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!~
Lunchtime.
The moment the bell rang, the tension in the classroom dissolved instantly.
The sound of desks being pushed together. The sound of lunchbox lids opening. The footsteps of boys running to the school store. My classmates—who, until yesterday, were complete strangers—had already begun forming their own lunch groups by the second day.
I couldn’t catch that wave.
There’s no need to explain why.
It’s simply because I haven’t made any friends.
That said, I don’t really mind. I’m the type of person who prefers to be a lone wolf. No, rather than preferring it, I just find it easier to breathe when I’m alone. I don’t have to chime in on other people’s conversations. I don’t have to look for the right moment to laugh. I don’t have to come up with a witty response when someone looks at the contents of my lunchbox.
I took my lunch out of my bag and stood up, blending into the buzz of the classroom.
Of course, I wasn’t heading to the rooftop.
This world isn’t a romantic comedy. In reality, events like having lunch alone with a main heroine-level beauty on the school rooftop don’t happen very often. For starters, rooftops are usually off-limits, and a girl like that would definitely be eating lunch with the popular crowd.
What a lone wolf in the real world needs isn’t a breezy rooftop.
It’s a place where no one will find me—somewhere plain, cramped, and peaceful.
And I had already set my sights on it on the day of the entrance ceremony.
The two storage sheds behind the school building. A small, forgotten space nestled between them. It was big enough for one person to sit in, and there was even a large rock in the back that could serve as a chair. It was a bit chilly in the shade, but that was actually a plus. Here, I could avoid prying eyes.
I stepped into that space.
I was flanked on both sides by warehouse walls, with only a narrow strip of sky above. The midday light was cut off sharply, and a single cherry blossom petal, swayed by the wind, had fallen to the ground.
“Alright. I’ll call this my home.”
Muttering that under my breath, I sat down on the rock.
I opened my lunchbox.
Rolled omelet, fried chicken, frozen croquettes, and broccoli tucked into the corner. My mom’s lunches aren’t fancy, but they give me a sense of security. I moved my chopsticks while casually scrolling through social media on my phone.
It was quiet.
The clamor of the classroom and the footsteps in the hallway barely reached this far. I finally felt like I had my own time back.
Or so I thought.
“Seita, I found you.”
A voice I knew all too well came from the entrance.
I stopped eating.
I slowly looked up.
In the narrow gap between two storage rooms, Hoshimiya was standing in that tiny doorway.
With the midday light behind her, she looked strangely unreal. Her school uniform ribbon was neatly tied, and her long hair flowed softly over her shoulders. Just seeing her in such a cramped, dusty place made the background seem out of place.
No, it was the situation that was wrong.
This wasn’t a place a freshman would stumble upon by accident. And it certainly wasn’t a place a famous idol—who’d only just gotten used to the school over the past day or two—could possibly find her way to.
“W-why are you here?”
When I said that, Hoshimiya tilted her head slightly.
“Why? Maybe because we’re childhood friends.”
“Do childhood friends come standard with a target-tracking ability?”
“I just thought about where Seita might go, and this was the place.”
She said something terrifying with such nonchalance.
Hoshimiya walked toward me. The sound of her leather shoes crunching on the small gravel echoed unnaturally close. She was holding a lunch bag. In other words, she hadn’t just happened to pass by.
She’d come here intending to eat here from the very beginning.
“Hey, can I eat with you?”
“…No, I’d rather be alone.”
“No way.”
“Huh?”
She rejected me with such natural ease.
Hoshimiya stood next to me and narrowed her eyes as if peering at me. She was standing very close. Maybe it was because the space was small, but with her, I’d probably feel close even in a wide-open space.
“You’ve got a childhood friend like me right here. Isn’t it lonely being alone?”
“We’re not childhood friends, and I’m not lonely.”
I set down my chopsticks and exhaled softly.
I’m not lonely.
That wasn’t me putting on a brave face.
Being alone is an escape for me, but at the same time, it’s a source of comfort. I remember back in middle school, when I was unfairly scolded in class. I couldn’t say a word in front of everyone, and all I could feel were the stares of those around me piercing me. Whenever I was in a place where I had to interact with others, I always had to adjust myself.
