Chapter 4: A Gyaru’s Perspective
“How was it?”
Takeru asked with a grin during lunch break.
He was clearly referring to role as Remi’s guide.
I opened my bento box and said in a tone that seemed to scream ‘what a bother’:
“Nothing much. I felt like I started off talking smoothly, but soon other girls took over as guides.”
“Man, I envy you getting nervous around a girl you’ve reunited with!”
“Are you even listening!?”
I retorted, but Takeru had already drifted off into some wild fantasy.
Our lunch spot wasn’t in Class 2, but in the former audio-visual room.
The current AV room had moved to the newly built east building, so this was now a completely empty classroom.
Takeru had borrowed the key through a friend’s connection, and it had become our private hangout during lunch breaks.
Since it was just the two of us here, we could talk freely about girls.
“Nikaido-san must be surrounded by our class girls and feeling troubled right now. You know, those super beauties just have a different vibe, don’t they? Like an unattainable flower, as if they live in a different world?”
“I’m sure it’s not that different a world…”
I replied, recalling our elementary school days.
At least, I believed I knew that Remi had grown up in an ordinary household.
However, Takeru shot back dramatically:
“Oh come on, I know that humble brag! As expected of a childhood friend!”
“No, it’s nothing like that at all.”
“Well, you know a side of Nikaido-san that we don’t, right? Having such a beauty who seems detached from the mundane world as a childhood friend, how much good karma did you accumulate in your past life? I’m so jealous!”
Remi, is this what you make guys say when they first meet you?
And this is Takeru, Yuzuha’s fan, we’re talking about.
Earlier, when I tried to bring up old stories about Remi, she forcefully stopped me. Thinking about it now, it was probably the right decision.
Saying something like, “She might seem like an unattainable flower now, but back in the day, she used to make stag beetles and rhinoceros beetles fight,” is not exactly the kind of gap you should reveal on the first day of transfer.
…Maybe that wasn’t what Remi was worried about.
“I’m telling you, it’s not like that. It’s the same as with Yuzuha, you know. Try to imagine being the subject of baseless rumors. That’s not the kind of rumor you’d start right after entering school.”
As I grumbled, Takeru paused with his chopsticks extended towards his bento box.
“Eh, but the thing with Yuzuha has some basis. When you’ve just entered school, everyone’s feeling things out, right? At times like that, a boy and girl constantly talking together stands out whether you like it or not. Especially when the girl is Yuzuha-san! The gyaru who’s kind even to otakus!”
“Well… I guess that’s true.”
In a new high school, in a new class.
In a situation where Yuzuha was the only familiar face, it was natural to spend time with that gyaru. But it’s true that it would stand out.
If I absolutely didn’t want to stand out, even conversing with Yuzuha would be difficult.
“See? Well, our class turned out to be a total win, and in the end, the rumors died down, so it’s all good.”
“…Of course they died down. I’m clearly out of her league anyway.”
“Wow, so negative. If it were me, I’d be crying tears of joy to be part of such a rumor.”
Saying that, Takeru wolfed down his lunch and washed it down with tea.
“Geez…”
Takeru, with his straightforward personality, was easy to talk to.
For someone like me who tends to overthink things, he was a companion who required no calculations.
As if to embody this, Takeru made a slack, zoned-out face.
“But man, Nikaido-san’s chest was seriously huge… It’s a bit too stimulating, I feel like I’ll keep staring until we change classes…”
“You shouldn’t obviously stare at that, you know.”
“I know, I’ll admire respectfully.”
“What exactly does ‘respectfully’ mean…?”
Takeru was lost in his daydream for a while, but suddenly put on a serious expression.
“But you know, I have a feeling Nikaido-san is quite different from Yuzuha. Nikaido-san seemed like she didn’t really want to interact much with others.”
“Did she give off that vibe?”
“Nah, it’s just a hunch. Well, she’s beautiful with that voluptuous figure, so maybe it’s self-defense against creepy guys.”
“…So it’s just a hunch. Well, you might not be entirely wrong, but make sure you don’t fall into the creepy guy category yourself.”
“So harsh!”
“It’s only fair, you idiot!”
Back in the day, Remi would either come to my desk during breaks or sleep with her head on her desk.
Perhaps some of that old atmosphere remained in her gestures, and Takeru picked up on it.
However, that was then, and this is now.
Since then, Remi has progressed to become the class leader for several years.
From what I saw of Remi earlier, she seemed even more approachable than before.
Under these circumstances, agreeing with Takeru’s hunch feels a bit wrong as her childhood friend.
