A little while ago, I recall saying something to the effect of, "If a friend comes to you for help, I hope you'll lend them a hand."
And there's no lie in those words. Humans are creatures who live by helping each other, and that's even more true when it's a close friend.
There's just one thing I want you to understand: I want the person asking for help to follow the proper etiquette and procedures. Sudden developments like in anime and manga are bad for my heart, so please stop.
Ayanokōji-kun was explaining the situation right in front of me, but that's not the point.
"---So, could you please help Ichinose out?"
"I mean, I don't mind... but isn't this a bit sudden?"
It was lunchtime. I was about to eat in the classroom as usual, but Ayanokōji-kun invited me to eat somewhere else, so I went up to the rooftop.
Waiting there was... none other than Ichinose-san, a popular student in our grade, right next to Kushida-san. I'm not going to lie, I was scared to death.
"I'm sorry... I only told Ayanokōji-kun about it this morning."
Ichinose-san, who was sitting next to Ayanokōji-kun, put her hands together apologetically. We were eating side-by-side, in the order of me, Ayanokōji-kun, and Ichinose-san.
"It's totally fine. But I'm a little surprised. I never would have thought that Ayanokōji-kun would hook up with a girl, and a popular one like Ichinose-san at that."
Because this was such an unexpected pairing, my bad side came out. I mean, how can I not tease him?
Ayanokōji-kun looked at me with a tired expression while I was grinning, in contrast to Ichinose-san who was waving her hands frantically.
"Don't put it like that."
"P-Please don't tease us anymore! That's not what's going on, right? Ayanokōji-kun?"
"...Yeah, that's right."
Ayanokōji-kun agreed after a slight pause. The fact that he seemed a little disappointed was even funnier.
"So, Ichinose-san is going to be confessed to? I don't intend to ask who the person is, but isn't it okay to just politely reject them?"
A cute girl like Ichinose-san must have been confessed to a lot in middle school.
I asked her this, but her answer was completely unexpected.
"I've never been confessed to... so I was wondering how I could turn him down without hurting him."
Huh? You're kidding, right? Did she become super cute after she started high school? ...I guess there really are girls who can change this much.
"Seriously...? This is your chance, Ayanokōji-kun."
"---Please go out with me, Ichinose-san."
"Whoa?! Um, uh... I'm sorry!"
Ayanokōji-kun went along with my joke immediately, but he got rejected just as spectacularly. Our long friendship really comes in handy for these kinds of jokes.
"Hahahaha! ...Ouch."
"You're laughing too much... Jeez. I never thought my first confession would be like this."
I couldn't stop laughing because she gave such an immediate answer.
Ayanokōji-kun gave me a chop and muttered tiredly.
"Y-You're teasing me again?! Seriously, this is the first time I've had a proper conversation with Saitō-kun, but I didn't think you were this kind of person!"
Ichinose-san got adorably angry. She's not just cute in appearance but also in personality... I really wonder why she's never been confessed to. I feel like there would be an infinite number of people who would get the wrong idea from her kindness.
As I was thinking that, Ichinose-san gave me a perfect answer, so I grinned and told her:
"But you were able to reject me properly, weren't you?"
"Huh...? Oh! You're right!"
"At my expense."
In contrast to the surprised Ichinose-san, Ayanokōji-kun was still pouting. My bad, I'll treat you to a meal when we get our points.
Ayanokōji-kun's mood improved at those words, but Ichinose-san didn't seem to be pleased just yet.
"Hmm... I wonder if it's really okay to reject him like this."
"By the way, how were you planning to reject him?"
When I asked her that, Ichinose-san fidgeted, put her hands on her knees, and looked at me with her eyes cast down.
She's so cute. If Arisu-chan wasn't around, I'd be trying my best to win her over.
"Um... I was thinking of having one of you pretend to be my boyfriend and then reject him..."
---Me, being Ichinose-san's boyfriend...?
A scene of Arisu-chan crying and crushing my private parts came to mind. Yikes, that's scary.
And besides, it's such a bad move that I can't help but laugh. I look at Ayanokōji-kun, and he's also sighing in disbelief.
"...Sigh. I'm glad I brought you to Tsugumi."
"Yeah, Ayanokōji-kun, that was a super good move."
"...Was that a bad idea?"
Ichinose-san looked at us with an embarrassed expression as she received our tired gazes. No matter how cute her gestures are, a bad idea is still a bad idea.
"It's a really bad idea. In fact, it's the worst idea."
"Even I, with no dating experience, think so."
"...Oh, I see."
Ichinose-san was visibly dejected. It's a good thing she came to us for advice. We almost did something irreparable.
I pointed my finger up and explained.
