Chapter 48

『Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh』

「Andou! You, are you seriously friends with Asakura-san?!」

「We boys, made a silent agreement that we wouldn’t get close to Asakura-san since she’s a lady way beyond our league, unlike that harebrained Yamada. Yet, you dared to get closer to her by taking advantage of being a ‘loner’!?」

「See? See!? Wasn’t it like what I said!?」

『Shut up! Just shut your mouth Yamada! 』

「Oy, Andou! What’s the meaning of this?! Is this true?!」

「…………」

Uwaaaa~~~~~~it’s finally out of the bag….. Though, I believed this was going to happen sooner or later. After all, even a ‘loner’ like me is aware that all the boys in the school (except for me) had secretly made a pact to ensure no one made a move on Asakura-san….. However, since she was the one who talked to me first, there’s nothing I can do about it! I even made sure not to converse too much with her in the beginning! Afterall, a 『loner』like myself would never suit Asakura-san….. Besides, all the boys in school would zero in on me if I made a move on her, so I’d like to be excused from it…

However——-

『Andou-kun, good morning!』[1]

『If you don’t mind… h-h-how about we form a pair together?』[2]

『What is this…… Isn’t this a porn book…..?』[3]

『I really like Andou-kun!』[4]

When she showed me such…….. colourful expressions, I couldn’t help but yearn to talk to her more. (Andou)

『Oi, Andou!』

「…..My private secretary will explain everything.」

『Class rep!』

「So, why are you passing the buck.ball to me! And you guys, why are you taking him seriously!? 」

Jeez, how should I settle this situation….. (Class Rep)

「Oi, what did Asakura-san say?」

「It’s no use! She’s been saying nothing but ‘it’s true!’ since a while ago! The usually flawless beautiful Asakura-san is somehow totally useless today!」

「What the hell?!」

The main character, Asakura-san, is behaving like that….. (Class Rep)

「Hey hey~! Say, Asakura-san, are you really friends with Andou-kun?」

「It’s true!」

「What do you call an island which is the center of a chain of islands or an archipelago?」

「It’s true!」 [5]

「So the date you said you’re were having yesterday…..」

「It’s true!」

Fufufu, it seems like things have progressed as I expected. All of my classmates seem to accept my relationship with Andou-kun……..hmm? (Asakura)

「Nee, have you heard? That Asakura-san is friends with Andou-kun….. 」*whispers*

「That’s seriously out of this world…….hah, I mean, that’s impossible right?」 *whispers*

「How should I put it, there’s a huge difference between their social status right?」 *whispers*

「Stop it. It’s mortifying for Asakura-san too, to be rumored to be with Andou-kun…….」 *whispers*

Eh……..What is going on? (Asakura)

「Damn it…. To be beaten to the punch by a fucking dull fucker like Andou-kun…..」 *murmur*

「Seriously, how come Andou-kun gets to be on good terms with Asakura-san?」 *murmur*

「Yeah, we’re seriously miles better compared to him」 *grumble*

Why is everyone……. speaking badly of Andou-kun? (Asakura)

「…………」

I understood it. I knew it. I was aware of it.

It was clear as day that Asakura-san and I live in ‘different’ worlds. I didn’t forget it simply because we mutually enjoy light novels. Such a relationship would never last forever.

After all, she is a ‘beautiful girl’ that everyone can’t help being attracted to, whereas I’m a ‘loner’ whom no one pays heed to. It’s a mismatch when we’re standing next to each other even before we pair up.

My existence brings down their ‘evaluation’ of Asakura-san. A relationship with me lowers her ‘worth’. I understood that this would happen, didn’t I?……. That’s why, I made sure to have nothing to do with her over and over again but despite that…..

『Mofyo!』[6]

『For visiting me today…… thank you』[7]

『Here, Andou-kun, say ‘Aaaaan’?』[8]

『T-till when are you gonna keep touching it!』[9]

『Looking at other girls’ boobs is off limits!』[10]

I——-couldn’t do it. I am responsible for all of this. All because I wanted to keep ‘talking’ to her forever…….. Because I wanted ‘to be’ with Asakura-san—— (Andou)

「DON’T FUCKING JOKE WITH ME!」

「…………..Eh?」 *whisper*

「What……..?」 *whisper*

「O-oi……….she」 *murmur*

「…………」

A-Asakura……..san? Why is she shouting…… (Andou)

「I——–don’t think it’s mortifying!」

「?!」

Asakura-san… is crying…….. (Andou)

「Fu——-」

Andou-kun, listen……….These are my feelings. I really mean them this time. (Asakura)

「You guys! I kept silent but what do you mean by ‘mortifying’?! What do you mean he’s a ‘dull guy’?! What do you even know about Andou-kun? How much do you even know about him?! I ‘know’! I know how ‘interesting’ Andou-kun is….. how ‘amazing’ he is……

Tell me just how much do all of you know about him!

Andou-kun is an ‘amazing guy’! He’s read way more light novels and knows way more interesting stories than I have. Moreover, do any of you know that he always scores 100 in maths? Furthermore, when I was absent from school because of a cold, he came all the way to visit me and deliver the handouts. What do any of you know about him? I know everything! I know very well that he’s ‘incredible’ and really ‘kind’!

