Two outcasts who look down on each other share an innocent first kiss. - Chapter 6

By the time we arrived at the station, the awkward tension hanging between me and Harrison had settled a little.

Seriously.

Why do I have to feel this exhausted first thing in the morning?

I’m already running on too little sleep as it is…

As usual, I stepped onto the train, hugging my backpack against my chest and leaning against the closed doors.

Harrison stood beside me, gripping one of the silver poles attached to the seats.

I mean, sure.

We did walk here together.

We did board the same train.

So it’s only natural we’re standing close like this.

But still—

Why is he facing sideways?

Like, I get it.

Facing me head-on would be worse.

We’d practically be pinned against each other in a classic wall slam situation.

And that would be way worse.

But turning away like that makes it feel like he’s consciously avoiding me.

And for some reason, that just… bothers me.

“……………………”

I studied his side profile as that realization hit me.

I am walking to school with a guy.

Not just seeing him in passing.

Not just happening to be on the same train.

I walked with a guy.

I rode the train with a guy.

I pressed my mouth against my backpack, trying to hide my growing smirk.

Th-this is kinda… romantic, isn’t it?

I mean, yeah, it’s Harrison.

So obviously, it’s not that great.

But like—

The setup itself…

The scenario is good, right?

Even if the guy in question is… well…

Harrison.

I mean, he’s not that attractive.

He mumbles when he talks.

He’s not that funny.

If I wasn’t around, he’d probably go his entire life without speaking to a single girl.

But still.

Still—

“…Hehehe…”

“…?”

Harrison glanced at me, eyebrows furrowed.

I immediately clenched my lips shut behind my backpack.

Luckily, he brushed it off.

Looked back at the front of the train.

Didn’t say anything.

Whew.

If this were some socially competent dude, he probably would’ve been like:

“Huh? What’s so funny?”

But nope.

Harrison had negative charisma.

Sub-zero communication skills.

Which, honestly?

Saved me.

Because if he had pressed me about it, I might have accidentally revealed—

That I was enjoying this.

That would’ve been disastrous.

He’d misinterpret it, get carried away, and next thing you know, he’d be fantasizing about dating me.

And an overconfident introvert is the worst thing on Earth.

As the most valuable female student in our bottom-tier social bracket, it was my duty to keep him in check.

Which meant—

Absolutely no exchanging contact info.

The second I asked for his number, he’d 100% think I had feelings for him.

For any other guy, that wouldn’t be a problem.

But Harrison?

Harrison had zero romantic prospects.

So if I showed interest, he’d probably cling onto it for dear life.

And honestly?

That’s gross.

I mean, okay, maybe not gross.

It’s not like I hate the idea of someone crushing on me.

It’s just—

Well.

Aside from health checkups, no one has ever treated me like a girl before.

So, yeah.

Wouldn’t be completely awful.

But Harrison, though.

Harrison?

C’mon.

I have some standards.

Before I could get too full of myself, the train pulled into our stop.

We got off, along with a wave of other students, and headed for the ticket gates.

Nothing unusual.

Right on time.

Barely making it to class as usual.

And then—

Just as he passed through the gates—

“…Oh.”

Harrison suddenly stopped and turned back toward me.

“…We’re heading to class now, right?”

“…?”

What kind of question is that?

Of course, we are.

We’re both cutting it close.

If we walk normally, we should just barely—

—Wait. We?

—Both of us?

“…Wait. Are we seriously about to walk into class together?”

“…Yeah. Looks like it.”

No.

No, no, no, no, no.

That’s a move only actual couples pull.

We’re just two late risers who happen to live next door.

That’s it.

“Should we, like… delay it a little?”

“But we’re cutting it close, right?”

“Oh. Right.”

There’s no time to stall.

“…Well, if we’re barely making it, there should be other last-minute students rushing in, right?”

“Yeah. We’ll probably blend in.”

That was our only hope.

Because if the wrong kind of person saw us walk in together—

Hey, look! These two nerds are dating! Hah! Hey, why don’t you guys kiss for us?! Hahahaha!

…Oh god.

“………… (Shuddering violently)”

“…Hey, are you okay?”

I—I can’t.

I can’t become a plaything for the popular kids.

That would be—

That would be the end.

“……………………”

“……………………”

By the time we reached class, everyone else was already inside.

In one last act of desperation, we split up.

I entered through the back door.

Harrison went through the front.

“Dude, over break, I hung out with this guy—!”

“Oh yeah? Well, our club president—!”

