My Childhood Friend Attacked Me When I Declared That Her Birthday Present Was 'Me' - Chapter 19

Lies, 100,000 Yen, and Personal Guards

I’m exhausted. I’m really tired.

Even though it’s even more tiring to keep trying to act calm in the closed space of the school, I don’t know, if I try to escape, things will get even weirder.

So I continue to pretend to be calm, which only makes me more tired…

I just want to go home quickly…

But even if I think that…

“Hey, Yashiro-kun!”

“Yashiro-kun?”

“Yashiro-kun!”

“Hey-hey, I’m Yashiro-kun!”

“Uhhh, yes. What is it?”

“What is it? You don’t have to be so stiff just because we asked something, okay?”

“Oh, uh, a-ha-ha… Okay…”

The lions around me won’t let it slide.

“I thought it would be interesting to hear Yashiro-kun’s side of Kaori’s story! That’s why we came!”

You didn’t have to. Girls…

They immediately latch onto anything interesting… Am I some kind of celebrity engulfed in controversy?

“What do you want to know…?”

“How did you feel when you proposed?”

“When did you prepare for the proposal?”

“How much did the ring cost?”

“What percentage did you think you had a chance?”

“How much do you like me?”

They bombard me with all those questions…

But the last one…

“Kaori… Why are you here too?”

“Because it seemed interesting!”

She smiles, the mastermind behind all of this chaos. Can someone please be the hero and save me?

“Well, it doesn’t matter if Kaori-chan is here, right? So, answer our questions!”

“What’s that…”

“If you don’t answer, I’m going to spread lies in our class about you forcing her to have s*x to get to this point or something like that, okay? “

” ….. “

It’s hitting too close to home… that lie. But it’s not me…

That lie is the answer to everything, but even if it’s true, or rather, especially if it’s true, I don’t want them to know.

Sigh…

I have no choice but to go along with it… on this mud boat…

(TN: Mud boat, a metaphor used to describe a situation where someone has no choice but to go along with something despite feeling reluctant or unsure about it.)

“Alright… I’ll answer…”

“Alright! Then, question one! How did you feel when you proposed?”

“How I felt…?”

From here on, it’s impromptu.

I have to come up with words to fit into that idiot’s idiotic situation…

I have no choice but to do it…

“Well, um… I was nervous. I-I mean, it was a proposal, you know? Everyone gets nervous…?”

“But you two were already dating, right? So whether you proposed or not, wouldn’t your relationship remain stable?”

“We weren’t dating…”

“Huh, you weren’t dating? That’s news to me!”

Even people in other classes were judging us as being in a relationship. … What’s going on?

“Why did you propose if you weren’t dating?”

“Uh, it was, um… desire, or rather… feelings! My feelings were overflowing, you know? That’s why? That’s why I proposed!”

“Hmm, I see… So, what about the suit?”

“Well, personal appearance is important, I guess…”

“You bought it?”

“No, it was my dad’s old one…”

“So your parents knew?”

“Yeah…”

“Kyaaaー♪”

Or rather, it’s not that my parents knew, but that they were the ones who arranged everything…

“Alright! Okay! Next, it’s my turn? When did you start preparing for the proposal?”

“Preparation… Uh, about six months ago?”

“Hmm? That’s a pretty vague answer.”

“N-No, it’s not like that!”

“But it’s about the proposal, right? The most important moment of your life? You should remember it, shouldn’t you?”

“Well… I… I didn’t want any cracks to appear in my relationship with my best friend, Kaori, so I was thinking about it like that… and then I lost track of time…”

“Oh, I get it. You’ve been calling her your best friend, but considering the distance between Kaori and you, did you think she would still agree to be in a dating relationship even if your proposal failed?”

“Um, well… I don’t know about that.”

“Well… I’m absolutely sure that’s the case! You’re unexpectedly calculative, aren’t you, Yashiro?”

What should I do… It’s like my love deviation value among the girls is really high…

“So, I’m asking you about the probability, remember? Like, what percentage? Are you confident about it being 100%, including the fact that you would be in a relationship even if you were rejected?”

“Well… it’s not like that. I’m not that calculative.”

“No, I feel like you, the Love Master, would think that way!”

What should I do? They’re calling me the Love Master… But I’m not a master at all, just a coward?

“Well then, we don’t have much time! The last question! Shoot! How much did the ring cost?”

The most difficult question came last. Fortunately, it was the only question left… though I have no idea about the price of a ring.

If it were a salaryman, they would say three months’ salary, but I’m just a high school student, and I don’t even have a salary…

I do have a part-time job, but I don’t earn much from it…

“Err… well… um…”

“It’s 50,000 yen. 50,000! The ring cost 50,000 yen.”

“Oh, really~?”

“Oh, really!?”

“Huh? Why is the person who bought it surprised?”

“Well, I was just surprised that Kaori remembered…”

” Both of us together, it’s 100,000 yen. Well, ‘I’m still not a good enough guy, but when I become better, I’ll give you a really expensive ring. Can you wait until then?’ That’s what Kouta-kun said. “

” ” ” ” Kyaaaaa ーーーーーーーー♪ ” ” ” “

Once again, saying something weird!

Why are you saying something cheesy again?

Your character is so bad!

(You… Can’t you stop spreading rumours?)

(Isn’t it okay? Everyone is saying ‘kyaaaaaa,’ right? It’s good, isn’t it?)

Even when I appeal with my eyes, this is the attitude I get…

(Well… for my own sake, maybe I should sew this girl’s mouth shut?)

And at that moment…

Creak…

We heard the sound of the classroom door opening.

“Oh, excuse me. I’m sorry to interrupt. Is there a guy named Kouta Yashiro here?”

“If it’s Kouta, he’s here.”

“Hey! Shindo! Don’t sell me right away!”

“No, no, I’m not selling it. This is an issue that you have to take care of, Kouta.”

“An issue?”

“Whoa! It was definitely you, Kouta Yashiro.”

“Yes? Who are you?”

Who is this guy? A samurai? He’s tall and wears glasses…

“Oh, sorry for the late introduction. I’m Edomura Bansai, a second-year student at this high school, and I am Kaori Sawa’s SS member number one. That is, the leader of the Sawa SS! “

” ……………. “

Oh, geez. So annoying… One after another.

Can you stop?