ATypical High School Life: Freshmen Year

Chapter 1: Frantic First Week (PART 7)

Part 7

"So Yoshida will be the class activist. Hideaki-kun, write that down."

Thanks to the work of Shinsuke, I'm now part of the class council, working directly under the star student, class president Yui.

Not that I'm complaining, I get an opportunity to get closer to Yui, the most distant yet desirable member of my online team, and have more time to convince her to join the club.

I'm just kind of afraid of Shinsuke, frankly.

What the hell did he even do to instantly boost me to such a position?

I have a feeling I severely underestimated this guy's influence on the world around him...

I really didn't think it'd work when I half-jokingly asked him to help me get a position under Yui...

Whatever, if it's not a problem then I have no reason to worry.

Rather, I should focus on the task at hand.

"Hey, Hideaki-kun?"

Yui whispered to me.

"Hmm?"

"Do me a favor after class, alright? Meet me in the computer science room."

Somehow I have a feeling this is a positive encounter!

...

"Ah, Hideaki-kun! If you don't mind, please take these cables and leave them in the corner!"

"I-It wouldn't be a problem at all!"

We spent a good bit of time after class reorganizing stuff in the computer room, cleaning out wires and whatnot.

It's tedious work, but with Yui's support the whole time, it wasn't a problem at all!

I just left my brain on autopilot as I thought about my current situation.

Right now, I'm alone, in a room with Yui.

What should I do?

Should I ask her 'Do you want to walk back home together after this?', or what?

No, if so, don't I come off a bit too strong, then?

Gah, this is so confusing! I can't think of anything to say.

"Yui-san? Is this done yet?"

Is that all I had to say?

I'm disappointed in myself.

"Yep, that should do. Nice work, Hideaki-kun! Thanks for helping me out!"

"Actually, Yui-san-"

Just as I gathered enough courage to actually speak something, a loud noise buzzed throughout the room.

"Sorry, Hideaki-kun, that's gonna have to wait, I've got to pick up the phone!"

How unfair! Just when I was about to speak, too!

Calm down, me! It's fine, it's fine.

You can just ask her later, when she gets the phone call over with.

There's a saying that goes 'Good things come to those who wait', isn't there?

"Shinsuke, I'm here. Sorry for picking up late."

Huh? Shinsuke? Why is Shinsuke calling Yui all of a sudden?

I have chills running down my spine for no discernable reason...

"Ah, I'm at the computer room with Hideaki-kun, I'm overseeing the cleaning process."

Is this really Shinsuke? The Shinsuke I know garners glares of vehemence from females within a 50-meter vicinity whenever he opens his mouth.

Something's up...

"I'm done now, so wait for me! I'm gonna be right there."

"Uhm, Yui-san, who was that?"

"Ah, it's my boyfriend, Shinsuke. You sit right in front of him in class."

"B-B-Boyfriend?"

"I thought he must have told you by now, but I guess not. Well, sorry to cut the conversation short, but I must hurry now. Lock the door for me, alright?"

"A-Ah, okay..."

"And meet me at the schoolyard on Thursday afternoon if that's ok. I'll be waiting, bring Ryuko too."

Yui dropped a bombshell, said all that and ran off before I could say another word.

She told me to meet up on Thursday, but my mind is only fixated on one thing.

"Boyfriend, huh? Reality is so cruel... The only girl that's even remotely viable is taken already..."

I say this with a crestfallen expression, but my true thoughts betray my words and my face.

Hmm, what is it that I'm feeling?

I should be in a state of complete depression and denial. The various popular media I've consumed suggests that I should feel this way once the girl I'm interested in suddenly reveals she's already seeing someone.

Yet, I'm not.

It's not exactly the pain or sadness of rejection. In fact, I don't think I feel like I've been rejected at all. Yui was always the most distant and popular girl in the group, so I guess I always have subconsciously planted the idea of her being unapproachable in my own head. As much as it pains me to say, it's not like I was very close to Yui, so I really can't feel like I've lost something. Even in the way I address everyone, Yui is the only one who I ever add an honorific to.

Rather than being all despondent and disheartened, the feeling I have is more like confusion, yet somehow I feel like I've gained a profound understanding of the situation.

I'm confused as to how the hell Shinsuke got himself such a nice girl despite his reputation of earning the vitriol of several women without much effort at all.

But at the same time, now I know why Shinsuke was able to easily pull the strings behind the scenes and land me in such a favorable position, a position working right under his own girlfriend.

I'll just have to ask him for all the other details tomorrow.

But, now that I think about it, aren't I surrounded by all these extraordinary people?

Ryuko, despite her incomprehensible, chuunibyou-induced rants, seems exceptionally intelligent and sharp-minded, at least from what I could gather from the few times I was made aware of her prior academic achievements.

Even in some talks we had, she has shown herself to be surprisingly perceptive.

The same couldn't be said for her awareness of the world around her, though. What a shame...

As for Mitsuho, I heard from somewhere that she hailed from a particularly wealthy and prestigious family, and that they could buy five more mansions and still not drain their funds.

I don't think I need to elaborate when it comes to Yui...

But Shinsuke's the person I least expect to be so special. I really did think he was just someone like me, but even more nonchalant and uncaring. I really did underestimate him...

Wait, then...

That means that I'm the lamest, stalest person in my group...

I'm a bit pissed off because of that realization.

Whatever, it's getting late, I should be getting home.

Speaking of which, isn't Ryuko waiting for me?

...

I was later berated by Ryuko for making her wait so long.

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