I, the quintessential shitty loner, had been dragged to post-school karaoke by the Beautiful Girl Trio.
I’d figured I’d be safe just rattling a tambourine in the corner, but Airi was in such high spirits that she practically forced me into one duet after another, making me belt out songs I’d never even heard before.
After two hours of high-energy chaos, we finally set off for home.
"Hehe! It was so much fun singing with you today, Ryouta!"
"Maybe for you. My throat’s completely shot..."
"You were amazing, though, Ryouta. You could sing the songs perfectly after hearing them just once."
"Right, right? As expected of Ryouta!"
"R-Really?"
With Yuria and Airi heaping praise on me, the corners of my mouth inadvertently twitched upward.
"I guess? I usually fall asleep listening to ear-licking ASMR streams, so maybe that’s how I trained my ears."
"Ear-licking? What’s that, Ryouta?"
"Eh? Oh, ear-licking is—"
"Hold on, Ryouta."
Yuria shot me a chilly look.
Whoops... I’d almost let myself launch into a detailed explanation of a niche otaku fetish to the uninitiated.
"Yuria? What’s wrong all of a sudden?"
"M-More importantly, Airi! We have to turn right at this corner."
"Ah, that's right! Well then, Ryouta and Rui-chan, see you tomorrow!"
As she spoke, Airi gave a big wave, her massive chest swaying violently with the motion.
Perhaps because I was staring intently at them, Yuria gave me an exasperated look before leading Airi away.
"...It’s just the two of us now, isn't it, Ryouta-kun?"
"I guess so."
"Shall we walk home together?"
"O-Oh, sure."
With that, Rui and I, who lived in the same direction, continued our walk alone.
I had run into Rui and walked home with her once before on the way back from my date with Yuria, but this was the first time I was walking home with her at night like this.
"You know, Ryouta-kun, you seemed to be really enjoying yourself at karaoke."
"R-Really? I felt more like I was struggling to keep up with the vibe and just following Airi’s lead."
"Even so, you looked like you were having fun. Or maybe... was it because it was Airi that you enjoyed it?"
"W-What's that supposed to mean? It doesn't matter who I'm with."
"But even though you sang with Airi so many times, you didn't do a single duet with me."
Rui narrowed her eyes as she spoke, casting a moist, suggestive gaze my way.
Could it be... that Rui actually wanted to sing with me?
"After that passionate confession you gave me during the council transition... is that really all the affection you have for me, Ryouta-kun?"
"T-That wasn't a confession! I just told you I wanted to support you, Rui!"
"Fufu. You're getting so desperate, and I'm only teasing you, Ryouta-kun."
"O-Of course I am! It wasn't anything like that!"
I had said those words solely out of a desire to support her from the sidelines once she became the Student Council President.
"Besides, even if I did confess to you, you’d just laugh in my face, wouldn't you?"
"Hmm, I wonder. I might certainly be troubled by it, but..."
"But?"
"If possible, I’d like to—no, never mind. You look like the type who’d commit an act of infidelity on a whim, Ryouta-kun. Maybe I should just reject you and save myself the trouble?"
"H-Hey! Infidelity?! What the hell do you think I am?!"
"A pervert."
When she put it like that, I couldn't argue. I had way too much of a criminal record. Especially with Rui, who was constantly sending me lewd selfies.
"More importantly, Ryouta-kun, there's one more thing I wanted to ask."
"Good grief. What is it now?"
"Before we left school, you were standing still in front of your shoe locker for a while, weren't you?"
"Eh..."
I had completely forgotten about it during karaoke, but now that she mentioned it, there had been a letter in my locker.
There was no way a love letter would be meant for someone like me, so I’d assumed it was some kind of harassment from fans of Rui, Airi, or Yuria... but leave it to Rui to remember something even I’d managed to forget.
Should I tell her? No... that feels like it would only make things complicated.
"I-It was nothing. I thought I saw a bug in my locker, but when I looked closer, it was just a dust bunny."
"...Hmm."
"O-Oh, isn't that your place up ahead, Rui?"
"Yes, it is. Well then... see you later, Ryouta-kun."
Rui furrowed her brows slightly in suspicion, but she still bid me farewell.
She had a sharp nose for these things, so she likely still doubted my story. But putting Rui out of my mind for now, I needed to get home and open that letter.