anything, he seems like the Onii-san type…isn’t he the exact opposite of me? You’re forcing this too much, Aizawa-san…

While fiddling with my phone, I approached him, leaning against a wall. Seems like I found a perfect timing, as he was having some love talk with his male classmates.

‘Has to be Minase, right. I want to push up that black hair of hers and take a look at her forehead.’

I get it. This mysterious charm is unbearable. As it turns out, another Senpai standing next to Arimura Kanzaki was gushing about Minase-san. No clue who that was, but I can’t help but sympathize with him…A girl hiding her face with her bangs is like Schrodinger’s Cat. I want to blow at her hair, and get a cute ‘Kya~’ back in return.

‘I’m more out for Sajou-senpai.’

“Pfft…!?”

That took me by surprise. To think there was a Senpai who could be interested in that female gorilla…! Idiotic! She’s a woman who’d scream about every little thing, constantly lying, and heavy enough that the bathroom scale would give in with screams of terror! If her mood is spoiled, she’d steal my hamburger steak from me! Weren’t you going to lose weight!?

‘I want to become her underling, and have her assault me~’

What, you’re a masochistic pig? That explains a lot. A pervert’s a good fit for that Big Sis of mine. But, I still won’t accept that. I’m not putting up with a masochistic step-brother. That interest of yours is not something I will endorse!

But, arguing about that doesn’t matter right now…! Next it’s Arimura-senpai’s turn. With everybody around him being this fired up, there’s no way he can skip out on it. Sadly enough, he won’t be choosing Aizawa Rena. Now that she’s been interacting with me, he should know that having that kind of emotion won’t do him any good.

My biggest guess however is that Arimura-senpai has found someone else he likes. That’s why he broke up with Aizawa, and she now resents him for that. That’s probably the reason why I sometimes feel this ‘That’s how men are’ sensation from her. Now, spit it out, Arimura Kanzaki. Who have you fallen in love with?

‘What about you, Arimura? How’s it going after you got rejected by your girlfriend?’

“………Huh?”

Alright, stop right there. Cameras, you can come out, this is a prank right? No seriously, he got rejected? You were the one getting stabbed in the heart by Aizawa? Rather than killing my mood, you completely broke it in two. So then…what? Aizawa Rena fell in love with Sajou Wataru—me—at first glance, and thus broke up with Arimura-senpai? Eh? That was the first possibility I came up with though? I’m like a 55—No, 42 at best. Also, what is it then? Does Arimura-senpai still have feelings for Aizawa Rena—

‘I guess…it’d be that first-year Natsukawa for me.’

—Wha?

*

“……”

I. Don’t. Get. It. What’s going on? Thinking about it, I’m a high school student you could find anywhere. I don’t mean to shit on myself, but I’m about as average as it can get. Definitely not handsome enough to create trouble between an existing couple.

Maybe I should just go along with the circumstances and flirt around with Aizawa then? Well, there’s something going on with her, so I highly doubt she actually has feelings for me. But, she’s cute. I guess I don’t mind being deceived by her. That’s what it means to be a good boi, right? All you girls in this country, I see you.

“…You barely came back, and you’re already lost in thought again? What’s up with you, Sajocchi?”

“Thinking about my own specs.”

“A plebian should keep quiet and study.”

“Shut your trap, Shudra1.”

“Alright, it’s time to brawl!”

“Stop it, you two.”

Natsukawa walked towards us, embracing Ashida from behind. Seems like I interrupted their flirting. Since I normally would have always reacted to Natsukawa in some way, Ashida must have been suspicious since I just quietly returned to my seat.

With a single complaint coming from Natsukawa, I pulled back my fangs like a dog. Ashida saw this, and made fun of me with a ‘Haha, serious Sajocchi!’. That’s right, this is me, got a problem with that?

“Ah, I got it! You’re still thinking about that Aizawa-san, right?”

“Eh? Ah, well…Something like that, yeah.”

“………”

Wait a second, I have two experts of male and female relationships right here with me! Even if I can’t solve the equation myself, with the help of their girly network, I might be able to filter out the variable needed in a matter of seconds.

“I have something to ask you two.”

“W-What is it…”

“About Aizawa and Arimu—”

“Sajouuuu-kuuuun!!”

“Woah!?”

Right as I wanted to ask them, I felt my back growing heavier. On top of that, I heard a sweet voice tingle my ears. Not to mention this soft sensation pressing on my back…!? W-What a revelation! I’m sorry for saying that you didn’t have much, Aizawa. This is definitely C-level! I’m happy now…

“A-Aizawa-san!?”

“Ah! Were you in the middle of talking? Sorry to bother you like that…”

“It’s fine, was just Sajocchi after all.”

Excuse me, but even plebeians have the basic right to participate in a conversation, Ashida-san! You damn shudra…You got guts disobeying the plebeians! But girls are scary so I’ll forgive you!

