The Cool Beautiful Girl Sitting Next to Me That Everyone Envies Is Actually Way Too Le*d in Her Head Chapter 2

Chapter 2: How Are You Feeling?

 

"Ugh… as usual, it’s so crowded…"

The cafeteria was packed with people and the smell of food.

It was probably halfway through lunch break already, but with how many students this school had, the long lines still hadn’t thinned. The clattering of kitchen utensils mixed with the lively chatter of students. And to me, all of that came with the added noise of voices in my head. Not just noisy — it was so loud it almost gave me a headache.

Trying to find Masaki in this packed place was nothing but trouble — or rather, annoying. For a moment, I thought about just giving up and finding an empty seat somewhere… but then, in the middle of the crowd, my ears picked up a faint vibration.

『Ah, isn’t that Yonemine-kun…』

It wasn’t an actual voice. It was the voice of someone’s heart.

Normally, I block out the thoughts around me so they just sound like background noise, but of course, if someone mentioned my name, I’d automatically react. And that sweet, somewhat fluttery tone… I could guess whose it was.

"Ah, oh—oi, Sumitooo!"

I turned toward the voice, and sure enough — the loud one calling my name was Masaki. He was waving his hand like crazy, like one of those paid audience members on a TV show. Honestly, I wanted to pretend I didn’t know him. Way too conspicuous. And worse, conspicuous in the wrong way. But I swallowed that urge when I saw someone sitting at the same table as him.

"…Ah, sorry. I’m a bit late."

"Yeah, you’re super late! I already finished eating, you know!"

"It’s only been like ten minutes."

Masaki raised his empty bowl like a trophy. What are you, an elementary school kid?

"Pretty awesome, right!? I managed to finish the Ultimate Guts Set Meal in record time!"

"What the heck, that name sounds weird."

"You seriously don’t know? It’s got everything that boosts stamina — chicken liver, beef, a bunch of other stuff. They say it’s a monster-sized meal, most people give up halfway. But I finished it! …Though now I feel like throwing up."

"…You’re such an idiot, Masaki."

He grimaced, holding his stomach.

I could only sigh. Acting like a kid was just part of his personality, so it wasn’t even worth reacting to anymore. My attention turned instead to the people sitting with him.

"Oh yeah, I brought some friends over. That’s okay, right?"

Masaki glanced at them, then looked at me.

"Ah, sorry! We just joined in for a bit."

"It’s really packed today, so we decided to share a table. Hope that’s okay?"

A cheerful girl’s voice. It sounded calm yet warm.

Sawari Mahiru.

Sonoda Tomoka.

Both were our classmates, and also members of the same club. They were always together, looking pretty close.

In class, they were both pretty popular. Especially Sawari — she was often compared to Kagura when it came to beauty, and some people even liked her more because of her open, friendly personality.

Sonoda, on the other hand, was the serious and firm type — like Mahiru’s natural counterbalance, keeping her cheerful personality in check.

…Honestly, I rarely spoke with either of them. Not because of any issues, just because our social circles were so different. But thanks to my ability, I knew more about them than most people. And because of that, the impression they left on me was strong.

"Oh… I don’t mind. It’s really crowded today."

"Yeay! Thanks, Yonemine-kun!"

I tried to stay calm as I sat down on the empty chair. Mahiru immediately leaned forward toward me.

"Yonemine-kun, you were on cleaning duty today, right?"

"Yeah. They said I had to carry supplies for homeroom."

"Eh—what a waste! Normally that’s done fast, but today’s gotta be the worst!"

Her braided hair swayed cheerfully as she pouted. It seemed a bit over the top, but maybe that was just her nature. Or maybe… something had her feeling extra lively today.

"Well, it makes sense. The sports festival is coming up soon. Homeroom’s usually laid-back, but now it’s getting packed with work."

"Ah, that’s true! They mentioned it during orientation too. I can’t believe it’s already so soon! I’m so excited!"

"Mahiru’s always been the excitable type. Just don’t get too worked up for the first big event of the year, okay?"

"Eh!? I’m not that bad!"

Mahiru’s cheeks turned red from Sonoda’s teasing. Even with just that small exchange, it was obvious how close they were. But to me, who could hear their inner voices, I knew their thoughts were heading somewhere very different…

『Hehehe… I’m so happy I get to talk to Yonemine-kun! This is definitely a big step forward, right!?』

A voice so clear I couldn’t ignore it. Without a doubt, it belonged to Sawari Mahiru.

