CHAPTER-05: CALL ME ---

「Hey.

You. Come on.

There's no way you can't hear me, so don't ignore me!!」said Kuro

「Then call me by my name or something! How am I supposed to know with "hey" or "you"!?」 said Hayami

「What did something happen again?」said souta

「Igarashi-kun, actually-」said Hayami

... A few minutes ago ...

「Hayami! Our adviser told me to give you this.」said Kuro

「Huh? ...Thank you.」 said Hayami* staring *

「... What?」said Kuro

「Well, you said you'll think about what to call me.

*no offense intended* Considering that, I thought that it's pretty ordinary.」said Hayami

*emotional damage*

......

「And now He's calling her "hey" and "you". So Kiyoko-chan got mad. That's pretty much.」said Yuri

「What are they, in elementary?」said Souta

「I changed the way I called you, don't I?

Why can't you gladly appreciate that!?」said Kuro

 * pissed *「I just said it's ordinary! I never said it's dire!

Why are you always like that, Yamagi-kun?」said Hayami * annoyed *

「Could you end it there? You're noisy.

Well, you could say that you're close enough to quarrel, but-」said Souta

「WE'RE NOT!!」said Kuro and Hayami

「By the way, Igarashi-kun. I've been meaning to ask you something for a while now.」said Hayami

「What is it?」said Souta

「Who are you dating?」said Hayami

「Yeah. I don't know that, either.」said Kuro

「Huh? Haven't I told you?」said Souta

「I bet that you lied about getting a girlfriend, right?」

「It's a 2-D girl. Isn't it?」said Kuro 

「Why would I lie about that?」said Souta

「Yuri-chan, I haven't heard who your boyfriend is, either.」said Hayami

「Huh!? *blushed* 

 Well, I. I met him outside of school. So I don't think it was worth mentioning.」said Yuri * in a simple tone *

「Mh, I am the same.」said Souta

「I see. Since you met him out of school, that means you don't see him much?」 said Hayami

「Not at all. 

We talk every day over the phone, And we spend the weekend together, too.」said Yuri * delightfully *

「Wow!

That's nice!」said Hayami

「Mmm, When I hear stuff like that,

 An innocent love talks attack hurts.」(It pierces the heart of someone single.) said Kuro

「Huh!?」Yuri * confused *

「So, Souta, did you meet your girlfriend through your otaku hobbies or something?」said Kuro

「Hm, well, you can say that.」said Souta

* ding dong * * rattle rattle *

「Let's start the class!」Sensei

「Okay~」

* * * *

「No one's here anymore.

Well, that's fine ...」 said Yuri

「Oh! Yuri.」said Souta

「Eeee!

Oh! Souta!」said Yuri *surprised*

.....

「Sorry about what happened during lunch ...

... For lying about us.」said Yuri

「It's not a lie.

We did meet outside of school, and we did see each other during the weekend.」said Souta

「Well, yeah...」said Yuri

「You genuinely don't want to tell others?」said Souta

「-Yeah.

It's not that I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm dating you, but-」 said Yuri * dubiously*

「Well, If they knew you were dating an otaku like me, you wouldn't be able to hide the fact that you're an otaku, too」(Here, this is the manga I told you about. It's all four-volume.) said Souta

「Yeah-, that's a bit-」(Thanks. I'll read it.) said Yuri

「It must be tough being a closet otaku. I'm used to reading manga and playing games in public.」said Kuro

「I'm a bit jealous that you are so open about it, but-

I enjoy doing those at home anyway. Besides-, I'm you know-」 said Yuri

「It doesn't seem like anyone minds that I'm an otaku. I don't think anyone would make fun of you even if you tell them.」said Souta 

「-I know that but-

Sorry-」said Yuri

「It's alright. No need to apologize. You can tell them when you're ready.」said Souta

「-Yeah. You're right. -Thank you. For someone like me~.」said Yuri * happily *

「It goes both ways, remember?」said Souta

* chuu *

* * * *

(What should I do for dinner?

-Looks like I'll be eating alone tonight, too-

I guess I'll go shopping before I go home.) {Hayami}

...........

「Isn't that Kiyoko-chan!」said Kiichi (Kuro's Onii-san)

「Hello! Kiichi-san and Emi-san! Buying stuff for your store?」said Hayami

「Nah, This is for tonight's dinner.」said Emi

「Emi-chan's cruel, you know? My break just started, and she dragged me out, saying I should carry her stuff.」said Kiichi

「It's better than asking the errand boy to go with me.」said Emi

「Emi-chan, did you want to go on a shopping date with me that badly?」 said Kiichi * making fun *

「I don't hate how you think, but that pisses me off-(and don't call me Emi-chan).」said Emi

..........「Why don't you stop by our store today? Kuro's there, too.」said Emi

「Ugh. It's kind of iffy between Yamagi-kun and me right now-.」said Hayami

「You're fighting?」said Kiichi

「Did Kuro say something bad to you again, Kiyoko-chan?」said Emi

「No, this time, I'm the one at fault-. Besides, I need to go home and cook dinner.」said Hayami

「I see. Be careful.」said Emi

「Stop by our store next time~. I will give you some extra special service~.」said Kiichi

*peek* (Kiichi-san and Emi-san- it must be nice to be in that kind of relationship. I admire them a little-.

Igarashi-kun and Yuri-chan, too. Everyone in the class is in a relationship- 

I do have friends at school, but-. When I get home, I'm all by my self- )

「I am really a loner, but-」

(I don't think I want a boyfriend right now like everyone else, but-

I think I am a little bit envious of people who have someone they like.)

「So first, I need to find someone I like-」

(Hmm, I don't think it's gonna be that easy.

Relying on the person you love, supporting each other. That must be nice. 

Will I be able to find that person someday?)

「Hey!」said Kuro

*fantasizing * (The fact that I don't have a partner is the problem.) {Hayami}

「Hey! Come on! NOTICE ME ALREADY!!」said Kuro

「Yamagi-kun! You surprised me.」said Hayami

「I've been calling you for a while now! 

It's dangerous to walk while you're spacing out like that.」said Kuro

「I did hear you, a little. 

*irritated* How would I know you were calling me and not someone else!? 

I told you to call me something easier to understand.」

*pissed*「Hey, I hurried and biked all the way here to catch up to you! TAKE THIS!」

「? What's this?」

「Some Bracken rice cake from our shop. Kiichi and Aneki told me to give you some snacks. If you don't want them, I'll eat them.」

「From Kiichi-san and Emi-san? I'll take them. Thank you.」(Someday, will I fall in love with someone, too?) {Hayami} *glare*

「? What is it?」

*embarrassed*「Umm- No, Not this one. No way-」said Hayami

*confussed*「Huh? What are you talking about?」

* * * *