Ranobe Mo Ore Mo Sukina Gyaru - Volume 1 Chapter 2.2

Gal and Break Time 2

As I was pondering over such thoughts, Tsumakawa let out a deep sigh and then waved her hands in front of my face a few times.

“Okay. Well, this boring conversation is over now! I don’t want to go on for more than two minutes talking about complicated stuff. I’m on the verge of collapsing from fever!”

“Huh? Where was the complicated part in the conversation just now…?”

“Hey, Let’s just talk without too much thinking! By the way, take a look at these nails. Aren’t they super cute? Isn’t it dangerously cute?”

“…oh, they’re amazing. Do you have to have a specialist do this kind of work?”

“No-no, like I said, Nezumayo, you’re still thinking too much. You don’t have to use your head—Okay, let’s go one more time—Nezumayo, look at my nails. Aren’t they super cute?”

“…Cute. Dangerously cute.”

“See! They’re super cute, right? How about this one?”

“Cute—”

“If you had to say whether they’re not cute or cute, which one is it?”

“Cute—”

“My nails are way too cute! But seriously, I’m getting hungry. Nezumayo, what kind of food do you like?”

“Curry.”

“Totally get that. Curry is crazy good, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…Curry is delicious.”

“I’m craving curry…Wait, my mouth just turned into curry. Don’t mess around!”

“Ahaha, sorry.”

” I won’t forgive you that easily. But if you eat curry with me next time, I’ll forgive you.”

“Ahahah—Talking so casually like this is making my brain melt!”

I was going along with Tsumakawa’s conversation without thinking, but it felt like I was starting to get more nonsensical than she was. 

‘Curry is crazy good, isn’t it?’

‘Yeah…Curry is delicious.’

What the heck…

——The exchange was so shallow, it was like we weren’t even talking.

I kept making mental comments like that, and then Tsumakawa, looking intentionally annoyed, shot me a comment.

“Hey, Nezumayo-kun, you’ve been talking pretty randomly for a while now, haven’t you? We’re having a nice chat together, but your attitude, seriously, I don’t like it.”

“What an unreasonable gal…”

As I retorted, Tsumakawa burst into laughter as if she couldn’t hold back anymore.

…It was a talent to be able to have such a good time talking with an introvert like me.

While thinking that, I side-glanced at Tsumakawa.

To be honest, I’m not good with gals. I mean, I’m not good with real-life girls in general, but gals in particular.

The reason is simple—it’s because girls like them are an existence that I, an introverted guy like me, can’t understand at all. But she’s a fellow fan of light novels, also known as ‘Minacho-san.’

That fact made Tsumakawa-san an even more mysterious person to me.

I’m totally lost now… Even though I don’t really understand Gals, and she’s a girl in the three-dimensional world that I usually don’t get, there are parts that I do understand about her…

While I was thinking about these things that were too confusing to grasp, Tsumakawa waved her hand in front of my face and asked again after pointing a book in my hand.

“By the way, we got off track, but what book is this?”

“Oh, this? This is… a work called 『Tears of Zero』…”

” ….. “

When I mentioned the title, Tsumakawa fell into a subtle silence. In response, I almost burst into laughter and asked her:

“Did you read it too, Tsumakawa-san?”

“Yeah, I did…I didn’t quite get it, though.”

“I see, so you did find it boring.”

“Hey, wait a minute. I said I didn’t get it! I didn’t say it wasn’t interesting. Don’t interpret it that way without my permission!”

“But, Tsumakawa-san—Minacho-san often says that using the word ‘uninteresting’ feels like giving up on understanding the work. In other words, your ‘didn’t get it’ is Minacho-san’s way of saying ‘it wasn’t interesting.'”

“…I hate perceptive introverts.”

After saying that, Tsumakawa chuckled and then followed up with a wry smile, continuing:

“I really love light novels, so I want to love any kind of light novel, but what should I do when there are these ‘unapproachable’ works that come up?”

“Isn’t it okay? Having likes and dislikes about work is only natural as a person. In fact, saying ‘I love all works!’ makes me feel like that person doesn’t truly love any of them.”

“Is that so? I think people who can love any work are simply showing their ‘capacity to enjoy.’ That’s why I want to be that kind of person too… But the book Nezumayo is reading right now, I kind of—didn’t get it!”

“Wouldn’t it be more refreshing to just vomit it all out?”

In response to my retort, Tsumakawa covered her ears with both hands.

“Ah-what, I can’t hear you.”

She seemed like a child, and while I was smiling at that thought, she continued her words.

“Well, you know, people who don’t just talk about what they like, but also what they don’t like, have more power in what they say because they are honest. This is why I really like you Nezumayo-kun. You harshly criticize even the super popular light novels like a contrarian otaku.”

“Please, could you stop mentioning my account name in class over and over…? My name is Yoda…”

“Well, occasionally that Nezumayo guy doesn’t even spare my favorite light novels from his criticism, so sometimes I start fights with him on Twitter!”

“Can you please stop that? What’s the point for both of us in that situation?”

“No, it’s not about personal gain or loss. It’s because there is a version of me that can’t stand and lets my favorite things be belittled without saying anything!”

“Isn’t this gal’s way of thinking a bit too yankee…?”

“Ah… Oh right, I forgot! I actually brought a light novel I planned to lend you, thinking I’d meet Nezumayo-kun today. Just wait a moment!”

Tsumakawa said that and retrieved a student folder from her desk. Then she placed it on the desk next to me—Matsuda-kun’s desk.

Afterward, sitting back down in Matsuda-kun’s seat, she started taking out light novels from her bag one after another.

“First, there’s 『Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Hold Up? (No, It Can’t!!)』, then there’s『Paradise Noise』, 『When Nekura and Hiria Meet』, and 『Kino’s Journey: the Beautiful World』.. I had a hard time narrowing it down since there were so many I wanted to strongly recommend!”

“A-Ah, Tsumakawa-san, is it really okay for you to be so open about this around everyone!?”

I commented to her as Tsumakawa-san took out several novels with cute 2D girls on their covers from her school bag and laid them out on someone else’s desk.

Seriously, shouldn’t you be concerned about what others might think!?

While I was thinking like that, she calmly replied with a composed expression.

“Hmm? Well, I’ve already told my close friends that I’m really into otaku stuff. So, I’m totally fine! Anyway, more importantly—here you go. If there’s anything you’re interested in, let me know. Don’t hesitate, okay? Young people shouldn’t hold back, you know?”

“Are you treating me like a spoiled grandchild…? Um, Tsumakawa-san… I really appreciate it, but I’ve actually read all of these before…”

“…Even though I went through the trouble of bringing them here, what the heck? If you’ve already read all of them, you should have said so earlier! Don’t mess with me!”

“Despite your annoyed words, why do you still have a smiling face?”

“Because——if you’ve read all my recommendations, doesn’t that mean you have the same taste as me? So naturally, my spirits rise—In my recommendations, do you have any favorite works?”

“…Honestly, I love all of them…”

“Wow, seriously? You’re the best! High five!”

Tsumakawa-san patted my shoulder energetically. It kind of hurt a bit…

As I was thinking this, she started to tidy up the spread-out novels on the desk and continued,

*****

『Paradise Noise』= https://www.novelupdates.com/series/paradise-noise/

『When Nekura and Hiria Meet』= https://www.novelupdates.com/series/when-nekura-and-hiria-meet/

『Kino’s Journey: the Beautiful World』= https://www.novelupdates.com/series/kino-no-tabi-the-beautiful-world/