My Best Friend is so Popular it's a Problem (BL) - Chapter 3

We rushed noisily into the classroom. The three of us are usually together, so being with each other isn’t unusual, but coming to school side by side like this must have been rare. Everyone stared at us.

I sat down and let out a sigh of relief. While I was pulling out my textbook from my bag, Hatayama spoke to me from behind.

“Hey, what do Haruto and Ichigoya usually talk about?”
“What do we talk about? Just normal stuff. Why?”

I tilted my head, confused about what Hatayama was trying to ask. Seeing me like that, he gave a wry smile.

“Ah, so that’s why.”
“What do you mean?”

His words sounded suspicious, making me even more confused and restless. When I frowned and asked again, Hatayama spoke with an awkward expression.

“Do you know about Haruto’s middle school days?”
“…Ah, yeah. I heard. When he didn’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend, he’d go out with anyone.”

I was shocked enough when I heard about the girlfriends, but learning he also had boyfriends surprised me even more.

“People who knew him back in middle school all thought Haruto was the kind of guy who could date anyone. They figured they’d be next and started going after him. They didn’t know that Haruto only dated people because it was too much trouble to refuse.”

“…………”
“Even now, there are still plenty of people who don’t get how Haruto really feels. They keep charging at him, and every time, he makes that annoyed face.”

“…Yeah. He really does look bothered when that happens.”

“Right? That’s why, I think. When Haruto is with Ichigoya or Sora, he actually looks like he’s having fun. Sora only thinks of Haruto as a friend, and Ichigoya too, right?”

“Yeah.”
A sting.

…Wait. What was that? Something about that answer stuck with me.

“Ah, the teacher’s here.”

Hatayama leaned back, pulling out his textbook. I turned to the front and pulled my notebook closer.

What is this?
This strange, irritating feeling that keeps nagging at me…

Turning the pages of my textbook, I twisted my head, lost in the swirl of emotions I couldn’t quite understand.