“…Get off, Aizawa. You’re soft.”

“Woah, pervert.”

“Go die.”

…What is this, heaven? No no hold on. Why am I getting happy being insulted by Aizawa and Natsukawa? Am I turning into a bit of an M now because of that female gorilla I’m living together with? It’s totally not just a ‘bit’, huh.

“It’s not even lunch break yet. What brings you here?”

“No reason~ Just wanted to talk to you, Sajou-kun.”

“R-Really now…?”

In fact, we’ve been meeting less and less. Even yesterday, we only met for lunch at that small cabin. Why would she go out of her way to come meet here…? Not to mention so assertively. Also, isn’t this proof enough that she has some sort of affection for me? 95% at least, come on.

“Then, then! Tell me about the reason you broke up with your boyfriend!”

“……”

Ashida, you got an iron mentality or something? Thanks to you asking that, I can’t even look Aizawa in the eyes. What are you going to do about this? Even Natsukawa’s got her mouth open in shock, still as beautiful as before. Makes me want to gaze deep down her throat. Haha, was I ever this gross?

Because of Ashida’s lasso question, Aizawa staggered backwards, not knowing how to respond.

“E-Ehh!? Where did that come from~?”

“What’s the problem~? You’ve got the hots for Sajocchi anyway, right?”

“Ehhhh…?”

I could feel the air around me growing tense. Absolutely terrified, I looked at Ashida’s face, who happened to show an unbreakable smile like Aizawa often would. Is this…a fight between women? But, why? Why am I in the middle!?

“T-That’s…because (that guy was a gutless idiot) I wasn’t good enough?”

Ohh, my girly sensors are reacting. That’s the kind of phrase you’d see from someone who tries to play the tragic heroine, making the other person seem like the bad guy. Very clever, I gotta say. You’re as cute as always, Aizawa. But, I’m pretty sure Ashida will catch on to that as well. Her senses are much sharper than mine.

“Huh, that’s so brave. That ex-boyfriend of yours must be the worst.”

“R-Right~”

I mean, this is about what I expected, but…isn’t this too much of a straight ball? It’s like you’re adding ruined make-up on top of the awful foundation. I guess that girls really don’t hold back when they badmouth boys.

“But, now you have Sajocchi with you, so things should be fine! Cast aside that enemy of all women, and find happiness with Sajocchi!”

“……”

“K-Kei…!” Natsukawa grabbed Ashida’s shoulder, fearing that she might have gone too far with that.

As for Aizawa, who had to listen to all of that, she had her eyes closed, her shoulders quivering. Maybe she’s regretting the fact that she spoke all high and mighty…? I don’t really get it, but I do understand. Natsukawa is a goddess. I was never wrong, yup.

“——like that.”

“Eh?”

“Can you not talk badly about my ex-boyfriend like that?” Aizawa said, glaring directly at Ashida.

Rarely enough, she wasn’t talking in her usual listless tone, and I could tell that she was being serious. So these are her honest feelings? After stating what she wanted, Aizawa swiftly left the classroom, barely even having talked with me. She only came here to press her chest against my back? I could live with that…

“Are you fine not chasing after her, Sajocchi~?”

“Hell no, I’m terrified.”

“What a chicken…But, I think you’re right this time.”

“………”

I like Aizawa because she’s cute. But, I don’t mean that in the romantic sense, I just see it like a reward that a cute girl such as her is actually giving me attention. I don’t plan on doing anything that could hurt me in the process just for her sake.

That being said, if I keep things like this, I’ll just get wrapped up in the trouble myself. Not like there was any need for Ashida to go haywire either. Thinking about it realistically, going through with silence isn’t the most clever idea.

But, thanks to Ashida, I learned that Aizawa at least doesn’t hate Arimura-senpai. Without that, she wouldn’t protect Senpai like that. I don’t really get it, but I should be thankful to Ashida at least. From how I can see it, I should be able to make it out of this situation.

*

Lunch break. As expected, Aizawa didn’t come to the classroom. I however didn’t bother much with that, and instead headed to that small hut in the back of the school. It seemed like my prayers had worked out, as Aizawa sat there without eating her lunch. Oh my oh my oh my, she was waiting for me! …Sheesh, just kill me.

“Sorry about that Shudra.”

“S-Shudra?” Aizawa’s eyes opened wide in confusion, as she looked up at me.

So cute. How dare Arimura-senpai look at another girl. Well, we’re talking about that Natsukawa Aika, so I might be able to forgive him. Not like I know much about Aizawa to begin with.

Just as I always would, I kept a bit of distance between us, and sat down. Aizawa was lacking her usual energy, just sitting still without saying anything. Just a few hours ago, I would have never imagined Aizawa to have such a serious side to her.