"Listen, a confession is a big event. The other person is definitely going to do their research to see if you have a boyfriend. And they'll make up their mind, think about how to confess, and then be unable to sleep the night before... So on the day of the confession, how would you feel if their boyfriend was standing next to them?"
"Ah..."
"...I don't even want to imagine it."
...That brought back some bad memories. Please, no NTR or BSS, seriously.
"See? That's what I'm talking about. You need to make them give up properly."
When I said that, Ichinose-san clenched her fists on her knees, bit her lower lip, and started trembling... Seriously? Is she that innocent?
"Hey, hey, it's your first time, so you don't need to take it so hard."
"But, but... I was going to do something so awful..."
"No, it's fine. You haven't even rejected him yet."
"That's right, Tsugumi's right. It's better that you corrected your mistake before you made it."
We both tried to cheer up the dejected Ichinose-san. Honestly, it's a little difficult to deal with someone so pure. I mean, the girls I usually talk to are Arisu-chan and Horikita-san.
"...Okay. Thank you, both of you."
Maybe our desperate persuasion worked, because Ichinose-san's eyes were filled with strong determination... No, I think she's trying too hard. She's probably going to be confessed to a lot from now on.
After that, the three of us exchanged contact information and talked until the five-minute bell for class rang.
"Oh! Look at the time. I'm sorry, I have to go now!"
Ichinose-san hurriedly put away her lunchbox and walked quickly toward the classroom. The two of us also left the rooftop.
"...I feel like I've had a normal conversation with a girl for the first time since I entered school."
"If that's what you consider 'normal,' you're going to have a tough time in the future."
I know how he feels since I'm always around girls with strong personalities like Horikita-san and Kushida-san (her true self). But if you put such a great girl in the 'normal' category, your ideal standards are going to skyrocket and you're going to be in trouble, Ayanokōji-kun.
---------
[I successfully rejected him without any problems! Thank you, Saitō-kun!]
"...The way she put it sounds a little bad."
In the evening, as I was reading the thank you message from Ichinose-san, I got a call on my phone. The screen showed the name I set: "Kiyopon." By the way, it's Ayanokōji-kun.
"Hello? This is rare, Kiyopo... I mean, a call from Ayanokōji-kun."
"...I'm curious what you were about to say, but I need your advice."
"Haha, you've been coming to me for advice a lot today. I'm not a Buddhist temple, you know?"
I joked and listened to what Ayanokōji-kun had to say. The summary is as follows:
As part of their search for eyewitnesses, Sakura-san's digital camera broke, so to apologize, Kushida-san, Sakura-san, and Ayanokōji-kun are going to the mall together.
"Oh, that's great. Shopping with two cute girls... Ayanokōji-kun, you're quite the smooth operator."
"That's the problem. I've never even been on a date with a girl, let alone in a group."
"You're probably just trying to get some information about the incident from Sakura-san, right? You don't have to be so nervous."
"Maybe so, but..."
Ayanokōji-kun groaned. I know exactly how he feels.
Even with Kushida-san there, he's going out with two girls he's barely spoken to. It would be strange if he wasn't nervous.
"Hey, why don't you come with me, Tsugumi? I think it would be a good balance with two guys and two girls."
"I would've gone if it wasn't Sakura-san. Ayanokōji-kun, you should know why you were called instead of me, right?"
"...Yeah, I guess so."
Let's say it was Kushida-san, me, and Sakura-san. Sakura-san, who is not only shy but also involved in the Sudō-kun incident, would probably feel extremely awkward being in between two people who have a wide network of friends, not just in our class but also in our grade.
"So, go and do your best. Kushida-san is there and she's a kind person, so if you don't get too nervous, I'm sure you'll have a fun time."
"...I see. Alright, don't expect too much from me."
That's the spirit. If you go there all stiff and nervous, it's just going to be an awkward time.
---------
Advanced Nurturing High School Database, as of July 1st
Name: Kiyotaka Ayanokōji
Class: 1st Year, Class D
Student ID: S01T004651
Club Activities: None
Birthday: October 20
-Evaluation-
Academic Ability: C+
Intellect: C
Judgment: C+
Physical Ability: C
Cooperation: C-
-Comment from Interviewer-
He lacks proactiveness and a vision for the future, so he is a student with low expectations at this stage. We don't see any sign of cooperation or individuality. While his responses are within the acceptable range for a high school student, his current academic and physical abilities are slightly below average. Due to the fact that he doesn't have any special certifications and the circumstances described in a separate document, he was deemed suitable for Class D. We hope for his personal growth, with special attention to building friendships and relationships with teachers.
-Homeroom Teacher's Memo-
He is showing signs of growth through his friendships with Suzune Horikita and Tsugumi Saitō. His growth in cooperation is especially remarkable, and we will continue to monitor his progress.
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