I was Rejected 10,000 times by My Childhood Friend, but After I Gave Up, I Suddenly Started Getting Popular? - Ch. 0 - Prologue p5
The high school I attend has 70-minute classes, which has changed from junior high and is quite a long period of time.
Due to this change, I almost fell asleep at lunch. The announcement of lunch break was such a liberating feeling that I’ll probably grow wings at a faster rate than any energy drink would make me. In reality, it’s just my mood.
“Keru. Hurry up and go to the cafeteria or you’ll lose your seat.”
“Hold on a second. I’m reviewing the material on the board.”
“I see. I’ll wait for you then.”
The couple next to me get along very well.
Right now, I don’t feel like they’re intentionally flirting at all. However, when Otoha looked at Keru, who’s writing on the board, with the warmth of a wife, it made me think otherwise. It’s been less than a year since they’ve started dating, but it’s still kind of amazing how much time has passed.
Oops, I forgot.
Currently, I should be thinking about someone far more concerning than you two.
If it were a normal lunch break, Karen and I would go to the cafeteria together (I was her water carrier), but of course, today isn’t normal. Besides, Kaori had already disappeared with her friends, so I guess I’m eating solo today.
“Okay, I’m done. Sorry for taking so long… Huh? Aren’t you going to lunch, Ritsu?”
“I’m just trying to figure out what to do now.”
“I see… then, do you want to come to the cafeteria with us?”
“I appreciate that, but… that’s a no-go”
Indeed, lunch was a time for couples to be alone. If I intervened, my heart would probably throb from watching the scene.
Even if the boyfriend is okay with it, the girlfriend will probably be troubled.
However, with a gentle smile on her face, Otoha says to me,
“There’s no problem at all. After all, food tastes better when eaten with a large group.”
“…You’re an angel!”
“Don’t fall for my girlfriend, okay? It’s not hard to see that she’s cute.”
“H-Hey, don’t say cute so thoughtlessly.”
“Okay, okay.”
What a great couple… or rather, a secure couple. They can just nonchalantly flirt with each other like a seasoned couple. How dazzling.
I can even feel a sense of security and happiness when I watch them together.
“Well, I wouldn’t take my best friend’s girlfriend. Plus, Otoha is also a good friend.”
“…Can you not just decide that I’m your best friend?”
“I didn’t think you really had feelings for me!”
“I guess unrequited love just likes sticking around you.”
“Don’t screw around with a timely topic!”
I felt much better after having this conversation.
The fact that these two people talked to me in between classes must have made me feel much more relaxed.
I know these two are both good people.
And so, we headed towards the cafeteria.
***
At this school, the cafeteria is held in high esteem. It’s to the point where some food lovers, who just want to eat here, go out of their way to take the entrance exam to this high school.
In addition, the prices are friendly to high school students, which is a big plus.
Thanks to these reasons, the cafeteria is packed with students every day. Often, fights for seats occur.
And now, because I was a little late to lunch, the seats were occupied as far as I could see. Though, because I wasn’t called by anyone, I did manage to secure a seat through my enhanced mobility.
Thank you, Instructor Karen! Salute!
“I’ll wait here, so you two can go ahead first and get your lunch.”
“If you insist, then I’ll take you up on that.”
I’ll wait here to save our seats.
By the way, Instructor Karen had also taught about the virtue of standing by and waiting patiently.
He is the strongest when it comes to doing things that will help his fellow students in this school cafeteria.
I was looking around at the people surrounding me in a daze, and as usual, my eyes settled on Karen.
She was surrounded by about five girls. Indeed, Karen is the most beautiful girl in the school, making her also very popular.
Then, Karen’s group gradually walked closer and closer to me.
They’re looking for a seat, but… they can’t seem to find one. They had no choice but to split the group into two groups: one of three; the other of two.
Karen’s group of three advanced toward us.
When she got a little closer, I could tell that she was smiling and saying, “I don’t have a seat.” But when she saw me, she stopped talking and glared at me. That kind of change in attitude is scary. It’s like a magician instantly changing his or her clothes.
Then she stood imposingly in front of my seat. The way her form changed, the way her arms crossed, and the way her eyes stared at me from above was just like a boxing champion would. Considering her level, I think maybe she should go into professional boxing in the future.
“What, Ritsu, are you too embarrassed to eat with a bunch of people? And so you’re just trying to eat with the empty chairs?”
“If that were the case, that would be far more embarrassing.”
“Hmph. If you’re able to retort like that, then you’re here to eat with someone else. Hmph.”
Apparently, she wanted to have a long talk with me, so she told the girls with her to go on ahead.
I see. So, you’re going to beat me up one-on-one? I surrender!
“W-Well, yeah, I guess so. Thankfully, I have some friends.”
“Oh, yeah. You used to slobber and wag your tail so happily when you carried the water for me.”
“What did I even look like in your eyes!”
“A dog.”
“That’s so sad!”
Dogs weren’t even seen as… actual people, were they?
But at least I can proudly say that I’m better than a dog… I’m starting to feel empty.