“…Say, Sajou-kun. When you’re with me, you never talk about Natsukawa-san, right.”

“I was raised to not talk about other girls when I’m with one.”

“Fufu, the person who raised you must be very clever.” Aizawa showed a faint smile, playing along with my joke.

I was only having doubts towards Aizawa, but she shows glimpses of being another goddess. How can she be so admirable? Not fair.

“But, you like her, right?”

“So you knew.”

“There’s nobody who doesn’t know. You’re always together.”

“Urk…”

Don’t say that. Those words are super effective against me. This is an embarrassing past of mine that I’d rather not touch upon again. So, please don’t…Right now, I’m supporting her as a fan, so that’s all that matters. Can’t wait to buy tickets for her concert.

“I’m pretty sure that most people know about you and your ex-boyfriend, Aizawa.”

“I see……Probably.”

I didn’t, though, so I don’t even know how I could act all arrogant about it. Back then, I only had eyes for Natsukawa after all. My gaze was only focussed on a single girl…What a horrible pattern to fall into.

…But anyway, let’s organize the situation. Aizawa still can’t forget Arimura-senpai. If anything, I’m sure she still has feelings for him. Yet, she was the one who broke up with him. And, from Arimura-senpai’s own mouth, I heard that he got the hots for ‘First-year Natsukawa’. Pretty sure it all started with that.

Aizawa and Arimura-senpai were a great couple before. But, one day, Arimura-senpai fell in love with Natsukawa at first glance. I honestly can’t blame him for that, she’s cute, beautiful, and has a great personality. Then, Aizawa caught on to that, and got into a fight with Senpai, eventually breaking up with him despite this not even being her honest feelings.

She must have hated the idea of him not even looking at her. At the same time, Arimura-senpai must have been aware of his own cowardly attitude, and accepted Aizawa’s decision. That would connect back to Aizawa’s recent actions. Though, this is just me assuming things.

Either way, Aizawa Rena held a grudge towards Natsukawa Aika. That’s why her attention drifted towards me, who was always close to Natsukawa. She mistook the two of us as a couple, and tried to steal me away. From her point of view, I must have seemed like an average guy that was easy food. And look at that, it almost worked.

The reason she never really looked into it, and tried vague attempts like that, is the same reason that I had with Natsukawa. She had only eyes for Arimura-senpai. Any other relationship must have been nothing of importance to her.

By stealing me, she planned to bring pain and grief to Natsukawa Aika. Finally, she would cast me aside as well, and the perfect revenge tragedy had ended, with our relationship a mess.

“I’m sure that you probably don’t even care about me that much, Sajou-kun…You have Natsukawa-san after all.”

“……”

Aizawa sounded like she had resigned herself. Since she has a person she loves herself, she knows that she won’t be able to change my feelings. She probably tried to read my heart with her experience in love. To be honest, I was wavering at times.

Then, how should I interact with her from now on? Just staying away from her is a bit too much to ask from the average me. If I just didn’t bother with it, I’d be an indecisive man who tries to make everyone happy. What are you even thinking? Me? I don’t know.

What can I, male student A, do? I don’t know. What have I done until now? Kept chasing after Natsukawa. Pathetic, huh. With no experience in love myself, I don’t have any right to lecture anybody. I’m not that special of a person. The only way to deal with this situation is to use the cards in my hand.

“…”

That’s right, I’ll pull Aizawa into this bottomless pit called Natsukawa as well.

*

I glanced over at Aizawa’s profile. Her eyelashes are crazy long. Eh? Was she always this cute? I never properly looked at her like that. I rubbed my fingertips into my cheeks to get myself back on track. This is where the real deal starts.

“Aizawa…Before I met Natsukawa, I was rejected harshly by someone else.”

“Eh, really?”

“Yeah, this happened in middle school.”

I am idol Natsukawa Aika’s fan. My feelings for her have crossed the barriers of love, and cannot be limited by such a definition. That’s why I want to convince Aizawa that Natsukawa isn’t a person that deserves to receive grudges like that.

“That rejection really hurt. Saying stuff like ‘Someone like you’ or ‘Are you right in your mind?’ and all that, basically denying my entire existence. Then again, they weren’t exactly wrong.”

“T-That’s not…”

“As if that wasn’t enough, I happened to run into the boyfriend of the girl who rejected me, in the hallway at school of all places. ‘How dare you do something disgusting like that to my girlfriend’, he said.”

“……”

“He punched me, and sent me flying. As a result, my head flew right into Natsukawa Aika’s chest.”

“Eh.”

“She let out a shriek, and slapped me.”

“Ehhh!?”

“And then I fell for her.”

“Why!?”

“Just kidding.”

