I Accidentally Saw Her Get Dumped — Now the Losing Heroine Senpai Won’t Stop Clinging to Me - Episode 6

Beside the storage shed behind the old school building.

It was supposed to be my private hideout—somewhere no one would ever find me.

But now…

“You’re laaate, Haruma-kun! You got lost on the way here again, didn’t you?”

Chiharu-senpai, who’d already arrived, waved at me with a bright, beaming smile.

“…I didn’t get lost. Also, aren’t you early today?”

“I ran here! Math class was so boring, I just had to escape. I wanted to share that boredom with someone, so I came here!”

As she spoke, she patted the spot beside her on the sheet spread out on the ground.

At this point, I was already used to it. Without a word, I sat down next to her.

“Tada! I brought something nice today~!”

From her bag, Chiharu-senpai pulled out a small portable speaker.

“Mind if I play some music? Don’t you think this place has a nice vibe?”

“…I guess it’s fine. But if someone comes, it might be a problem.”

“No worries, no worries~! Nobody ever comes here. This place has zero foot traffic.”

She flipped the switch, and a gentle pop song began to play—probably something trendy these days. I didn’t recognize the lyrics or melody, but it was easy on the ears.

“Is this one of your favorite songs?”

“Yup! Don’t you think it’s kind of uplifting?”

“…You already seem pretty cheerful though, Senpai.”

“That’s all an act~! I might look energetic, but my stamina bar is totally empty~.”

“…That’s basically stat fraud in a video game.”

“Right~? But when I’m with you, Haruma-kun, I recover a little. That’s why I’ve been skipping more and more.”

She said it like a joke, but I could hear a sliver of honesty behind her words.

At school, Senpai is the picture of perfection. Popular with everyone, always cheerful, even bold enough to confess to Kamiyama-senpai. She seems to have it all.

But the Chiharu Shirakawa sitting here with me now is…

“Hey, Haruma-kun, do you ever feel drained at school?”

“I mean… yeah, sometimes.”

“Right? It’s like… you always feel like you’re being watched.”

“You’re really saying that, Senpai?”

“Me? I’m constantly watched! I can hear people whispering stuff like, ‘It’s Shirakawa-senpai!’ or ‘She’s so cute again today!’ just from walking around. It’s like I’m stuck playing a role or something.”

She said it playfully, but I could tell—playing that role every day must be exhausting.

“So, when you’re here, it’s like… no acting?”

“Exactly. When I’m with you, I feel like I can just be myself.”

As she said that, she handed me a can of juice. She’d brought two—one for herself and one for me. Thoughtful as always.

“Thanks.”

“No prob~ Now then, let’s begin today’s ‘cheer-up time!’”

“Don’t think we really need cheering up today though.”

“Well, true, but… I’m kind of in a chatty mood?”

“Okay then, anything interesting happen lately?”

“Hmm… Oh! Do you have any nicknames, Haruma-kun?”

Didn’t we go over this before…?

“…I don’t.”

“Alright, I’ll make one up now! Hmm, how about… Harumacchi?”

“…Didn’t you suggest that exact one before?”

“What, you don’t think Harumacchi is cute!?”

“Not at all. That’s totally a nickname for girls.”

“Okay then, how about Haruppi? Or Youppi?”

“Please stop.”

As I gave a helpless shrug with a wry smile, her expression suddenly shifted.

“…Am I being annoying?”

“Not really… I mean, no.”

Whoa, that was a sudden mood shift. I can’t keep up with this Senpai sometimes.

“Good, that’s a relief. I’d actually be kind of hurt if you thought I was annoying.”

“Don’t look at me like that. I don’t know how to respond.”

I instinctively looked away, and just like that, her mood flipped back again.

“Aww, you’re so honest~ That’s adorable.”

“I said, stop that…!”

“Aww, I totally saw you blushing, Haruma-kun~”

“Please stop looking!”

I couldn’t tell where the jokes ended and the truth began. But being teased like this… I didn’t really mind.

What used to be my secret place had quietly become ours.

I still didn’t know where this relationship was headed—but…

(Well… I don’t mind keeping things like this for a while.)

That thought crossed my mind as I sipped from the can of juice.