Chapter 22 Part 2: Investigation.

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Translated and Edited by: luccayn.

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you're close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it's cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one's older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

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“Kumoi is in both in the boat club and in the student council. She’s the vice president, and a guy named Tsukasa Kazami is the student council president. he’s also her boyfriend. Still, it seems like the guy who went into that love hotel isn’t this one,” we were talking about Kumoi, the girl who traumatized Hareta.

“I feel like I’ve seen this Kazami guy somewhere before. Where was it again?”

“Dunno.”

“Oh, I remember now. This guy, he’s the one who tried to hit on me before.”

Another conversation seemed to be taking a twist. An unwanted one.

“Is that story relevant?”

“Hey, listen. So, during summer vacation, we all went to the pool, right? And this guy, while I was chilling under the parasol, he came up to me.”

“Is it relevant?”

“He said, ‘You’re cute, are you alone right now?’ Seriously, who goes to the pool alone, right? There were even five servings of yakisoba there, it was so stupid I couldn’t help but laugh.”

“Hey, is it relevant—”

“Oh, by the way, don’t you think Kokomi-chan has big boobs!? And you know what, while we were swimming, her swimsuit top slipped!”

Tapping the table, Tsukino called the waitress over for a refill of tea. With a cough, she straightened up, perhaps realizing the meaning behind her gratitude.

“Anyway, Kumoi seems to be popular, huh? There are girls who never run out of boyfriends.”

“I wonder. But she’s good-looking, has a bright personality, and has plenty of friends. Maybe she’s long forgotten about Hareta.”

“Do you think so?”

“It’s a common story. Men tend to linger on, while women move on quickly. I’ve seen plenty of couples like that.”

It was a slightly teasing response to their previous idle chatter. As a woman currently in love, Tsukino didn’t know how to respond to such questions.

“…But, I’m different. There are men like Shinji who move on decisively, and there are women who continue to carry the past with them.”

Surprised by her unexpected reply, I glanced at Tsukino and let out a shallow sigh. If this table were a bit narrower, I might have instinctively reached out to pat her head for comfort.

Such a poignant and fleeting smile it was.

“Sorry, I’ll reflect on it.”

“Huh? Shinji, did you do something bad to me?”

“If you haven’t noticed, it’s fine.”

“Why? Tell me, I’m curious now.”

Michiru Tsukino sometimes showcases both a sharp wit that can cut like a knife and a tendency to overlook crucial weaknesses in her opponent’s defenses, unable to deliver the finishing blow.

It’s strange. Perhaps someday, I might be thoroughly convinced by her. Such a pleasant sense of unease fluttered through my mind for a moment.

“Hey, tell me.”

“Regret your incompetence for not noticing, you idiot.”

“Huh!? What’s that supposed to mean!? Come on, just tell me nicely!”

I silenced her about to burst out any moment by stuffing the last sesame dumpling into her mouth. Her scowling face as she chewed resembled nothing short of a squirrel before hibernation.

“Isn’t it delicious?”

“Delish!”

“Can I continue?”

“Yum… Mm-hmm!”

So, after the waitress in the Chinese dress refilled our tea, I resumed speaking.

“To restore Hareta’s mental state to normal, two things are necessary. One is to uncover the truth about whether the two were really dating. The other is for Hareta to learn directly from Yunoi what his old sensibilities were like.”

“I see. If that hypothesis is correct, then it means we can completely shut down the escape route of denseness.”

I feel like my way of thinking is gradually changing. Although it might be best to stop because it doesn’t suit me, I’ll refrain from pointing it out for fear of embarrassment if I’m mistaken.

“Yeah. In reality, during the Harem Incident, Hareta showed a significant response to people and things he was interested in. Creating a situation where there’s no choice but to accept is the best way to convey things to a dense person.”

“The Harem Incident?”

“The day when things got complicated between you guys. The name was coined by Saori-chan.”

“Complicated? Ah… I see. I-I understand now.”

If she’s going to show me that apologetic face, then it was worth me sticking my nose in and making a fool of myself.

“Anyway, contacting Shizuku Kumoi is a top priority. By the way, Tsukino. You mentioned earlier that Kazami tried to hit on you, right?”

“Huh? Y-yeah, he did.”

“In that case, could you contact Kazami? If we’re going to delve into the past, it won’t be easy, so I want to gather information on Kumoi first. You got his contact info, right?”

“Well, he was annoying, so we only exchanged Line IDs.”

Tsukino swiftly scrolled through her smartphone, displaying the chat room with Kazami among the alarmingly large number of friends on her list.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Ugh, I don’t wanna. I don’t really like guys who act all flirty.”

“Do it for the sake of your friend. Steel yourself.”

“…Then, can Shinji-kun ask me instead?”

“Huh?”

Tsukino muttered while fiddling with her fingers in frustration.

“I really don’t like those types of guys. So, I need a reason to try hard.”

“You dislike them that much?”

“Yeah, sorry.”