Yeah… somehow, it seemed she really liked me.

Why, I had no idea. I know it sounds cliché, but I honestly didn’t think I’d done anything to make her fall for me.

I didn’t know when her feelings had started, but by the time I realized it, her attention was already focused squarely on me. And honestly, I had no clue how to deal with that.

"I’m totally gonna win first place in the relay race."

"You sound like a little kid."

"What was that!? You can only say that because you’ve never held the glory of being number one! Whoever wins gets to be top of the grade for the whole year, you know!"

…Isn’t that way of thinking what’s childish here?

While Masaki and I were chatting, I noticed Sawari sneaking glances at us.

"Yonemine-kun, do you usually play sports?"

"Hm? Uhh… not really. I don’t like moving around that much."

"Yeah, you’re a go-home-club guy, huh? But you’re not that bad at sports, you just have bad luck. Like that time the ball hit you in the face!"

"Eh!? Were you okay back then!?"

Masaki snickered smugly, while Sawari’s concern was clearly over the top.

Yeah, something like that had happened about a week or two ago. It didn’t cause any serious injury, but it hurt. Honestly, unlucky accidents like that happened to me all the time.

"Maybe I really am destined to live under constant bad luck…"

I said it half-jokingly, half-criticizing myself — about how unlucky I always was when it came to sports, and also, about my current situation.

If I said that out loud, there’d probably be a group of guys yelling, "You get to eat lunch with the cute Sawari Mahiru, she even likes you, and you call that bad luck!? What a joke!!"

Yeah, she was cute. Personally, I found her really sweet, and objectively everyone admitted she was beautiful. But still, why did I feel unlucky despite that? Because love often dragged people into a battlefield.

『Damn it! That average-looking guy is flirting with my Mahiru…!!』

…She was mad. Really mad. Right across from me, sitting next to Sawari, was Sonoda. Calm appearance — glasses, short black hair, a perfect honor student look. But her heart was a raging storm.

Sonoda Tomoka was unleashing her hate, anger, and curses straight at me. They say she’s Mahiru’s childhood friend. I don’t know the details, but clearly, they’ve been close for a long time.

The problem was, somewhere along that long time, their friendship had twisted into something troublesome. Which was why Mahiru’s attention on me annoyed her so much.

『Ah, eye contact! Uwaaah, now I’m nervous! He must think I acted weird just now…』

『Hey, why are you staring at my angel? Wanna die? Or should I kill you myself, huh?』

Sawari, who had just happened to meet my gaze (unfortunately), panicked and started fidgeting with her food. Meanwhile, Sonoda’s left hand, holding her chopsticks, trembled slightly.

Their thoughts, both directed at me, were completely opposite. My head was starting to throb. And I hadn’t even eaten anything yet. Dealing with Kagura earlier had already drained me, now this was piling on top of it.

I fought the urge to sigh deeply, then unwrapped the bread I brought with me. Taking a bite of the plain sandwich—

"Eh, Sumito… you’re eating sweet bread again?"

"Yeah, why? It’s cheap, convenient, and tasty. It’s the strongest food in this school."

No room for argument. Our school’s cafeteria sold a ton of packaged sweet breads, like the ones you’d find in stores. Lots of flavors, but all the same price — 100 yen.

For a broke student like me, they were a lifesaver. If I had to study by candlelight at night, I could stock up on these and survive morning, noon, and night just eating them. That’s how valuable they were — my literal lifeline. I heard the school also sold fresh-baked bread, which was popular among students. But sorry, 300 yen including tax? Too expensive for me.

While everyone else was scrambling to buy lunch, I calmly prepared my three ultimate weapons: melon bread, curry bread, and jam bread. It was my daily routine.

"Well yeah, it is tasty… but if you eat that every day, you’ll end up malnourished, you know?"

Don’t give me health advice when you just devoured the Ultimate Guts Set Meal — the unhealthiest thing on the menu.

"Eh, but I eat sweet bread a lot too. So I think it’s fine."

Weirdly enough, Sonoda suddenly backed me up.

That was surprising. Ever since this semester started — more accurately, since Mahiru started showing interest in me — Sonoda hadn’t stopped directing her anger at me. Could it be she was starting to acknowledge me?

…No way. There’s no way she’d change her mind that fast.

『Yeah, keep eating those. Ruin your health and die already.』

Chilling. Sharp. Don’t say that with such a calm face. Fanatics really could get dangerously aggressive no matter what field they’re in.

