A Popular Girl Confessed to Me, the Loner—Thinking It Was a Prank, I Tried to Scare Her Off... But She Was Actually Serious. - Chapter 34: “When an Introvert’s Brain Comes in Handy”

“So, Master—what should I do?”

The moment Sōma said that, Hiyori, Suzu, and Amane all nodded in unison, like, “Yeah, totally.”

…No no no. There’s no way I’m worthy of being called “Master.”

So I tried to protest.

“Look, first of all, calling me ‘Master’ is already a huge mistake…”

Even so, Hiyori nodded seriously—like she actually agreed—and cornered me with no escape route.

What’s with the double-nod of approval…?

But it’s Hiyori, after all. She’s always there with a gentle follow-up.

“But you know, Makoto-kun, you’re really good at calmly reading people, right? That’s why even just a hint from you about what kind of person Mei-chan is, or what might resonate with her, would be super helpful!”

She’s so kind it’s unfair…

Suzu jumped in right after, backing her up.

“Yeah, yeah! See, me and Hiyori tend to think with our extrovert brains, so we end up spinning our wheels a lot.”

Suzu just casually dropped the term “extrovert brain” out of nowhere.

Next to her, Amane gave a small, amused smile. Seriously, she’s like the class mom.

Still… what the heck is extrovert brain supposed to mean?

But when Suzu says it, it doesn’t sound like a joke—it sounds legitimate.

“…Nah, I think I’m too much of an introvert. My advice might be totally off.”

“That’s exactly why we need you!”

Suzu clapped her hands together with a loud smack.

“What Haruto needs right now is a non-extrovert perspective. And the perfect rep for that is you, Manabe! Right, Hiyori? Amane?”

“…I like introverted Makoto-kun.”

“Yeah, your usual calm vibe is really comforting.”

“…That’s the weirdest way to compliment someone!”

I had no idea how to respond to any of this.

But… with everyone around me taking this seriously—and with Sōma being so desperate—

Well, I couldn’t exactly not get involved.

“…Okay, how about I just answer your questions directly?”

“YES! He’s in! Makoto the Master!”

“Stop calling me that.”

Despite the complaints, I paused to think a bit and then said:

“…First of all, Sōma—don’t you think you’re being too obvious with your feelings toward Mei-san?”

“Huh? If I don’t make it obvious, she won’t get it, right?”

“You’re not wrong, but… it’s more like your energy and your intentions are out of sync.”

“…What do you mean?”

Suzu tilted her head, puzzled.

“I mean, Mei-san seems like the kind of person who experiences things through sensation. Not through words or hype. More like… the atmosphere, the distance between people, subtle changes in expression—she feels those things.”

As I said that, Amane gave a small, thoughtful nod.

“…Yeah. That does sound like Mei-chan.”

Hiyori added quietly beside me, “That’s a genius-level observation, Makoto-kun.”

I continued.

“So when you’re like, ‘I love youuuu~!’ and shouting it out—it does get across, in a way. But to Mei-san, it might just come off as… noise.”

“Noise?! You mean I’m just annoying!?”

This guy… Is his brain one-track or what?

…Okay, maybe that was too harsh.

“That’s not what I’m saying. I just mean—actions over words. She might be the type who’s more moved by quiet, consistent gestures.”

“Like what, though? What kind of actions?”

“Like… remembering what she said in a previous conversation. Or showing interest in the illustrations she draws. Stuff like that—silent empathy, you know?”

“…Empathy, huh.”

Sōma mumbled, his voice unusually quiet.

Mei-san’s in the art club. From my introvert perspective, if he could connect with her creative side—not directly, but indirectly—it might actually work.

“Mei-chan’s kinda hard to read, but… she doesn’t give off a bad vibe, you know? Like, when I talk to her, she responds—softly, but still. I don’t think she’s ever just ignored me.”

“Yeah, that’s super important. If she hasn’t shut you down completely, it means your presence is getting through.”

This time it was Amane who spoke. Suzu nodded with a serious face, too.

“So, what now? What’s the next step?”

“I don’t think you need to rush into a big confession or anything. Maybe just try easing into her daily routine a bit.”

Hiyori offered that suggestion, and I nodded along.

“Right. Like maybe walking home together. Or wandering around the school. Helping out with her club or something?”

“Ooh, that sounds kinda date-like! I like it!”

A date might be a bit too direct, though.

“Nah, instead of framing it as a ‘date’ from the start, something that just happens to feel like one might work better.”

“…Manabe, you really are a Master.”

Suzu looked almost emotional. What are you getting emotional about!?

“Seriously, drop the ‘Master’ title already.”

“Too late, you’ve been officially certified! I’ll make your certificate later.”

“Don’t you dare.”

Even as we joked around, a thought crossed my mind.

—When someone genuinely tries to face their own feelings head-on,

—and you get caught up in that and given space to think about it yourself—

That kind of atmosphere… it’s warm.

And honestly—

It didn’t feel bad at all.