Episode 73: True Intent

「I get it perfectly. I’ll tell you upfront too, I hate guys like you who say they want to be friends just for profit. I choose my friends more carefully than most.」

I can tell I’m pretty irritated myself.

I already felt like I didn’t like this guy, and although he probably doesn’t intend it, he reminds me of my middle school days.

「I don’t want you to misunderstand. I do like Natsumi-senpai, but I have no intention of asking you to help me with that or anything.」

Is this guy serious?

He’s not asking me directly, but it’s like he’s telling me to be useful indirectly.

This is just a waste of time.

「There is no lie in my feelings about wanting to be your friend. It might sound like I’m bragging, but it’s not like I enjoy being hit on by girls. But the guys who try to become my friends only approach me with ulterior motives, they don’t even look at me.」

…That’s certainly possible if he’s that popular.

But what does that have to do with anything.

「You’re always with Satsukawa-senpai and Natsumi-senpai, the two-top women in this school. And with Satsukawa-senpai as your girlfriend, you wouldn’t even look at other women, right? Would you ever ask me to introduce you to a girl?」

……I see, I get what he wants to say.

In that sense, I certainly wouldn’t look at him with those kinds of intentions.

The girlfriend part is a misunderstanding, but as long as Sara-senpai is by my side, that’s enough for me.

「The reason I talked about Natsumi-senpai is because I want you to trust me. If I only wanted to be friends with you just to get close to Natsumi-senpai, I could have just stayed quiet.」

That’s true.

And if he did that…

「But the moment I made a move on Natsumi-senpai, it would be misunderstood that I intended that from the start and we would definitely break off. I’ll say it again, I believe I can be friends with you, Natsumi-senpai aside.」

I calmed down a bit after understanding Yokogawa’s intentions.

But the matter with Natsumi-senpai is…

「I get what you want to say. I won’t go as far as to say I was totally misunderstanding, but I apologize for being combative from the start. I won’t say I know how you feel since I’ve never been popular, but I honestly understand the part about not being blessed with friends.」

「Then…」

「But, whatever the reason, I’m still concerned about the thing with Natsumi-senpai.」

That’s the main point.

Maybe this guy isn’t as bad as I thought.

I can empathize with the part about not being blessed with friends, and if it weren’t for the Natsumi-senpai thing, I’d be happy to be asked to be friends.

But, regardless of his true intentions, in practice, it would result in him utilizing me, and I can’t accept that so easily.

「Even as I’m talking, I don’t expect you to trust me immediately. It’s true that in the end, I’m trying to do to you what was done to me and what I hated.」

So it’s already been done to him…

「To be honest, if it weren’t for the Natsumi-senpai thing, I’d have been happy you asked to be my friend. I’ve struggled with friendships too.」

Yokogawa, who had been making a serious face until now, smiled a little after hearing my words.

「I see. If possible, I want you to watch me from now on and trust me. That’s why I told you about Natsumi-senpai beforehand.」

This is difficult.

If he truly wants to be my friend, I find myself wanting to accept it.

This desperation was a little concerning, but I somehow understood that Yokogawa has also been struggling with relationships.

And this was a form of showing sincerity by daring to mention Natsumi-senpai.

「I don’t know what to say in response.」

I ended up answering with my honest thoughts.

Thinking that talking any further wouldn’t lead anywhere, I left Yokogawa there and walked quickly back to the classroom.

Fortunately, the idiots seemed to have gone home.

If they had involved themselves with me now, I have nothing but confidence that I would have snapped.

I packed my things and decided to head to the student council room.

「Good work.」

「Good woooork!」

「Takanashi-kun, good work.」

「Good work~」

When I enter the student council room, the members who have already gathered greet me.

It makes me feel happy that they seem to be welcoming me.

Sara-senpai and the President don’t seem to be here yet…

Rattle rattle rattle

「Good work.」

「Good work, everyone.」

Just as I thought that, the two of them walked in.

Apparently, they had been somewhere.

「「「「「Good work!」」」」」

The President seemed to be scanning everyone to confirm they were all there.

But Sara-senpai… was looking at me.

I knew our eyes met, but Senpai walked toward me without saying anything.

And when she got close, she tilted her head to the side as if peering into my face.

「Takanashi-san, did something happen?」

「Eh?」

「Did you have something on your mind? If it’s alright with you, I will listen to whatever you have to say?」

Her expression clearly showed she was worried.

「…Did something feel weird?」

「…No, I didn’t notice at all though.」

「…He’s the same as usual, right?」

It’s true that I’m troubled by that thing with him, but I shouldn’t be showing any sign of it.

I realized just now that it’s not that things show on my face easily, but rather that Sara-senpai is incredibly sharp.

「No, it’s nothing. I’m fine.」

I reply with my best smile.

But seeing that, Senpai’s expression clouded over even more, and she grabbed my arm and pulled…