Chapter 8.1

How to Keep Distance from a Beautiful Girl

“That Guy is a First for Me” #

“… Mmm.”

Without any warning, I woke up. Well, I was sleeping, so even if there was a trigger, I wouldn’t have noticed it. I sat up and looked around the room.

The clock showed that it was two in the morning.

Next to me, Kyoma was sleeping soundly with surprisingly good posture.

It kind of annoyed me.

“Phew…”

I was probably nervous. How would I give that thing to Rika tomorrow? What should I say? Maybe I was thinking about that kind of thing when I fell asleep.

I got out of bed and grabbed my wallet. I put the key card in my pocket and left the room. The brightness of the hallway made me dizzy.

For now, I felt like I wanted to go somewhere else. If I was found out, well, then it would be what it would be.

Naturally, it was quiet around here. As I went down the stairs, I felt the presence of a teacher on guard in the lobby.

I chose a route that couldn’t be seen from the lobby and walked to the glass-enclosed break room. I sat down on a random chair and took a deep breath.

I’ll relax until I get sleepy.

“Hey, you!”

Just as I thought that, a shout came, and someone walked towards me from the lobby. It was Takeda, a middle-aged teacher with a good build and a tough face.

“What are you doing? Don’t go out at night!”

Takeda glared at me and gave me a perfectly proper warning.

That was fast, the time limit. Well, I was prepared for it.

By the way, I owe Takeda a couple of times for letting me use his name without permission. Both times were as summon beasts to help Rika.

I appreciate it. Thank you.

“Now, hurry back to your room–”

Just as I resigned myself and stood up, that’s when it happened.

“Oh, Takeda-sensei”

A cool voice came from the entrance.

It was Okitsu, the vice president of the student council, with a look of apology on his face.

“Oh, Okitsu.”

“I’m sorry. I invited him. I was thirsty, so I asked him to come with me.”

Okitsu’s tone was quite different from what I knew. Maybe it was something you could call “out of character”. It was slightly unsettling.

“I see.”

“Yes. I’ll be back soon after I just have a drink.”

“Don’t make a fuss.”

“Yes, of course.”

When Okitsu said that, Takeda quickly calmed down and returned to the lobby.

Hey, there’s a big difference in treatment here.

“Well then.”

Okitsu came and sat down next to me as if it were natural.

What’s with the “well then”?

“I have a lot of questions to ask you.”

“Summarize them.”

“Why did you help me? And why did you come here? Also, why did Takeda back off?”

“I didn’t help you. I had no choice but to involve you to save myself.”

“Well, that’s true.”

Okitsu had completely returned to his usual self by now.

However, in his flat and frank way of speaking, there was a slightly damp tone.

“I really was thirsty. I was surprised to see Kusaba. As for why I was let off the hook, well, it’s just my usual behavior.”

I see. A simple reason.

I’m a summoner, but this guy must be a beast tamer.

“Thanks to that, breaking the rules is easy.”

“You’re a bad guy.”

“Rules are usually meant to keep danger at bay. As long as the goal is achieved, rules are just a means to an end.”

“Well, I understand what you’re saying, but–”

He’s surprisingly flexible.

It might be a strange way to put it, but I thought he was a more serious guy.

“Of course, I’ll obey dangerous rules. But taking a break here isn’t really a big violation of the rules, is it?”

“…I guess not.”

“Then, Okitsu and I bought cola from the vending machine nearby.”

It was different from the vending machines in Japan, but Okitsu easily mastered it.

“By the way, you asked me three questions earlier.”

“Huh?”

Okitsu’s ominous words made me freeze with the can still in my mouth.

“Then I’ll ask you the same number of questions.”

“…”

“Are you dating Tachibana Rika? Is she the reason why your impression changed from last year? Should you keep your relationship with her a secret?”

Maybe I underestimated Okitsu.

He was the one who brought Suzumi into the student council.

I was completely caught off guard by his cute weakness.

“…All of them are yes. Damn it…”

“I see.”

If I knew this was going to happen, I should have stayed quiet in my room…

“How did you find out?”

“It’s not a big deal. I just happened to see you two holding hands while parasailing.”

“What…really?”

Despite being so high up and far from the land…

“Don’t worry. I didn’t recognize you from your faces. It wasn’t a discernible distance.”

“Then why?”

“Chitose was…”

Okitsu started to say something but stopped suddenly.

Then, for some reason, he made a self-deprecating smile and said in a resigned tone.

“Chitose was watching.”

“Suzumi?”

“Yeah. She was looking up from a bench near the beach. So it was either Hinata Saetsuki or Tachibana Rika flying. And I can tell by the color of their hair.”

“What…is that true?”

This can’t be real…

Suzumi was alone on the land at that time, though.

“I knew you were holding hands. You’re the only one who could be a potential partner. When I thought about it, everything made sense. But it’s only fair to confirm it with the person themselves, right?”

“…Saetsuki?”

Yes, I give up.

So in the end, is the student council complete now…?

“Are you keeping it a secret?”

“No…it’s not like that.”

“You’re hesitant to let it be known?”

“That’s about right. But it’s not like you have any obligation to cooperate with us, so if you want to spread it, go ahead.”

“I see…well, there’s no particular reason to do so.”

Saying that, Okitsu gulped down his cola and the can was effortlessly sucked into the trash bin. This guy is quietly amazing.

“…About Suzumi.”

I wanted to change the subject, so I brought it up.

But Okitsu’s shoulders shook unexpectedly and he reacted much more than before.

What’s with his expression and all?

“Is he always like that in the student council?”

“…Like what?”

“Well, you know, aloof and mysterious…”

Scary, I should say.

But I decided not to say that.

“…Yeah. And a little scary.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing, it’s nothing…”

It seems like he was okay with saying it after all.

But still, even Okitsu finds Suzumi scary.

With a suspicious look on his face, Okitsu continued.

“He’s an excellent guy. To be honest, he was the first person I thought I couldn’t beat.”

“That’s…quite something.”

It’s quite a thing to say.

But wasn’t Okitsu’s grades better than Suzumi’s?

“…But when he’s with you guys, he seems to be having more fun than he does with the student council. I’m a little jealous of that.”

“Huh…?”

At that strange voice, I looked at Okitsu next to me, but he was still facing forward, expressionless.

“Hey, Kusaba.”

“…What?”

“…I respect you. For properly capturing the girl you like.”

“Wha…what?”

After that, Okitsu didn’t say anything else.

As we were leaving, the can I threw bounced off the edge of the trash bin and fell to the ground.