"But, but, Miyaoi-kun’s right. If you eat only that, it really is bad for your health!"

While I was being intimidated by Sonoda’s glare — her glasses flashing, eyes as sharp as knives — I heard Mahiru chiming in. Her cheeks puffed, eyebrows raised, her pouting face probably looked cute to most people.

"Exactly! You should eat a balanced, love-filled homemade lunch like Mahiru’s~"

Sonoda quickly backed Mahiru up.

She really switched sides fast. If I couldn’t hear her thoughts, I’d never know.

"D-don’t bring love into this!"

Mahiru, teased by Sonoda, protested, her face red to the tips of her ears.

『Geez, Tomoka! If you say stuff like that, Yonemine-kun will get the wrong idea!』

In her heart, Mahiru covered her face with both hands and swayed side to side.

Yeah… don’t worry. I’m not gonna think weird stuff about that.

"Eh, so you make your own lunch, Sawari?"

"Yeah, since around second year of middle school, every day."

"Wow, that’s really impressive. Waking up early to cook? I could never do that."

"I make it for my little brother too — he’s in first year of middle school — so once you get used to it, it’s actually easy."

Sawari said that with a satisfied expression.

Yeah, making your own lunch every day really was impressive. I hadn’t even touched a kitchen before.

"Oh, I see. Maybe I should try it sometime."

Rather than just sit there quietly, I made the comment while chewing on my bread. Instantly, Mahiru’s expression lit up.

"That’s it! You should totally try it! I want to hear a guy’s opinion too, since my little brother’s also a guy!"

Mahiru pushed her bento box toward me. Inside were vegetables, tamagoyaki, karaage, and a little nimono. A perfectly balanced lunch, both in nutrition and color. Honestly, I was impressed.

『Huh? Huh? Huh? She’s giving him her lunch? If that’s the case, I’d rather eat all of it myself!』

But Sonoda’s gaze was terrifying. Like a predator ready to pounce. It wasn’t even my idea, but why did I feel like I was the one under attack?

I hesitated, wondering what to do… but rejecting her kindness would feel wrong. And if I refused, it might even cause more problems.

"In that case… I’ll try some. Itadakimasu."

"Go ahead!"

The moment I said that, Mahiru’s face broke into a wide smile.

I picked up a piece of yellow tamagoyaki from her bento. Then I popped it into my mouth—

…what the heck, it’s so salty!? Like, unbelievably salty! Where’s the soft, sweet taste of egg!?

The shock that hit my tongue made my whole body stiffen for a second.

『Guys usually like stronger flavors, so maybe he’ll like it salty…? Besides, I swapped out the sugar for soy sauce and salt, so this has to be right!』

Sawari stood with her arms crossed, looking so confident. But that was obviously wrong, wasn’t it? Sure, there are people who say men like salty food, but not that many.

Besides, equating 'strong flavor' with 'salty' feels a little off. And personally, making tamagoyaki without sugar is just unacceptable. Because it was way too salty, I swallowed it quickly without properly chewing. Seeing that, Sawari’s eyes changed, as if demanding a verdict.

『What if he doesn’t like it…? But I worked so hard on it, so if he says it’s good, I’ll be so happy…』

Why did she have to say it with such sincerity?

I didn’t know how to respond. And to make matters worse, sitting right next to her was her personal bodyguard…

『…Say it’s good. Say it’s good. You’ve already eaten it, so just say it’s good.』

Scary. It felt like a curse. Judging by that expression, Sonoda probably already knew that Sawari’s cooking wasn’t good. And yet, Sawari still offered it to me so earnestly. I guess that means she’s actually a good person. Well, at least when it comes to herself.

“…It’s… good.”

Even though it felt like my words had just been heavily censored, I forced my tongue—still salty—to say it.

“Really!? Thank goodness…!”

Sawari smiled in relief. I quietly wiped away a bead of cold sweat.

…If she smiles just from something like this, then fine. It’s a cheap price to pay.

『Hmph. If you had said it was bad, I would’ve hit you over the head with this tray twenty billion times.』

…If it’s for my own survival, then yes, it really is a cheap price. Sonoda’s gaze was terrifying. It felt like she could cut me down from behind at any moment.

『Still… is it really okay to share lunch like this? How should I make him pay for ingredients…』

『Ehehe, yay. I’ll make some again! Oh, this time I’ll make a lunchbox for Yonemine-kun too──』

Two completely opposite feelings were being directed at me at the same time. In a way, they were perfectly in sync. The result was enough to make cold sweat run all over me.

