A Very Popular Idol Classmate Has Taken a Liking to Me, A Person Who Doesn't Want to Work for My Whole Life
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.Daininki Idol na Classmate ni Natsukareta, Isshou Hatarakitakunai Ore
Src: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2496gr/84/
Act 3 - The School Festival
21-2
After seeing Nikaido leave the classroom to look for Kakihara, Yukio and I continued making the signboard.
After about an hour of concentrating on our work, a girl who has been working elsewhere calls out to someone in the classroom.
"Sorry! Is there anyone who can go throw away the cardboards?"
Looking there, I notice that there are cardboard remnants used for carrying materials and decorations piled up in a corner of the classroom.
Certainly, it's becoming quite obstructive.
"...Oh, are you going to take care of that, Rintaro?" (Yukio)
"Yeah, I am. I'm feeling a bit stiff, so I'll go for a change of pace." (Rintaro)
"Okay. Then I'll continue here." (Yukio)
"Yeah, thanks. For the trouble, I'll buy you a drink on my way back." (Rintaro)
"Oh, then I'll ask for something carbonated." (Yukio)
"Got it." (Rintaro)
I stand up and approach the girl who has called out.
"I'll take care of it. Is it okay to dispose of them behind the school building?" (Rintaro)
"Ah, thank you, Shidou-kun! Yeah, there's a place to throw it away behind the school building. There might be things that other classes have thrown away, so it should be easy to find."
"Understood." (Rintaro)
I bundle up the piled-up cardboard with duct tape to some extent and lift it up.
Even though it's just cardboard, it becomes quite heavy when there's this much.
And because it's quite bulky, it might be a bit difficult for the girl to carry.
"Heave-ho..." (Rintaro)
I carry the cardboard on my shoulder and head towards the back of the school building.
As she has described, there's indeed a designated area where cardboard and other items have been discarded.
It's easy to spot, which is convenient.
After tossing the cardboard onto the trash pile, I dust off my hands and turn my heel to walk away.
However, when I look ahead, I notice a familiar face and can't help but stop in my tracks.
"Otosaki, did the agency tell you not to date guys after all?"
"Huh? ......Well, they haven't explicitly told me that." (Rei)
There, leaning against the wall of the school building, is Rei. In front of her stood a tall, blond-haired guy.
I vaguely remember him as someone from Class B, named Kinjou or something like that.
If I have to describe him more precisely, he's the kind of "a popular guy wannabe" who hung out with the suchlike people, acted like they were the coolest, and were always shouting and making a big fuss.
His catchphrase is "Isn't it f*cking awesome?".
――――Sorry, that's a bit biased.
To be honest, I don't know him well enough to know his catchphrase. However, you probably have a rough idea of what kind of person he is.
Incidentally, when two blondes stand next to each other, it is a bit dazzling.
Although I think Rei's hair color is more beautiful.
Anyway, they don't seem to notice me at the moment.
So this is my chance to quietly slip away.
"Hey, how about secretly dating me?"
The moment I hear those words, I instinctively hide behind the pile of trash.
What the h*ll is that idiot thinking?
(And why did I even hide...?)
This situation... It would have been much better to leave right away, as it might have led to an unexpectedly good outcome, but I ended up staying, unable to move.
Who the h*ll would want to witness someone else's confession scene?
Besides, who would have thought that it would be her――――
"I mean, I recently became a model, right? I've even got contact information for celebrities now. This is a straight path to success, isn't it? If you date me, you'll definitely benefit in the future."
"..." (Rei)
"School festival is coming up, right? Let's go around together. It'll be okay even if we get caught, won't it? I mean, if the other person is me, everyone will understand."
"I understand what you're saying, but I'm sorry. I can't date you." (Rei)
"......Huh? What?"
A deep furrow appears on Kinjou's forehead.
"You know, aren't you getting a bit ahead of yourself? You may be an idol, but you're just a girl, you know? Why don't you just follow my word obediently?"
"I've said it multiple times, but I'm sorry. I can't date you, and I don't want to." (Rei)
"......Are you being serious?"
Rei nods without hesitation in response to Kinjou's words. In the face of her resolute attitude, he clicks his tongue.
"Tch... You'll regret this for sure."
