My Childhood Friend Seems to be the Main Heroine. - Chapter 30

“Sigh〜, seriously, you guys, I’ll remember this. If I hear any funny story from them, I’ll make sure they get the same treatment as me today.”

　On his way to refill his drink at a drink bar, a mentally exhausted Saito decides to take revenge on his friends one day in the future.

　The story of how this happened goes back a bit.

　Saito managed to escape by changing the order of songs.

　However, the three of them were not the kind of people who would give up just because of that, and he was caught the moment they finished the song.

　From there…

　Is your childhood friend really cute?

　How did you meet?

　What do you do when you are together?

　And so on, he was asked to answer questions about his relationship with Riri.

　The frequent laughter during the conversation was often frustrating, but he managed to endure it.

　In the end, everyone was able to understand that Saito did not have any romantic relationship with his childhood friend.

　To Saito, Riri is, in a word, a mean and troublesome pretty girl.

　He admits that he likes the way she looks, but that does not mean that she is a romantic interest to him.

　Of course he likes her as a human being.

　He enjoys talking and playing with her, and there is no awkwardness in spending time in the same space with her, for example.

　She is comfortable to be with.

　However, there is something dangerous about her, so he cannot take his eyes off her.

　Because of her good looks, she is likely to be victimized in various ways, and she gets hurt mentally by the slightest thing because she is not a strong human being, at least mentally.

　Moreover, when she is hurt, she holds it in her heart without telling anyone, which makes her a pain to deal with.

　Therefore, for Saito, Riri is not a romantic partner but someone to protect.

　She mentioned a while ago that Riri thinks of Saito as her younger brother, and Saito thinks exactly the opposite.

　So, he explained it to them in detail, and they were all finally convinced.

　It took him about an hour to get there, and it was really hard work.

　He doesn’t want to do it again.

“I’d like something sweet to drink… Excuse me, I’d like something to drink.”

　Maybe it was because he had been explaining the situation for a long time. Right now, his brain was craving sugar.

　Therefore, he took a heat-resistant container from the waiter and selected a cold strawberry au lait, which I usually don’t drink.

　When it had reached the right amount, he released the button and drank it all in one gulp.

　His head slowly clears, and his mood gradually calms down.

　Saito poured another glass of milk au lait and was about to go back to his karaoke room when suddenly he heard a voice from the side yelling [Don’t disturb us! You gloomy loner!]

　When he turned around to see what was going on, he found two young college-aged men yelling at a boy and a girl who looked about the same age as Saito.

　It seemed to me that the two guys were picking up a girl, and the boy interrupted them and they snapped at him.

　──I saw something troublesome.

　However, it is not good to let it pass at this point.

　So Saito decides to help them out a little.

“Hey, you’re blocking my way.”

　He complains to them as grumpily as he can.

“Who are you? We’re in the middle of something. Don’t interfere.”

“You gotta read the atmosphere. You don’t have any friends, do you?”

“No, I have friends. I can’t go back to the karaoke room where my friends are because of you. If you’re gonna fight, why don’t you do it somewhere else? You’re bothering me.”

　The men get angry at Saito for suddenly intervening.

　Saito, however, is not intimidated and continues to complain aloofly.

　Judging from this reaction, the men seem to have no intention of backing down.

　Saito continues his steps, complaining in his mind that they are a troublesome type of guy.

“Don’t come! You little brat!”

　He must have been irritated to see Saito steadily approaching at a steady pace.

　One of the men came close to Saito, trying to push his shoulder.

“What! “

　Saito evades by twisting his body.

　He puts his foot on him as they pass each other and makes him trip over his foot.

“Dumbass.”

　Saito curses coldly at the man who falls down, and the other man also tries to hit him, saying, [You bastard.]

　Saito chooses to defend rather than evade.

　Before the man’s hand hits him, he grabs the man’s wrist to stop it.

　After that, he twisted his arm, and the man grunted.

“Hey, what is this? You guys are actually small fry. You should work out before chasing girls with this attitude. You’re too lame to be losing against a little brat.”

　The men’s faces contorted in frustration at Saito’s inexplicable comment.

“Ugh, Let go of me! I’m leaving! “

　The men’s pride is broken, and they want to get out of here as soon as possible after losing to the guy they called a brat.

　The man whose arm is being twisted by Saito tells him in a pissed-off tone.

　He doesn’t have a problem if he leaves like he wants him to.

　Saito did as he was told and let go of the man’s hand, and the men quickly fled from the scene.

“You should choose a better place next time, scum. “

　Saito, annoyed by the situation, cursed at the last moment so that the two men would hear him as he walked away from them.

“Puh! Pfft!”

　That must have hit the nail on the head because the girl who was being picked up burst out.

“Huhu, scum? You’re cursing like an elementary school student.”

“I don’t care.”

　Saito was a bit annoyed at the girl who laughed at him, saying he was like an elementary school student, but he couldn’t help it.

　It was the only thing he could think of to say at the time. ──I hope you can forget that.

“Yes, anyway, thanks to you, I was able to laugh a lot. And also, thank you for helping me.”

　 A girl with long black hair bows her head.

　She was beautiful and had an aura similar to Riri’s.

“You’re welcome. But I was just coming at the good part. Weren’t that guy the first to come to your rescue? I don’t know, but you should thank that guy over there for protecting you.”

“Yeah, he did. Thank you, Nishizono-san.”

“N-no, ahaha, I wasn’t much help. Don’t thank me, Shirayuri-san.”

　Saito says that it is the boy next to her who really deserves the praise, and the girl immediately thanks him for protecting her, as she had done.

　The boy smiles dryly and says humbly that he did not do anything.

“Hmm? “

　Saito, seeing the boy’s appearance for the first time, recognizes him.

　He has long black hair that falls almost to his eyes, and he is of a certain height.

　The girl named Shirayuri was protected from pickups by the same guy who had picked up Riri at the entrance ceremony.

　Remembering the entrance ceremony day, Saito wonders [Wasn’t this guy also picking up a girl named Shirayuri?], Saito was confused for a moment, but the fact that Shirayuri thanked him meant that he had helped her out.

(Maybe he is a surprisingly good guy, though he is a weird guy.)

　Saito still has the image of him as a creepy guy stuck in his mind when he pretends to know Riri, so his reputation as a dangerous guy remains unchanged.

　But he guessed he was not such a bad guy.

“Well, I guess that’s all settled then. I’m going back to my friend.”

“Ah, wait! May I have a word? “

　Having successfully repelled the pickup, Saito was about to leave, but Shirayuri suddenly stopped him.

“What? “

　Saito turned around and thought he had already been thanked and there should be nothing more.

　Saito turned around and tilted his head.

　As soon as her eyes met Saito’s, Shirayuri said, [That], [Well], for a while, and then, as if she had made up her mind, she said,

“Can you tell me your name and contact information? “

“I don’t mind the name, but not the contact information. I don’t want to give it to someone I have just met.”

　If he exchanges contact information with someone he just met today, they will probably use it only to thank me anyway, and he doesn’t feel the need to give it to them.

“I-I see. Well, can I at least have your name? “

　When Saito refused to give her his contact information, Shirayuri became visibly dejected, but she still asked for his name.

“I am Minazuki Saito. Are we done this time? “

“Minazuki, Saito-san. Yes, I’m fine. Thank you very much for your help today.”

“Be careful not to get tangled up with a guy like that again next time.”

　Saito says goodbye to Shirayuri this time and returns to his room to his friends.