Even though he was rejected by the two most beautiful girls in his grade, for some reason they seemed to be fond of him Volume 1 Intrulde 3

The library, which was usually anything but quiet, felt like an entirely different world today. The silence brought on by exam season was almost tangible, broken only by the scratching of mechanical pencils and the distant shouts of the soccer team preparing for their upcoming tournament.

A humid breeze, carrying the scent of early summer, drifted in through the windows opened by the library committee, causing the curtains to sway gently. The sky, dyed in shades of red, seemed to watch over us as we focused on our studies.

"...Huh? Wait, why does X become 4 here? And where the heck did that formula come from? Don’t just appear out of nowhere, you stupid equation!"

"Before you lose it, Eita, you need to start by memorizing the formulas," Yuzu said calmly.

"Yeah, but even if I get the formulas, I can't figure out when to actually use them," Sasaki replied, his frustration evident.

Correction—Sasaki wasn’t just struggling; he was practically brimming with frustration, glaring at his math problems as though they had personally offended him.

The sight of his bewildered expression made me chuckle quietly to myself as I focused on my own assignment.

Studying together really was more fun than doing it alone. It made everything feel lighter somehow.

It seemed like Yuzu found Sasaki's expression amusing too. With a soft chuckle, she reached into her bag and pulled out a notebook. The cover was hand-labeled "Math Test Formula Collection," and it was easy to imagine that the handwriting inside was hers—rounded and cute.

Now that I thought about it... during periods five to seven, when Yuzu would usually be sound asleep, she'd been diligently writing something. 

That must’ve been this notebook.

As I glanced at her, feeling touched by her thoughtfulness, Yuzu quickly averted her gaze and spoke.

"This has all the formulas for this test, plus the ones you'll need for the intermediate steps. If you get these down, you’ll definitely be able to solve the problems."

For someone who hated math, this notebook was probably more valuable than any official study guide.

Proof of that stood right next to me. Sasaki’s eyes practically sparkled as he stared at the notebook.

"O-ohhh... damn! Yuzu, you're a lifesaver. Seriously, you're amazing..."

"Yep. I know. Praise me more," Yuzu said, puffing out her chest.

"Right, right! You're not just an adorable and dependable perfect beauty—aside from being a total loner, that is!"

"...Wanna fight? Let's take this outside."

"I'm sorry! I went too far! I was wrong, okay? Please don’t take that notebook away from me! Without it, I’ll be stuck in remedial classes!"

Sasaki immediately folded under Yuzu's sharp gaze. She sighed and, with a what-am-I-going-to-do-with-you kind of expression, handed him the notebook.

Sasaki took it with the kind of reverence you'd expect from someone receiving an award, his hands trembling slightly.

"Th-thank you so much..." His tone was caught somewhere between solemn and awkward as he carefully opened the notebook and began tackling the problems.

His expression turned serious as he scanned the pages, deeply focused.

Yuzu watched him quietly, her face unchanged, but her gaze held a subtle warmth. After a moment, she turned back to her own studies.

Silence settled over us again, and I found myself thinking.

These two really do have great chemistry, don’t they?

It wasn’t just the way they interacted just now. Yuzu always seemed softer when she was with Sasaki, her emotions more vivid, her words more plentiful.

In class, it’d be hard to convince anyone this was the same Yuzu. She was quiet, emotionless, almost distant. Though she was still adored by the other girls like some kind of mascot, she rarely showed any real emotional reactions.

But with Sasaki, she was different. It was clear, even to me, that he was someone special to her.

And yet, a question lingered in my mind, refusing to leave.

"...Why did he confess to me?" 

"Himeno-san? Did you say something?" Sasaki asked, glancing over.

I thought I had whispered softly enough that no one would hear, but... it seemed the library was quieter than I’d anticipated.

Sasaki gave me a puzzled look, tilting his head slightly. But I couldn’t bring myself to share this particular thought with him—it felt too cruel—so I slowly shook my head.

"It’s nothing. Really."

"Hm, Eita, focus. No time to be distracted."

"But it’s bothering me—uh, no, I’m good! I’ll focus, I promise! Just... don’t take the notebook, okay? If you take that away, I won’t forgive you. I’ll curse you for generations, I swear!"

Sasaki sulked as Yuzu scolded him, casting a lingering glance my way, as if still worried. Then, when Yuzu reached for his notebook, he shot back in mock outrage.

Watching that exchange, I felt certain of one thing.

Sasaki was... different from everyone else.

Yuzu, in school, wasn’t the easiest person to approach. Her stoic expression and straightforward manner meant that if she didn’t like something, she’d cut it down without hesitation. Though popular among the boys for her looks, she wasn’t often approached. Even the girls would only interact with her when it seemed safe.

But Sasaki was different. He could joke with her, tease her, and even when she glared at him, he was the only one who could meet her gaze head-on without flinching.

And... when I had turned down his confession, it was Sasaki who stood by me.

He helped me, asked about my worries, and even tried to solve them with me. He didn’t have to—he could’ve walked away, pretending nothing happened. It would've been easier after all.

But he didn’t.

Even after being rejected, when things should have been awkward, he stayed by my side. He helped me, without expecting anything in return.

I’d never met anyone like that before.

My family isn’t well-off. Actually, to be blunt, we’re poor. And in middle school, that made me a target.

It wasn’t uncommon to be hit with cruel words, and when I started rejecting confessions from boys, things only got worse. Beneath my school uniform, bruises were a common sight.

That’s why I studied so hard. I needed to pass the recommendation exams for this school. If I succeeded, they would help cover my family’s living expenses.

Thanks to that, we were able to move, and I escaped my old classmates. Now, I could finally enjoy my school life.

But poverty... it still lingered.

That’s why, even though it made me sick with nerves, I publicly declared at the game center that I was poor.

I thought that if I said it, they’d give up on me. That they'd realize I wasn’t worth their time.

But... the words that came back to me were nothing like what I had imagined.

Neither Sasaki nor Yuzu cared that I was poor. Not at all.

Instead, they played crane games and Mario Kart with me—games that cost money. And they gave me all the prizes won, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

They accepted me.

They called me their friend.

And more than anything, it was Sasaki who—despite the danger to himself—stood up for me.

When a boy came at me, cornering me, Sasaki stepped in and protected me. When a stalker appeared, he caught them.

I hadn’t realized it at first, but later, I learned that the stalker had pressed a weapon against him.

And yet, Sasaki didn’t hesitate. He calmly subdued the stalker right there on the spot.

I was... honestly amazed.

But at the same time, I didn’t understand.

——Why would he go so far to help someone like me?

No matter how much I thought about it since that day, I couldn't find an answer. Even now, I still don’t understand.

But... as much as I wanted to know, asking him directly felt too difficult. No, it wasn’t just difficult—I simply didn’t have the courage.

Even so, there was one thing I could say for sure.

"...I'm glad my first friends were you and Yuzu."

"Himeno-san...? Where did that come from all of a sudden?"

Sasaki responded quickly to my words.

Maybe he wasn’t as focused as he looked. If he kept this up, Yuzu was going to scold him again.

"Hehe... It's nothing. I just... thought that this is fun."

"If that's all, then sure, but—hey, I get it, so stop trying to take my notebook!"

"Eita, you lack a sense of danger."

——I want to stay close to these two.

That was my honest feeling. The first genuine emotion I’d ever had.

And I wanted to treasure it.

Because I believed that this feeling would change something inside me.

Thinking that, I watched the two of them focus intently on their studies, and after a brief moment, I turned back to my own notes, ready to concentrate as well.