I Went Back to Being a High School Student Again, but I Was Rejected by My Childhood Friend, Whom I Thought Was In Love With Me, So I tried to Suicide With the Most Beautiful Girl In the School. - Chapter 17

Date

　I came a little early for my Date, and I was thinking again about how I could keep Natsuki alive until my date’s partner arrived.

　It would be best if I could stay with Natsuki to keep an eye on her, but there is a problem with that.

　First of all, Natsuki is a student studying for the entrance examinations, and she is naturally busy with her studies.

　It is not a good idea to follow her around too much and damage the trust we have built up to a certain extent.

　And one more thing is fatal…

　If the culprit was Koyoi and her motive was [Jealousy.]

　If I stay with Natsuki all the time, I can expect her jealousy to rise far exceed that of the second round.

　If so, she may be more malicious to Natsuki than before, maybe at a different time from that of the second round.

　If the assumption that problems will occur at the festival itself is eliminated, it will be difficult for me to deal with it completely in this third week.

　As much as possible, I need to avoid Koyoi’s jealousy toward Natsuki.

　No, to begin with, Koyoi should not feel any jealousy toward Natsuki.

　――I have already promised Koyoi that I would not go out with her ‘until’ she finishes taking the examinations. During this time, I can’t stay with her more than necessary.

　If I could persuade her to cancel her promise, we could go out and do things together, but then, of course, I would be restricted by Koyoi and unable to do anything freely.

　I will have to accompany Koyoi during the school festival, which may cause some other problems.

　In that case, if the person who harassed Natsuki is not Koyoi but Iori, I cannot handle the situation.

　The first step is to divert Koyoi’s jealousy away from Natsuki.

　And I need to secure a position where I can check Iori’s condition.

　In order to achieve both of these goals, I have decided on a course of action.

　That is, to turn Koyoi’s jealousy away from Natsuki and toward Iori.

　That’s why――

“Akki, here I come!”

“Hi, I just arrived here too.”

　I’ve asked Iori out on a date.

　The meeting place is a train station in the city, about 40 minutes by train from the nearest station to my house.

　Compared to that country town, there were plenty of places to hang out.

“You called me out of the blue, so I was surprised.”

“Didn’t you ask me to invite you on a date on my free day, Iori? “

　Then she said, [Ah, That?] while prefaced her words with a happy expression on her face.

“I didn’t think you’d actually ask me out! “

　Then Iori continues

“However, I haven’t decided what we’re going to do yet, what do you want to do? “

　I reply to Iori’s words.

“For now, do you want to go for lunch? “

“Okay, sure. Let’s talk over lunch.”

　Then Iori and I go to a family restaurant near the station.

　It was lunchtime, so it was quite crowded, but we were shown to our seats immediately.

　After that, we finished our orders and sipped our drinks, and I asked Iori.

“By the way, did you bring your assignment? “

“Yes, you asked me you wanted to make a copy because you lost it, didn’t you? “

　Iori then pulled out the assignment I had asked her to bring from her bag.

　As expected, it was still blank.

“I don’t mean to ask you this question, but did you really haven’t worked on it?”

“You see, Towa is a [A loved silly character], okay? I’m just trying to protect my image.”

　The self-proclaimed [A loved silly character] said so without any shame.

　I sigh and say to her.

“But if you haven’t done any of your assignments, you’ll be in trouble after the second semester starts. “

“Maybe so, but I don’t feel like doing it, and I don’t understand anything. Well, I guess it will work out somehow.”

“In that case, I’ll help you with your assignments.”

“What, seriously? Thanks, Akki, that’d be great! “

　Iori says with a cute smile on her face.

　That made me smile, and I smiled.

“Okay, let’s get started!”

　I stopped the waitress and asked her to take down the plates on the table.

　Then I take out my writing utensils.

　I hand Iori a mechanical pencil.

“It is the same mechanical pencil as the one used by Towa.”

　Iori accepts it without hesitation and opens her assignment.

“By the way, how stupid is Iori really? “

“…Even though Towa’s an idiot, Towa is a can-do girl.”

　I said to Iori, who held her forehead with her palm.

“Then, can you solve the assignment until you can’t do it by yourself? “

　At my words, Iori said, [Yep!] and rubbed her nose with her fingertips, then started to solve the assignment.

　And then some time passes…

“I can’t do it anymore―! “

　Iori groaned and threw her pencil on the desk.

　I checked her assignment, and to my surprise, it was much better than I had expected.

　The fundamentals are surprisingly solid. However, she seems to get confused when a few applied problems are introduced.

“This problem――”

　I explain to Iori one by one the problems that she stumbles over.

　Teaching Iori was surprisingly easy.

　If she understood what I was explaining, she would smile and say―

“I see! Akki is a genius! It’s easier to understand than the teacher!”

　And if the explanation was difficult to understand, she would say―

“…yes, I think I understand.”

　She muttered, looking completely confused.

　During this time teaching her, I tried to find out from her facial expression that she did not understand and explain it again.

“I see. Akki is a genius――”

　Mostly, she understands.

　She has enough academic ability to enter our high school, so it is not that she is not smart.

　She understands my explanation so well that I quickly proceed with the assignment while explaining it to her.

“Wait a minute! Ehh? It’s already dark outside! “

　We had been studying almost without a break since noon, and it was already late before I realized it.

“That’s how focused you were. That’s a good thing.”

“What about our Date?”

“We can do it again next time.”

　Iori calmed down a little when I said that.

“…if you say so. All right then. “

　I smiled wryly.

　We put away the study materials spread out on the desk.

　After paying the bill, we leave the restaurant, and Iori asks me.

“Uh, you haven’t made a copy of the assignment, right? It’s only Towa who’s solving the assignment…”

　She seems to have realized it, even after all this time.

　It makes me feel sorry for her. She looks really guilty, even though it’s not her fault,

“It’s okay. It’s a lie that I lost my assignment.”

　Iori’s expression turns into a puzzled one at my words.

“What? Then….”

　After I say this, she gives me a huff.

“I wanted an excuse to ask Towa out on a date. “

　Iori stares at me, and I reply with a wry smile, [That’s how it is.]

　Then she mutters, [Geez.}

“You meddlesome, don’t try to act cool, okay? “

　Iori said with a smile.

　It seems that Iori has realized that my intention from the beginning was to help her with her assignment.

“By the way, where is the nearest station to Iori’s? “

“Oh, I’m not taking the train. I’m living with my sister near here.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah, my sister’s room is closer to school than my parents’ house.”

　I didn’t know that.

“I see… Should I walk you home, just in case? “

“Don’t worry. It’s really close to here. Akki, you take care, bye!”

“Okay, then I’ll see you later.”

　She gave me a big wave and left in the opposite direction from the station.

　I waved back at her, too.

* * *

　I pondered about it as I was on the train.

　Iori is a kind girl.

　But why did she bully Natsuki?

　I want to know the reason.