I was Rejected 10,000 times by My Childhood Friend, but After I Gave Up, I Suddenly Started Getting Popular? - Ch. 2 - Episode 2 p3

Karen’s Summer Vacation of Distinction

Summer vacation began.

To me, what does summer vacation mean?

I never really gave it much thought. Though, when I do, there was nothing worth mentioning in my typically-banal summers.

Occasionally, I go shopping with my friends. Other times, I go studying in the library. And sometimes, albeit infrequently, I idle at home all day.

That was a brief summary of all my summer vacations up until now, and to be honest, it had already lost its hue, tarnished its color, dulled its taste.

In the past, when the summer vacations were ending, I would console myself with the thought, “Summer vacation is going to come next year, too.” However, this year, I couldn’t take my sweet time and dilly-dally around all break.

This year’s summer vacation will be different.

I want to have a summer vacation of distinction. There will not be another one.

I know how to make it distinct. It’s just that I haven’t taken action, not yet. No, I couldn’t take action, not yet.

But I can’t just stand in place anymore.

And so, I will muster all my courage.

“All right.”

With my smartphone in hand, I tapped the fateful buttons that could alter the course of this special summer vacation, even if it’s only by a little.

“As expected, phone calls are the go-to here. Can’t be using text messages in this situation.”

Incidentally, the string phone was broken from last time, so I can’t use that anymore. Neither can I use text messages, as it progresses nothing.

“Right…I’ll just call, then…”

They say momentum is important in these types of situations.

And so, I tapped the call button without a plan. 

*pururu~ pururu~*

The mere phone rings accelerate my heartbeat. It is ridiculously embarrassing.

To prevent any escape, I tightly pressed the phone to my ear with both hands.

After a bit, the rings came to an abrupt halt.

“Hello? What’s up?”

“…?”

R-Ritsu answered…!

Oh lord. My heartbeat is progressively speeding up. My body is steadily warming up.

I-It must be the summer. Summer’s a hot time, after all.

Everything’s going to be fine. Take a deep breath and talk to him.

“Hello? Sorry to disturb you at night.”

“No problem, but… what’s up?”

“N-No, i-it’s just… um… I was just thinking about how summer vacation has already started.”

“Y-Yeah… that’s right.”

“Even though summer hasn’t technically started yet, it’s still so hot. I wonder if this is another sign of global warming.”

“W-What’s up with you all of a sudden?”

Eeeep!

N-No! This is so embarrassing! I can’t even speak!

Uuuu…. I knew I was a klutz.

But if I hang up here, I’ll be left behind. No, I’m already behind. I can’t afford to fall behind any further.

Be brave, me! If you really love Ritsu, you have to be able to do this!

I took another deep breath.

Then, I continued with what I wanted to say.

“Hey, before we go to the beach, do you want to go shopping for a swimsuit… with me?”

I said it…! I said it!!

You may mock how low my “level” is, but I’m just happy that I was able to ask him out. That’s progress. A passing grade.

After a short pause, I received a reply from Ritsu.

“Yeah. That’s cool with me.”

“Yayyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Yes! I got a date with Ritsu during summer vacation!

I’m at the peak of happiness. I even yelled “Yay!” while in this euphoric state.

Hm? What? Didn’t I just yell “Yay!” when I was still on the call with Ritsu?

In this realization, I began to break out in a cold sweat.

“Y-Yay?”

“No, i-it’s nothing!! It’s really nothing!! Forget it! Just forget it!!”

“Y-Yeah, I understand…”

Phew. I’m safe.

“Well, I’ll give you a detailed schedule after the plans for the beach trip have been finalized.”

“Alright.”

“Okay, then… Good night…”

“Good night…”

I hung up.

Immediately after, I dived into the bed and hugged the heart cushion.

I even got to say… good night to him!

On top of that, I managed to get a date with him, and I wasn’t being the “tsun” in the “tsundere” within me that Ritsu said existed. I was now able to have a normal conversation with him.

“Nghhhhhhhh!”

I squirm involuntarily. I also had a sudden urge to start screaming.

That’s how happy I was.

“Truly, this is going to be a summer vacation of distinction, isn’t it?”

I murmured that to the ceiling.

In my mind, the ceiling replied, “I’m sure it will be.”