T/N: Thanks Thiranoyama for the espresso!

“C’mon, Rep. Sorry for telling you such a bizarre lie, however certainly you don’t must react like that? Your jaws are extensive open!”

“Huh? A-Ah, s-sorry, I—”

Nitta-san had advised us foolish jokes and made a idiot out of us, however she by no means lied to us earlier than. That was why I discovered this to be so shocking.

At a primary look, she gave the impression to be laughing at my response, teasing me like typical. However it was clear that she did not really feel the identical means inside. Identical to I believed, not lengthy after, her laughter turned to sound bitter as she let loose a deep sigh.

“Nicely, I get what you’re feeling. I don’t even know why I lied to you. Truly, I got here right here on my own for no cause in any respect. I in all probability thought that if I simply advised you guys that, you’d discover me pitiful or one thing… Nicely, not less than, because of that lie, Yuuchin didn’t have any unusual ideas about me being right here.”

“I see. Is Yuna-san nonetheless learning at house, then? Or perhaps she’s within the cram college?”

“The previous. She was nagging at me, telling me to check or one thing after I was lazing round at house, so I went exterior. Since I didn’t make any plans to exit with anybody at the moment, I couldn’t simply invite anybody to come back with me out of nowhere. And, I don’t need any of my buddies to see me loitering round if I have been to go to the standard locations, so I took the bus journey and got here right here as a substitute.”

In the long run, the 4 of us one way or the other ran into one another right here, unplanned, leaving out Nozomu, who was busy with apply, like at all times.

If Nitta-san and Amami-san weren’t having some type of drawback with one another for the time being, all 4 of us may simply hold round right here collectively like typical.

“I see… However, why are you telling me this? I don’t learn about Umi, however I utterly purchased your story. You could possibly simply not inform me the reality in any respect, ?”

Additionally, it wasn’t like she wanted to name out to me within the first place. I used to be clearly daydreaming. Hell, I didn’t even discover her till she referred to as out to me. She may simply faux that I wasn’t right here and moved on.

Listening to my query, Nitta-san answered in the identical nonchalant tone he used when she revealed the reality to me.

“I don’t know… I imply, I attempted to disregard you, however your creepy face disgusted me, so I felt like I ought to convey you to your senses.”

“…Did my face actually look that unusual?”

“Sure. I received’t be asking you what you have been fascinated about, however I can inform that it’s one thing perverted.”

“N-No remark.”

“That’s mainly admitting that I used to be proper.”

It was a foul behavior of mine to daydream every time I used to be on my own. This was one thing that I used to be painfully conscious of and usually, I’d do my greatest to stop this type of factor from occurring. However for the time being, I used to be too exhausted to try this.

Often, Umi would pinch me to convey me again to my senses every time this occurred, however… She wasn’t right here for the time being and I couldn’t see her wherever among the many crowds…

After she confirmed that her assumption was right, Nitta-san stretched her physique and plopped down on the couch subsequent to me.

“Significantly, although, what’s fallacious with me currently? Usually, I may simply work on issues to stop every thing from going this badly… Rep, that is all of your fault.”

“What? Why me?”

“As a result of it’s your fault. It’s Umi’s, Yuuchin’s and Seki’s fault too. Significantly, if you hang around with 4 stupidly trustworthy dummies for a very long time, their stupidity simply infects you want a plague.”

“I don’t learn about that…”

“That’s since you’re the largest dummy of all of them. You’re actually the gang chief himself.”

“What? No?”

Simply imagining Umi protecting a secret from me whereas doing issues behind my again made me really feel unhappy and I didn’t need her to really feel that means.

At that second, her saddened face got here into my thoughts.

Yeah, there was no means I’d let her make that type of face once more. I’d have to guard her harmless smile, it doesn’t matter what.

“…So, what are you gonna do now?”

“Sorry. Simply faux that I by no means requested.”

“Okay. Nicely, I anticipated you to say one thing like this anyway.”

It felt irritating that I couldn’t do something for her as a buddy, nevertheless it was my determination to prioritize Umi above all else. All I may do for her was to imagine in her for now.

The 5 of us ought to be there for one another… How did issues transform like this?

It wasn’t like all of us had executed one thing fallacious…

“…Don’t give me that look. Issues will return to regular in a single or two weeks time, you don’t want to fret about it. Yuuchin and I additionally wouldn’t need issues to go on like this ceaselessly.”

“For those who say so…”

“Mhm. It’s best to simply do what you usually do. Flirt along with your girlfriend with out a care on this planet. It’s irritating for me to see you want that, however that’s actually the very best factor you are able to do for now.”

“You didn’t must put it that means…”

For a second, I recalled the enjoyable time when Umi and I have been flirting in my home. However, I noticed that I shouldn’t take into consideration that for the time being, or else I’d make one other unusual face that Nitta-san may tease me about.

“Alright, I’m going house for actual this time. Midterms are coming, so why don’t we’ve one other research session? My grades are getting worse ever since we obtained into completely different lessons.”

“…Okay, let’s maintain one other research session. For all 5 of us…”

“…Sounds good to me.”

Sure. All 5 of us. Identical to at all times.

“Rep.”

“Sure?”

“You… Shouldn’t overthink this. Simply be your self and do the stuff you often do, okay?”

“Um, okay? I imply, I haven’t deliberate to do in any other case…”

“That’s nice then.”

“Are you attempting to repeat me once more?”

“Who is aware of~?”

After she tried to imitate the way in which I talked, she walked away rapidly from me.

…Nicely, I hoped that speak may assist her ease a few of her worries.

Anyway, all I may do for the second was to hope that every thing would go properly…