Episode 202: A Classroom in Bloom

The first period passed without anything particularly unusual happening during class.

If I had to say something, it would be that Yamakawa, who usually skips out on everything, actually raised his hand and answered the teacher’s question. He wrote what looked like an answer on the blackboard, and once he finished, he sent a glance over here as if to show off. Unfortunately, Hanako-san wasn’t looking at him.

How do I know? Because Hanako-san was currently staring right at me from right beside me. I felt like if our eyes met, we’d end up talking even though it was class, so I pretended not to notice and kept my eyes fixed forward.

「If you’re going to volunteer, study a bit more. Everything you wrote is wrong.」

Having been ignored by Hanako-san and suffering the double damage of unnecessary embarrassment, Yamakawa slumped his shoulders and trudged back to his seat…

That guy really took a liking to Hanako-san, didn’t he…

First period ended smoothly(?), and the moment the teacher closed the classroom door, people swarmed around us again. Since it was the girls in the morning, this time it was the guys. It was the same kind of crowd that swallowed me up, and since they were guys, it felt pretty stuffy.

「N-nice to meet you!! I’m Yamakawa!!」

「I’m Shimatani!」

「Miyashita here, nice to meet ya!」

A rush of selfish self-introductions began with everyone shouting「I’m…」and「Me…」, but of course, Hanako-san couldn’t possibly keep up. And this time, I couldn’t back down. I couldn’t leave a lop-eared rabbit alone in a pack of wild beasts. It definitely wasn’t because I was afraid she’d say something unnecessary.

「…………」

(Slip…)

「「「「「 WHAT!!!??? 」」」」」

Hmph… as expected of Hanako-san, she’s great at going exactly where I don’t expect… but I might only be able to stay this calm for so long.

I thought she was maintaining silence in the face of the guys’ introductions, but she suddenly hid behind my back.

「T-Takanashi, you, what’s your relationship with Hanasaki-san!?」

「Even if you’re in the student council together, you’re somehow close with Satsukawa-senpai too. What’s going on with your social circle!?」

「…No, Satsukawa-senpai is obviously impossible.」

「…It’s just because they’re on the student council together, right? Still, I’m so damn jealous.」

Well… no one would believe that a guy like me is with the Goddess.

But it wouldn’t be surprising if people said,「Is this a manga?」because I have pinpoint connections to both the Goddess and a beautiful transfer student…

「? Is the thing about your wife not known yet?」

「Hey!?」

She just dropped a bomb!!

With everything happening lately, I’d completely forgotten, but there were still other things I needed to discuss with Sara-san!

「…wife?」

「…Wife?」

「…What are you talking about?」

That luckily didn’t seem to click with them.

I mean, Hanako-san, do you want to hide or stand out? Which is it?

「H-Hanako-san?」

「Oops, mistake.」

Hearing me call her name, she emerged normally from behind me this time. However, she refused to leave my side. What is it with her?

「H-Hanasaki-san, I’m a friend of Takanashi-kun’s.」

「Ah, you!?」

「Yeah, yeah, I’m close with Takanashi too!」

It looks like these guys changed their plan to using me as a buffer to get close to Hanako-san.

Yay, I have so many friends… as if, you idiots.

Regardless, this behavior from Hanako-san… could it be that she actually dislikes this situation?

I think of Hanako-san as a friend, but that doesn’t mean I know everything about her. She should be able to talk to guys, but maybe she just hates being surrounded or swarmed like this?

「Hanako-san is such a cute nickname! Can I call you Hanako-san too…」

「Absolutely not.」

「「「「「…………」」」」」

Along with Yamakawa himself, who had been ignored all this time and finally received such a clear rejection, the other guys who were likely thinking the same thing seemed to be in shock.

But it seemed Hanako-san felt she’d spoken a bit too harshly all of a sudden.

「…I said too much. But I don’t like people acting over-familiar. I especially hate it from boys.」

Popping her head out from over my back, Hanako-san spat out her feelings straight.

Apparently, she is capable of saying what she wants to say.

Even so, hating over-familiarity… huh.

I don’t know if that’s just how she is or if the incident with Yamazaki is still affecting her…

At least, Hanako-san has never said anything like that when she’s with us.

Personally, I think we get along well, and she’s opened up enough to joke about being my「Onee-chan.」

But the line about not wanting people she isn’t even friends with acting over-familiar is very much like Hanako-san.

Come to think of it, back when we first met, she seemed to take an avoidant attitude toward Hayato in particular. Hayato’s looks might have been the reason, but looking back, it was probably her disgust for Yamazaki influencing her.

She isn’t like that now, so I guess she’s fine once she actually becomes friends with someone.

「Hanako-san says she doesn’t like it, so you guys back off. You’re all getting hyped up on your own, but this is the first time you’ve met her, you know? Especially you, Yamakawa.」

Since I also found their over-familiar attitude toward Hanako-san hard to watch, I offered a bit of a complaint…

「Ugh… w-well, got it. Sorry for getting carried away! Hanasaki-san.」

「S-sorry! Hanasaki-san!」

「Sorry!」

Maybe their desire not to be hated kicked in, because they all offered apologies surprisingly easily. Hanako-san didn’t reply, but she listened in silence.

