Living with the Arrogant Queen from High School is Surprisingly Not Uncomfortable

“Akari, have you decided on your career path?”

“Yeah, I might become a bride. How about you, Megu?”

“Hmm, well if I follow my parents’ wishes, I guess it’ll be university, but honestly, I don’t want to.”

“I see. It’s tough when your parents’ expectations weigh you down. I get it. My parents told me just yesterday, ‘Akari, when you come home, first you must gargle and wash your hands.'”

“You should definitely do that.”

Break time.

Laughter could be heard from a corner of the classroom. The ones talking were Hayashi and Kasahara, who have become quite close. I have thought about this many times, but since we became classmates in the second year of high school, those two have always been close. Even I, who wasn’t particularly close to either of them, could recognize that.

In the first seating arrangement of the year, my seat ended up being near Hayashi’s, but since then, our seats were almost never close. Miraculously, our seats were almost always diagonally opposite. I thought it was a very convenient seating arrangement back then. It meant I didn’t have to worry about getting unnecessary stares or angry outbursts from Hayashi.

However, the sight of the two of them chatting during every break, even from such a distant seat, often caught the corner of my eye.

But that day… the day after Kasahara was rejected by her senior, Sekine, I think I was consciously watching her more than usual.

Kasahara, chatting with Hayashi, was always smiling, speaking in a calm tone, and had a gentle demeanor. Today, too, she was talking with Hayashi in the same way.

Even after what happened after school yesterday, Kasahara was living her life as usual.

Yesterday, after Kasahara told me she had been rejected, we didn’t exchange any meaningful words. I didn’t know what to say to her, and when I saw her strong, seemingly unaffected face, I didn’t feel like offering any words of encouragement or consolation. Well, I was even more twisted back then, and I probably wouldn’t have said anything even if I wasn’t…

Anyway, at that time, I was sure that even though I had stumbled upon such a scene, there was no way my relationship with Kasahara would deepen any further.

The turning point came after school that day.

On days when I wasn’t on garbage disposal duty, I was always one of the first to leave the classroom. At the time, I was into weight training, and I used the money I got from my parents to go to the gym after school. I would work up a good sweat and then head home. That was the usual flow. I didn’t join any clubs, because I wasn’t good at group activities.

That day, too, I had a good workout and was on my way home.

The gym I used to go to was closer to school than to my house. To get home from the gym, I had to take a train for about three stations.

When I arrived at the station, I waited for the next train. In the countryside, it’s not uncommon for trains to come every thirty minutes, and because of bad timing, I ended up having to kill some time at the station.

The voice echoes well at a rural station at night. There are no people, and there are hardly any buildings to obstruct the sound, so it’s only natural.

I was killing time by playing with my smartphone, but when I heard a familiar voice from the direction of the ticket gate, I looked up.

“See you.”

“Yeah, see you.”

On the other side of the gate, at the entrance of the station, were a few familiar faces. Among them were Hayashi, Kasahara, and about three other girls. Kasahara was waving goodbye to the group, including Hayashi. It seemed that out of that group, Kasahara was the only one who commuted by train.

The group, including Hayashi, was smiling and waving back at Kasahara. After their voices faded in the distance, Kasahara passed through the ticket gate.

To get from the ticket gate to the platform, you had to cross an overpass. That’s why I could see the group huddled in front of the gate from my platform, but I was so absent-mindedly watching Kasahara that our eyes met when she passed the gate.

Oh, no.

I didn’t know why it was ‘oh no’.

But I felt so uncomfortable that I looked back down at my smartphone.

Has Kasahara already crossed the overpass and arrived at the platform?

I didn’t check, nor did I feel like it. I just hoped she didn’t think I was weird.

“You’re going home late, huh?”

“Ah!”

A voice came from next to me, who was engrossed in looking at my phone, causing me to let out a strange scream. My smartphone slipped out of my hand.

“Whoa… Ah, good. It looks like the screen is okay.”

Kasahara, who indirectly caused me to drop my phone and then picked it up for me, handed my phone back with a smile.

“Thank you.”

I honestly thanked her. Normally, I can only say sarcastic things, but I’m not so corrupted that I can’t even express gratitude.

“I’m sorry for the surprise.”

“No, I don’t mind.”

There was silence for a while. Honestly, it was awkward.

I was wondering. Why on earth was Kasahara talking to me now?

