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 4

 Interlude 4: Yuzu Arisa is Surprised

“—Hey, you’re a student here, right?”

“Wanna hang out with us?”

“It’ll be super fun, promise!”

“Mm, absolutely not.”

I—Yuzu Arisa—was a bit too excited about going around the cultural festival with friends for the first time. Normally, I wouldn’t make such a careless mistake.

After successfully buying the fried chicken Mizuki recommended, I was heading back with a satisfied grin when, worst-case scenario, a trio of sleazy guys pegged me as someone wandering alone and decided to hit on me.

I’m well aware that my appearance stands out far more than most. So, when I go out on weekends, I almost always get approached like this.

But because of that, I know how to avoid getting hit on, and I have some strategies for dealing with it if it happens.

“Come on, it’ll be fun!”

“No.”

The guys flashed shallow smiles, but I shut them down instantly, making it crystal clear I wasn’t interested.

Usually, showing zero interest makes most pickup artists back off.

But this time, unlike the guys at school or your average sleaze, these three were stubbornly persistent.

“Ugh, come on, don’t be such a buzzkill! Just a little bit!”

“Playing with adults is way more fun than those kids!”

They look like college students, but where exactly are they “adults”? Compared to creeps controlled by their lower halves trying to hit on a younger high schooler, Eita—who’s considerate and acts for others’ sake—seems far more mature. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks so.

“Mm, no. If you keep pushing, I’ll call security.”

Getting fed up, I started putting distance between us and mentioned the patrolling security guards as a last resort. Instantly, the three froze.

Looks like the word “security” hit the mark.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned to head back to Eita when one of the trio, face red with anger, stepped in front of me.

“You’re getting cocky just ‘cause we’re being nice… Women should just shut up and do what men say!”

The apparent leader spouted blatantly sexist nonsense, and I felt my already icy view of him grow colder. The other two, however, looked a bit panicked by his words.

“O-Oi… That’s too far, especially at a school…!”

“We’ll get kicked out for real…!”

Seems the other two have at least a shred of common sense, making them slightly better than this leader creep. Still, they’re the absolute bottom in my book.

Also, the guys at school who call Eita a “scumbag” all the time… this is what a real scumbag looks like. They probably haven’t met a true lowlife, because real scumbags are impossible to understand from their mindset alone.

“…What? Move. I’m going back.”

“Don’t get too full of yourself. A little high school girl like you? I could restrain you in a second.”

With a scowl, he grabbed my wrist tightly. For someone like me, who isn’t very strong, that was more than enough—and for the first time, I felt a flicker of fear toward a guy.

“… that hurts… Stop…”

When I let my expression falter slightly and raised my voice, the guy, noticing my growing unease, deepened his smirk.

“Hah, who’s gonna stop me?”

Mid-sentence, a very familiar and incredibly reliable voice suddenly rang out from behind.

“—Hey, you scumbags! Keep your hands off my precious friend!”

“Gah!”

Eita, his face twisted with uncharacteristic fury, launched a flying kick at the guy. The sudden intruder startled the man, who released my wrist just as the kick landed. With the momentum behind it, the guy was sent flying several meters. But Eita didn’t spare him a glance, rushing to my side with a panicked expression.

“You okay, Yuzu??”

His voice and face were filled with genuine concern.

The sight of Eita, so different from his usual self, made my heart suddenly pound loudly in my chest.

Puzzled by the strange sensation in my body, I nodded to show I was okay doomed, but Eita kept worrying about me, his concern unwavering.

—I was so happy.

Happy he saved me.

Happy he was worried about me.

Happy he called me his “precious friend” right before kicking that guy.

All of it felt so new, so joyful, warming my heart.

“Mm, it’s not your fault, Eita. I was just careless. Honestly, I’m glad you saved me. Thanks.”

I tried to convey my feelings, but… as expected, it didn’t come out quite right.

I’m just not good at expressing myself. My words always come out flat, and my face barely shows anything. I kind of hate that about myself.

While I was sinking into self-loathing, the situation moved on. Before I knew it, the sleazy pickup artists were being hauled off by Eita’s big brother, who had his arms around their shoulders, dragging them away whether they liked it or not.

Eita watched the scene with a dumbfounded expression. I did too, of course.

But Eita quickly closed his gaping mouth and turned to me.

“…Sorry for letting you go alone,” he said, his face tinged with guilt.

But I’d gone off to buy food on my own, and I didn’t think it was even a tiny bit his fault.

“Mm, like I said, it’s not your fault.”

“No, I knew you’d get distracted by food and wander off… Oi, it’s true, why’re you hitting me?”

“…Unnecessary comment.”

“I don’t wanna hear that from you!”

“Fufu.”

Eita’s indignant retort, so different from the dependable guy he’d been moments ago, made me let out a small chuckle.

Seeing me like that seemed to take the wind out of his sails, and he let out a small sigh.

“Ha… Next time you wanna go somewhere, just tell me. I’ll go with you.”

“Mm… Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Big bro handled it in the end, anyway.”

Eita shrugged, as if what he’d done was no big deal. Before I realized it, I was gently holding onto his sleeve.

“…Yuzu?” he asked, frowning, clearly confused by my action.

I looked at him and said clearly, “But you saved me, Eita. No matter what anyone says, it was you who helped me.”

“O-Oh… I-I see… Thanks?” he replied, nodding as if he didn’t quite get it.

I’m so bad at expressing myself it’s frustrating.

But Eita, who called me his “precious friend,” is someone I want to cherish.

I want to get better at sharing my feelings, little by little.

And for now, though it’s a bit embarrassing to say—

—Eita is my most precious friend.

I tucked those words away in my heart, gazing at Eita’s face, which looked more dependable than ever.

——.