Chapter 12
"Friday is cheap for meat, so a hearty meal sounds good."
As Chinatsu and I were having that conversation, casually loud enough in the classroom, I had already expected someone would try to join in.
According to Fujido, she had already started spreading some rumors about Chinatsu’s boyfriend being in the same class, about how I wasn’t fond of being too noticeable, and how it was about time to "officially" announce it. After that, it was just a matter of how much people could pick up on the atmosphere—or more accurately, how bad they were at reading it. Fujido also thought people might hold back since it was after school.
"Hey, Minamino? Why are you getting so chummy with someone like him?"
When Ishizawa, sitting in front of me, suddenly spoke up with that question, I was more surprised by his inability to read the room than by the words themselves. Fujido’s expectations had been exceeded, and I almost laughed, but I kept it to myself.
"Huh? Well, it’s because Hajime and I are dating, so... What’s the issue?"
Chinatsu, now publicly confirming our relationship, seemed to have decided she wouldn’t keep up the pretenses of trying to please everyone. Maybe that’s why her tone toward Ishizawa was a bit sharper than usual.
"What? No way..."
"Is that so? But for you to suddenly talk to me and say it’s ‘impossible’ is what’s really surprising."
"Huh? But why him? Why not Sato from class D, at least?"
Ishizawa's words were so casual, and the way he said them only added to the sense of dismissiveness. It didn’t help that he had this habit of speaking lightly about everything. It might have been part of his character, but it clearly touched a nerve for Chinatsu. Fujido, who had been watching from a little distance, could only look upward, exasperated. Sakura, I know you’re hiding your smile right now, aren’t you? I can practically read your personality by now.
"Listen, Ishizawa, do you realize how rude you're being? You called my boyfriend 'second place' and then said it’s ‘impossible’—that’s not okay. I’m seriously getting pissed off."
Chinatsu’s words came out quickly, and Ishizawa seemed to add more fuel to the fire with his careless comments. I almost lost my sense of timing in this situation, but I knew I needed to step in. I gently took Chinatsu’s hand and stopped her from escalating it further.
"Chinatsu, thanks, but it’s okay... Ishizawa, I’ve been letting this slide for a while now, but can you stop calling me that? I know it’s confusing when you talk to Sato, but it’s not that way anymore."
Ishizawa’s expression turned to one of surprise as he responded.
"Huh? What’s with this all of a sudden?... Oh, I get it, it’s one of those fake boyfriend things, right?"
His words were so ridiculous that I actually burst out laughing, which only seemed to irritate him even more.
"What’s that supposed to mean, you making fun of me?"
He glared at me after switching his gaze from Chinatsu.
"Sorry, sorry, I didn’t mean to cause trouble with classmates or anything. It just... kind of hit me when I thought about what Fujido said and it made me laugh. But seriously, we're not pretending. Chinatsu and I really are dating, since just before Christmas. I really like her, and she’s said the same."
From the seat beside us, I heard an audible "Oh!" as a voice whispered about how it was so sweet, like the shy boy with the popular girl—an unspoken romance. I ignored them, trying not to feel too embarrassed.
Still, I needed to speak up clearly, so I asked him something that had been on my mind.
"Also, if we were pretending, doesn’t that just mean you’re so disliked that people would want to make up a fake relationship to keep you away? You cool with that?"
"…Ha, touche."
It seemed like the entire class was watching us now, and Ishizawa looked over his shoulder at the girls who were clearly entertained by this spectacle. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and then walked out of the classroom.
"Well, about not reading the room, I guess I was wrong about thinking it would be fine... but hey, at least it turned out okay in the end."
Fujido muttered this under her breath, and soon Sakura and Hōjōin came over, casually joining in on the conversation with Chinatsu and me.
"When Ishizawa started talking to you, Chinatsu, you looked really pissed off, but Hajime, I saw you trying not to laugh! Your lips were twitching, I almost couldn’t hold it in myself!"
Sakura teased me, and I laughed, unable to deny it.
"Well, Sakura, you were laughing too, weren’t you? I saw you."
"…It’s all Saki-chan’s fault, I’m telling you!"
"Wait, Yuko? Even Rena’s laughing!"
The atmosphere in the classroom, which had been tense just moments ago, was now noticeably lighter. Thanks to Ishizawa, who had stirred things up, and the fact that Fujido, Sakura, and Hōjōin were now casually talking to us, it felt like the news about Chinatsu and me being a couple was finally being accepted as fact.
That said, some of the boys in the class seemed thrown off or even a bit jealous. And I could feel more people peeking in from outside the classroom. I guess it’s up to me now to handle what comes next.
"Well, let’s head home for today."
Chinatsu said, reading the room, and I nodded. We both stood up, ready to leave.
But then, something unexpected happened.
"Hajime, you got any plans for tomorrow?"
It was Shunji, casually walking into our classroom as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He had never really talked to me at school, and he was from a different class, so his sudden appearance was confusing.
Shunji had a particularly striking appearance—grayish hair and piercings that stood out, a style that was totally acceptable thanks to his family’s status. He excelled academically and athletically, never fully fitting the mold of a delinquent, but still the one who stood out among the more rebellious students. He was a guy people respected and naturally followed, someone who seemed to walk his own path.
"Shunji, what’s going on?"
"Huh? Come on, I heard the news. This is just a whim of mine."
I could tell this wasn’t the usual kind of casual conversation between us. Normally, Shunji wouldn’t go out of his way to talk to me like this, so I started to wonder about the real reason behind it.
"Come on, guys don’t need to be all tsundere about it... yeah, I’m free tomorrow."
"What’s that supposed to mean? …Well, anyway, see you later, let’s win again tomorrow against those old guys."
Trying to hide my embarrassment, I just laughed it off. It felt weird to thank him, so I didn’t. Shunji just smiled and left the classroom, as naturally as he had entered.
"Let’s head out too," Chinatsu said, noticing the shift in the room’s energy.
"Yeah... Even though we had this whole plan, it feels like everything was stolen away by him. Heh, but I’m really glad for you, Hajime. You look so happy."
I smiled at Chinatsu and nodded, feeling a bit bashful.
Despite all of my pretending, I think I realized I had truly made some great friends in this school. It wasn’t just Chinatsu who had helped me feel more comfortable here.