Wataru—that guy—had been eating lunch with Aizawa-san almost every day now. I bet he was spending his time all happy and lovey-dovey, completely oblivious to how I felt!
Or so I thought, but that only lasted for the first few days. Now, every time he came back to the classroom after buying his bread for lunch, he would sink into deep thought. I didn’t understand why he was making a face like that when he got to spend every day with such a cute girl.
It was a total mystery. Usually, he’d prattle on to me without even being asked, so there was never anything I didn't know about him. But lately, he’d been keeping so many secrets. He should have just talked about everything like he used to.
I found myself stealing glances at him. This wasn’t like me at all! Why did I have to feel this way? It was all because Kei kept saying such weird things!
"What are you brooding about with that sour look on your face, Sajocchi?"
"Eek...!"
Kei hugged me from behind while calling out to Wataru next to us. That was so sudden a weird squeak came out of me! I really wished she’d stop doing that; it was bad for my heart. If she wanted to talk to him, she should have just talked to him... wait, no, that definitely wouldn't be okay! What was I even thinking?!
Wataru turned toward us when Kei spoke. Once he caught sight of the two of us, he turned back as if he didn't have time to deal with us right now and opened his mouth with a look of annoyance. What was with that attitude?
"About my social standing."
I think his response was so half-hearted because he was trying to think and answer Kei at the same time. Perhaps dissatisfied with that, Kei let out a small, disappointed "Hmph" right by my ear.
"Commoners should just shut up and study."
"Yeah, yeah, shut it, Suudora."
"Alright! I’ll take you on!"
"Stop it, both of you."
I stepped in to stop them just as Kei looked ready to pounce. Wataru had some nerve, ignoring me and chatting happily with Kei... and I certainly wasn't going to let him allow Kei to hug him like that! I only cut in to prevent him from becoming even more of a pervert!
Pulling away from me with a pout, Kei stared intently at him. Then, as if she had just thought of something, she clapped her hands and pointed at him, shouting at the top of her lungs.
"Oh, I get it! You’re worrying about that stuff you asked me about Aizawa-san before, aren’t you?"
Wa-Wait a minute!
What did that mean? "Asked her before"—did that mean Wataru had asked Kei about Aizawa-san? And what had Kei told him? Don't tell me she told him exactly what she’d told me before!
"Eh? Ah, yeah... well, sure, I guess."
Pushed by Kei’s momentum and the fact that she’d likely hit the mark, Wataru nodded simply without a fight. Then, his eyes darted around before he suddenly looked at us with a serious expression—wait, don’t suddenly look like that, you’re startling me...
"I have a question for you two."
"Wh-What is it all of a sudden...?"
When I managed to talk back, Wataru looked me straight in the eye. On top of that, being faced with a serious expression I rarely saw made me realize just how flustered I was becoming.
But the moment he was about to say something, a girl with bright brown hair entered our field of vision. As soon as she entered the classroom, she spotted him and approached from behind—wait, what was Aizawa-san trying to do?!
"Aizawa and Arimu—"
"Sajooou-kuuun!!"
"Whoa!?"
Aizawa-san leaned over him from behind as he sat sideways in his seat, calling out his name while practically draping herself over him.
Eh, e-eh? What was this girl doing?! If she hung all over him like that...!
"A-Aizawa-san!?"
"Ah! Were you guys in the middle of a talk? Sorry for interrupting~!"
"Ah, no, it’s fine, it’s just Sajocchi anyway."
It was not fine! Look at this guy’s face! He was looking all happy because her ch-chest was pressed against the back of his head! Why was he looking so pleased, the creep!
"...Aizawa, move. You're soft."
"Ugh, pervert."
"Why don't you just die?"
Before I knew it, I was insulting Wataru as naturally as breathing. It was unintentional, but seeing a guy I was close with acting all lovey-dovey with someone else really rubbed me the wrong way. How could he just state his impressions so honestly?! And why was he looking a little pleased while being scolded!