“Sorry, I just remembered I have something urgent to do. Actually, I really do. Or… at least, I think I do.”

Unable to handle the atmosphere anymore, I suddenly stood up from my seat. Of course, three pairs of eyes immediately widened at me. But there was no way I could stay there any longer.

“Eh, really…?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Yonemine-kun must have things to do, right? So come on, don’t look that sad.”

“Huh!? I-I’m not sad──!!”

My excuse was really forced, but thankfully I got support from Sonoda, who sent me a message filled with pure hostility: 『Leave. You have ten seconds to leave.』 I wanted to say, “You really hate me that much, huh?” but I decided to just go along with it this time.

While glancing at Sawari’s tiny hand waving at me, I quickly left the spot.

Not long after, I heard, “Can I try some too? Itadakimasu. Whoa, so salty!” — delivered in a flat, emotionless tone like a three-panel comic gag. Then came a loud smack! sound that was just too perfect, like a crisp slap. I pretended not to hear it and walked out of the cafeteria.

 

＊＊＊

 

Since I left the cafeteria without eating properly, I had plenty of free time left during lunch break.

I could’ve gone back to class, but I didn’t really have anyone close enough to casually talk to.

Plus, my seat was probably still being occupied by someone else. If I went back at the wrong timing, it would just make things awkward with that temporary occupant. So, to kill some time until the right moment, I wandered around the school and eventually arrived at the old school building.

This school has been around for a long time, and at some point they expanded it by building a new building. Since the new building is sturdier, made of concrete, and can hold more students, the smaller wooden old building became sort of neglected. Even so, it’s still used for some practice rooms, just with fewer people coming in. For me, though, this place is a peaceful paradise. Away from the noise, this is probably the only place I can truly relax without being bothered.

Sure, there’s a big library in the new building that’s relatively quiet. But there, people’s inner voices are way too loud.

Whether it’s because they’re too immersed in reading or something else, there are always people who suddenly scream in their hearts. And with my troublesome ability as a telepath, this place is the most ideal spot for me. Now, on the second floor of the old building, in the third classroom after the stairs, I sat in the middle row by the window, quietly eating the rest of my bread.

It’s been a while since I found this hiding spot, and so far, this seat is the best. Though I call it neglected thanks to the new building, the sunlight here is still pretty good.

A perfect place to just bask in the sun. I bet the people who sat here before were after that same warm, soothing sunlight — maybe there were even seat battles over it.

Well, that’s just my guess. Since I’m a telepath who isn’t even good at controlling his ability, I obviously can’t read lingering memories from an object like a chair.

I finished the curry bread I brought. Even though it’s just a cheap bread sold anywhere, its flavor can’t be underestimated. The combination of the rich curry spices filling my mouth with the crispy bread outside was definitely the result of the developers’ hard work. Just thinking about it almost brought tears to my eyes… Or maybe it was just because it was so spicy that my eyes watered! Seriously, what is this, it’s way too spicy!

On the verge of tears, I checked the package. Turns out it wasn’t my usual one — it was the super spicy version.

Why does something like this even exist? And why is it being sold in the school cafeteria!? Worst of all, I didn’t bring any drink today to wash it down.

In the end, I ran to the water tap outside the classroom. The water in the old school building always has a weird chlorine smell and tastes bad. Plus, the water pressure is too strong. So I don’t really like it, but with this pain on my tongue, I had no choice.

I turned on the tap and rinsed my mouth desperately. After holding out for several dozen seconds against the chlorine taste, the pain finally started to fade. I don’t think I’ll be eating curry bread again for the next few weeks…

Wiping my mouth with my hand, I absentmindedly looked out the window near the sink. That’s when I noticed someone outside. I leaned slightly from the sink, narrowed my eyes, and soon recognized who it was.

“…Ugh, it’s Kagura.”

The 'ugh' slipped out by itself, but it really was Kagura Rio standing there. She was leaning against a tree, half-hidden in the shade, as if waiting for someone. What was she doing there?

As I kept watching, a boy suddenly walked up to Kagura. Glancing nervously around as if afraid of being seen, he stopped right in front of her.

I instantly understood. This was clearly a confession scene.

Well, considering Kagura’s level of beauty, it wasn’t that strange. But isn’t this the kind of thing you usually do after school?

