Too Much Affection Can Be a Problem 5
“Nikki, girls are creatures who are super sensitive to the atmosphere, so they often hold back what they really want to say.”
As we were talking near the entrance, Akira approached us with a displeased look.
“How long are you going to keep your arms crossed?”
Akira wedged herself between me and Mayuzumi-san, forcibly separating us.
“Akiaki, that last jab was nice!”
“Thanks for your hard work.”
I offered a word of appreciation as well.
“Come with me for a bit.”
Despite being visibly drained from having to reject the confession, Akira’s tone was intimidating, as if she were our boss.
“Alright, alright—gladly. Nikki, let’s go.”
“Wait, me too!?”
“Do you think you can defy Akiaki? If you’re going to refuse, handle it yourself.”
Of course, I have no confidence in persuading an angry Kuhouin Akira.
“Aren’t you and Akira being too forceful?”
“Eh—Ririka just held you back a little bit.”
Luckily, tonight’s dinner won’t take long to prepare. I had set the rice cooker with the ingredients for takikomi gohan before leaving the house.
There’s no need for shopping, so there’s no rush to get home.
Spending after-school time with classmates can be enjoyable once in a while.
Suddenly feeling a gaze on my back, I turned around.
Sensei seemed surprised that I looked back, her large eyes widening even more.
Even if I’m used to making eye contact, Sensei is still vulnerable to these unexpected moments.
We must both stay alert and not show any weaknesses at school.
“Nishiki, hurry up.”
“Nikki, you can’t escape even if you try!”
Urged by Akira and Mayuzumi-san, I left the classroom with a feeling of being reluctantly pulled along.
***
The three of us moved to the lounge area inside the school.
We bought drinks from the vending machine and sat down at an empty table.
Akira immediately opened a can of milk tea and gulped it down.
“Even if it’s cold, is milk tea really something you drink all in one go?”
“Akiaki actually loves sweets. It’s a rebound from holding back on her favorite things during her track and field days, so now she can’t stop.”
For Mayuzumi-san, this seemed to be a familiar sight.
“It’s true that she’s always sucking on Chupa Chups. Hopefully, she doesn’t get cavities.”
Learning this initeresting detail, I naturally found myself looking at Akira.
“What are you worried about? Are you my parent?”
“Since you’re always sucking on something, I thought maybe you were dealing with some frustration.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Akira, you tends to be short-tempered, so I thought maybe you’re sucking on something to distract yourself from irritation.”
“Why would I!”
Akira looked at me with eyes full of unwillingness.
“See?”
I gestured to stop Akira as she leaned forward from the opposite side of the table.
Mayuzumi-san, who had been drinking a grape-flavored carbonated drink, chose the perfect timing to chime in.
“Hey Akiaki, how many confessions have you had since October started?”
“I haven’t been counting.”
“Wow, so many that you can’t keep track? You must be really popular.”
When I joked, Akira shot me a sharp glance.
“I never asked for any confessions.”
Akira snapped back with a serious face.
“Why not just embrace the fact that you’re really popular?”
“How would you feel if you had to deal with pests, hangovers, canker sores, or the interest on debts forever?”
“I’d hate them all to death.”
“Exactly.”
Just imagining it was hellish enough.
“Being forced upon with something I don’t want is just annoying.”
Akira bluntly cut through.
Well, I guess that’s true.
Unwanted affection is one of the most difficult things to handle.
I understood that well.
“So Akiaki, you want to stop this rush of confessions?”
“Of course.”
Her reply was immediate.
Akira must really have no interest in romance.
“What does Nikki think would make the confessions stop?”
Mayuzumi-san asked me.
“I’ve never even imagined such a luxurious problem.”
“Useless.”
“Akira, you should be a little more careful with how you treat your friends, or you’ll end up alone.”
“I’m always fine being alone, so it’s not a problem.”
That’s right, she’s always been this kind of girl.
“Akiaki has always been unwavering, which is cool in a girl’s eyes.”
Mayuzumi-san looked at Akira with admiration.
“Honestly, it’s a hassle to keep rejecting them, so I’d like a fundamental solution.”
Akira’s requests were always straightforward. It was clear that this was a serious issue for her.
“Maybe you could change your behavior or appearance to something that would totally turn guys off?”
I suggested off the top of my head.
“Why do I have to change myself in a negative way when I’m the one in trouble? I might as well die.”
Her response was harsh.
“By the way, why did Akira start getting popular this semester? There weren’t this many confessions in the first semester. Do you have any idea why?”
Kuhouin Akira is an attractive girl. That’s indisputable to anyone.
There have always been boys interested in her, but what changed this semester?
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“Nothing in particular.”
She was unaware.
“No solution then. I give up.”
I said, throwing my hands up in surrender.
“Try a little harder.”
“Why should I bother?”
“Then, from Nikki’s perspective, what do you think?”
“Me? Hmm, honestly, nothing comes to mind. Maybe her hair got longer?”
“Blind as a bat.”
“Hey, watch it. Take the thorns out of your words. They’re like a saw, it hurts.”
“I’m already being more considerate than necessary.”
“In what way?”
“You’re just too dull to notice, Nishiki!”
As Mayuzumi-san watched our verbal sparring with rapt attention, she commented with a smile.
“You two really get along well, don’t you?”
” “Where do you see that?” “
“Look, you’re perfectly in sync.”
We both felt awkward as our lines matched and looked away from each other.
“Akiaki, you know, you’ve become softer in your expressions and atmosphere since you’ve been around Nikki. That’s why the confessions have increased.”
Mayuzumi-san declared confidently.