Ch. 1 - Episode 1 p5 - The Sympathy of Two in a Mistake of Youth

<b>The Sympathy of Two in a Mistake of Youth</b>

“Kyu, you suddenly shouted… why?”

“No, you see, anyone who is confronted with such an idiotic heroine will have the urge to scream.”

“R-Really…?”

Shirahata-san accepted with a slight drawl.

[ED: Drawl means to speak in a slow or lazy manner, specifically with prolonged vowel sounds.]

It’s me who wants to pull it off. Or rather, I pulled it off before I even had the desire to do so.

For now, as a man here… and as someone who has been subjected to numerous outrageous confessions… I need to have a focused discussion with Shirahata-san.

Meeting, start.

“I know it’s not my place to say this, but I think Shirahata-san’s view of love has taken a bit of a turn for the worse.”

“Eh, really?”

“Geez, you’re not even aware of it…”

On the other hand, if she was aware of this and she still did this type of thing, then this story’s romantic comedy genre would collapse and become one with crazy heroines in a cage.

Well, this is already a hell of a romantic comedy, that’s for sure…

“Then I’ll ask you a question, do you think you’d like to hold hands with me or something?”

“No, I don’t want to.”

“…If you say it that directly, it makes me rather hurt…but anyways, becoming a lover is definitely a benefit, but the benefit isn’t that kind of lovelessness; it’s the fact that you’ll have someone whom you can honestly convey your feelings to through actions like holding hands.”

“R-Really…?”

Looking back on it, saying that was so embarrassing! I’m aware I said that of my own accord, but now’s not the time to think about it. Yes, the black history of now will be thrown to my future self.

Shirahata-san seemed to be having an internal war in her brain between her own view of love and the general view of love that I taught her about, as she let out a “Hmm”.

I’m sending relief supplies (in words) so that the general view of love can prevail.

“So, I don’t think you should just confess to someone to take advantage of them. If you want to confess properly, you should confess to the person you love.”

“…I see… I didn’t understand the concept of love at all. I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble. I don’t even like Kaminoki-san…”

Did you really have to say that last part? Please stop hurting me unintentionally, okay?

I think I just did a pretty good job of explaining to her, her response really hurt… I want to sleep in for two days now.

Shirahata-san is far too straightforward, but I’ll accept that this is inevitable due to her personality. Acceptance is important for humans. I’m going to be enlightened someday.

“Well, don’t worry about it too much. So, I want to talk to you about the most important thing…”

“What’s so important…?”

She looked puzzled, as if she had no idea what was going on.

Well, I guess she hasn’t realized that she’s been saying and doing a lot of crazy things.

However, as that person’s “childhood friend,” I wanted to ask her something.

“Shirahata-san is… perhaps a competitive person?”

“Yes, of course.”

I see. So this is the root of all evil…

I never thought… that the most beautiful girl in the school would be such a sore loser…

It’s actually an unparalleled, overly pure defeatism… It’s horrible.

Though, the purity of it is quite outrageous.

Well, that’s where I kind of feel the same part of you.

“So… Karen is quite the rival for you… right?”.

“That’s right. I really don’t like the fact that I keep losing to Momiji-san. Just remembering that I lost… makes my reason collapse and several screws in my head go flying.”

Don’t worry, it’s already screwed up or bent in ways that no normal person can imagine.

I’ll keep that retort in my mind only.

“You know, this is going to sound really rude and over the top, but… if you really don’t want to lose, why don’t you do something to improve yourself?”

“… I know, right…”

“I think it’s wrong for me to say this, but I think it’s… wrong for you to go out with me to try to outdo Karen. I’m aware that I’ve confessed to Karen 10,000 times, and I’ve made a lot of mistakes, so it’s not my place to say this.”

It really isn’t.

I’ve made more mistakes than her. But I’m aware of it now. Though, it’s really too late to realize it.

I know it’s really not something I can say, but seeing Shirahata-san, who had a crooked view of love as I once did, I couldn’t help but say it.

“Yes… you’re right. I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s nothing to worry about.”

She did care, though, right?

However, I think Shirahata-san, who was able to understand me so quickly, would’ve been fine with her crooked view of love and her overly competitive nature. It’s just that there was no one to point it out to her until now.

Really, I’m kind of on top of things today, and I think it’s annoying me.

After all, it was me who was getting hurt… The enemy is among my friends! Or rather, myself!

“Yes… from now on I will make an effort to defeat Momiji-san.”

“I see. I’ll be rooting for you behind your back.”

“Yes! Thank you very much! Thank you so much for all your advice!”

…Well, that was a good talk.

I mean, Shirahata-san understood that quickly. I think she’s just that pure.

And this action was also born out of such purity. I don’t blame myself for explaining to her.

… I feel like a good guy.

… I can’t just say that to myself; I’m not a likable protagonist?

Stop messing with me!

The “taking pity on me” campaign is underway.

“Well, I’d better get going.”

I say and stand.

Encounters aren’t always so easy to come by, are they?

Well, I’m not going to be in a hurry to find one.

When I made up my mind, I was grabbed by the sleeve of my uniform and held back.

“I know that this is… a very heavy request, but…”

When I looked back at Shirahata-san, she had unusually reddened cheeks and was clearly embarrassed.

Of course I thought she was cute, but I couldn’t believe that she was still a heroine after her “confession”.

Shirahata-san yelled emphatically.

“Will you teach me how to love!!!”

A strange encounter seems to have rolled right under my feet…

(TL: another cliffhanger… )