Not too cheerful, not too gloomy.
Not defiant, not conspicuous.
Laughing when I should laugh, staying silent when I should stay silent.
Wearing that mask for the outside world, I’d eventually lose track of where my own face was.
That’s why I liked being alone.
When I’m alone, I don’t have to adapt to anyone else. I won’t accidentally step on anyone’s toes.
“I just like being alone.”
After saying that, Hoshimiya fell silent for a moment.
She was looking at my face. Her usual beautiful smile was gone. Instead, her eyes were calm, as if she were trying to figure something out.
Eventually, Hoshimiya nodded slightly.
“Hmm, I see.”
Did she understand?
I felt a little relieved.
But that was jumping to conclusions.
“Well then, I guess I’ll eat alone too.”
Saying that, Hoshimiya sat down next to me as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Next to the rock, by the warehouse wall. Close enough that our shoulders were almost touching.
“…Here?”
“Yeah. I’m eating alone here too.”
“I don’t think you can call that eating alone.”
“Seita is eating alone. I’m eating alone. We just happen to be sitting next to each other.”
That logic was a bit too forced.
But Hoshimiya was happily opening her lunch bag. It felt like nothing I said would make her budge. If I tried to argue with her, things would just end up getting complicated.
I gave up and turned my gaze back to my lunch.
But I just couldn’t do it.
Hoshimiya Rino is sitting right next to me.
A famous idol, the kind you see on TV and in ads, is sitting next to me in the space between two storage units, opening her lunchbox. It’s impossible not to notice.
Her lunch looked perfectly arranged. Two small rice balls. Colorful vegetables. A rolled omelet. A small hamburger patty. The portions were modest, but each item had been carefully packed.
“Hoshimiya-san, aren’t you going to eat in the classroom?”
“Rino.”
“Hoshimiya-san.”
“……”
Hoshimiya’s chopsticks stopped moving.
She remained silent for a few seconds, staring down at her lunchbox. Her fingertips tightened around the chopsticks, and her lips pressed together slightly. She wasn’t angry. But it was the look of someone holding something back again.
“……Everyone said they wanted to eat with me.”
“Then maybe you should eat over there.”
“Do you think so too, Seita?”
Her voice dropped slightly.
By the time I thought, “Oh no,” it was too late.
Hoshimiya gave a faint smile as she stared at the rolled omelet in her lunchbox. It was a beautiful smile, yet somehow devoid of warmth.
“You said I should go join the others. You like being alone, Seita. You said I should go be with the others.”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
“Then what did you mean?”
Hoshimiya looked up, her eyes locking directly onto mine.
This is such a hassle.
It’s really a hassle.
She immediately takes my casual words as “rejection.” Every time I try to put some distance between us, something inside her creaks. Yet, she never cries or gets angry. She just smiles quietly, effectively chipping away at my guilt.
“…As long as you’re not forcing yourself, Hoshimiya, that’s fine.”
When I said that, her eyes wavered slightly.
“Are you worried about me?”
“Sort of.”
“Because we’re childhood friends?”
“As a person.”
“I see.”
Hoshimiya picked up a piece of rolled omelet with her chopsticks and brought it to her mouth.
Then she said quietly,
“For now, being a person is fine.”
For now.
There were those words again.
I no longer had the energy to press her, so I popped a piece of fried chicken into my mouth.
For a while, the two of us ate our lunches in silence.
The storage room was quiet, with the occasional sound of voices from the field in the distance. Every time a breeze blew through, Hoshimiya’s hair swayed slightly, and the scent of her shampoo wafted over.
It felt awkward.
It should have felt awkward, but strangely, it didn’t feel suffocating.
Maybe it was because she wasn’t forcing conversation. Even though she’d been so pushy just a moment ago, she was strangely quiet while we ate.
When I turned my phone face down, Hoshimiya glanced at it.
“Hey, Seita. How far have you read the original novel for I Don’t Need Youth?”
Hearing that topic, my guard dropped a little.
“I’m not just familiar with it—I’m a huge fan. I’ve kept up with it all the way to the latest chapter.”
“I knew it!”
Hoshimiya’s face lit up.