It’s true that I flew right into Natsukawa Aika. She asked what was going on, and that boyfriend pointed at me while screaming how disgusting I was. As a result of that, Natsukawa blew a fuze, and lashed out on that boyfriend. At the same time, she lashed out on that girl as well. She screamed at the top of her lungs how their actions were basically stepping on my honor as a human being.

The people around approved of her anger, as they held her in high regards. Thanks to that, I was saved, and I felt the urge to learn more of Natsukawa.

—or so I told Aizawa without much thought.

“Natsukawa Aika isn’t just cute, she’s a great girl. I’m confident that I would do whatever it takes for her. Then again, she’d probably be able to deal with all of that on her own.”

“…I see, that makes sense.”

Listening to my words, Aizawa stretched out her legs, and hugged her knees on the bench. I don’t want her to think badly of Natsukawa. That’s why I’m setting her up to be the ‘Girl who understands those with a broken heart’. I mean, she does understand it either way. It’s Natsukawa we’re talking about after all…!

“That’s why I’ve become her passionate fan.”

“Yeah…Yeah?”

This I had to get through to her no matter what. I am definitely not her boyfriend, and I won’t ever be that. I’m not some entertainer who is making everyone laugh by trying to grasp an existence far out of my reach, nor am I the energetic guy in class to cheer everyone up. I’m that type of creature, a fake human.

“…Eh? A fan?”

“Natsukawa Aika is everyone’s idol, and I’m confident that I am her biggest fan.”

“Wait a second. You’re not going out with Natsukawa-san?”

“The only person allowed to go out with Natsukawa is a handsome guy that I approve of!”

“That’s not the point here!”

Now, be bewildered, Aizawa Rena! This is your punishment for trying to hurt Natsukawa Aika! Realize that this is all just your misunderstanding! Start blushing! More! Ahh, so cute!

“Everyone already knows about that. If I had to guess, you were probably just fixated on your boyfriend that you didn’t even realize.”

“Eh…? May…be…”

“Natsukawa’s great. I have confidence that I’d support her even if I had another girlfriend.”

“Ehhh!? That’s pretty complicated from that girlfriend’s point of view, though…”

“That’s how we men tick. There’s some girls with boyfriends who still support their handsome male idols, right?”

“Ugh…Now that you say it.”

Even if Arimura-senpai was that kind of man, he’d still try to keep and maintain the relationship he has with Aizawa. As a man, it’s like part of your status to have a girlfriend or not, and just look at how cute Aizawa is. He might have fallen for Natsukawa Aika, but just completely forgetting about any other girl isn’t what a man would do. That’s just how gluttonous we beings are.

Looks are the most external side of your inner appearance. Despite not even having a flashy hairstyle, Arimura-senpai seemed like a ‘reliable senior’ when I saw him. He might have dropped Natsukawa Aika’s name when he was asked about who he liked, but I doubt he’s got any plans of making her his girlfriend. If anything, he’s probably felt like a fan more than anything.

However, these feelings changed into guilt towards Aizawa, and this led to their clash.

“Oh, lunch break’s about to end.”

“You didn’t even get to eat lunch, did you. Sorry…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll give Ashida a complaint of my own later.”

“Ah, don’t…I’m sure that she was just trying to protect Natsukawa-san, and I doubt she had any bad intentions.”

“Eh? Ashida? Protect?”

I totally thought Ashida was saying that with clear hostility. I mean, she knows that Natsukawa and I aren’t even dating, as well as the fact that Natsukawa can’t stand me. She should be aware that Natsukawa won’t be bothered at all even if I got stolen by Aizawa. I guess I really don’t understand women at all.

“Well, that’s fine. If you have too many expectations of men, you’ll only get hurt.”

“You didn’t need to add that~ And same to you, Sajou-kun.”

“I’m fine.”

I don’t have any expectations, nor am I particularly serious. I’m more than fine keeping a steady and friendly relationship. Thanks to that, it started to feel like my lifespan expanded for a solid five years. Being aware of it and still being deceived can feel surprisingly comfortable.

I could tell that Aizawa was back to her former energy as I watched her walk off into the distance. From how I can see it, that listless and slovenly way of talking that she showed me wasn’t real after all. It’s scary how she’d try to deceive me with just that charm alone.

In reality, this small hut here must be the place where Aizawa and Arimura-senpai secretly met. That means I probably shouldn’t approach this place any longer. Then again, I doubt I could find this place all on my own.

If I hadn’t been chasing Natsukawa, then Aizawa wouldn’t have approached me like that, and I could have avoided going through this entire mess. Going through a wild dance with a cute girl I barely got to know, but we barely scratched the surface.

From this incident, I realized that understanding my own place and status lets me avoid most trouble, and that’s already plenty of a lesson.

“……”

If I did that from the very beginning, then I might have avoided being left alone and lonely like this…Hey now, I actually had my hopes up for a second, huh.

1 Member of India’s worker caste