「As long as you understand.」

Once the apologies settled down, Hanako-san gave a brief response.

「Hey, hey, Hanasaki-san! What’s your relationship with Takanashi-kun?」

Before I knew it, the girls had joined the circle too. And with that question, everyone fell silent as if it were a representative inquiry for the whole class. Some people beyond that circle had truly desperate expressions on their faces.

「What kind? …Hmm… A precious person (little brother)?」

「「「「「 NO WAY!!!??? 」」」」」

「「「「「 KYAAAAA!! 」」」」」

The reactions were perfectly split.

The former was the guys, the latter the girls.

Wait, a precious person!?

Since when did Hanako-san and I become that close!?

「Big sister will protect her little brother.」

「…Big sister?」

「…Little brother?」

「…Eh, what does that…」

「…They’re lovers, right?」

……Wait, it really seems like she perceives me as her little brother.

It seems I managed to escape trouble thanks to the chime, but at this rate, the next break is going to be a disaster too.

For now, the classmates seem to be divided between those who misunderstood our relationship as being lovers or something close to it, and some of the guys who found salvation in the「siblings」comment.

Furthermore, they split into those who view me as a rival and those who see me (the horse) as a means to reach Hanako-san (the general).

It had been peaceful for a while, but things are gradually becoming chaotic…

By the way, during the current class, Hanako-san doesn’t have her textbooks, so we’ve pushed our desks together to look at mine.

And while I haven’t checked them all, I can feel gazes flying at me from all over just within my field of vision, making me feel uncomfortable.

I can especially feel envious glares from some of the guys, though of course, it’s all a misunderstanding.

One thing this made me realize, though, is that even with Hanako-san having the「transfer student」factor, things are like this. If I ever go public with my relationship with Sara-san, what on earth will happen to me…

While I was vaguely thinking about that, I suddenly felt something digging into my right cheek. Startled, I looked to the side only to make eye contact with Hanako-san, who was looking at me instead of the textbook.

「I know you’re happy to have your Onee-chan next to you, but focus on the lesson.」

She scolded me in a whisper.

And then some unidentifiable「something」began to swell up from the surroundings… it’s scary.

Rattle

「Excuse us~」

「Pardon us.」

These two voices that have become so familiar lately belong, of course, to Todo-san and Hayato. It’s rare to see them before lunch break… wait, they probably only have one goal.

「Whoa, Hanako-san really is here!!」

「Yeah. I’d heard about it, but seeing it for myself is still surprising.」

Judging by their reactions, they came here knowing Hanako-san was here from the start. Have rumors already reached the other classes? Is it really that big of a topic?

「Hanako-san looks so cute in her uniform!!」

When Todo-san gave Hanako-san a bit of a hug, Hanako-san accepted it with a wry smile.

「Yeah, seeing a collab between two different types of beautiful girls is wonderful.」

「Well, I guess so.」

……Yeah, yeah.

I accidentally agreed with the impression Hayato let slip, but the guys in the class who heard it were all in agreement too.

And Hanako-san made a bit of a disgusted, scowling face.

Wait, did she dislike being told that?

「Pretty boy, realize that it’s hard for your feelings to get through because you say those kinds of shallow things to people other than your true target.」

「Guh… that’s harsh…」

Ah, come to think of it, Hanako-san also knows that Hayato likes Todo-san.

Still, that’s definitely harsh…

「Hanako-san, was what Yokogawa-kun said just now shallow?」

「Then, do you think Kazuna… Takanashi-kun would say that to anyone other than his wife?」

「Ah, true, he wouldn’t!」

「Uugh…」

Hayato’s damage is getting serious…

No, it’s just that I’m not the kind of character who can say things like that in the first place; it’s not that deep.

「Hmm, but Yokogawa-kun isn’t the type of person who says things like that to just anyone, and he said it because he really meant it, right? It’s a bit embarrassing, though…」

An angel… there’s an angel here…

If Sara-san is a Goddess, then Todo-san must be an angel.

Todo-san returned a smile to Hayato’s happy face.

「Sigh… another idiot couple has been added…」

I couldn’t help but give a wry smile at Hanako-san, who looked a bit fed up.

「Um… you all seem to get along so well…」

「「「「 ! 」」」」

「Hey, hey, what’s your connection!?」

「I’m so curious~ You guys look really close.」

「Is Hanasaki-san actually a sharp-tongued character?」

I forgot we were in the classroom and fell into our usual rhythm.

Looking around, we were the center of attention for the entire class, and a group of excited girls had called out to us.

「…She said ‘wife’ again, didn’t she?」

「…H-Hayato-kun looks so happy.」

「…Those two called her Hanako-san, too.」

「…What kind of group is that?」

「Sorry Kazunari, I wasn’t thinking about where we were.」

「Takanashi-kun, Hanako-san, sorry!」

「I don’t really mind…」

「No, it’s fine…」

That said, this might have given our classmates even more reason to be curious.

I’m becoming increasingly anxious about what’s going to happen from here on…