It's Hard for me, an Unremarkable Guy, to Believe that someone as Popular as Hirose-san would be Interested in me. - Chapter 6

As I hurried toward the station, I spotted Hirose-san sitting on a park bench. A man stood in front of her, talking to her.

From where I was, she looked uncomfortable. Of course, it could have just been my imagination.

But if she truly was in trouble, I might be the only one who could step in and help her. And if I was wrong, I’d only embarrass myself. That was a risk I was willing to take.

With that resolve, I approached them.

“Hirose-san? You’re still here?”

“Ah! Yoshizawa-kun! Y-Yeah, I am.”

Her eyes met mine, and I could almost feel her silent plea for help.

The man, who seemed to be one of our regular customers, turned to me with a suspicious expression.

“Hey, Aizuki-chan, who’s this guy? Don’t tell me he’s your boyfriend.”

He looked me up and down, his tone almost accusatory.

“Oh, I’m one of the kitchen staff at the restaurant. You’re a regular there, right? Thanks for coming by so often.”

“Yeah, I’m a regular. I was just thinking it’s about time I got to know Aizuki-chan better. I was asking for her contact info.”

From the situation, it seemed clear Hirose-san didn’t want to give him her number and felt cornered. But there was always a chance I was wrong. I didn’t want to escalate things, so I decided to approach the issue diplomatically.

“Ah, I see. But isn’t Hirose-san already in a relationship? Wouldn’t giving out her contact information upset her boyfriend?”

Hirose-san’s eyes widened in realization, and she quickly played along.

“Y-Yeah, that’s right! And besides, I’m not great at responding to messages anyway. I’m really sorry!”

Seeing an opportunity to end the conversation, I pressed on.

“Oh, Hirose-san, if we don’t hurry, you’ll miss your train. Let’s go! …Well, thanks for understanding, and we’ll be off now. Have a good evening!”

Without giving the man a chance to argue, I led Hirose-san away from the park. We walked quickly, leaving the awkward situation—and the man—behind us.