That change was really obvious. Just a moment ago, she was giving off a vibe of being a pain to deal with, but the moment the conversation turned to her favorite series, she leaned in like a girl her age.
“So, what about the cultural festival arc in Volume 3?”
“It’s a masterpiece. I love how the protagonist figures out the heroine’s lie right there.”
“I get it. He knows, but he chooses not to confront her about it.”
“Exactly. It’s good that he waits until she’s ready to tell him herself.”
“Seita, you seem like the type who’d like that.”
“Well, I do.”
After saying that, I was a little surprised.
I’d answered quite naturally.
It was a voice without my usual public facade.
From there, the conversation didn’t stop.
Who’s your favorite character? Who ends up with whom in the end? How well did the direction of the second season finale capture the atmosphere of the original work? Maybe the protagonist isn’t just clueless—maybe he’s actually just not ready to accept the other person’s feelings.
Before I knew it, I was talking pretty fast.
Hoshimiya was the same.
She wasn’t the famous idol Hoshimiya Rino; she was just an otaku talking about her favorite series. With her pretty face, she’d furrow her brow at a different interpretation just like anyone else, and her voice would only brighten slightly when talking about her favorite character’s iconic scenes.
Before I knew it, I was smiling.
The moment I realized that, I felt a little scared.
It had been a long time since I’d talked so freely.
It was different from the fun I had hanging out with friends. That was important in its own way, but I was always adjusting my energy level to match theirs. Now, because the topic of the show was there to fill the gaps, I’d forgotten about all that unnecessary consideration.
It wasn’t that Hoshimiya had forcibly stripped away my mask.
She had simply offered a topic that allowed me to let my guard down.
“I’m glad,”
Hoshimiya said suddenly.
“That I got to talk about I Don’t Need Youth with you, Seita.”
“Me too. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to talk so freely.”
The moment I said that, Hoshimiya’s expression froze.
It wasn’t the same kind of pain as before.
It was something more precarious, something sweet.
She kept her lunchbox on her lap as she stared at me. She barely blinked. Her lips parted just a little, then closed again. A slow heat rose to her cheeks.
“…Relaxed.”
“Huh?”
“Seita, I feel relaxed when I’m with you.”
“That’s only when we’re talking about the works.”
“But you were talking to me.”
“Well, I suppose that’s true.”
Hoshimiya looked down.
Her long hair hid her cheeks. But she couldn’t hide the fact that her ears were red.
Then she gently set her lunchbox aside.
“Seita.”
“What is it?”
“Say that again.”
“Say what?”
“That talking to me is easygoing.”
“I said ‘when we’re talking about the works.’”
“You can leave that part out.”
“I can’t.”
Hoshimiya pouted slightly.
But immediately, she narrowed her eyes as if she’d thought of something.
“So, can I be a place where you feel safe, Seita?”
“This conversation is getting heavy all of a sudden.”
“I mean, you like being alone because it makes you feel safe, right?”
I fell silent.
Hoshimiya stared intently at me.
The passion from our earlier otaku talk was still there. But beneath it, something else had mixed in. It seemed she’d listened more carefully than I’d thought to the reason I wanted to be alone.
“Then, if you feel safe with me, you don’t have to be alone, right?”
“That’s a bit of a stretch.”
“It’s not a stretch. I really thought it through.”
Hoshimiya lowered her gaze to my lunchbox.
The empty space where the fried chicken had been. The broccoli left at the edge. For some reason, she was looking at this ordinary lunchbox as if it contained vital information.
“If you’re looking for a place to be alone, I’ll go there too. If you want to talk about your favorite shows, I’ll talk about them too. I’ll make sure to remember the things that make you feel at ease.”
“That’s a little scary.”
I said honestly.
Hoshimiya’s expression stiffened ever so slightly.
I thought I’d done it again, but this time she didn’t run away. She didn’t try to cover it up with a smile; she just looked me in the eye and nodded slightly.
“Yeah. I’ll try not to be scared.”
“Not in that sense.”
“But I’d be more scared if Seita just disappeared somewhere all by himself.”
Those words weren’t a joke.
The air in the gap of the storage room grew a little colder.
