A Story Of Taking Home A Lonely Gal From My Class And Turning Her Into An Elegant Beauty - Volume 1 Chapter 3.1

Strategy Meeting With Reliable Friends

The whole class was shaken when Aoi-san arrived at school after the weekend.

It was natural there was such a reaction, as a seemingly unknown beauty with tidy black hair had suddenly appeared.

The classroom was enveloped in an atmosphere akin to that of a new transfer student’s arrival, but once Izumi shouted her name and hugged her in high spirits, the classmates recognized that the person was Aoi-san.

The class hadn’t been this stirred up since Izumi had declared her love for Eiji with a shout, “I love you!” early in the school year.

Well, setting that aside, it was no surprise that everyone would be surprised.

No one could have imagined that the black-haired beauty was the same Aoi-san who had been a blonde-haired gal.

Seeing Aoi-san like this, the reactions of our classmates varied.

Some students, like Izumi, approached Aoi-san to talk, while some boys whispered to each other from a distance, sending glances mixed with surprise and a hint of guilt.

There were also classmates who showed no interest at all.

While some classmates showed a favorable response to Izumi speaking to Aoi-san, the majority still looked at Aoi-san with cold eyes.

After all, just dying her hair black wasn’t going to change everyone’s full impression.

Although it was expected, her only option was to gradually improve the situation.

A few days later after school, I was thinking like that.

“Eiji and Izumi, what do you want to drink?”

“I’ll have coffee.”

“I’d like tea brewed in a teapot♪”

“We don’t have a teapot…”

“Then, any tea is fine.”

I had invited Eiji and Izumi to my house.

“Got it. Just wait a bit.”

“Akira-kun, I’ll help too.”

“Thanks.”

I picked some glasses at random in the kitchen and poured drinks for the four of us.

Together with Aoi-san, we carried them to the living room and sat down around the table.

“So, what’s this talk about?”

Izumi asked while holding her glass with both hands.

“It’s about what will happen later to Aoi-san. I wanted to discuss it with you two.”

Of course, I had Aoi-san’s consent.

It was a surprise to her when I said at the shopping mall that I wanted to do something about Aoi-san’s situation.

In order to discuss it with the two of them, I needed to talk it over with Aoi-san again.

If Aoi-san thought it was really a bother, then I wouldn’t do anything unnecessary.

But if it wasn’t a bother, I wanted to talk about it with the two of them.

When I said so, Aoi-san nodded in agreement.

As Eiji had said before, I don’t understand Aoi-san’s true feelings.

I don’t have the means to peer into her heart, nor am I eloquent enough to ask her true feelings without hurting her.

Still, I have tried to communicate with Aoi-San in my own way, and I thought this was the best course of action if Aoi-san was willing to accept it.

“As I told you before, I want to help improve Aoi-san’s situation. I’ve been thinking about what we can do to help her, and I’d like to hear everyone’s thoughts on it.”

“Alright. Let’s hear what you have to say.”

Eiji’s willing acceptance encourages me to continue.

“I think there are two main issues. First, both the students and teachers have a bad impression of Aoi-san. Given her past school life, that’s not surprising… but I want them to know she’s actually just a normal girl, not unserious or a typical gyaru.”

I believe Aoi-san can get closer to everyone if we can clear up this misunderstanding.

Of course, there will still be those who won’t think well of Aoi-san, but it’s impossible to be liked by everyone.

If even one person comes to understand Aoi-san better, that’s good enough.

“I see. It’s true that it’s necessary for Aoi-san to have a normal youth.”

“So, the real question is what exactly we should do to clear up that misunderstanding.”

“Yeah… that’s the problem, isn’t it?”

Izumi makes a grim face.

“I have an idea, but I need Izumi’s cooperation.”

“Me? What is it?”

“Izumi, you’re the class representative and trusted by everyone, right? Taking the lead in getting along with Aoi-san might change the class’s impression of her to some extent. You’ve been trying to be friendly already, but I want you to be more conscious of acting as a bridge between her and everyone else from now on. However…”

“However? What is it?”

“It’s a risk for you, Izumi. Depending on how you look at it, it could be taken to mean that the class committee member is befriending an unserious student. I can’t say for sure that it won’t negatively impact you.”

I’m sure Izumi won’t mind, and she has probably been acting without concern until now.

But I thought it was only right to explain to her properly before asking again.

“Huh? Of course I’m fine with it.”

Izumi responds immediately as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“I don’t care what others say, and I’ll just do what I want. The reason I kept talking to Aoi-san was simply because I wanted to be friends with her. People who judge her as a delinquent based on her appearance without really knowing her can disappear. And besides—”

Izumi turns to Aoi-san with a smile.

“We’re already friends, right, Aoi-san♪”

Being called a friend face-to-face, Aoi-san shyly twirls her hair.

“Yeah… Friends… Thank you.”

“Hehehe♪”

Despite her embarrassment, Aoi-san returns the smile to Izumi.

Aoi-san, that’s great… It looks like there’s nothing for me to worry about.

“But honestly, I think it’s going to be difficult to clear up the misunderstandings about Aoi-san with just something like that. Especially with the teachers, I don’t think the same approach we take with classmates will work. I’m still looking for another idea…”

Everyone present pondered.

“Then, how about academic performance?”

After a while, Eiji nodded his head as he said this.