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 37: The Watch-Over-Hayato Committee

Lunchtime.

Today was our usual midday gathering.

“Master! You have to hear this!”

With a loud thud, Souma leaned across the table dramatically.

“Can we please drop the whole ‘Master’ thing?”

“No way! That’s your identity now! Manabe—no, Master Manato, you’re like a love compass!”

“I’m really not anything that grand…”

“Hayato, you’re bothering Manato-kun again~,” Hiyori said with an exasperated laugh.

“Master Manato, I wanna hear it too~” Suzu chimed in teasingly. “Let’s see this so-called ‘love compass’ of yours.”

“Wait—you too, Suzu-san?”

Then from behind her, even Amane popped her head into the conversation.

“I’m kind of curious about Manato-kun’s ‘mastery’ myself.”

“What does that even mean—‘mastery’!?”

Before I knew it, I’d been boxed into the role of Master, like I had no choice in the matter.

***

“Okay, Master! First question!”

Souma raised his hand enthusiastically.

“Yesss! Welcome to our new segment: Master Manato’s Love Advice Corner~!” Suzu said, clearly enjoying herself.

“Can we not just make up new segments out of nowhere?”

I shot her a look, but she only giggled. She was obviously messing with me just to see my reaction… and clearly enjoying it.

Anyway—Souma began.

“Yesterday, I was sitting next to Mei-chan in the art room, and while she was sketching, she just… stopped. Then she gave me this look, like ‘You’re being annoying.’ Is that it? Did she already start hating me?”

“…Wait. Were you talking to her?”

Would she really give him that look for just sitting there silently?

…Though to be fair, Souma does have a kind of loud presence by default.

“I just kept saying, ‘Man, it’s hot today,’ over and over.”

“Okay, yeah, that’s your fault. Saying it once is enough.”

Suzu burst into laughter. “Hayato, your conversation game is so weak!”

Souma looked down, dejected.

“Master… am I hopeless when it comes to talking to girls?”

Coming from me, that was a tough one to answer honestly…

“But weren’t you trying that ‘Just sit next to her quietly’ strategy?”

“I know… but I couldn’t help saying something…”

I sighed.

“Souma, I’m not saying never talk to her. But Mei-san’s the type who notices people who quietly stay by her side. You gotta pick the right moment.”

“That’s it!! That’s totally it!!”

Suddenly he leapt to his feet, his voice loud enough to make people at nearby tables flinch.

…Seriously, this guy is way too loud.

“Master, your words cut deep… they healed my soul wound…!”

“What do you mean ‘soul wound’?!”

We couldn’t help but laugh.

***

“Master! Second question!”

We were really still going with this?

“The other day, Mei-chan said to me, ‘Your shoes are kind of… light blue today.’ Does that mean she’s looking at me?!”

“Pretty sure she’s just looking at your shoes.”

Hiyori snorted.

“But Hayato-kun, it is kind of nice when someone notices your shoes,” Amane added gently.

She really was like a mom sometimes… so kind. Seriously, Amane-san is Mom-tier.

“Right?! Inside I was freaking out like, ‘Whaaa!? Mei-chan remembered my shoe color!?’”

“Remembered? Wasn’t that the first time she’d even seen them?”

I hit him with a bit of cold reality, and Souma immediately deflated.

…Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

“Master, is reality always this harsh…?”

“No, you’re just dreaming too much!”

Everyone around us burst out laughing.

And for some reason, I was the only one being completely serious.

***

Souma’s barrage of “Mei-related” love consultations didn’t stop there.

You could call them… “Mei Problems.”

Some highlights:

– Mei handed him a printout that wasn’t folded like the others → Special treatment?

– Their eyes met in the hallway for a second → Mutual feelings?

“That was just a coincidence.”

“RIGHT?! I knew it!!!”

“But honestly, Hayato-kun, the way you get happy over those little coincidences—I think it’s kind of sweet,” Hiyori said.

“Totally. Just watching you is kind of soothing,” Amane added.

“I ship this,” Suzu declared.

Somewhere along the way, this stopped being a love advice session and turned into the “Watch-Over-Hayato Committee.”

***

Just before the lunch bell rang, Souma murmured quietly:

“…Still, just having everyone listen like this… it kinda gives me courage.”

That made everyone fall silent for a moment.

So I sat up straight and said what I meant.

“Whether your feelings reach her or not—I don’t know. But the way you keep trying… I’m sure it’s moving someone’s heart.”

“Masterrrr!!”

Souma looked like he was about to cry as he lunged toward me.

“NOPE nope nope—back off! Personal space! Physical boundaries!!”

“I’m so touched right now!!”

By the time the end-of-lunch bell rang, I was still being worshiped as “Master.”

(…When did I end up in this role, anyway?)

But—

It wasn’t such a bad place to be.