For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 2.8

After getting my vomit-stained clothes cleaned, Hamasaki Mai and I entered a café near the station.

“…”

“…”

Sipping coffee, I waited for the pizza toast I’d ordered. Hamasaki Mai seemed to be searching for a conversation starter.

The awkward silence was thick, so I placed my iced coffee on the coaster and leaned back against the chair.

“…Do you remember everything this time as well?”

I suppose she remembers, but I asked anyway. Hamasaki Mai, who had been drinking her iced coffee, stopped abruptly and looked up at me apprehensively.

“I remember, everything.”

Hamasaki Mai took out a 5,000 yen bill from her wallet and offered it to me.

The sight of a stunning beauty handing money to a plain-looking man in a café already created an odd atmosphere. Before the staff could wonder what was going on, I pushed the offered 5,000 yen bill back to Hamasaki Mai, saying, “It’s okay, you don’t need to worry about it.”

“But, I made your clothes dirty. For the cleaning…”

“That’s too much if it’s for cleaning. Seriously, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”

“But, I caused trouble…”

“I’m not saying it wasn’t troublesome… but it’s really fine. I don’t need anything in return.”

After forcefully pushing the 5,000 yen bill back to her, the waiter arrived with the pizza toast and meat pie. I started eating my pizza toast, while Hamasaki Mai cut her meat pie with a knife and fork.

“I’m not being nice.”

I said, brushing off crumbs from my lips after taking a bite of the pizza toast. Hamasaki Mai, while eating her meat pie, seemed to wait for me to continue.

“It’s just that, I’ve given up. I’ve given up on getting angry, on lamenting, on everything. I, being someone with low social skills, a level 2 human, have resigned to the belief that my life is permitted through suffering disadvantages from others.”

“…That’s not…”

“You’d think that, right? That there can’t be such miserable, sad people. But I’ve lived like that all my life. It’s not about who’s to blame or who’s wrong. Anyway, I’m just made that way.”

To put it exaggeratedly, Hamasaki Mai and I are creatures living in entirely different worlds.

She was probably taught throughout her life that one must not cause trouble to others. I was taught the same. But beyond that, I’ve also harbored another lesson in my mind, not taught by anyone but wriggling in my thoughts.

Even if you’re disregarded, just give up. Endure, endure, endure—forget. That was my own lesson. Probably, it might be called a curse.

“Well, that’s how it is… uh, what were we talking about… ah, right, about causing trouble. Seriously, don’t worry about it. Though, I’d rather not have it happen again.”

I let out a dry laugh and took another bite of my pizza toast. After finishing the first slice and starting on the second, Hamasaki Mai put down her knife and fork and looked up at me again.

“…Okay. I’ll try not to bring up dirtying your clothes again. But, I do want to say thank you for helping me.”

I thought the issue was settled, but it wasn’t. Hamasaki Mai looked at me earnestly, leaning forward.

As I pulled back in response to her movement, she hesitated and then cautiously returned to her position.

“You stepped in when those unknown men talked to me at the station, right?”

“Ah… that, huh. Helped, you say… hmm, is that what you’d call it?”

“It is! Definitely. You did help me.”

I tried to dodge and deflect, but Hamasaki Mai was relentless, pressing me. Really, was that truly helping? I wanted to help more stylishly, more smartly. I was freaking out.

“You said, ‘Let’s go,’ and pulled my arm, didn’t you? That… made me happy.”

Hearing those words from Hamasaki Mai, seeing that expression that said she was happy, I—my face turned red.

It felt like all the warmth in my body had concentrated on my face, probably turning my ears bright red, too.

Please stop. I’m already weak when it comes to girls, and to be sincerely thanked by a beauty like you is more than I can handle.

I brought my arms up in a defensive posture, too late to hide my flushed face. Don’t look at me.

“…Kirishima-kun? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. It’s okay.”

“Really? Hey, are you okay? Kirishima-kun?”

“It’s nothing! Stop peering at me with those puppy eyes! Please be aware of your own attack power!”

Struggling to escape her gaze while panting, I thought, if this was going to happen, I really shouldn’t have helped.