The classroom buzzed with conversations, echoing off the walls.

It was louder than usual.

Maybe because everyone was trying to unload their pent-up stories from break.

I slipped through unnoticed, like a spy infiltrating enemy territory.

Got to my desk unscathed.

Harrison, too, had made it safely.

No one… saw, right?

No one noticed we walked in together, right?

Actually, wait.

Why didn’t we just wait an extra thirty seconds outside?

We had plenty of time.

And yet, we just stumbled in together like a pair of absolute morons.

We’re so dumb.

If a death game suddenly broke out in this class, we wouldn’t even be useful as cannon fodder.

We’d die offscreen, not even worthy of a dramatic death.

“Alright, is everyone here?”

The teacher entered.

Students scrambled back to their seats.

We were safe.

For now.

But I couldn’t let my guard down.

Not yet.

Because all it would take was one observant student to—

—First period, over.

I was sure someone would talk about it—

—Second period, over.

I was sure someone would bring it up—

—Third period, over.

I was sure that some sharp-eyed student would notice—

—Lunch break.

I was sure—

—After school.

“……………………”

—NOT. A. SINGLE. PERSON. NOTICED.

A guy and a girl in the same class—

Coming to school together—

And nobody so much as blinked.

As the other students packed up their bags to head home, I sat frozen in my seat, silently mourning my non-existent impact on the world.

“Unbelievable… High schoolers are supposed to be obsessed with gossip…”

“They’re supposed to make up random ships and tease people over the dumbest things…”

As I muttered to myself on our way back to the station, Harrison shot me a puzzled smile.

“You wanted them to tease us?”

“Of course not!!”

My voice came out way too loud, and even I was startled by it.

I quickly turned away, lowering my voice.

“…I just…”

“I just realized something, okay?”

“We’re actually invisible.”

Nobody sees us.

Nobody notices us.

Not even in a situation like this.

And to think, I actually felt like I was experiencing something close to youth.

Like an idiot.

“Well, isn’t that just how it is?”

Harrison shrugged like it was no big deal.

Like he had long since accepted it.

“Neither of us tried to make friends this past month. The others did.”

“Of course, there’s going to be a gap. It’s only natural.”

“Oh wow, look at you talking like you have it all figured out.”

“You seriously don’t care?”

“Not really. I already knew it would be like this.”

Ugh.

Harrison is so annoying.

Acting all detached and wise, like he’s got life all figured out.

Like pretending to be unbothered makes him some enlightened being.

It’s just an excuse to avoid dealing with reality.

And that’s just—

Gross.

“But, you know…”

“Being invisible isn’t always a bad thing.”

He suddenly said something weird.

Something that sounded almost like comfort.

Which caught me so off guard that I frowned.

“Did I ask for a pep talk?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant—”

“It’s just that, like… Look at today, for example.”

“If it had been someone like Shirakawa, people would be all over it.”

“They’d gossip, spread rumors—she’d have to be way more careful about what she does.”

“But for us? Nobody even cared. No pressure. No drama.”

“Being invisible has its perks, don’t you think?”

“…………Well.”

I mean, yeah, sure.

Every social group has its own set of problems.

I get that.

But I’m not positive enough to look at my own misery and call it a blessing.

“If you’re invisible anyway, might as well enjoy it.”

“That’s how I see it, at least.”

“…Like what?”

“Huh?”

“How exactly are we supposed to ‘enjoy’ being invisible?”

“Uh… I dunno.”

“Like… grinding ranked matches while everyone else is out with their friends?”

“…………That’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“…Okay, yeah, that was a bit of a reach.”

Harrison deflated, rubbing the back of his neck.

He looked like a capybara that just got outcompeted for food.

Which made me—

“Pfft.”

…laugh.

Just a little.

But I definitely laughed.

Harrison twitched.

Then glanced at me.

“…What?”

I immediately tightened my expression and counterattacked.

“What? What what?!”

Before he could ask anything, I had already put him on the defensive.

And just as expected—

“…Nothing. Never mind.”

He backed down.

Too easily.

Too easily!

Come on, man.

I already had an answer ready in case he pressed me about it.

And he just gave up?!

Having a male acquaintance doesn’t mean everything will go exactly how I imagine it.

But—

At the very least.

Having someone to complain to made the walk home a little less miserable.

“Hey, Harrison.”

“…What, Sumino?”

“Get on custom matches when you get home.”

“You seriously need to train in practice mode.”

“I get stronger through battle!”

For now, this is enough.

For now, this is fine.