Judging by his uniform, they weren’t even in the same class. I wondered what kind of mood she’d be in for afternoon classes after this.

Well, not that it’s my business, but a confession scene like this is still interesting enough that I cracked the window open to eavesdrop. Maybe I was curious to see how Kagura — whose head is usually full of pink thoughts — would react to a sincere confession like this.

“K-Ka-Kagura-san… I-I’ve liked you for a long time!”

Despite his nerves, the boy managed to say what was in his heart. Classic. So classic. But yeah, in this kind of thing, being direct is often the best way.

Not that I would know.

After hearing his pure words, Kagura’s face seemed to shift slightly. But in the end, that was just an illusion.

Since her expression was so neutral to begin with, even the smallest shift felt big. Her face basically didn’t change, and her words came out flat.

“Sorry.”

The answer was incredibly quick. So quick that it was obvious she didn’t even need time to consider whether to accept or reject him.

The boy stood frozen with his mouth open, then after swallowing the bitter truth, gave a weak smile.

“Yeah… I figured,” he said, then walked away with heavy steps.

So that’s all it took. I don’t really understand this whole like-or-dislike thing, but… well, my condolences. I respect his courage, at least.

『…Haa, again.』

I heard Kagura’s inner voice along with a small sigh. She sounded genuinely bored by all of this. She had just rejected someone, yet there wasn’t even a trace of guilt or pity.

Well, I guess with a face like Kagura’s, it’s not surprising. I bet she gets confessions all the time. With how many people admire her, it wouldn’t be strange if she got confessed to every week. No wonder she can reject someone in seconds without any feelings whatsoever.

…That’s a world I can’t relate to. I’d rather live like a normal person, so I have no interest in entering that world. While I was thinking that, Kagura’s thoughts continued to spill out.

『Because of this, my break time got wasted again. I didn’t get to finish reading Secret Guide to Forbidden Love♡ The Lusty Cat’s Side Story.』

…Oh, so that’s what she meant.

No, wait—that’s seriously what you were thinking about right now!? Well, that’s Kagura for you.

『The part where the cat’s ears twitch as he pushes his partner onto the bed… from there it should go straight into the main scene, but I had to stop reading. That scene keeps playing in my head… it’s like being left hanging in the middle of a game.』

I almost felt sorry for that boy. Not only was he rejected without hesitation, but the girl he confessed to was thinking about this the whole time!

『Also, I’m curious how this connects to the Night War between Humans and Cats in the main story. They said it’s chronologically set in volume 31, but how will it link up to the latest one, volume 47…』

Wow, that series is really long! And the title sounds like a joke to begin with. Maybe I just don’t know, and it actually won a prestigious literary award?

What if it really did win the Naoki Prize this year?

『Still, I don’t think it’s right to read a picture book like that openly in class…』

Kind of funny hearing that from someone who’s famous for openly reading erotic novels during morning homeroom.

So just how extreme is that book, then?

『Ah, right. I could just read it in the bathroom. Even if I got too excited, I could just me—』

No! I am NOT letting you finish that sentence! What were you just about to say!?

Seriously, this girl’s train of thought… it’s too much. This is not something I can just casually listen to.

…Haa. Listening to this sort of thing all the time is exhausting. Maybe I should just leave…

Just as I was thinking that—

──♪♪♪

A cheerful ringtone blared from my pocket.

In the silence of the old building, it sounded ridiculously loud. I almost never get messages or calls. Why now of all times…!?

“…?”

『…Is someone there?』

Kagura looked around suspiciously. I hurriedly crouched down to hide.

That was close! Maybe because the building is old, footsteps are really easy to hear here.

Feeling nervous, I checked who had messaged me, slightly irritated.

【Can I come over this weekend?】

It was from an old acquaintance. I looked away from our usual casual chat history and replied shortly.

【What the heck, you can’t right now】

【Huh? Is that how you treat your only friend?】

【Not a friend】

【Family then ♡】

【Shut up】

【Then I’m coming overー】

I quickly closed my phone. I just reacted with an angry emoji and left it on read.

That’s enough dealing with him. If I tried to take him seriously, it’d just drain my energy. After all, he never listen to what I say anyway.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket. And at that moment, Kagura’s thoughts spilled into my head again.

『Huh. Could it be… I’ve been watched all this time? Everything I’ve done at school, this and that, has all been seen… Then I’d be cornered with those photos while being laughed at, “This is you, right Kagura-san?”』

Suddenly, I saw an image of a huge, muscular man with a mosaic over his face approaching Kagura.

