Ore wo Suki nano wa Omae dake ka yo - Chapter 3 Part 2

Chapter 3 Part 2

 

On my way back to the classroom, a demon in a ponytail was walking right next to me.

 

“I told you I’m harmless! You don’t need to follow me this closely!”

“Then, you don’t need to mind me. If I find out that you are innocent, that’ll be the end of this story!”

 

I glared at her, but nothing happened. Asunaro didn’t drop her smile as she kept on walking beside me.

 

D*mmit… I guess I should stop complaining. I was just wasting my breath.

 

Anyway, all I needed to do was to avoid a situation where I could be misunderstood by her.

 

For me, the most dangerous place to be in would be the classroom, where Himawari was at and the library, where Pansy was at.

 

And soon, I’d arrive at the classroom. I should try to come up with a countermeasure against those two girls so that I could go through this safely…

 

“Heya! I’ve been waiting for you, Joro-kun!”

 

Ah, a wild Cosmos appeared! What will Joro do?

 

[Fight             Bag]

[Joromon        Run]

 

>Run

>Run

>Run

 

“Hey, where are you going? I’m the student council president, you know? Do you think it’s appropriate to ignore me like that?”

 

Can’t escape! (T/N: If you haven’t figured it out already, this is a Pokemon reference. The game.)

 

“W-What is it, Prez?”

 

The student council president herself visited my classroom. It couldn’t be any more romcom-esque than this!

How could she still have that girly smile on her face after seeing my twitchy smile?!

 

“Now, things are getting interesting, aren’t they?”

 

Standing right next to her was the ponytailed demon with a red pen in her hand. She took out a piece of paper, all ready to record everything. 

 

“Ta-dah! Look at this!”

 

Cosmos said that in an unusually high-pitched voice that sounded nothing like her usual self. She held out a piece of paper from her note and showed it to me.

 

My name, Himawari’s, Cosmos’ and some girl I didn’t know were written on it.

 

What the hell was this?

 

“You were chosen as the male dancer for the Kabuten! So, clear up your schedule after school! We’ll be practicing the dance starting today!”

“…What?”

 

I’ve already explained about Kabuten, but let me do it again. 

 

Kabuten was a very popular event in which three girls got to dance with a boy as their partner. That was the rough explanation I gave you guys the other day, right? Alright, now I’ll add some details to that explanation.

 

In our school, there was a legend about it.

 

It said, the boy who was chosen to be a part of it, would definitely marry one of the girls he danced with.

 

In fact, last year and the year before that, all the boys who were chosen got into a good relationship with one of the girls they danced with. I heard that some of the graduates even got married to their Kabuten partner.

 

Well, of course there were years when this didn’t happen, that was why I wouldn’t bet my money on it happening to me, but, to young boys who were trying to get a girlfriend, this would be an event that they wouldn’t want to miss. That was why the event got so popular among the student body.

 

As for how you’d get chosen, they had different criterias to fulfill for both boys and girls. The method they used were also quite unique.

 

They limited the participants number because everyone wanted to join in for the fun and if they just accepted everyone, then it’d be a nightmare to organize the event.

 

For the girls, they’d be chosen by voting. 

 

All the students in the school would vote for a girl they wanted to see in the event and three girls with highest votes would be chosen as participants. In a sense, it was similar to a beauty contest.

 

But, that didn’t mean the other girls wouldn’t have a chance to participate.

 

For example, last year, the ones who got the first and second highest vote were Cosmos and Himawari respectively… And they refused to participate in the event.

 

The reason being, Cosmos was busy with her duty as the vice president of the student council and Himawari was busy with her club. Because of this, the fourth and fifth most voted girls were chosen as their substitutes.

 

And so, last year, the girls who participated in Kabuten were the third, fourth and fifth most voted girls. As I recall, they would go on this way until they reached the tenth most voted girl. If they still couldn’t find enough participants up until that point, then they would nominate them instead.

 

As for the boy participant, they decided it by lottery.

 

There was a deeper reason for it.

 

In fact, the boy’s participant used to be decided by vote, but an incident happened.

 

To put it in perspective, the Kabuten was a perfect opportunity for the boys to get a girlfriend.

 

And so, one day, they started a blood-soaked crusade to be in that spot.

 

Some of them tried all sorts of dirty tricks to get the votes for themselves. Some of them targeted the one who got voted and and injured them so that they wouldn’t be able to participate. Because of this, they changed the system to a lottery, so there wouldn’t be that big of a riot even if they didn’t get chosen.