“Well, it’s whatever. From now on, you’d better do your best so you don’t eat alone in the future!”
“Thanks for your concern.”
“Hmph!”
Karen followed the two girls again, pouting.
I guess that “Hmph!” is her habit now. If so, it’s one hell of a habit.
At any rate, I think it’s hitting me harder than before.
Stop thinking about it! Ritsu-kun, your life is zero!
But I would think that Karen would attack me even if my life is down to zero.
It’s horrible.
As I was shaking from thinking about it, I saw Keru and Otoha looking at me with concern.
Well, I’m glad I was able to avoid eating alone now.
Really, thank God for the two of them.
[TL Note: omg, i released]
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BakaSID
I don’t like the idea of him shrinking in front of her i think i will gradually drop it halfway throughout 💀
dmnttt
What a Karen
RailgunLvl5
Lmfao i find this comments thread is more interesting than the chapter instead. Lolol.
Astoria
Sigh japenese mcs are so ass.
ryuen
wimp mc…be a man bro…you cut ties with her .. now don’t go crying or whining..
TheDeathmail
Dude loved her for his entire life. Of course he’s going to be sad. Any human being would be sad….
And there is nothing wrong with crying… in fact, that’s a human emotion…. you’re just being toxic….
Anonymous
MC is such dense beta mother fucker, poor Karen ………..
Anonymous
Are you kidding? I hate the whole “I am embarrassed so I treat him like trash”. The only things Karen deserves are cats.
TheDeathmail
It’s not embarrassment, it was the fact that he was always annoying… it’s like the super annoying little sibling that always follows you around…. it’s annoying when it happens, but when it’s gone, you miss it.
The girl was never given enough space to ever notice her own feelings…
He was also at fault. He literally harassed her with confessions to the point that she couldn’t even realize her feelings.
But, he started all of this as a child… so he himself didn’t know better.
It’s literally a tragedy for both sides.
Normal MCs don’t get the girl cause they don’t confess…. but this dude went the complete opposite end of the spectrum.
I mean, I doubt any girl in her shoes would have accepted his feelings. Like, if they were never confessed to, they’d want that…. but it’s something only obvious from the outside….
Anonymous
Fmc who rejected poor guy for 10000 times …..and even now doesnt clear the misunderstanding
TheDeathmail
What misunderstanding??? She’s in a situation similar to a sibling that has an annoying younger sibling that always clung to them their entire life finally being separated from them. She finally has freedom….. but then also starts to learn how important they actually were…
The only issue is that, unlike with family relationships, romantic relationships can be lost more easily if they aren’t hooked on… and she never did…
Most MCs don’t confess and have issues… not being aggressive enough… he was the complete opposite, being way too aggressive for her to notice her feelings.
AnosVoldi
Dense? TF? I’m sure you can’t even confess to your crush, and you say he’s dense? Poor Karen? Are you so stupid as to think that someone would love an ugly man even after 10000 timeth of confession? What planet did you come from that an average person was able to get a beautiful girl? What galaxy? What universe?
TheDeathmail
Dude, it has nothing to do with him being ugly. It was basically that his devotion was disguised as kinda harassment… think about it. Imagine, being a little girl, somebody confesses to you, but you reject them… but then they keep on bothering you again and again and again….
It’s going to get irritating at some point….
And you’d notice the irritation first. People always do that.
People with over loving parents/siblings also act the exact same way…
It wasn’t that he didn’t capture her heart…. but he kept on smacking her face that she never noticed.
Astoria
Bruh. Die.
TheDeathmail
No, it’s not that he’s beta… he’s the opposite… he was just too aggressive…. he gave her no space to realize her feelings.
Like how you don’t realize how much you’d miss your over loving mother, or how you’d be irritated by your annoying younger siblings always clinging to you, but once you don’t see them for a while, you miss them…
Most MCs aren’t aggressive enough, he was way too aggressive….
Meganekko-chan♡
Thanks for the chap~ I think Karen’s getting more obnoxious lmao
TheDeathmail
It’s not her fault. Think about it from her perspective. He was annoying her so often that it distracted her from her feelings.
From the outside, WE can see what she had and lost…. but we are given it from the easiest to understand perspective.
It’s like how people take their parents/siblings/grandparents for granted until they’re dead….
Of course it could be worse. Like, sure, she’d notice her feelings now that he moved on…..
But she’d feel a million times worse if she only noticed them cause he was dead…. of course, I doubt she’d realize that either….
_____________
If you think about it, she’s kinda tragic. Most heroines have issues getting with the MC cause the MCs never confess…. but she had issues understanding her feelings cause he confessed way too much.
Like, imagine if she wasn’t confessed to this much and was given actual space to process her feelings without him irritating her…
Like how you’d hate your annoying younger brother before you leave for college and then miss the brats after being away from them for a while….
Love this novel
I think this is the fastest release you’ve ever done TL san. Thank you very much for your hard work.
Sen_Tobi
You sure ain’t mincing your words!