The School’s Top Idol Is Acting Like She’s My Childhood Friend for Some Reason and Just Keeps Closing the Distance on Her Own…?! ~Stop Getting All Gloomy on Me Just Because I Turned You Down!~
After school.
As usual, I was getting ready to go home.
I stuffed my textbooks into my bag, put away my pencil case, and picked up the bag hanging beside my desk. All around me, students were heading off to club activities or making plans to go home with friends, starting their after-school routines as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Normally, I would have just blended in with the crowd and gone home.
But today, that wasn’t going to happen.
After this, I had an after-school date with Hoshimiya waiting for me.
An after-school date.
Just hearing the words, it might sound like a bittersweet coming-of-age event. In a romantic comedy manga, it’s the kind of scene where an entire chapter is devoted to depicting the heroine’s casual clothes and the dynamic between them, only for their relationship to progress just a little bit at the end.
But reality is different.
What I’m heading toward is a detour with a current top idol who sinks into a sulk if I refuse her, calls herself my childhood friend, and takes a heavy interest in my past and personal relationships.
When I think about it again, the setup is way too intense.
Even so, it wasn’t just a burden.
It was true that there were moments when I felt at ease while spending time with Hoshimiya.
The day we talked about the same manga.
The day we ate our lunches in a corner of the storage room during lunch break.
The day I managed to close the distance between me and Kyosuke, just a little.
On every one of those days, Hoshimiya was there.
She’s gradually making her way into my daily life. At first, it felt like she’d barged in without knocking, but now I can’t bring myself to completely dislike the sound of her footsteps.
That scared me a little.
“Seita!”
I heard a voice.
When I looked up, Hoshimiya was standing right in front of me.
“Let’s go.”
She was wearing her school uniform, yet for some reason, she looked more special than usual.
The same blazer. The same ribbon. The same skirt. Even though it was the same uniform as the other girls in our class, when Hoshimiya wore it, it truly became “Rino Hoshimiya’s outfit.” Her posture, the way her hair fell, her slightly bouncy voice. All of that made the time after school feel just a little bit brighter.
“Seita? What’s wrong? You’re blushing.”
“—N-no! It’s just… you looked so beautiful…”
The moment the words left my mouth, I knew I’d messed up.
The air in the classroom seemed to freeze.
Hoshimiya’s eyes widened for just a second.
Then, a blush slowly spread across her cheeks.
“…That makes me happy. That you’d say that, Seita.”
That bashful expression was probably not an act.
The usual her would have managed to look even cuter. But right now, Hoshimiya looked away slightly and placed a hand over her mouth as if to hide it. It was a reaction she hadn’t quite managed to control.
That made it all the more heart-stopping.
“I’m glad we’re childhood friends.”
“That’s not it.”
“Hehe. You’re quick to deny it, aren’t you?”
Hoshimiya laughed cheerfully.
Naturally, jealous and bewildered glances flew our way from those around us. The pressure from the boys, in particular, was intense. What are you doing? Why are you making Hoshimiya Rino look like that? Those silent questions pierced my back.
But there was nothing I could do about it now.
I decided to ignore the stares and left the classroom with Hoshimiya.
※ ※ ※
“Where are we going today, Seita?”
After leaving school, Hoshimiya and I headed straight for the city.
An after-school date.
I’d never experienced a development like this, straight out of a romantic comedy. So, recalling the dating episodes with heroines I’d seen in anime and manga, I had no choice but to pick a place that looked the part.
The first place we headed to was an anime shop.
It was a familiar place to me, but walking in side-by-side with Hoshimiya instantly changed the atmosphere. The store was lined with anime posters, merchandise, new manga releases, and character figurines, and a pressure to buy—designed to stimulate otaku—was palpable everywhere.
I picked up the original manga for an anime I’ve been watching lately and checked the cover and the promotional strap.
Hoshimiya, for her part, was looking at the shelves with keen interest.
“Seita, is this interesting?”
What she had picked up was a dark fantasy manga.
“That’s pretty heavy. The world is dark, and the protagonist gets pushed to the brink.”
“Seita, you like that kind of thing, don’t you?”