 

The new system was like a dream came true to all the unpopular boys. In fact, I would be delighted to be chosen if the talk I had with Asunaro didn’t happen. I mean, an opportunity like this wouldn’t come often for a mob like me.

 

Too bad it happened at the worst time possible! I swear I almost yelled at the heavens for doing this to me!

However! Even though I was a mob, I wouldn’t fall into despair! I would face whatever the heavens threw at me courageously!

Remember what I had just explained? The girls could refuse to participate if they didn’t want to, so could the boy! And that would be my next course of action! The best plan to get out of this situation while avoiding the possible romcom cliches!

 

If a mob was chosen, then it was his duty to reject it and leave everything to the protagonist! 

 

“Um, sorry, Prez, but… Can I withdraw my participation for the Kabuten?”

“Eh?! But, you can’t! It’s already set in stone! Besides, didn’t you tell me back in the student council room that you’d dyuuu anything fow me~”

I certainly did not say it the way she said it! 

 

“Hmm I see… Anything, huh? That’s a good line to make a girl fall in love with you…”

 

No, I had no such intention! I said that because I wanted to make up with her and nothing more!

 

So, stop writing in your note already!

“D-Do you really hate the idea of dancing together with me? Even though I’m looking forward to it…”

 

Yes! Because if I were to do that while Asunaro was still around, she’d misunderstand my intention again!

Can someone please, swap places with me. Cosmos started tearing up. I can’t…

 

“I was about to refuse and focus on tending to my council duties again this year, but as soon as I heard that you were chosen, I changed my mind, you know…?”

“No, I’m just joking! It’s a joke! Of course I’d participate!”

“I see! So you were joking! Jeez, you gave me quite a scare, Joro-kun!”

 

I succumbed eventually. There was no other choice than that in this situation…

 

“Oh, by the way, if you are worried about the legend involving the Kabuten, you don’t need to worry. According to my research, only 30% of the chosen couples ended up marrying each other.”

Oh, that was great information to say while Asunaro was still here.

 

She could take it as Cosmos trying to deny her affection to me in a roundabout way.

 

“That’s why, let’s do our best together! If we end up dating after all… L-Let’s do our best then too…”

 

Why did you feel the need to say that?! I knew that you were joking, but what would this ponytailed devil think?!

 

I legitimately thought I could count on you, yet you…

 

“Uff!”

“If you’re going to participate, then, I’ll do it too, Joro!”

 

HIMAWARIII! Why did you hug me from behind so suddenly like that?! Asunaro was still here!

 

“Oh my, after the Prez, it’s Himawari next, huh, Joro? What a sinful man, you are.”

 

Asunaro’s red pen burned bright red! Its loud roar told her to grab the scoop! 

 

If I didn’t do something, I’d end up erupting to the heat end! I had to avoid any physical contact— (T/N:G Gundam reference. It’s the God Finger chant.)

 

“Ah, Joro-kun, your phone fell off.”

 

With a slightly annoyed smile, Cosmos pointed that out to me.

 

Nice happy little accident! My phone fell off my pocket because of the impact I received from Himawari’s hug. Alright, time to use it as an excuse so she could get off of me!

“Really? Oi, Himawari, get off, I’m going to get my—”

“Ah, I’ll pick it up for you.”

 

Oi! I didn’t need the help! At this rate, Himawari would be…

 

“T-That’s…”

 

What happened?! Why did Cosmos start blushing as soon as she touched my phone?!

 

I didn’t have a not safe for work picture on my lockscreen didn’t I? I’ve deleted everything clean!

 

“J-Joro-kun, you’re still using this…?”

 

Cosmos asked me with a look mixed with confusion and happiness.

 

What was wrong with me using the phone? …Wait! Aaaaah!

 

“What’s wrong, Cosmos-san?”

 

Himawari! It was great that you got off of my back, but you shouldn’t ask her that question!

 

“T-This is…”

 

Stop! Wipe that happy expression on your face! STOOOOPP!

 

“This phone case was something that I gifted him a long time ago. I didn’t think that he’d still be using it after everything that happened…”

 

She didn’t stop! She was unstoppable! Look at her happy face!

 

The happy little accident turned into a sad little accident!

 

I had no particular reason to keep using it! My mom raised me to not let things go to waste! That was all!

