"I get it. But let me say this first—I hate guys like you who try to make friends just for personal gain. I’m twice as picky about who I associate with as the average person."
I could tell I was getting worked up. Something about him rubbed me the wrong way, and even if it wasn't intentional, he was dredging up unpleasant memories of middle school.
"Please don't misunderstand," Yokokawa said. "I do like Natsumi-senpai, but I have no intention of asking for your help or anything like that."
Was he serious? He wasn't asking directly, but it was essentially a request to be useful to him indirectly. It felt like a waste of time even talking to him.
"I'm telling the truth about wanting to be friends. This might sound like bragging, but I don't exactly enjoy being chased by girls. The problem is that the guys who try to befriend me are only interested in what I can do for them. They don't see me at all."
If you're that popular, I guess that happens. But what did it have to do with me?
"You're always with Satsukawa-senpai and Natsumi-senpai—the Two Tops of this school. Since Satsukawa-senpai is your girlfriend, you're not going to be looking at other women, right? You'd have no reason to ask me to introduce you to other girls."
I saw his point. In that regard, I certainly wouldn't have any ulterior motives toward him. The part about her being my girlfriend was a misunderstanding, but as long as Sara-senpai was by my side, I didn't need anything else.
"I told you about Natsumi-senpai because I wanted you to trust me. If I only wanted to use you to get close to her, it would have been easier to stay quiet."
That was true. And if he had done that...
"But the moment I made a move on Natsumi-senpai, you would've realized my intentions and our friendship would have shattered. I'll say it again: regardless of Natsumi-senpai, I think you and I could actually be friends."
I calmed down slightly after hearing Yokokawa's logic.
"I understand what you're trying to say. I won't say I was completely wrong about you, but I apologize for being so defensive from the start. I've never been popular, so I won't pretend to know how that feels, but honestly, I do understand the struggle of being unlucky with friends."
"Then—"
"But, regardless of the reason, the thing with Natsumi-senpai still bothers me."
That was the sticking point. This guy might not be as bad as I'd first thought. I could empathize with the friend issue, and if it weren't for the Natsumi-senpai factor, I might have been happy to have someone want to be my friend. But practically speaking, I would still end up being a bridge for him, and I couldn't accept that easily.
"I know that just because I'm the one saying it, you won't trust me immediately," Yokokawa admitted. "The reality is that I’m trying to do to you exactly what I hated people doing to me."
So he’d already been through that himself...
"To be honest, if it weren't for the matter of Natsumi-senpai, I would've been happy that you wanted to be friends. I've struggled with relationships myself."
Yokokawa, who had been wearing a serious expression until now, laughed a little at my words.
"I see. If possible, I want you to watch me from now on and judge for yourself. That's why I was upfront about Natsumi-senpai."
This was difficult. If he truly wanted to be my friend, I found myself wanting to accept. His desperation was a little concerning, but I could tell he’d had a hard time with people. Moreover, by choosing to mention Natsumi-senpai, he was showing a measure of sincerity.
"I don't really know how to answer that."
I ended up giving him my honest thoughts. Deciding that talking any further wouldn't lead anywhere, I left Yokokawa standing there and walked quickly back to the classroom.
Fortunately, it seemed those idiots had gone home. If I’d been messed with by them right now, I was certain I would have snapped. I packed my things and headed to the Student Council Room.
"Good work today."
"Good wooork!"
"Takanashi-kun, good work."
"Good work today!"
When I entered the Student Council Room, the members who were already there greeted me. It made me happy to feel like I was being welcomed. It seemed Sara-senpai and the President weren't here yet...
The door slid open.
"Good work today."
"Good work, everyone."
Just as I thought that, the two of them walked in. It seemed they had been off somewhere together.
"Good work today!" the room echoed.
The President looked over everyone to confirm we were all present. But Sara-senpai... she was looking straight at me.
Our eyes met, and without a word, she walked over to me. Once she reached me, she tilted her head slightly, peering into my face.
"Takanashi-san, has something happened?"
"Eh?"
"Is there something weighing on your mind? If you like, I am here to listen."
Her expression clearly showed her concern.
"Did I look that strange?" I whispered.
"No, I didn't notice anything..."
"He looks the same as usual, right?"
The others' hushed comments reached my ears. It was true that I was troubled by the incident with Yokokawa, but I was sure I hadn't let it show. I realized then that it wasn't that I was easy to read, but rather that Sara-senpai was incredibly sharp.
"No, it's nothing. I'm fine."
I gave her the best smile I could muster.
However, seeing that, Senpai's expression clouded even further. Still holding onto my arm, she began to pull me along.