“I do. Works where the world is more broken than reality actually make me feel at ease.”
“That’s quite a reason.”
Hoshimiya chuckled softly.
Her laugh was so natural that I felt the tension in my shoulders ease just a little.
Next, my eyes fell on the original manga for the anime I’d stayed up all night watching yesterday—Why Is My Love Life Suddenly Overflowing with Romance?
On the cover, the protagonist, Kahiko Wataru, stood with a refreshing expression. Surrounding him were heroines of every type. It was blinding. Way too blinding. It was way too intense for someone with a youth complex like me.
Kahiko.
I won’t forgive you, at least.
The fact that just by worrying, the number of heroines increases—the laws of the world have broken down. I also can’t understand how he can brush off the affection from those around him just by being “insensitive.” Make him suffer more. No, maybe he is suffering, but the fact that even his suffering is so typical of a romantic comedy is infuriating.
“Seita, do you like Kahiko-kun?”
“I hate him.”
“That was an instant answer.”
“But there are parts of him I can relate to here and there, so I like him.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? You like him, don’t you?”
Hoshimiya laughed in exasperation.
“It’s complicated. My youth complex and my love for the work coexist.”
“Seita, you’re such a pain.”
“That’s the last person I want to hear that from.”
“That’s mean.”
Hoshimiya put on a deliberately hurt expression.
But the corners of her eyes were smiling.
As we walked further into the store, a special display for Youth Is Unnecessary in School Romantic Comedies!! caught my eye.
It really is a popular series.
In addition to stacks of the latest volume, there were figure stands, spin-offs, limited editions with bonuses, and even sample postcards on display. A whole corner of the store was completely drenched in the colors of Youth Is Unnecessary.
“Wow…”
“It’s amazing.”
Hoshimiya and I spoke at the same time.
We stood there for a while, gazing at the special display with sparkling eyes.
Hoshimiya picked up an acrylic stand of her favorite character and looked at it intently, trying to decide.
“Are you going to buy it?”
“What about you, Seita?”
“If I buy this… my card budget will be…”
“Then I’ll buy it.”
“Why are you competing with me over this?”
“If Seita can’t buy it, I’ll cherish it for both of us.”
“Your love is too heavy.”
In the end, Hoshimiya bought one figure.
I decided to just buy the spin-off manga. The reality of my budget weighs heavier than romance comedies.
※ ※ ※
After leaving the anime shop, we went into an arcade.
The place was noisy.
The electronic sounds of claw machines. The flashy music from rhythm games. The clicking of buttons from the fighting game stations. The lighting was unusually bright, and colorful lights were reflecting off the floor.
As always, Hoshimiya was drawing a lot of attention.
Hoshimiya exuded an air of complete privacy. Even in her school uniform, without her fashion glasses, she still stood out.
“Hey, is that the real thing?”
“Is she here for a photoshoot or something?”
“Doesn’t she look just like Hoshimiya Rino?”
I could hear comments like that here and there.
Hoshimiya must have noticed, yet she remained completely unfazed.
“What’s wrong, Seita?”
“No, I just think Hoshimiya-san is amazing.”
“Huh?”
“You’re always so radiant. I wonder if it’s okay for you to be hanging out with someone like me.”
The moment I said it, I realized I’d messed up.
That was an unnecessary comment.
There are tons of people who want to be with Rino Hoshimiya. Fans, coworkers, students at school. Yet I’m not just an ordinary guy—I’m someone with social anxiety and a complex about my youth.
We’re not a good match.
That’s all I’d thought.
But Hoshimiya’s expression clearly changed.
The light in her eyes suddenly faded into the depths.
“Do you hate me now, by any chance?”
“No, no! I don’t hate you at all!”
I hurriedly denied it.
“I was just wondering if it’s okay for you to be involved with someone like me.”
“That’s the same thing.”
Hoshimiya’s voice was quiet.
She leaned in, resting her body against my arm.
The sudden closeness made me tense up. For a moment, it felt like the noise from the arcade had faded into the distance.
“Hey, Seita.”
“……Yeah.”
“No matter what everyone else thinks of you, I want to be by your side.”
