Chapter 20: A chuunibyou mob character.

Translator: Soafp

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“Thank you very much for your time today.”

“My pleasure.”

　The two executive committee chairs shake hands with each other. All the executive committee members over there came to see us off, but Sakamoto Norie is not here. I don’t think he’s going to be able to come out so easily in front of me.

　I can finally go home, but the game is just beginning. I can’t completely predict what the other side will do, but I have a general idea.

It’s hard to imagine him moving today. …… Starting tomorrow, he’ll probably stick around Mina no Iro High School and go after me and Hihara Karen.

I think the hate is turning toward me, but if he finds Hihara Karen first, he may try to get to her first. If that is the case, I have no choice but to launch another pick-up-and-drop-off operation. It may further accelerate the strange rumors, but I don’t care.

The Mina no Iro High School students bowed their heads and turned their backs to the school gate. But I didn’t leave immediately.

“I’m sorry. Can someone please exchange contact information with me?”

The students from both schools look at me. It was easy to guess why they were looking at me.

“Um, you see, how should I put it ……. This high school is great, and I’d like to know more about it.”

　The members of the executive committee of the single-colored high school look at each other.

　But then Fukumoto Narumi smiles and pulls out her cell phone.

“I’ll make the exchange. There is no reason to say no to someone who wants to know about our school.”

“Thank you very much.”

　We exchanged numbers. Not that there is any great significance in this, but just in case, just to make sure.

After the exchange, we confirm each other’s numbers and look at each other.

“Thank you.”

“No, no, you can contact me anytime.”

　……She’s a nice girl. I mean, she might be pretty cute. This girl.

I’ve only seen her in “if stories” and she didn’t really make a splash,……, you idiot!　I don’t have time to think about that!

I’m an idiot!　I don’t have time to think about that!

First of all, it’s not good to think about such things in terms of mental age. Even if I’m reincarnated, I should make sure not to compromise my ethical values. I put away my phone and bow my head again.

“Thank you so much for today.”

“it is I who should say so”

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　The joint meeting somehow ended without incident, and the committee members walked in a moderate line on their way home.

“What do you like about that high school so much?　I certainly think it would have been nice to have some of the novels in the library. ……”

“Well, um… I must say, I quite liked the atmosphere. Yes…”

“Hmm, indeed. The atmosphere was definitely nice.”

I continued to answer the questions smoothly while subtly deflecting any suspicions. It may seem unusual to behave this way, but if it gives me even a slight advantage, I don’t mind.

Oh, it would be a hassle if my class found out that I asked for the other girl’s executive committee chairperson’s contact information. Especially with Sasamoto at the top of the list, champagne pens could come flying out like dart arrows. It won’t kill me, but I don’t want it to hurt too much.

After arriving at the station, I boarded the train again and patiently waited until we reached the school while the train rocked back and forth. Some people were busy with their phones, others were reading light novels, and some were even taking a nap. However, I remained on edge for some reason.

Although I highly doubted he would be here, I prepared myself to deploy a water gun at any moment if Sakamoto showed up. Honestly, I had a good chance of winning in a one-on-one fight. However, if caught off guard, the tables could easily turn. So here I am… vigilantly observing my surroundings.

Hmm!? Is that the hooded guy over there, Sakamoto? I stared at him intently.

Then, I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

“Hey, stop staring at people like that.”

“Sorry. he just seemed suspicious…”

“It’s fine. That person is not some agent targeting you or anything.”

I’ve been completely labeled as a chuunibyou, huh? With that remark, she turned her attention back to the light novel. At that moment, a hooded man got off at the station.

Seems like he’s just an ordinary person. Misleading, indeed.

Huh? Now there’s a guy over there wearing a hat pulled down low. Is he just a regular person?

Once again, I felt a firm tap on my shoulder.

“I told you, no more staring at people!”

“Just hold on a second. I need to make sure there’s no danger.”

“…This illness getting worse.”

