For Some Reason The Girl Who's Too Popular Only Drinks with Me - Volume 1 Chapter 3.5

“I thought a university’s school festival would be something more amazing.” Eating her second chocolate banana of the day, Hamasaki Misaki, the younger sister of Hamasaki Mai, said listlessly.

This girl has been diving into every stall she finds since a while ago. Moreover, after taking a bite, she’d comment, “Meh” or “Just average,” and start walking again while continuing to eat. Of course, I’m the one paying for everything.

“What exactly do you mean by something more amazing?”

I asked, taking a sip of the bubble milk tea I bought along the way. Hamasaki Misaki turned to me with a cold look, glanced down at my face, then turned away again.

“I don’t have anything specific in mind, but I just thought there would be something more amazing here. This doesn’t seem any different from a high school’s cultural festival.”

She grumbled while shaking the cup filled with sliced chocolate bananas. Finishing her second one, she handed me the cup.

I took the cup, crushed it, and threw it in a trash can inside the premises.

What Hamasaki Misaki said wasn’t entirely wrong. My university, Ryokushu Hall University, has a decent deviation score. But having a decent deviation score doesn’t mean it attracts intelligent or wise people. If the students’ intelligence level is low, the overall cultural level also takes a hit. Hence, our university’s festival is somewhat lackluster. Just as she said, it’s hardly different from a high school cultural festival. Barely a notch above.

Well, having excessive expectations for an unknown world is very much like a high school student, or rather, it would be a shock uniquely felt by bright students. Though I don’t pity her one bit.

“It can’t be helped. Most people here were just like you, high school students, not long ago.”

I attempted to console her, a poor attempt, and looked up. However, by the time I said that, Hamasaki Misaki was no longer by my side, and once again, she had headed towards some food stall.

How much can she eat? I sighed, “Haah,” and made my way through the crowd towards her.

The tall young lady was chatting happily with a student at the stall and managed to get an extra frankfurter as a freebie.

Not only is she tall and well-shaped, but she’s also beautiful. She’s as pretty as her sister, Hamasaki Mai, standing out just by walking around.

Biting into one frankfurter while holding another, Hamasaki Misaki returned. I walked towards her, and as we met up, I suggested, “Let’s take a break.”

“Take a break where?”

“There’s always one at school festivals.”

Without explaining further, I led the way. We entered a building from the campus and walked down a corridor until we found what I was looking for.

In front of a normal classroom, which could be found anywhere, was a sign marked “Rest Area,” and the area around it was unusually quiet.

“What’s that, a rest area?”

“Exactly that. A free resting place. It’s just a regular classroom, though.”

I explained as we entered. Surprisingly, there was nobody inside, and it was deserted.

We took seats across from each other. The classroom must have been a novelty for her because while sitting, she looked around. Despite looking and dressing maturely enough to be mistaken for a college student, her curious glances gave off an oddly out-of-place vibe.

However, since the room seemed to hold nothing of interest to her, she turned her gaze back to me and started eating the frankfurter and takoyaki she had bought from another stall earlier.

“Isn’t this the time when you should be showing me all sorts of interesting places?”

Hamasaki Misaki questioned me, to which I tilted my head. Why should I do such a thing for someone I don’t know? All Hamasaki Mai asked me to do was look after her sister.

“Sorry, but our school’s festival isn’t much different from a high school cultural festival. There aren’t really any interesting places.”

Echoing Hamasaki Misaki’s earlier words, I covered my mouth with my hand to hide a yawn.

Apparently disliking my attitude, she grimaced, twisting her beautifully maintained face, and leaned away from me while still seated, putting some distance between us.

“Still, you could come up with something. Listen, I’m Hamasaki Mai’s sister, you know? This is your chance to score some points! Don’t you want to improve your standing with my sister?”

“Chance, favorability, huh…”

While sipping the bubble tea I bought earlier, I leaned back against the chair.

Basically, what Hamasaki Misaki was implying was that if I treated her well here, that information would get back to her sister, Hamasaki Mai, thereby improving my standing with her. Even if it didn’t lead to a relationship, at least the possibility would be higher.

While it might seem like a valid point, there’s a misunderstanding and a cunning trap involved.

The misunderstanding is that I don’t have any intention of dating Hamasaki Mai in the first place.

And the cunning trap is—

“Even if I were to escort you perfectly, ensuring you’re always smiling and enjoying yourself, I doubt you’d sincerely report back to your sister about how great it was.”

Hamasaki Misaki choked on her bubble tea upon hearing my words. Coughing, she then glared at me fiercely, her eyes a mix of humiliation and agitation. I sighed, still holding my drink.

“Why would you think that?”

“You’ve always been eliminating guys trying to get close to your sister to protect her, right? Relax, I’m not targeting your sister. Probably never will.”

“Even if there were talks that my sister likes you?”

It was my turn to freeze, caught off guard by her words. My system crashed and rebooted immediately.

With a triumphant look, Hamasaki Misaki met my gaze, and I laughed dismissively.

“When she came home for summer break, she never used to talk about university, but this year, that’s all she talked about. Especially the club. Your name came up often.”

“I’m like a rare animal in a zoo. The especially ugly kind. That’s me.”

“But you talked one-on-one, didn’t you?”

“Putting it that way makes it sound like your sister has never spoken to a guy one-on-one before.”

“…That is”

Hamasaki Misaki suddenly fell silent. Her gaze drifted downwards, and she pursed her lips tightly.

That’s practically admitting there’s something she’s hiding.

“Well, it’s impossible anyway. She hates guys, right?”

Finishing my drink, I put the cup on the desk.

My statement made Hamasaki Misaki look at me again, and she fell silent, her lips sealed.

“I’ve never seen her with a guy at university. She’s always surrounded by someone, but never a guy. Of course, it’s not like she never talks to them, but it’s never one-on-one.”

Ignoring Hamasaki Misaki’s discomfort, I continued to talk freely.

The discomfort I’ve felt throughout my university life, maybe I’ve been overthinking it, but seeing her reaction makes me think I might not be entirely wrong.

“More than that, it’s impossible. A girl of her level not dating anyone is just unbelievable. Because, right? Your sister is beautiful. Too beautiful. Plus, she has a good personality. Kind, considerate, full of empathy. Her only flaw is her bad drinking habits. But most people don’t know that, and she’s aware it’s a bad side of her. It’s impossible for someone so perfect to not be dating someone.”

Men are self-centered creatures with high pride. But not everyone is like that.

And Hamasaki Mai is certainly not a foolish woman. She would have some ability to judge whether the men approaching her are good people or not. Not perfectly, but to a certain extent.

Yet, Hamasaki Mai doesn’t date anyone. This leads to the possibility that the problem might be with her, not with the potential partners.

In conclusion, Hamasaki Mai dislikes men for some reason, especially those who approach her. I, being completely off her radar as a potential romantic interest, am not a problem.

“Whether your sister hates men or women, it’s none of my business. I’m not interested in why she’s like that either. Uh… The conversation’s drifting, so let’s get back on track. Basically, even if your sister will never like me, I also will never like your sister. You can rest assured.”

After all, it’s not like someone would ever consider someone like me.

If liking someone only leads to getting hurt when they reject you, then it’s better not to fall for anyone in the first place.

I don’t want to be hurt by someone’s kindness anymore.

“So, even if my sister confessed to you, you wouldn’t respond?”

“Probably not. I couldn’t handle it.”

tln : bro just being honest…