What If You Spoil a High School Girl Who Looks Like a Landmine? - Volume 1 Chapter 3.8

Seeing What Shouldn’t Be Seen 8

“I think skilled players don’t fight haphazardly like this. They precisely read, ‘this character will do this at this time,’ and fight accordingly, but I don’t understand anything.”

“No, rather… winning without doing that… could it be, your reflexes are incredibly good, Raihara-san?”

“I don’t know… ah, my sister says it’s like the way wild beasts fight.”

“That’s a great expression, you seem strong.”

…Ah, should…should I have not said that?

Because it’s not cute, right…?

Is regretting like this, because I want to be thought of as cute?

…Do I, want to be thought of as cute?

Seriously, I do not understand how my mind works today.

“The next opponent seems a bit strong.”

“Y-yeah, I guess so!”

Sorry… Honestly, there might not be much difference with the person I battled earlier.

It’s because the agitation from the previous conversation is affecting me.

No-no, focus, focus.

While thinking this, I wonder how I appear, and I inadvertently glance his way.

“Ah…!”

The distance was closer than I thought——the lever slips in my hand.

“..Ah, …well, I lost, haha.”

“No need to worry, it was a good match. You’ll surely win the next round.”

Chifuji-san is just earnestly watching the game, so he is leaning a bit forward toward the screen.

As a result, he is just too close to me.

The one feeling unnecessary tension is me, it’s my problem.

“Ah, um, …w-well… um, um.”

The next round is also hopeless. I can’t concentrate at all!

I’m not trying to act cute by intentionally losing but… ah, would that leave a good impression on men?

I don’t know, I don’t know anything about the ABCs of relationships between men and women.

Am I, perhaps, regretting that now?

With my mind in disarray, I ended up losing the match in the end.

This is game over.

“It was a close game. It’s amazing if you can do this without any practice, wouldn’t you become quite strong if you delved into it?”

“Not at all, …haha, I do think it’s a fun game, but I’m not so into competing with people over winning and losing.”

This is the decisive difference between Shion, who likes this, and me.

“Ah, I see.”

While nodding, Chifuji-san hands me the plush Usabyan.

” …… “

“…Raihara-san?”

As soon as I receive it, I fall silent, and Chifuji-san looks at me with a puzzled face.

“Eh, ah, thank you.”

While saying thanks and masking it with a smile, deep in my chest, my heart is raising its beat a little.

No, no, …it’s just my imagination.

To think that I can feel something like warmth from the plush toy that was in his arms just moments ago.

So, is that why my annoyance burning hot?

Ah, as for my legs… they’re shaky.

My head feels feverish, and I can’t settle my feet.

Even though I’ve never felt this way before, I’m convinced this isn’t just a cold.

——Wobbly, wobbly.

My feet are constantly swaying.

In the end, that was how it was the entire time I was with Chifuji-san that day——

***

“Oh, Raihara-san, this is it, isn’t it?”

“Ah, y-yes! It seems like this.”

It’s no good, it doesn’t get better.

Even after a week, the same symptoms appear the moment I see him.

“…Yeah, it’s the right one. The collab T-shirt Shion wanted. Here it is, yes.”

“Your sister really likes it, huh? The one with the fighting squid.”

“Yes, it’s almost next to skating. Hehe, she has been sending me messages since yesterday, saying ‘It’s going on sale tomorrow! Make sure to buy it!’ She might call any moment now.”

“Considering it’s afternoon here, and your sisters are in Canada… it’s midnight? Or rather, early morning? I mean, that’s some passionate big fan.”

We are at the same shopping mall we visited for the first time.

The movie theater and the game center—it went well, so we decided to try here again.

“About fighting games, she is a calm girl, but she likes to compete. She gets the most heated among the three sisters, including me. The youngest sister, on the other hand, can say clearly what she wants to say to people, but she’s not very interested in winning or losing.”

“You sisters have different personalities.”

I think we can have a normal conversation.

That is to say, behind the normal conversation, my head remains feverish, and my feet are restless.

This past week, I’ve been wondering if this is what’s called ‘that’… but it still isn’t clear to me.

Is it because I’m too ignorant about love matters?

Is my emotional development insufficient…?

“…Both of them say, ‘Onee-chan is the most peculiar one,’ and even our parents nod!”

“Haha,, but they might not say that anymore in the future. Look, it went well today too.”

Yes, actually, today’s challenge is already going well.

Unlike before, I somehow managed to take people to places I wanted to go.

“Y-Yes, that’s true… I hope you can overlook the part where I’m buying a gift for my sister, not something for myself.”

“It’s still a big step, and I think it’s amazing… huh, Raihara-san, how about that one? That hoodie also looks like a collab item.”

“Oh, you’re right. Thank you, …the size too… yes, there’s one that fits.”

“I’m glad.”

Since I’ve gathered the items my sister asked for, I head to the cashier.

“Oh? This is self-checkout, you don’t even need to scan barcodes…”

Chifuji-san observes the cashier machine with interest.

I find myself thinking, he’s cute.

My hand is trembling, causing me to mis-touch the panel.

Calm down, calm down.

“By the way, doesn’t buying presents only for 1 of your sisters lead to trouble? I don’t have any siblings, so I don’t know what it’s like.”

“There are disputes~. There are things I want to buy and send to the younger sister too, so, … i-if you don’t mind, maybe after this…”

“I see, of course, I’ll accompany you.”

Having people accompany me for my convenience is something my body is still not quite used to.

However, thanks to step-by-step practice, I’ve managed to do it, albeit with trepidation.

Chifuji-san was very grateful for the care I provided last time, but considering the favor I’ve received, such a thing doesn’t even count as repayment.

(Rather, for me to take care of him is just a reward, so it’s not even a burden).

As we left the store and walked through the shopping mall passage, we passed by a shop selling items that matched the taste of the clothes Chifuji-san was wearing.