It's a rather petty parting remark.
Since it didn't escalate to a big incident, I pat my chest and let out a sigh of relief.
I had thought I would have to intervene somehow, but it was a relief that everything ended peacefully.
However, despite this relief, I can't shake the sense that something is still bothering me.
――――Anyway, I can't linger like this forever.
As I'm about to step out from behind the trash pile, Rei, who senses my presence, turns her gaze toward me.
"Rintaro, why are you here?" (Rei)
"I came to throw away some garbage, and then suddenly a confession scene unfolded right in front of me. So I couldn't leave." (Rintaro)
"Sorry about that." (Rei)
"No need to apologize...... Did Kinjou call you out?" (Rintaro)
"Yes. He said he wanted to talk, and when I followed him, he suddenly asked me out." (Rei)
Rei recounts the events calmly, without any signs of upset.
It seems like she had grown accustomed to such situations somehow.
"Even after becoming an idol, things like this still happen, huh." (Rintaro)
"It's not that many, but it hasn't gone away. Some people say it's for making memories, and there are also some people like the one earlier who have some strange confidence. Honestly, it's a bit of a nuisance." (Rei)
There's no sign of excitement or any such emotion, and Rei has a somewhat tired expression.
"Well, I'm glad you didn't fall for some weird guy. Otherwise, my efforts of holding back for you girls' dreams would have been in vain." (Rintaro)
"What do you mean?" (Rei)
"Huh? What do I mean......" (Rintaro)
――――What do I mean, I wonder?
I tilt my head and reconsider my words.
Am I holding something back?
I feel like I have a crack in a tank where I have been storing something away, and that something is starting to leak out, but I can't quite grasp it.
I can't afford to ignore this feeling.
With that unsettling premonition in mind, I shake my head and shift my focus away.
"Everyone is probably still preparing, so let's head back. It would be troublesome if we were seen slacking off." (Rintaro)
"......Mm, okay." (Rei)
Rei offers a faint smile and walks alongside me.
"By the way, Rintaro, have you ever been confessed to before?" (Rei)
"Huh? Hmm...... Well, it's not like I've never been, but I guess you could say it's happened once." (Rintaro)
"What do you mean?" (Rei)
"Let's see, if you include a confession from kindergarten, then yes. if you exclude it, then there hadn't been any." (Rintaro)
I can't exactly brag about confessions from when I was five or six years old. It was undoubtedly an expression of genuine feelings, but I think it was quite different from the emotions that high school students experienced.
So, I didn't really count it.
But I'm not disparaging it either.
"When I was in kindergarten, there was a girl who really liked me. She said she wanted to marry me when we were older." (Rintaro)
"And what did you respond?" (Rei)
"Hmm? Ah...... I mean, I understood that it was impossible, so I think I told her it would be okay if we were boyfriend and girlfriend. After that, we graduated, and we went to different schools. We haven't seen each other in over ten years now." (Rintaro)
It was the kind of cute puppy love that young children might experience. Thinking back on those hazy memories, I can't help but feel a little warmth.
"If my memory serves right, her name was Yuzu――――Eh, what's with that face." (Rintaro)
"......It's nothing." (Rei)
I suddenly turn my gaze to Rei, who is wearing an unusual pout, showing her displeasure.
Her expression is more openly displeasure than when she had watched me and Kanon goofing around the first time we met with jealous eyes.
But even that expression has a charm of its own, and it makes me smile a bit.
"Was it boring to you? That story." (Rintaro)
"It wasn't a story I particularly wanted to hear." (Rei)
"I see. Then please just forget about it." (Rintaro)
"...I'm lying. I'm not so childish as to dislike that kind of story." (Rei)
"Is that so? Then let's leave it at that." (Rintaro)
I decided that it was a good thing the conversation ended here.
If she delves any deeper into the story, I might start recalling more about that childhood story.
(First love, huh...)
The person who fits that description best would undoubtedly be that girl from kindergarten.
Even though I have no romantic feelings for her right now, I can't help but wish that she's out there somewhere, living a happy life.
~"(This is a Translation Content of pemudatunawisata[dot]my[dot]id. so, read only on there, kay~)"~
[End of Chapter]
Cya~!
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