Hey, no such macho guy exists in our school! Also, wait—are you really doing things that, if exposed, would look like some trashy doujinshi scenario? Judging by the dangerous stuff you were thinking just now, maybe you’re even crazier than I thought.

Holding my forehead, I checked the time. Lunch break was almost over. …Alright, better head back to class. No point staying here any longer.

I quickly left the area. But once again, my phone buzzed. While walking quickly, I opened the message.

【Oh yeah, by the way. That cool, pretty girl you mentioned before? She’s wearing black panties!】

Sent together with a cute bear sticker from the same person.

That was just way too much. Ridiculous. How would he even know that? He’s not even in the same class as Kagura, and has no direct connection to her. There’s no way he could know for sure.

Yeah, I should’ve just laughed it off… But the problem was, with him, it was actually possible. After being contaminated by Kagura’s pink thoughts just now, the image popped up way too vividly in my mind.

Could it be that I’m starting to get infected by her pink aura? And… yeah, that person really has no shame.

I coughed loudly, then sent a short reply: 【Buzz off】.

 

＊＊＊

 

Kyuuk, kyuuk—loud creaks echoed through the floor. Since this building is old, it shakes whenever too many people run around.

Today’s afternoon class was P.E. Right now, a basketball match was going on between four rotating teams. First match: the team with fluorescent vests versus the team without.

“Heyheyhey!! Over here, over here!”

Still not used to it, I tossed the ball toward the noisy voice. My pass was a little too far to the left, its arc a bit too high. But the receiver caught it just fine.

“Hup!”

The one who caught it was Masaki. He skillfully dribbled past the defenders, moving smoothly, then shot the ball with a clean motion. 'Swish!' The ball went perfectly through the hoop. It really deserved a sound effect like that.

“Match over! Vest team wins!”

The whistle blew, declaring the result.

“Yeah! Buzzer beater, bro!”

“Quit showing off like an athlete!”

“Oi, oi, stop hogging the ball so much and pass it around〜”

Masaki just gave a small grin while taking all the friendly complaints from his teammates. And yet, he wasn’t even a member of the basketball club. I’d heard he even beat an upperclassman in a one-on-one match once. Rumor has it he’s also good at soccer and baseball.

Seems like he’s just naturally talented physically.

“Nice pass earlier, Sumito!”

“Ah, yeah…”

He raised his hand as if to high-five me. But before I could raise mine, he just grabbed my hand and shook it around, then dashed back to his friends.

……Seriously, that guy is dazzling.

Since it was another team’s turn, we got a short break. I went outside to the tap for some water and to catch my breath, then came back into the gym. When I did, I saw a small crowd had formed.

“What are they doing?”

Several boys were crowding together, watching something with great interest.

Even though P.E. is separated by gender, we still share the same gym. Right now, the basketball court was divided by a large net hanging from the ceiling.

……Ah, I get it. In other words, this was a group of pervy boys trying to peek at the girls’ class.

“Whoa, this is crazy…”

“So heaven really does exist…”

“The fruits are especially ripe today〜!”

Instead of keeping their comments to themselves, they said them out loud, which only made them more excited. Apparently, the girls’ class was also playing basketball.

That’s why there was all that running and jumping—and of course, when they moved like that, those monkey-brained guys got way too excited. Men really are such simple creatures.

Just earlier I’d been thinking I should feel sorry for them, since Kagura was going to rob them of their innocence. But turns out, their brains were just as full of pink fantasies as always.

“Wow, Kagura-san really is beautiful.”

“What’s her height ratio… she’s taller than me.”

“She’s got it all, huh.”

Most of the attention, of course, was focused on Kagura. With graceful movements, she controlled the ball like she was dancing. Even the sweat flying from her seemed to sparkle like jewels—she radiated the aura of a natural-born beauty.

“Oh.”

The sound slipped out of my mouth before I realized it. Kagura moved lightly and scored another shot.

“Nice one, Kagura-san~!”

“As expected of Kagu-chan!”

Her teammates cheered her on with smiling faces full of praise. The boys were fired up too. But through it all, Kagura’s expression never changed.

…Looking at her like this, it’s hard to believe she’d been having weird thoughts earlier at school. It’s like one of those tropes where a villain hides in plain sight and no one suspects them.

“Rio-chan, that was amazing! You’re so good! You should totally join the basketball club!”