“But at the very least, Nikaido is a good person.”
In the past, I would have had to add the caveat “if you get to know her.”
But with how Remi is now, I could confidently say this to Takeru without any reservations.
Takeru blinked at my response.
“Well… I see, you’re right. I guess I was unconsciously speaking from prejudice.”
“No, it’s my bad too. I said you might not be entirely wrong.”
“This kind of thing isn’t good, huh. I get it now, I can see why someone without a hidden side like Yuzuha would like you. Damn, you’ve have Nikaido-san too!”
“I told you she doesn’t like me like that, stop it! And in that sense, I don’t ‘have’ Nikaido either!”
Takeru burst out laughing at my response.
My relationship with Takeru, who’s always cracking jokes, sometimes feels like it could fill my stomach.
Yet, the fact that I find myself wanting to talk to Takeru might be because I can sense that he, too, has no hidden side.
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After quickly finishing his lunch, Takeru stood up first.
Takeru eats lunch with me a few times a week, but he’s never stayed until the end of the lunch break due to his student council duties.
“Well, I’m off! As usual, please lock up~”
“Sure thing.”
Takeru waved his hand casually and opened the door.
Suddenly, he let out a stupid-sounding “Whoa!?”
I quickly looked up to see someone standing in front of him.
Light golden hair, a perfect figure.
It was none other than our class’s popular gyaru, Yuzuha Yui.
Takeru had said Yuzuha’s chest could save the world, hadn’t he?
Yuzuha tilted her head slightly towards Takeru, making her ponytail sway.
“Yu-Yuzuha-sa—!”
“Yoohoo, Arino-chi. Is Yoshiki here?”
“Y-yeah, he’s inside. Well… I’m off!”
“Okay, thanks~”
With Yuzuha’s casual response, Takeru dashed off at lightning speed.
Yuzuha entered the room in his place.
As soon as she spotted me, she waved her hand.
“Ah, found you, Yoshiki. Sorry, sorry, were you still having lunch?”
“Yuzuha. It’s fine, but it’s rare for you to come here.”
It’s not just rare; it might be the first time, actually.
Before the rumors started, there was a possibility of spending lunch breaks together, but now…
Yuzuha came right in front of me and stared down intently.
The oversized hoodie worn over her uniform is Yuzuha’s trademark, but anyone could see she has a perfect figure too.
Her shirt unbuttoned to the second button, revealing her cleavage.
A small mole is visible in the valley between her breasts, but every boy in class must have seen Yuzuha’s mole by now.
Her skirt is obviously short too, and she’s undoubtedly the most exposed girl in class.
I wonder how many virgins have secretly gotten excited when this Yuzuha casually drops the word “virgin” in conversation.
Even I felt more excited than frustrated when she first called me a virgin.
I’ll never admit it because it feels like I lost as a human being.
Enough time passed for such improper thoughts to cross my mind as she remained silent.
Since Yuzuha wasn’t saying anything, I decided to speak up.
“By the way, Yuzuha.”
“Hm? What’s up?”
Yuzuha responded in a relaxed voice.
I almost felt myself relaxing too, but I thought I should say this.
“Takeru was trying to say something earlier, right? You should have listened to him till the end.”
Hearing this, Yuzuha blinked rapidly and furrowed her brows as if offended.
“Huh? I was totally listening. I even said thanks!”
“I mean before that. Takeru was trying to say something before you asked if I was here.”
Yuzuha, who had looked a bit scary for a moment, responded with unusual flustered words.
“Really? Is it possible I was so focused on finding you that I didn’t notice anything else?”
“Hey, even I get hurt by that, you know?”
“Well, that kind of thing only happens when you really like someone. …I see, maybe I like Yoshiki more than I thought.”
“Huh?”
“Oh well!”
“You’re okay with that!?”
I was flustered by this series of statements, but Yuzuha continued nonchalantly.
“Anyway, I should apologize to Arino-chi. Thanks for letting me know!”
“Y-yeah, please do that.”
“I like you more than I thought.”
To say something like that and then act as if nothing happened, there’s probably only Yuzuha in this class who could pull that off.
If she noticed how flustered I was, she’d probably call me a virgin again.
Yuzuha immediately expresses her inner thoughts in her expressions and words.
Knowing that her expressions come from her true feelings makes her smile dazzling and her sunny disposition stand out.
Even though she looks like a gyaru, this is probably why the boys call her “the sun.”
It makes me happy too, but it’s sometimes bad for my heart.
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