After My Girlfriend Dumped Me, I Got Reincarnated As A High School Student. That Part’s Fine—But Why Are All My Ex-Girlfriends Here Too? - Chapter 31 – Of the Strategies, Running Away is the Best

During class.

“Fwaaah…”

A yawn slips out before I can stop it.

I thought I’d be fine when I woke up this morning, but it seems I didn’t get enough sleep after all.

“Oh? You’ve got some nerve yawning wide open in my class.”

That voice belongs to my homeroom teacher and Japanese literature instructor, Tsunooka Sachi — a former delinquent, currently single, and, according to rumors, “boyfriend applications open, hit me up.”

“Ah, well, haha… I was up late last night reviewing for your class, sensei.”

“What?”

Her sharp eyes soften just a little.

Oh? Could this be my chance…?

“I just… really like your classes, so I got carried away studying ahead! Before I knew it, it was past midnight.”

Well, technically that’s not a lie — I was studying Japanese literature before I passed out last night.

“Hmph… well, if you’re studying that hard for my class, I can’t say I’m not happy about it… b-but still… neglecting your sleep isn’t good. S-so be more careful next time.”

Oh? Ohhh?

Is my teacher… kind of easy to handle?

“Yes, ma’am! I’ll be careful!”

“Good.”

She looks away, her cheeks faintly red, and walks off.

“What are you even doing…”

Hiromi mutters beside me in a half-exasperated tone.

“What? You were listening?”

“I sit right next to you. Of course I can hear.

Don’t tell me you actually stayed up studying — you probably just played games all night, didn’t you?”

How rude.

“Now that you mention it, I haven’t played any games since I came to this world.”

“This world?”

“Ah—never mind, just talking to myself.”

“…Wait, you seriously studied?”

She looks genuinely doubtful. Ouch.

“Of course I did.

Oh, right. Thanks for this — it really helped.”

I hand back the Japanese notes I borrowed from her.

“…Okay.”

She gives a short reply, takes the notebook, and slips it into her bag.

“Hey… Mitsuzumi, were you always the type to study this hard?”

Still writing in her textbook, eyes down, she asks me out of nowhere.

Seriously… she’s still talking?

“What’s wrong with that?

I just feel like it.”

“‘Feel like it,’ huh.

You’re just trying to avoid getting stuck in remedial classes during summer break, aren’t you?”

Ugh. She’s right — but I don’t want to admit it.

“Ah, I knew it.”

How does she see through me so easily…?

“So what if I am?”

“Nothing.”

Silence.

I take the chance to focus on my notes again.

“Your handwriting’s still awful.”

“Shut up.”

God… what’s with her today? She’s so chatty.

“Hey.”

“What now?”

“Well… are you happy right now?”

What kind of random question is that?

“So, what if I am?

It’s none of your business.”

“…Nothing. Just curious.”

She turns away again, her expression unreadable.

Guess that’s the end of that conversation.

And right then, the chime rings to signal the end of class.

Man… she really threw me off.

—Lunch break.

Oh yeah, Hinami said she made something special for lunch today.

Alright, time to find a quiet spot in the courtyard—

“Hey! Why are you just casually starting lunch all alone again!?”

Rio grabs me by the back of my shirt.

“Eh… but solo lunch is—”

“We’ve already done this whole ‘lonely lunch’ thing before, remember?”

Right, right.

“By the way, Hinami isn’t coming?”

“Oh, Hinami said she’s eating with her classmates today.”

“I… see.”

Well, that makes sense.

It’d be weird if she didn’t have any friends in her class.

If she were as much of a loner as I was in my old life, I’d actually feel bad for her.

“So, that means you’ll be eating with me today.”

Rio smiles and takes my hand, leading the way.

“O-oh. Right.”

“Hey hey!”

A loud, energetic voice calls from behind — it’s a voice that sounds straight out of a kid’s cartoon.

“Ah, Haine-chan.”

“Yo~!”

Haizaki Yaene, or “Haine,” is a friend I made through Utuber stuff.

Bright, bubbly, always full of energy — she’s basically the class mood-maker.

“You two have been hanging out a lot lately. Are you, like, dating or something?”

“What, a happy couple? Disgusting. Perish.”

The one muttering coldly beside her, with that gender-ambiguous, sharp-faced look, is Miyato Rei.

A total opposite of Haine’s personality — and yet, they’re childhood friends, always together.

“Eh!? N-no, no, no! That’s not it at all!

He’s, um, family! More like a clumsy older brother than anything!”

Wait… did it just get cold in here for a second?

Weird. Probably my imagination.

I glance behind me — no one’s there.

Huh… maybe I’m just tired.

“Well, yeah, I heard you were cousins or something, but you two don’t really look alike.

Besides, cousins can totally get married, right?”

“M-m-married!? No way! We’re still students! That’s way too soon—and, um…!”

Ah, she’s completely red now.

She’s fumbling for excuses, clearly panicking.

Wait—this is my chance, isn’t it?

“Ah, sorry, I just remembered something I need to do! Catch you later!”

“Eh!? H-hey, Yuta!?”

Good luck, little anchovy girl.

I’ll leave your noble sacrifice behind me and move forward!

I dash out of the classroom—finally, it’s time for my long-awaited solo lunch!

“Oh, my best bro! Perfect timing!

Let’s eat together!”

…Wait.

Seriously!?