One of her friends—Sawari Mahiru—ran up to her with a bright, beaming smile. For some reason, the guys started getting noisy again just from seeing the two of them interact.

“…No, I’m not really interested.”

“Ehh, what a waste! If you joined, you’d totally be the ace right away!”

Sawari exaggerated her disappointment with dramatic flair. But it was true—Kagura would probably shine in any club, not just basketball. She had the height, the physical ability, and the looks to go with it. No doubt every sports club would want her on their team. So why did she choose to join the Go-Home Club instead?

“Oi, Mahiru~!”

“Ah, I’m coming! Rio-chan, let’s play again later, okay~!”

Called over by one of her classmates, Sawari waved and said “see you” before leaving Kagura behind.

At that moment, Sawari suddenly glanced this way.

『Yonemine-kun is watching… This time I’ll definitely show him something amazing! I won’t let Rio-chan steal all the glory!』

Her fighting spirit was practically blazing. The image in her head turned into some ridiculous scene where I’d yell, “Wow, Sawari-san, you’re so cool! I love you! Go out with me!”

Seriously, her brain works in such weird ways sometimes. If she shows off too much, I’m worried the other guys will get jealous and hold a grudge against me.

Just when I was almost speechless from her antics, someone else surprised me even more.

Kagura, wiping her sweat, watched Sawari’s back as she walked away. With those sharp, narrow eyes and her usual cool expression, there was something about her gaze that seemed loaded with meaning. If this were a manga or anime, this would definitely be a sign of an incoming rivalry. But of course, this was real life, so nothing like that would actually happen.

『But seriously, Sawari-san’s boobs are huge. I kinda wanna grab them from behind.』

…Wait, is this girl actually some middle-aged man at heart?

In my head, I pictured Kagura grinning while stretching her hands out in front of her as if about to grope someone—Sawari letting out a cutesy “Kyaa~” in response. Please stop.

『When she was fanning herself with her shirt earlier, there were a couple of peek-a-boo moments. Does she even realize? That was way too sexy. If she actually joined the basketball club with a body like that, I’d feel sorry for her opponents. Even as a fellow girl, that’d make my heart race, you know?』

What do you mean “make your heart race”? Stop inventing weird new concepts. And if that’s the case, how are the other girls supposed to share a locker room with someone like her? I honestly think the country should pass a law to deal with people like this.

“Hey, what’re you staring at?”

“Ow!”

While I was glaring at Kagura, I suddenly felt a smack on the back of my head.

I quickly turned around and found Masaki standing there holding a water bottle.

“Wow, wow. Even cool and collected Sumito loses it when he sees girls in action, huh?”

“That’s not what this is.”

I shot back with my usual sharp tone. Masaki grabbed onto the gym net and peeked at the girls’ team, then gave me a mischievous grin.

“Well, in the end, you’ve got your sights set on one of the Three Beauties, right?”

“…Hah? What’s that?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t know.

── The Cool Beauty: Kagura Rio

── The Pure Girl: Sawari Mahiru

── The One Who Might Like Me: Mitome Tsuyuha

Those are the Three Beauties who represent our entire grade!”

Masaki held up a finger with each name as he proudly explained. I had never heard of such a thing. What the heck was that even supposed to mean? These nicknames had to be something the guys just made up among themselves.

“…Haa.”

“Why do you look so uninterested!”

“Because I am uninterested.”

“Liar! This is an eternal quest for all men!”

“That’s just lust dressed up with fancy words.”

Masaki shook his head, looking genuinely disappointed.

So this was something that serious to them? I had barely heard anything about it. Then again, I didn’t exactly have many friends, so no one really brought this kind of topic up with me.

“Well, I’m still on Team Mitome.”

“Nobody asked. And she’s not even in our class.”

Masaki crossed his arms as he spoke. As far as I knew, they barely even talked. They weren’t even in the same club.

“Yeah, but she’s just got that charm, you know? She’s kinda flirty, doesn’t hold back when she gets close, and that mischievous little smile of hers is killer…”

Masaki spoke quickly, obviously fired up. I used to think he was this pure, innocent guy who didn’t really understand these things, but I guess not. …Still, out of those three, he went with Mitome Tsuyuha, huh.

“…Hey, don’t let yourself get caught by a weird girl, okay?”

I said, tapping him lightly on the forehead. Masaki immediately dropped his water bottle and puffed his cheeks in protest.