Hoshimiya’s hand gripped my sleeve.
“Even if you become a pariah, I’m the only one who wants to stay by your side. If you think you’re worthless, I’ll keep finding your worth. If you try to be alone, I’ll sit right next to you.”
“…That’s a bit much.”
“Yeah.”
Hoshimiya didn’t deny it.
If anything, she smiled slightly.
“It was you who made me this way, Seita, wasn’t it?”
Her eyes took on a playful expression.
But the emotion behind them was genuine.
The fact that I’d helped her a few days ago without even asking her name.
The fact that I’d cherished the things she loved.
Those things are still growing inside Hoshimiya.
It wasn’t what I wanted.
But maybe I was the one who planted the seed.
“…Shall we play a game?”
I said it as if I were running away.
Hoshimiya’s eyes widened slightly, then she smiled happily.
“Sure.”
From there, we went around the arcade.
In fighting games, Hoshimiya was surprisingly competitive. Even though she was clumsy with the controls at first, by the third match she was pulling off what looked like combos.
“Seita, one more time.”
“You really hate losing, don’t you?”
“I hate ending on a loss.”
“You do have that side to you.”
“And I want to beat Seita, too.”
“You’re talking about the game, right?”
“For now.”
“‘For now’ is also off-limits.”
At the claw machine, Hoshimiya spotted a mini plushie from I Don’t Need Youth.
Naturally, she gave it a try, and naturally, she got hooked.
“One more time.”
“Hoshimiya-san, it’s about time.”
“Just one more time.”
“That’s a classic line from someone who’s losing.”
“Seita, please.”
In the end, I ended up helping her too.
After a few failed attempts, the claw hooked the plushie’s tag, and it slowly dropped into the prize chute.
The moment Hoshimiya saw it, her face lit up.
“I got it!”
“That’s great.”
“Seita got it for me.”
“It was about half your investment, though.”
“But Seita got it for me.”
Hoshimiya hugged the stuffed animal with both hands and smiled happily.
Watching her face, the heaviness I’d been feeling just a moment ago lifted slightly. She was simply happy to have won the prize she wanted, just like any ordinary girl. That was the look on her face.
By the time we left the arcade, the sky outside was tinged with sunset.
The orange light reflected off the windows of the buildings, softening the city’s outlines. The time after school was drawing to a close.
I glanced over at her.
Hoshimiya was smiling contentedly.
In her arms was the stuffed animal she’d just won. In her bag was the anime figurine she’d bought at the anime shop. She had the face of a high school girl who’d thoroughly enjoyed her after-school time.
“That was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. Let’s go together again sometime.”
“Again… I’d like to go with you next time too, if possible.”
After I said that, I froze.
Damn it.
I’d said the wrong thing.
For me, it just meant that I felt comfortable being with her, so if we were going out again, I’d prefer it to be with Hoshimiya. There was no deeper meaning to it. Well, I’m not sure if I can say for certain there wasn’t, but at the very least, it wasn’t meant as a confession.
But Hoshimiya stopped in her tracks.
Holding the stuffed animal, her eyes widened.
Her cheeks flushed bright red all at once.
“Seita… sometimes you say the craziest things.”
“N-no, that’s not it! I didn’t mean it like that!”
“You didn’t mean it like that?”
Hoshimiya’s eyes drooped slightly.
Oh no.
If I correct myself, she’ll get even more down.
If I don’t, the misunderstanding will just get worse.
Either way, it’s hell.
I swallowed my words.
Hoshimiya looked at me like that and let a small smile touch her lips.
“Seita.”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to go with you next time, too.”
Those words lingered quietly in the evening glow.
I couldn’t say anything in reply.
I just felt a strange warmth deep in my chest.
And so, our after-school date that day came to an end.
No, it wasn’t a date.
It was just a detour.
We weren’t even childhood friends.
Just a detour with a classmate.
Convincing myself of that, Hoshimiya and I walked home together part of the way.
But as I watched Hoshimiya walking happily beside me, clutching her stuffed animal, I felt that excuse gradually losing its power.
She had crept into my daily life, and today, once again, she had carved out a little more space for herself inside me.
Maigetsu