… Ah, because she saw me looking at her after she passed the ticket gate.

“I’m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable.”

I apologized. I assumed the reason Kasahara came here was to reprimand me.

“Eh?”

However, it seemed I was wrong.

We were silent for a while again, looking at each other.

“…Um, I was just thinking maybe you could keep me company until the train comes?”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. …Were you bothered?”

“Not really.”

“I see. Not really, huh?”

… If people see her talking to someone as low on the social ladder as me, her reputation could plummet. Such a trivial conversation is possible. Not wanting to create unnecessary resentment, I showed a rejection reaction, but Kasahara didn’t seem to mind. I thought she shouldn’t have asked at the time.

“So, why were you here so late?”

“I was at the gym.”

“Oh, the gym next to the Pablo café?”

“That’s the one.”

“Wow, Yamamoto-kun, you’re into sports?”

“Not really. I’ve just been into weight training recently.”

“Wow, can I touch your biceps?”

“…Huh?”

“Oh, did you not like that?”

“No way. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I’ve been waiting for this moment to satisfy my desire for recognition, to be touched by someone else.”

The reason I, who have few friends, got into weight training. It’s for self-improvement, but more than anything, it’s not an exaggeration to say it’s to satisfy a somewhat contradictory desire for recognition. I often thought about it while posing in front of the mirror in my room.

Someone, praise me!!!

“Wow, it’s hard, so hard!”

Kasahara happily commented as she touched my right bicep. It’s irresistible how my inner self feels surprisingly fulfilled when I get such reactions.

“…Thank you, Kasahara.”

“Eh, for what?”

“My family says that I’m stubborn and that doing something like weight training is toxic to my body.”

Well, in essence, they can see that it will lead to overwork, so they’re telling me to stop.

“You’re about the only one. The only one who praised my muscles, not finding them gross.”

“I see. So I’m the first one for you, Yamamoto-kun.”

“It sounds like you’re misunderstanding something, but you’re not wrong.”

Kasahara laughed. Ahaha.

　After a while, I felt a sense of discomfort with Kasahara’s attitude again. Despite being rejected by the person she had feelings for yesterday, she’s not showing any signs of heartbreak, be it at school, casual chats with the guys just now, and now.

“…You’re pretty strong, aren’t you?”

“Am I?”

“After yesterday… I mean, after what happened, I’m surprised you can smile so much.”

Thinking that my comment lacked a bit of delicacy, I hesitated in the middle of my sentence. No matter how unphased Kasahara seemed about yesterday’s incident, it doesn’t mean she wants it brought up again.

“I’m sorry. I asked a weird question. Forget it.”

“No, it’s okay… It was shocking, but I can’t dwell on it forever, can I?”

“…Yeah, that’s true.”

Is that where Kasahara’s strength lies?

“…But you know, I haven’t told anyone else yet.”

“Eh?”

“You’re the only one who knows about yesterday.”

Kasahara was smiling enchantingly.

“…Honestly, it’s a bit hard to tell everyone. They’ll worry unnecessarily, right? I can even imagine them seeing Senpai Sekine as an enemy.”

“…Yeah, I guess so.”

“So… Yamamoto-kun, if you don’t mind… could you comfort me for a while?”

“Eh, no.”

Why do I, who have nothing to do with it, have to do such a thing?

I inadvertently let out a word of denial.

The one who burst out laughing was Kasahara.

“That’s cruel! It’s just a little thing.”

“No, it’s troublesome.”

“Eh… Yamamoto-kun is so mean. You won’t be popular with girls like that, you know?”

“Well, I’m not really looking to be popular.”

“…I see. Hehe.”

Kasahara laughed again. It didn’t look like a bitter smile. I didn’t know what tickled her, but it seemed like she was holding back a burst of laughter.

“…Yamamoto-kun, do you always go home at this time?”

“Pretty much.”

“I see.”

Just then, an announcement came over the station’s PA system, announcing the arrival of a train.

“Then, I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow.”

“…Even if you say you’re waiting on your own…”

“Do you mind?”

“What?”

“If you’re late from this time. Then, I’ll just be waiting at the platform. Maybe even until the next morning.”

“That’s a bigger power play than I thought. …Fine, do as you please.”

“Yay!”

Whether it was for consolation or some other emotion, I don’t know.

But from that day on, Kasahara really did start going home with me.