I couldn’t care less about these misunderstandings. They’re simply unfounded.

In the end, that person turned out to be harmless as well. After arriving at the nearest station near the school, we all got off and disbanded.

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“I’ll walk you home, Senpai.”

“Eh? It’s fine. I can go home by myself.”

“No, it’s a good opportunity!”

“It’s quite far, you know.”

“I’ll be fine!”

With that, we entered the station again. It seems her house is in the opposite direction of the Isshiki High School. I don’t have a perfect grasp of the exact location of her house.

From tomorrow onwards, I’ll have to resume my role as her guardian, or rather, stalker. It’s necessary to familiarize myself with her house for that purpose.

Once again, we boarded the train and endured about forty minutes of swaying. I kept my guard up and observed various people throughout the train ride, which resulted in multiple warnings from Hihara Karen. Even so, I didn’t stop, and in the end, she got impatient and smacked my head quite strongly.

“Senpai, please don’t get mad.”

“I am mad! I’ve told you multiple times to stop.”

“I had a bad premonition about that one, so I had no choice.”

Upon hearing that, she grabbed her head and stopped walking for a moment. Then she looked me straight in the eyes with an expression of exasperation.

“Listen, Izayoi. Graduate from your chuunibyou. I’ve seen those kinds of characters in anime and read about them in books. I don’t dislike them personally. But from a societal perspective, you come off as incredibly cringe and even dangerously unstable.”

“…”

“Got it? Learn to distinguish between reality and delusion. Otherwise, you’ll struggle in the future. Consider this advice from your Senpai in life.”

Being lectured like this by someone who might use fantastical powers to fight in the future doesn’t really affect me much. Besides, I’m the Senpai here, and I have memories from a past life.

“I’m not chuunibyou, you know.”

“No. You are chuunibyou. You can’t distinguish between delusion and reality.”

It’s my fault for behaving in a creepy manner, so there’s no help for it. She seems to have the confidence of a detective cornering a suspect, so further denial would be pointless.

“For now, I’ll walk you home, so let’s start walking.”

“Fine. We can talk while walking, so let’s do that.”

Afterwards, I received advice to graduate my chuunibyou forever until we reached her house.

In the glow of the twilight, she stopped in front of a certain house. It was an impressive two-story house.

“This is my house. Well, thank you for escorting me. But don’t forget what I said.”

“Yes, I understand.”

I thought I could contact her later to arrange for picking her up tomorrow morning, but for now, I decided not to mention it. Since I had escorted her home, I turned my back and prepared to leave.

“Well then, see you tomorrow.”

“Take care on your way back.”

I bowed once again and left the spot. As there was some distance to her home, it was already dark by the time I arrived back at my own house.

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[Hihara Karen PoV]

“I’m home.”

After being escorted by Izayoi, I watched his figure for a moment and entered my house. I knew no one would reply to my greeting, but I said it anyway. It would still be some time before Dad came back. After that, it would be Mom.

Will we be able to have dinner together today? Or will it be just Dad and me, as usual?

Mom won’t come back until around 9 o’clock because she’s busy. Dad isn’t free either, but he works on his remaining tasks at home.

Lately, I haven’t seen them talking much. They work at the same workplace and talk a lot there, so maybe they feel there’s no need to talk at home.

I’d like to think they intentionally adjust their schedules because they’re too busy to spend time together as a family. If I could say that, how nice would it be? But I don’t have the courage to do so…

I can’t speak up. I’ve actually noticed it a long time ago. Something is off, and they are starting to drift apart. But I’ve been pretending not to see, pretending not to notice, and escaping from it. And even now…

Perhaps, if things continue like this… Will our family fall apart? Every time I think that, I try to dismiss the thought. It can’t be true, right?

As I continue to deceive myself and run away, they drift further apart. Even though I’m aware, I can’t do anything.

Please, give me courage. Anyone, someone.

Again, let us be together, happily…

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