 

“Ah, sorry! I stared at it for too long, didn’t I? Here’s your phone, Joro-kun.”

“…Thank you very much.”

“…You’re welcome.”

 

The atmosphere turned bittersweet! But deep inside I was crying!

 

“Hmm~ So the Prez gifted something to Joro, huh?”

 

Jeez! Why the hell the romcom cliches kept on coming?! 

 

The heavens weren’t trying to troll me, right?! No, they definitely were! D*mmit!

 

“Anyway, that’s all, so see you later! Hehe, I’m looking forward to it~”

 

Why did you feel the need to say that last part of the sentence? 

 

Oi, what was with that blush in your face?! Couldn’t you just walk away normally?!

 

“You know, if we follow the legend, our relationship would become even more special, Joro! Ehehe!”

 

Himawari! You need to clarify that our relationship was nothing more than childhood friends! This devil would definitely misunderstand your words! You were just adding nitroglycerin on fire! (T/N: Nitroglycerin will explode as soon as it makes contact with fire.)

 

“Just by following you for a short time already made me even more convinced to release that article, Joro. Or else, why would the Prez look forward to dancing with you? And apparently you’re already in a relationship with Himawari…”

 

Was this what they call the ‘period of popularity’ that would only come once in a lifetime?

 

Well, I’ve already had enough of it, so could someone please end it quickly…?

 

*   *   *

 

First period, Modern Japanese. I couldn’t hear what the teacher was talking about, too busy thinking.

 

…Seriously, this was bad.

 

In comparison to the previous time, this time, my problem was much worse.

 

The previous problem only affected my reputation inside the school, but not this time.

 

If she were to publish that article during the Hyakka Festival, the students’ parents would get to read it, including mine.

 

The damage that would be done to my reputation would spread outside the school.

 

Worse came to worst, the PTA would be involved and they would trouble my parents for it…(T/N: Parent-Teacher Association.)

 

And, although I doubted this would happen, there was a possibility that my relationship with Sun-chan would deteriorate again if he were to read that article.

 

We just made up with each other, I didn’t want our relationship to become strained again.

 

I had to come up with a way to prevent Asunaro from publishing that article.

 

But, I couldn’t take an immediate action at this stage. I had to understand my current situation first.

 

Let’s begin by analyzing my relationship with the three girls.

 

From there, I should be able to figure out something. Alright, thinking time, start!

 

First: My relationship with Himawari.

 

Himawari was a childhood friend of mine. She had a special talent, which was being a natural b*tch.

 

Just because we knew each other for a long time, she always acted unnecessarily close to me and gave me hugs without warnings. On top of that, because she was cute, people kept looking at us with jealousy.

 

Normally, I could just brush her actions using the fact that we were childhood friends as an excuse, but that wouldn’t cut it in the current situation.

 

If Asunaro were to see her hugging me out in the open, she’d misunderstand and think that we were in some kind of a special relationship or something.

 

That meant I was screwed.

 

Second: My relationship with Cosmos.

 

She was my senpai and we used to talk to each other a lot because I used to be a member of the student council. Now that I wasn’t a member anymore, I thought that we’d talk to each other less, but that wasn’t the case at all.

 

It was because of my sudden participation in the Kabuten.

 

My problem with her was that she tends to go overboard..

 

Back when we were studying for the midterms, she’d make us some onigiris and called them snacks.

 

I wouldn’t be surprised if she were to do a similar thing later.

 

If Asunaro were to see her doing something like that, she’d misunderstand and think that I was trying to take advantage of her.

 

That meant I was screwed.

 

Third: My relationship with Pansy.

 

Did I even need to to think about her… Huh? I got an email…

 

[But we promised each other’s future.]

[That means I’m screwed.]

 

Done, I replied to her text. Now, I’d appreciate it if she didn’t use her mind reading power on me.

 

Anyway, the first period was almost over and I hadn’t got a clue on what to do.

 

Should I explain the situation to everyone and ask for their help?

 

…No. I wasn’t Sun-chan, but asking for the girls’ help would be lame of me.

 

Besides, Asunaro promised me that if she couldn’t prove my three-timing, she wouldn’t publish the article at all. That meant, all I had to do was to do nothing!

 

Himawari. Cosmos. Pansy. Fear not!

I wouldn’t do something pathetic like troubling you guys!

 

TL: Iyo

ED: Iyo

 

 

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