If she dislikes it that much, then it can’t be helped. Since she showed a willingness to cooperate, I have no intention of upsetting the applecart.

“Please, Tsukino. Give it your best.”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant.”

“Huh?”

“I want Shinji-kun to say that he needs me.”

Before I could even feel irritated, I recalled a fragment from her middle school days that planted a trauma in Tsukino’s mind. She really went through it.

…

“Tsukino, I need your help. I’d really appreciate it if you could work with me.”

Instantly, she stood up and firmly grasped my right hand. What I couldn’t prevent was the absence of sesame dumplings to stuff into her mouth.

“Do you really mean that?”

To her, who craved being desired more than anyone else, and now that I had already allowed our hands to touch, pushing her away could potentially be a terrible choice that might instantly shatter her heart.

…That wouldn’t be good.

“I mean it. There are things I can’t do, but you can.”

“Hehe, yay! You’re speaking so kindly!”

Somehow, she seemed on the verge of tears.

To desire being needed by someone so much, with the greatest desire stimulating the depths of her heart being “to be used.” Rather than achieving something herself, becoming someone’s strength became her goal.

Why did she grow up to be the exact opposite of me in just that aspect?

“…Got it. I’ll give it a try. Your way isn’t wrong, Shinji-kun.”

“You’re being too flattering.”

“Hehe. But I truly believe in it. I believe your way will definitely succeed.”

“Is that so?”

Despite that, her grip on my hand was feeble. It seemed like she was conveying that overcoming fear couldn’t be done with just ordinary encouragement. In this moment, I envy my own knowledge and experience for understanding her feelings.

“Hey, Tsukino.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry, I’m here for you.”

Tsukino gasped and smiled slightly.

Words of betrayal. Never did I expect to use them again in a situation like this.

“You know, I understand that Shinji-kun will help me because I asked him to. He made an exception as a thank you for the meal, and I intend to maintain my position properly.”

Thinking it wouldn’t be good to be relied on any further, I quickly released her hand. I pretended not to hear her poignant sigh of reluctance.

“Don’t say such manipulative things. I can’t get in the groove without some teasing from you.”

“…Hehe, maybe that’s your weak spot?”

“Not at all.”

“What’s with that? Not funny at all.”

And then, Tsukino sent a message to Kazami.

The response was immediate. A text full of seemingly air-headed, high-energy sentences appeared on her phone screen. Objectively speaking, it was clear that the guy couldn’t hide his ulterior motives at all.

…Wait, isn’t he Kumoi’s boyfriend? It would be quite infuriating if she found evidence of him flirting with another girl.

“Men are all like this,” she sighed.

“Really? I don’t feel like I fit in at all because everyone around me seems like the devoted introvert type.”

“Huh, Shinji-kun, you’re not angry? I thought you’d be like, ‘Having such a piece of trash around is annoying’ or something. I expected you to degrade him with insults I couldn’t even imagine.”

“It’s not like it bothers me. We don’t know each other, and we’re not involved.”

As always, she’s weak against unexpected responses. She stood there with her mouth hanging open, and the mature atmosphere she had just managed to create vanished, leaving her looking like a complete child.

“But, you know, isn’t he unfaithful?”

“Whether I’m faithful or not and whether another guy is have nothing to do with each other.”

“See, that’s irrelevant logic again. It’s too strong.”

I was certified with the ban card. It’s an arbitrary regulation, but I guess I have to abide by it.

“You know, it’s weird. When a guy’s too smooth, I think it’s lame, but at the same time, I feel jealous or envious. It’s something I can’t do.”

“What are you even saying? That’s messed up.”

“It’s complicated, you know, the male heart.” and all that.”

I don’t think my opinion is universally correct, nor do I believe it should be. I just believe in it as a guidepost for sticking to my own principles.

That’s why I’m not swayed by other people’s opinions. If my thoughts were to change, it would only be when something happens to me personally.

“I think you’re overthinking it.”

“Average people are fine with this level of thinking. Besides, I’m not exactly popular with lots of women. It’s like counting your chickens before they hatch or preparing a ship when you can’t even see the sea.”

“Isn’t that just wanting what you don’t have?”

“Yeah, that hits the nail on the head. Because I don’t have anything, I don’t know reality and my ideals get too high. It’s ridiculous.”

“So, you admit it.”

“I admit it. That’s my weakness.”

…After calming down, seeing Tsukino’s pitiful expression, my true feelings just spilled out.

Come to think of it, both Daisuke and Ukai-san, when they spoke their true feelings, were the ones who treated me to meals. It sounds good to say it’s about reality, but I’m really just a cash-oriented guy.

“Hehe, I heard something nice.”

“Use it however you like. I have work now, so I’ll head back.”

“Yeah, got it.”

“Thanks for the meal. See ya.”

And so, I headed to Daisuke’s shop.

Despite having eaten so much, I gradually got hungry again as I walked, and by the time work was over, I was starving. Being a glutton and poor is tough, man.

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