"It’s not lunch yet, so what’s up?"
"Nothing special~? I just thought I’d like to have a chat with Sajou-kun."
"I-Is that so...?"
Aizawa-san replied to the pervert’s question with words that sounded almost seductive. The pervert’s face turned red at her direct and affectionate tone. Why was he blushing? He really was a pervert.
However, Wataru also seemed like he didn't fully trust Aizawa-san. Rather than suspicion, his face looked as if he couldn't figure out what she was trying to achieve. Hey, you really were thinking about all sorts of things, weren’t you? And yet you still looked somewhat happy!
I couldn't stand Wataru’s sloppy attitude any longer. I felt like I had to say something. But just as I was about to take a step forward, Kei beat me to it.
"Then, then, then! Tell us why Aizawa-san broke up with her ex-boyfriend!"
"..."
Wa-Wait, what was she asking?!
Eh? That wasn't something you should ask so lightly, right? Even he was looking at Kei with a look of pure shock... I wasn't wrong, was I? Was Kei always the type to pry into other people's business like this?
"E-Ehh?! You’re really asking that all of a sudden~?"
See! Even Aizawa-san looked like she was having a hard time answering! It must have been something she didn't want anyone to touch upon. So, Kei, let's just pretend that last question never happened and talk about something else—
"Come on, it’s fine! You’re totally into Sajocchi now anyway, right? Right?"
"Ehh...?"
.........Huh?
Aizawa-san liked him? N-No, that had to be a lie, right? Even Kei had said Aizawa-san was up to something, and more than anything, I couldn't believe anyone would fall for him. At the very least, I didn't think she’d like a boy who publicly proclaimed his love for another girl every single day.
"Th-That’s... because I was the one at fault, I guess?"
"Heh~, so the ex-boyfriend who dumped Aizawa-san even though she’s reflecting so much must be the absolute worst!"
"Y-Yeah, I guess so."
K-Kei? Wasn't she sticking her nose in a bit too far? Even if Aizawa-san was up to something, this was a very delicate subject... Look, even Wataru had a look on his face like this was bad. In fact, he was starting to look pitiful, caught between Aizawa-san and Kei—s-serves him right! This was what he got for acting all lovey-dovey with girls!
"But you’ve got Sajocchi now, so it’s all okay! Just throw away a guy like that who's an enemy to all women and find happiness with Sajocchi!"
"........."
"Wa-Wait, Kei...!"
It wasn't so much an act of courage as it was an unconscious move to stop Kei. No matter if they were the words of a best friend, it wasn't something to say so clearly and loudly. When I looked over at Aizawa-san, my bad premonition proved correct; her shoulders were trembling.
"…!"
I reached out to cover Kei’s mouth, but Kei grabbed my hand, pulled it to her chest, and squeezed it tightly. Wa-Wait, Kei...? What on earth was she thinking?
"—...Don’t."
"Eh?"
"Could you please... not speak so badly of my ex-boyfriend?"
I was stunned. As I had feared, Aizawa-san wore an overtly displeased, prickly expression and hurried out of the classroom. The development was so sudden that I kept looking back and forth between Kei and Wataru. As I did, I got the feeling that Kei must have had some motive for making Aizawa-san angry.
"Aren't you going to chase after her, Sajocchi~?"
"No way, she's scary."
"Wow, you’re such a chicken... but that was a hit, probably."
Even at this point, Kei was saying things to Wataru as if she were concerned about Aizawa-san. Wataru, too, while saying something pathetic, was staring toward the door where Aizawa-san had left with a troubled expression.
Was I the only one who didn't understand? I could tell, in a way, that Kei was acting based on her own agenda. She was probably trying to probe into whether Aizawa-san was up to something. If that was the case, then maybe I shouldn't have been worrying about Aizawa-san's feelings.
Then what about Wataru?
Hey, what were you thinking? You were always just fooling around and grinning. Had you actually fallen for Aizawa-san? Was that why you kept hanging around her?