That’s why, if anyone in this class makes ‘fun’ of him, I’ll kill you!」

Haha…….Asakura-san, saying you’ll kill——

‘Hey, how would you feel if a stranger says ‘Hachinan Tensei is bori—ng’ or something along those lines?’

‘I’ll kill them.’ [11]

———as expected from the Gremlin. (Andou)

「That’s why……. I’ll say it brazenly with pride!

Andou-kun is a wonderful person and being with him isn’t ‘mortifying’!

‘Andou-kun’ is the friend whom I love the most!」

Hah~ hah~ hah~……. I-I said it! *sniff* (Asakura)

「Uwaaaaaaa……」

A-as expected of Asakura-san. Even I, as class rep, felt it was an embarrassingly bold confession. Still, since you’ve taken it this far, everyone in class will surely—— (Class Rep)

『Aa………(pondering)』

Seems like they’ve already grasped the situation……. Now, what about our main character, Andou-kun? (Class Rep)

「A-Asakura-san……. Just now, that was」

「He, ugh! No, Andou-kun, it’s not what you th—–」

Hold it, me! Am I still going to dodge the question even when I’ve come this far? That’s quite enough, it won’t serve me any good unless I’m honest with him! (Asakura)

「——–ink! Andou-kun, what I said earlier were my true feelings.」

「I-is that so……」

Now, Andou-kun. Let me hear your reply! (Asakura)

「Asakura-san」

「Y-yes!」

「…………」

Aaah, finally my effort as class rep will bear fruit…… (Class Rep)

『…………』*gulp*

「Hey! Hey? What’s happening here?」

『Shut up! Zip it, Yamada!』

「Thank you…….. I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware of your feelings…… Your feelings makes me really happy.」

「Eh——then!」

「I never thought that you regarded me———as such an important ‘friend’! I’m so happy that I teared a little…..」

「………..Huh?」

Wait a second, Andou-kun! Asakura-san’s words just now was obviously a confession of her feelings towards you? Y–You……. You thought that was an enthusiastic ‘declaration of friendship’?! (Class Rep)

『E-Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh』

Andou-kun, you’re wrong! My feelings for you are—— (Asakura)

「Asakura-san, I also have the same feelings for you……. That being the case, I think this is the first thing I have to say. So I’ll say it now, okay?

Please become my ‘friend’!」

「Yes, with pleasure!」

Andou-kun has the same feelings as I do?! Whatever, it’s all the same for me! Hyahooooo! (Asakura)

『E-Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh』

『E-Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh』

「A-Andou-kun?」

「Nn? What? Asakura-san?」

「Ehehe~~I just wanted to call out to you♪」

「I-I see……」

Though my feelings weren’t conveyed clearly, with this I’ve officially become Andou-kun’s ‘friend’! I could say that I’ve taken one step forward! (Asakura)

I’m……a coward. Even though Asakura-san thinks of me as her important ‘friend’, I am slightly scared of that. Because I’ve realized…….. No, the truth is I might have noticed it all along. I’m in ‘love’ with Asakura-san. If she finds out about my feelings, we won’t be able to remain ‘friends’ anymore.

Therefore, I chose to hide my feelings and stay with her as her ‘friend’. I don’t want to lose the first ‘friend’ I have in my life. (Andou)

「Asakura-san, please take care of me from now on.」

「Ehehe~~M-me too…….」

Please, my feelings———–to that person. (Asakura & Andou)

Let it reach him. (Asakura)

Don’t let it reach her. (Andou)

First of all, I’d like to apologise for the late release. I’m having a job placement test, and my partner also busy with her works, as it is, the translation will be a bit slow…. However, the good news is, there are only 3 chapters left before the end of arc 1! Thanks for your patience and please support us till the end of this series!

Now, let’s get going to the footnotes!

[1 – 4] In here Andou was recalling the past events.

[2] refer to chapter 6, when Asakura asked Andou to pair up together with her in art class for sketching a portrait of each other. Andou turned into a prince in her drawing, while Asakura ended up as a…. gremlin.

[3] refer to chapter 8, when they were having conversation about light novel.

[4] also refer to chapter 8. Do you remember when Asakura made a mistake and said ‘I really like Andou-kun’ while what she actually wanted to say was ‘I really like light novels, as much as Andou-kun’?

[5] is a wordplay. Basically, Asakura’s classmate was testing her and ask ‘What do you call an island which is the center of a chain of islands or an archipelago?‘. On the real text, Asakura answered with 本島 which means ‘the main island’. But, 本島 have same readings as 本当 which means ‘truth’. So she still answered the question with ‘it’s true!‘

[6 – 10] Andou recalled past events again.

[6 – 7] refer to chapter 15, Andou was visiting Asakura which was absent due to cold. [6] Asakura let out a strange voice when she woke up and found Andou was already in her room. [7] She finally believed that Andou did visit her and not because she was dying…..

[8] one of my favourite chapter, refer to chapter 27! Andou lost in a punishment game and has to be fed by the winner, Asakura~~ And later Asakura found out that Andou is actually a genius in math…

[9] refer to the event in chapter 31, when Andou was inadvertently touching Asakura’s boobs… his instinct win over and he couldn’t get his hand off Asakura’s boobs >.>

[10] refer to chapter 38. Andou was catched red handed when he was about to ‘touch’ Class rep’s boobs. The jealous Asakura promised to let him off with one condition… that is, Andou only permitted to touch Asakura’s boobs, and not the other girls.