"What… what do you mean by 'something good' exactly…?"
I nervously asked while swallowing hard.
"Could it be…you want to know Yuria's secret?"
"Secret?"
A secret… like her measurements? (Sorry, my perverted brain.)
If I had known whatever that secret is, would I have understood the meaning behind her morning statement, "I've remembered"?
"You know, Yuria is usually with Airi and the others at school, right?"
"Huh? …Oh, yes, now that you mention it."
Whenever I see Ichinose Yuria at school, she always seems to be with someone from the beautiful girl group like Miyama or Kuroki.
I can't recall seeing her alone much…
"Not just at school, but even when we go home together after school, you know?"
"Isn't that because the three of you are close friends?"
"Of course, that's true, but Yuria… is quite lonely."
"L-Lonely!?"
The cool Ichinose Yuria is lonely?
Despite being a downer girl who always looks lethargic?
"Yuria always looks down when she's alone. She's the one who always invites us to hang out after school, and she's the one who approaches Airi and the others during breaks. Since our first year, she's been clingy to Airi and the others."
What a gap… it's unfairly cute.
Even I, a bottom-tier introvert, would melt for Ichinose with such a gap.
"But wouldn't that be inconvenient for Ryota, who wants to ask Yuria about the morning incident?"
"Yeah, that's right." I agree.
"If Airi and the others are nearby, Ryota will find it hard to bring up the morning conversation, right? And Yuria would also find it hard to talk to Ryota with Airi and Rui nearby, wouldn't she?"
"T-That's… certainly true." I nod; happy she understood.
"So! To help Ryota talk to Yuria, Airi will tell you where Yuria often goes alone. Ryota can go there and ask Yuria directly!"
Ah, I see… "something good" means that.
But even if I hear about it, as a bottom-tier shadow introvert, talking one-on-one with a gal is a high hurdle.
(If that's the case, maybe knowing her measurements would have been better…)
"Ahh! You're making a face like it's impossible to talk!"
"Well, because it is impossible."
"Ryota wants to know the meaning behind the morning statement, 'I've remembered,' right? So, the only way is for Ryota to talk to Yuria one-on-one."
"W-Well, that may be true, but… finding out and talking one-on-one with Ichinose doesn't seem worth it at all."
"Sigh…"
Seeing me lose confidence, Airi let out a big sigh.
"If you keep complaining like this, I won't talk to you ever again!"
"W-Well, I'm fine with that." I am an introvert after all.
"No, you're supposed to argue back!!"
I turn to see the distraught glare from Airi Miyama.
Airi seems to have misunderstood something, but I don't particularly want to become friends with these beautiful girls (though I do ogle Airi's chest).
"Ryota, since we're sitting close now, let's all get along, okay?"
"B-But… I'm completely different from people like Airi and the others."
"…Ryota, I don't know how you feel, but at least yesterday, I talked to you and wanted to befriend you."
"M-Miyama…" You did?
"Ryota might be gloomy and otaku-ish with a creepy gaze, but I realized he's a sincere boy."
It feels like I'm being praised, but there seems to be more criticism than praise.
"So, I want Yuria to get along with Ryota too… I don't want things to be awkward between them."
Airi's words weigh heavily on me.
That Airi was concerned about such things…
"In that case, it would be even better if Airi mediated between me and Ichinose."
"That's boring, so no."
"W-What?"
"So, Ryota! Let's execute Operation Get Along with Yuria!"
"Uh, okay…"
Am I the only one feeling like Airi is playing me?
☆☆
After school that day…
I boarded the train and arrived at the location Airi told me about.
"So, this is… the arcade in the neighboring town where Ichinose goes alone."
I step into the arcade located in the commercial facility inside the neighboring station.
At that moment, I was off guard.
Little did I know the shocking truth that awaited me here—.