Hoshimiya was looking down at her hands. Her fingertips were lightly clutching the hem of her uniform skirt.
“When I saw Seita leave the classroom during lunch break today, I didn’t like it.”
“You didn’t like it?”
“Yeah. I didn’t like that he was going somewhere I didn’t know. Even though I know Seita wants to be alone, I didn’t like that I wasn’t there.”
“That’s pretty heavy.”
“I know.”
Hoshimiya looked up.
Her expression was beautiful.
But it wasn’t just beautiful. Behind her smile, something like possessiveness lay faintly hidden. Her eyes were like clear water with a single drop of black ink at the bottom.
“But it’s Seita’s fault.”
“Me?”
“Because you were kind to me without asking my name. Because you treated me like an ordinary girl, not like Hoshimiya Rino. When someone does that to me, I can’t forget it.”
I was speechless.
Unforgettable.
She spoke those words so casually, yet they carried such weight.
That day, I had simply helped someone in need. The reason I didn’t ask her name wasn’t out of kindness, but because I lacked the courage to intrude.
But for Hoshimiya, it was different.
Inside her, my casual actions had taken on a meaning of their own, grown on their own, and now here she was, sitting next to me.
What a hassle.
It’s really a hassle.
But she looked so lonely that I couldn’t completely dismiss that hassle.
“…It’s not that I want to reject you, Hoshimiya-san.”
Hoshimiya’s fingertips stopped moving.
“It’s just that I get overwhelmed when everything is suddenly dumped on me like this.”
“Yeah.”
“So, if we’re just talking about art like we are today, then it’s fine.”
“Can I come tomorrow too?”
“That’s too soon.”
Hoshimiya’s eyes wavered slightly again.
I hurriedly added,
“No, I’m not saying you can’t come. It’s just that if you show up every day like it’s a given, well, it’s kind of… a problem.”
“Then, on days when Seita wants to be alone, I’ll sit a little farther away.”
“So you’re assuming I’ll be here?”
“I’m just eating alone.”
“Next to me?”
“A little further away.”
Hoshimiya said this with a serious expression.
She probably really thought she was making a concession.
I gave up and closed the lid of my lunchbox.
“…Do whatever you want.”
Hoshimiya’s face suddenly brightened.
But this time, she didn’t show her joy openly. As if cherishing that joy, she pulled the lunch box close to her chest.
“Yeah. I’ll do whatever I want.”
“The way you say that…”
“I’ll do whatever I want next to Seita.”
“That’s even worse.”
Hoshimiya gave a small laugh.
The bell signaling the end of lunch break rang in the distance.
The time we spent in the storage room flew by faster than I expected. I put away my lunch box and stood up. Hoshimiya did the same, picking up her lunch bag and standing up.
Before we headed back to the classroom, Hoshimiya gently tugged on my sleeve.
“Seita.”
“What is it?”
“Let’s keep this place a secret.”
“That was my plan all along.”
“Just between the two of us?”
“It’s my home.”
“Then it’s my vacation home.”
“Don’t go claiming ownership on your own.”
Hoshimiya laughed cheerfully, then suddenly lowered her voice.
“But it really is a secret, isn’t it?”
Something about the way she said it made me a little uneasy.
She was looking toward the entrance—the narrow path leading back toward the school building. Her eyes seemed to be checking to see if anyone was watching.
“If anyone else comes, Seita won’t be able to be alone.”
“…That would be a relief, though.”
“Besides…”
Hoshimiya looked at me.
She flashed her usual beautiful smile.
But her eyes alone held a hint of depth.
“I’d hate it if Seita were eating here with some other girl.”
The air froze.
She said it as if it were a joke.
But it wasn’t just a joke.
Before I could say anything in reply, Hoshimiya took a step forward.
“Let’s go back, Seita. We’ll be late for our afternoon classes.”
Watching her back, I let out a small sigh.
Hoshimiya Rino.
The school’s top idol.
A beautiful, heavy, and troublesome girl who claims to be my nonexistent childhood friend.
As lunch break came to an end, I realized one thing.
It seemed the “home” I’d finally found was no longer strictly for one person.
And what’s more, my new roommate was the type who’d happily make a duplicate key with a smile.
Maigetsu